title: Seventeen Charged in Alleged Fentanyl, Cocaine Distribution Ring in Athens

body_text: ATHENS, Ga. – U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes today announced the unsealing of two federal indictments and one criminal complaint charging a total of 17 people allegedly involved in an armed drug trafficking network accused of distributing fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances in the Athens community, with more than two dozen firearms seized and a grenade launcher in connection with the case. Thirteen federal, state and local law enforcement agencies assisted in executing 12 search warrants in Athens and Atlanta on Aug. 26, resulting in 13 arrests. As part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement seized 26 firearms, including 12 rifles and a grenade launcher (the grenade launcher was seized at a location in Jefferson, Georgia); 26 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $780,000; 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl with an estimated street value of $60,000; approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine; 5.14 ounces of crack cocaine; 2.4 pounds of marijuana; 128 controlled pharmaceuticals; and $63,532 in cash. The initial appearances for the defendants are occurring in the U.S. Magistrate Court in Macon, Georgia. The federal indictment in Case No. 3:25-CR-00010, filed on May 14 and unsealed on Aug. 26, charges the following individuals: Alicio Yanez-Pineda, aka “Cochito,” 48, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Josue Serda, 26, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine where a person under 18 was present and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Ulises Borja, aka “Liche,” 33, of Cedartown, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Travis Arnold, aka “Trav,” 33, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, nine counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine where a person under 18 was present, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Ariel Collins, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted; Patrick Wilkins, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Edgar Jara, 27, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Tyler Parr, 27, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Gregory Robinson, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; and Deshun Muckle, 51, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted. According to the Yanez-Pineda et al indictment, from January 2024 until May 2025, Yanez-Pineda, Serda, Borja, Arnold, Wilkins, Jara, Parr, Robinson and Muckle allegedly conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in the Athens region. The indictment alleges that Arnold and Collins illegally maintained a location on Sartain Drive in Athens to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine; co-conspirator Robinson is accused of distributing fentanyl, cocaine and oxycodone from a location on Essex Court in Athens. According to the indictment, Borja served a prison sentence for a prior serious felony drug conviction and Wilkins is a convicted felon who is charged with allegedly possessing five firearms illegally. The federal indictment in Case No. 3:25-CR-00020, filed on Aug. 12 and unsealed on Aug. 26, charges the following individuals: Orlando Muckle, aka “Lando,” 51, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Joey Campbell, aka “Jay,” 41, of Winterville, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Bernard Walker, aka “Nard,” 53, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and five counts of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Lanier Cooper, aka “Nier,” 22, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; Myles Kolbe Cooper, aka “Wop,” 27, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; and Tommy Lee Smith, 65, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted. According to the Muckle et al indictment, the defendants allegedly conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than five kilograms of cocaine and cocaine base in the Athens region beginning in October 2020. The indictment alleges that both Cooper co-conspirators distributed controlled substances from a premises on Commerce Parkway in Athens and that co-conspirator Muckle allegedly stored cocaine from an apartment on Jennings Mill Parkway in Athens. According to the indictment, Muckle, Campbell and Walker served prison sentences for prior serious felony drug convictions. A newly unsealed federal criminal complaint in Case No. 3:24-MJ-00020 charges Halie Marie Money, 26, of Jefferson, with one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user. If convicted, Money faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. According to the Money criminal complaint, Money and Serda were allegedly found unconscious in the front seat of a parked car outside the Walmart on Epps Bridge Parkway in Athens in the mid-afternoon of June 20, 2025. Oconee County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and called for an ambulance. Money was allegedly slumped over in the passenger seat with a piece of tinfoil in her lap with burn marks on it, commonly used to inhale narcotics like fentanyl; Serda was passed out in the driver’s seat with “snot and saliva” running out of his nose and mouth. After the ambulance arrived, Money and Serda woke up when their car door was opened. Deputies allegedly saw drug paraphernalia in plain view, including what appeared to be fentanyl. Deputies located a Glock pistol that Money allegedly claimed while admitting to her drug addiction. A court-authorized search of Money’s phone found alleged text conversations between Money and Serda discussing the consumption of controlled substances and Money and Parr discussing the distribution of illegal controlled substances, along with a photo of a significant amount of cash and another picture of a bag containing a large amount of drugs. In addition, law enforcement found a photo of Money cradling her baby and a Glock pistol. The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods. The FBI-Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case in partnership with FBI-Atlanta, FBI-Birmingham, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Sandy Springs Police Department, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government. An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Carrollton man sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Carrollton man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Traylan Xavier Mosley, 21, pleaded guilty to advertising child pornography and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on August 26, 2025. According to information presented in court, Mosley used photos he found online to pretend he was an attractive girl to entice teen and pre-teen boys to send him photos and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct. He then packaged the boys’ photos and videos in a compilation thumbnail image with the individual boy’s name written on top. Customers on various social media platforms would then purchase those packages, either one at a time, or in the case of one customer – the entire collection for $950 – and receive a link to access the content. Federal agents identified more than 45 children across the United States who were victimized by Mosley. Other children were unable to be identified, and leads were sent to foreign law enforcement partners when the children were located outside the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the Frisco Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller. ###


title: Bethesda Doctor Sentenced to Over a Year in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Distributing Controlled Substances

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Anissa Maroof, 48, of Potomac, Maryland, to 15 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for distributing and dispensing controlled substances. After she is released from prison, Maroof will serve the first nine months of supervised release on home detention. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). According to the facts Maroof admitted in her guilty plea, between approximately January 2019 and June 2022, Maroof knowingly caused the distributing and dispensing of Alprazolam (commonly referred to as Xanax), Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (commonly referred to as Adderall), and Buprenorphine. She committed this act with the knowledge that distributing and dispensing the controlled substances were outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Maroof, a physician who was board certified in addiction psychiatry, owned and operated a medical practice in Bethesda, Maryland. She also had a Drug Enforcement Administration registration number that authorized her to prescribe controlled substances. Through her medical practice, which was located in Maryland, Maroof provided patients from West Virginia with prescriptions for controlled substances, including Alprazolam, Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, and Buprenorphine. Maroof prescribed patients combinations of Alprazolam, Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, and Buprenorphine without warning them about the risks of combining these medications. She also prescribed controlled substances to patients even after they indicated that they were selling their excess supply of controlled substances through illicit channels. Additionally, Maroof regularly prescribed controlled substances to patients without providing them with therapeutic services. On numerous occasions, Maroof called in prescriptions to local pharmacies without first seeing the patient, and then she directed the patient to leave cash under her office door in exchange for writing the prescriptions. She also often advised patients how to split filling their prescriptions between different pharmacies. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Sarma and Elizabeth Wright who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former FAA Contractor Sentenced for Illegally Acting as an Agent of the Iranian Government

component: Criminal Investigative Division (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Abouzar Rahmati, 43, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 12 months in federal prison for acting as an illegal agent of the Iranian government in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Rahmati, a former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2025, to acting as an agent of the Iranian government without prior notification to the Attorney General and to conspiracy to do so, before U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan. In addition to the 12-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Rahmati to serve three years of supervised release. Joining in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. According to court documents, from at least December 2017 through June 2024, Rahmati worked with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives to act on their behalf in the United States, including by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers in Iran, communicating with Iranian intelligence officers and government officials using a cover story to hide his conduct, obtaining employment with an FAA contractor with access to sensitive non-public information about the U.S. aviation sector, and obtaining open-source and non-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry and providing it to Iranian intelligence officers. “By secretly doing the bidding of the Iranian government, Mr. Rahmati violated the trust placed in him as a U.S. citizen and as a federal contractor with access to sensitive information,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Ensuring that sensitive U.S. information does not fall into the hands of hostile foreign intelligence services remains one of our highest priorities.” “Rahmati exploited his trusted position to obtain sensitive information about the U.S. aviation sector and share it with the Iranian government, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Wierzbicki. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to disrupt threats to U.S. critical infrastructure, especially those emanating from the nefarious activities of Iranian intelligence officers who seek to harm our nation.” In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university. Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics. Upon returning to the United States in early 2018, Rahmati obtained various private and open-source materials related to the U.S. solar energy industry and provided them to an official from the office of Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology in response to tasking from Iranian government officials. In response to tasking from Iranian officials, and in furtherance of his role as an agent of the Government of Iran, Rahmati exploited his employment as an FAA contractor by downloading at least 172 GB of the company’s files. Rahmati stored those files on removable media, which he took to Iran, where he provided sensitive documents to the Government of Iran in April 2022. At the April 2022 meeting in Iran, Iranian intelligence officers told Rahmati and his brother that they were seeking information, including new ideas and technology not available in Iran. They further explained that if Rahmati brought such information to Iran, the Government of Iran could provide Rahmati with financial incentives, including free or low-interest loans and grants. Later in April 2022, also in response to tasking from Iranian government officials, Rahmati sent additional information relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towers to his brother, who lived in Iran, so that he would provide those files to Iranian intelligence. The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case, with significant assistance from the FAA’s Office of Counterintelligence and Technical Operations. Prosecuting the case were Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Alexander Wharton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia provided significant assistance. 24cr0438


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison for Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced today to 276 months in federal prison for befriending a 13-year-old girl, providing her with alcohol, and sexually assaulting her, taking photographs and making videos of the attack. Jonathan Gonzalez-Reyes, 39, of Anaheim, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter, who also ordered Gonzales-Reyes to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim. At the conclusion of a three-day trial, a federal jury on April 30 found Gonzalez-Reyes guilty of one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since June 2024. In February 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes and a co-defendant, Nanci Jasmin Castillo, 32, of Anaheim, befriended the victim, a 13-year-old girl identified in court documents as “Minor Victim 1.” At Castillo’s home, Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes sexually assaulted the victim – to whom Castillo had given an alcoholic beverage after the victim previously had taken Xanax anti-anxiety medication – while the victim was going in and out of consciousness. Gonzalez-Reyes and Castillo photographed and made videos of the attack. A search of Gonzalez-Reyes’ phone and Castillo’s iCloud account by law enforcement revealed the existence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the victim and the defendants. Additionally, law enforcement found evidence that Gonzalez-Reyes sent copies of the CSAM to Castillo. In September 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes used a cellphone to knowingly possess and distribute images of the same victim, knowing the images showed a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Castillo, who also has been in federal custody since June 2024, pleaded guilty on February 5 to one count of production of child pornography. On July 28, Judge Carter sentenced her to 20 years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $3,000 in restitution. The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the Anaheim Police Department, the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and ZOE International. Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Norell of the Major Crimes Section and Special Assistant United States Attorney Blake Hannah of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.


title: Houston County felon guilty of federal firearms violation

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

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Crockett felon has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Clifford Heniser, 35, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 26, 2025. According to information presented in court, on March 15, 2025, Heniser entered the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and requested their “federal reports.” A dispatcher asked Heniser to wait for a deputy to arrive. Heniser became angry and left the building before returning with a firearm. He then exited the building again and began firing the firearm in the parking lot. Multiple law enforcement officers were dispatched to the scene and Heniser was disarmed. Two firearms were seized from Heniser, and he was arrested. Further investigation revealed Heniser is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. Heniser was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Houston County Sheriff’s Office; Crockett Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ###


title: Three More Minneapolis Gang Members Charged with  RICO Conspiracy and Murder

body_text: A federal grand jury in Minneapolis charged three additional alleged members or associates of the violent street gang known as the Lows, bringing the total number of defendants in this indictment to 14. “The defendants are allegedly responsible for 10 murders carried out through repeated shootings in public spaces, including gas stations, barbershops, food trucks, and crowded streets,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “By opening fire into groups of people, they took lives, spread fear, and inflicted devastating harm on families and entire communities. This case underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to dismantling violent gangs and protecting communities from the terror and destruction they cause.” “The Lows are killing our neighbors, and we’re taking them down,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson for the District of Minnesota. “RICO charges give us the power to dismantle the violent street gangs that fuel the violence and trap families in fear. Every time we bring one of these cases, shootings drop, neighborhoods calm, and law-abiding families reclaim their streets. This progress is only possible because of the relentless work of our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section. To every family that has lost someone to gang violence: we will not stop until your streets are safe.” “This violent street gang, the Lows, will not continue to wreak havoc in Minneapolis neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Violent groups don't belong in our communities. These charges demonstrate our overall strategy and relentless determination to eradicate the drug-fueled gang violence plaguing our community. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue gangs wherever they surface and are steadfast in making sure our communities are a safe place for our citizens.” “Street gangs have been a persistent source of violence in Minneapolis, and the allegations in this indictment show the toll they continue to take on our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) St. Paul Field Division. “ATF has been committed to this city for decades, and we will continue working to keep firearms out of the hands of those who are prohibited and to hold accountable those who use violence to threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.” “This criminal street gang treated gun violence and murder as business tools to maintain power and control,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Bushey of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents followed the money to expose how this enterprise was financed, uncovering the cash flow that allowed them to buy weapons, traffic drugs, and sow fear in Minneapolis neighborhoods. By tracing their illicit proceeds, we gave our law enforcement partners the evidence to not only disrupt this conspiracy but to hold its leaders accountable for the violence they inflicted. This case shows how IRS-CI’s financial expertise is critical to dismantling organized crime and protecting communities from violent threats.” The newest defendants – Marques Armstrong Jr., 30, Davant Moore, 23, and Jahon Lynch, 20, all of Minneapolis — made their initial appearances today in the District of Minnesota. The superseding indictment charges the Lows with racketeering conspiracy involving murder; using a firearm to kill during murder in aid of racketeering; attempted murder; robbery; and firearms and drug trafficking, including fentanyl distribution. According to the superseding indictment, the Lows have operated in north Minneapolis since approximately 2004. Members and associates allegedly traffic in firearms and narcotics and use threats, intimidation, and violence to protect their territory, reputation, illicit proceeds, and power. The superseding indictment alleges that the gang committed a total of 10 murders as part of its racketeering activities, including the following: On May 6, 2021, Albert Lucas V, 21, shot and killed a victim at a Minneapolis gas station while the victim was pumping gas. On Sept. 9, 2021, Kaprice Richards, 24, and Marques Armstrong Jr. stood on a sidewalk and fired at least 26 rounds through the window of a crowded Minneapolis barbershop. The barrage of bullets killed one victim and injured another victim who was inside with a young child. On May 14, 2022, Glenn Carter III, 25, shot and killed two victims near a food truck in Minneapolis. Just days later, on May 19, 2022, Lows members and associates murdered two victims in a drive-by shooting in Minneapolis, after days of threats and taunting. Lows members and associates located the victim’s vehicle and pulled alongside when it was stopped at a traffic light. Lows members and associates then fired multiple shots from their vehicle at the victim’s vehicle, killing both the driver and passenger. On April 27, 2023, Shannon Jackson, 33, and Kaprice Richards, and others opened fire on a group in Minneapolis, killing one victim. On Nov. 6, 2023, Jahon Lynch, using a vehicle he carjacked about a week before, drove Albert Lucas V, Davant Moore, and other Lows members and associates to North Minneapolis, where they shot into a group of people, killing one victim. On Dec. 3, 2023, Damari Douglas, 20, Davant Moore, and other Lows members and associates attended a party in Minneapolis. After leaving the party, the group was walking down a street when they began firing at a passing vehicle. A stray bullet struck and killed a victim standing on the sidewalk. Law enforcement recovered discharged cartridge casings at the scene from multiple firearms. On Feb. 27, 2024, Albert Lucas V, Victor Collins, 23, and other Lows members and associates drove to the area of the Minneapolis Market, and shot into a group of people, injuring several victims and killing one victim. If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties, including up to life in prison for racketeering conspiracy involving acts of murder, using a firearm to commit murder, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after the consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. ATF, FBI, DEA, IRS-CI, HSI, USPIS, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Trial Attorney Jared Engelking of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and David M. Classen for the District of Minnesota are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two Men Sentenced and Third Man Pleads Guilty in Separate Schemes to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with Drones

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Hector Luis Gomez DeJesus, 32, of Sanford, North Carolina, and Raymond Luis Saez Aviles, 37, of Poinciana, Florida, were each sentenced today to three years of probation, including two months on home detention, for aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison. Arturo Joel Gallegos, 26, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to introduce or attempt to introduce contraband into a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2024, correctional officers at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell detected a drone flying over the prison facility. The flight path of the drone took it from the fence securing the prison facility to a cell in one of the housing units. Officers searched the cell and found a broken exterior window, numerous cell phones, tobacco, and marijuana within the cell. Officers traced the flight path back to the drone’s launch site, where they found and apprehended DeJesus, Aviles, and co-defendant Gamalier Rivera. Officers seized the drone, the drone’s remote controller, and contraband consistent with what was found in the cell. Rivera, 34, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 27, 2025. to aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison. Rivera, DeJesus and Aviles each admitted that they participated in the introduction of the contraband into FCI McDowell by using the drone to transport marijuana, tobacco, and cell phones into the prison facility. All three further admitted that they expected to be paid for their participation in the contraband introduction. Rivera was sentenced on July 7, 2025, to three years of federal probation, including two months on home detention. On February 1, 2024, Gallegos traveled to Welch, West Virginia, with two other Chicago men, co-defendants Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno and Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez. Later that day, law enforcement officers caught Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez with a drone and camouflaged packages containing tobacco, four cell phones, chargers, phone cards and marijuana next to the prison fence. Also that day, officers encountered Gallegos at a Welch motel where they seized packaging materials, tobacco, and marijuana. As part of his guilty plea, Gallegos admitted that he conspired with Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez to fly the contraband onto the grounds of FCI McDowell, and that he expected to be paid for his participation in the conspiracy. Gallegos is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,00 fine. Aleman-Piceno, 23, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025, and Gonzalez, 24, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2025, each to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison. Aleman-Piceno is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025, and Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearings and imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the cases. 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. 1:24-cr-127 (DeJesus and Aviles) and 1:24-cr-126 (Gallegos). ###


title: Three More Lows Gang Members Charged with RICO Conspiracy and Murder

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury in Minneapolis charged three more alleged members or associates of the violent street gang known as the Lows, bringing the total number of defendants in this indictment to fourteen. The newest defendants—Marques Armstrong Jr., 30, Davant Moore, 23, and Jahon Lynch, 20, each of Minneapolis—began making their initial appearances today in the District of Minnesota. The indictment charges the Lows, a violent Minneapolis street gang, for crimes including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy involving murder, using a firearm to kill during racketeering murder, attempted murder, and other gun and drug trafficking, including fentanyl. Ten murders are alleged as part of the gang’s pattern of racketeering activity. “These fourteen defendants are allegedly all part of a gang that is responsible for at least 10 murders on the streets of Minneapolis,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These murders, which allegedly took place at a gas station, a barbershop, a food truck, and other public places, terrorized neighborhoods. As this superseding indictment to net additional gang members shows, the Criminal Division will not relent in addressing violent crime.” “The Lows are killing our neighbors, and we’re taking them down,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “RICO charges give us the power to dismantle the violent street gangs that fuel the violence and trap families in fear. Every time we bring one of these cases, shootings drop, neighborhoods calm, and law-abiding families reclaim their streets. This progress is only possible because of the relentless work of our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section. To every family that has lost someone to gang violence: we will not stop until your streets are safe.” “This violent street gang, the Lows, will not continue to wreak havoc in Minneapolis neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Violent groups don’t belong in our communities. These charges demonstrate our overall strategy and relentless determination to eradicate the drug-fueled gang violence plaguing our community. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue gangs wherever they surface and are steadfast in making sure our communities are a safe place for our citizens.” “For nearly two decades, the Lows have menaced the north Minneapolis community through gun violence and murders,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI has fought tirelessly to end that reign of terror. This new indictment shows that the FBI will never stop working to crush violent gangs like the Lows, save lives, and protect our communities.” “Through the relentless efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Minneapolis Police Department, and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this outcome represents another significant step in dismantling the gangs that have victimized our city—especially in the neighborhoods most impacted,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “For the individuals and families who have endured this violence, today’s result brings us closer to justice and accountability. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting every family and every community. The people of Minneapolis deserve a city that is safe and free from fear.” “This criminal street gang treated gun violence and murder as business tools to maintain power and control,” said Jason Bushey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents followed the money to expose how this enterprise was financed, uncovering the cash flow that allowed them to buy weapons, traffic drugs, and sow fear in Minneapolis neighborhoods. By tracing their illicit proceeds, we gave our law enforcement partners the evidence to not only disrupt this conspiracy but to hold its leaders accountable for the violence they inflicted. This case shows how IRS-CI’s financial expertise is critical to dismantling organized crime and protecting communities from violent threats.” “Street gangs have been a persistent source of violence in Minneapolis, and the allegations in this indictment show the toll they continue to take on our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the St. Paul Field Division. “ATF has been committed to this city for decades, and we will continue working to keep firearms out of the hands of those who are prohibited and to hold accountable those who use violence to threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.” “The line between drug trafficking and violence is non-existent and today’s announcement is another reminder of this fact,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei. “Agents with the DEA remain committed to our partners in law enforcement to ensure our communities are safe places to live.” “Criminal organizations like the Lows pose a significant threat to public safety, endangering our communities through murder, narcotics trafficking to include fentanyl, gang violence, and other criminal activities,” said ICE HSI St. Paul Acting Special Agent in Charge Samuel Westbay. “Our agents remain steadfast in their commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle these dangerous criminal enterprises and restore safety and security to our neighborhoods.” “The expansion of this RICO case to include three more defendants suspected of the most heinous crimes underscores the strength of our ongoing partnership at the local, state, and federal level,” said Hennepin County Sheriff DeWanna Witt. “We are dismantling this violent organization responsible for terrorizing our communities and taking important steps towards justice for victims and the safety of our neighborhoods. Gang violence has no place in Hennepin County and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work to put these criminal organizations out of business.” “Minnesotans deserve to live without the fear of gang violence at their doorstep—of rivalry escalating to bloodshed,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “It has to stop, and our resolve to make that happen has never been stronger.” “Stopping violent criminals that misuse the U.S. Postal Service and pose a risk to the general public remains the top priority of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove. “Today’s superseding indictment sends a clear message: If you do harm to our communities, we will find you and bring you to justice.” According to the allegations in the superseding indictment, the defendants were members of the Lows criminal street gang, which has been in existence in Minneapolis since approximately 2004. The Lows are primarily active in the north side of Minneapolis. They allegedly traffic in firearms and narcotics, including fentanyl, and use threats, intimidation, and violence to protect their territory, reputation, crime proceeds, and power. The murders alleged in the indictment include that these new defendants along with defendants previously indicted are listed below. On May 6, 2021, Albert Lucas V, 21, shot and killed a victim at a Minneapolis gas station while the victim was pumping gas. On Sept. 9, 2021, Kaprice Richards, 24, and Marques Armstrong Jr. stood on a sidewalk and fired at least 26 rounds through the window of a crowded Minneapolis barbershop. The barrage of bullets killed one victim and injured another victim who was inside with a young child. On May 14, 2022, Glenn Carter III, 25, shot and killed two victims near a food truck in Minneapolis. Just days later, on May 19, 2022, Lows members and associates murdered two victims in a drive-by shooting in Minneapolis, after days of threats and taunting. Lows members and associates located the victim’s vehicle and pulled alongside when it was stopped at a traffic light. Lows members and associates then fired multiple shots from their vehicle at the victim’s vehicle, killing both the driver and passenger. On April 27, 2023, Shannon Jackson, 33, and Kaprice Richards, and others opened fire on a group in Minneapolis, killing one victim. On Nov. 6, 2023, Jahon Lynch, using a vehicle he carjacked about a week before, drove Albert Lucas V, Davant Moore, and other Lows members and associates to North Minneapolis, where they shot into a group of people, killing one victim. On Dec. 3, 2023, Damari Douglas, 20, Davant Moore, and other Lows members and associates attended a party in Minneapolis. After leaving the party, the group was walking down a street when they began firing at a passing vehicle. A stray bullet struck and killed a victim standing on the sidewalk. Law enforcement recovered discharged cartridge casings at the scene from multiple firearms. On Feb. 27, 2024, Albert Lucas V, Victor Collins, 23, and other Lows members and associates drove to the area of the Minneapolis Market, and shot into a group of people, injuring several victims and killing one victim. If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties, including up to life in prison for racketeering conspiracy involving acts of murder, using a firearm to commit murder, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after the consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. ATF, FBI, DEA, IRS-CI, HSI, USPIS, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and David M. Classen for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney Jared Engelking of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Previously Convicted Felon Who Crashed Stolen Car, Punched Officer, Is Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Possession

body_text: WASHINGTON – Lamar Redfield, 34, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 65 months in prison in connection with an October 2024 incident during which he was on probation when he crashed a stolen car into a parked vehicle, discarded a loaded Glock 17 pistol as he fled from police, and then punched an officer in the face as police attempted to arrest him, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Redfield pleaded guilty May 12, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 65-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Redfield to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2024, members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Sixth District Crime Suppression Team were on patrol when they spotted a stolen black Hyundai Sonata on the 3100 block of Minnesota Ave. SE. The Hyundai, occupied by two men, entered the 3500 block of A Street, SE, and then began to reverse backwards down the street. The passenger bailed from the car and ran away from the police. The driver, identified as Redfield, continued in reverse and crashed into a parked vehicle. Redfield abandoned the car and ran with police in pursuit. As Redfield ran, he repeatedly reached into his jacket pocket with his right arm. Redfield removed a black firearm from his jacket and placed it on the ground. After discarding the firearm, Redfield continued to run. Officers caught Redfield, who hit one of the officers in the face with a closed fist. After the assault, Redfield was stopped and detained without further incident. In a search incident to his arrest, officers found Redfield was in possession of half an ounce of suspected methamphetamine and one ounce of suspected synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as “K2” or “Spice.” Redfield has previous felony convictions in Arlington County, Virginia, on narcotics and firearms offenses. He was serving a five-year sentence (suspended) when he was arrested on Oct. 21, 2024. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole. 24cr478


title: Brooklyn, New York Man Charged with Evidence Tampering

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Damien DeJesus, 22, of Brooklyn, New York, has been charged by criminal complaint with evidence tampering for his destruction and attempted destruction of evidence that he believed would be used in a criminal prosecution against him. On August 20, 2025, DeJesus appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that DeJesus be released on conditions. According to court records, on August 14, 2025, DeJesus was detained when law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on a residence in Vergennes, Vermont. Law enforcement found controlled substances including cocaine and three loaded firearms inside of the house. After DeJesus was detained, law enforcement investigators brought him to the Vergennes Police Department for questioning. There, DeJesus was searched and placed in a holding cell prior to an interview. While waiting to be interviewed, DeJesus told investigators that he needed to use the bathroom. DeJesus then entered a bathroom and locked the door. Investigators waited outside the door and then heard plastic crinkling from inside the bathroom. DeJesus was told to finish up and exit the bathroom. DeJesus responded by flushing the toilet, then exiting the bathroom. When investigators brought DeJesus back to his holding cell, they found a sandwich size plastic bag with small torn twist baggies inside with traces of cocaine in one of DeJesus’s hands. Law enforcement then entered the bathroom that DeJesus had just used and observed cocaine base on top of the toilet tank. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that DeJesus is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. DeJesus faces up to twenty years’ incarceration if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher thanked the officers and agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the Rutland City Police Department, the Vergennes Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their work on this matter. The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Arra and Zachary Stendig. DeJesus is represented by Jason Sawyer, Esq. 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: Guatemalan Man Guilty of Reentry of Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – FRAILYN ARGUETA-JERONIMO, a/k/a “Frailyn Argeta-Jeronimo,” (“ ARGUETA-JERONIMO “), age 25, a native of Guatemala, pled guilty on August 12, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. His sentencing is set for November 12, 2025, before Judge Zainey. According to the charging document, ARGUETA-JERONIMO was found in the United States on March 27, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on February 6, 2020. On March 27, 2025, federal agents were performing targeted enforcement operations in Terrytown, Louisiana, and observed a maroon Toyota Tundra arrive at a Terrytown residence and pick up a Hispanic male. The Toyota Tundra was registered to a Guatemalan national who had been removed from the United States on at least three prior occasions. Based on the prior intelligence gathered on the residence, when a federal agent conducted a vehicle stop on the Toyota Tundra, a passenger, later identified as ARGUETA-JERONIMO , a Guatemalan citizen, admitted to being in the country illegally. ARGUETA-JERONIMO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. 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). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: St. Louis Man Convicted of $200,000 Kohl’s Cash Scam

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Tuesday convicted a St. Louis man of all of the charges he faced for stealing more than $200,000 worth of online merchandise from Kohl’s. According to evidence and testimony at the trial, Marshall Lampkin, 35, devised a scheme to use “Kohl’s Cash” twice. First, Lampkin would use Kohl’s Cash to purchase merchandise in a Kohl’s store, generally for more than $1,000. He then immediately used the same Kohl’s Cash to order merchandise online, knowing that the in-person transaction had not yet registered. Lampkin then returned the items he purchased in the store for a refund in Kohl’s Cash, so he could repeat his scam, evidence and testimony showed. Lampkin used the scheme more than 100 times in 2021 and 2022, at 40 different stores in 13 states, the trial showed. He had his online purchases, which included flooring, furniture, small appliances and other items, shipped to storage units in St. Louis and a relative’s house in Illinois, evidence and testimony showed. He later sold or tried to sell those items by advertising them on Facebook. Investigators also recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in Kohl’s merchandise packed into Lampkin’s storage units. The trial began Monday. In less than seven minutes, jurors found Lampkin guilty of five counts of mail fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December. The U.S. Secret Service and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Ladendorf and Derek Wiseman are prosecuting the case.


title: Nacogdoches felon guilty of federal drug trafficking and firearms violations

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Nacogdoches felon has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jonathan McArthur Brewer, 55, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 26, 2025. According to information presented in court, on June 30, 2024, local law enforcement responded to a “shots fired” call and observed Brewer fleeing the scene in a vehicle matching the description of the suspect. A high-speed chase ensued, and Brewer was stopped. A search of the vehicle revealed a firearm and a large amount of methamphetamine. Further investigation revealed Brewer is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. Brewer was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2025, and faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ###


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – ALTON TUMBLIN (“TUMBLIN”), age 44, of New Orleans, pled guilty on August 20, 2025, to violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Specifically , TUMBLIN pled guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of the indictment pending against him. Counts 1, 3, and 4 each charge TUMBLIN with distributing fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A). Count 2 charges TUMBLIN with distributing a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). As to Counts 1, 3, and 4, TUMBLIN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, TUMBLIN faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents, on three separate occasions, including August 7, 2023, August 9, 2023, and August 16, 2023, TUMBLIN distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine during controlled purchases to individuals TUMBLIN thought were individual buyers. Also, on August 7, 2023, TUMBLIN distributed a quantity of fentanyl to an undercover agent. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was part of Operation Big Easy Operation Big Easy was a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) enforcement initiative of collected firearm casings for the time period of August 1, 2023, to January 31, 2023, that produced data points of high-density shootings and homicides in seven areas of New Orleans related to individuals engaged in criminal activity. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Wapato Man Convicted of Second Degree Murder

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney S. Peter Serrano announced that Jason Alexander Logie, age 36, of Wapato, Washington, was convicted of Second Degree Murder following a jury trial in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Trial commenced on August 18, 2025 before Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian and the jury returned its verdict on August 20, 2025. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 18, 2025. According to court documents and information presented at trial, while driving under the influence of alcohol, Logie crossed the center line on North Track Road within the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation on the afternoon of September 9, 2023, striking an on-coming vehicle in its own lane of travel. The driver of the vehicle died as a result of the collision. United States Attorney Pete Serrano stated, “One of my top priorities as U.S. Attorney will be to strengthen our relationship with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. Partnering with these agencies strengthens our prosecution of cases like this, where a repeat offender will be held accountable for his careless actions that costs an innocent victim their life. I’d like to offer my thanks to our partner agencies on this case.” This case was investigated and presented for prosecution by the Yakama Nation Police Department and the investigation was assisted by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington State Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Murphy and Courtney R. Pratten. 1:24-cr-02059-SAB


title: Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking, Including 2 Machine Guns

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Rayshawn Williams, 20, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to illegally dealing in firearms and two counts of possessing machine guns, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between May and July 2024, Williams sold 10 firearms to a confidential informant in illegal deals conducted on the streets in exchange for cash. Of the firearms sold to the informant, two of them were Glock pistols with machine gun conversion devices, popularly known as “switches,” that allow the Glock pistols to fire in a fully automatic mode. This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Zulkar Khan are prosecuting the case. Williams is set for sentencing before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Dec. 9, 2025. Williams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the machine gun charges, a five-year maximum penalty on the illegal firearms trafficking charge, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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. 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: Fifth Defendant Convicted for Laundering Funds from Fraud Schemes to Nigerian Transnational Organized Crime Groups

component: Civil Division

body_text: A federal jury in Puerto Rico yesterday convicted a fifth individual for conspiracy to launder funds in connection with multiple wide-ranging wire, mail, and access device fraud schemes. Oluwasegun Baiyewu was convicted of a money laundering conspiracy following a 22-day trial in San Juan. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Oluwaseun Adelekan 40, and Temitope Omotayo, 40, both of Staten Island, New York; Ifeoluwa Dudubo, 37, of Austin, Texas; and Temitope Suleiman, 37, and Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, conspired to launder funds from different international organized fraud schemes, including romance, pandemic relief unemployment insurance fraud, and business email compromise scams. These fraud schemes disproportionately impacted elderly or otherwise vulnerable Americans. “The Department of Justice will continue to identify and prosecute the fraudsters who design complex fraud schemes and the launderers that receive victim proceeds and make sure the crimes are profitable,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This conviction is a message to the transnational organized crime groups and their accomplices who take advantage of our open financial system: you cannot victimize Americans with impunity.” “The defendant participated in a money laundering scheme turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people, and businesses in Puerto Rico and the United States,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this prosecution.” “The FBI is committed to taking down the key service providers that support cyber scammers and transnational organized crime,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “This conviction is a reminder of the durable impact we are having in targeting the entire cybercriminal ecosystem, which is made possible by working in tandem with partners who have unique authorities and capabilities.” “The criminals involved in this scheme thought there was safety in numbers, but the U.S. Postal Inspection Service doesn’t stop until everyone involved in schemes that target older Americans is brought to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division. “The defendants lined their pockets by defrauding vulnerable members of our society through various schemes designed to entice their victims to give up their hard-earned cash. This conviction is proof that anyone involved with transnational crimes will be tracked down, exposed, and made to face the consequences.” A superseding indictment against the five defendants alleged that in 2020 and 2021, the defendants worked together to profit from efforts to “clean” money from scams involving victims, many of whom were older adults, in California, Illinois, Washington, and Nevada, and business email compromise schemes affecting victim companies in Puerto Rico and Missouri. After receiving the proceeds, according to the indictment, the defendants or their co-conspirators conducted hundreds of transactions with the funds to, among other things, purchase used cars that were shipped overseas to Nigeria. The defendants will be sentenced before the Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach for the District of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and FBI San Juan Cyber Task Force are investigating this case, with assistance from the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force supporting the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force teams. Trial Attorneys Emily C. Powers and Richard S. Greene IV of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Linet Olinghouse for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov .


title: Ten Multi-Pound Level Methamphetamine Distributors in Northeast Arkansas in Custody Following Arrest Operation

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: JONESBORO—Ten out of 11 defendants indicted on charges of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and conspiracy in northeast Arkansas are in custody after federal and state authorities made a series of arrests this morning as part of an ongoing drug-trafficking investigation. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Alicia D. Corder, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Little Rock Field Office, announced today’s arrests. Five additional defendants have been indicted who were already in custody. The arrests stem from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, or OCDETF, investigation that began in January 2024 targeting multi-pound level dealers of methamphetamine in the northeast Arkansas area. The defendants listed in the indictments hail from Jonesboro, Blytheville, Osceola, Luxora, Manilla, and Trumann. The investigation, which was headed by the FBI, involved numerous controlled purchases of pounds of methamphetamine from members of four different conspiracies, as well as from individual distributors. According to information learned throughout the investigation, it is believed that these defendants have collectively trafficked more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine to people in Arkansas. Additionally, during an investigation into one of the conspiracies, law enforcement agents intercepted numerous phone calls in which the conspiracy members discussed trafficking methamphetamine. “Methamphetamine continues to be the most abused drug across Arkansas. According to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, 55% of our state’s 393 known overdose deaths in 2024 involved meth,” Ross said. “As such, our office and law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize investigations involving methamphetamine, as well as the other leading substances causing drug overdose deaths in Arkansas including cocaine, opioids, and fentanyl. We are especially grateful for the countless hours and dedicated hard work by the FBI, and our state, local, and additional federal law enforcement partners that investigated this case and led to today’s successful arrest operation. The citizens of Arkansas should know that these men and women work stoically day in and day out to protect the safety of our state and that they do so without concern for recognition, which I give today because we are all safer due to their commitment to public safety – the number one priority of law enforcement. So I say THANK YOU to everyone who played a role in this operation. We are grateful for you.” “FBI Little Rock, in partnership with our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, remains resolute in our mission to protect Arkansans by crushing violent crime and dismantling networks that traffic dangerous narcotics,” SAC Corder said. “We are proactively targeting violent offenders, drug trafficking organizations, and criminal enterprises to safeguard our communities and uphold public safety.” This initiative is part of “SUMMER HEAT,” the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, the FBI seeks to aggressively restore safety in communities across the country. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Those arrested today will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Benecia B. Moore on Thursday. Today’s arrests are the result of an investigation headed by the FBI, and assisted by the Department of Homeland Security, the Second Judicial Drug Task Force, the Jonesboro Police Department, the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office, the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office, the Trumann Police Department, the Blytheville Police Department, the Osceola Police Department, the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, the West Memphis Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Arkansas State Police, and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –RYAN JOHNSON (“JOHNSON”) , age 22, pleaded guilty on August 13, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance, to conspiracy to possess firearms, in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o); possession with intent to distribute tapentadol, tramadol, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 841(b)(2); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). According to court documents, on September 1, 2023, JOHNSON was arrested driving a stolen car in Joe Brown Park in New Orleans. After he was ordered out of the car, New Orleans Police Department officers recovered a Glock Model 23 firearm underneath his seat and marijuana and tapentadol in the car. JOHNSON was released on bond following his arrest and resumed selling marijuana and tapentadol. In March of 2024 JOHNSON was observed driving another stolen car. On March 28, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at JOHNSON ’s residence. They recovered firearms belonging to JOHNSON , and a co-defendant. They also recovered JOHNSON ’s backpack, that contained marijuana, tapentadol, a face mask, gloves, and burglary tools. As to his convictions for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, JOHNSON faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to his firearms conspiracy conviction, he faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other count, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: West Memphis Man with A Violent History Found Guilty of Unlawful Possession of Machinegun

body_text: HELENA-WEST HELENA—A West Memphis man was convicted by a federal jury of one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the guilty verdict recently handed down on August 22, 2025, after a five-day jury trial in Helena-West Helena. Martinez Alexander, Jr., 19, was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on March 7, 2024, charging him with unlawful possession of a machinegun. The jury trial began on August 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. After four days of testimony, including testimony from victims of an earlier shooting, the jury deliberated approximately 30 minutes before returning a guilty verdict. While Alexander does not have any previous felony convictions, the trial revealed he has a violent history. At trial, testimony showed that Alexander is a known member of the Foxwood gang in West Memphis. At the time of indictment, he had four pending felony cases, including charges stemming from two separate shootings. The evidence presented at trial revealed that on December 15, 2023, Alexander and Jaylan Atkins, 21, also of West Memphis, were involved in a drive-by shooting where an adult male and a juvenile were shot multiple times. An arrest warrant for attempted capital murder was issued for Alexander and Atkins following the shooting. On December 31, 2023, law enforcement officers from the West Memphis Police Department observed Alexander riding in a stolen Dodge Charger and initiated a traffic stop. The Charger fled, leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through West Memphis. The chase continued for more than five minutes before law enforcement officers used a tactical maneuver to disable the vehicle by the railroad tracks off Missouri Street. According to testimony at trial, Atkins and the front seat passenger immediately fled on foot, but law enforcement officers noticed movement in the backseat of the stolen vehicle and observed Alexander opening the back driver’s side door and tossing a tan 9mm Glock firearm with an extended magazine and a gold machinegun conversion device (MCD), which allowed the handgun to fire fully automatic. Alexander was arrested, along with Atkins, the driver of the stolen vehicle. Further investigation revealed that the tan 9mm Glock firearm and MCD found in the possession of Alexander on December 31, 2023, was the same firearm used in the drive-by shooting on December 15, 2023, and it was equipped with a MCD on that date as well. On December 31, 2023, Atkins was found to be in possession of a Glock 22, .40 caliber handgun, also equipped with an MCD. Atkins pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025, to possessing the machinegun and is awaiting sentencing. Alexander and Atkins each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and not more than three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was conducted by the ATF with assistance from the West Memphis Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Bowen and Bart Dickinson. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Two Investment Fund Manager Sales Team Leaders Plead Guilty to Pre-IPO Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Enrico Carini, also known as “Ed,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and investment adviser fraud in connection with his role in a multi-million dollar investment fraud scheme. Co-defendant Caner Otar, also known as “John,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud on August 25, 2025 in connection with his role in the same scheme. Both proceedings were held before United States District Judge Carol B. Amon. When sentenced, Carini faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, restitution, and forfeiture of cash and assets collectively valued at more than $430,000, including several luxury watches. Otar faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, restitution, and $400,000 in forfeiture. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty pleas. “Protecting investors from fraudulent schemes is a core mission of our Office,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “These defendants used a series of lies to entice unsuspecting investors, and to enrich themselves and their co-conspirators along the way. As demonstrated by these guilty pleas, our Office will uncover and vigorously prosecute fraudulent schemes that undermine the market for private securities.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Washington, D.C. Home Office, for its significant cooperation and assistance during the investigation. “Carini, Otar, and others at Max Infinity swindled more than $60 million from investors to divert towards personal finances,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Along with other conspirators, these defendants actively manipulated their clients through rehearsed lies of reassurances and success to generate an unlawful investment stream. The FBI remains determined to protect the integrity of our city’s economic infrastructure and investors from fraudulent tactics.” As set forth in court filings and facts presented during the plea hearing, Carini and Otar were sales team leaders for Max Infinity Management LLC, Elder Fund Management LLC, and a related series of funds (Max Infinity). Max Infinity wasa New York City-based manager of investment funds that purported to buy and sell stock issued by privately held companies that anticipated an initial public offering (IPO), including well-known companies like Stripe, Chime, Instacart, and Flexport. Carini and Otar made numerous misstatements to Max Infinity investors, including by falsely representing that they did not make money on investments until investors profited, when in fact they received commissions on each investment they solicited. Carini and Otar also falsely represented to investors that the company and its investment funds were registered with the SEC. Along with other company salespeople, Carini and Otar utilized scripts that falsely assured investors that the firm had an impressive track record of success in prior IPO deals when, in reality, Max Infinity had no such previous investments. In total, Max Infinity raised more than $60 million from investors through false and misleading promises and high-pressure sales tactics. Charges against Carini and Otar’s co-defendants remain pending. Trial for the co-defendants is scheduled for January 12, 2026. They are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah M. Evans, Eric Silverberg, Lorena Michelen, and Nicholas M. Axelrod are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Liam McNett and Timothy Migliaro. Defendants Who Pleaded Guilty : ENRICO CARINI (also known as “Ed”) Age: 40 Staten Island, New York CANER OTAR (also known as “John”) Age: 38 Brooklyn, New York Co-Defendants Awaiting Trial : JOHN CANGIALOSI Age: 44 Manalapan, New Jersey PETER GIRGIS Age: 44 Staten Island, New York GENE SARABELLA (also known as “Jerry”) Age: 37 Monroe, New Jersey E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-363 (CBA)


title: Gary Man Sentenced to 77 Months in Prison

body_text: HAMMOND- Montell Efrem Ward, 51 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Ward was sentenced to 77 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in January 2023, Ward robbed two hotels located in Merrillville, Indiana. In the first robbery, he threatened the hotel clerk with a knife and tied the victim up with computer cords to complete the robbery. The next day, he robbed a second hotel clerk with a knife. Ward took a total of $300 from both robberies. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel L. Mathur.


title: Houston man sentenced to federal prison for Denton-area violent crime spree

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Victor Guardado Zepeda, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; conspiracy to carry a firearm during a crime of violence; two counts of Hobbs Act robbery; and two counts of brandishing firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to a total of 231 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on August 26, 2025. According to information presented in court, Zepeda led a violent crime spree in which he and others robbed two convenience stores in Denton and Lewisville of over $100,000. During the robberies, the assailants entered the stores, brandished firearms, and placed an employee on her knees at gunpoint, while the others went into the manager’s office and severely beat one of the employees. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the FBI, Denton Police Department and Lewisville Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chalana A. Oliver. ###


title: Local Man Sentenced for Armed Carjacking in Southaven

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Aberdeen, MS – A Southaven man was sentenced today to over seven years in prison for carjacking. According to court documents, on September 16, 2024, Lacyrus Green, 27, met two victims in the Walmart parking lot in Southaven to test drive a car the victims had for sale. Upon returning from the test drive, Green brandished a BB gun designed to look like an AR-style pistol and threatened to kill the victims, then took the key fob and stole the car. Green was subsequently apprehended in Memphis, Tennessee. Senior Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Green today to 95 months imprisonment. Upon release from prison, Green will be on supervision for a period of three years. He was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal following sentencing. “This office is committed to the fairly straightforward principle that violent criminals such as this defendant should go to prison,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue, alongside our law enforcement partners, with our commitment to protect victims from those who would threaten them with harm.” "Lacyrus Green’s vicious crime endangered lives and created fear amongst the community,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “The brazen act of brandishing a gun and carjacking unsuspecting sellers will not be tolerated. Collaborative teamwork between the FBI, the US Attorney’s Office, the Southaven Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department sends a clear message that law enforcement will relentlessly pursue violent offenders, restoring safety and security to our communities." This case was investigated by the FBI, the Southaven Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Mims prosecuted the case.


title: DC Man Arrested at San Francisco Airport, Charged in Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: WASHINGTON –Hershel Andrew Green, III, 42, of the District of Columbia, was arrested Aug. 24 at San Francisco International Airport and charged in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court with possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Hershel is expected to make his first court appearance in U.S. District Court today in San Francisco. As part of the investigation, Green was identified after law enforcement agents discovered electronic communications between Green and another individual related to the sexual abuse of children. Green distributed and received images and videos that included the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar. 25mj161


title: Leader of Meth, Fentanyl Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Tuesday sentenced a man who built a drug trafficking organization that brought hundreds of pounds of fentanyl and methamphetamine to the St. Louis area to 27 years in prison. Stephen Griffin Jr., 51, received a 25-year sentence for the main case, filed in 2021, and two more years for violating his supervised release in a 2015 heroin trafficking case. In all, 20 people were indicted. Griffin’s top lieutenant, Troy Mills, 22, was also sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in prison on meth and fentanyl conspiracy charges and a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Crystal Miller, 37, of Florissant, who ran stash houses, was sentenced in December of 2023 to 20 years in prison. Twelve others have been sentenced. The remaining five defendants will be sentenced in October and November. During the investigation, investigators seized about 39 firearms, 499 pounds of meth, 22 pounds of heroin, 49 pounds of fentanyl, four vehicles, ammunition, and more than $500,000 in assets. Griffin pleaded guilty in April to two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He admitted being part of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that brought meth and fentanyl from Arizona and California to the Eastern District of Missouri. Initially, Griffin’s organization received meth and fentanyl in the mail, in multiple-kilogram packages, his plea agreement says. Those packages were taken to “stash” houses, where they were prepared for sale. Griffin and his co-conspirators also used a home health care business in a shopping center in Northwoods, Missouri as a base of operations where they coordinated shipments and sales of drugs, collected and stored drug proceeds, communicated with coconspirators, sources of supply and customers, and as a centrally located location to congregate between drug sales. Griffin’s organization later developed a second source of drugs in Arizona, and would obtain multiple-kilogram quantities of meth and fentanyl via the mail or couriers. Mills obtained drugs from Griffin and sold them to others. In March of 2021, Griffin was arrested leaving a “stash” apartment with about one kilo of meth, a gun and multiple cell phones. Inside the apartment, investigators found about seven kilos of meth, 15 grams of fentanyl, a drug press and scales. “Stephen Griffin rolled the dice when he started pushing fentanyl and methamphetamine in the St. Louis region,” Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “His selfish greed destroyed families who were impacted by the fallout of his poisonous sales. Today, he faces the consequences of those actions. Griffin’s 21 years in federal prison will allow him plenty of time to reflect on the lives he ruined, including his own.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service mission is to protect the nation’s mail system. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate those utilizing the U.S. Mail for illicit activities, including the distribution of narcotics. Today’s sentencing reflects the diligent investigative work by Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Casey is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.


title: Portland Woman Faces Federal Charges for Failing to Obey a Lawful Order

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—Tracy Molina, 52, of Portland, Oregon, has been charged by information with failing to obey a lawful order. According to court documents and information shared in court, on August 21, 2025, Molina entered the grounds of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Portland. Molina failed to comply with the lawful direction of federal officers and was arrested. Molina made her first appearance in federal court on August 22 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was ordered released pending further court proceedings. Failure to obey a lawful order is a Class C misdemeanor and is punishable by up to 30 days in prison. The case is being investigated by the Federal Protective Service and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. An information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.