title: D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures of Cryptocurrency from Chinese Transnational Criminals Tops $580 Million

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, together with major federal law enforcement and interagency partners, announced that freezes and seizures of cryptocurrency by the Scam Center Strike Force have topped $580 million, a critical step in the Strike Forces fight against Southeast Asian cryptocurrency-related fraud and scams. These frozen and seized funds have been stolen by Chinese transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), which use cryptocurrency investment scams and a variety of confidence scams to steal the life savings of everyday Americans. These scammers utilize U.S. internet and social media platforms to prey on American victims. Recent reporting estimates that this scam industry defrauds Americans of nearly $10 billion per year. “In November, I announced the creation of our Scam Center Strike Force to lead the charge. In only three months, we have made significant progress, freezing, seizing, and forfeiting cryptocurrency worth more than $580 million from these criminals. These criminals don’t care who you are, what you believe in, or what you ate for breakfast—all they want is to steal from good and honest Americans to line the pockets of Chinese organized crime,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office and our law enforcement partners around the country are taking this threat head on. Seizures of cryptocurrency is one important part of the Scam Center Strike Force’s work. Through the legal process, my Office will seek to forfeit these funds and return them to victims to the maximum extent possible. To our American victims: we are here for you, we care for you, and we will continue fighting like hell to claw back your hard-earned savings from the hands of Chinese TCOs.” **** The Scam Center Strike Force is targeting many of the worst scam compounds located in Southeast Asia. Chinese transnational criminal organizations are using Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud (“CIF”) scams and a variety of confidence scams to steal the life savings of everyday Americans. Strike Force teams are focused on identifying and pursuing key leaders—including Chinese organized crime affiliates operating in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos—to bring them to justice. These CIF schemes, which fraudsters refer to as “pig butchering” because they are “fattening” up their victims before defrauding them, are often run out of scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Using U.S. social media networks or text messages to U.S.-based cell phones, the scammers target their victims, gain their trust, and convince them to invest in real cryptocurrency, only to then trick their victims to transfer those funds into fake cryptocurrency investment websites and applications. Workers in the scam compounds often are victims of human trafficking, held against their will, abused and guarded by armed groups as they are instructed to target Americans. Some of the Southeast Asian countries where these compounds operate, scam-generated revenue is so massive that it amounts to nearly half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”). The Scam Center Strike Force is a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; DOJ’s Criminal Division, including the Computer Crimes & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS); Fraud Section; and Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Secret Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the Western District of Washington, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Unit are also collaborating on the initiative. For the Department of Justice, the Scam Center Strike Force is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert. The cryptocurrency seizure team is led by Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Blaylock and John Borchert, along with partners from CCIPS. From the U.S. Secret Service, these cryptocurrency seizure matters are handled by the Global Investigative Operation Center and Field Offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Memphis, Washington D.C., Nashville and Seattle Field Offices. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation, these cryptocurrency seizure matters are handled by the Cyber Enabled Fraud and Money Laundering Unit and Field Offices in Washington D.C., San Francisco, Memphis, Honolulu, Phoenix, San Diego, New York City and Chattanooga. If you have been defrauded out of your money by a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.


title: Camden Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Access Device Fraud

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jamel Christopher Chisolm, 37, of Camden, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for access device fraud involving stolen credit cards. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in 2023, several law enforcement agencies were investigating cases of stolen mail, including missing credit cards. During a traffic stop, local law enforcement found Chisolm in possession of numerous credit cards in other peoples’ names. Further investigation revealed that these cards had been stolen from the mail. After stealing the credit cards out of the mail, Chisolm and a colleague used the cards to obtain goods and services. They made unauthorized purchases and withdrawals on the credit cards through a variety of methods, including software such as “Gucci Bot.” In total, victims reported a financial loss of over $118,000. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Chisolm to 27 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. He was also ordered to pay $118,769.88 in restitution to the victims of the crime. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Camden Police Department, and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Potterfield prosecuted the case. ###


title: Onarga Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession of a Bomb

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – An Onarga, Illinois, man, James R. Nelson, 40, was sentenced on February 23, 2026, to five years in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for possession of an unregistered destructive device, or a bomb in April 2025. A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment against Nelson in July 2025. He pleaded guilty in October 2025. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the government played the body camera of the Iroquois County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office detective who encountered Nelson during a routine traffic stop. Although the detective advised Nelson that he had a warrant for his arrest on an unrelated charge, Nelson refused to exit the car, forcing the detective to reach into the car and attempt to remove him. As the officer did so, Nelson reached into the back seat and pulled out a gray cylindrical device, telling the detective it was a bomb. Nelson refused to relinquish the bomb and instead sprinted through residential neighborhoods in Onarga with the bomb in his hand while attempting to escape. He made it to his mother’s house, where he barricaded himself for approximately eight hours while police attempted to get him to surrender. Law enforcement eventually forced their way into an attic where Nelson was hiding and arrested him. They found the device, which analysis later revealed to be a functional bomb, near where Nelson was apprehended. The statutory penalty for possession of an unregistered destructive device is up to ten years of imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. The Iroquois County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case, with assistance from Kankakee County (Illinois) Emergency Response Team and the East Central Illinois Bomb Squad. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Freres represented the United States in the prosecution.


title: Vienna man sentenced to over 18 years in prison for travelling to Colombia for commercial sex with a minor

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Vienna man was sentenced today to 18 years and four months in prison following his conviction for sex trafficking a child and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Nov. 1, 2024, Michael Jamie Inofuentes, 45, a U.S. citizen with residences in Virginia and Colombia, flew into Miami International Airport on a return flight from Colombia, where he was flagged for secondary inspection based on suspicious payments he made to an individual suspected of involvement in child sex trafficking in Colombia. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a border search of Inofuentes and his belongings. During an inspection of his cellphones, agents identified messages between Inofuentes and a 15-year-old Colombian girl showing he had solicited the victim for commercial sex. Inofuentes, who knew the victim was a minor and was frequently hungry and at risk of homelessness, solicited and paid the victim for sex on at least three occasions in 2024. When interviewed by law enforcement, Inofuentes initially denied having sex with the victim but later admitted to having a sexual relationship with her. Inofuentes also admitted that he has children in Colombia and the mother was a minor when he impregnated her. Inofuentes was allowed to return home after the interview. On Nov. 4, 2024, while attempting to board a flight at Dulles International Airport bound for Colombia, Inofuentes was stopped on the jet bridge and taken to secondary inspection. He admitted that he offered the victim money for sex at a hotel. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., investigated this case with valuable assistance from the HSI Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Laura D. Withers prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-5.


title: North Hollywood Man Sentenced to More Than 16½ Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery Spree Targeting One Dozen SoCal Businesses

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 199 months in federal prison for committing armed robberies of smoke shops, donut shops, and convenience stores in Los Angeles and Orange counties during a two-week crime spree in early 2024. Antonio Lamar Bland, 36, of North Hollywood, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt, who also ordered him to pay $17,829 in restitution. Bland, who has been in federal custody since May 2024, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of, and during and in relation to, a crime of violence. From January 29, 2024, to February 14, 2024, Bland and co-defendants Ronnie Tucker, 24, of Long Beach, Abigail Luckey, 50, of North Hollywood, robbed 12 businesses in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The victimized businesses were one smoke shop in Tustin, nine 7-Eleven stores in North Hollywood, Burbank, Torrance, Van Nuys, Long Beach, Glendale, and Pasadena, and two donut shops in Los Angeles and Downey. The commercial robberies typically occurred late at night and usually involved Bland and Tucker who entered each business wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks. In several of the robberies, a getaway driver, Luckey, waited outside for Bland and Tucker to complete the robbery and fled the scene in a white four-door sedan owned by Luckey. During the armed robbery spree, on February 6, 2024, Bland and Luckey drove to Las Vegas and were legally married before returning to Southern California for their next robbery on February 8, 2024. The armed robbery spree ended after Bland, Tucker and Luckey committed an attempted robbery of a donut shop in Downey during the early morning hours of February 14, 2024, when a store employee in self-defense fired a handgun during the crime, hitting a wall of the building. After the employee fired the weapon, Bland and Tucker ran out of the store. Law enforcement witnessed the attempted armed robbery and, shortly afterward, pulled over a car containing Bland, Tucker and Luckey, and later retrieved a firearm from the vehicle. “[Bland] did it for the money; he did it for greed,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Afterward, [Bland] bragged about his crimes, labeling a picture of himself ‘#RobberyGang.’” Tucker and Luckey have pleaded guilty to felony charges in this case and await sentencing. They remain in federal custody. The FBI and the Burbank Police Department investigated this matter with assistance from the Tustin, Torrance, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and Downey police departments. Assistant United States Attorney Diane B. Roldán of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Tommy Schaefer Is Returned to Chicago to Face Federal Charges for the 2014 Murder of U.S. Citizen in Bali, Indonesia

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Tommy Schaefer, 32, of Chicago, was arrested in international air space on a flight back to the United States yesterday to face a three-count indictment in the Northern District of Illinois charging him with one count of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, one count of conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national, and one count of obstruction. Schaefer is alleged to have conspired with his girlfriend, Heather Mack, to kill Mack’s mother, Sheila Von Weise, while Mack and Von Weise were on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, in 2014. Court documents allege that Mack arranged for Schaefer to travel to Bali for the purposes of killing Von Weise. The indictment alleges that before the murder, Schaefer exchanged messages with his cousin, Ryan Bibbs, regarding different ways to kill Von Wiese. In December 2016, Bibbs pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Foreign Murder of a U.S. National for providing advice to Schaefer for how to kill Von Weise. Court documents in that case reveal that Mack had also asked Bibbs if he knew anyone who would kill her mother in exchange for money. The indictment alleges that Schaefer and Mack discussed how and when to kill Ms. Von Weise and eventually followed through with the plan on Aug. 12, 2014, in her hotel room. It is alleged that immediately following the murder, Schaefer and Mack placed Von Weise’s body inside a suitcase that they loaded into the trunk of a taxi. In 2015, Schaefer and Mack were convicted in Indonesia of criminal charges related to Ms. Von Weise’s murder. Mack was sentenced to 10 years in prison. After Mack was released from the Indonesian prison and returned to the United States, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to kill a U.S. national and was sentenced to 26 years in prison in June 2023. Schaefer was sentenced in Indonesia to 18 years in prison. Schaefer was returned to the United States yesterday after completing his sentence, which was reduced by the Indonesian authorities due to remissions and general good behavior. If convicted, Schaefer faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for counts one and two, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for count three, and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Acting Deputy Chief Frank Rangoussis of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Ursini of the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Hebron Man Sentenced to Five Years for Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Hebron man was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Steven Parker , 47, to five years in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release. Judge Neumann also ordered Parker to pay $25,000 in restitution to victims whose images he possessed. Parker pleaded guilty on September 15, 2025. According to court records, Steven Parker , 47, sent a video file depicting child sexual abuse material to an undercover agent over a messaging application. In August 2024, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) and the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple digital media devices containing hundreds of image and video files of child sexual abuse material. When interviewed by investigators, Parker admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet. The FBI and MSPCCU investigated the case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: Tommy Schaefer Is Returned to Chicago To Face Federal Charges for the 2014 Murder of U.S. Citizen in Bali, Indonesia

component: Criminal - Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tommy Schaefer, 32, of Chicago, was arrested in international air space on a flight back to the United States, to face a three-count indictment in the Northern District of Illinois charging him with one count of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, one count of conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national, and one count of obstruction. Schaefer is alleged to have conspired with his girlfriend, Heather Mack, to kill Mack’s mother, Sheila Von Weise, while Mack and Von Weise were on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, in 2014. Court documents allege that Mack arranged for Schaefer to travel to Bali for the purposes of killing Von Weise. The indictment alleges that before the murder, Schaefer exchanged messages with his cousin, Ryan Bibbs, regarding different ways to kill Von Wiese. In December 2016, Bibbs pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Foreign Murder of a U.S. National for providing advice to Schaefer for how to kill Von Weise. Court documents in that case reveal that Mack had also asked Bibbs if he knew anyone who would kill her mother in exchange for money. The indictment alleges that Schaefer and Mack discussed how and when to kill Ms. Von Weise and eventually followed through with the plan on Aug. 12, 2014, in her hotel room. It is alleged that immediately following the murder, Schaefer and Mack placed Von Weise’s body inside a suitcase that they loaded into the trunk of a taxi. In 2015, Schaefer and Mack were convicted in Indonesia of criminal charges related to Ms. Von Weise’s murder. Mack was sentenced to a term of 10-years in prison. After Mack was released from the Indonesian prison and returned to the United States, she pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to kill a U.S. national and was sentenced to 26 years in prison in June 2023. Schaefer was sentenced in Indonesia to a term of 18 years in prison. Schaefer was returned to the United States yesterday after completing his sentence, which was reduced by the Indonesian authorities due to remissions and general good behavior. If convicted, Schaefer faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for counts one and two, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for count three, and a maximum fine of not more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros of the Northern District of Illinois, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Acting Deputy Chief Frank Rangoussis of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Ursini of the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Virginia Man Found Guilty of Pointing Firearm at Woman Who Got into A Fight with His Romantic Partner in October 2023

body_text: WASHINGTON – Gerald Day, 34, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was found guilty on all counts yesterday, by a Superior Court jury for charges stemming from an altercation that occurred in October 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Day was found guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of felony threats on February 25, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for May 1, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt. Possession of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum of five years of incarceration. According to the government’s evidence, shortly after midnight on October 29, 2023, at the intersection of O Street and Carrollsburg Place, SW, the victim arrived at the location of a party when she saw a romantic partner with another woman with a larger group of people. Unbeknownst to the victim, there was another woman in the group—the defendant’s girlfriend—with whom she had prior hostility. The victim and the defendant’s girlfriend began to fight, during which other members of the larger group joined in. Shortly after the exchange, the victim deployed mace at a woman in the group. After doing so, the victim took several steps away from the group when Day produced a black handgun with a tactical flashlight attachment and pointed the firearm at the victim, stating words to the effect of, “I’ll blow you’re a** up.” The victim and the group continued to exchange words, during which the victim attempted to deploy mace again. The victim eventually got into her vehicle just seconds before Day ran up to her car, kicked her car door shut, and slammed the firearm against the window. The victim drove past the group when she heard three gunshots, fired by co-defendant Paul Poston, another member of the group who pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon on April 23, 2024. The victim’s vehicle sustained gunshots to the driver’s side rear door, the driver’s side rear window, and trunk. The victim was not injured and drove away before pulling over and calling 911. Prior to the incident, the victim had never met Day or Poston. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys William Gandy and Samuel Ison. The case was investigated, indicted, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Hanson, Michael Lee, Hannah Skopicki, and Katerina Qesari.


title: Springfield Business Owner Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Fraud and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield business owner pleaded guilty today for fraudulently obtaining $316,062 in Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and using the money for unauthorized purposes, including for his own personal benefit. According to court documents, Jason L. Hemingway, 47, applied for two PPP loans on behalf of his business, Principal Transfer Group, LLC, in February and April of 2021. On those applications Hemingway falsely inflated the number of employees and certified the PPP loans were for eligible business expenses. Additionally, Hemingway used the name of another individual without their knowledge or authorization (due to his own poor personal credit history) to obtain loans designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans that were suffering from negative economic effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, Hemingway pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering. He agreed to pay $316,062 in restitution and will forfeit to the government any property derived from the fraud and money laundering scheme, including a money judgment. A federal district court judge will determine Hemingway’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Under federal statutes, Hemingway is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison for bank fraud and up to 10 years in prison for money laundering. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Kansas City Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who fled from Independence, Mo. Police Department officers in a highspeed vehicular chase, was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm. Michael A. Winchester, 22, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Court Judge Brian C. Wimes to 51 months in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On July 2, 2025, Winchester pleaded guilty to knowingly being a felon in possession of a Ruger, 5.7 caliber, handgun. According to court documents, on Apr. 3, 2025, Independence, Mo., Police Department officers were patrolling the area of E. Wilson Rd. and S. Brookside Ave. when they heard multiple gunshots coming from the area just east of their position. They went to the area where they heard the gunshots and observed a silver Dodge Caravan that had a license plate registered to a different vehicle. Officers initiated their emergency lights, and the driver, later identified as Winchester, began a highspeed chase that reached speeds of up to 107 MPH. The vehicle finally stopped while heading westbound on E. U.S. 24 just west of the Paseo Blvd. Winchester had two passengers in his vehicle. An inventory search of the vehicle discovered the Ruger handgun and an expended shell casing under the driver’s gas pedal. Officers discovered that Winchester had a prior felony conviction and accordingly placed him under arrest. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo. Police Department, and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Chilean National Extradited to U.S. to Face Financial Fraud Crimes in the District of Utah

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

number: Release No. 26-24

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Chilean national extradited from Chile to the United States on February 25, 2026, was arraigned in court today to face charges that he trafficked tens of thousands of stolen credit card numbers and information. Alex Rodrigo Valenzuela Monje, aka “VAL4K,” 24, of Chile, was charged in a sealed indictment by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City on August 8, 2023. The United States submitted an extradition request to Chile, which the Chilean Supreme Court initially approved on April 22, 2025. After various appeals before the Supreme Court of Chile, Valenzuela Monje was arrested on the extradition request from the United States on January 14, 2026. Valenzuela is charged with trafficking in unauthorized access devices, and unlawful transfer of means of identification to facilitate criminal conduct. Valenzuela Monje entered a not-guilty plea to both counts of the indictment against him. According to the allegations in court documents, from at least May 2021 to August 2023, Valenzuela Monje operated an illegal online card shop, selling dumps of unauthorized access devices through Telegram channels. He allegedly operated the channels known as MacacoCC Collective and Novato Carding, offering payment card data for virtually all U.S. payment cards. Under one credit card brand alone, Valenzuela Monje trafficked the stolen numbers and information for approximately 26,528 cards. Valenzuela often provided the account number, card type, account holder name, card verification value (“CVV” or CVC”), and expiration date. “I want to thank our federal partners for their dedication in investigating individuals in foreign countries who use the internet to commit crimes against our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Individuals may believe they can hide behind foreign borders, but the United States is committed to investigating and prosecuting these cybercrimes targeting Americans.” “This extradition sends a clear message to cybercriminals everywhere that geography will not shield you from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Even when operating from abroad, those who exploit technology to victimize American companies and citizens will be identified, located, and brought to justice. Our international partnerships, alongside our work with the Utah Department of Public Safety, remain among the FBI's most powerful tools in targeting and dismantling cyber threats." Valenzuela Monje’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office with special assistance provided by foreign legal authorities from the National Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalía Nacional) of Chile, Policía de Investigaciones (PDI), FBI's Law Enforcement Attache office in Santiago, Chile, FBI Miami, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked closely with Chilean counterparts, the Fiscalía Nacional Unidad Especializada en Cooperación Internacional y Extradiciones (UCIEX), to secure the arrest and extradition of Valenzuela Monje. The extradition was carried out by the FBI, Utah State Bureau of Investigation, and the Salt Lake City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carl LeSueur of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Attachments: alex_rodrigo_valenzuela_monje.indictment.pdf


title: El Salvadoran Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking, Firearms Offenses, and Illegal Entry

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An El Salvadoran national has been sentenced in federal court for trafficking fentanyl, illegally possessing firearms, and unlawful entry to the United States. Jose Navarrete-Hernandez, 42, was sentenced today by United States Senior District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 87 months in federal prison without parole. Navarrete-Hernandez was found guilty of one count each of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and illegal entry into the United States following a one-day bench trial on May 12, 2025. Specifically, Navarrete-Hernandez was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute; 60 months for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; 27 months for possessing a firearm as an illegal alien; 27 months for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number; and six months for illegal entry. All of the sentences were ordered to run concurrent to one another, except for the 60-month sentence, which was ordered to run consecutive to the other sentences. On May 11, 2023, officers with the Carthage, Mo., Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a gray Ford F-250 with an expired Texas license plate driven by Navarrete-Hernandez. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a black backpack containing two drug scales, two glass pipes with white powdery residue, approximately 145 fentanyl pills, a Heritage Rough Rider revolver, ammunition, and a forged social security card. Officers also found a Raven P-25 pistol with an obliterated serial number in the truck. At the time, Navarrete-Hernandez was not a citizen or national of the United States and had entered the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; and the Carthage, Mo., Police Department. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: McLean man pleads guilty to sending threatening messages

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A McLean man pled guilty today to transmitting threats in interstate commerce. According to court documents, on Dec. 23, 2025, Scott Allen Bolger, 33, used Google Voice, which allows users to send text messages to others while obfuscating their phone numbers, to send a threatening message to a public official. In his message, Bolger threatened to put a bullet in the official’s head. Prior to sending the threat, Bogler researched the official’s personal phone number and made contact with him prior to sending the text message. When federal investigators arrived at Bolger’s residence to investigate the threat, they identified themselves as federal law enforcement officers, and Bolger falsely identified himself as Brian Black. Bolger told them he did not know anyone by the name of Scott Bolger. During his plea, Bolger also admitted to sending threatening and harassing messages to a second victim (Victim-2) who is not a public official. From at least October 2022, Bolger created multiple fictious accounts on X and Proton Mail to harass Victim-2, and researched Victim-2 on the internet through at least November 2025. Bolger sent Victim-2 private indecent images of Victim-2, and on at least one occasion, made a public facing profile with indecent images of Victim-2. Bolger will remain detained pending sentencing, scheduled for May 20. He faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Washington Field Office investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-8.


title: Kershaw County Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Gun Following Nightclub Shooting

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Davon Jermaine Mickle, 40, of Kershaw, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Aug. 19, 2023, the Camden Police Department responded to a shooting near a nightclub. Three victims reported that they were at the nightclub when Mickle began harassing one of them. They saw Mickle walking around the parking lot with an AR-style rifle and then place the rifle in a car. After a short argument with Mickle, the three victims left together. As they were leaving, they saw Mickle run back to the car, return with the rifle, and shoot at their car nearly two dozen times. During the investigation, officers found 23 cartridges in the road near the shooting. The victims’ car had one bullet hole in the bumper. The victims identified Mickle as the shooter, and investigators determined he had an outstanding arrest warrant. Deputies from the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office located Mickle sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle at his residence and saw an AR-style rifle in the passenger seat. The police detained Mickle and secured the firearm. The police reviewed surveillance footage of the shooting and observed that the shooter was wearing the same shoes, blue jean shorts and black boxers that Mickle was wearing. Investigators determined the gun in the vehicle was not the same gun used in the shooting, however a gun residue test proved that Mickle had recently fired a firearm. Mickle is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon previous convictions for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of crack cocaine near a school, distribution of crack cocaine 1st, and distribution of cocaine base 3rd. Mickle faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Mickle after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Camden Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Victoria man sentenced for laundering nearly $600,000 in drug proceeds

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: VICTORIA, Texas – A 48-year-old local business owner has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to commit money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jason Ashley Brannan pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2025. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Brannan to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $25,000, and Brannan agreed to a forfeiture of $590,290.44. Brannan owned and operated J & B Cleaning Inc. and Hills Lawn & Tree Service in Victoria. From September 2023 to May 2024 Brannan laundered approximately $590,000 and recruited two others to assist him in the scheme. He believed he was acting on behalf of a cartel involved in heroin trafficking. Brannan issues business checks with false memo lines such as “Poker Cash Game,” “Mexico Deer Lease” and “Carbonia Duck Lodge Mexico.” He planned to claim the deposited cash came from gambling winnings if audited and also tried to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine. IRS Criminal Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patti Booth and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.


title: Real Estate Broker Pleads Guilty to Avoiding Reporting Requirements and Obstruction of Justice

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—A licensed real estate broker pleaded guilty Monday after avoiding reporting requirements and drafting fake property leases when her client’s illegal marijuana grow was raided. Tyra Foxx, 46, pleaded guilty to avoiding reporting requirements and obstruction of justice. According to court documents, between January 2020 through November 2020, Foxx was a real estate broker for Jose Orozco and assisted with his purchase of agricultural properties to grow hemp and marijuana. When Orozco purchased these properties, Foxx made large cash payments to the property owners outside of escrow, and knowing RE/MAX did not accept cash payments, converted $100,000 into money orders and used a third-party broker’s trust account to transfer over $2 million dollars into escrow accounts. On October 13, 2020, Foxx received $175,000 from Orozco to purchase agricultural property in Josephine County, Oregon. Foxx did not file a Form 8300 upon receipt of the funds as required, but instead, transferred the money to a client trust account at another real estate office. This caused a Currency Transaction Report to be filed in that real estate office’s name rather than Orozco’s name. After learning that law enforcement had raided one of Orozco’s illegal marijuana grows, Foxx drafted fake property leases for Orozco and suggested he place phony construction liens to be levied on the property to prevent it from being forfeited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). On February 23, 2026, Foxx was charged by an amended superseding information with avoiding reporting requirements and obstruction of justice. On count one, Foxx faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. On count two, Foxx faces 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced on May 11, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge. Jose Orozco previously pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced April 6, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge. The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team, HSI, and IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brassell is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal jury convicts Richmond drug trafficker for attempting to receive shipments of cocaine and methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man yesterday on charges of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 8, 2023, law enforcement intercepted a parcel containing approximately 2.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and 1.1 kilograms of cocaine. The parcel was addressed to an individual who had agreed to receive it on behalf of Alexander Michael Martinez, aka Rambo, 34. On Feb. 10, 2023, law enforcement intercepted another package containing approximately the same quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine as the earlier package. The intended recipient of that package identified Martinez as their marijuana dealer. In July 2023, law enforcement in Fresno, California, interdicted a package containing approximately 85 pounds of methamphetamine and 1 kilogram of cocaine intended for delivery to Richmond. Agents replaced the seized controlled substances with “sham” narcotics and conducted a controlled delivery to Martinez at an arranged location at a truck stop in Ashland. When Martinez arrived, two boxes of sham narcotics were placed into the rear seat of Martinez’s vehicle. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, Martinez fled. After crashing his vehicle, Martinez attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody. Martinez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison when sentenced on July 15. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Richmond District Office, DEA’s Fresno District Office, and the Virginia State Police investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-144.


title: Washington State Man Found Guilty After Escape from Federal Custody

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland, Oregon, found Brandon Charles Nelson, 40, guilty yesterday of escape after failing to report to the Northwest Regional Re-entry Center (NWRRC) in Portland. According to court documents, Nelson was convicted of felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 36 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release. On Feb. 25, 2025, after violating his release conditions for a third time, Nelson’s supervision was revoked, and he was sentenced to 12 months in prison and 18 months of supervised release. While in custody at Victorville Federal Corrections Institute (FCI), Nelson met criteria for placement in a residential re-entry center and was referred to the NWRRC. He was approved to travel unescorted and required to report no later than Nov. 20, 2025. Nelson absconded and failed to report as directed and required. Victorville FCI reported Nelson as an escapee to the United States Marshals Service (USMS) on Nov. 21, 2025, and the USMS arrested him on Dec. 5, 2025, without incident. On Dec. 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Nelson with escape from custody. Nelson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 8, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge. The USMS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin Heinz prosecuted the case.


title: Richland County Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sherman Devine Boone, 29, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm after a conviction for criminal domestic violence. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Richland County deputies responded to a report of shots fired at a home in Columbia. Deputies arrived to find Boone, who matched the description of the alleged shooter, attempting to leave the location with a child, and the child’s mother telling him to give her the child. The deputies could see a firearm in Boone’s waistband. Boone charged towards the deputies while holding the child, repeatedly telling deputies to “go ahead and shoot me” and “just kill me.” Boone eventually gave the child to the child’s mother and surrendered to law enforcement. The mother told investigators that she and Boone got into an argument, during which he pushed her and grabbed her by the throat. She was able to get Boone out of the house, at which time he pulled out the firearm and fired multiple rounds in the air while threatening her. Boone had previously been convicted of use of a vehicle without permission, grand larceny, common law robbery, strong arm robbery, assault and battery, and criminal domestic violence. He, therefore, could not possess a firearm or ammunition. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Boone to 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision on both counts, to be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Sinaloa Cartel Leader Charged with Narcoterrorism, Material Support of Terrorism and Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – A superseding indictment unsealed today charges René Arzate-García, aka “La Rana,” alleged Tijuana plaza boss for the Sinaloa Cartel, with Narcoterrorism and Material Support of Terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States. Also today, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced that it is offering up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of La Rana and his brother, Alfonso Arzate-García, a/k/a “Aquiles.” These rewards are offered in coordination with the DEA San Diego Field Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in a unified effort to bring the brothers to justice. “Foreign terrorist organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel have spent decades poisoning our children and committing acts of unimaginable violence against innocent civilians -- no longer under President Trump,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest indictment, which follows the landmark conviction of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder “El Mayo” on American soil, is a key development in this Department of Justice's ongoing campaign to permanently dismantle these cartels and deliver American justice to their cowardly leaders.” “The FBI and its partners commitment to thwarting the Sinaloa Cartel is unwavering,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will continue to use everything at our disposal to disrupt their operations and prevent further drugs and violence from coming into our communities. The Sinaloa Cartel, including its leaders, will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.” “Rene Arzate-García is a ruthless Sinaloa Cartel plaza boss who is accused of exploiting U.S. ports of entry to flood our nation with fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “He and his brother, Alfonso, are among DEA’s wanted fugitives for these alleged crimes against the United States. This superseding indictment underscores Arzate-García’s role, not only as a cartel operative but as a narco-terrorist who preys on vulnerabilities to flood communities with poison, violence, and fear. I want to recognize U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for his leadership and his aggressive pursuit of those who traffic deadly drugs into our country. His partnership and resolve have been instrumental in advancing this case and ensuring that cartel leaders are held accountable. DEA remains relentless in its mission to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel, a foreign terrorist organization, and bring its members to justice.” “To the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel who remain at large: Hide. Run. Fight. Flee. The illusion is that you have a choice. The reality is that you can either surrender to justice or you’ll be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon of the Southern District of California. “President Donald Trump has made clear that narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs to the United States will be tracked down and prosecuted,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “Under the Narcotics Rewards Program, we are offering rewards of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of René and Alfonso Arzate-García, key figures sustaining the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations at the U.S. border with Mexico in Tijuana.” “René Arzate-García has progressed up the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel to become one of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers in the region,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Sinaloa Cartel threatens our national security and the safety of our citizens. FBI San Diego, in coordination with our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate these transnational criminal organizations and their leaders targeting our neighborhoods with narcoterrorism and other criminal activity until they are eliminated from our communities.” “Those who traffic in violence, corruption, fear, and addiction destroy lives and destabilize our communities,” said James Nunnallee of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) San Diego. “The DEA remains unwavering in our mission to dismantle Foreign Terrorist Organizations and drug trafficking networks that threaten public safety and national security.” “This indictment demonstrates the power of financial investigations in dismantling criminal enterprises that fuel violence and terror. René Arzate-García and his co-conspirators allegedly laundered millions in drug proceeds through complex international transactions designed to hide the source and ownership of illicit funds,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS-CI followed the money, exposing the financial lifelines that sustain narcoterrorism and global drug trafficking. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure these organizations are stripped of their resources and held accountable for their crimes.” According to court documents, René Arzate-García is a Baja California, Mexico-based “plaza boss” for the Sinaloa Cartel, along with his brother Alfonso Arzate-García, aka “Aquiles” (previously charged in case number 14-cr-00722-DMS). René Arzate-García manages the cartel’s drug trafficking operations in Tijuana and the surrounding municipalities and is involved in importing large quantities of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, into the United States. Known to be extremely violent, Arzate-García is also involved in carrying out enforcement operations, such as kidnappings and executions, for the Sinaloa Cartel. This indictment supersedes a 2014 indictment for conspiracy to import marijuana and demonstrates that René Arzate-García is a key member of the Sinaloa Cartel and controls the Tijuana plaza that includes the entire state of Baja California. He has imported thousands of kilograms of drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana into the Southern District of California and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds. In addition to his drug trafficking, the indictment shows his history of corrupting Mexican law enforcement and public officials, extortion of businesses in the Tijuana Plaza, and his reputation for extreme violence, including numerous kidnappings and murders in Tijuana, Mexico on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. René Arzate-García was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, as a Drug Kingpin in 2023. These indictments follow a storied tradition in the Southern District of California for dismantling leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Beltran Leyva Organization. If you have any information about René Arzate-García or Alfonso Arzate-García, please contact either FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or your nearest local FBI office; If you are outside the United States, you may contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip online, anonymously, at https://tips.fbi.gov/home ; or DEA by phone (WhatsApp and Signal) at +1-858-298-5670, at Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, or by email at MFSinaloaTipLine@dea.gov . If you are located outside of the United States, you may also contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are located in the United States, you may also contact the local DEA field office. The superseding indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on February 20, 2025. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton. DEFENDANT Case Number 14cr2122-DMS René Arzate-García Age: 42 City of Residence: Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico aka “La Rana,” SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narcoterrorism Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years in prison; $20 million fine Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) -Continuing Criminal Enterprise Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years; $10 million fine Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 - International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, whichever is greater INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation Drug Enforcement Administration Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Homeland Security Investigations High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs were established by President Trump in 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. Operation Take Back America is 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. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.


title: Líder del cártel de Sinaloa es acusado de narcoterrorismo, apoyo material al terrorismo y tráfico de drogas

body_text: SAN DIEGO - Una imputación de cargos federales sustitutiva hecha pública hoy le imputa a René Arzate-García, alias “La Rana”, presunto jefe de plaza en Tijuana del Cártel de Sinaloa, los delitos de narcoterrorismo y de proporcionar apoyo material al terrorismo, en relación con el tráfico de cantidades masivas de fentanilo, cocaína, metanfetamina y marihuana a Estados Unidos. También hoy, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley del Departamento de Estado de EE. UU. anunció que ofrece hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que conduzca al arresto y/o condena de cada uno de los hermanos Arzate-García: René Arzate-García, alias “La Rana”, y Alfonso Arzate-García, alias “Aquiles”. Estas recompensas se ofrecen en coordinación con la División de San Diego de la DEA y la Fiscalía Federal del Distrito Sur de California en un esfuerzo unificado para poner a los hermanos a disposición de la justicia. “Durante décadas, organizaciones terroristas extranjeras como el Cártel de Sinaloa han envenenado a nuestros niños y cometido actos de violencia inimaginables contra personas inocentes. Bajo el mandato del presidente Trump, esto se termina”, afirmó la fiscal general Pamela Bondi. “Esta reciente imputación federal, que se suma a la histórica condena en territorio estadounidense del cofundador del Cártel de Sinaloa, “El Mayo”, es un paso decisivo en la campaña permanente de este Departamento de Justicia para desmantelar de manera definitiva a estos cárteles y hacer que sus líderes cobardes rindan cuentas ante la justicia estadounidense.” “El compromiso del FBI y sus aliados para frustrar los planes del Cártel de Sinaloa es inquebrantable,” afirmó el director del FBI, Kash Patel. “Seguiremos utilizando todo lo que esté a nuestro alcance para desarticular sus operaciones e impedir que continúe la infiltración de drogas y violencia a nuestras comunidades. El Cártel de Sinaloa, incluidos sus líderes, se verá obligado a afrontar las consecuencias de sus actos.” “René Arzate-García es un despiadado jefe de plaza del Cártel de Sinaloa, acusado de explotar los puertos de entrada de Estados Unidos para inundar nuestro país con fentanilo, cocaína y metanfetamina,” dijo el administrador de la DEA, Terrance Cole. “Él y su hermano, Alfonso, figuran entre los fugitivos más buscados por la DEA por estos presuntos delitos contra Estados Unidos. Esta imputación sustitutiva subraya el papel de Arzate-García no solo como operador del cártel, sino también como narcoterrorista que se aprovecha de vulnerabilidades para inundar a las comunidades con veneno, violencia y miedo. Deseo reconocer al fiscal federal Adam Gordon por su liderazgo y su lucha implacable contra quienes trafican drogas mortales hacia nuestro país. Su colaboración y determinación han sido fundamentales para impulsar este caso y garantizar que los líderes del cártel rindan cuentas. La DEA se mantiene implacable en su misión de desmantelar al Cártel de Sinaloa, una organización terrorista extranjera, y llevar a sus integrantes ante la justicia.” “A los líderes del cártel de Sinaloa que siguen en libertad: Escóndanse. Corran. Peleen. Huyan. La ilusión es que tienen una opción. La realidad es que o bien se rinden a la justicia o serán traídos a la justicia”, dijo el fiscal federal Adam Gordon. “El presidente Donald Trump ha dejado claro que los narcoterroristas que envían drogas mortales a Estados Unidos serán perseguidos y enjuiciados,” afirmó Chris Landberg, alto funcionario de la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley del Departamento de Estado. “Como parte del Programa de Recompensas contra el Narcotráfico, ofrecemos recompensas de hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que conduzca al arresto y/o condena de cada uno de los hermanos Arzate-García: René y Alfonso, figuras clave que dirigen y mantienen las operaciones del Cártel de Sinaloa en Tijuana, en la frontera de Estados Unidos con México.” “René Arzate-García ha ido ascendiendo en las filas del Cártel de Sinaloa hasta convertirse en uno de los narcotraficantes más violentos y prolíficos de la región”, declaró el agente especial a cargo Mark Dargis, de la Oficina Local del FBI de San Diego. “El Cártel de Sinaloa, designado como Organización Terrorista Extranjera, amenaza nuestra seguridad nacional y la de nuestros ciudadanos. El FBI de San Diego, en coordinación con nuestros colaboradores locales, estatales, federales e internacionales encargados del cumplimiento de la ley, continuará investigando agresivamente a estas organizaciones criminales transnacionales y a sus líderes que atacan nuestros vecindarios con narcoterrorismo y otras actividades delictivas hasta que sean eliminados de nuestras comunidades”. “Quienes trafican con la violencia, la corrupción, el miedo y la adicción destruyen vidas y desestabilizan nuestras comunidades”, afirmó James Nunnallee, de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA) de San Diego. “La DEA se mantiene férrea en nuestra misión de desmantelar las Organizaciones Terroristas Extranjeras y las redes de narcotráfico que amenazan la seguridad pública y la seguridad nacional”. “Esta imputación de cargos demuestra el poder de las investigaciones financieras para desmantelar empresas delictivas que fomentan la violencia y el terror. René Arzate-García y sus coconspiradores presuntamente lavaron millones en ganancias provenientes de la droga a través de complejas transacciones internacionales diseñadas para ocultar el origen y la propiedad de los fondos ilícitos,” dijo Tyler Hatcher, agente especial a cargo de la División de Investigación Criminal (CI) de la Oficina Local del IRS en Los Ángeles. “IRS-CI siguió el dinero, desenmascarando las redes financieras que sostienen el narcoterrorismo y el narcotráfico mundial. Seguiremos trabajando con las fuerzas del orden que colaboran con nosotros para asegurarnos de que estas organizaciones sean despojadas de sus recursos y respondan ante la justicia por sus delitos.” Según documentos judiciales, René Arzate-García es un “jefe de plaza” del Cártel de Sinaloa con base en Baja California, México, junto con su hermano Alfonso Arzate-García, alias “Aquiles” (previamente imputado en el caso número 14-cr-00722-DMS). René Arzate-García dirige las operaciones de narcotráfico del cártel en Tijuana y los municipios circundantes y está implicado en la importación a Estados Unidos de grandes cantidades de drogas ilícitas, como fentanilo, cocaína, metanfetamina y marihuana. Conocido por ser extremadamente violento, Arzate-García también está implicado en la realización de operaciones represivas para el Cártel de Sinaloa, como secuestros y ejecuciones. La presente imputación de cargos sustituye otra de 2014 por conspiración para importar marihuana y demuestra que René Arzate-García es un miembro clave del Cártel de Sinaloa y controla la plaza de Tijuana, que incluye todo el estado de Baja California. Ha importado miles de kilos de drogas, incluyendo metanfetamina, cocaína, fentanilo y marihuana al Distrito Sur de California y ha lavado millones de dólares de las ganancias de las drogas. Además de sus actividades de narcotráfico, la imputación muestra su historial de corrupción de las fuerzas del orden y funcionarios públicos mexicanos, su extorsión a empresas de la plaza de Tijuana y su reputación de violencia extrema, incluidos numerosos secuestros y asesinatos en Tijuana, México, en nombre del Cártel de Sinaloa. En 2023, René Arzate-García fue designado por la Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros del Departamento del Tesoro de EE. UU. (OFAC), como un cabecilla del narcotráfico. Estas imputaciones siguen una tradición legendaria en el Distrito Sur de California de desmantelamiento de cúpulas y operaciones de poderosos cárteles mexicanos -desde el desmantelamiento del Cártel de los Arellano Félix hasta importantes golpes contra los cárteles más peligrosos, poderosos y violentos de la actualidad, incluidos el Cártel de Sinaloa, el Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) y la Organización Beltrán Leyva. Si usted tiene información sobre René Arzate-García o Alfonso Arzate-García, por favor comuníquese con: • El FBI al 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) o con la oficina local del FBI más cercana. Si se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos, puede comunicarse con la embajada o el consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano. También puede enviar información en línea, de manera anónima, en https://tips.fbi.gov/home ; o • La DEA por teléfono (WhatsApp y Signal) al +1-858-298-5670, a través de Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, o por correo electrónico en MFSinaloaTipLine@dea.gov . Si se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos, también puede comunicarse con la embajada o el consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano. Si se encuentra en Estados Unidos, también puede comunicarse con la oficina local de la DEA más cercana. La imputación de cargos federales sustitutiva es un resultado directo de la Orden Ejecutiva 14157 del presidente Trump que designó al Cártel de Sinaloa como Organización Terrorista Extranjera y la posterior designación de lo mismo por parte del secretario de Estado el 20 de febrero de 2025. Este caso está siendo procesado por los fiscales federales adjuntos Joshua Mellor y Matthew Sutton. IMPUTADO Caso Número 14cr2122-DMS Rene Arzate-García Edad: 42 Ciudad de Residencia: Culiacán, Sinaloa, México alias “La Rana”. RESUMEN DE CARGOS Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 960a y 841 - Narcoterrorismo Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 20 años de prisión; multa de 20 millones de dólares Título 18, U.S.C., sección 2339B - Proporcionar apoyo material al terrorismo Pena máxima: Veinte años de prisión y multa de $250,000 Título 21, U.S.C., sección 848(a) - Empresa Criminal Continuada Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 20 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 952, 959, 960 y 963 - Conspiración internacional para distribuir sustancias reguladas Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 841(a)(1) y 846 - Conspiración para distribuir sustancias reguladas Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años de prisión; multa de 10 millones de dólares Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 952, 960 y 963 - Conspiración para importar sustancias reguladas Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares Conspiración para el lavado de dinero - Título 18, U.S.C., sección 1956(h) Pena máxima: Veinte años de prisión y multa de $500,000 o el doble del valor del instrumento monetario o de los fondos implicados, lo que sea mayor AGENCIAS INVESTIGADORAS Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI) Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA) División de Investigación Criminal (CI) del IRS Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) Programa de Áreas de Tráfico de Drogas de Alta Intensidad (HIDTA) *Los cargos y alegatos contenidos en una imputación o denuncia son solo acusaciones, y a los imputados se les considera inocentes a menos y hasta que se pruebe su culpabilidad. Este caso fue investigado y procesado por el Grupo Operativo de Seguridad Nacional de California (HSTF) como parte de la Operación “Take Back America” (“Recuperemos América”). Los HSTF fueron establecidos por el presidente Trump en la Orden Ejecutiva 14159, Protegiendo al Pueblo Estadounidense Contra una Invasión. El HSTF es una colaboración de todo el gobierno dedicada a eliminar los cárteles delictivos, las pandillas extranjeras, las organizaciones delictivas transnacionales y las redes de tráfico y trata de personas que operan en Estados Unidos y en el extranjero. A través de una histórica colaboración interinstitucional, el HSTF dirige todo el poder de las fuerzas del orden de Estados Unidos para la identificación, investigación y persecución penal de todo el espectro de delitos cometidos por estas organizaciones, que desde hace tiempo fomentan la violencia y la inestabilidad dentro de nuestras fronteras. En el desempeño de esta labor, el HSTF se centra especialmente en la investigación y persecución penal de quienes se dedican al tráfico de niños o a otros delitos que implican a niños. El HSTF utiliza además todas las herramientas disponibles para procesar y expulsar de Estados Unidos a los extranjeros con antecedentes penales más violentos. La Operación “Recuperemos América” es una iniciativa de ámbito nacional que moviliza todos los recursos del Departamento de Justicia para repeler la invasión de la inmigración ilegal, lograr la eliminación total de los cárteles y las organizaciones criminales transnacionales (OCT) y proteger a nuestras comunidades de los autores de delitos violentos. El programa de Áreas de Tráfico de Drogas de Alta Intensidad (HIDTA), creado por el Congreso con la Ley Contra el Abuso de las Drogas de 1988, proporciona asistencia a las fuerzas del orden federales, estatales, locales y tribales que operan en zonas determinadas como regiones críticas para el tráfico de drogas en Estados Unidos. Este programa de subvenciones está administrado por la Oficina de la Política Nacional de Control de Drogas (ONDCP). En la actualidad existen 33 HIDTA, y hay condados designados como HIDTA en 50 estados, así como en Puerto Rico, las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. y el Distrito de Columbia.


title: Mexican National Pleaded Guilty for Illegally Reentering the United States

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in the Springfield, Missouri area, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal re-entry by an alien after being convicted of a prior felony crime. Pedro Lopez-Dominguez, 36, entered a guilty plea to U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. to the offense of illegal re-entry into the United States by an alien after having been previously convicted of a felony offense. On January 18, 2026, deputies from Greene County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department arrested Lopez-Dominguez during a traffic stop after learning that he had an outstanding arrest warrant from Barry County, Missouri, for a previous criminal offense and failing to appear before that court. Upon determining that Lopez-Dominguez was illegally within the United States, local law enforcement contacted agents with the Department of Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement who responded and determined that Lopez-Dominguez was illegally in the United States after having been removed three previous times – once in 2017, once in 2018, and most recently in 2019. Lopez-Dominguez had been previous convicted of the felony offense of Illegal Entry Into the United States of a Previously Removed Alien in 2019. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Greene County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Alleged road rage murderer faces Federal charges

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Solomon Owens, a convicted felon, now faces federal charges for possession of a gun by a felon after shooting at members of the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) on February 19, 2026. Federal prosecutors charged him by criminal complaint for possessing a Radical Firearms, model 300BLK rifle. According to the criminal complaint, on February 19, 2026, Garner Police Department (GPD) swore out murder warrants for Owens related to the road rage killing of Joseph Adams on February 9, 2026. Law enforcement received information that Owens allegedly shot Joseph Adams because Owens felt that Adams did not let him “change lanes.” As stated in the complaint, Owens told a witness, “He wouldn’t let me over, so I handled it.” Members of the RPD Selective Enforcement Unit went to Owens’s apartment in North Raleigh. Once they entered his apartment, Owens fired multiple rounds. Owens’ bullets struck one officer in the helmet and another officer’s ballistic shield. By the grace of God, they did not suffer injury. After opening fire, Owens exited his apartment, hiding behind a woman who held an infant in her arms. RPD shot a non-lethal sponge round striking Owens in the leg. After he dropped, they took Owens into custody. The State currently detains Owens with no bond at the Wake County Detention Center. If convicted, Owens faces up to life in prison. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The RPD, GPD, and ATF investigated the case, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Becker is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER .


component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Note : To download a copy of the Wanted Rewards Posters in English and Spanish, click on: René Arzate-García and Alfonso Arzate-García . A superseding indictment unsealed today charges René Arzate-García, also known as “La Rana,” alleged Tijuana plaza boss for the Sinaloa Cartel, with Narcoterrorism and Material Support of Terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States. Also today, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced that it is offering up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of La Rana, 42, of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, and his brother, Alfonso Arzate-García, also known as “Aquiles.” These rewards are offered in coordination with the DEA San Diego Field Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in a unified effort to bring the brothers to justice. “Foreign terrorist organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel have spent decades poisoning our children and committing acts of unimaginable violence against innocent civilians -- no longer under President Trump,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest indictment, which follows the landmark conviction of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder “El Mayo” on American soil, is a key development in this Department of Justice's ongoing campaign to permanently dismantle these cartels and deliver American justice to their cowardly leaders.” “To the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel who remain at large: Hide. Run. Fight. Flee. The illusion is that you have a choice. The reality is that you can either surrender to justice or you’ll be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “Rene Arzate-García is a ruthless Sinaloa Cartel plaza boss who is accused of exploiting U.S. ports of entry to flood our nation with fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “He and his brother, Alfonso, are among DEA’s wanted fugitives for these alleged crimes against the United States. This superseding indictment underscores Arzate-García’s role, not only as a cartel operative but as a narco-terrorist who preys on vulnerabilities to flood communities with poison, violence, and fear. I want to recognize U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for his leadership and his aggressive pursuit of those who traffic deadly drugs into our country. His partnership and resolve have been instrumental in advancing this case and ensuring that cartel leaders are held accountable. DEA remains relentless in its mission to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel, a foreign terrorist organization, and bring its members to justice.” “The FBI and its partners commitment to thwarting the Sinaloa Cartel is unwavering,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will continue to use everything at our disposal to disrupt their operations and prevent further drugs and violence from coming into our communities. The Sinaloa Cartel, including its leaders, will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.” “President Donald Trump has made clear that narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs to the United States will be tracked down and prosecuted,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “Under the Narcotics Rewards Program, we are offering rewards of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of René and Alfonso Arzate-García, key figures sustaining the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations at the U.S. border with Mexico in Tijuana.” “René Arzate-García has progressed up the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel to become one of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers in the region,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Sinaloa Cartel threatens our national security and the safety of our citizens. FBI San Diego, in coordination with our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate these transnational criminal organizations and their leaders targeting our neighborhoods with narcoterrorism and other criminal activity until they are eliminated from our communities.” “Those who traffic in violence, corruption, fear, and addiction destroy lives and destabilize our communities,” said Senior Agent in Charge James Nunnallee of the DEA San Diego. “The DEA remains unwavering in our mission to dismantle Foreign Terrorist Organizations and drug trafficking networks that threaten public safety and national security.” “This indictment demonstrates the power of financial investigations in dismantling criminal enterprises that fuel violence and terror,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “René Arzate-García and his co-conspirators allegedly laundered millions in drug proceeds through complex international transactions designed to hide the source and ownership of illicit funds. IRS-CI followed the money, exposing the financial lifelines that sustain narcoterrorism and global drug trafficking. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure these organizations are stripped of their resources and held accountable for their crimes.” According to court documents, René Arzate-García is a Baja California, Mexico-based “plaza boss” for the Sinaloa Cartel, along with his brother Alfonso Arzate-García, also known as “Aquiles” (previously charged in case number 14-cr-00722-DMS). René Arzate-García manages the cartel’s drug trafficking operations in Tijuana and the surrounding municipalities and is involved in importing large quantities of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, into the United States. Known to be extremely violent, Arzate-García is also involved in carrying out enforcement operations, such as kidnappings and executions, for the Sinaloa Cartel. This indictment supersedes a 2014 indictment for conspiracy to import marijuana and demonstrates that René Arzate-García is a key member of the Sinaloa Cartel and controls the Tijuana plaza that includes the entire state of Baja California. He has imported thousands of kilograms of drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana into the Southern District of California and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds. In addition to his drug trafficking, the indictment shows his history of corrupting Mexican law enforcement and public officials, extortion of businesses in the Tijuana Plaza, and his reputation for extreme violence, including numerous kidnappings and murders in Tijuana, Mexico on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. René Arzate-García was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, as a Drug Kingpin in 2023. These indictments follow a storied tradition in the Southern District of California for dismantling leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Beltran Leyva Organization. If you have any information about René Arzate-García or Alfonso Arzate-García, please contact either FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or your nearest local FBI office; If you are outside the United States, you may contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip online, anonymously, at tips.fbi.gov/home; or DEA by phone (WhatsApp and Signal) at +1-858-298-5670, at Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, or by email at MFSinaloaTipLine@dea.gov. If you are located outside of the United States, you may also contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are located in the United States, you may also contact the local DEA field office. The superseding indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on Feb. 20, 2025. FBI, DEA, IRS-CI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas are conducting the investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton for the Southern District of California. René Arzate-García is charged in violation of Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narcoterrorism with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $20 million fine; Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine; Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) - Continuing Criminal Enterprise with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years and $10 million fine; Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 - International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine; Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine; Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine; Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h) - Money Laundering Conspiracy with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, whichever is greater. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs were established by President Trump in 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. Operation Take Back America is 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. An indictment and complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Sues Five Additional States for Failure to Produce Voter Rolls

body_text: Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced it has filed federal lawsuits against five states — Utah , Oklahoma , Kentucky , West Virginia , and New Jersey — for failure to produce their full voter registration lists upon request. This brings the Justice Department’s nationwide total to 29 states and the District of Columbia. "Accurate, well-maintained voter rolls are a requisite for the election integrity that the American people deserve," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "This latest series of litigation underscores that This Department of Justice is fulfilling its duty to ensure transparency, voter roll maintenance, and secure elections across the country." “The Justice Department will continue to fulfill its oversight role dutifully, neutrally, and transparently wherever Americans vote in federal elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Many state election officials, however, are choosing to fight us in court rather than show their work. We will not be deterred, regardless of party affiliation, from carrying out critical election integrity legal duties.” According to the lawsuits, the Attorney General is uniquely charged by Congress with broad authority to request election records under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. This Act allows her to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of statewide voter registration lists that can be cross-checked effectively for improper registrations.


title: ZACHARY MAN SENTENCED TO 180 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR CONVICTIONS OF MULTIPLE DRUG CHARGES

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Jeremy Dewayne Hawkins, age 45, of Zachary, Louisiana, to 180 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and heroin and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. The Court further sentenced Hawkins to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, DEA agents intercepted communications over four of Hawkins’ telephones between June and August 2017 and learned that Hawkins conspired with others to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin from Houston, Texas and elsewhere and redistribute those narcotics within the Middle District of Louisiana. Evidence brought to light at trial by federal and state law enforcement officials described a search warrant on Hawkins’ property in Ethel, Louisiana, where agents located more than four kilograms of cocaine, over 100 grams of heroin, six firearms, and over 800 rounds of ammunition. 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 Baton Rouge comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the U.S. Coast Guard, Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (CBP OFO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol (CBP BP), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as a Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division.