title: Social Media Influencer Pleads Guilty To Investment Adviser Fraud

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that KENNETH THOM, a/k/a “K$,” a/k/a “K Money,” pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos to investment adviser fraud. THOM is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ramos on June 25, 2026. “Kenneth Thom pretended online to be a successful investor and adviser when in fact he was a suspended broker and grifter,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He recruited social media followers, convinced them to invest with him, and then stole their money. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect investors from fraud no matter where they seek their investment advice. Especially on social media, we remind investors to always protect themselves from fraud by verifying the credentials of those they invest with, and to always protect investments through due diligence.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and other information in the public record: In May 2006, THOM passed securities licensing examinations and registered as a broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). In or around January 2011, FINRA suspended THOM’s broker registration after he failed to pay an arbitration award to an investor. THOM also admitted around that time to the FBI that he had commingled that investor’s money with his own money in a brokerage account that THOM controlled and lost most of the money through unsuccessful trading. THOM further admitted that when the investor sought to withdraw her funds, he did not tell the investor that he had lost her money and instead invented fake excuses and then ignored the investor altogether. After being suspended by FINRA, THOM turned to social media and promoted himself online as a successful trader. Using the monikers “K$” and “K Money,” THOM described himself as a “Wall Street veteran,” a “luminary,” and a “beacon of knowledge,” and he used his online platforms to sell trading courses and trade suggestions to his followers. One of THOM’s platforms was a Facebook group called, at relevant times, the “K$ Trading Group” (the “K$ Facebook Group”), in which THOM posted the results of his purportedly successful trades. Beginning in late 2023, THOM invited members of the K$ Facebook Group to participate in “shared accounts” that THOM would manage in exchange for a percentage of the trading profits. THOM eventually raised nearly $800,000 from approximately 67 clients. Of this sum, THOM invested only approximately $350,000, diverting most of the remainder for his own personal use, including on travel, dining, and luxury goods. Of the $350,000 that THOM invested, he lost more than $250,000 trading options, for a net loss of approximately 73% between in or around March 2024 and March 2025. To hide these losses, THOM published false performance updates showing significant gains. For example, on or around July 3, 2024, THOM posted in the K$ Facebook Group that each of his three purported shared accounts was positive year-to-date, with returns ranging from 4% to 120%. In fact, as of the close of the preceding trading day, THOM had lost approximately 31% of the client funds he invested to date. In or about January 2025, the name of the K$ Facebook Group was changed to “AYBABTU”—an acronym for the Internet meme “all your base are belong to us”—and THOM stopped responding to clients. * * * THOM, 42, of Westfield, New Jersey, pled guilty to investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Li is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Tennessee Woman Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Create and Distribute Videos Depicting Monkey Torture and Mutilation

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: A Tennessee woman was sentenced today to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with her involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys. Katrina Favret, of Greeneville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2025, to conspiring to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos,” and with creating animal crush videos. According to court documents, Favret used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to create videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. Favret would send specific instructions describing the acts of torture she wished to see and would then distribute the resulting videos to others in the online group. According to a statement of facts Favret signed, the videos in question included numerous depictions of extreme violence and torture against monkeys that had been specifically requested by the defendant and her co-conspirators. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.


title: St. Cloud Man Indicted for Trafficking a Minor while Stationed at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Justin Vancott-Harnish (29, St. Cloud) has been charged by federal indictment for trafficking of a minor. If convicted, Vancott-Harnish faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment, between February 28 and March 28, 2025, at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station – a location within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, while a U.S. Antarctic Program subcontract employee, Vancott-Harnish solicited a minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act. 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 U.S. National Science Foundation – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the St. Cloud Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson for the Middle District of Florida and Department of Justice Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Norfolk man convicted on federal drug trafficking and firearms charges

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man yesterday on charges of using a drug involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 18, 2025, law enforcement searched the Norfolk residence of James Edward Sweat, 40. Agents located two firearms, including a shotgun and a handgun, and six ammunition magazines, including a 100-round drum magazine. Agents also found three separate kits to manufacture drugs, 14.3 grams of crack cocaine, fentanyl packaged for sale, and nine types of ammunition. Sweat was previously convicted of abduction, two counts of robbery, and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. As a convicted felon, Sweat cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Sweat faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 14. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from the Chesapeake Police Department and Norfolk Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Megan M. Montoya are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-5. U.S. Attorney's Office U.S. Attorney's Office U.S. Attorney's Office


title: Former Philadelphia Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Violating Inmates’ Civil Rights, Falsifying Use-of-Force Reports

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Christopher Knight, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond on five counts of depriving individuals of their civil rights under color of law and two counts of falsifying records. The defendant was charged by indictment in May of last year. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, while working as a prison guard at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, Knight pepper-sprayed five subdued victims in a matter of months. On January 8, 2023, Knight blasted his first victim with pepper spray while the victim was lying face down on the ground with his hands behind his back. Knight then continued to spray the victim, striking him during the handcuffing process and after he was handcuffed. Two days later, Knight pepper-sprayed another handcuffed victim while the victim was being escorted down a hallway by another guard. Later that day, Knight struck his third victim with spray while the victim was returning to his cell, and Knight continued to pepper-spray this victim after he was handcuffed. On March 20, 2023, Knight attacked his fourth victim, blasting the victim with spray while the victim was writing on a piece of paper and not posing a threat. Knight continued to spray this victim while he was lying on the ground in pain. Then, on March 24, 2023, Knight attacked his fifth victim, striking the victim with spray, even though he was lying face down on the ground. Knight falsified multiple use-of-force reports by knowingly omitting key details of his attacks when describing his own actions. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum possible term of 90 years’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Priya DeSouza and Michael Miller.


title: North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty To Music Streaming Fraud Aided By Artificial Intelligence

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the guilty plea today of MICHAEL SMITH for his role in a scheme to defraud music streaming platforms and musicians of royalty payments. To carry out the scheme, SMITH created hundreds of thousands of songs with artificial intelligence and used automated programs called “bots” to fraudulently stream his AI-generated songs billions of times, in an effort to mimic the genuine streaming activity of real consumers. SMITH pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl. “Michael Smith generated thousands of fake songs using artificial intelligence and then streamed those fake songs billions of times,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Although the songs and listeners were fake, the millions of dollars Smith stole was real. Millions of dollars in royalties that Smith diverted from real, deserving artists and rights holders. Smith’s brazen scheme is over, as he stands convicted of a federal crime for his AI-assisted fraud.” According to the charging documents and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings: Music can be streamed through music streaming platforms such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music (the “Streaming Platforms”). Each time a song is streamed through one of the Streaming Platforms, the songwriter who composed the song, the musician who performed it, and in certain cases other rights holders, are entitled to small royalty payments. Royalty payments are made proportionately to musicians and songwriters from a pool of funds. As a result, streaming fraud diverts funds from musicians and songwriters whose songs were legitimately streamed by real consumers to those who use automation to falsely create the appearance of legitimate streaming. SMITH created thousands of accounts on the Streaming Platforms (the “Bot Accounts”) that he could use to stream songs. He then used software to cause the Bot Accounts to continuously stream songs that he owned. SMITH spread his automated streams across thousands of songs to avoid anomalous streaming as to any single song, which would likely cause the Streaming Platforms to discover his scheme. To obtain the necessary number of songs for his scheme to succeed, SMITH turned to artificial intelligence, which he used to create hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs for which he could manipulate the streams. SMITH’s hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs were streamed by his Bot Accounts billions of times, which allowed him to fraudulently obtain more than $8 million in royalties. * * * SMITH, 54, of Cornelius, North Carolina, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. SMITH also agreed to pay $8,091,843.64 in forfeiture. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. SMITH is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Koeltl on July 29, 2026. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Ford Motor Company and Borough of Ringwood to Perform Final Cleanup Targeting Groundwater at Ringwood Mines/Landfill Site in New Jersey

body_text: Ford Motor Company (Ford) and the Borough of Ringwood, New Jersey, have agreed to a consent decree with the United States under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund law. This agreement requires Ford and Ringwood to perform the final phase of cleanup, known as Operable Unit 3, at the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site located in Ringwood, New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Administrator of the New Jersey Spill Compensation Fund are also parties to the agreement as co-plaintiffs with the United States. The cleanup, expected to cost $3.4 million, addresses benzene, 1,4-dioxane, and lead contamination in groundwater and mine water associated with the historic disposal of paint sludge and other industrial waste at the Site. In the future, this groundwater may be used as a drinking water source for nearby communities. But today, use of the contaminated groundwater would pose an unacceptable health risk to those communities; this risk will be addressed by the cleanup required by this settlement. The approximately 500-acre Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site is located in a historic iron mining district and includes forested land, abandoned mine pits and shafts, a closed municipal landfill, and areas currently used as state parkland, utility corridors, and municipal property. Several brooks drain the site and ultimately flow to the Wanaque Reservoir, a drinking water source for more than two million New Jersey residents. From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, portions of the site were used to dispose of waste materials, including paint sludge and other industrial waste generated at Ford’s automobile assembly plant in Mahwah, New Jersey. Investigations found that some of these materials contributed to contamination in soil, groundwater, surface water, and mine shafts. The site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1983, removed in 1994 after cleanup actions were completed, and restored to the list in 2006 following the discovery of additional contamination. EPA divided the site into multiple cleanup areas, known as operable units. Cleanup work under Operable Unit 2, which addresses contaminated soil, waste, and fill material in several former mine and disposal areas, is nearing completion under a consent decree entered in 2020. The agreement addressing Operable Unit 3 at the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site represents the final stage of cleanup, bringing to a close over four decades of investigation and remedial work. For more information about the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site, visit www.epa.gov/superfund/ringwood-mines . Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement. EPA investigated the case. ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section is handling the case. The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The settlement is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing on the Justice Department’s website at: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees .


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal Possession of Stolen, Loaded Firearm

body_text: WASHINGTON -- Charles E. General, 29, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a stolen, loaded handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. General pleaded guilty on Nov. 5, 2025, before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, Judge Mehta ordered General to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on Oct. 13, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department investigators in plain-clothes observed General and others smoking marijuana in a parking lot in the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE. As officers approached, they smelled marijuana and told the group they could not smoke on the street. Officers conducted a lawful frisk of General, during which an officer felt a firearm in his coat pocket. General was placed in handcuffs, and a search incident to arrest recovered a loaded Glock 30S .45 caliber pistol from his outer right coat pocket. The Glock had been reported stolen from a Federal Firearms Licensee in Springfield, Virginia, that had been burglarized. General previously had been convicted in D.C. Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a license — the prior felony that made his firearm possession in this case a federal offense. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole as part of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 23cr402 Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Illegal Aliens from Mexico Indicted for Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine Related to a Clandestine Lab in Calaveras County

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against five illegal aliens from Mexico, charging them with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, as well as various other drug trafficking and firearms offenses, Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today. “These illegal aliens allegedly operated a secret lab on American soil producing thousands of pounds of deadly drugs to poison our communities,” said Attorney General Bondi. “This clandestine and illegal operation has now been dismantled — we will continue protecting Americans from the dangerous results of the prior administration’s open-border policies.” Luis Reyna Carrillo, 33, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; two counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and being an alien in possession of a firearm. Carrillo’s wife Mariana Vanessa Mendoza Camacho, 33, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and two counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Juan Jesus Manriquez Diaz, 31, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and being an alien in possession of ammunition. Alvaro Rosales, 44, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Manuel Juan Madrid Perez, 38, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; three counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Perez is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in California including a conviction on Sept. 19, 2022, for false imprisonment and preventing a victim from reporting a crime. According to Department of Homeland Security records, Carrillo and Camacho arrived in the United States in March 2021 and were given a notice to appear. Diaz was previously removed from the United States in 2018. Rosales was removed in August 2024. According to court documents, in October 2025, law enforcement authorities began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization suspected of manufacturing methamphetamine in a remote area of Calaveras County. During the investigation, Carrillo and his associates were identified as part of that conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. On Feb. 27, 2026, multiple law enforcement agencies engaged in a coordinated operation and executed search warrants at three locations connected to Carrillo and his associates in Valley Springs, Turlock, and Modesto, California. While executing the search warrants, law enforcement located a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Calaveras County. They seized approximately 1,430 pounds of methamphetamine and 1,270 pounds of suspected methamphetamine in a partially processed state. Law enforcement agencies searched two additional residences in Stanislaus County that were associated with Carrillo and his associates. In Turlock, law enforcement located and seized an additional 300 pounds of methamphetamine packaged for distribution, nine firearms, and multiple magazines and rounds of ammunition. In Modesto, they seized 2 pounds of methamphetamine, 107 pounds of processed marijuana, 1,900 marijuana plants, and three firearms. As aliens, Carrillo and Diaz are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, and Perez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions. This case is the product of an investigation by the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit in coordination with Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET), the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, the Sacramento Area Intelligence Narcotics Team (SAINT), the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caily Nelson is prosecuting the case. If convicted on the drug-trafficking charges, Carrillo, Camacho, Diaz, Rosales, and Perez each face a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Carrillo, Diaz, and Perez face additional penalties if convicted of the firearm- or ammunition-related offenses. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Sacramento comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.


title: Former Fairview Township Tax Collector Sentenced To 20 Months’ Imprisonment For Embezzling $400,000 In Property Taxes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Karen McGinnis, age 46, of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 17, 2026, by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick to 20 months of imprisonment following her conviction for embezzling public funds. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from March 2023 to January 2025, McGinnis was the tax collector for Fairview Township responsible for collecting property taxes from the residents of Fairview Township, including taxes payable to the Township, Luzerne County, and the Crestwood School District. During that timeframe, McGinnis embezzled more than $400,000 in property taxes and converted them to her own personal use by writing checks to herself from the tax collector bank accounts she maintained and controlled. Both Luzerne County and the Crestwood School District received more than $10,000 from the federal government via grants and other programs during this timeframe. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Judge Mehalchick sentenced McGinnis to three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered McGinnis to pay restitution in the amount of $367,088.35 to the victims of her crime. McGinnis previously paid approximately $40,000 back into the tax collector bank accounts prior to her crime being discovered. Following McGinnis’s sentence, Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office, noted, “IRS–Criminal Investigation is essential in embezzlement cases, where complex financial trails require expert investigation.” The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case. # # #


component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Previously Deported Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States and Distributing Methamphetamine CONCORD – A Dominican man pleaded guilty today in federal court to immigration and drug offenses, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Joel Castillo-Soto, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, specifically methamphetamine, and one count of reentry after deportation. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Samantha Elliot scheduled Castillo-Soto’s sentencing for June 25, 2026. According to the court documents and statements made in court, beginning in early 2024, the DEA began an investigation into an unknown individual who was selling multiple-ounce quantities of methamphetamine in the Rochester, New Hampshire area. During the investigation, a DEA cooperating source (or “CS”) communicated with Ariel Castillo-Solano, who was using the identity of Jose Antonio Santiago, an American citizen from Puerto Rico. Between October 21, 2024 and January 10, 2025, the DEA, using a CS and a DEA undercover Task Force Officer negotiated several sales totaling more than five pounds of methamphetamine from Castillo-Solano. Between January 10, 2025 and January 23, 2025, Castillo-Solano arranged to sell the undercover officer an additional 15 pounds of methamphetamine, about 21 ounces cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl. They agreed to a purchase price of $69,000. On January 24, 2025, Castillo-Solano met the undercover officer in a parking lot in Seabrook, where Castillo-Solano stated that his “brother,” later identified as the defendant, Joel Castillo-Soto, would be arriving in an Uber to deliver the product. Thereafter, Castillo-Soto arrived and delivered the methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl to the undercover officer, at which point the DEA arrested both Castillo-Solano and Castillo-Soto. Castillo-Solano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on March 12, 2016. The charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance carries a sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration, not less than 3 years of supervised release, and a fine up to $1,000,000. The charge of illegal reentry after a conviction of a qualifying felony carries a sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration, not less than 3 years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Honduras Illegal Alien Sentenced To 24 Months In Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nelson Geovany Pineda-Chacon, age 31, an alien illegally residing in the United States, was sentenced yesterday to 24 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for illegal possession of a firearm. According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on May 7, 2024, authorities responded to Pineda-Chacon’s residence in Bloomsburg, Columbia County, Pennsylvania for a report of “shots fired.” Upon arrival, officers located three spent 9-millimeter shell casings and a 9-millimeter bullet in Pineda-Chacon’s driveway. Additional 9-millimeter ammunition was located in a truck parked in the driveway. During an interview with law enforcement, Pineda-Chacon admitted to getting into an argument with his spouse and discharging a firearm several times into the ground to “relieve stress.” Pineda-Chacon admitted to hiding the firearm in his basement. Officers seized a loaded 9-millimeter Beretta handgun from the basement of Pineda-Chacon’s home. As an alien illegally living in the United States, Pineda-Chacon was ineligible to possess a firearm. Pineda-Chacon is a citizen and national of Honduras. In 2009, Pineda-Chacon illegally entered the United States. At the time of the offense, he was in removal proceedings. The investigation was conducted by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Montour Township Police Department, and the Catawissa Police Department. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. # # #


title: Pittsburgh Attorney Charged with Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million From Incline Preservation Society for Which He Served as Board President

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, attorney has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud and money laundering, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The 10-count Indictment named Christopher Furman, 53, of Pittsburgh, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, in 2020, Furman was selected President of the Board of Trustees for the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline—the organization that has operated the Duquesne Incline since the Society’s founding in 1964—based on his history as a former employee of the incline and familiarity with the incline’s mechanical operations, as well as his background as an attorney. In his role as President of the Board, Furman was neither authorized to view the Society’s bank accounts nor to use its money for personal purposes. The Indictment alleges that, from October 2024 to September 2025, Furman transferred approximately $1,379,300 from the Society’s bank accounts into his own account via more than 25 electronic transactions. Furman then transferred that money to an online cryptocurrency exchange and digital asset management platform, where he purchased and sold cryptocurrency for his personal profit. At each count of wire fraud, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of the greater of $250,000 or an alternative of twice the gross pecuniary gain, or both. At each count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from wire fraud (money laundering), the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of the greater of $250,000 or an alternative of twice the amount of criminally derived property, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Bridgeville Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – A Bridgeville man was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for trafficking over 10 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall imposed the sentence. According to court documents, Terry Hammond, 31, was pulled over by the Bridgeville Police Department on March 8, 2024, while driving an improperly registered Chevrolet Silverado. During the traffic stop, a drug-sniffing dog detected the smell of drugs in the car. When officers attempted to search the car, Hammond forcibly resisted arrest. The search ultimately revealed approximately 10.5 kilograms of cocaine packaged in brick form, a loaded semiautomatic pistol, ammunition, a digital scale, and nearly $16,000 in cash. On May 7, 2024, less than two months after his initial arrest and while on state pretrial release, Hammond was arrested again by the Delaware State Police following a foot pursuit. Authorities recovered nearly $3,000 in cash from his person, as well as an additional $27,000 in currency, over 100 grams of cocaine, and roughly 117 bags of suspected fentanyl in the area where he had been spotted. Hammond pleaded guilty on November 5, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. “Terry Hammond demonstrated a blatant disregard for the safety of our community and the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “He transported over 10 kilograms of cocaine—a wholesale quantity—alongside a loaded firearm. He resisted arrest when he was caught the first time. And when he was caught the second time—reoffending while on pretrial release—he ran from the police. My office will continue to work relentlessly alongside our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who bring illegal guns and deadly drugs into Delaware.” “Yesterday’s sentence ensures that Terry Hammond is held fully accountable for continuing to endanger our communities through armed drug trafficking, even after being granted pretrial release,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Eric McLoughlin. “This case highlights the serious threat posed by drug traffickers who carry firearms, resist arrest, and persist in their crimes despite court oversight. HSI, together with the Bridgeville Police Department, Delaware State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to aggressively pursue those who bring narcotics and gun violence into Delaware neighborhoods and ensure they face the full consequences of their actions.” The Bridgeville Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-55-JLH. ###


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for  Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man, Bryant Adams, 43, was sentenced on Thursday to 120 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement used a cooperating witness to purchase 55.9 grams of methamphetamine from Adams on August 28, 2024. Adams agreed to make another sale of methamphetamine on September 3, 2024, and law enforcement arrested Adams when he arrived at the designated pickup location. Adams was found with 80.2 grams of methamphetamine and admitted distributing approximately one pound of methamphetamine per week in the six months leading up to his arrest. Under federal law, Adams must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert J. Thomas, 30, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2024, Thomas possessed a Glock Model 27 .40-caliber pistol in the Jefferson area of Kanawha County. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Thomas knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 9, 2019. Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-40. ###


title: Mississippi Man Ordered to Pay $31 Million for Role in Healthcare Kickback Scheme

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that the United States has obtained a civil judgment against a Batesville, Mississippi man for his role in orchestrating a commission-based referral scheme targeting federal healthcare programs, in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Anti-Kickback Statute. On March 16, 2026, a federal judge entered judgment against 67-year-old Robert L. Crites, the owner of Health Services Plus and TriCom, LLC, and a contractor of Extraordinary Scripts, Inc., in the amount of $31,039,134.82. According to court records, Crites and others associated with Extraordinary Scripts participated in an illegal kickback scheme in which they identified and referred patients across the country to Cloverland Pharmacy in Montgomery, Alabama. Crites primarily recruited beneficiaries of TRICARE, the health care program for members of the U.S. military and their families. In turn, the pharmacy paid Crites and his co-conspirators kickbacks for each referral. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving of compensation to induce referrals for items or services reimbursable by federally funded healthcare programs. The statute is designed to safeguard medical decision-making by ensuring that patient care is not influenced by improper financial incentives. The $31,039,134.82 judgment against Crite includes $16,342,424.82 in damages — which is three times the $5,447,474.94 in losses sustained by TRICARE — as required under the False Claims Act, as well as $14,696,710 in civil penalties imposed by the court. Crites was the last remaining defendant in the case. The United States previously settled with five other co-defendants named in the suit as well as others involved in a parallel civil forfeiture action. This matter reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to combating healthcare fraud and protecting the integrity of federal healthcare programs. The False Claims Act remains one of the government’s most effective tools in this effort. This case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was handled for the United States by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen D. Wadsworth.


title: 2 Foreign Nationals Among 11 Arrested on Charges They Used Stolen Identities to Fraudulently Obtain Loans Backed by Properties

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Eleven defendants – including two foreign nationals – were arrested today on a 15-count federal indictment charging them with executing a scheme in which they stole the identities of elderly victims, used that information to obtain title reports for residential properties, then solicited millions of dollars in hard money loans from private lenders by falsely representing the loans as being secured by the elderly victims’ properties. The following defendants were arrested this morning and all but two of them are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles: Nazaret Chakrian, 65, a.k.a. “Niko,” of Hollywood; Arnold Moradians, 57, a.k.a. “Julian,” of Hollywood, an Iranian national who has an outstanding warrant for removal from the United States; Avetis Hekimyan, 38, a.k.a. “Chef Avo,” of North Hollywood; Ross Tarkhan, 32, of Glendale; Tigran Hovanesian, 56, of Glendale; Armen Vardevaryan, 55, a.k.a. “Gonch,” of North Hollywood; Craig Higdon, 66, of Naples, Florida, who will make his initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida; Helen Spangler, 62, of Oakdale, California, who will make her initial appearance in the Eastern District of California; Victor Lossi, 43, of Thousand Oaks; and Marine Sarkisian, 49, of Hollywood, an Azerbaijani national and green card holder. The following defendant arrested today is expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Los Angeles federal court: Cynthia Borjas, 51, of Koreatown. All defendants except Hovanesian are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and seven counts of wire fraud. Chakrian, Moradians, Borjas, Hekimyan, Tarkhan, Spangler, Lossi, and Sarkisian are charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Chakrian, Moradians, Tarkhan, and Hovanesian are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Tarkhan is further charged with five counts of money laundering. “There is no shortage of massive fraud occurring within California,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Today’s operation represents one of many sophisticated schemes used by criminals – including foreign nationals – to defraud U.S. citizens and taxpayers of their hard-earned property. Those days are over under this U.S. Department of Justice. These defendants will be facing significant prison time for their charged conduct.” “The growing problem of title fraud victimizes homeowners and lenders, many of whom are elderly and have their identities stolen, in addition to their hard-earned money,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “An investigation by the FBI Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force, LAPD, and other law enforcement partners led to today's arrests of multiple perpetrators of this cruel scheme who now face lengthy prison sentences.” “The defendants didn’t just steal identities, they used those stolen identities to secure high value real estate loans, fabricate financial documents, and move millions of dollars through a maze of fraudulent businesses and funnel accounts,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office. “Our agents traced every wire, every transfer, and every shell account to expose the financial backbone of this conspiracy. This indictment sends a clear message, IRS CI will dismantle the money pipelines that allow complex fraud schemes to flourish, and we will hold accountable those who profit from exploiting our financial system.” According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on February 5, from January 2021 to May 2023, Chakrian and Moradians fraudulently obtained the personal identifying information (PII) of elderly victims. The victims owned properties in Santa Monica and in the following Los Angeles neighborhoods: Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Westwood, and Chinatown. Chakrian and Higdon then used the victims’ PII to create counterfeit identification documents. Borjas and Hekimyan created email accounts in the victims’ names to impersonate them. Using the victims’ PII, the fraudulent ID documents, and the fraudulent email addresses, Chakrian, Moradians, Hekimyan, Vardevaryan, and Spangler misrepresented themselves as the victims’ agents, brokers, representatives or relatives, and submitted fraudulent applications to private money lenders for hard money loans secured by the victims’ properties. Chakrian, Hekimyan, Higdon, and Spangler created false and fabricated documents – including bank statements, rental agreements, doctors’ notes, and death certificates – to the lenders. These documents contained lies about the victims’ identities, assets, finances, and health as well as the loan proceeds’ intended purpose, and the types of properties being used to secure the loans. Upon receiving closing documents from the lenders, Chakrian, Hekimyan, Lossi, and Sarkisian caused the documents to be fraudulently notarized and signed by individuals representing the victims. Tarkhan used stolen PII to create synthetic identities – profiles or ID documents combining fictitious profile information with real victim PII. Using these synthetic identities, Tarkhan caused bank accounts to be opened under false names. These accounts were used to funnel proceeds derived from the scheme. Private money lenders relied on the false statements, misrepresentations, and certifications to cause funds to be disbursed via check and wire to mailboxes and bank accounts controlled by Chakrian, Tarkhan, and others. The total intended loss in this case is approximately $17.4 million, and the total actual loss is approximately $6 million. “This case reflects the relentless work of our investigators and the strong collaboration with our federal partners to unravel a complex and calculated criminal scheme,” said Interim Glendale Police Chief Robert William. “Their focus and determination ensured those responsible are held accountable and that justice is delivered.” An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each fraud- and money laundering-related count, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft count. This case is being investigated by the Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force (EOCTF) and the Los Angeles Police Department – Commercial Crimes Division. The EOCTF includes agents and task force officers from the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Glendale Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Claire E. Kelly of the General Crimes Section and Hava Mirell of the Criminal Appeals Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Five Members of Sex Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Nearly 120 Years in Prison

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Five defendants were sentenced today for a total of nearly 120 years in prison for their participation in a violent sex trafficking ring led by Kimani Jones, 32, also known as Statik. Jones was sentenced to 54 years in prison, and his father Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as Bayrock, both of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Jones and Lambert were previously convicted of multiple charges of sex trafficking following a 5-day trial in October 2025. The court also ordered the defendants to pay $1,010,926.50 and $510,850 in restitution respectively to the victims. Three additional co-defendants, who previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case, were also sentenced for their respective roles in the sex trafficking ring. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, of Notasulga, Alabama, was sentenced to 235 months in prison and ordered to pay $3,200 in restitution. Daryle Gardner, 32, of Marbury, Alabama, was sentenced to 195 months in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution. Aleecia Scott, 30, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 36 months of probation and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution. “Today’s lengthy sentences reflect the heinous and depraved conduct of the defendants, who abused numerous women and girls for years,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to rooting out sex trafficking in the United States, seeking lengthy sentences for perpetrators and obtaining restitution for survivors so they can rebuild their lives. I thank the prosecutors and law enforcement who tirelessly pursued what was right and brought this case to a just conclusion.” “These defendants preyed on vulnerable individuals and subjected them to exploitation for their own profit,” said Acting US. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “We hope these sentences provide a measure of justice for the victims and send a clear message that this office, along with our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue those who engage in human trafficking.” Evidence presented during the trial showed that for five years, Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation and forced women and girls to participate through violence and abuse. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts; and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn each day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation, but instead, lived off the earnings of the sex trafficking and frequently flaunted the money that he made on social media. To execute the operation, Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. For instance, the jury heard evidence that on one occasion Jones grabbed a victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her across the floor for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one individual’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, threatened to hurt them, and in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing and shooting firearms within the victims’ presence. He also facilitated addiction to drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit. Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s sex trafficking scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Bowe, Gardner and Scott played various roles for Jones as enforcers, monitors, and drivers. Jones was convicted at trial of two counts of sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud and coercion; five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; one count of interstate transportation of a minor for purposes of prostitution; and one count of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. Lambert was convicted at trial of three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. Bowe and Gardner pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and Scott pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. Homeland Security Investigations, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case. Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


body_text: Real Estate Developer Indicted for Multimillion Dollar Loan Fraud CONCORD – A Bow resident and real estate developer was indicted for fraudulently obtaining a $3.8 million loan, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Charles Sargent, 37, was charged with Bank Fraud. According to the indictment, Sargent was a real estate developer who sought to purchase the Chase Block Building located at 1037-1045 Elm Street in Manchester. The true owner of the Chase Block Building sold the property for $2.7 million to a person acting at Sargent’s direction. Sargent then took possession of the Chase Block Building. However, to get a $3.8 million loan, Sargent claimed he purchased the Chase Block Building for $4.7 million and sent the lender fabricated bank statements, leases, and checks. The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of the Inspector General and FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: March Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Quincy Jay Adams. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country. Adams, 32, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with assaulting the victim with a firearm, intending to do harm. Additionally, he is charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting his intimate dating partner by strangulation. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-106 Vismar Erick Atahuichi Alanoca. Advertising to Receive, Exchange, Produce, Display, Distribute, and Reproduce Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Alanoca, 38, a Bolivian national, is charged with advertising to exchange child pornography. He is further charged with knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-088 Venkateswara Chagamreddy*. Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Demand Money and Property While Falsely Impersonating a Federal Officer; and Conspiracy to Obstruct, Delay, and Affect Commerce by Extortion (superseding). Chagamreddy, 27, a citizen of India, is charged with conspiring with others to defraud a Delaware County resident and demanding money or property while impersonating a federal officer. Further, he is charged with knowingly conspiring to obstruct and affect commerce by extortion. Homeland Security Investigations and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Greenough and Augustus Forster are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-441 Abram Lee Hiram Hobbs. False Statements Made to an Agency of the United States. Hobbs, 51, of Burbank, is charged with making false statements about a plot to kill an Assistant United States Attorney. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Osage County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Michel is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-089 Stephen Dale Homer. Production of Child Pornography; International Production of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; Attempt to Tamper with Records and Proceedings (superseding). Homer, 57, of McAlester and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with using a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material. He also coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct outside of the United States for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the sexually explicit conduct. This visual depiction was then transported to the United States. Homer is additionally charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. Lastly, Homer attempted to destroy a record with the intent to impair its use in an official proceeding. The FBI Tulsa, the FBI Charlotte, the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Nathan Michel are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Western District of North Carolina USAO. 25-CR-171 Carlos Javier Diaz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Diaz, 43, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in January and October 2006 and in July 2007. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-099 Matthew Don Kernal. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Kernal, 34, transient and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with deliberately and maliciously stabbing and killing Robert Shearhart with premeditation and malicious intent. The FBI, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Blithe Cravens are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-097 Rogelio Trejo Martinez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Trejo Martinez, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. He is additionally charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while engaging in drug trafficking. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-090 Noah McClary. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country; Tampering with a Victim by Intimidation and Threats. McClary, 42, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with assaulting his spouse by strangulation. He is accused of assaulting his spouse, which resulted in bodily injury. Further, McClary is charged with knowingly using intimidation and threats to prevent a witness from testifying in an official proceeding. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blithe Cravens is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-096 Michael Edgar Ray. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Ray, 51, of Valley Center, Kansas, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while engaging in drug trafficking. Additionally, Ray is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-095 Angel Rivera Escelante. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Rivera Escelante, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. Homeland Security Investigations and the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-108 Luis Alberto Rodriguez Ruvalcaba. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez Ruvalcava, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in March 2014 and in March 2016. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-109 Artenio Jairro Torres. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Torres, 40, a transient, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender. He is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from December 2025 through February 2026. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-091 Raul Vasquez Escarcega; Jose Ramon Rivas Alanis. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Counts 1 and 2). Vasquez Escarcega, 46, a Mexican national, and Rivas Alanis, 23, a Mexican national, are separately charged with possessing several firearms and assorted ammunition, knowing they are unlawfully residing in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Michel is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-098 Raheem Travon Walker. Escape from Federal Custody. Walker, 23, of Muskogee, is charged with escaping federal custody and knowingly departing the Turley Residential Center without permission. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-094 *Venkateswara Chagamreddy was tried by a federal jury in April 2026. He was found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Chagamreddy was acquitted of Conspiracy to Demand Money and Property While Falsely Impersonating a Federal Officer; and Conspiracy to Obstruct, Delay, and Affect Commerce by Extortion.


title: Saratoga County Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking  Family Member of Slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shane Daley, age 40, of Galway, New York, pled guilty today to cyberstalking for sending harassing and threatening voicemail messages to a family member of murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. As part of the guilty plea, Daley admitted that between December 4 and 7, 2024, beginning just hours after Thompson’s murder in midtown Manhattan, Daley placed multiple calls to a work phone line used by a member of Thompson’s family. Daley further admitted that in a series of voicemail messages, Daley used threatening and harassing language that focused on, among other things, Thompson’s killing, expressed satisfaction over the fact and manner of his death, and stated that the victim and Thompson’s children deserved to meet the same violent end. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Shane Daley celebrated the cold-blooded murder of Brian Thompson and senselessly tried to maximize the Thompson family’s suffering. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that federal law enforcement will not tolerate such sickening conduct. I commend the hard work of the FBI and members of my office and the Southern District of New York for bringing Daley to justice.” Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said: “Shane Daley’s conviction is just and sends two important messages. We will protect victims – Daley tormented the family of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, after Thompson’s 2024 murder. This reprehensible conduct demands swift justice. Also, and more broadly, threats and other acts of violence, particularly when motivated by commercial, social, political, or religious factors, are not acceptable in our free society. Freedom means freedom from violence. We thank the women and men of the Northern District for protecting those freedoms. Today’s federal conviction reflects the grave and calculated nature of Daley’s criminal actions and underscores this Office’s unwavering commitment to aggressively prosecuting those who target and terrorize victims through stalking and harassment. This outcome was achieved in close partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, demonstrating the strength of coordinated federal efforts to hold offenders accountable and protect victims.” James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said: “Just hours after Brian Thompson’s brutal public murder, Shane Daley repeatedly terrorized a grieving family by glorifying the loss of their loved one and threatening similar fates. The FBI does not tolerate those who hide behind screens and keyboards to exploit the suffering of others for senseless torment.” Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Daley faces a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal of the Northern District of New York and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic A. Gentile of the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case.


title: Rehoboth Man Arrested for Sexually Exploiting Multiple Minors

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Rehoboth man has been arrested and charged with allegedly sexually exploiting four minor females between 12 and 16 years old. Christopher Mota, 29, was charged by criminal complaint with four counts of sexual exploitation of children. Mota was arrested this morning in Rehoboth and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston later today. On June 5, 2025, Mota was scheduled to board a flight from Boston Logan International Airport to Aruba. During a border search of Mota’s luggage, an iPhone 16 Pro Max. was observed which contained a hidden folder in the Photos application containing apparent child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). The device was subsequently seized. During a recorded interview by federal authorities Mota admitted that he stored CSAM in a hidden folder on his phone and that he obtained CSAM from minors via Snapchat, text and Telegram. Mota allegedly stated that he estimated he has received CSAM from approximately 20 to 25 minor girls. When asked how many images or videos of CSAM he has received, Mota allegedly stated, “it’s a lot” and said, “probably hundreds.” A preliminary forensic review of Mota’s phone revealed that he had sexually explicit communications and exchanges of CSAM with at least four identified minor females, whose identities are known to law enforcement. The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office and Rehoboth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Justice Department Resolves Foreign Bribery Investigation with Balt SAS; Healthcare Executive and Sales Consultant Indicted in Alleged Years-Long Foreign Bribery Scheme

body_text: The Department of Justice announced today a resolution of a foreign bribery investigation into Balt SAS (Balt), a medical device company headquartered in France, relating to an alleged scheme to pay bribes to a physician who served in a senior role at a state-owned public hospital in France (the Official), in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Pursuant to the resolution, under Part I of the Justice Department’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP), because Balt voluntarily self-disclosed the misconduct, fully cooperated with the Department’s investigation, and timely and appropriately remediated the wrongdoing, the Department declined to prosecute Balt, which agreed to pay approximately $1.2 million in disgorgement. In addition to the Department’s enforcement action, the Parquet National Financier (PNF) in France entered into a coordinated resolution with Balt following a court hearing earlier today. Separately, a federal grand jury in the Central District of California returned an indictment on March 4, 2026, charging two businessmen for their roles in the alleged years-long criminal scheme. David Ferrera, 58, of Coto de Caza, California, worked as an executive at Balt’s U.S. subsidiary. Marc Tilman, 68, of Belgium, was hired by Balt’s U.S. subsidiary as a consultant. According to court documents, between approximately 2017 and continuing into 2023, Ferrera, Tilman, and others allegedly paid bribes to the Official in order for the Official to cause the hospital to purchase medical devices — specifically, endovascular embolization coils and ancillary products — from Balt. As alleged, Ferrera caused Balt to make corrupt payments — disguised as purported consulting fees and bonuses — to Tilman, knowing that Tilman would pay a portion of those funds to the Official as bribes. To conceal the scheme, the co-conspirators allegedly used sham consulting agreements, fake invoices, and personal email accounts. “Today’s resolution – the first ever under the Department-wide Corporate Enforcement Policy – demonstrates the value of voluntarily self-reporting wrongdoing to the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This corporate resolution, which is coordinated with our foreign partners at the PNF in France, credits Balt’s self-report to the Department as well as its full cooperation and timely remediation. Our related indictment of two individuals associated with Balt demonstrates the Criminal Division’s unwavering pursuit of culpable individuals that engage in corrupt conduct.” “Ferrera and Tilman allegedly conspired to pay bribes to a French physician, who in turn caused a hospital in France to purchase medical devices from their company,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Let their indictment serve as a testament to the FBI's long reach. When corruption extends beyond our borders, the FBI works with our international partners to bring individuals to justice.” The Department declined prosecution of Balt based on an assessment of the factors set forth in the Department-wide CEP and the Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations (Justice Manual 9-28.300), including, but not limited to: (1) Balt’s timely and voluntary self-disclosure of the misconduct, which was identified during an internal investigation that was ongoing at the time of the disclosure; (2) Balt’s full and proactive cooperation in this matter (including its provision of all known relevant facts of the misconduct and information regarding the individuals involved) and its agreement to continue to cooperate with any ongoing Department investigations and any prosecutions that have resulted or might result in the future; (3) the nature and seriousness of the offense; (4) Balt’s timely and appropriate remediation, including disciplinary action against relevant personnel, termination of the business relationships that gave rise to the misconduct, tailored compliance training for Balt senior management, and improvements to its compliance program and internal controls; (5) the absence of aggravating circumstances that, when weighed against Balt’s voluntary self-disclosure, cooperation, and remediation, would warrant a disposition other than a resolution under Part I of the CEP; (6) Balt’s acceptance of responsibility for the criminal conduct and entry into a parallel resolution with authorities in France, which will also include corporate compliance requirements imposed under the French system; and (7) that Balt agrees to disgorge the amount of its ill-gotten gains. Ferrera and Tilman are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA, two counts of violating the FCPA, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the bribery conspiracy and bribery charges and 20 years in prison for each of the money laundering conspiracy and money laundering charges. The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Fraud Section Trial Attorney Patrick Brown and Senior Counsel Peter Cooch of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance. The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: California man convicted of sex trafficking victims across the United States

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle –A 33-year-old California man who compelled women into prostitution using assaults, threats, fraud, and manipulation was convicted late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle of six federal felonies related to his multi-state sex trafficking activity, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. The jury deliberated for three days following a 4-week jury trial, convicting Brandon Denzel Washington of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion, one count of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion and four counts of transporting women for the purpose of prostitution through coercion and enticement. U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2026. According to records filed in the case, Washington was charged with trafficking four different women. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on three other counts of sex trafficking. Multiple victims testified about Washington trafficking and transporting them to Washington, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Hawaii between 2014 and 2021. The sex trafficking scheme was first uncovered when a retired Bellevue Police Officer working security noticed a high number of men visiting a Bellevue luxury apartment building over a period of just a few weeks. The investigation took off from there with law enforcement investigators analyzing financial records, travel records, ads for commercial sex posted in online forums, and social media posts to identify victims of Washington’s sex trafficking activities and to gather evidence of the offenses. Four named victims testified at the trial, some describing brutal assaults and threats Washington used to keep them or other victims in his control and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars for him through commercial sex acts. When women were finally able to get free from his control, they left without any of the money they had earned. Evidence at trial showed that Washington used his victims’ earnings to fund his lifestyle, including luxury apartments in downtown Seattle, Bellevue, Las Vegas, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, designer clothes, fine dining, and luxury vehicles. Through one victim, he acquired a Bentley car worth over $120,000, which he then wrapped in gold. Washington then used his social media accounts to boast about his lifestyle in an effort to recruit other women. At trial prosecutors offered text messages and messages from social media where Washington described the hundreds of thousands of dollars he took from the women in his control. In those messages, he also discussed the violence he used to control them and the manipulation and promises he used to recruit other victims. In some text messages, Washington stated that he was searching for victims with low self-esteem or who were otherwise particularly vulnerable targets who he could force and manipulate into sex work. In closing argument Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee told the jury that Washington “used fists, lies and manipulation to get vulnerable women to support his lavish lifestyle.” Sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion is punishable up to life imprisonment. Transporting a victim for prostitution is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Bellevue Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Crisham and Celia Lee.


title: Mahoning County Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse Materials Charges

body_text: CLEVELAND – A 41-year-old Mahoning County man has been sentenced to prison for possessing more than 2,700 images and videos of children being sexually abused and using social media to receive and distribute the files. Christopher Helmick, of Youngstown, Ohio, has been sentenced to 280 months (23 years and three months) in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko, after pleading guilty in December 2025 to Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, and to Possession of Child Pornography, also known as Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $63,500 in restitution. During a search warrant executed at the defendant’s residence in July 2024, officers seized several electronic devices. Analysis of Helmick’s electronic devices led to the discovery of 1,898 images and 848 videos that depicted the sexual abuse of infants and the torture and rape of prepubescent children. In addition, investigators learned that Helmick used social media chat groups to engage with others for the purpose of exchanging CSAM. Helmick was also found to be communicating with underage girls through social media platforms. He would befriend the minors and give them his credit card number to buy sexual toys and lingerie. Helmick also sent sexually explicit photos of himself and manipulated the girls into sending him nude photos. The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Youngstown Resident Agency and the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King for the Northern District Ohio prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC . To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org , or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


body_text: Five defendants were sentenced today for a total of nearly 120 years in prison for their participation in a violent sex trafficking ring led by Kimani Jones, 32, also known as Statik. Jones was sentenced to 54 years in prison, and his father Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as Bayrock, both of Montgomery, Alabama, to 30 years in prison. Jones and Lambert were previously convicted of multiple charges of sex trafficking following a 5-day trial in October 2025. The court also ordered the defendants to pay $1,010,926.50 and $510,850 in restitution respectively to the victims. Three additional co-defendants, who previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case, were also sentenced for their respective roles in the sex trafficking ring. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, of Notasulga, Alabama, was sentenced to 235 months in prison and ordered to pay $3,200 in restitution. Daryle Gardner, 32, of Marbury, Alabama, was sentenced to 195 months in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution. Aleecia Scott, 30, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 36 months of probation and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution. “Today’s lengthy sentences reflect the heinous and depraved conduct of the defendants, who abused numerous women and girls for years,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to rooting out sex trafficking in the United States, seeking lengthy sentences for perpetrators and obtaining restitution for survivors so they can rebuild their lives. I thank the prosecutors and law enforcement who tirelessly pursued what was right and brought this case to a just conclusion.” “These defendants preyed on vulnerable individuals and subjected them to exploitation for their own profit,” said Acting US. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “We hope these sentences provide a measure of justice for the victims and send a clear message that this office, along with our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue those who engage in human trafficking.” Evidence presented during the trial showed that for five years, Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation and forced women and girls to participate through violence and abuse. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts; and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn each day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation, but instead, lived off the earnings of the sex trafficking and frequently flaunted the money that he made on social media. To execute the operation, Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. For instance, the jury heard evidence that on one occasion Jones grabbed a victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her across the floor for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one individual’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, threatened to hurt them, and in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing and shooting firearms within the victims’ presence. He also facilitated addiction to drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit. Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s sex trafficking scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Bowe, Gardner and Scott played various roles for Jones as enforcers, monitors, and drivers. Jones was convicted at trial of two counts of sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud and coercion; five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; one count of interstate transportation of a minor for purposes of prostitution; and one count of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. Lambert was convicted at trial of three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. Bowe and Gardner pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and Scott pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. Homeland Security Investigations, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case. Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Jury Convicts New York Man in Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – New York Ny., man was found guilty by a federal trial jury for fentanyl and methamphetamine conspiracy charges. Ahmaad Jarvis, 39, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, unlawful use of a communications device, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. In October of 2023, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) were conducting a Title-III wiretap investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization. As part of that investigation, law enforcement intercepted telephone calls between Jarvis and a co-conspirator wherein Jarvis discussed traveling to Los Angeles, Ca., to obtain narcotics and bring them to Springfield, Mo., for distribution. On Oct. 20, 2023, investigators conducted a traffic stop on Jarvis as he traveled from the Kansas City area, to Springfield, Mo. Jarvis’ vehicle was searched, and inside the vehicle investigators located approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 400 grams of fentanyl. Jarvis was the final remaining defendant after 13 co-defendants pleaded guilty. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Under federal statutes, Jarvis is subject to a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah R. Lucas. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Springfield, Missouri, Police Department, the Branson, Missouri, Police Department, the Taney County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office, the Greene County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Homeland Security Task Force This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.