title: Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who trafficked fentanyl on behalf of a Mexican drug supplier was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Willys Enrique Santana Ramirez aka Juan Adorno, 48, was sentenced on April 15, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 84 months of imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release. “Fentanyl continues to devastate our communities, leaving a trail of addiction, loss, and shattered families in its wake,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “Those who traffic this deadly substance are not just breaking the law, they are fueling a crisis that is claiming lives at an alarming rate. Our office remains committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who profit from this destruction.” On February 14, 2025, Santana Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. According to court documents, an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) determined that Santana Ramirez participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy with his brother-in-law, distributing both fentanyl powder and pills containing fentanyl which were designed to resemble a legitimate prescription medication, oxycodone. As part of the investigation, Santana Ramirez arranged the delivery of approximately 900 pills in exchange for $45,000. Santana Ramirez’s co-conspirator, Watly Federico Valenzuela Ruiz, was sentenced on April 10, 2024, to five years in federal prison. Both were arrested on September 7, 2021, by DEA Drug Task Force Agents. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 8,964 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills with a net weight of 1,012.9 grams of fentanyl; 4.475 grams of fentanyl powder; and 892.3 grams of fentanyl. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson. The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; Rhode Island State Police; Cranston Police Department; Middletown Police Department; Newport Police Department; Pawtucket Police Department; Providence Police Department; Warwick Police Department; Woonsocket Police Department; and Amtrak Police.


title: Hedge Fund Manager Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion in Austin

component: Criminal Division

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Cayman national who renounced his U.S. citizenship pleaded guilty today to evading payment of more than $1.5 million of federal income tax liabilities. According to court documents and statements made in court, Justin Ryan Schmidt, formerly of Austin, managed a hedge fund focusing on cryptocurrency investments. Between 2020 and March 2022, Schmidt earned a total of more than $6 million from his hedge fund but did not report any of this income on his 2020, 2021 or 2022 tax returns. Instead, Schmidt falsely reported earning income of $5,000 or less during each of those years. At the same time, he held millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts that he failed to disclose to the IRS. In November 2021, Schmidt became a British citizen. He renounced his U.S. citizenship in March 2022. Individuals who expatriate from the United States are required to report certain information to the IRS about their net worth, income, assets, and liabilities as of the date of their expatriation. Schmidt willfully filed a false expatriation statement reporting that his net worth was $25,000 at the time of expatriation, when in fact it exceeded $2 million, and stating that he had complied with his tax obligations for the preceding five years when he knew that he had not. In 2023, Schmidt paid approximately $5.8 million to purchase real property in Snowmass Village, Colorado, and sold the property a few months later for approximately $9 million. Schmidt had a duty to report his U.S. sourced income, but did not report the gains from this sale and evaded payment of taxes by submitting false documents to prevent taxes from being withheld on the sale. Schmidt pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. His sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Michael Jones of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Gardner assisted at the hearing. On April 7, the Department of Justice announce the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. ###


title: Senior Executive Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Leading a Money Laundering Operation for Transnational Criminal Organizations

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Alain Bibliowicz Mitrani, a resident of Miami, Florida and a citizen of France and Colombia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon in federal court in Brooklyn to 12 years in prison for his role in a sprawling money laundering and fraud operation. The defendant was convicted by a federal jury in December 2025 of conspiracies to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and unlicensed money transmitting in connection with his scheme to launder more than $300 million, including for persons affiliated with cartels and other transnational criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking, such as the Sinaloa Cartel. The Court also imposed a $330 million forfeiture money judgment against Bibliowicz. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the sentence. “As punishment for laundering hundreds of millions of dollars for drug cartels and drug traffickers, a crime that shocks the conscience, the defendant will deservedly spend a significant portion of the rest of his life in prison,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This prosecution is an example of how the Office is meeting the Administration’s goal of totally eliminating drug cartels and drug trafficking organizations by targeting and stopping their cash money lifeblood.” Mr. Nocella thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for their assistance. “Today’s sentence strikes at the heart of a criminal enterprise that funneled hundreds of millions of illicit funds into the hands of drug cartels and traffickers,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “Money laundering operations, such as Bibliowicz's, are the lifeblood of transnational criminal organizations, enabling them to expand their reach and inflict harm across borders. This case underscores the effectiveness of our investigative efforts and the resolve of law enforcement to disrupt criminal networks at every level. Together with our partners, HSI New York is committed to tracking illicit financial flows, exposing those who profit from crime, and ensuring they face justice.” “Individuals like Bibliowicz Mitrani, who willingly launder money, enable billion‑dollar criminal enterprises to operate in the shadows. He moved millions in illicit cash for criminal organizations and cartels, hiding his conduct behind a sham technology company. His laundering fees funded a lavish lifestyle of luxury travel, high‑end jewelry, and a multimillion‑dollar home. With today’s sentence, that life of luxury is over—and the only thing he’ll be laundering now are his clothes,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis As proven at trial, from approximately 2020 to 2024, the defendant led a scheme to launder more than $300 million, much of which represented drug proceeds belonging to drug cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal organizations. The defendant was a co-owner and chief executive of a company called Treebu, which purported to be a legitimate technology business. In reality, Treebu’s public-facing operations were a cover for an elaborate multi-million-dollar money laundering enterprise based in Florida and Colombia. Cartels and other transnational criminal organizations that engage in drug trafficking operate vast criminal enterprises that generate significant revenue globally by trafficking illicit narcotics. Because these organizations generate billions of dollars in illicit revenue annually from trafficked narcotics, they must find ways to repatriate these proceeds back to their home countries to fund their ongoing enterprises. In many cases, drug trafficking organizations rely on separate money laundering operations, such as Treebu, to repatriate their funds. In exchange, money laundering organizations and their associates, like the defendant, earn a significant commission for taking on the risk of laundering illicit proceeds for these criminal organizations. The defendant established shell companies that were used to open bank accounts used to transmit the illegal proceeds to obscure the source of the funds. To protect the scheme from detection, the defendant lied to U.S. financial institutions about the purpose and activities of these companies, and he failed to register as a money transmitting business as required under state and federal law. In total, financial records show that the defendant and his organization laundered more than $300 million. The defendant used his profits from this scheme for personal expenses and to fund his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase expensive jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels, make payments towards his approximately $4 million Miami mansion, and fund luxury travel, including more than $16,000 on luxury hotel stays abroad in April 2023. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir, Lorena Michelen, and David Berman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Zoubida Bicane. The Defendant : ALAIN BIBLIOWICZ MITRANI Age: 51 Miami, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-39 (CBA)


title: Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Dealers Sentenced

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people have been sentenced to federal prison for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Demarkco Canty, 23, of Parkville, Maryland was sentenced to 115 months in prison for working with others to sell approximately 200,000 lethal doses of fentanyl. Canty acted as the delivery man, delivering fentanyl and heroin for the leader of the drug trafficking organization, Sean Jarred Davis of Baltimore, to dealers in Hampshire and Mineral Counties in West Virginia. The organization was selling hundreds of grams of purple fentanyl across the region. Davis was sentenced to 240 months in prison in December 2024. The other 20 defendants in the case were convicted and were sentenced to a combined 41 years in prison. In a separate case, James Shanholtz, 38, of Springfield, West Virginia, was sentenced to 92 months and Gregory Brian Harrison, 54, of Romney, West Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months. Both men were working together with others to sell methamphetamine in Hampshire County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office; the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office; the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office; the Grant County Sheriff’s Office; and the Keyser Police Department. Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Dominican National Sentenced for Role in Cocaine, Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national and Rhode Island resident has been sentenced in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that involved shipping 10 parcels of cocaine and fentanyl to Rhode Island through two different private commercial mail carriers, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Nelson Reyes Luciano, 41, was sentenced on April 16, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 78 months of imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release and a $300 special assessment. “Trafficking fentanyl and cocaine is a dangerous and deliberate act that claims lives within Rhode Island and communities throughout our country,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “This sentence should send a clear message to those who chose to engage in this type of criminal conduct that we will investigate, prosecute, and hold them accountable. I commend the dedicated prosecutors in our office, along with our law enforcement partners, for their relentless efforts in this case and their continued work in removing dangerous criminals from our streets and bringing them to justice.” According to court documents, over a six-week period beginning in February 2022, Reyes Luciano shipped multiple packages containing cocaine and fentanyl from California to the Providence, Rhode Island home of co-conspirator Rosangeles Bueno. Bueno was charged and convicted in a separate case in the District of Rhode Island, No. 22-cr-00090-WES-PAS. The defendant and co-conspirator Bueno regularly communicated about the shipments of the drugs sent to her home and her receipt and storage of the drugs. During execution of a court-authorized search warrant at Bueno’s home, law enforcement found cocaine and fentanyl as well as scales, baggies, presses, molds, and respirators that are used for packaging drugs for distribution. Reyes Luciano is responsible for the receipt of approximately eight kilograms of cocaine and 2.2 kilograms of fentanyl. Reyes Luciano pleaded guilty on December 9, 2025 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. “This sentence puts Reyes Luciano’s drug trafficking aspirations to an end. Reyes Luciano and his co-conspirator attempted to use commercial mail carriers to bring dangerous drugs into Rhode Island, but through the vigilance of these companies, their scheme was exposed. HSI is partnering with local, federal, and private sector partners to take on the challenge of drug trafficking on all fronts,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Stacey A. Erickson. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of the DEA, and Warwick, Newport, Central Falls, and Providence Police Departments.


title: U.S. Attorney Moore Capito to Lead Tuesday Ceremony for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will join with crime victim survivors and advocates tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. for a Ribbon Tree Ceremony as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. WHO: U.S. Attorney Moore Capito WHAT: Ribbon Tree Ceremony WHEN: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. WHERE: Green space outside the Kanawha County Courthouse, corner of Virginia Street East and Goshorn Street, Charleston. The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Information and resources are available: About OVC and its programs: https://ovc.ojp.gov/ About National Crime Victims’ Rights Week: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview About victim and witness resources in the Southern District of West Virginia: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/programs/victimwitness-assistance Via the SDWV Victim Witness Program: (304) 345-2200. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is (800) 799-SAFE. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Justice Department Files Clean Water Act Complaint Against DC Water for Potomac Interceptor Failure

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The Department of Justice, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a civil complaint in federal court today against the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) and the District of Columbia for claims of Clean Water Act violations from the collapse of the Potomac Interceptor resulting in the discharge of more than 200 million gallons of raw, untreated sewage into the Potomac River. The complaint seeks financial penalties, sewer assessment and rehabilitation projects, and pollutant mitigation work to remedy DC Water’s failure to operate its sewer system in compliance with the Clean Water Act and its permits. The complaint alleges that DC Water failed to properly operate and maintain its sewer system in a manner that keeps untreated sewage out of the Potomac River and its tributaries, and other areas with risk of human contact. The complaint also seeks an order for DC Water to, at a minimum, develop an Enhanced Operations and Maintenance Plan for all its sewer lines. “DC Water’s failure to maintain the Potomac Interceptor resulted in raw sewage flowing into the Potomac River and the surrounding environment, posing a direct risk to public health,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “As cities grow and infrastructure ages, cities must invest in their wastewater system to prevent such catastrophes. This complaint seeks to secure DC Water’s commitment to properly maintain its foundational sewage infrastructure.” According to the complaint, DC Water operates the Potomac Interceptor, which conveys an average of up to 60 million gallons a day of sewage from parts of Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland to the Potomac Pump Station in Washington, D.C. On Jan. 19, a portion of the Potomac Interceptor collapsed where it passes through the C&O Canal National Historic Park, near Lock 12, in Montgomery County, Maryland. Between Jan. 21 and 24 DC Water crews worked to install diversion pumps to route wastewater around the failed section of the Potomac Interceptor. Beginning on Jan. 24, DC Water used a portion of the C&O Canal to contain the bypassed flow until it could re-enter the Potomac Interceptor downstream of the collapse. DC Water’s use of the C&O Canal to route sewage around the failed section of the Potomac Interceptor required multiple high-powered pumps. These pumps periodically clogged, requiring them to be taken out of service and cleaned. On Feb. 8, DC Water reported that an estimated 500,000 gallons of sewage was discharged to the Potomac River when multiple pumps had to be shut down due to clogging with rags and wipes. When President Trump declared a FEMA emergency , the Army Corp of Engineers deployed to assist with mitigation efforts, including building stormwater diversions around locations that were still covered with sewage debris to prevent stormwater from coming into contact with harmful pollutants left behind by the deposition of untreated sewage. In total, the Potomac Interceptor collapse resulted in unauthorized discharge of more than 200 million gallons of raw, untreated sewage to the Potomac River. EPA investigated the case. ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed the complaint.


title: Jacksonville Man Indicted for Possessing More than a Pound of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Issac Darnell Henderson (32, Jacksonville) has been charged by federal indictment with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including more than a pound and a half of fentanyl. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The indictment also notifies Henderson that the United States intends to forfeit assets, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. On February 14, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant for a residence belonging to Henderson and recovered more than one and a half pounds of multi-colored fentanyl. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.


title: 29 Illegal Aliens Arrested on Panga Boat Near Channel Islands

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Twenty-nine illegal aliens from Mexico arrested over the weekend on a panga boat approximately 10 miles south of the Channel Islands archipelago have been charged in two federal criminal complaints with immigration crimes, the Justice Department announced today. Five of the defendants are charged with being an illegal alien entering the United States following deportation or removal, which carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. The remaining 24 defendants are charged with improper entry by an alien, which carries a possible sentence of up to two years in federal prison. The defendants are expected to make their initial appearances Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. According to an affidavit filed with the complaints, on April 18, federal law enforcement stopped a panga boat approximately 10 miles south of San Nicolas Island, which is controlled by the Navy. The boat contained 29 people, all of whom are Mexican nationals and none had proper documentation to be in the United States legally. Law enforcement towed the boat to Newport Beach and the defendants were processed at the San Clemente Border Patrol Station. Ismael Angeles-Guerrero, 21, is one of the five defendants charged with being an illegal alien entering the United States following deportation or removal. His criminal history includes a prior arrest in Marion County, Indiana, in December 2025 for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement, operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license, and possession of marijuana. He was removed to Mexico on February 20, 2026. Faustino Arguello, 38, is one of the 24 defendants charged with improper entry by an alien. In September 2016, Arguello was encountered by Border Patrol twice near the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona and once near the international border in Texas. Each time he was processed for removal to Mexico. In March 2026, federal law enforcement arrested Arguello at San Ysidro Port of Entry for presenting an entry document that did not belong to him. He was not convicted and subsequently was removed from the United States. A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are investigating this matter with assistance from the United States Coast Guard. Assistant United States Attorney Monika L. Hara of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: North Charleston Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal  Prison for Bribing Public Officials

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Aaron Charles-Lee Hicks, 38, of North Charleston, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his role in two schemes to bribe North Charleston City Councilmen. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in early 2024, Sea Fox Boat Company hired Hicks as a consultant. Sea Fox had proposed a new boat manufacturing facility in North Charleston, but its plans required a zoning change to the subject property. Amid strong community opposition to the project, Sea Fox hired Hicks to garner community support and help ensure that North Charleston City Council would vote in favor of the zoning change. Sea Fox hired Hicks based on the recommendation of two members of North Charleston City Council—Jerome Heyward and Mike A. Brown. Hicks accepted $30,000 in consulting fees from Sea Fox between February and June 2024. Hicks agreed to pay Heyward and Brown a portion of his consulting fees in exchange for their influence and official action with respect to Sea Fox’s proposal. Hicks paid Heyward $5,000, including $2,500 in cash on the date of City Council’s vote on the rezoning application. Hicks paid Brown at least $1,000 in cash. Further evidence revealed that Hicks was involved in a second scheme to bribe Sandino Moses, who was a member of North Charleston City Council at the time. Hicks was present during a meeting on April 26, 2024, during which Tory Fields agreed to bribe Moses to gain his support of Sea Fox’s rezoning efforts. Thereafter, Fields paid Moses two bribes to convince him to support the Sea Fox plant, and Hicks knew that Fields had done so. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Hicks to 15 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 2-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Hicks was also ordered to forfeit $30,000, representing the consulting fees and ill-gotten gains of his crimes. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse and Whit Sowards are prosecuting the case.


title: Chandler Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for First Degree Murder

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – On April 17, 2026, Francisco Juan Acevedo, 35, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to two consecutive life sentences plus additional prison time related to the shooting of three victims. On Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, at a family gathering on the Gila River Indian Community, Acevedo shot and killed his uncle, shot and seriously injured another uncle, and shot and seriously wounded a third victim. On Oct. 23, 2025, Acevedo was found guilty at trial of eight charges: one count of First Degree–Premeditated Murder, one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder, two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, three counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and one count of Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. “My thoughts are with the victims of this terrible crime and their families, as they continue to deal with heartbreak and long-term injuries. Mr. Acevedo’s sentence of life in prison is just,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This week is National Crime Victims’ Rights week, where we recognize those affected by unthinkable crimes as well as the individuals who advocate for them. I am especially proud of the dedicated work of Tribal police, special agents, victim specialists, and assistant U.S. attorneys who fight every day to give voice to victims and mete out justice on their behalf.” "The toll of these crimes has a devastating and long-lasting impact on tribal families,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day. “Collaborating with our partners, FBI Phoenix will continue to aggressively investigate the most serious offenses on tribal lands and pursue justice for victims in Indian Country." The investigation was conducted by the Gila River Police Department and the FBI’s Phoenix Division. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan and Vinnie Lichvar, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix. CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-01040 RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-065_Acevedo # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Former North Charleston Councilmember Sentenced to Two Years Probation in North Charleston Bribery Scheme

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Sandino Savalas Moses, 51, a former North Charleston City Councilmember, has been sentenced to two years of probation for misprision of a felony. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Moses was a city councilmember when Sea Fox Boat Company’s application for a zoning change was presented to North Charleston City Council. Sea Fox had hired two consultants, Aaron Charles-Lee Hicks and Hason Tatorian Fields, to help generate support for the project. After Moses moved to table the matter when it was presented for a first reading, Hicks and Fields met with members of the Sea Fox team to discuss a path forward. Fields expressed that Moses was susceptible to a bribe because of personal difficulties. After the meeting, but before the matter was re-presented to North Charleston City Council, Fields paid two bribes to Moses. When Moses realized that Fields was trying to bribe him in exchange for his support of the Sea Fox project, Moses repaid the bribes but never reported Fields to law enforcement. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Moses to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Sowards and Emily Limehouse prosecuted the case.


title: Richland County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Gun

body_text: Columbia, S.C. — Carlos Antwon Lewis, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on March 4, 2025, a Richland County Sheriff’s deputy observed an SUV committing a traffic offense. The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the SUV and made contact with the driver. Lewis was the front passenger. The deputy smelled the odor of marijuana, which the occupants admitted to smoking before leaving their residence. The deputy asked both occupants to step out and asked Lewis if he had any firearms or narcotics on his person. Lewis stated that he had a firearm in his waistband. The deputy recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from Lewis’s waistband. Upon further inspection of the firearm, the firearm was equipped with a silver Glock switch. Lewis is prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon prior convictions for arson/attempts to burn, willful & malicious, burglary, criminal domestic violence 1st offense, criminal domestic violence 2nd offense, unlawful carrying a firearm, possession of less than one gram of methamphetamine or cocaine base, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance near a school, distribution of methamphetamine or cocaine base, and arson. Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Lewis 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 and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.


title: Rock Hill Cartel-Connected Kingpin Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Hundreds of Kilograms of Fentanyl, Cocaine

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Timothy Markee Gayton, 34, of Rock Hill, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in two drug trafficking schemes. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed in January 2018, Gayton operated industrial-scale clandestine drug labs in the Rock Hill area, where fentanyl was pressed into pills designed to look like prescription drugs. Gayton then supplied these fentanyl-laced pills to drug dealers in South Carolina. In February 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Gayton’s residence and seized fentanyl, amphetamine, marijuana, four firearms, nine firearm magazines, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, and $23,000 in cash. He was arrested and released on bond, but seven days later, he sold a kilogram of fentanyl to a law enforcement source. Between 2018 and 2022, Gayton imported pill presses, pill binder, and fentanyl powder from China and Mexico, set up clandestine laboratories in the York County area, and manufactured hundreds of thousands of illegal fentanyl pills. During the search of one of Gayton’s one drug labs, agents found $53,000 in cash, handguns, 7 pill presses, 150,000 pills made to look like Roxicodone, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, pill stamps, pill binder, Narcan, a money counter, and a vacuum sealer. Gayton’s identical twin brother, Timario Gayton, was convicted for his role in this drug lab and sentenced to 180 months. During a search of Gayton’s house the same day, agents found $4,000 in cash, 4 rifles, extended magazines, a kilogram press, packaging material with fentanyl inside, and fentanyl. Gayton also distributed hundreds of kilograms of cocaine during the course of the conspiracy. In January 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Gayton for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. While awaiting trial and in federal custody, Gayton arranged for the distribution of over a kilogram of fentanyl from jail on several occasions. He was again federally indicted for conspiracy and two counts of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He also bribed a jail guard, who was charged and convicted for the conduct. Gayton was responsible for getting illegal drugs and contraband cell phones inside the jail, all while in federal custody. “The expanse of Gayton’s drug trafficking network was immense, from Rock Hill, across the nation, and over international borders to reach his cartel supply networks. Gayton is now closed for business and will assume a new residence within the highly secure confines of the United States Bureau of Prisons for the next 25 years, with no parole,” said U.S Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “This investigation and prosecution is yet another example of how responsive and effective our local, state, and federal law enforcement partnerships remain in South Carolina. Specifically, I would like to thank the Rock Hill Police Department, the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Columbia Police Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, as well the DEA, FBI, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Office.” 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. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gayton to 300 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (YCMDEU), the Rock Hill Police Department, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Columbia Police Department, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.


title: Cypress resident sent to prison for 45 years after soliciting nearly 2 dozen minors for pornographic images

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON - A 42-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for multiple convictions involving the victimization of children for more than 10 years, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Patrick Tran pleaded guilty Oct. 25, 2025, to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen sentenced Tran to a total of 540 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard Tran had enticed 23 different minor victims on a video chat site into taking off their clothes and screen recorded it. He then used the videos to extort them into sending additional material and threatened to expose or harm the victims. In imposing the sentence, the court considered the numerous victim impact statements and testimony of one of the victims. One victim explained how Tran made her feel like an object – one he abused physically and mentally without even touching her. The victim also disclosed that she had contemplated suicide, thinking that was her only way out of the nightmare. Tran was furthered ordered to pay over $108,000 in restitution to one of the victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Tran will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Tran admitted he victimized minors online for more than 10 years. He created online profiles to contact victims and used knowledge of their locations and contacts to blackmail and extort them. The investigation began in October 2020 when a relative reported suspicious communications indicating Tran had directed a minor to send him nude photos. Forensic analysis of the victim’s device revealed chats in which Tran solicited photos and videos. He threatened to post a video unless the victim sent additional images. Tran also directed how she should position herself and what to show. Feeling threatened and scared, the victim complied. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Tran’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. A forensic examination revealed approximately 650 videos depicting minors, some under the age of 10, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Tran will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. FBI – Houston conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo and Luis Batarse prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Department of Justice Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

body_text: HAMMOND- The United States Attorney’s Office in Northern Indiana will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) from April 19-25, 2026. This year’s NCVRW theme— “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities. ” —recognizes that shared humanity drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred said, “This week is a time to reflect and dignify the experiences of survivors of crime, and for us to publicly commit to making sure they are heard and supported. It is also a time to honor the quiet, steady work of those who stand beside them in their darkest hours – victim advocates, agents, officers, counselors, family members, and legal professionals. Something was taken from the victims by the perpetrators, and our goal is to ultimately help them to take it back, by standing up in the courts and community to fight for accountability and justice. It is also our hope to help them see themselves as we see do: They are not merely victims… they are survivors and brave partners in the fight.” In fiscal year 2025, across the country, USAO victim witness professionals contacted victims more than 513,000 times regarding services and court updates; asset forfeiture personnel contributed to almost $331 million in forfeited funds being granted to victims via remission or restoration; and Financial Litigation Programs collected over $1 billion in restitution from criminal defendants for the benefit of victims. This impressive work illustrates how the U.S. Attorney community listens, acts, and advocates on behalf of victims, and should be recognized during NCVRW. NCVRW began in 1981 to honor victims and survivors of crime, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services and recognize the dedication of those who work with crime victims. For more ideas on supporting crime victims, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov . ###


title: Former Hanahan City Councilman Waives Detention Hearing in Possession, Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material Case, Remains in Federal Custody

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Kevin Phillip Hedgpeth, 48, former City of Hanahan Mayor Pro Tem and member of City Council, appeared this morning for a scheduled detention hearing in United States Magistrate Court in Charleston. Hedgpeth, represented by counsel, waived his right to the hearing and will remain in federal custody pending trial. Arrested on federal warrants last Thursday, Hedgpeth has been charged with possession and production of child sexual abuse material.* According to the charging document, which was authorized by United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker, an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Hedgpeth as a member of a forum on social media that was facilitating the sale of child sexual abuse material. Further investigation revealed that Hedgpeth has paid numerous minors who have been identified as likely victims of child sex abuse in CyberTips submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. From December 2021 to present, Hedgpeth’s Cash App and PayPal accounts paid 47 accounts that were either associated with minors or suspected of selling content. The accounts Hedgpeth paid include minors in the Charleston, South Carolina area. Further investigation revealed that videos and images depicting child sexual abuse were stored in an iCloud account registered to Hedgpeth’s personal e-mail address, his cellular phone, and his home address, and that the account had been accessed frequently from his home internet router. Hedgpeth used his iCloud account and social media to communicate with children, to direct them to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos, and to send these videos to him in exchange for money. One victim was 12 years old when the communication began. Hedgpeth paid that minor for child sex abuse videos, and he pressured that minor to produce content with the minor’s 15-year-old brother. At times, Hedgpeth pretended to be a minor, and at others, he distributed child sexual abuse videos to minors to entice them to produce and sell similar content to him. Hedgpeth faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison, a maximum of 30 years, lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office, plus sex offender registration requirements. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . Investigators are seeking the public’s help to identify possible victims. If you have relevant information to report, please contact HSI at Charleston_exploitationtips@hsi.dhs.gov , by telephone at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423), or through the online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form . The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Elliott B. Daniels are prosecuting the case. All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### * The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. NOTE:The unsealed criminal complaint is attached. Please use discretion in reading and sharing with your audiences.


title: Natchez Trace Parkway Ranger Recognized for Outstanding Work with Victims

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: OXFORD – U.S. Attorney Scott Leary is proud to have recognized Law Enforcement Ranger Dylan Romine from the National Park Service on April 20, 2026, for his outstanding work and service on behalf of crime victims in the Northern District of Mississippi. Ranger Romine was given the Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service Award as part of the District’s recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In the predawn hours of May 11, 2024, Mother’s Day, a family was changed forever. A twenty-year-old chose to drive on the Natchez Trace Parkway while under the influence of alcohol. His actions resulted in a head on collision that claimed the life of a father and severely injured a minor child who were on their way to a local fishing tournament. Dylan Romine, a law enforcement Ranger with the National Park Service, was the first Ranger to respond to that scene. Ranger Romine worked to ensure that lifesaving care was received by the minor victim and that crucial investigative steps were taken. He later provided testimony that was described by a U.S. Magistrate Judge as among “the most competent and compelling testimony” he had ever heard from a law enforcement officer. The work that he and other law enforcement Rangers with the NPS performed following those tragic events led to a 240-month sentence for the defendant. Those are normal things that society expects from their law enforcement officers. Ranger Romine went above and beyond in his actions in that case. He worked to ensure that the victims were informed and assisted throughout the process and worked to make sure that their voices were heard and their rights were protected. His dedication to the victims’ family was noticed throughout the criminal justice process by the Assistant US Attorney who worked on this case and nominated him for this Award. U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated, “So often we take for granted the wonderful work provided by our law enforcement professionals. They miss holidays and birthdays protecting Mississippians from crime. Our officers run to danger, not away from it. Our office is honored to recognize Ranger Romine, and all the other law men and women who work selflessly for us. Dylan Romine embodies the best of what we expect from our men and women who put on a badge. The victims of this crime were tragically made part of the criminal justice system, and Ranger Romine treated them with the dignity and care they deserved.” Superintendent of the National Park Service Wendy Hart Ross said “The Natchez Trace Parkway is incredibly proud of Ranger Romine’s dedication and professionalism. He adheres to strict investigative protocol while supporting victims, their families, and their communities during times of crisis. His work exemplifies the highest standards of public service and this award is well-deserved.” Carolyn Clayton embraced the role of victims’ advocate at a time when there was no such thing. Her daughter was murdered at a time when there were no laws on the books defining victims’ rights and she had to rely on the media for information. Clayton championed victims’ rights in Mississippi and worked tirelessly to bring about changes to laws affecting those touched by violent crime. In her honor, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi awards the Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service award to recognize law enforcement or individuals who have demonstrated tremendous efforts and service to crime victims.


title: S.C. Inmate Sentenced to 262 Months in Federal Prison for Coordinating Drug Sales from Inside the S.C. Department of Corrections

body_text: FLORENCE, S.C. - Samual Earl Ramu, age 34, of Johnsonville, S.C., has been ordered to serve nearly 22 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiring to distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine from inside the walls of the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Evidence presented in court demonstrated that Ramu was the leader of a drug trafficking organization while in SCDC. Ramu used others outside prison to conduct transactions on his behalf using a contraband cell phone. Ramu attempted to have others use drones to drop contraband inside the prison. In total, Ramu was held accountable for conspiring to distribute 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with quantities of fentanyl and marijuana. “We are very grateful for our local, state, and federal law enforcements partners to include the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as we continue to quickly respond, disrupt, and dismantle the efforts of those who attempt to poison our communities with fentanyl or methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The use of contraband cell phones and drones to advance criminal activity will continue to be met with the full force of federal investigation and prosecution in South Carolina.” “Drug traffickers who threaten our communities with deadly substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine cannot hide from Homeland Security Investigations—even behind prison walls. Our work protects the public by ensuring that those who endanger our neighborhoods are held accountable, no matter where they operate. This case is a testament to the power of our partnership with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and our unwavering commitment to keeping our communities safe,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North Carolina and South Carolina. Ramu has prior convictions for several drug trafficking offenses and was serving a 15-year state sentence for possession with intent to distribute heroin and trafficking methamphetamine during the commission of this offense. Ramu was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of 5 years. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, and the S.C. Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Possession of Gun in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JADI’KISS J’HAD WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”) , age 21, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, on June 13, 2024, Louisiana State Police attempted to stop a stolen Toyota Highlander driven by WILLIAMS . WILLIAMS failed to comply with troopers’ orders and instead chose to ram the Louisiana State Police vehicles. During a search of the Toyota Highlander, officers located a firearm as well as controlled substances including fentanyl, Tapentadol, and marijuana, all of which were packaged for distribution. As to the narcotics charge, WILLIAMS faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. As to the firearms charge, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with the minimum being at least 5 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This sentence must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2026. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Former CFO of Chicago-Area Company’s Subsidiary Convicted of Embezzlement

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted the former Chief Financial Officer of a Chicago-area company’s subsidiary on fraud charges for embezzling more than $1 million. TINA FEUERSTEIN, 53, of Hanover, Penn., was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud. The jury returned the verdicts on April 9, 2026, after a four-day trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Each count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt set sentencing for Aug. 26, 2026. Feuerstein served as the CFO of a Pennsylvania company that was owned by a company in the Chicago area. Evidence at trial showed that Feuerstein used a company credit card over the course of five years to purchase personal items, including luxury furniture, designer apparel, and everyday expenses. To conceal her theft, Feuerstein falsified entries in the company’s general ledgers to offset the amounts that she had stolen. She also deleted items in the company’s expense-reporting system to hide more than 3,800 credit card charges that she had made totaling more than $1 million. In addition, Feuerstein prepared false consolidated financial statements misstating the company’s total expenses that her employer relied upon to make business decisions. The evidence at trial also showed that Feuerstein had previously embezzled more than $250,000 while working in the accounting department of another company. The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Anne Yonover.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Observes National Crime Victims' Rights Week

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee joins the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the Executive Office for the United States Attorneys (EOUSA) in observing National Crime Victims' Rights Week. This year’s theme is "Listen. Act. Advocate. Protecting victims, serve communities .” There were 6.7 million violent victimizations of persons age 12 or older in the United States in 2024, according to a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) report . Violent victimization includes rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. According to EOUSA, in fiscal year 2025 across the country, USAO victim witness professionals contacted victims more than 513,000 times regarding services and court updates; asset forfeiture personnel contributed to almost $331 million in forfeited funds being granted to victims via remission or restoration; and Financial Litigation Programs collected over $1 billion in restitution from criminal defendants for the benefit of victims. Our U.S. Attorney's Office has experienced victim witness professionals who listen to victims share their stories and answer their questions; the financial litigation and asset forfeiture teams act diligently to maximize asset recovery on behalf of victims; and every day, Assistant U.S. Attorneys appear in court to advocate for the rights of victims under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA) and take steps to protect them. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Victims of crime deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, compassion, and sensitivity in the criminal justice system. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, we are committed to providing victims with the highest level of support, protection, and assistance during the often difficult and confusing legal court process. Achieving justice for victims and protecting their rights is our highest duty and we are honored to participate in the National observance of this special week to honor victims and victim advocates." For additional information regarding National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and resources for victims, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/ . ###


title: New Yorker Sentenced for Supplying Kilogram Quantities of Cocaine to D.C. -Area Distribution Ring

body_text: WASHINGTON – Daryl Smith-Winfree, 44, a New York-based cocaine supplier, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96 months in prison for his role in a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy that funneled multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from New York into the Washington metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “On multiple occasions Daryl Smith-Winfree drove kilogram quantities of cocaine from New York to the Washington area, hiding them in his car, and kept meticulous ledgers on his phone tracking every customer and every delivery,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “With seven prior convictions, he chose to continue dealing. Today’s sentence reflects both the seriousness of this conspiracy and his long history of choosing crime over every other option available to him.” Smith-Winfree pleaded guilty on Jan. 28, 2026, before Judge Amir H. Ali to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In addition to the 96-month prison sentence, Judge Ali ordered Smith-Winfree to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 120 months. According to court documents, beginning in the summer of 2024, the FBI launched an investigation into a large-scale cocaine conspiracy spanning the District, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. Smith-Winfree served as a cocaine supplier, personally transporting multi-kilogram quantities from New York to customers in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Those customers included co-defendant Marcus DeVonta Williams, who then redistributed the cocaine throughout the region. On Jan. 28, 2025, law enforcement observed Smith-Winfree meet Williams in the parking lot of a shopping center in Wilmington, Delaware. Smith-Winfree entered Williams’s vehicle carrying an unknown object and remained inside for about 18 minutes before leaving without it. On March 24, 2025, surveillance captured a second meeting between the two at a Walmart parking lot in Wilmington. The following day, Williams provided co-defendant Tavon Valentine Lee with 250 grams of cocaine. When Montgomery County Police stopped Lee shortly afterward, they recovered about 257 grams of cocaine, a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol, and suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills. Inside a bag Lee had discarded before the stop, officers found cocaine packaging consistent with kilogram-quantity distribution, cocaine residue on cutting instruments, and a parking receipt tied to Williams’s vehicle. On June 3, 2025, a Howard County police officer conducted a traffic stop on Smith-Winfree in Maryland based on GPS data indicating he was on the way to resupply Williams with cocaine. A drug-detecting dog reacted strongly to Smith-Winfree’s Honda Pilot. A search of the vehicle revealed three kilograms of cocaine hidden inside. That same day, officers executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence and recovered more than 200 grams of cocaine, $35,000 in additional currency, and numerous items to distribute cocaine. A search warrant executed on Smith-Winfree’s iCloud account revealed digital ledgers tracking cocaine deliveries by date and quantity, with entries corresponding to customers including Williams. Smith-Winfree admitted responsibility for at least five kilograms of cocaine. Co-defendant Lee pleaded guilty Jan. 30, 2026, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Co-defendant Williams pleaded guilty Feb. 4, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Sentencings are pending. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Office, the Montgomery County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, and the Arlington County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and Michael L. Barclay. A search of Smith-Winfree’s Honda Pilot revealed three kilograms of cocaine hidden inside. 25cr163


title: Sex Offender Caught with Child Pornography at Halfway House Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Monday sentenced Leslie B. Clark, 60, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to 141 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to the offense of possession of child pornography. According to court documents, Clark has a prior 2017 federal conviction for possessing child pornography. In May 2025, Clark was temporarily residing at a halfway house in Neelyville, Missouri following his release from federal prison. During that timeframe, investigators discovered that someone within the facility was uploading child sexual abuse material through a social media messaging service. Investigators subsequently traced the account to Clark. As Clark was set to begin his term of supervised release, his assigned probation officer seized his cell phone and discovered several videos containing child pornography. At his guilty plea hearing in January, Clark admitted that he used his cell phone to obtain the videos. After serving his 141-month sentence, Clark will be placed on a lifetime term of supervised release. This case was investigated by the U.S. Probation Office, the Southeast Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.


title: Florida Man Working as a Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deploy Ransomware and Extort U.S. Victims

body_text: A Florida man, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit ransomware attacks against U.S. companies in 2023. According to court documents, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, collaborated with the operators of the Blackcat/ALPHV (“BlackCat”) ransomware variant used by cybercriminals to attack and extort institutions and companies. Beginning in April 2023, Martino abused his role at a U.S.-based cyber incident response company to assist BlackCat actors. Working as a negotiator on behalf of five different ransomware victims, Martino provided BlackCat attackers with confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his company’s clients without the clients’ or his employer’s knowledge or permission. This confidential information assisted the ransomware actors and maximized the ransoms that the victims were required to pay. The confidential information included the victims’ insurance policy limits and internal negotiation positions. The BlackCat actors paid Martino for this confidential information. Additionally, Martino has admitted to conspiring with Ryan Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Martin of Texas to successfully deploy BlackCat ransomware between April 2023 and November 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the United States. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry and leveraged their knowledge and skills to commit these crimes. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their share of the ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means. To date, law enforcement has seized $10 million of assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained using proceeds of the offense or acquired as a result of the offense. “Angelo Martino’s clients trusted him to respond to ransomware threats and help thwart and remedy them on behalf of victims,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, he betrayed them and began launching ransomware attacks himself by assisting cyber criminals and harming victims, his own employer, and the cyber incident response industry itself.” “Ransomware victims turned to this defendant for help, and he sold them out from the inside,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As he admitted in court, he abused his position at a cyber incident response company to feed confidential information to BlackCat actors, helping them maximize ransom payments from American victims. He then went further, joining the conspiracy himself to deploy ransomware and profit from extortion. This guilty plea makes clear that if you weaponize insider access and cybersecurity expertise against victims in South Florida or anywhere in this country, you will be prosecuted. And as the seizure of more than $10 million in assets shows, you will not get to keep the proceeds of your crime.” “The FBI works every day to dismantle the ransomware ecosystem,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “That includes apprehending key facilitators like Angelo Martino, who abused the trust placed in him as a private sector negotiator by collaborating with ransomware criminals. Martino provided BlackCat ransomware actors with confidential information to maximize ransom payments. He also conspired with other U.S. residents to launch attacks on victims across the country. His guilty plea demonstrates that, for all the international aspects of cybercrime, the threat is also here in the United States. The FBI is proud of the close collaboration with partners that led to this outcome.” Martino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martin and Goldberg separately entered guilty pleas to the same charge in December 2025. Martin and Goldberg are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt BlackCat ransomware, during which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by the BlackCat ransomware actors. The FBI’s Miami field office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service. Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer for the Middle District of Florida and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón of the Southern District of Florida. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office. If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV/BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program . Information can also be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joshua David Price, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in 2011, Price began communicating with a 15-year-old girl online. After a trip to Maryland to see her, he flew her to Sacramento and then drove her to Klamath Falls, Oregon. During the trip, Price filmed videos of the minor victim and him engaged in sex acts. The Klamath Falls (Oregon) Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Land O’Lakes Man Working as a Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deploy Ransomware and Extort U.S. Victims

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Land O’Lakes man, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit ransomware attacks against U.S. companies in 2023. According to court documents, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, collaborated with the operators of the Blackcat/ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware variant used by cybercriminals to attack and extort institutions and companies. Beginning in April 2023, Martino abused his role at a U.S.-based cyber incident response company to assist BlackCat actors. Working as a negotiator on behalf of five different ransomware victims, Martino provided BlackCat attackers with confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his company’s clients without the clients’ or his employer’s knowledge or permission. This confidential information assisted the ransomware actors and maximized the ransoms that the victims were required to pay. The BlackCat actors paid Martino for this confidential information. Additionally, Martino has admitted to conspiring with Ryan Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Martin of Texas to successfully deploy BlackCat ransomware between April 2023 and November 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the U.S. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry and leveraged their knowledge and skills to commit these crimes. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their share of the ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means. To date, law enforcement has seized $10 million of assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained using proceeds of the offense or acquired as a result of the offense. “Angelo Martino’s clients trusted him to respond to ransomware threats and help thwart and remedy them on behalf of victims,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, he betrayed them and began launching ransomware attacks himself by assisting cyber criminals and harming victims, his own employer, and the cyber incident response industry itself.” “Ransomware victims turned to this defendant for help, and he sold them out from the inside,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As he admitted in court, he abused his position at a cyber incident response company to feed confidential information to BlackCat actors, helping them maximize ransom payments from American victims. He then went further, joining the conspiracy himself to deploy ransomware and profit from extortion. This guilty plea makes clear that if you weaponize insider access and cybersecurity expertise against victims in South Florida or anywhere in this country, you will be prosecuted. And as the seizure of more than $10 million in assets shows, you will not get to keep the proceeds of your crime.” “The FBI works every day to dismantle the ransomware ecosystem,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “That includes apprehending key facilitators like Angelo Martino, who abused the trust placed in him as a private sector negotiator by collaborating with ransomware criminals. Martino provided BlackCat ransomware actors with confidential information to maximize ransom payments. He also conspired with other U.S. residents to launch attacks on victims across the country. His guilty plea demonstrates that, for all the international aspects of cybercrime, the threat is also here in the United States. The FBI is proud of the close collaboration with partners that led to this outcome.” Martino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martin and Goldberg separately entered guilty pleas to the same charge in December 2025. Martin and Goldberg are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt BlackCat ransomware, during which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by the BlackCat ransomware actors. The FBI’s Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer for the Middle District of Florida and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón of the Southern District of Florida. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office. If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV/BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program . Information can also be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 26-cr-20065. ###


title: Prior felon arrested on gun charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Earl Stone, 34, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. According to the complaint, late in the evening on April 12, 2026, Buffalo Police officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle on Route 33 Expressway. During the stop, officers detected the smell of alcohol and asked the driver to step out of the vehicle to conduct a standard field sobriety test. Officers then asked the passengers for a New York State Drivers’ License so someone could move the vehicle to a safe location. All passengers refused, including Stone, who got out of the vehicle and sat on ground of the 33 Expressway. Officers noticed what appeared to be the outline of a slide of a firearm by the right shin of his pantleg. As he stood up at the request of officers, a loaded .40 caliber firearm fell out of his pant leg. Stone was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon- 2nd Degree: Loaded Firearm and Criminal Possession of a Weapon-3rd Degree: Large Capacity Feeding Device. In December 2013, Stone was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. Stone made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing on April 21, 2026. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Louis A. Testani. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Craig Macy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: California man sentenced for making fake ID’s for delivery drivers

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Miguel Angel Guevara-Murillo, 35, of Stockton, California, who was convicted of possession of device-making equipment, was sentenced to time served (approximately nine months) by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. On July 28, 2025, Guevara-Murillo was inspected at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry. In the trunk of his car, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found, among other things, a laptop, an access card printer, blank plastic access cards, a scanner, and a paper cutter, which Guevara-Murillo brought with him from California to New York. He used these items to make counterfeit identification documents that appeared to be issued under the authority of different states in the United States. Guevara-Murillo then sold the documents for $250, which allowed individuals who purchased the documents to work for an online food delivery company. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. # # # #


title: Canyon Country Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges, Including Facilitating Crime Tourism Group that Burgled Its Way Through U.S.

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita Valley man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges, including facilitating a crime tourism group of South Americans and other individuals who committed burglaries and other crimes throughout the United States, causing at least $23.9 million in losses. Juan Carlos Thola-Duran, 59, a.k.a. “Parcero,” of Canyon Country, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, to receive and transport stolen property interstate, and to commit money laundering, and one count of structuring transactions to avoid federal financial reporting requirements. Thola-Duran, the lead defendant in this case, has been in federal custody since August 2024. He has agreed to forfeit to the U.S. government any assets he derived from the scheme, including dozens of cars, jewelry, and luxury items such as designer handbags and clothing. According to his plea agreement, Thola-Duran and his then-live-in girlfriend, Ana María Arriagada, 43, a.k.a. “Parcera,” controlled and operated co-defendant Driver Power Rentals (DPR), a Van Nuys-based car rental or dealership business. Arriagada was DPR’s registered owner. He directed associates, often members of crime tourism theft groups traveling from South America, to travel to various parts of the United States to commit thefts, including shoplifting goods from stores, burglarizing residences and commercial businesses, and stealing victims’ credit cards and debit cards. Thola-Duran, Arriagada, and DPR provided DPR vehicles for the thief co-conspirators to drive throughout the United States to commit thefts and burglaries and – to make the car rentals appear legitimate and maintain anonymity – required their co-conspirators to provide false identification when renting a vehicle for DPR’s records. Thola-Duran and Arriagada directed the thief co-conspirators who stole credit or debit cards to immediately go to stores such as Target, Best Buy, The Home Depot, and others to max out the stolen cards by purchasing electronics, gift cards, designer purses and other high-end luxury goods before the stolen cards could be frozen or cancelled. Thola-Duran arranged for the thieves to deliver stolen or fraudulently obtained goods to associates at DPR or to mail them to other co-conspirators. At Thola-Duran’s direction, co-conspirators picked up the parcels then delivered them to Thola-Duran and others. Thola-Duran then acted as a “fence” to buy the goods – at a fraction of their retail value – and pay the thieves a percentage of the items’ value. He then sold the stolen goods to other buyers, receiving at least $5,758,655 from various fences, including approximately $5.2 million from bank accounts of an electronics exporter in Van Nuys during the conspiracy. The criminal conspiracy to commit wire fraud, to receive and transport stolen property interstate, and to commit money laundering harmed at least 37 victims and resulted in losses of at least $23.9 million. Furthermore, Thola-Duran, Arriagada, and others from May 2020 to June 2021 conspired to fraudulently obtain $274,998 in COVID-19 business relief loans. Finally, Thola-Duran and his co-conspirators used their ill-gotten gains to purchase and maintain assets, including real estate and horses, and structured cash withdrawals to avoid triggering the requirement that banks report transactions exceeding $10,000 to the United States Treasury Department. From March 2022 to October 2022, Thola-Duran repeatedly withdrew money in amounts less than $10,000 from his bank account, totaling approximately $412,292 in withdrawals during that seven-month period. He did so to prevent financial institutions from reporting his withdrawals as required by federal law, and he did so while engaged in his criminal conspiracy. United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald scheduled a November 18 sentencing hearing, at which time Thola-Duran will face a statutory maximum sentence of 55 years in federal prison. Arriagada pleaded guilty last year to four felonies in connection with this case and is expected to be sentenced in the coming months. An August 18 trial date is scheduled for defendants Patricia Enderton, 45, of Northridge, and Federico Jorge Triebel IV, 79, of Woodland Hills, who have pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges against them. Federal prosecutors have secured a total of four guilty pleas so far in this case. The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office investigated these matters. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Meriwether County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, the Cobb County (Georgia) Police Department, and the Scottsdale (Arizona) Police Department provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Kellye Ng of the Major Crimes Section and Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Former U.S. Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Election Contributions

component: Criminal - Public Integrity Section

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Roger Hoffman, 70, a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was sentenced this week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for making unlawful political contributions as a foreign national. He was also ordered to pay a $150,000 fine. Hoffman pleaded guilty to this charge on September 26, 2025. On January 15, 2009, Hoffman, formerly a Wisconsin resident, became a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis. On or about July 9, 2009, Hoffman executed a formal Oath of Renunciation of Nationality of the United States before a United States consular officer. After renouncing his citizenship, Hoffman continued to make political contributions using a straw donor to disguise the foreign nature of his contributions. Hoffman gave money to Person A and directed Person A to contribute to specific candidates for federal and state office in specific amounts, using Person A’s own name. To execute this scheme, Hoffman directed Person A to open checking accounts with multiple banks, with the checks listing Person A’s Madison, Wisconsin, address and provided the funds for these accounts. Hoffman however, controlled the checkbooks, online login credentials, and debit cards for these accounts. For more than a decade, Hoffman used the funds in the accounts to make donations to candidates for federal and state office in the United States by writing checks drawn on the accounts and by using the debit cards linked to the accounts to make contributions and donations online. Hoffman falsely represented to the recipients of the contributions that Person A was the contributor or donor, when in fact Hoffman was the true source of the funds. From 2011 to 2020, Hoffman directed Person A or made in Person A’s name more than 1,200 federal and state contributions totaling over $300,000. After federal agents interviewed Hoffman, he tried to obstruct the investigation by telling Person A to falsely tell agents that the contributions were made of Person A’s own volition. At sentencing, Judge Peterson stated that Hoffman demonstrated a resolute pattern of dishonesty. Judge Peterson further stated that Hoffman failed to clearly accept responsibility for his conduct despite overwhelming evidence of a scheme to purposely violate election law that was significant in scope. The charge against Hoffman was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard, Western District of Wisconsin, and Dahoud Askar and Celia Choy, Trial Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, prosecuted this case.