title: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced After Fleeing Police and Tossing Ghost Gun into Residential Yard

body_text: WASHINGTON — Willie Speaks, 23, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 22 months in prison in connection with the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition while he was on probation in two separate prior cases, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Speaks pleaded guilty on March 17, 2026, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 22-month prison term, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ordered Speaks to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 24 months. According to court papers, shortly before 2 a.m. on July 20, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol in the 600 block of Q Street NW observed two men peering into unoccupied vehicles. When officers attempted to make contact, both men fled on foot. Speaks ran westbound on Q Street NW and turned southbound onto the 1500 block of 7th Street NW, where he was stopped by police within about a minute. Officers who were canvassing Speaks’s flight path recovered a handgun in the front yard of a residence in the 600 block of Q Street NW. Home surveillance video captured Speaks reaching into a cross-body bag that he was wearing and tossing the firearm into the yard as he ran past. The recovered firearm was a .45-caliber P80 ghost gun with no serial number, loaded with a round in the chamber and nine rounds in the magazine. Because it bore no serial number, the firearm could not be registered in the District of Columbia. Speaks did not have a valid license to carry a pistol or possess ammunition in the District. At the time of the offense, Speaks was on supervised probation in two separate cases in two respective jurisdictions, including a prior conviction for a loaded handgun offense in Prince George’s County. This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. The investigation was conducted by Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy. 25cr217


title: San Diego Resident Charged With Conspiring To Provide Material Support To Hamas

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the Counterterrorism Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Donald Holstead, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced the unsealing of a five-count Complaint charging REDA MAZEN RIDA SABASSI with terrorism, sanctions-evasion, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statement charges in connection with his efforts to divert funds raised through purported charitable campaigns to Hamas and for personal use. SABASSI was arrested in San Diego yesterday and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu in the Southern District of California. “From within the United States, Reda Sabassi is alleged to have solicited and diverted funds to the known foreign terrorist organization, Hamas, which committed the brutal October 7, 2023, massacre,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Hamas promotes attacks against the U.S. and has murdered dozens of Americans through acts of terror. Our arrest of Reda Sabassi demonstrates our whole-of-government commitment to prosecute those who provide financial support to a malign terrorist regime that hates America.” “As alleged in the complaint, the defendant exploited the barbaric acts of terror perpetrated on October 7, 2023, to attract donors to his fraudulent ‘humanitarian’ causes,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “He allegedly raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through this scheme, which he then funneled to Hamas to help finance that group’s terror and violence and to line his own pockets. As demonstrated by today’s charges, NSD will investigate and prosecute those who fund terrorism.” “The defendant allegedly claimed to be raising money for charity but was actually funding the terrorist organization Hamas and also lining his own pockets,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI will use all our authorities to put a stop to those who seek to support the violent actions carried out by organizations like Hamas. Today’s announcement should serve as a stark reminder that the FBI and our partners on the Joint Terrorism Task Forces will remain vigilant in our effort to prevent terrorism as well as hold terrorists, and those who provide support to terrorist organizations, accountable for their actions.” “As alleged, Reda Sabassi raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund the death and tragedy Hamas seeks to carry out,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Alongside our federal partners, the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force continues to aggressively eradicate fundraisers financing terrorist organizations, and hold accountable those behind the campaign.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:(1) Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya, commonly known as Hamas, is a terrorist organization that was founded in 1987, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization (“FTO”) by the United States since 1997. From its inception, Hamas’s stated purpose has been to create an Islamic Palestinian state throughout Israel by eliminating the State of Israel through violent holy war, or jihad. Hamas also promotes attacks against the United States and its citizens, and over more than two decades, Hamas has murdered and injured dozens of Americans as part of its campaign of violence and terror. On October 7, 2023, Hamas committed its most violent, large-scale terrorist attack to date (the “October 7 Hamas Massacres”) when Hamas sent more than 2,000 armed fighters into farms and towns in southern Israel, where they carried out the massacres of over a thousand people and the kidnappings of more than 200 others. REDA MAZEN RIDA SABASSI has publicly supported Hamas online and has raised money for Hamas using online donation platforms. For example, SABASSI created an hour-long propaganda video of the October 7 Hamas Massacres and then posted that video to at least two of his social media accounts, including a few months after the October 7 Hamas Massacres and again on the two-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Since at least in or about 2022, SABASSI has used his social media accounts, crowdfunding websites, and his putative charity called Ikram – The Arab Charity Foundation Inc. (“Ikram”) to solicit donations from around the world, including from individuals in the United States and New York. In his online fundraising campaigns, SABASSI claimed to be raising funds to provide humanitarian aid to people in Gaza; however, SABASSI was actually raising funds for Hamas. SABASSI and a co-conspirator joked privately that they should name the fundraiser after Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades, before agreeing to use SABASSI’s Ikram. SABASSI worked with the Hamas fundraising organization Gaza Now and other co-conspirators to operate these online fundraisers and to send funds to Hamas.(2) Between in or about December 2023 and in or about February 2024, SABASSI raised a total of approximately $600,000 through online fundraising campaigns, from which SABASSI sent approximately $116,000 to a Hamas member and attempted to convert approximately $382,000 of the cash he raised into cryptocurrency to send to Hamas through Gaza Now. * * * SABASSI, 38, of San Diego, California, is charged with (i) conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (ii) conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (iii) conspiring to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (iv) conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and (v) false statements, which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Mr. Clayton also thanked the FBI’s San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force; the Counterterrorism Section and the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance with this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit and the National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer N. Ong, Ben Arad, Sarah L. Kushner, and Juliana N. Murray are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Andrew Briggs of the Counterterrorism Section and Acting Deputy Chief Sean Heiden of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ^ As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. ^ On March 27, 2024, the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated Gaza Now and two of SABASSI’s co-conspirators as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (“SDGTs”) pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for being key financial facilitators involved in fundraising for Hamas.


title: Fentanyl Sales Send Pittsburgh Man to Federal Prison

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A co-conspirator in a fentanyl drug trafficking operation in Clarksburg, West Virginia was sentenced today, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Queshawn Keand Williams, age 21, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for selling p-Fluorofentanyl and fentanyl. Williams, also known as “TJ,” sold the drugs to a confidential informant on multiple occasions. In total, he distributed more than 13 grams of fentanyl and more than 4 grams of p-Fluorofentanyl. Four other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Over 4 Years in Federal Prison  for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. Jesse Robert Buskol, 45, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Buskol was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026. On July 30, 2025, law enforcement conducted a parole search of Buskol’s residence and found a semi-automatic pistol. Buskol was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of a prior felony conviction for First Degree Robbery. He was on supervised release for a prior conviction at the time of this offense. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case. Buskol was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: St. Louis County Felon Sentenced to 47 Months in Prison for Crime Linked to Toddler’s Accidental Shooting

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon who lied about the accidental shooting of a toddler to 47 months in prison. On March 6, 2025, Rodrick Miller and his girlfriend cleaned an Anderson Manufacturing, AM-15 semiautomatic pistol and left it unattended on a couch in the girlfriend’s Wellston home. After the girlfriend’s son was shot in the calf, she and Miller took him to the hospital. On the way, Miller hid the gun behind a tree in a wooded area. They then told North County Police Cooperative officers that the boy had been shot by a stray bullet during a gun battle between two vehicles while the girlfriend was walking home. Police later recovered the gun. Miller, 36, of Pine Lawn, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing firearms. The North County Police Cooperative, the St. Ann Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franks prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Seven Minors

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Philip Taylor Sobash, 36, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for sexually exploiting minors. “Philip Sobash enticed seven minors to produce and send him child sexual abuse material, and then distributed five of those minors’ sexually explicit images online,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant took advantage of teenage girls. His depravity caused them long-lasting psychological trauma. The Department will pursue cases just like this to protect children from sexual exploitation.” “Protecting children from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Holding Sobash accountable for all of his offenses against all his victims is vitally important to the safety of children in our community and across the country.” “The FBI’s commitment to protecting children from abuse knows no bounds,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We work relentlessly with our partners to hold perpetrators of the sexual exploitation of minors to account, and others engaging in criminal activity targeting the vulnerable should take today’s sentencing as a warning that they too will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.” According to court documents, between October 2018 and May 2019, Sobash, then a practicing physician, engaged in an online sexually explicit relationship with Minor Victim 1, who resided in the Middle District of Tennessee. This online relationship began after they connected on a dating website that facilitates “sugar daddy” relationships. After their communications moved to text message, Minor Victim 1 informed Sobash that she was 17 years old and sent him a photo of her driver’s license, which confirmed her age. Sobash requested that Minor Victim 1 produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself and provided her thousands of dollars in cash and gifts to entice her to do so. Over the course of more than seven months, Sobash received hundreds of sexually explicit photos and videos of Minor Victim 1, most of which constituted child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In addition to sexually exploiting Minor Victim 1, Sobash admitted to sexually exploiting six other minors, aged 16 and 17, between 2017 and 2020. At Sobash’s direction, Minor Victims 2 through 7 created CSAM, which they sent to him. Sobash distributed CSAM depicting Minor Victims 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, resulting in those victims’ images being sold online under their names. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case with the assistance of FBI Nashville, Clarksville Resident Agency, and the U.S. Secret Service. Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Texas Woman Sentenced to Nearly 2 Years in Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Eaton Fire FEMA Money and COVID Benefits

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Texas woman was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $28,000 in federal disaster relief money by falsely claiming that she was a Pasadena resident living in a property damaged by the Eaton Fire and for fraudulently obtaining more than $54,000 in jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joyce Turner, 56, of Rosharon, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who also ordered her to pay $82,555 in restitution. Turner pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits and one count of mail fraud. On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire ignited and burned through a residential area in Los Angeles County, killing 18 people and destroying more than 10,000 structures. A presidential disaster declaration was issued on January 8, making emergency federal financial assistance and benefits available to individuals and families affected by the Eaton Fire and to other wildfire victims in the Los Angeles area. Victims who suffered losses because of the Eaton Fire, including renters who lost personal property and/or the use of their rental residences could qualify for benefits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The benefits included money for home repair, personal property damage, transportation, medical expenses, and housing assistance. On January 10, 2025, Turner submitted a fraudulent disaster benefits application to FEMA, falsely claiming she lived in Pasadena in a rental property that had been damaged by the Eaton Fire. In fact, Turner did not live in California and did not qualify for the benefits. FEMA, relying on Turner’s false and fraudulent claim, sent her $28,195 in wildfire disaster relief money. Turner further admitted in her plea agreement that in August 2020 she submitted a fraudulent claim for California unemployment insurance falsely claiming she had been working in California and lost work because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was entitled to unemployment insurance benefits. Following this false and fraudulent claim, California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) provided Turner with $54,360 in jobless benefits to which she was not entitled – providing these benefits through a debit card mailed to Turner at an address in Los Angeles. The United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison  for Failing to Register as Sex Offender

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. Eugene Leon Featherman, 37, was sentenced to one year and 11 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Featherman was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 7, 2026. Featherman was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Featherman was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from late June through September 2025, Featherman knowingly failed to register and update his registration. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. Featherman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, 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: Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Gun Charges in Federal Court

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed firearms in the Fort Dodge area pled guilty June 15, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Jordan Mefferd, 47, from Pocahontas, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. At the plea hearing, Mefferd admitted that from about July 2024 through September 2025, he conspired with others to distribute over one pound of methamphetamine in the Webster County Iowa area. In August/September 2025, agents made four controlled buys of methamphetamine from Mefferd, totaling more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine. On September 23, 2025, officers executed a search warrant at Mefferd’s residence and seized a small amount of methamphetamine, $9,684.51 in U.S. currency, four firearms, and various ammunition. Mefferd is prohibited from possessing any firearm due to his previous felony convictions which include: conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine; possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of lithium; possession of controlled substance – 3rd or subsequent offense; eluding; burglary third degree; and escape. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mefferd remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mefferd faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $60,250,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa State Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-3048. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Florida Couple Indicted for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution, Gun Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Andre Darrell Perry, 37, of Pensacola, Florida, and Loredano Alessandra Bassolino, 38, of Navarre, Florida have each been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Perry was also indicted on one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges. Perry appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Bassolino appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for her initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for August 17, 2026, at 8:30 am in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. If convicted, Perry faces at least 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, on the drug possession count; at least 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count. Bassolino faces at least 5 years’, and up to 40 years’, imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Career offender sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A career offender who coordinated drug sales over Facebook Messenger was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 200 months in prison. This case marks the third federal conviction for Steven Waldon, 43, of Dayton. He was previously convicted in the Southern District of Ohio of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base and distribution of fentanyl. In addition to these federal crimes, Waldon had also been convicted locally of trafficking heroin. According to court documents, Waldon led a drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl in the Dayton region. Between May and July 2024, law enforcement officers observed at least five drug sales from Waldon’s drug trafficking organization. Conspirators stored drugs at a residence on Marburn Avenue in Dayton and Waldon had those drugs delivered to the sites of drug sales. Waldon also trafficked drugs from his residence on Porterfield Drive in Dayton. When agents searched both properties, they discovered trafficking quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as more than $13,000 in cash. Waldon was arrested in charged in the instant case in July 2024. He pleaded guilty in April 2025. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Middletown Police Chief Earl Nelson announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Cruise Ship Passengers Arrested for Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville – Christopher Michael Lawhon (36, South Carolina) has been charged by federal indictment with production and attempted production of child sex abuse material (CSAM). In a separate indictment, Tajareia Lawon Aikee Blackwell (25, North Carolina) was charged with transportation of CSAM. If convicted, Lawhon faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison. Blackwell faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Lawhon and Blackwell were passengers on cruises through international waters that subsequently returned to the United States via the Jacksonville cruise port. Lawhon returned from his cruise on May 7, 2026, in possession of a cellphone. A border search of the phone revealed that Lawhon had stored multiple surreptitiously-recorded video files, at least one of which included a recording of a minor male child in a bathroom stall while the child was using the bathroom. Lawhon advised federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that he had an interest in voyeurism and typically recorded other people in the bathroom. Blackwell returned from his cruise on June 8, 2026. At that time, Blackwell had pending charges in North Carolina for indecent liberties with children and statutory rape from February 2026. Blackwell and his cellphone were border searched, which revealed that Blackwell had received CSAM from the same child victim on February 22, 2026, which he had then transported with him through the Middle District of Florida and international waters on the cruise. The victim was 14 years old. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Statesville (North Carolina) Police Department. They will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Raleigh Man Arrested for Threatening the Life of the President

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A U.S. Magistrate Judge signed a Federal criminal complaint yesterday which accuses Christopher Carnes, 33, of knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States. Carnes is charged with violating 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison if convicted. During May of 2026, Carnes posted several videos on Facebook where he made statements to include “Donald J. Trump, I’m going to kill you” and advised viewers to alert the “Secret Service in Washington, DC.” Investigators established that Carnes was located in Raleigh when he posted the threatening Facebook videos. On June 6, 2026, Carnes posted an additional Facebook video where he referenced his prior threatening videos while talking about having pipe bombs. After displaying a self-described “PVC blaster” in the trunk of his car, Carnes stated “This here…I’ve told you Donald Trump, I’m not a person for bluff calling…now that the Government knows I have a live bomb in my car…Well you f*** around and you come find out.” On June 10, 2026, investigators met with Carnes at the Raleigh Police Department (RPD). Carnes arrived in the same car from his Facebook videos. After a canine alerted to the potential presence of explosive materials in the car, RPD officers searched his car and found PVC pipe and a metal pin. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The USSS and RPD are investigating the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-MJ-1912-BM.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crimes

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Roderick Tyrone Boyd, 30, of Vandalia, Ohio, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2025, Boyd aided and abetted another individual in the sale of fentanyl and distributed a quantity of fentanyl on April 26, 2025. Both transactions occurred in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. Boyd has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug offenses, burglary, and attempted domestic violence. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-165. ###


title: Olean man going to prison for 15 years for distributing child pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Philip Young, 31, of Olean, NY, who was convicted of distribution of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison and lifetime supervised release by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. On June 22, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTipline Report that an image of a naked prepubescent girl was uploaded to the internet. The image was later traced back to Young. Investigators executed a search warrant at Young’s residence, seizing, among other items, a cellular telephone. The investigation determined that Young used the Telegram application on his phone and the internet to seek out, receive, and distribute child pornography. A forensic review of Young’s cell phone recovered a video constituting child pornography. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford. # # # #


title: McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026. Thomas Maurice Cornia, age 20, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Cornia was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 23, 2026. Cornia and another young man were embroiled in a long-standing feud. On the evening of July 5, 2025, they saw one another at a graduation party in Bullhead, South Dakota, and began arguing. The other man punched Cornia in the face and they began brawling and wrestling on the ground. Cornia produced a knife and stabbed the other man in the shoulder. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Cornia was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.


title: Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Results in Texas Woman’s 24-Year Federal Prison Sentence

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – As a result of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, a Big Lake woman was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 288 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents, on April 4, 2022, Anahi Sanchez, 28, approached the Del Rio Port of Entry driving a Chevrolet Camaro, and applied for entry into the United States from Mexico. Sanchez told the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) that she and her son, who was also in the vehicle, were returning to Big Lake after visiting family in Mexico. The CBPO referred Sanchez to a vehicle inspection, which resulted in the discovery of anomalies in the driver and passenger rear quarter-panels of the vehicle. A subsequent canine inspection resulted in a positive alert for narcotics, and a physical inspection revealed 30 packages hidden in a trap door near the rear driver side and passenger side wheel wells. All of the packages were determined to contain fentanyl, with a gross weight of 18 kilograms. Sanchez was placed under arrest on-site. Law enforcement was able to determine that Sanchez was a regular and trusted courier for a transnational criminal organization and that she had crossed the international border numerous times in different vehicles loaded with narcotics. In total, she was held accountable for approximately 130 kilograms of fentanyl for her role in the criminal conspiracy. It was also determined by law enforcement that she typically took the narcotics to the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area. Sanchez was named in a five-count indictment on May 4, 2022, and charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, conspiracy to import fentanyl, importation of fentanyl, and laundering of monetary instruments. On Dec. 16, 2022, Sanchez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. ###


title: Parmelee Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. Freyane Charley, age 48, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Charley was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026. On November 1, 2024, Charley was staying at a friend’s house in Sicangu Village, within the exterior boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. During the night, Charley began assaulting one of the occupants, who was sleeping. Charley broke the orbital around the victim’s right eye and knocked out two teeth. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court. This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case. Charley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Manhattan Men Charged With Conspiracy To Distribute Millions Of Doses Of Deadly Gamma-Butyrolactone

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Enforcement Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Farhana Islam, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging MARK DYGDON and RODRIGO CASTRO in connection with the defendants’ distribution of gamma-butyrolactone (“GBL”) throughout the New York City area. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett. “As alleged, Mark Dygdon and Rodrigo Castro conspired to import and distribute millions of doses of gamma-butyrolactone in Midtown Manhattan and around the New York region,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Even one dose of GBL, also commonly known as a so-called date rape drug, can be lethal; Dygdon and Castro are accused of flooding Midtown with tons of this liquid poison. As the charges in this case show, together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who commit drug crimes and will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.” “The seizure of multiple tons of gamma-butyrolactone, is not merely a chemical seizure, it is the prevention of countless tragedies that may have otherwise occurred,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “GBL is a dangerous substance on its own, and can also be converted into GHB. Both are powerful depressants that are often used in drug facilitated sexual assaults. By removing this massive quantity from the supply chain, the DEA and our partners disrupted a significant threat to public safety, and prevented harm to countless people who might otherwise have been victimized. This indictment reflects the commitment we have with our partners in targeting those trafficking drugs and precursor chemicals into our communities.” As alleged in the Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:(1) From at least in or about August 2023 through at least in or about June 2026, DYGDON and CASTRO conspired to distribute GBL throughout the New York City area. To date, the charged conspiracy has imported more than approximately seven U.S. tons of GBL between on or about August 2023 and today, or the equivalent of millions of individual doses of GBL. As part of the investigation, the DEA New York Enforcement Division seized 2.4 tons of GBL, a chemical often times attributed to sexual assaults. * * * DYGDON, 48, and CASTRO, 34, both of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute GBL, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca R. Delfiner is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ^ As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Pharmacist on the Run for Nearly 12 Years Pleads Guilty to Role in Defrauding the IRS

body_text: CLEVELAND – An Ohio pharmacist who was indicted more than a decade ago and was a fugitive on the run, has pleaded guilty to his role in defrauding the IRS. He was located and arrested overseas earlier this year. Sbeih Sbeih, 57, previously of North Olmstead, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the IRS. In February, he was arrested in the country of Georgia after being a fugitive for 11 years. According to allegations in court documents filed in 2014, Sbeih a was a registered pharmacist licensed by the Ohio Pharmacy Board. Together with codefendant Osama Salouha, 54, previously of Strongsville, the men conspired to divert proceeds from Salouha’s businesses, Southside Pharmacy in Lorain and Medicine Center Pharmacy in Elyria, into personal, non-business bank accounts to otherwise conceal income from their accountant and the IRS. Osama Salouha was additionally charged for his role in illicitly selling opioids and opiates. Salouha remains a fugitive. His wife, Samah Salouha, 48, also previously of Strongsville, pleaded guilty in 2015 for her role in the conspiracy for making false statements and structuring bank deposits to avoid triggering bank reports to the IRS. She was sentenced to three years of probation. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, FBI Cleveland Division, Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Akron Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Drug Task Force, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Lorain County Drug Task Force, Strongsville Police Department, MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Cleveland Heights Police Department. The USAO would like to acknowledge the country of Georgia and their Prosecutor General’s Office for their valuable assistance to coordinate the extradition of the defendant to the United States. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Collyer .


title: United States Attorney’s Office bids farewell to long time Federal Prosecutor David Herzog

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: On June 12, 2026, Assistant United States Attorney David Herzog announced his departure from the Department of Justice to return to the private practice of law. During his 18 years of service, AUSA Herzog focused on child exploitation and human trafficking cases, including leading a nine-year investigation into the sexual exploitation of Cambodian girls by an American, which resulted in conviction at trial and a 70-year sentence. AUSA Herzog leaves DOJ as a nationally and internationally recognized expert in online child exploitation and sex trafficking. He has served in a number of supervisory roles in Los Angeles and Spokane, ultimately rising to Chief of Appeals in Spokane over the last several years. A native of Spokane and graduate of the Garfield Apple program and Shaw Middle School, AUSA Herzog was co-valedictorian at Gonzaga Prep in 1993. He attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he graduated summa cum laude in English while playing Division I soccer and violin in the university orchestra. After earning a Master of Philosophy degree in English Literature at the University of Glasgow, he graduated cum laude from law school at Georgetown. He clerked for several federal judges and was an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles before joining DOJ in 2008. AUSA Herzog will be joining Clyde & Co., an international law firm based in London, where his practice will focus on commercial litigation and appeals. AUSA Herzog and his wife, Spokane County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Emily Sullivan, will continue to raise their two children in Spokane. “It has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to stand up in court on behalf of the people of the United States—particularly for children and other victims of violent crimes who cannot often stand up for themselves,” Herzog said. “My job as a federal prosecutor has never been to win cases; it has always been to seek justice.” He noted that this responsibility remains the same, regardless of politics. “I have served proudly under Presidents, Attorneys General, and United States Attorneys of both parties, and the job has never changed: do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons, every time. It is a unique responsibility held by all prosecutors, and I have done my level best to meet it.” AUSA Herzog specifically complimented his colleagues: “The career prosecutors at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington are among the most professional, excellent, and ethical lawyers anywhere. They set incredibly high standards for themselves and the office, at large, and they meet it every day, in the face of significant challenges inside and outside the courtroom. What a gift it has been to stand shoulder to shoulder with them over the years. I will miss my friends and colleagues very much, and I will look on their work with pride as they continue to serve justice every day.” At the same time, AUSA Herzog lamented the trend of former and current government officials publicly weighing in on cases without hearing the actual evidence presented to juries: “For 250 years, our society has relied on juries to resolve conflicts. When a jury receives evidence, evaluates whether the elements of a crime are met beyond a reasonable doubt, follows a court’s instructions, and speaks with a unanimous voice, justice is served – regardless of how a particular verdict comports with anyone’s personal views or political beliefs. That is what it means to follow the rule of law.” Pete Serrano, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, lamented losing AUSA Herzog as a prosecutor, but wished him well: “For nearly two decades, Dave Herzog has aggressively sought to protect the most vulnerable among us. He is a first class litigator and person, and the Spokane community can be proud that one of its own has dedicated so many years to keeping it safe. It would be easy to judge his success merely by the sheer number of years he has fought to protect our community. Our office will measure his service by the prosecutors he has helped train, the wisdom he has departed to his colleagues, the many, many documents he has authored or improved, and the convictions he has obtained at trial and sustained on appeal.” Stephanie Van Marter, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, echoed those sentiments. “Our office, and I, will miss Dave very much as a colleague, but I know we will remain friends for life. Our dads went to college together at Gonzaga, we went to high school together, and we have worked closely as colleagues for years. His respect for the work of this office, for the rule of law, and for due process, are beyond reproach. If the test of leadership is leaving something better than you found it, Dave passes with flying colors—this office has been permanently enriched by his time here.” The Spokane United States Attorney’s Offices wishes Dave Herzog the best and extends its gratitude on behalf of the Eastern District of Washington for his years of service and commitment to justice. Thank you, Dave!


title: Arkansas Pathology Laboratory and Its Owners Pay $30M to Settle Allegations of Kickbacks and Unnecessary Medical Testing

component: Civil Division

body_text: Advanced Pathology Solutions PLLC (formerly known as Advanced Pathology Solutions LLC), an anatomic pathology laboratory headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and its management services organization, APS MSO LLC (together, “APS”), along with current and former owners Kevin Hannah, Donell Burkett, and Daniel Hunter Pledger have agreed to pay a total of $30 million to the United States to resolve allegations that APS and its owners furnished unlawful kickbacks and ordered medically unnecessary pathology testing services. “Healthcare referrals must be based on the best decision for patients, not the influence of kickbacks,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the Department’s commitment to hold accountable both corporations and individuals who profit from improper kickback arrangements and who burden federal healthcare programs with claims for medically unnecessary services.” “Fraud against the taxpayer is rampant and insidious and when discovered must be held accountable. Engineering kickbacks to result in unnecessary medical testing which is then paid for by the United States taxpayer is unacceptable and once discovered as with APS, will result in lengthy investigation and review, and ultimately a significant settlement amount as demonstrated by this settlement,” said U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “Our office will continue to work with Main Justice to detect and deter any similar schemes and then hold the wrongdoers accountable under the law.” “Any entity that participates in health care and reaps illicit profits by taking advantage of and violating the trust given by Medicare and Medicaid programs must be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This settlement is notice that such illegal conduct simply will not be tolerated.” “Kickbacks and medically unnecessary testing don’t just violate the law — they endanger patients and drain critical federal health care funds,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Schemes like this erode trust in the health care system and divert resources away from those who truly need care. HHS‑OIG will move swiftly and aggressively with our law enforcement partners to uncover these abuses and hold every responsible party accountable.” The settlement resolves allegations made by the United States in a complaint filed on April 8, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. In its complaint , the United States alleged that, from 2015 through July 2022, APS and its owners violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by providing unlawful kickbacks to gastroenterology practices to induce the referral of pathology testing to APS resulting in false claims to federal healthcare programs. The government’s complaint focused on a business model developed by APS and its owners, in which APS set up and managed limited-purpose laboratories (known as “lean labs”) in gastroenterology practices nationwide that enabled the practices to bill for preparing and staining biopsy specimen slides. The complaint alleged that in exchange for various benefits furnished by APS, the gastroenterology practices agreed to exclusively refer their patients to APS by shipping their patients’ slides to APS’s lab in North Little Rock for pathologist interpretation and review. The United States alleged that the arrangements between APS and the gastroenterology practices were improper financial relationships through which APS provided kickbacks to induce the practices to steer their patients to APS. The United States further alleged that APS and its owners submitted and caused the submission of claims to federal healthcare programs for unnecessary testing. Specifically, APS directed lean lab personnel to automatically order certain special tests (called “special stains”) before a pathologist reviewed a routine test (a hematoxylin and eosin stain) to determine whether additional testing was necessary. By following the special stain protocol, APS and the lean labs ordered special stains that were not medically reasonable and necessary and were ineligible for Medicare coverage or reimbursement. In many cases, APS would also order additional “confirmatory” immunohistochemical testing on patient samples it received from the lean labs, which was also not medically necessary. In addition to resolving the allegations in the United States’ complaint, the settlement announced today also resolves allegations that from Nov. 1, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2020, APS and CEO Kevin Hannah knowingly and willfully provided unlawful kickbacks to an individual named Richard Sorgnard in the form of volume-based commission payments to induce the referral of patients to APS for epidermal nerve fiber density (“ENFD”) testing. Sorgnard, who previously entered into a settlement with the government to resolve related claims, encouraged medical providers and practices to order ENFD testing from APS for their patients, and in exchange, APS paid Sorgnard 4% of all payments APS collected for ENFD testing referred. The United States contends that this arrangement violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and resulted in false claims under the FCA. In connection with the settlement, APS entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The CIA requires APS to implement numerous auditing and accountability provisions, including implementation of a robust compliance program, new training and education requirements, and a review of physician referral relationships. The complaint follows three lawsuits that were originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA. Under the FCA, private parties can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The FCA permits the United States to intervene in and take over the action, as it has done here. If a defendant is found liable for violating the FCA, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus applicable penalties. The Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas are handling the matter. The consolidated cases are captioned United States ex rel. Watkins v. Advanced Pathology Solutions , No. 4:20-cv-1110 (E.D. Ark.); United States ex rel. Aucoin v. Advanced Pathology Solutions , No. 4:21-cv-277 (E.D. Ark.); and United States ex rel. Paulsen v. Advanced Pathology Solutions, LLC , No. 3:22-cv-00652-JPG (E.D. Ark.). This settlement follows a $4.75 million settlement reached earlier this year with Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, a gastroenterology practice and former client of APS. The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Evan Ballan, Jeff McSorley, and Kelley Hauser of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Goss Dempsey for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Skirtich for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The investigation and prosecution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty in D.C. Apartment Fraud Using Fake Government Job Offers

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON — Tisha Lee, 38, a former contract employee for the U.S. Government Publishing Office, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme in which she used her position at the federal agency to create fake employment offer letters that individuals used to fraudulently rent District apartments, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Tisha Lee turned a federal government email address into a forgery shop, selling phony job offers so people could secure D.C. apartments they couldn't legitimately afford,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “That's not a victimless con. It's a fraud on every landlord and every honest renter playing by the rules.” Lee, who resided Maryland, pleaded guilty June 16 before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of fraud in the second degree, in violation of D.C. Code section 3221(b). The charge carries a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment, a $12,500 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for October 19. According to court documents, Lee was a contract employee in the Human Capital section of the U.S. Government Publishing Office from March 2025 to March 2026, where she had no authority to issue or verify employment offers. On at least 10 occasions, Lee used her government email account to send false offer letters on GPO letterhead to individuals seeking to rent apartments in the District, falsely representing that the recipients had been offered GPO positions with salaries ranging from about $85,500 to $207,500 a year. When apartment management companies contacted Lee directly to verify the false employment claims, she confirmed them. At least one recipient used Lee's fraudulent letter to secure a lease at an apartment building in Southwest. Lee was paid by the scheme's beneficiaries. The investigation was conducted by the D.C. Fraud Cell, Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations, Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Government Publishing Office, Office of Inspector General. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Deitch and Kevin Reddington. 26cr119


title: Former Wylie Assistant Principal charged with child exploitation violations  in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A former high school assistant principal has been arrested and charged with federal child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Zachary Christian Neu, 32, of Richardson, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with two counts of enticement of a minor. Neu appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Aileen Durrett on June 17, 2026. Neu was an Assistant Principal at Wylie East High School at the time of the alleged offenses. 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 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 Justice.gov/PSC . This case is being investigated by the Wylie Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey. It is important to note that an indictment or arrest should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


title: Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions (June 8 through June 12, 2026)

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of June 8 through June 12, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations. Convictions through Guilty Pleas: On June 8, 2026, defendant Noel De León-De La Rosa pleaded guilty to Count 1 in Criminal Case 25-097(GMM). According to the Indictment, the defendant was charged with a conspiracy to import 5 kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States. De León-De La Rosa also pleaded guilty to Count 1 in Criminal Case 25-254 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The defendant was arrested on May 19, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for September 8, 2026. AUSA Antonio J. López-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 8, 2026, Juan Gabriel Cruz-Torrens pleaded guilty to Count One and Six in Criminal Case 22-327 (PAD). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in the Pedro Rosario Nieves Public Housing Project and other areas in and around Fajardo, Puerto Rico, while also carrying firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 28, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 8, 2026, Edwin Lemuel Marcano-Ferrer pleaded guilty to Count One and Six in Criminal Case 22-327 (PAD). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in the Pedro Rosario Nieves Public Housing Project and other areas in and around Fajardo, Puerto Rico, while also carrying firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for August 28, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 9, 2026, Charlie J. Dalmau-Román, a.k.a “Tres Deos/Tres Dedos” and Luis R. Pérez-Colón, a.k.a “Mencho/Luisito” pleaded guilty to the charges in counts one and seven of the indictment in case 24-453 (MAJ). According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of several public housing projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project and with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Defendants were arrested on December 11, 2024. The court set defendants’ sentencing date for September 15, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 9, 2026, José M. Rodríguez-Torres pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case 23-114 (RAM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, from in or about the year 2019 and continuing up to and until the return of the Indictment, in Majinas Ward, Las Guaras Ward, Cerro Gordo Ward, José A. Castillo Public Housing Project in the Municipality of Sabana Grande, Sabana Eneas Ward in the Municipality of San Germán, Sabana Yeguas Ward in the Municipality of Lajas, Parabueyon Ward in the Municipality of Cabo Rojo and areas nearby. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for September 8, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 10, 2026, Raúl González-Santiago pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case 25-365. According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Defendant was arrested on September 11, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for September 8, 2026. Special AUSA Javier Rivera and AUSA Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 11, 2026, Onix Y. Couvertier-Pollock, a.k.a “Gato/Gatito/Yamil,” Ángel L. Sanjurjo, a.k.a “Vaca,” Yasiel Morales-López, a.k.a “Pausa/Rubio,” and Ángel M. Franqui-González, a.k.a “Blanquito” pleaded guilty to the charges in counts one and seven of the indictment in Criminal Case 24-453 (MAJ). According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of several public housing projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project and with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Defendants were arrested on December 11, 2024. The court set defendants’ sentencing date for September 16, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 11, 2026, defendant Darío Alexander López pleaded guilty to all drug related charges in Criminal Case 24-429-02 (SCC). According to the indictment on October 13, 2024, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilos aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, possession with intent to distribute cocaine in excess of 5 kilos aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and jettisoning bales of cocaine. Defendant was arrested on October 13, 2024. AUSA Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 11, 2026, defendant Jeuris Rodríguez-Payano pleaded guilty to Count One in case 22-520 (RAM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to manufacture and distribute 321 kilograms of cocaine, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the cocaine would be imported into the United States. Defendant was arrested in the Dominican Republic and extradited to Puerto Rico on August 20, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for September 9, 2026. AUSA Camille García-Jiménez is in charge of the prosecution of the case. Sentencings: On June 9, 2026, defendant Raúl O. Matos-De Jesús was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach to 84 months (7 years) in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 8, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-170, and pleaded guilty to the charge(s) on February 26, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 10, 2026, defendant Ángelo González-Farfan was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to 30 months of imprisonment for conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, jettisoning property subject to forfeiture, and related charges. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on March 6, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-114 (SCC), and pled guilty to the charges on January 29, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 10, 2026, Josmar Farfan-Guerra was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to 30 months of imprisonment for conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, jettisoning property subject to forfeiture, and related charges. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on March 6, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-114 (SCC), and pled guilty to the charges on February 19, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 11, 2026, defendant Michael Miranda-Santiago was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to 60 months of imprisonment and six years of supervise release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on June 8, 2023, in Criminal Case 23-238 (SCC), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on February 20, 2026. AUSA Pedro R. Casablanca is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On June 11, 2026, defendant Edison Ruiz-Garallua was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach to 51 months of imprisonment and six years of supervise release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on April 3, 2023, in Criminal Case 23-132 (RAM), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on March 13, 2026. AUSA Pedro R. Casablanca is in charge of the prosecution of the case. These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department. ###


title: Fourteen New Indictments Returned, Four Guilty Pleas Entered for Immigration Offenses in May

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Tallahassee, Pensacola and Gainesville – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that 14 previously deported illegal aliens have been separately indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States in the month of May. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Compliance with our nation’s immigration laws is not optional. We welcome all legal immigrants who come here the right way and respect our laws, but for those who think they can violate our laws with impunity my office will swiftly deliver a dose of reality with aggressive prosecutions, federal prison sentences, and deportations. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida have a right to expect their federal government to secure our borders and enforce our nation’s laws, and I intend to fulfill that duty as long as I serve as the United States Attorney.” According to court records, the 14 illegal aliens indicted in the month of May include: Cirilo Perez-Michua, 38, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Walton County in April 2026, after previously being deported three times in 2009, once in 2024 and again in 2025. Trial is scheduled for August 3, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Juan Contreras-Vilches, 47, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in May 2026, after previously being deported twice in 2017, twice in 2018 and once in 2019. The defendant pleaded guilty on June 5, 2026, and sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Pascual Hernandez-Shilon, 56, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Walton County in April 2026, after previously being deported twice in 2011 and twice in 2019. Trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Joel Gomez Soto, 33, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in January 2026, after previously being deported in 2015 and 2017. Trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Marco Antonio Montes-Hernandez, 36, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Bay County in March 2026, after previously being deported in 2008 and 2018. Trial is scheduled for August 3, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker. Pablo Gomez-Sarmiento, 25, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Alachua County in February 2025, after previously being deported in 2020. Trial is scheduled for July 22, 2026, in Gainesville, Florida, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. Jose Barahona-Paz, 26, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Walton County in April 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. Trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Esteban Rigoberto Hernandez-Muniz, 54, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in April 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. The defendant pleaded guilty on June 4, 2026, and sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Laura Santiago-Garfias, 27, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in April 2026, after previously being deported in 2019 and 2020. Trial is scheduled for August 3, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Iran Gomez-Aguilera, 43, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in May 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. The defendant pleaded guilty on June 4, 2026, and sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Victor Lopez, 30, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in May 2026, after previously being deported in 2017. Trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Juan Molina-Hernandez, 36, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in May 2026, after previously being deported in 2023. The defendant pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026, and sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Jose Patzan-Camey, 28, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in April 2026, after previously being deported in 2018. Trial is scheduled for August 3, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Andres Perez-Hernandez, 46, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Bay County in May 2026, after previously being deported in 2012. Trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker. The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Gomez Soto faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine pursuant to allegations of prior convictions qualifying for an increased maximum sentence. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The cases involved investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with the assistance of the Florida Highway Patrol, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Shalimar Police Department, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer, Alicia H. Forbes, Jeffrey M. Tharp, Jessica S. Etherton, Walter E. Narramore, Thomas S.P. Geeker, Brooke Lindsay, Joseph A. Ravelo, and Tyler Fleming are prosecuting the cases. 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Individual Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Firearms Violations

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias-Marxuach sentenced Daniel García-Martín to a term of 15 months imprisonment, 2 years supervised release, a $5,500 fine, and forfeiture of firearms and ammunition for firearms violations related to possession of firearms by a convicted felon. García-Martín was arrested on October 17, 2025, and pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026. According to court documents, Daniel García-Martín, 68, of Lajas, Puerto Rico, possessed three firearms and 143 rounds of ammunition in his residence knowing that he had been convicted of a felony. The firearms and ammunition were seized during the execution of a federal search warrant at his residence by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. García-Martín was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 in the Superior Court of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico and released from custody in 2005. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was in charge of the investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linet Olinghouse and Seth Erbe prosecuted the case. ###


title: Armed thief from Portsmouth sentenced to 14 years for robbing USPS mail carrier and possessing a machinegun

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for unlawful possession of a machinegun, robbery of property, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. According to court documents, on July 11, 2024, a masked individual approached a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier on his route in Virginia Beach, brandished a handgun, and demanded the victim’s arrow key. An arrow key is a master key used to access a variety of mail repositories, including blue collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, and apartment mailbox panels in a given area. The masked individual fled to a car in which Cameron Hunter Brown, 29, was waiting, and Brown and the masked individual fled in the vehicle. Law enforcement identified the vehicle and located it on July 17, 2024. While the vehicle was stationary in an ATM drive-thru lane, officers attempted a traffic stop and instructed Brown to turn off the vehicle. Instead, Brown reversed out of the drive-thru lane, struck the credit-union building, sped through an unoccupied ATM lane, and fled with police in pursuit. During the pursuit, brown tossed a handgun from the driver-side window onto a sidewalk. The handgun, which was later recovered, was equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), rendering it capable of fully automatic fire. The handgun had been reported stolen from Chesapeake. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., investigated this case with assistance from the Hampton Police Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E.A. Heath prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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 Nos. 4:24-cr-55 and 2:25-cr-16.


title: Media Advisory

body_text: There will be a press conference held on June 18, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the offices of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa located at the Ho-Chunk Building, Suite 670, 600 4th Street, Sioux City, Iowa. United States Attorney Leif Olson will announce charges related to the death of McKenna Wendell. Mr. Olson will be joined by: Ron Parsons, the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota; Jon Thum, the Chief of Police of the Sioux Falls Police Department; and Mike Hockett, Special Agent in Charge of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. A press release will be available. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Nurse Practitioner Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for $12M Medicare Fraud

body_text: A Louisiana nurse practitioner was sentenced today to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release for causing over $12 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests. She was also ordered to pay $1,508,868.25 in restitution. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scharmaine Lawson Baker, 59, of Fulshear, Texas, a licensed nurse practitioner and Medicare provider, received tens of thousands of dollars in illegal kickbacks in exchange for ordering expensive cancer genetic tests. Lawson Baker held herself out as an expert in Medicare regulations — authoring books on medical necessity and patient-provider relationships — while actively violating those very standards. From October 2018 to October 2019, Lawson Baker worked as an independent contractor for a company that claimed to provide telehealth services. In her role, Lawson Baker signed hundreds of orders for medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests after brief phone calls with the patients, typically lasting less than 30 seconds, and without examining the patients. In a recorded call admitted at trial, a telehealth company’s phone operator told Lawson Baker that she would be “rolling in money” by signing the orders, and Lawson Baker responded with “Honey, I am not complaining.” The evidence at trial also showed that Lawson Baker ordered ovarian and cervical cancer tests for male patients, demonstrating that she was acting as a rubber stamp to get paid instead of providing real medical care. Lawson Baker never reviewed the results of any of the tests she ordered, including when the results showed that patients actually had variants predisposing them to certain cancers. In total, Lawson Baker caused over $12.1 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, and the laboratories involved in the scheme received over $1.5 million in reimbursements from Medicare for the unnecessary testing Lawson Baker ordered. In exchange for signing these orders, Lawson Baker accepted kickbacks and bribes from the telehealth company — payments she later failed to disclose in her bankruptcy petition. After a three-day jury trial in July 2025, a federal jury found Lawson Baker guilty of six counts of health care fraud. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Samantha E. Usher and Gary A. Crosby II of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section assisted in the prosecution. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs . The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty To Two Counts Of Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Samuel Alexander Sevenstar, age 33, of Roland, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about June 2019 and continuing until in or about April 2020, Sevenstar knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a victim who had attained the age of 12 years but had not attained the age of 16 years, and who was at least four years younger than Sevenstar. The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sevenstar was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.