body_text: CLEVELAND – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country. “We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes." “Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.” “Protecting children from sexual predators is one of our office’s highest priorities. We will use all legal tools available to pursue, arrest, and aggressively prosecute anyone who seeks to exploit or harm a child,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We are grateful to the FBI Cleveland Division for their incredible work to find those who perpetuate these atrocious behaviors.” “There is no place in our communities for those who prey on children. Through close collaboration with the USAO and our law enforcement partners, we are committed to protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring sexual predators are brought to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Manganaro of the FBI Cleveland Division. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has announced that federal grand juries returned indictments charging the following individuals with offenses against minors: Jeremy J. Miller, 34, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was charged with Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, Possession of Child Pornography, and Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children. At least one image involved in the offense involved a prepubescent minor under age 12. Tevon J. Hunter, 30, of Lorain, Ohio, was charged with Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Transportation of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct Anthony C. Hayes Jr., 44, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was charged with Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Possession of Child Pornography. At least one image involved in the offense involved a prepubescent minor under age 12. Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon. As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself. This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience. These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc . The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org . The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov , or by calling your local FBI field office at 216-522-1400. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: District of Arizona Charges Over 1,100 Individuals for  Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct during the Government Shutdown

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the weeks of enforcement operations from September 27, 2025, through November 7, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 1,196 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 697 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 411 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 78 cases against 85 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged 3 defendants for assaulting a Border Patrol agent during this period. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Matters of interest during this shutdown period include: United States v. Carlos Moreno-Contreras : On Sept. 28, 2025, Moreno-Contreras was arrested and charged with transporting illegal aliens for profit. Around 10:30 p.m. that night, Border Patrol agents initiated a stop of Moreno-Contreras' truck based on suspicion of alien smuggling. Moreno-Contreras failed to yield for several miles. Ultimately, Border Patrol deployed a vehicle immobilization device, which punctured two of his tires. As the tires were deflating and falling apart, Moreno-Contreras drove another five miles before coming to a stop. Agents took Moreno-Contreras and two illegal aliens he was transporting into custody. 25-MJ-3178. United States v. Fermin Abel Verdugo-Poqui : On Oct. 9, 2025, Verdugo-Poqui, was charged by complaint with Bringing an Alien into the United States Unlawfully in violation of 8 USC 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii). The day prior, a Border Patrol Agent driving a fully marked Border Patrol vehicle observed one person standing in the median of Interstate I-8 waving at traffic in a remote area of the Wellton Area of Operations. The BPA approached and observed a second person hiding in nearby bush. The BPA determined both individuals were citizens of Mexico without lawful authority to be in the United States. Verdugo-Poqui was determined to be the foot guide who led four illegal aliens from Mexico through the desert and into the United States on or about October 3, 2025, expecting $1,000 per illegal alien successfully crossed into the United States. 25-MJ-02011. United States v. Placida Ignacio : On Oct. 14, 2025, Ignacio was charged with transporting illegal aliens for profit. Border Patrol agents observed a truck travel down to the border in a remote area outside the village of Cowlic on the Tohono O'odham Indian Nation and then, shortly after, turnaround and travel out of the area. Agents followed and determined the truck was stolen. When law enforcement interacted with the driver at a gas station, they discovered 4 illegal aliens in the truck. Ignacio was previously convicted for transporting illegal aliens resulting in death and was sentenced to 96 months in custody in CR-08-00957-JGZ-MSA. 25-MJ-12144-JEM. United States v. Edgar Loya-Loya : On Oct. 20, 2025, Loya-Loya was charged by complaint with Bringing Aliens to the United States for Profit, Aiding and Assisting Certain Aliens to Enter the United States, and Illegal Reentry of a Removed Alien. Border Patrol agents apprehended Loya-Loya, a citizen of Mexico, and six other aliens near Dateland, Arizona on October 16, 2025. Agents determined Loya-Loya guided the group through the desert after crossing through a breach in the border fence. One of the individuals he guided, Jesus Saul Quintero, was previously convicted of an aggravated felony and is inadmissible to the United States. Loya-Loya had also been removed previously in June 2024. 25-2032MJ. United States v. Aldrick De La Torre-Jupamea : On Oct. 29, 2025, De La Torre-Jupamea was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. De La Torre-Jupamea was pulled over by a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputy for suspected violations of Arizona law. The deputy observed two males sitting in the rear passenger seat. The deputy escorted the driver to the deputy’s patrol vehicle. The two passengers fled the vehicle on foot. The deputy apprehended one of them, but the other was not located. The deputy suspected a human smuggling event and contacted U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection. De La Torre-Jupamea was determined to be a United States citizen. De La Torre-Jupamea was on federal supervised release for Attempted Smuggling of Goods from the United States, a felony, at the time of his arrest. The passenger that was apprehended was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. 25-MJ-08524. United States v. Bryan Efrain Aleman : On November 6, 2025, Aleman was charged with transportation of illegal aliens for profit. When Border Patrol attempted to stop Aleman’s Chevrolet Silverado, he pulled over briefly before abruptly fleeing. He then drove erratically, swerving into oncoming traffic, and, ultimately, breaking through a fence on the side of the road before coming to a stop in a cloud of dust. Aleman and the other subjects in the truck ran from it. Agents were able to apprehend four illegal aliens from the truck and Aleman, who was later determined to being the driver. 25-MJ-06995-MSA. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-179_Shut-down Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Grand Jury Charges Four Members of Anti-Government Group with Terrorism Felonies Stemming from New Year’s Eve Bombing Plot

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today returned a six-count indictment against four members of a far-left, anti-capitalist, and anti-government group that allegedly plotted to set off bombs in Southern California on New Year’s Eve, charging them with additional, terrorism-related felonies. Each of the following defendants is charged with one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and one count of possession of unregistered firearms: Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, a.k.a. “Asiginaak,” and “Black Moon,” of South Los Angeles; Zachary Aaron Page, 32, a.k.a. “AK,” “Ash Kerrigan,” and “Cthulu’s Daughter,” of Torrance; Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24, a.k.a. “Nomad,” of South Los Angeles; and Tina Lai, 41, a.k.a. “Kickwhere,” of Glendale. Carroll and Page also are charged with one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. All four defendants are in federal custody without bond. Lai’s arraignment is scheduled for January 2, 2026. Carroll and Page are scheduled to be arraigned on January 5, 2026. Gaffield’s arraignment is scheduled for January 20, 2026. All the defendants will be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. “The charges a federal grand jury returned today reflect the seriousness of the conduct: a planned terrorist attack on American soil on New Year’s Eve,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If convicted, this group of self-professed left-wing radicals will face decades in federal prison. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all terror groups and bring them to justice.” According to the indictment, the defendants are part of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-capitalist and anti-government group. They also are members of what Carroll characterized as a “radical” TILF faction that communicated using an encrypted messaging group called “Order of the Black Lotus.” In November 2025, Carroll drafted an eight-page, handwritten document titled, “Operation Midnight Sun” that described a bombing plot targeting U.S. businesses across Southern California this upcoming New Year’s Eve. Among other things, the plot included details on the co-conspirators’ “marks” (intended targets), instructions on how to manufacture the bombs and source the bomb-making materials, and guidance for the co-conspirators to avoid leaving evidence behind that could be traced to them. The New Year’s Eve bombing plot was designed to “completely pulverize” the targets, which included technology and logistics companies with offices across Southern California. After drafting the bombing plot, Carroll recruited others – including Page, Gaffield, and Lai – to join the attack plan. On November 29, 2025, Page used an encrypted messaging application to send the following message to co-conspirators, including Carroll and Gaffield: “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-coloniasm [sic].” In response to Page’s message, Carroll stated, “Death to them all, burn it all down [three emojis of a burning heart].” Throughout early December 2025, the defendants procured bomb-making materials to build and test explosive devices in the Mojave Desert on December 12, 2025, including by obtaining bomb-making materials such as potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, and pipes. Carroll and Page also described plans for after the New Year’s Eve bombings, including targeting United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and vehicles with firearms and pipe bombs to “take some of them out and scare the rest of them,” according to the indictment. On December 12, 2025, the defendants traveled to the Mojave Desert to build and test explosives that they planned to use as part of the New Year’s Eve plot. The FBI arrested them at the scene before the co-conspirators could make functional explosive devices. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Carroll and Page would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, and Gaffield and Lai would face a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and the Palm Springs Police Department. FBI field offices in Boston, Buffalo, and New Orleans are also providing assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Amanda B. Elbogen of the National Security Division and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Justice Department Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section.


title: Auburn, Washington, man pleads guilty to hate crime for assault on Metro bus passenger

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 24-year-old Auburn, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to committing a hate crime involving bodily injury and a dangerous weapon for his attack on a Black bus rider, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Adan C. Hernandez-Mayoral is scheduled for sentencing in front of Judge James L. Robart on March 17, 2026. According to records filed in the case, on March 7, 2024, Hernandez-Mayoral made derogatory comments about Black people while he was riding a King County Metro bus. When a Black woman on the bus looked to see who was making racist comments, he yelled at her not to look at him and made more comments, including referring to the woman as “Rosa Parks” and asking her to move to the back of the bus. The woman walked to the front of the bus to call the police and Hernandez-Mayoral followed. When the bus stopped, Hernandez-Mayoral pushed the woman off the bus and assaulted her. He pulled out a knife that he thrust at the woman’s abdomen numerous times before running away. Fortunately, the woman was wearing a heavy coat that prevented the knife from reaching her skin. Nevertheless, the assault caused bodily injury. As Kent Police searched for the suspect in the attack, a neighbor called police reporting a man hiding in their yard. The clothing matched that of the assailant shown on the Metro surveillance video. Hernandez-Mayoral was arrested hiding under a car a short distance from the scene of the assault. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 57 months to be served concurrently with any sentence imposed in the King County Superior and District court cases involving Hernandez-Mayoral. Judge Robart is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law. The case was investigated by the Kent Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance and worked closely with federal prosecutors on this case to hold Hernandez-Mayoral accountable for his conduct. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Manca for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Tenette R. Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Ms. Manca leads the criminal civil rights investigations for the Western District of Washington.


title: Utah Ringleader of COVID-19 Scheme Sentenced to Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –Halee Ann Mehlbauer, 40, of Tooele, Utah, was sentenced today to 15 months’ imprisonment after she fraudulently obtained approximately $177,030 in COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans, along with her codefendant, Timothy Lopez, which they did not qualify for. She was also sentenced to two years’ supervised release and ordered by the court to pay $177,030 in restitution, of which $48,507 is to be paid jointly with Lopez. The COVID-19 PPP Loans were provided to small businesses for funding to meet specific obligations, including payroll and rent during the pandemic. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, comes after Mehlbaurer pleaded guilty on September 24, 2025, to wire fraud and money laundering. Her codefendant, Lopez was sentenced to time served. According to court documents and statements made at Mehlbauer’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning about July 15, 2020, and continuing to about January 15, 2022, Mehlbauer engaged in a Paycheck Protection Program Loan scheme and fraudulently obtained money through small lenders and the Small Businiss Administration. She did so by providing false information on multiple PPP-Loan and other lender applications and provided supporting documents in the name of nonexistent businesses. Mehlbauer knowingly defrauded the PPP Loan Program alone of at least $177,030. See prior press release: Utah Residents Accused of Running a COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme Face Federal Charges . Once approved for PPP Loan funds, Mehlbauer and her codefendant, Timothy Lopez, used the funds on personal expenses such as gambling, debt payments, car rental payments, and other miscellaneous expenses that were not related to any authorized payroll expenses for any of their alleged businesses. “Every dollar that Mehlbauer received in PPP-Loan funds was taxpayer money,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Mehlbauer fraudulently obtained funds meant for honest business owners faced with weathering the storm of a global pandemic and her fraud will not go unpunished. It is our hope her sentence deters others from taking advantage of government programs.” “The defendants helped themselves to funds intended for small businesses struggling to stay in business during the COVID pandemic,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Tim Larson. “SBA OIG and its law enforcement partners will continue to diligently protect the integrity of the SBA and its programs designed to strengthen small businesses and the economy of the United States. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.” "Driven by greed, these defendants defrauded the government, unlawfully diverting funds that were meant to support struggling small business owners and workers during a national emergency," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "The FBI is committed to holding accountable those who exploit government resources for personal profit at the expense of those in need." “This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to investigate and bring to justice those who victimize the American taxpayer,” said Krystofor Proev, TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge. “Fraudulently applying for loans through a federal program meant to assist Americans in need will be met with aggressive investigation and prosecution. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their commitment to this goal.” The Utah Federal COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force investigated the case, which includes Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of Inspector General’s U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The public is encouraged to share information about the abuse of the Paycheck Protection Program or other SBA programs by submitting a complaint here . Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud .


title: TIGO Guatemala Paid Over $118M To Resolve Foreign Bribery Investigation

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – In November 2025, Comunicaciones Celulares S.A., doing business as TIGO Guatemala, a mobile and fixed telecommunications service provider in Guatemala, paid over $118 million to resolve an investigation by the Justice Department into a long-running scheme to bribe government officials in Guatemala. TIGO Guatemala is a wholly owned subsidiary of Millicom International Cellular, S.A. (“Millicom”), an international telecommunications company incorporated and headquartered in Luxembourg that has its principal place of business in the United States. TIGO Guatemala entered into a two-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information filed in the Southern District of Florida charging the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). “This case exposes how corruption undermines democratic institutions and fair markets,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “For years, TIGO Guatemala bought political influence through a systematic bribery scheme using illicit cash, including proceeds tied to narcotrafficking. That conduct is not a cost of doing business—it is a crime. As a result, the company was made to pay a $60 million criminal penalty and forfeit nearly another $60 million in ill-gotten profits. This resolution reflects the seriousness of the offense and reinforces that real accountability and compliance are the price of operating under the rule of law.” According to court documents, between 2012 and 2018, TIGO Guatemala engaged in a widespread and systematic bribery scheme orchestrated by its then-Guatemalan shareholder and other then-senior personnel. The scheme featured monthly bribe payments, usually paid in cash, to numerous Guatemalan members of Congress or members of their security teams, in exchange for, among other things, their support for legislation that benefited TIGO Guatemala. Some of the cash that TIGO Guatemala used to pay bribes were the laundered proceeds of narcotrafficking. As part of the DPA, TIGO Guatemala agreed to pay a $60 million criminal penalty and $58,198,343 in administrative forfeiture. Pursuant to the DPA, TIGO Guatemala and its corporate parent, Millicom, agreed, among other things, to continue cooperating with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida in any ongoing or future criminal investigation arising during the term of the DPA. TIGO Guatemala and Millicom also agreed to enhance TIGO Guatemala’s compliance program and to periodically report to the department on remediation and implementation of compliance measures throughout the term of the DPA. The department reached this resolution with TIGO Guatemala based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. In determining the appropriate disposition of this matter, the department gave significant weight to Millicom’s initial voluntary and timely self-disclosure to the Criminal Division in 2015. During the ensuing investigation, however, TIGO Guatemala’s then-Guatemalan shareholder used its operational control to prevent Millicom from accessing critical information, and to prevent Millicom from requiring TIGO Guatemala personnel to cooperate and take remedial actions. The Fraud Section closed its initial investigation in 2018. Two years later, in 2020, the department obtained and proactively developed new evidence from sources other than TIGO Guatemala and Millicom regarding TIGO Guatemala’s conduct and reopened its investigation on that basis. The new evidence revealed the scope of TIGO Guatemala’s conduct, including that the criminal conduct continued during and after the department’s closure of the first phase of the investigation and involved narcotrafficking proceeds that were used to generate cash for some of the bribe payments. Accordingly, TIGO Guatemala did not meet the requirements for a resolution pursuant to Part I or Part II of the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy. However, TIGO Guatemala received credit for its affirmative acceptance of responsibility and substantial cooperation with the second phase of the department’s investigation, which included: (i) Millicom’s self-reporting of conduct that forms, in part, the basis for the DPA; (ii) promptly collecting, analyzing and organizing voluminous information, including complex financial information; (iii) gathering evidence and performing forensic data collections in the countries covered by the department’s investigation; (iv) providing information obtained through its internal investigation, particularly during the second phase of the department’s investigation, which allowed the department to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation; (v) facilitating interviews with employees, including making foreign-based employees available for interviews in the United States; (vi) making detailed factual presentations to the department; and (vii) proactively disclosing evidence about which the department was previously unaware and identifying key documents in materials produced, including Spanish translations. TIGO Guatemala also engaged in extensive timely remedial measures after the exit of Millicom’s prior joint venture partner and Millicom’s acquisition of full ownership and control of TIGO Guatemala in 2021, including: (i) undertaking a root cause analysis of the misconduct at TIGO Guatemala and risk assessment of the company’s operations; (ii) terminating personnel involved in the bribery scheme; (iii) introducing new and experienced management and compliance personnel to change the local operation’s culture of compliance; (iv) enhancing third-party onboarding and transaction monitoring, including by centralizing and linking the oversight functions under Millicom, incorporating data analytics and automated continuous monitoring across operations and periodically testing relevant controls for effectiveness (including testing of more than 250 transactions); (v) developing an ephemeral messaging policy, which employees are required to acknowledge they have read as part of annual training, and incorporating a system to preserve and analyze TIGO Guatemala employees’ ephemeral messages; (vi) launching an extensive training campaign covering anti-corruption and compliance risks; (vii) quickly incorporating key compliance policies and procedures, and creating a direct reporting line from TIGO Guatemala’s compliance function to Millicom; and (viii) over the last 10 years, significantly restructuring, expanding and resourcing Millicom’s global compliance program, including enhancing its compliance risk assessment process, growing the dedicated compliance headcount by 800% and engaging in continuous monitoring, testing and updating of Millicom’s global compliance program. In light of these considerations, the criminal penalty reflects a 50% reduction from the bottom of the applicable guidelines range, and the term of the DPA is for a period of two years. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida and the Southern District of California previously charged four individuals connected to this scheme. The FBI is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Natalie R. Kanerva and Assistant Chief Katherine Raut of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli S. Rubin for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20476 ###


title: Pair Accused of Sexually Abusing 13-Year-Old Boy

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two Missouri men have been indicted and accused of the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy who they met online. The cases against Brent L. Stephens and Yashpreet, who does not use a first name, are among the 293 arrests nationwide during Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown also resulted in over 205 child victims being located. The operation was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country. A total of six cases were charged in the Eastern District of Missouri, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Wednesday. Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. “We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes." “Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.” “We are honored to participate in Operation Relentless Justice – it is a sign of our commitment to protect Missouri’s children,” said U.S. Attorney Albus. Yashpreet, 22, of St. Ann, Missouri, and Stephens, 44, of St. Charles County, Missouri, were each indicted separately in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on December 17 on one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Stephens was also indicted on one count of receiving child pornography. The indictments accuse them of using internet and cellular-based communications between June 17, 2025, and Sept. 24, 2025, to coerce the victim into engaging in sexual activity. Stephens’ indictment also accuses him of receiving child pornography during the same time but featuring different children. Yashpreet is also known as Yashpreet Ramamandi. Greyson S. Ashenbremer, 31, of Troy, Missouri, was also indicted December 17 on one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. The indictment accuses him of coercing a minor into sexually explicit activity for the purpose of recording it between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. It also accuses him of receiving child pornography via the internet. All three men appeared in court and pleaded not guilty; Stephens on Monday and Yashpreet and Ashenbremer Tuesday. In court Monday and in a motion seeking Stephens’ detention, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said Stephens, an accountant, groomed the victim online and then coordinated with Yashpreet to bring the boy to Stephens’ office in St. Charles. The coercion charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to life in prison. The receiving child pornography carries a potential penalty of five to 20 years in prison. Production of child pornography carries a penalty of 15 to 30 years in prison. The FBI, the St. Charles Police Department and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the Stephens and Yashpreet cases. The FBI, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the Ashenbremer case. This effort follows two other successful operations, Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc . The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org . The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov , or by calling your local FBI field office. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Charge  After Stabbing a Metro Bus Passenger

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Washington man pleaded guilty today to a federal hate crime charge for violently assaulting and stabbing a black female bus passenger because of her race. According to records filed in the case, on March 7, 2024, Adan C. Hernandez-Mayoral made derogatory comments about black people while he was riding a King County Metro bus. Hernandez-Mayoral then yelled at another passenger on the bus, and made racially derogatory comments directed at the victim, including referring to the woman as “Rosa Parks” and telling her to move to the back of the bus. The woman walked to the front of the bus to try to get help and call the police, but Hernandez-Mayoral followed her. When the bus stopped, Hernandez-Mayoral pushed the woman off the bus and repeatedly assaulted her. He then pulled out a knife and stabbed at the victim numerous times before running away. Fortunately, the victim was wearing a heavy coat that prevented the knife from puncturing her skin, but the assault and stabbing caused bodily injury to the victim. Shortly after the assault, Kent Police located Hernandez-Mayoral hiding under a car, where he was then arrested. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Charles Neil of the Western District of Washington, and FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the of the FBI Seattle Field Office made the announcement. Hernandez-Mayoral is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison. The case was investigated by the Kent Police Department and the FBI, with the cooperation and support of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Manca for the Western District of Washington.


title: Five Defendants Indicted on Federal Firearm Charges for Allegedly Trafficking Firearms in Chicago

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

body_text: CHICAGO — Five defendants have been indicted on federal firearm charges for allegedly trafficking firearms in Chicago this year. The cases in Chicago are part of a larger, multi-district investigation that previously resulted in charges in the District of Colorado (click here to read a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado). The defendants in the Northern District of Illinois were charged in separate indictments with conspiring to deal firearms without a license: U.S. v. Salas-Ferrer, et al. , 25 CR 421 LUIS SALAS-FERRER, 29, of Chicago, allegedly sold three handguns in Chicago in May and June of this year. The indictment accuses JOSE VARGAS-RON, 29, of Chicago, of selling a handgun in the city in May of this year. Salas-Ferrer and Vargas-Ron have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They have been ordered to remain detained in federal custody pending trial. U.S. v. Romero-Sanchez, et al. , 25 CR 424 ADRIAN ANDRES ROMERO-SANCHEZ, 24, MIGUEL ALEJANDRO CASTILLO-CEBALLOS, 26, and DAVID ANDRES HERMOSO-MAYOR, 23, all of Chicago, allegedly sold three semiautomatic rifles, a shotgun, and a handgun in May and June of this year. Castillo-Ceballos and Hermoso-Mayor also sold two semiautomatic rifles and three semiautomatic handguns in May of this year, the charges allege. In addition to the firearm sales, the indictment accuses Romero-Sanchez and Hermoso-Mayor of distributing ketamine and MDMA in Chicago this year. The three defendants are currently being held in law enforcement custody. Hermoso-Mayor has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Romero-Sanchez and Castillo-Ceballos have not yet been arraigned. The indictments were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, LaFonda Sutton-Burke, Director of the Chicago Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and John R. Morris, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Detroit Border Patrol Sector. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Merin and Paul Schied. “Our federal gun laws do not exempt foreign nationals or anyone else from being held accountable for illegally trafficking in firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “We will work hand-and-glove with our law enforcement partners to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates our firearm laws, even if that requires us to track down and apprehend defendants from out of state. When we say accountability to the full extent of the law, we mean it.” The public is reminded that indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. salas-ferrer_et_al_indictment.pdf romero-sanchez_et_al_indictment.pdf


title: Justice Department Reaches Proposed Consent Decree with LivCor, One of America’s Largest Landlords, to Resolve Information Sharing and Algorithmic Coordination Claims

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed consent decree today to resolve the United States’ claims against LivCor, LLC, a Blackstone portfolio company, as part of its ongoing enforcement action in the Middle District of North Carolina against algorithmic coordination and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country. Today’s proposed decree builds on the Justice Department’s success in obtaining proposed consent decrees in the same enforcement action against RealPage, Inc. and two other large landlords, Cortland Management, LLC and Greystar Management Services, LLC. On January 7, 2025, the United States, together with its state co-plaintiffs, filed a complaint alleging that LivCor, along with five other landlords, actively participated in a scheme to set their rents using each other’s competitively sensitive information through common pricing algorithms. As alleged in Plaintiffs’ complaint, LivCor and other landlords, including five codefendants, shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned their pricing. In addition, LivCor and other landlords discussed competitively sensitive topics—including pricing strategies, rents, and selected parameters for RealPage’s software—directly with each other. “The Trump-Vance Administration is committed to an economy that works for all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Landlords across America are on notice that the competition laws protect renters from the harms caused by competitors sharing competitively sensitive information or aligning prices, whether through an algorithm or otherwise.” If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree would require LivCor to: Refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithm that generates pricing recommendations using its competitors’ competitively sensitive data or that incorporates certain anticompetitive features; Refrain from sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors; Accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified pursuant to the terms of the consent decree; Refrain from attending or participating in RealPage-hosted meetings of competing landlords; and Cooperate with the United States’ claims against other defendants. As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.


title: Former Bank Executive, Edward Gene Smith, Charged With Committing Multiple Sex Crimes, Child Pornography Offenses, And Obstruction Of Justice

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today the filing of a Superseding Indictment charging EDWARD GENE SMITH with drugging a female victim (“Victim-1”) with the intent to rape her, sex trafficking another female victim (“Victim-2”), enticing Victim-2 to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity, receipt and possession of child pornography, and obstruction of justice. SMITH is detained, awaiting trial before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer. Trial is scheduled to begin on February 23, 2026. “As alleged, Edward Gene Smith systematically preyed on vulnerable young women,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He allegedly sexually assaulted young women, drugging and raping them, often recording his abuse in photographs and videos. Smith also allegedly possessed horrific images and videos of child sexual abuse and, when the investigation closed in, attempted to obstruct justice by paying one of his victims to sign a false document. New Yorkers want those who exploit and abuse vulnerable victims brought to justice and we are committed to doing so. We encourage any additional victims to come forward by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.” “Smith targeted and abused vulnerable young women by drugging, raping, and sexually assaulting them before exploiting their image on an encrypted messaging platform, as alleged,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Our investigation also revealed alleged possession of child pornography and an attempt by Smith to obstruct justice. As demonstrated today, the FBI remains relentless in our pursuit to root out those who prey on vulnerable victims and predators who defile the likeness of children through these heinous acts.” According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment and in other public statements and filings: [1] From at least in or about 2019 to at least in or about April 2023, SMITH, a senior finance executive of a major U.S. bank, targeted young women on the Internet and enticed them to meet with him at his Central Park South residence and other locations. On multiple occasions, SMITH drugged his victims without their consent or knowledge, sexually abused them while they were incapacitated or unconscious, and photographed or recorded his abuse. At least on or about April 23, 2023, SMITH drugged and raped Victim-1 in his Central Park South residence. SMITH then shared a video of himself digitally penetrating Victim-1, who was nude and incapacitated or unconscious, with others via an encrypted messaging platform, on a channel that was dedicated to sharing depictions of incapacitated or unconscious women in sexually exploitative positions. Previously, in or about 2020, SMITH persuaded Victim-2, who SMITH had met a few months prior when Victim-2 was a college student, to relocate to New York City. SMITH controlled her finances, social life, and activities, and repeatedly drugged and sexually assaulted her over the course of several months. From at least in or about 2019 to at least in or about June 2024, SMITH also possessed and/or received a large volume of images and videos of children being sexually abused on his personal devices. Finally, in or about August 2024, after a search warrant was executed at his residence, revealing that SMITH possessed child pornography on his electronic devices, SMITH paid a victim thousands of dollars to sign a false document in an attempt to obstruct the investigation. If you have been victimized by the EDWARD GENE SMITH in any way or have any additional information about his alleged illegal behavior, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. * * * SMITH, 50, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance with intent to commit rape, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of enticement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Remy Grosbard, Rita Maxwell, Daniel Richenthal, and Joe Zabel are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Four defendants arrested, charged with illegal re-entry

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that four defendants were charged in separate criminal complaints with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Named in the complaints are: Eleo Francisco Lemus-Moreno, 40, a native and citizen of Honduras Douglas Noel Barahona-Martinez, 37, a native and citizen of El Salvador Diego Ignacio Sohom Tambriz a/k/a Hector Torres-Enriques, 40, a native and citizen of Guatemala Jose Mardoqueo Guevara-Pereira, 38, a native and citizen of El Salvador Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the cases, stated that according to the complaints, on December 4, 2025, law enforcement encountered defendant Lemus-Moreno in Williamsville, NY. When questioned about his immigration status he admitted that he was in the United States illegally with no valid immigration status and was taken into custody. Subsequent investigation determined that Lemus-Moreno was physically removed from the United States in May 2010, and March 2020. On December 3, 2025, law enforcement encountered Barahona-Martinez during a traffic stop of a vehicle he was riding in in Lancaster, NY. Barahona-Martinez admitted to being illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents. He was taken into custody. Further investigation determined that he is a native and citizen of El Salvador and was physically removed from the United States in August 2014. On December 3, 2025, law enforcement encountered Sohom Tambriz in Cheektowaga, NY. He stated that admitted to being illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents. Sohom Tambriz was taken into custody. Further investigation determined that he is a native and citizen of Guatemala and was physically removed from the United States in May 2008, and June 2018. On December 2, 2025, law enforcement encountered Guevara-Pereira during a traffic stop in Amherst, NY. Guevara-Pereira stated that he was illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents. Further investigation determined that he is a native and citizen of El Salvador and was physically removed from the United States in July 2014. All four defendants made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were detained. 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 complaints are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato. 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 Mexican men arrested, charged with illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jorge Luis Gonzalez-Roman, 39, And Jose Clemente Trujillo-Mejia, 42, both natives and citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan W. Fitzgerald, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints, on December 6, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Gonzalez-Roman was riding in. Three occupants of the vehicle, including Gonzalez-Roman refused to provide identification or answer any questions. They were removed from the vehicle and taken into custody. Further investigation determined that Gonzalez-Roman is a native and citizen of Mexico. He was physically removed three separate times from the United States in October and November of 2008. Also on December 6, 2025, law enforcement conducted a separate traffic stop of the vehicle Trujillo-Mejia was riding in. When questioned by law enforcement, Trujillo-Mejia initially claimed he was a United States Citizen, but claimed he did not have any identification. Law enforcement observed a Mexican Consular card clearly visible in his wallet at which time Trujillo-Mejia admitted he was illegally present in the United States. Further investigations determined that Trujillo-Mejia is a native and citizen of Mexico, who was physically removed from the United Stated in April 2003 and July 2005. Gonzalez-Roman and Trujillo-Mejia made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were detained. 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 complaints are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato. 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 Honduran men plead guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Arlen Saul Castillo, 29, and Jonathan Esteban Osario Lopez, 32, both natives and citizens of Honduras, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to illegal re-entry. They were then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the case, stated that Arlen Saul Castillo and Jonathan Esteban Osario Lopez are citizens and nationals of Honduras without any legal status in the United States. On October 8, 2025, Border Patrol encountered the defendants in Erie County, NY. They did have any documents allowing them to be legally present in the United States. In December 2018, Saul Castillo was physically removed from the United States. Jonathan Esteban Osario Lopez was physically removed from the United States in August 2013 and December 2013. 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 pleas and sentencings are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. # # # #


title: Chinese national sentenced to prison for trafficking reptiles

body_text: BUFFALO, NY — Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York announced today that Wei Qiang Lin, of Brooklyn, NY, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo for falsely labeling live turtles, snakes, and lizards as fake toys prior to exporting them in delivery boxes destined to Hong Kong. Lin was also fined $2,339, which is how much U.S. currency he had on him when he was arrested. According to court filings, between August 2023 and November 2024, Lin exported to Hong Kong approximately 222 parcels containing around 850 turtles, but he labeled the boxes as containing “plastic animal toys,” among other things, in violation of the Lacey Act. The approximate market value of the turtles was $1.4 million. Law enforcement intercepted the turtles during customs inspections and observed them bound and taped inside knotted socks within the shipping boxes. Lin also attempted to export protected Abronia lizards and venomous green tree vipers and palm pit vipers. The wildlife was protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers also intercepted packages shipped by Lin that contained rare Cora mud turtles. The Buffalo Zoo used the seized turtles to set up the first-ever assurance colony for the species, which can be used to repopulate them if the wild population becomes unsustainable. Lin was investigated and charged as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Operation Terrapene, which is an ongoing operation coordinated with other federal and local law enforcement agencies to detect turtle smugglers and dismantle highly-organized syndicates. Federal agencies include Customs and Border Protection, Postal Inspections Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Trial Attorney Rachel Roberts and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango for the Western District of New York prosecuted the case.


title: New Federal Charges in Killing of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and Shooting of Guardsman Andrew Wolfe

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who resided in Bellingham, Washington, was charged today in a complaint in U.S. District Court with federal counts in connection with the ambush-style shooting on November 26 that killed National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.” Lakanwal was charged today with transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, and with transporting a stolen firearm in interstate commerce. Lakanwal remains charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of the D.C. Code. According to court documents, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from Bellingham, Washington, to the District of Columbia, while in possession of a stolen firearm. On Wednesday, November 26, at about 2:13 p.m., Lakanwal opened fire without provocation at 17th and I Streets, NW, near the Farragut West Metro Station, shooting Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head. Two Majors in the National Guard who were nearby subdued the suspect. At the scene, investigators recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle, Washington, in 2023. Ms. Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving, November 27. National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured in the ambush. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia 25mj289 lakanwal_12-23-2025_25mj289_criminal_complaint.pdf


title: Twenty-Eight Defendants Charged with Narcotics and Firearms Offense for their Roles in Enterprise Associated with the Bloods Street Gang

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Twenty-six people have been charged for their roles in a drug trafficking organization affiliated with a neighborhood street gang that operated and distributed large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine in Riverside Villa Public Housing Complex and other areas of Newark, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Two additional people were charged for firearms offenses, including their role in a shooting in a rival gang’s territory. Tahjuan Ferrell, a/k/a “Jers,” Raymon Rodriguez, a/k/a “Ray Ray,” Ricky Colon, Jr., Sayyied Anderson, a/k/a “Sal,” Carnell Wright, a/k/a “Jay,” Briant Haynes, a/k/a “B,” Rashon Wheeler, a/k/a “Petey,” Demetrius Julu, Nero Whitehead, a/k/a “Woo,” Dawud Cross, a/k/a “Mu,” Joseph Johnson, a/k/a “Pearl,” Yusef Mack, a/k/a “Gutter,” Alsharick King, a/k/a “Ghost,” Montrel Jordan, a/k/a “Trillz,” Patrick Jordan, a/k/a “Swerve,” Raheam Springer, Ibn Rogers, Blake Howard, Daniel Valentin, Mekhi Lawrence, a/k/a “MK,” Craig Walker, a/k/a “Lean,” Kevin Wiley, a/k/a “LB,” Quince Melvin, Nakki Melvin, Ricardo Gonzalez, a/k/a “Ricky” and Quadir Simmons a/k/a “Scoom” all of Essex County, New Jersey, were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Quasir Miranda, a/k/a “Space,” and Zakiyy Houser, a/k/a “GBK” are also each charged with unlawful possession of ammunition in a school zone in connection with the February 18, 2025 attempted shooting of a rival gang member. Several of the defendants have already made initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais in Newark federal court. Previously, twenty-five defendants were arrested and made initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessia S. Allen in Newark federal court and before U.S. Magistrate Judge Natalie Hirt Adams in Tampa, Florida. The defendants are members or associates of a neighborhood-based street gang operating in and around the Riverside Villa Public Housing Complex, 4th Avenue and North 12th Street, and the Garden Spires Apartments in Newark, New Jersey (the “Enterprise”), among other areas. The Enterprise is affiliated with the Bloods criminal street gang. Law enforcement conducted extensive surveillance of the area, made numerous controlled purchases and seizures of narcotics, and analyzed telephone records, all of which demonstrated extensive interactions among the defendants. Those charged in the drug conspiracy face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Miranda and Houser each face up to 5 years in prison for unlawful possession of ammunition in a school zone. Hundreds of members of law enforcement were instrumental in the investigation and arrests of these defendants. Special Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, under the Director of Field Operations Francis Russo; HSI New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; HSI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy; members of the United Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey Juan Mattos; detectives of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II and Chief Mitchell G. McGuire, III; police officers and detectives of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Director Maurice Boyd and Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; detectives of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan police officers and detectives with the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini; as well as police officers and detectives with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Orange Police Department, Bloomfield Police Department, Jersey City Police Department, Florham Park Police Department, Morristown Police Department, and Ramsey Police Department for their assistance in the apprehension of the members of the Enterprise. The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department. This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Nadel and Jason Goldberg of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Tahjuan Ferrell: Frank P. Arleo, Esq. Raymon Rodriguez: Rahul Agarwal, Esq. Sayyied Anderson: Michael Pappa, Esq. Carnell Wright: Ernesto Cermiele, Esq. Briant Hanyes: Arthur Paul Condon, Jr., Esq. Rashon Wheeler: Stephen N. Dratch, Esq. Demetrius Julu: Laura K. Gasiorowski, Esq. Nero Whitehead: Charles McKenna, Esq. Dawud Cross: Michael V. Gilberti, Esq. Joseph Johnson: Maximillian A. Novel, Esq. Yusef Mack Michael Rosas, Esq. Alsharick King: Aidan P. O’Connor, Esq. Montrel Jordan: James Seplowitz, Esq. Patrick Jordan: William Strazza, Esq. Raheam Springer: Mary Toscano Carpenito, Esq. Ibn Rogers: Stephen Turano, Esq. Blake Howard: Wanda Akin, Esq. Daniel Valentin: Adrien Moncur, Esq. Mekhi Lawrence: John A. Azzarello, Esq. Craig Walker: Carlos Diaz-Cobo, Esq. Kevin Wiley: Gary Mizzone, Esq. Quince Melvin: Alyssa A. Cimino, Esq. Nakki Melvin: Charles Alvarez, Esq. Ricardo Gonzalez: Shawn Barnes, Esq. Quadir Simmons: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Esq. Quasir Miranda: John McMahon, Esq. Zakiyy Houser: F.R. “Chip” Dunne, III, Esq. grafton_et_al.indictment.pdf


title: CEO of Health Care Software Company Sentenced for $1B Fraud Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Arizona man was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $452 million in restitution for conspiring to defraud Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs of more than $1 billion by operating a platform that generated false doctors’ orders used to support fraudulent claims for various medical items. “This just sentence is the result of one of the largest telemarketing Medicare fraud cases ever tried to verdict,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Telemedicine scammers who use junk mailers, spam calls and the internet to target senior citizens steal taxpayer money and harm vulnerable populations. The Criminal Division will continue dedicating substantial resources to the fight against telemedicine and medical equipment frauds that drain our health care benefit programs.” “Together with our partners, the FBI will aggressively pursue those who defraud taxpayer funded health care programs,” said Acting Assistant Director Rebecca Day of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Programs like Medicare are intended to help the most vulnerable among us, and fraud schemes like the one orchestrated by the defendant can jeopardize the delivery of critical care to those who need it the most.” “This sentence sends a clear message: those who exploit telemedicine to prey on seniors and steal from taxpayer-funded health care programs will be held accountable,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This scheme was a massive betrayal of trust, built on deception and greed. Our investigators, working with law enforcement partners, dismantled this billion-dollar fraud operation that targeted vulnerable patients and undermined the integrity of Medicare. We will not relent in our mission to protect the public and safeguard Medicare and other federal health care programs from fraud, waste, and abuse.” “This sentencing underscores the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA OIG) commitment to vigorously investigate those who would seek to defraud VA healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA OIG Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.” “This investigation underscores the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) commitment to protecting the integrity of the TRICARE program and ensuring that taxpayer-funded military health benefits are not exploited for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Sargenski of DCIS’s Southeast Field Office. “Fraud schemes that siphon resources from TRICARE directly undermine the care promised to service members and their families. As the criminal investigative arm of DoD’s Office of Inspector General, DCIS remains focused on disrupting these schemes and holding responsible parties accountable.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Gary Cox, 79, of Maricopa County, was the CEO of Power Mobility Doctor Rx, LLC (DMERx). Cox and his co-conspirators targeted hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries who provided their personally identifiable information and agreed to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces, pain creams and other items through misleading mailers, television advertisements and calls from offshore call centers. Cox and his co-conspirators owned, controlled and operated DMERx, an internet-based platform that generated false and fraudulent doctors’ orders for these items. As part of the scheme, Cox connected pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers and marketers with telemedicine companies that would accept illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for signed doctors’ orders transmitted using the DMERx platform. Cox and his co-conspirators received payments for coordinating these illegal kickback transactions and referring the completed doctors’ orders to the DME suppliers, pharmacies and telemarketers that paid kickbacks and bribes for the orders. The fraudulent doctors’ orders generated by DMERx falsely represented that a doctor had examined and treated the Medicare beneficiaries when, in fact, purported telemedicine companies paid doctors to sign the orders without regard to medical necessity, based only on a brief telephone call with the beneficiary or no interaction with the beneficiary at all. The DME suppliers and pharmacies that paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for these doctors’ orders billed Medicare and other insurers more than $1 billion, and Medicare and the insurers paid more than $360 million based on these claims. According to evidence presented at trial, Cox and his co-conspirators concealed the scheme through sham contracts and by eliminating from doctors’ orders what one co-conspirator described as “dangerous words” that might cause Medicare to audit the scheme’s DME suppliers. In June 2025, Cox was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks and conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements in connection with health care matters. The FBI, HHS-OIG, VA-OIG and DCIS investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Jennifer E. Burns of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Fraud Section Trial Attorney Shane Butland assisted in the prosecution. Trial Attorney Evan N. Schlom with the Fraud Section’s Special Matters Unit provided valuable assistance. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Montgomery Man Convicted of Multiple Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On December 18, 2025, a federal jury convicted 36-year-old Arsenio Hall, of Montgomery, Alabama, of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, a synthetic cannabinoid, and marijuana, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, law enforcement began investigating suspected drug-trafficking activity in Montgomery County in late 2024. As part of that investigation, investigators with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on December 4, 2024, at a residence in Montgomery. During the search, law enforcement found more than three kilograms of 99-percent pure methamphetamine, over 200 grams of cocaine, approximately three pounds of marijuana, and 349 grams of a synthetic cannabinoid in a bedroom closet. Investigators collected other evidence linking Hall directly to the drugs, including fingerprints. Hall was initially arrested on state charges. In July 2025, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Hall, with a fifth count added in November 2025. Following a three-day trial, the jury found Hall guilty on all five counts. “This case reflects the strong collaboration between federal and local law enforcement here in the Middle District of Alabama,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “I am grateful to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their hard work and careful investigation, which helped bring this case to a successful conclusion.” A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months. Hall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to life in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Andreu and Christopher P. Moore.


title: PENSACOLA WOMAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR PREPARING FALSE TAX RETURNS AND IDENTITY THEFT

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Khristine N. Harper, 42, of Pensacola, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after having previously pleaded guilty to twenty counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns and one count of identity theft. The guilty plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners to catch this fraudster and dismantle her scheme to rip off American taxpayers. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute fraudsters and thieves, and will ensure they find themselves in federal prison for their crimes.” Court documents reflect that between 2018 and 2024, Harper routinely prepared and filed fraudulent income tax returns for her clients by listing false amounts for various deductions, credits, and other items that were never provided to her by those clients. After Harper became aware in July 2023 that the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation was investigating her, she changed the name of her tax preparation business from Kings Tax Service to Echelon Tax. She also obtained a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) in another person’s name without permission and filed her clients’ 2023 returns using that fraudulently obtained PTIN. In addition to being sentenced to two years in prison, Harper was ordered to pay $284,490 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service as a condition of a two-year term of supervised release to follow her prison sentence, $132,809.74 in statutorily mandated costs of prosecution, and a $2,100 special monetary assessment. “Tax return preparers who deliberately file fraudulent returns are committing serious federal crimes with every submission,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of the Florida Field Office. “IRS-CI will relentlessly pursue dishonest preparers to protect taxpayers and uphold the integrity of the tax system. Those who break the law will be held accountable—period.” “This case was the result of coordinated efforts between investigators and prosecutors committed to protecting the public,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “We will continue to aggressively work to identify, investigate and hold accountable those who commit fraud.” The sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Chester Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Brentton Timmons, 30, of Chester, has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Aug. 24, 2024, deputies with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic safety check point and saw Timmons attempt to evade the check point by turning onto a dirt road. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Timmons’ vehicle and saw an open container of alcohol in the cupholder. Deputies searched the vehicle further and found a loaded pistol under the driver’s seat. Timmons admitted to possession of the pistol and the alcohol. Timmons has prior convictions for discharging a firearm into a dwelling, assault and battery 1 st degree, pointing and presenting a firearm, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm under federal law. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Curriesentenced Timmons to 77 total months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: FEDERAL INMATE INDICTED ON MULTIPLE ASSAULT CHARGES AND POSSESSION OF CONTRABAND

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jose Melendez-Rivera, 27, an inmate in a Federal Correctional Institution, was indicted by a federal grand jury for assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and possessing contraband in prison. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Melendez-Rivera appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for January 27, 2026, before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker. If convicted, Melendez-Rivera faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for assault with intent to commit murder; ten years’ imprisonment for assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm; ten years’ imprisonment for assault resulting in serious bodily injury; and up to five years imprisonment for possessing contraband in prison. The case was a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Jury Convicts Honduran National Of Aggravated Identity Theft And Associated Fraud Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Cristian Daniel Diaz-Garcia (27), an illegal alien from Honduras, guilty of two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of false representation of a Social Security number, and two counts of making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. Diaz-Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 24 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2026. He was indicted on July 30, 2024. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Diaz-Garcia is an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On August 17, 2021, Diaz-Garcia applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system. After getting fired in 2022, Diaz-Garcia purchased additional means of identification of a different U.S. Citizen, without that citizen’s knowledge. On February 1, 2023, Diaz-Garcia, once again, applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as this other United States citizen and used that other person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.


title: Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless Justice

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: The Department of Justice announced on December 19, 2025, the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country. “We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes.” “Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.” This month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine charged Christopher Colson , 24, of Lewiston, by criminal complaint with possessing and producing child pornography. In a separate matter, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine charged Spencer Lillie , 29, of St. Joseph, Missouri, by criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of a minor and the distribution and receipt of child pornography. Lillie is alleged to have met with a 10-year-old girl online, after which he convinced the victim to create and send him child pornography videos. Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a police officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon. As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself. This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. The FBI’s Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD’s mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience. These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc . The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org . The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov , or by calling your local FBI field office. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law . ###


title: Justice Department Issues Updated Letters and Fact Sheet About Professional License Portability for Servicemembers and their Spouses

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has issued updated materials explaining recent changes to the law that governs the portability of professional licenses for servicemembers and their spouses. The materials include a letter for state licensing authorities and another for state offices that license attorneys . The letters explain recent changes to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) section that allows servicemembers and their spouses to use their professional licenses or certificates in new states if they are relocating because of military orders and meet certain other requirements. The Justice Department also issued a fact sheet outlining the updated license portability provision. “Military families are the backbone of American society,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Servicemembers and their spouses often sacrifice the stability of settling in one place during a critical time in their career. The Department is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that servicemembers and their spouses do not face unreasonable barriers to continuing their careers while they uproot their lives in service to our country.” In January 2023, Congress added the license portability provision to the SCRA — a law that provides servicemembers and their families with a wide variety of financial and housing protections — to make it easier for servicemembers and military spouses to have their professional licenses recognized when they relocate to another state due to military orders. Congress amended this provision in December 2024. One significant update removed a restriction on the portability of law licenses, which are now included in the law, along with all other licensed professions. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s enforcement efforts under the SCRA and other laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and their families, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil . If servicemembers or their spouses are not eligible for military legal assistance services, they may request that the Justice Department review their claim by submitting a complaint through https://civilrights.justice.gov/link/4025A .