body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported. Henry Ariel Aparicio-Fajardo, 33, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on May 20, 2025, charges that Aparicio-Fajardo had previously been removed from the United States at least once, on Dec. 22, 2022. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Former Finance Director of a District Non-Profit Sentenced for Embezzlement

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jarrett Robert Lewis, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for his role in an embezzlement scheme that bilked a District non-profit advocacy organization of nearly $320,000. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office. Lewis pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2025, to one count of wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates ordered Lewis to serve three years of supervised release, to pay restitution of $318,000, and to reimburse the victim organization’s attorney fees of $53,335. Lewis was employed by the victim agency between June 2021 and October 2022. According to the statement of facts, while serving as Director of Finance for the non-profit, Lewis perpetrated a scheme to defraud his employer. Lewis was one of three employees at Victim 1 with access to the non-profit’s bank account. It was part of Lewis’s duties to pay bills on behalf of the organization. Lewis was also provided with a VISA card for an account belonging to Victim 1 and was authorized to use the VISA card to incur expenses on behalf of Victim 1 for goods and services related to its operations. On 32 occasions, Lewis took advantage of his position by accessing Victim 1’s account and causing funds to be transferred to his personal account and for his own personal benefit. Lewis also used the non-profit’s VISA to book and pay for personal travel for himself, his family, and friends. Lewis was arrested on September 5, 2024. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott with the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Guatemalan man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported. Selvin Mejia-Ramos, 32, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on May 29, 2025, charges that Mejia-Ramos had previously been removed from the United States at least once, on April 15, 2020. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Dallas Business Owner Convicted of Failing to Pay Over $3 Million in Employment Taxes

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Dallas business owner Friday of failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from her employees, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. Heaven Marie Diaz, 57, of Dallas, Texas, was indicted in 2023. Following a four-day trial and less than an hour of deliberation, the jury found her guilty on all five counts of failing to pay over trust fund taxes. According to evidence presented at trial, Diaz was the owner and CEO of Pursuit of Excellence, a staffing company based in Dallas. From 2015 to 2017, she withheld payroll taxes from her employees’ paychecks but failed to remit more than $3 million to the IRS as required by law. Former employees and Diaz’s former accountant testified that they repeatedly warned her about her obligation to pay employment taxes. Despite those warnings, Diaz continued to withhold the taxes and kept the funds in her company’s bank accounts. Evidence showed she used those funds to cover personal expenses, including international travel, luxury goods, and $10,000 monthly rent on a home in Dallas’s Preston Hollow neighborhood. Diaz took the stand and attempted to convince the jury that these items were business expenditures, including her rent payment, which she claimed qualified as a business expense because she occasionally threw “murder mystery” parties as an opportunity to network. “This defendant defrauded taxpayers and stole from her employees, so that she could live lavishly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “She is now rightly held accountable for her actions. In the end, her extravagance was her undoing. The diligent work of the investigative agents assigned to this case unearthed her fraudulent scheme and put a stop to it.” “Heaven Marie Diaz abused her power and lived the highlife with trust fund/employment taxes due to the IRS,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. “The jury’s guilty verdict is a stark reminder that anyone who betrays the trust of employees and their responsibilities to the IRS will face the full weight of accountability.” Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2025, before United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey, who presided over the trial. Diaz faces up to five years in federal prison on each count. The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan P. Niedermair and Joshua D. Detzky are prosecuting the case. Appellate Division Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise Aldendifer and Assistant U.S. Attorneys (fmr.) Marcus Busch and Jenna Rudoff also contributed to the prosecution.


title: Texas man pleads guilty to abusive sexual contact aboard plane flying to Seattle from Chicago

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 54-year-old Allen, Texas, man pleaded guilty today to abusive sexual contact for repeatedly illegally touching the woman sitting next to him while flying from Chicago to Seattle in March 2025, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Cherian Abraham, who works for a technology company, faces up to two years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson on September 15, 2025. According to records filed in the case, Abraham was seated next to the 22-year-old victim on the flight. On three different occasions, the victim reported that he reached under her arm to touch her breast. The first time the victim thought perhaps it was inadvertent contact. The second time, some five minutes later, the victim looked pointedly at Abraham, and he withdrew his hand. Apparently undeterred, the victim felt Abraham again poking her with his hand and she verbally confronted him. The victim got out of her seat, contacted the flight attendant, and was moved to a different seat. An investigation by the responding FBI agent revealed that Abraham had twice before been alleged to have touched fellow passengers inappropriately. On April 24, 2024, a victim reported to the airline’s online customer service portal that Abraham had repeatedly touched her and attempted to put his hand between her thighs. The victim yelled at Abraham but was not able to get the attention of a flight attendant. On October 9, 2023, Minneapolis Airport Police interviewed Abraham after a victim reported that he had touched her leg with an open hand three times. The victim told him to stop and contacted the flight crew who put her in a different seat. When interviewed Abraham denied touching the victim. The victim did not want to pursue charges. Abusive sexual contact is punishable by up to two years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence in the middle of Abraham’s guideline range as calculated by the court. Judge Evanson is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law. The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ajay Ravindran and Jessica M. Ly.


title: Chesapeake cocaine trafficker sentenced to 18 years in prison

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Feb. 10, 2024, Chesapeake Police officers were attempting to serve arrest warrants for assault and battery of a family or household member and destruction of property on Abdul-Wakeel Khabeer Qaabid, aka Kenneth Andrew Jordan, 39. Qaabid fled during a traffic stop, but crashed his vehicle and fled on foot. From Qaabid’s vehicle, investigators recovered two loaded handguns, five ounces of cocaine base, 43 grams of marijuana, $25,020, and three cellular devices. During a search of Qaabid’s residence, investigators recovered over six kilograms of cocaine, packaging materials, .45 caliber ammunition, and $26,900 in drug proceeds. Qaabid was arrested on March 13, 2024, at a residence in Chesapeake. During a search of that residence, CPD recovered an additional $11,850 in drug proceeds. Qaabid previously had been convicted for attempted capital murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and felony assault and battery. As a previously convicted felon, Qaabid cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin G. Bird prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-68.


title: Mexican National Charged with Illegal Re-Entry

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mexican man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported. Gilberto Silvan-Perez, 38, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on May 29, 2025, charges that Silvan-Perez had previously been removed from the United States at least once, on Aug. 14, 2014. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Four Leaders Of Notorious Nuestra Familia Prison Gang Sentenced For Racketeering Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Four top leaders of the Nuestra Familia (NF) prison gang were sentenced today to federal prison terms ranging from 120 months to 175 months following their convictions at trial for racketeering conspiracy. David Cervantes, aka “DC,” was sentenced to 120 months; James Perez, aka “Conejo,” was sentenced to 120 months; Guillermo Solorio, aka “Capone,” aka “Caps,” was sentenced to 175 months; and George Franco, aka “Puppet,” was sentenced to 175 months. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers handed down the sentences. The sentences follow a three-month trial in 2024, which established that the four defendants—Cervantes, 76; Perez, 70; Solorio, 45; and Franco, 59—were senior members of the NF prison gang, serving on the General Council, the primary decision-making body for the gang. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, all four defendants held a leadership role in a lucrative and violent criminal enterprise that engaged in murder conspiracies, attempted murder, drug distribution, and money laundering: Cervantes was one of three “Generals” who sat atop the NF organizational structure, specifically the “General Advocates Office,” and made final decisions on serious matters involving governance of the enterprise. As the sole member of the General Advocates Office, Cervantes oversaw member discipline, a role that included deciding when members should be attacked or killed for violating gang rules. Perez was another General of the prison gang, specifically, the “General of Prisons.” In this role, Perez was responsible for maintaining authority over all NF regiments and NF criminal activity within the California prison system. Franco was a member of the NF’s “Inner Council” and was Regimental Commander of San Joaquin County. As a member of the Inner Council, Franco was an advisor to the three NF Generals (two of whom were Cervantes and Perez) and was part of the General Council that, in addition to member discipline, made other significant decisions in conducting the affairs of the NF. Solorio was likewise part of the NF “Inner Council” and was an advisor to the NF Generals. Solorio also was the Regimental Commander over the Monterey County Street Regiment, overseeing criminal activity, including largescale drug trafficking, by subservient Norteno street gangs. “The brutal violence and drug trafficking that this criminal enterprise ran from within state prisons touched every county in the Bay Area. With these sentences, 40 gang leaders and associates have now been convicted and brought to justice for the violence they caused inside and outside prison walls, and the community is now safer as a result,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “These convictions would not have been possible without the dedicated work of our law enforcement partners across multiple agencies and jurisdictions and the talented lawyers and staff from within our office.” “The sentencing of these four top Nuestra Familia gang leaders marks the final chapter in the successful dismantling of one of the most violent and entrenched prison gangs operating in California. Through sustained, coordinated efforts with our law enforcement partners, we have brought to justice 40 members and associates of this dangerous gang who spread violence and fear inside prison walls and outside throughout our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to rooting out organized criminal enterprises and protecting the public from those who use intimidation and brutality to maintain power.” The sentencings of these four defendants mark the successful completion of the prosecution of NF leadership in the Northern District of California. Forty Nuestra Familia members and associates, including defendants both on the streets and in California state prisons, have now been convicted and sentenced. This includes all seven members of the NF’s General Council, its entire senior leadership team, as detailed in the table below: Defendant Convictions Sentence Imposed David Cervantes aka “DC” 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for three attempted murders and two murder conspiracies 120 months James Perez aka “Conejo” 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for two attempted murders and two murder conspiracies 120 months Antonio Guillen aka “Chuco” 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for two murder conspiracies and one attempted murder 175 months George Franco aka “Puppet” 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for one attempted murder and one murder conspiracy 175 months Guillermo Solorio aka “Capone” 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with a special finding for attempted murder 175 months Trinidad Martinez aka “Trino” 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for one attempted murder 144 months Samuel Luna aka “Sammy” 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for four murder conspiracies and one attempted murder 175 months Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mari Overbeck, Leif Dautch, and Aseem Padukone of the Violent Crime Strike Force prosecuted this case, with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez and Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI (San Francisco, Sacramento, and Phoenix Divisions, and Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit), the DEA, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshal Service, with the assistance of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and the San Jose Police Department, and with support from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Antioch Police Department, Campbell Police Department, Fremont Police Department, King’s County Sheriff’s Office, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain View Police Department, Sacramento Police Department, Salinas Police Department, Menlo Park Police Department, Santa Clara County Parole Department, Santa Clara County Probation Department, Santa Clara Police Department, Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Modesto Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Francisco Police Department, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, and Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. This investigation and prosecution was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Convicted Felon Who Attempted To Sell Assault Rifle Sentenced To 92 Months In Federal Prison For Unlawful Firearm Possession

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Timothy Demetrius Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif., was sentenced today to 92 months in federal prison, following his conviction on March 12, 2025, by a federal jury on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Alsup handed down the sentence. Judge Alsup also sentenced Jeffrey to concurrent 24-month terms for violating the terms of his supervised release in two other federal cases. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot in Pittsburg, Calif., parked, and fled on foot from a pursuing police officer. Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested. Jeffrey posted bond after his arrest but absconded soon thereafter. Following an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement officers located Jeffrey at a relative’s home in Antioch on March 27, 2024. After U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence, where deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room. They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey. The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it. At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Judge Alsup also found that enhancements were appropriate under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (i) due to Jeffrey’s obstruction of justice resulting from perjury during his trial testimony; and (ii) because one of the guns Jeffrey possessed had previously been stolen. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Buenaventura made the announcement. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone prosecuted this case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Franklin Soccer Coach Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Immigration Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – Camilo Campos-Hurtado, 65, of Franklin, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receiving visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, one count of using or possessing fraudulent immigration documents, and one count of possessing an identification document or authentication feature which was stolen or produced without lawful authority, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Campos preyed on children in our community for years, using his position to gain the trust of his victims only to betray them by sexually abusing them,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Protecting children in our community and holding child sex offenders to maximum accountability is among the highest priorities of our office and of the Department of Justice. At sentencing we will seek to guarantee that Campos does not have any chance to hurt another child.” When law enforcement officers executed multiple search warrants, they discovered child pornography and numerous counterfeit identification and immigration documents. Campos possessed a cell phone and multiple other electronic devices that contained countless images of child sexual abuse material that he received, downloaded and produced between 2017 and 2021. When he is sentenced on October 29, 2025, Campos-Hurtado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Campos does not have legal status in the United States, and he will be deported to Mexico after he serves his federal and state sentences. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Franklin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Kathryn Risinger are prosecuting the case. # # # # #


title: Final defendant pleads guilty in Southeast Alaska drug trafficking conspiracy

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The final defendant in a Southeast Alaska drug trafficking conspiracy pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic drugs and launder money connected to a transnational drug trafficking enterprise. According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized a suspicious package addressed to Patricia Seal-Uttke, 32, of Ketchikan, and discovered nearly 500 grams of heroin and over 430 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officials conducted a controlled delivery of the package and co-conspirator Larry Marsden picked up the package before being stopped by those officials. Seal-Uttke’s actions were only a small part of the scheme. Other court documents in this case explain that Seal-Uttke’s co-conspirator Karly Fuller recruited individuals to work for the drug trafficking enterprise and managed their operations. It is alleged that the drug trafficking enterprise was ultimately directed by an inmate in a California prison. Other co-conspirators shipped parcels containing controlled substances from California and other parts of Alaska to various places in Southeast Alaska, mainly Sitka and Ketchikan, for distribution on behalf of the drug trafficking enterprise. On various occasions, law enforcement officials seized parcels containing hundreds to thousands of illegal fentanyl pills and hundreds of grams of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. According to related court documents, Fuller, Seal-Uttke, Marsden and other co-conspirators in this case were responsible for trafficking over 2.1 kilograms of fentanyl, over 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 500 grams of heroin and over 55 grams of cocaine through the mail to Southeast Alaska in the course of a single month in 2022. Court documents further explain that between June 2022 and July 2023, Fuller, Seal-Uttke, Marsden, and co-conspirators Julia Brusell and Stormy Cleveland attempted to launder over $150,000 in drug proceeds. The laundering involved money orders, wire transfers, digital money transferring applications and physically mailing parcels containing drug proceeds from Alaska to co-conspirators in California and Mexico. Seal-Uttke is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine her sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendants in this case are as follows: Karly Fuller, 31, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on April 23, 2025. Fuller is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Larry Marsden, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on Dec. 9, 2024. On March 12, 2025, Marsden was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and will serve three years on supervised release after her release from prison. Stormy Cleveland, 39, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on Nov. 15, 2024. On March 25, 2025, Cleveland was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and will serve five years on supervised release after her release from prison. Mario Klanott, 38, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 13, 2025. Klanott is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Douglas Vanmeter, 34, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on May 8, 2025. Vanmeter is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Sara Orr, 34, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 6, 2025. Orr is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Julia Brusell, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy on Nov. 15, 2024. On March 17, 2025, Brusell was sentenced to time served and will serve two years on supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney William Narus of the District of Oregon made the announcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or Acting U.S. Attorney Narus in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal. The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Stephan Collins and Chris Schroeder from the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Nicaraguan National Indicted On Charges Of Assaulting Three Deportation Officers At ICE Facility In San Jose

body_text: SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury has indicted Francisco De-Jesus Morales on charges of assaulting three U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officers at an ICE facility in San Jose. Morales was first charged by complaint in May 2025. He made his initial appearance in federal court on June 4, 2025, and was remanded into custody at that time by U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen. According to the indictment, which was filed on June 12, 2025, and the previously filed complaint, Morales, 25, a national of Nicaragua, allegedly assaulted three ICE deportation officers at an ICE facility in San Jose on May 2, 2025, as those officers attempted to take Morales into custody pursuant to a warrant for Morales’ removal and deportation from the United States. “Our office will not tolerate any form of violence against the brave men and women who keep us safe. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the residents of the Northern District of California and supporting our law enforcement partners,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “Those who use violence against federal officers should know that they will be met with the full force of the law.” “HSI San Francisco does not take assaults on anyone, especially federal officers, lightly. We care deeply about the safety of our agents and partnering agencies,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Ciapas. The complaint alleges that Morales physically resisted arrest and attempted to flee from the deportation officers, resulting in a struggle and injuries to Morales and the officers. All three deportation officers and Morales received medical treatment for injuries sustained during the physical altercation. The deportation officers’ injuries include bruising, scrapes, an ankle stress fracture/strain, a chest contusion, and a groin injury. The indictment charges Morales with forcibly assaulting one of the deportation officers, causing significant groin bruising, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1) and (b), and with assaults of the other two officers, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). Morales is next scheduled to appear in district court on June 24, 2025, for arraignment on the indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on Count One, which charges assault on a federal officer inflicting bodily injury, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1) and (b). He faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted on Count Two, which charges assault on a federal officer with physical contact, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). And he faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted on Count Three, which charges misdemeanor assault on a federal officer, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Lord and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Nedrow are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI.


title: Sex Offender On Federal Supervision Gets 12 Years In Prison For Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material Involving a Prepubescent Minor And Violating Federal Supervised Release

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marquis Drakeford Bynum, 45, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a prepubescent minor and violating his federal supervised release, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. also ordered Bynum to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $33,000 in restitution. James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement. As reflected in court records, this case arose from Bynum’s violation of the terms of his federal supervised release imposed following his 2007 conviction for transporting and possessing CSAM. According to court records, on August 16, 2023, the U.S. Probation Office (USPO) conducted a search of Bynum’s residence pursuant to his probationary terms. During the search, probation officers recovered two cell phones and a flash drive. U.S. Probation and the FBI forensically analyzed the evidence and found thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as toddlers. New federal charges were filed against Bynum, and on April 10, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving minors under the age of 12. Bynum is in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for its work on the case and commended the USPO for their invaluable assistance investigating a sex offender. Assistant United States Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Hickory Woman Sentenced To Prison For Embezzling Over $900,000 From Employer

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michelle Wilshire, 50, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced today to 46 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for embezzling more than $900,000 from her employer, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. Attorney Ferguson is joined in making today’s announcement by Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, and Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte. According to court documents, from 2016 to 2021, Wilshire was employed by a family-owned business located in Conover, N.C., identified as Company A. During the relevant time, Wilshire was in charge of the company’s Comdata account – a third-party payment processing and debit card issuing service – which the company used for fleet management and payment services for its drivers. Wilshire executed the scheme by issuing multiple Comdata prepaid debit cards in her name and in the names of other individuals, including former company employees, fictitious employees, and current employees who were not aware the cards existed. Wilshire then caused Comdata to load funds onto the prepaid debit cards, which she then withdrew via ATM cash withdrawals. Between November 2017, and July 2021, Wilshire withdrew more than $528,000 from prepaid Comdata debit cards. In addition to the debit card scheme, Wilshire embezzled company funds by using Comdata’s Comchek and Comchek Mobile services to issue checks in the defendant’s name and to make multiple wire transfers into Wilshire’s personal bank account, totaling over $315,000. Wilshire also caused more than $58,000 of the company’s funds to be transferred through Comdata into the bank account of a former company employee. In addition to the embezzlement scheme, Wilshire also prepared and filed individual income tax returns for tax years 2017 through 2021, which did not include the additional funds Wilshire received through her embezzlement scheme. On July 15, 2024, Wilshire pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked IRS-CI and USPIS for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Savage and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Portland Defendant Charged with Failing to Obey a Lawful Order Near Local ICE Office

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon defendant made a first appearance in federal court today after being charged with failing to obey a lawful order Monday near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland. Eli Victor McKenzie, 21, has been charged by information with a misdemeanor offense. McKenzie made a first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was released on conditions pending future court proceedings. Misdemeanor failure to obey a lawful order is a Class C misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in custody. This case is being investigated by the Federal Protective Service (FPS) and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. An information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Former executive pleads guilty in embezzlement scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – The former president of a local pipe and tubing company has pleaded guilty to tax evasion and bankruptcy fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. John Philip Tharp served as president of Bendco, a Pasadena-based company that specialized in bending pipes, tubes and other metal materials for oil and structural applications. The company filed for bankruptcy in February 2018. Tharp admitted to embezzling funds by diverting and cashing customer payments at local businesses. He also directed Bendco to issue fraudulent checks payable to cash, fictitious vendors or companies with no legitimate business ties. To conceal the theft, Tharp altered the company’s financial records, including by deleting invoices. “Bankruptcy exists to shield those that find themselves in dire financial straits, and to give people fresh starts,” said Ganjei. “When somebody commits bankruptcy fraud, they’re abusing this legal protection, and cheating those that lent them money, goods, or services. Here, through his duplicitous acts, the defendant unfortunately turned a messy financial situation into a criminal matter.” “When you cash checks intended for your business, put it in your personal account and hide the evidence, it’s fraud. When you declare bankruptcy and fail to report the checks, it’s bankruptcy fraud. When you fail to file your tax returns and try to conceal how much you would owe, it’s tax evasion,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “These financial laws are pretty simple to understand, which makes it easier for our special agents to prove your criminal intent. You know you’re breaking the law and we know we’ll catch you.” According to court documents, Tharp carried out the scheme while Bendco was in bankruptcy proceedings. As part of that process, the company was required to deposit all incoming funds into a Debtor in Possession (DIP) account. Tharp admitted he caused Bendco to file false monthly operating reports to the bankruptcy court, falsely stating that all funds had been deposited into the DIP account. He acknowledged his embezzlement resulted in a loss of $413,480. Tharp also admitted he failed to file a 2018 tax return and willfully evaded payment of $126,430 owed to the IRS. U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen will impose sentencing Sept. 22. Both counts of bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion carry a sentence of up to five years in prison. Tharp also agreed to pay $413,480 in restitution to Bendco and $126,430 to the IRS. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shirin Hakimzadeh and Brad Gray are prosecuting the case.


title: Rochester business owner pleads guilty to tax charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gregory J. Coco, 44, of Rochester, pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca. The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that Coco owns Century Asphalt Maintenance, a driveway sealing company in Rochester. For the years 2017 through 2022, Coco received payments from customers for services provided by Century Asphalt totaling $2,611,685.57. However, he intentionally failed to advise his tax return preparer of all the income he received, underreporting his income by a total of $1,704,556.57. As a result, Coco failed to pay the Internal Revenue Service a total of $456,683.00. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis. Sentencing is scheduled for October 7, 2025, before Judge Vacca. # # # #


title: Guatemalan man pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal reentry

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wilson Oswaldo Galvan-Lopez, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca to illegal reentry. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that Galvan-Lopez is an alien without any legal status in the United States. In May 2023, he was physically removed from the United States to Guatemala. At some point after, Galvan-Lopez illegally reentered the United States without the proper permission. On March 24, 2025, he was found in a vehicle on Orange Street in Rochester, during a traffic stop. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. # # # #


title: Nicaraguan National Extradited from Spain for International Extortion and Wire Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Ernesto Ortega Padgett, a Nicaraguan national who was previously residing in Miami, FL and was deported from the United States in January 2020, made his initial appearance in a federal court in Miami on June 16. Ortega, a fugitive wanted in the United States, Spain, and Panama, was extradited from Madrid, Spain, to Miami to face federal charges related to an international wire fraud, extortion, and money laundering conspiracy that resulted in more than $29 million in losses to victims located across the United States. Ortega, 41, is charged in a 27-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Feb. 2, 2023. The charges include: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Extortion, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, Making a Communication in Interstate Commerce Containing a Threat to Injure, Engaging in Transactions Involving Criminally Derived Property, and Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property According to the indictment, Ortega’s criminal scheme began in 2020 and targeted businesses across the United States. Ortega and his co-conspirators posed as bank representatives and used a combination of technology and social engineering to deceive victims into providing sensitive account information. Ortega and his co-conspirators then used that information to access victims’ bank accounts and initiate unauthorized wire transfers. Ortega relied on an international network of money launderers to receive the stolen funds, withdraw them in cash, and forward the proceeds to accounts directly under Ortega’s control, often in the form of cryptocurrency. During commission of the scheme, Ortega and his co-conspirators used extortion, threatened force, and fear of injury to compel some money launderers to take part in the scheme. Ortega conducted the scheme spanning multiple countries and continents, which resulted in losses exceeding $29 million. Ortega had also been charged in Spain for related criminal conduct before fleeing that jurisdiction, as well as having pending charges in Panama. He remained a fugitive for nearly a year, with active warrants in all three countries. In December 2023, law enforcement received intelligence that Ortega would be traveling to Paris, France, for Christmas. Law enforcement subsequently intercepted Ortega, who was apprehended at the Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris. Ortega was then extradited back to Madrid pursuant to a European Union fugitive warrant, where he remained until extradited to the United States on June 13, pursuant to an indictment issued by the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Ortega faces up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge, up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge, up to 20 years in prison on the Hobbs Act charge, up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge, up to 20 years in prison on the making a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to injure charge, up to 10 years in prison for the engaging in transactions involving criminally derived property charge, and up to five years in prison for the conspiracy to transport stolen property. Each count also carries the possibility of a fine and supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jason Scalzo of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Electronic Crimes Unit; and Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the US Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FDIC-OIG and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Ortega’s arrest and extradition. The United States also thanks the Government of Spain, French authorities, the USSS Madrid Resident Office, and the USSS Paris Field Office for their valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Moore and Michael Brenner are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-20049. ###


title: Federal Jury Convicts Two Biddeford Men of Robbery, Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Using Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: Two Biddeford men were found guilty today of interfering with commerce by robbery; conspiring to traffic cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl; using a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking; and illegally possessing a firearm. The verdict came following a six-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland. According to court records and testimony at trial, Nathaniel Ashwood , 37, and Lloyd Lyttle , 35, distributed narcotics in the Biddeford area and defended their narcotics distribution interests with violence and threats of violence. Witnesses at trial testified that during the evening of July 28, 2023, Ashwood and Lyttle robbed and assaulted a rival drug dealer and two other individuals in the area of Cutts Street in Biddeford using firearms and physical force to intimidate local residents and establish their control of the local drug market. At the time Lyttle and Ashwood committed these assaults they had both been convicted of felony offenses that prohibited them from possessing firearms. Ashwood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life. Lyttle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years with a maximum sentence of life. Both men will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Biddeford Police Department investigated the case, with the assistance of the Springfield, Vermont Police Department.


title: Former SBA Employee from South Florida Headed to Federal Prison After Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs

body_text: MIAMI – A former Small Business Administration (SBA) employee who fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief money to spend on luxury items was sentenced on June 13. United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II sentenced Malaina Chapman, 38, to 54 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Ruiz further ordered Chapman to pay $1,297,178 in restitution. According to court documents and statements made in court, Chapman was employed as a Disaster Relief Specialist with the SBA from September 28, 2020 through March 18, 2021. While employed by the SBA, Chapman became involved in multiple schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, as well as local credit unions and local and state programs designed to assist those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. On February 10, 2021, Chapman submitted an online loan application in the name of Upscale Credit Lounge, LLC to a lender. In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Schedule C (Form 1040) that reported gross revenues of $103,674 and a tentative profit of $81,860 for 2020. The lender relied upon the representations in Chapman’s application to approve a loan in the amount of $17,052.50. On February 19, 2021, Chapman submitted an online PPP loan application with the lender on behalf of DA TRAP, LLC. In her application, Chapman claimed that she had four employees and an average monthly payroll of $14,191. In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Employers Quarterly Tax Return (Form 941), which purportedly documented the wages paid by DA TRAP. Relying on the representations in the application, the lender approved a loan in the amount of $35,477.50. In total, Chapman received $230,246 for the loan applications she submitted on her own behalf. Chapman also conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf. Six defendants were charged under case number 24-cr-20079. For that conspiracy, Chapman was held accountable for losses of $837,716. In addition to defrauding the PPP program, Chapman also took advantage of the State of Florida and the City of Miami’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs. Chapman spent the money on luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, Goyard, Chanel, Fendi, as well as a designer teacup puppy. Chapman also spent over $7,500 on a stay at a Key Largo luxury resort. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG); Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region, made the announcement. This case was investigated by USPS-OIG, SBA-OIG, and DOL-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20321. ###


title: Former Glastonbury Postal Carrier Admits Stealing U.S. Treasury Check from the Mail

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ, JR., 31, formerly of East Hartford and currently residing in Tampa, Florida, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a charge related to his theft of a U.S. Treasury check from the mail while working for the U.S. Postal Service. According to court documents, in 2021, Rodriguez, while employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier in Glastonbury, was asked by an acquaintance to intercept federal tax refund checks that would be mailed to addresses on his mail carrier route. After taking the checks, he would deliver them to an unknown individual in New York and be paid approximately $100 for each check. Rodriguez gave his acquaintance information about his route so that refund checks could be sent to those addresses, and was subsequently provided with approximately 10 names and addresses for checks he was supposed to take from the mail. In October 2021, Rodriguez stole a U.S. Treasury tax refund check in the amount of $4,943.17 from the mail before it was delivered to an address on his route. On October 23, 2021, he deposited the check into his wife’s bank account. On October 25, 2021, he transferred $4,500 from his wife’s account to his own bank account, and subsequently spent the money for personal use. Rodriguez resigned from the U.S. Postal Service on October 23, 2021. He told law enforcement that he only stole one check as part of this scheme. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to theft of public money, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford on September 24, 2025. Rodriguez is released on a $15,000 bond pending sentencing. This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.


title: Convicted Sex Offender Illegally Present in the Country Assaults Federal Officer During Immigration Arrest

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: St. Paul, Minn. – Roberto Carlos Munoz-Guatemala, 39, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged federally with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon and resulting in bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, in December 2022, Munoz was charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a minor victim. He was ultimately convicted of Fourth-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, a felony offense. On June 17, 2025, multiple federal agencies attempted to effectuate an administrative warrant for Munoz’s arrest due to lack of legal status in the United States. Officers and agents—clearly identified as “POLICE”—pulled Munoz over for a traffic stop. Munoz repeatedly refused to comply with commands from law enforcement officers to lower the windows and open the door. Officers told Munoz they would break a window if Munoz continued to refuse. When Munoz refused to comply, the victim in this case, an ERO Officer, used a spring-loaded window punch to break the rear window of the car and then reached into Munoz’s car to attempt to unlock the door. While the ERO Officer’s arm was inside the car, Munoz put the vehicle in drive. Munoz drove up onto the curb and accelerated at a high rate of speed. The ERO Officer’s arm was caught in the car. As Munoz drove, the ERO Officer was dragged in the moving vehicle. The ERO Officer twice fired his taser at Munoz to get him to stop. Munoz was undeterred. He continued driving away as the ERO Officer screamed. With the ERO Officer’s arm caught in the broken window and the ERO Officer being dragged along the road, Munoz began weaving back and forth, in an apparent attempt to shake the ERO Officer from the car. Munoz drove back and forth, driving up on the curb and weaving past a vehicle, all while dragging the ERO Officer. When Munoz got off the curb and reentered the street, the force knocked the ERO Officer free from the car. Munoz continued his flight. In total, Munoz dragged the ERO Officer approximately 100 yards down the street. The ERO Officer was transported to the hospital, where he received treatment for injuries sustained from being dragged by Munoz. The ERO Officer suffered a significant cut to his right arm that required 20 stitches to close. He suffered a significant cut to his left hand that required 13 stitches. The ERO Officer also suffered abrasions to his left knee, elbows, and face. “Law enforcement officers deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our protection,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Defendant Munoz—a convicted sex offender illegally present in the country—violently assaulted a federal officer who was just trying to do his job. The injuries the officer sustained were severe but could have been so much worse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has no tolerance for violence against law enforcement officers.” “Munoz had no legal right to be in this country—and certainly not free in the community after a conviction for sexually abusing a minor,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Instead of complying with a lawful immigration arrest, he chose to violently resist — dragging a deportation officer with his vehicle and putting that officer’s life at risk. The FBI takes any assault on a federal officer with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure this individual is held fully accountable. There is no tolerance for this kind of violence—not against federal agents, not against local officers, not against anyone who wears a badge.” “This was a brazen and cowardly act by a criminal illegal alien who has complete disregard for the laws of our country and clearly places himself above the lives of others,” said Peter Berg, ICE ERO Field Office Director for St. Paul. “The deportation officer involved in this incident— someone who has dedicated his life to upholding the law and protecting this nation—was severely wounded by a fleeing suspect who should have never been in the United States in the first place.” These cases are a result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, ERO, and HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn is prosecuting the case. An earlier version of this press release noted that defendant Munoz-Guatemala is a citizen of Guatemala. He is in fact a citizen of Mexico. A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Five Defendants including Postal worker, await sentencing for possessing stolen mail keys, theft of stolen mail matter, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, in separate cases.

body_text: UPDATE: Davion Chelsea Easterling and Corey Jamario Gunter are scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall for sentencing on Thursday, September 25, 2025, beginning at 10 a.m. at the U.S. District Court, Augusta Division, located at 600 James Brown Boulevard, Augusta, Georgia 30901. Victims and the public are welcome to attend. AUGUSTA, GA: Five Richmond County residents face various terms of years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a master key for postal service mailboxes and other felony counts occurring in 2023. This investigation is on-going. Davion Chelsea Easterling , 26, and Corey Jamario Gunter , 24, both of Augusta, await sentencing after pleading guilty to Aiding and Abetting Possession of a Stolen Mail Key. The plea agreements subject each defendant to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Cameron Martinas Curry , 22, and Quavaun Enreco Rhodes , 22, both of Augusta, await sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Mail Key, Possessing Stolen Mail Matter, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. The plea agreements subject each defendant to a statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and up to five years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Earl Demetrius Overton , 32, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft related to stolen mail. The plea agreement subjects the defendant to a statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and up to five years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. As described in court documents and testimony, Easterling was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and shared a residence with Gunter. An investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office in 2023, led to a search of their residence pursuant to a state search warrant, where investigators found large quantities of stolen mail and multiple postal bins, along with a master key used to access postal service boxes. The investigation revealed that mail was stolen from a USPS Blue Box, located at the U.S. Post Office, 3108 Peach Orchard Road, Augusta, Georgia. The plea agreements concede that the number of mail-theft victims in the case is greater than 10, and the defendants abandoned any claim to the mail so it could be returned to individual senders. Gunter also agreed to forfeit a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol seized during the search. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing hearings for Easterling and Gunter upon completion of pre-sentence investigations by U.S. Probation Services. Pertaining to Curry and Rhodes, as described in court documents and testimony, the defendants were detained by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic stop after suspecting that the defendants had stolen mail from a USPS Blue Box, located at the U.S. Post Office, 125 Commercial Boulevard, Martinez, Georgia. Upon contact with the defendants, the deputies observed what appeared to be stolen U.S. Mail inside the vehicle. An investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service determined that there was no forced entry on the USPS Blue Box. The vehicle was searched but no key was found. After canvassing the area, a pair of U.S. Postal Master Keys were found less than thirty yards from the vehicle. As the investigation continued, a federal search warrant was obtained for both defendant’s phones and agents found several check images with a face value totaling $485,000. Additionally, numerous text messages and screenshots revealed that they were in the business of stealing checks from the mail and depositing, altering, or selling them for the purpose of Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen will schedule sentencing hearings for Curry and Rhodes upon completion of pre-sentence investigations by U.S. Probation Services. Pertaining to Overton, as described in court documents and testimony, the defendant was arrested by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, pursuant to an arrest warrant, while driving a vehicle. The defendant was found to be in possession of a firearm and is a prohibited person because of a previous felony conviction. A follow up search warrant of the defendant’s home revealed numerous stolen checks, stolen mail, and various debit cards belonging to other people. Additional investigation revealed that Overton was stealing checks from the mail and depositing, altering, or selling them for the purpose of Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule a sentencing hearing for Overton upon completion of pre-sentence investigations by U.S. Probation Services. “Mail theft has become an epidemic, and it is exceptionally costly to individuals and businesses victimized by these illegal activities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons. “These prosecutions hold accountable these defendants – including one who betrayed the trust granted by her U.S. Postal Service employment.” “These cases are examples of individuals who made a decision to engage in criminal misconduct involving the U.S. mail that will not go unpunished,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting our customers and preserving the integrity of the mail.” “The vast majority of U.S. Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking individuals who would never violate the public trust in this manner,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “But for those who do, our special agents, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate these federal crimes to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail. These guilty pleas are a testament to the dedication of the investigative and legal teams and should send a strong message to any employee who thinks of conspiring with others to steal arrow keys and betray the public’s trust.” “Possessing stolen mail keys and engaging in the theft of personal and private correspondence is not only a breach of trust but a crime against the public,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “These convictions send a clear message: law enforcement will not tolerate the theft of our nation's mail, and those who abuse their position of trust will be held accountable.” These cases were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Kyle Davis and David Estes. The United States Attorney’s Office urges the public that if you believe you are a victim of mail theft from the Martinez Post Office, or the Peach Orchard Road Post Office between the dates of March 1, 2023 and November 30, 2023, and you have not been contacted by the United States Attorney’s Office, please file a report by June 30, 2025, with the United States Postal Inspection Service at USPIS.gov/report, referencing USPIS Case Numbers 4183320-MT and 4207963-MT Mail theft victims who have been contacted by the United States Attorney’s Office are encouraged to submit victim impact statements as outlined in their notice and/or appear at future sentencings. As these defendants are not currently scheduled for sentencing, the United States Attorney’s Office intends to post hearings dates and times on its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdga/pr .


title: Leader of Multi-Million Dollar International Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking Ring Convicted

body_text: ATLANTA – Monica Dominguez Torres, 36, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to federal charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Dominguez led a transnational criminal organization that operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds to Mexico. “Dominguez’s elaborate criminal operation has been dismantled, and more than $3.5 million of illicit drug proceeds have been seized as a result of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners’ diligent work,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute individuals like Dominguez who seek an undeserved life of luxury by trafficking deadly drugs in our community.” Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “Through hard work, this drug trafficking and money laundering network has been removed from our streets. This criminal organization had no regard for the destructive impact on our communities.” “This conviction sends a strong message to those who think they can live a life of luxury funded by illegal activities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the dedicated collaboration between HSI and our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels, we were able to dismantle Monica Dominguez Torres’s multi-million dollar drug trafficking and money laundering ring, seizing millions in illicit proceeds and bringing her to justice.” “Monica Torres led a transnational organized crime organization, which like others of its nature, threatens the national and economic security of the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, along with our other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners of the Atlanta Strike Force are working together to find, investigate, and bring to justice those who endanger American citizens lives through their drug trafficking and other illicit crimes.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges and other information presented in court: Monica Dominguez Torres’s organization operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories where liquid methamphetamine, obtained from sources in Mexico, was converted into hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to be sold in the Atlanta area and elsewhere. Dominguez and her associates also used residences in the Atlanta area to collect and count millions of dollars in cash from these drug sales. The proceeds were laundered and sent to coconspirators in Mexico. As part of the criminal operation, Dominguez and her associates purchased millions of dollars’ worth of real estate, vehicles, and luxury goods – all designed to conceal the illicit source of their wealth. The investigation revealed that Dominguez purchased five separate residences, including a seven-bedroom waterfront home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Three of these residences were purchased with bulk cash brought directly to the transaction. Dominguez and others also purchased nine luxury vehicles worth approximately $780,000. Dominguez also spent lavishly on high-end goods, including nearly $400,000 at Louis Vuitton and more than $425,000 at Burberry over roughly four and a half years. During the investigation, agents seized nearly $3.6 million in cash from Dominguez’s residences, stash locations, and associates. When agents arrested Dominguez at her Conyers, Georgia home in February 2024, they seized more than $1.7 million in cash, five firearms, and three vehicles. Dominguez is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 2025, at 1:30 pm, before Chief United States District Judge Leigh Martin May. Regarding her drug trafficking conviction, Dominguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life in prison, a maximum $10,000,000 fine, and a minimum of five years of supervised release. The money laundering conviction carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a maximum $500,000 fine or twice the value of the laundered funds, up to three years of supervised release, and forfeiture of property involved in the offense. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, with valuable assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys John T. DeGenova, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section, and Nicholas L. Evert are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to eliminate the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (Atlanta Strike Force) is to eliminate transnational organized crime syndicates and major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Atlanta Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, Regional Priority Organization Targets, and their associates. The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies; and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to more than Three Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

body_text: Anniston, Alabama – A St. Clair County woman has been sentenced on multiple drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Claudia Montano Gonzalez, 43, a native and citizen of Mexico, to 39 months in prison. In October 2024, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to the plea agreement, in October 2023, Gonzalez sold fentanyl at the Buc-ees travel center in Leeds, Alabama. Gonzalez’s husband and co-defendant, David Angel Alejandres, facilitated the transaction from Mexico, but Gonzalez delivered the fentanyl. After obtaining a search warrant for Gonzalez’s residence in Pell City, agents recovered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. In June 2024, David Alejandres was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Alejandres remains at large. The Drug Enforcement Agency is investigating the case with the assistance of the Pell City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany T. Byrd is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Mexican Drug Trafficker Caught with Tens of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills, Cocaine, Heroin, and Stolen Guns Sentenced to Federal Prison in Washington State

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Jose Efrain Gonzalez-Rodriguez, age 24, of Mexico, who was unlawfully present in the United States, was sentenced after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and firearm charges. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 120 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in May and June of 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration developed information that Gonzalez-Rodriguez was working for a drug trafficking organization out of Mexico that was responsible for transporting drugs from California to Spokane and distributing them across Eastern Washington. On June 24, 2024, after execution of a search warrant on Gonzalez-Rodriguez’s vehicle, agents located almost 2 pounds of methamphetamine and 6,855 fentanyl pills. Investigators also executed a search warrant at Gonzalez-Rodriguez’s apartment in Spokane where they located an additional 59,529 fentanyl pills, almost 3 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 1 pound of cocaine, and a quantity of heroin. Additionally, 4 four pistols were found in the kitchen wrapped in tape and plastic for transport. Two of the firearms had been reported stolen. “Fentanyl is killing people across Eastern Washington. Those who traffic in this poison—along with other deadly drugs and illegal firearms—will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker. “Mr. Gonzalez-Rodriguez brought significant quantities of poison and stolen weapons into our community, putting lives at risk. This sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the commitment of our office and law enforcement partners to disrupt violent drug trafficking networks.” “This case highlights the intersection of drug trafficking, firearms, and illegal immigration,“ said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Mr. Gonzalez Rodriguez endangered our community on all three of these fronts and this sentence ensures his accountability, thanks to DEA and our partners.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Spokane Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement and Narcotics (RAVEN) task force and the United States Border Patrol. Case 2:24-cr-00091-TOR


title: Two Charged in Albuquerque Alien Harboring, Kidnapping Case

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Two men face federal charges for harboring illegal aliens after a kidnapping and human smuggling investigation in Albuquerque. According to court documents, on March 1, 2025, a complainant told the FBI their spouse had been kidnapped and held for ransom. The kidnappers demanded 90,000 quetzales (about $11,600) and threatened to turn the victim over to the Zeta Cartel if payment was not made. “Proof of life” videos were sent to the family. Using phone data from the ransom calls, agents traced the location to a residence in southwest Albuquerque. On March 2, agents executed a search warrant and found 11 undocumented immigrants, including an unaccompanied minor and defendants Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar . The house was sparsely furnished and contained over 20 cell phones and a ledger of smuggling activity. Victims said they were locked in rooms, threatened with violence or being turned over to criminal organizations, and told not to talk to law enforcement. Both Jose and Gaspar were identified as running the stash house and making ransom videos. Jose and Gaspar were indicted for harboring an illegal alien and aiding and abetting and will remain in custody pending trial, which is scheduled for August 11, 2025. If convicted of the current charges, Jose and Gaspar each face up to five years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as 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. View the Indictment (Jose and Gaspar).pdf An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Nine Members of Lopez Human Smuggling Organization Plead Guilty to Federal Charges

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Nine of the 10 members of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization indicted in June 2023 have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a multi-year investigation into their roles in an extensive alien smuggling conspiracy. All nine defendants admitted to conspiring to bring, harbor, and transport groups of undocumented individuals into and within the United States for financial gain. The defendants are identified as Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar , 43, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; Deysi Marisela Lopez-Ambrosio , 27, illegal residing in Long Beach, California; Franklin Leonardo Chilel-Ramirez , 39, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; Junior Vanegas Portillo , 22, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; Jose Denilson Lopez Chilel , 26, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; and Mildred Yanira Lopez-Ambrosio , 23, illegal residing in Long Beach, California, all citizens of Guatemala, as well as Jose Gianluca Lopez-Perez , 21, of Phoenix, Arizona, Sebastian Rolando Cortez , 22, of Tempe, Arizona, and Carlos Chavez-Hernandez , 22, of Avondale, Arizona. According to court records, between October 2021 and April 2023, these individuals operated in Luna County, New Mexico, and elsewhere, coordinating and executing the transportation and harboring of undocumented aliens. The organization used peer-to-peer money transfer apps to facilitate payments among co-conspirators and instructed others to pick up and move groups of undocumented individuals in exchange for money. The organization coordinated pick-ups near the U.S.-Mexico border, including attempts to move individuals from Animas, New Mexico, to Phoenix, Arizona. In one instance, a defendant was apprehended by Border Patrol while en route to pick up a group of undocumented aliens. To date, four defendants have been sentenced. Junior Vanegas Portillo was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Sebastian Rolando Cortez was sentenced to one year of probation. Carlos Chavez-Hernandez was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release. Jose Denilson Lopez Chilel was sentenced to 45 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Sentencing for the remaining defendants is pending. As part of his plea agreement, Jose Denilson Lopez Chilel agreed to forfeit several items used in furtherance of the conspiracy. These include two firearms, ammunition, a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro, a 2017 Ford Mustang, a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2020 Polaris Can-Am Side by Side UTV. Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar , 47, of Guatemala City, Guatemala, the alleged leader of the Lopez Crime Family, remains a fugitive. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today. HSI New Mexico led U.S. investigative efforts, with enforcement assistance from HSI in Arizona and the Central District of California. HSI received investigative assistance from U.S. Border Patrol Deming, Lordsburg, Blythe, El Centro, Yuma, and Tucson, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division also provided support in this matter. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Alyson Hehr as part of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by MLARS; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 380 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 340 U.S. convictions; more than 290 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.


title: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Forged Immigration Document and Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in West Springfield, Mass. pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025 in federal court in Springfield, to possessing a forged immigration document and unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Prior to these charges, the defendant reentered the United States unlawfully four times; was previously convicted in Arizona of human smuggling; was charged in Illinois with domestic battery/bodily harm; and was twice charged with assault on a police officer in Massachusetts. Jose Martinez-Lopez, a/k/a “Amalio Mendez-Molina,” 33, pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of a forged immigration document and unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2025. Martinez-Lopez was arrested in March 2025 . On Aug. 28, 2009, Martinez-Lopez was removed from the United States to Guatemala after he entered the United States illegally at an unknow prior date. Sometime after his removal, Martinez-Lopez unlawfully reentered the United States and was subsequently deported on May 10, 2011. After his deportation, Martinez-Lopez re-entered the United States illegally for a third time. On Aug. 8, 2011, he was found guilty in Phoenix, Ariz. of human smuggling conspiracy and sentenced to a one-year probationary period. On Aug. 23, 2011, Martinez-Lopez was again removed from the United States. Sometime after his removal, Martinez-Lopez re-entered the United States illegally for a fourth time. On Nov. 25, 2022 and June 17, 2023, Martinez-Lopez was twice arrested in Cook County, Ill. for domestic battery/bodily harm. Both times, immigration authorities lodged detainers, but Martinez-Lopez was released from state court custody before any removal action could be taken. On March 10, 2025, Martinez-Lopez was arrested in West Springfield for assault and battery on a police officer, which led to his apprehension by immigration authorities. At the time of the arrest, Martinez-Lopez possessed a forged permanent resident card in the name of “Amalio Mendez-Molina.” On March 11, 2025, Martinez-Lopez admitted to immigration authorities that he was unlawfully present in the United States and had re-entered the United States illegally in 2021. The charge of possession of a forged immigration document provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


title: Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Worcester, Mass. pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Thiago Aquino-De Paula, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 28, 2025. In April 2025 , Aquino-De Paula was indicted by a federal grand jury. Aquino-De Paula was deported from the United States on three previous occasions including on or about Nov. 4, 2021. Sometime after his removal, Aquino-De Paula illegally reentered the United States without permission. Aquino-De Paula was found in Massachusetts after being arrested in Uxbridge for allegedly operating under the influence. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.