title: U.S. Citizen Who Trained and Fought for ISIS Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON -- Lirim Sylejmani, 49, a Kosovo-born naturalized U.S. citizen, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 10 years in prison in connection with undergoing military training with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and then engaging in at least one battle with U.S.-led coalition forces. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Head of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division Sue Bai, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Courtland Rae of the Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division. Sylejmani, aka Abu Sulayman al-Kosovi, pleaded guilty on December 12, 2024, to receiving military-type training from a designated foreign terrorist organization. In addition to the prison term, Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Sylejmani to serve a lifetime of supervised release. “This defendant will spend a decade in prison thinking about the betrayal to this country,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Anyone thinking that ISIS is the answer to their questions, best think again. We will go to any lengths to root out subversive individuals who want to overthrow the government and harm its citizens.” "Sylejmani turned his back on the U.S. when he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State," said the FBI's Rae. "He trained with other ISIS recruits and even fought in a battle on the group's behalf. Together with our Defense Department and international partners, the FBI will continue to pursue those who choose foreign terrorist organizations over the land of the free." According to court documents, from November 2015 through February 2019, Sylejmani received military training from ISIS in Syria. Sylejmani was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in 2019 and spoke to a number of media outlets about his time with ISIS. In November 2015, Sylejmani, a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Kosovo, traveled to Syria with his family to join ISIS. After entering Syria, Sylejmani completed his ISIS intake process. He adopted the name Abu Sulayman al-Kosovi and trained to be a soldier with other ISIS recruits. Sylejmani’ s military training included instruction on how to assemble and fire an AK-47 rifle, as well as how to use a PK Machine gun, M-16 rifle and grenades. Upon completion of the 21-day military training, ISIS assigned Sylejmani to a battalion in Mosul, Iraq, and issued him an AK-47, four AK-47 magazines, a belt to hold the magazines and two grenades. Sylejmani pledged “bayat” (allegiance) to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, and to the ISIS organization, in front of an Iraqi ISIS member. In May 2016, the defendant reported for ribat (guard) duty on the front line of the Manbij offensive. The defendant brought his gun belt, AK-47 and magazines to his ribat assignment. During a battle with Coalition Forces he was hit with shrapnel in his legs. After receiving these injuries, he eventually was reassigned to a new battalion in the fall of 2017. Sylejmani also received payments from ISIS for his services. Between November 2017 and February 2019, Sylejmani moved his family southeast to Baghouz, Syria, as the territorial Caliphate of ISIS collapsed. On February 27, 2019, Sylejmani and his family were captured by Coalition Forces. Sylejmani was jailed by the SDF in Syria at the Dashisha prison. He was transferred to United States law enforcement personnel on September 15, 2020, to face criminal charges in the District of Columbia. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S Attorney Brenda J. Johnson, Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Kimberly Paschall of the National Security Section, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. 20cr106


title: Home builder admits to $770,000 real estate fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 44-year-old Mission resident has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Mario Alberto Rodriguez admitted he participated in a scheme that used false warranty deeds to mislead lenders and real estate clients. Rodriguez would defraud homebuyers and short-term lenders by selling a lot with proposed townhome construction without filing the warranty deed. This left no record of the sale and allowed him to sell the same property multiple times. Rodriguez would then instruct co-conspirators to take out new loans on the previously sold properties in order to use the cash for other purposes. Rodriguez defrauded victims out of more than $770,000 as a result of the scheme. Construction was never completed and victims were unable to take possession of the properties. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. FBI, Texas Department of Insurance, McAllen Police Department, and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.


title: Two Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two men were sentenced in federal court for transporting 8 kilograms of methamphetamine from Dallas, Tx., to the Joplin, Mo., area. Juan Alvarado-Alvarado, 45, a Mexican national, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 192 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Alvarado-Alvarado pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2024. Alvarado-Alvarado has two prior felony convictions for illegal reentry into the United States after removal. Jesus Sanchez, 34, Joplin, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 132 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Sanchez pleaded guilty on Nov. 21, 2024. Alvarado-Alvarado and Sanchez were charged in an indictment returned on June 6, 2022, for possessing, with intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. On May 25, 2022, during a traffic stop, deputies with the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office seized approximately 8 kilograms of methamphetamine from Alvarado-Alvarado and Sanchez. Later that day, during a post- Miranda interview, Sanchez admitted that he and Alvarado-Alvarado had traveled to Dallas, Tx., to purchase the methamphetamine. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine I. Schlegl. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Ozark Drug Enforcement Team, and the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case 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.


title: Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ross Jay Bailey, 50, of Cool Ridge, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money. Bailey obtained a $2 million loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for his business and instead converted at least $1.4 million of the proceeds for his personal enrichment. According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 30, 2020, Bailey obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) of $150,000 on behalf of his business, R&R Delivery Service Inc. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide EIDL program loans of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey successfully applied to increase the loan amount in August 2021 to $500,000 and in February 2022 to the $2 million maximum. Bailey certified that he would use all loans proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic. As part of his guilty plea, Bailey admitted that he transferred at least $1.4 million of the EIDL proceeds from his business’s bank account to his personal bank account from on or about March 1, 2022, through on or about May 31, 2022. Bailey further admitted that he converted these funds into purchases of stock and cryptocurrency for his personal enrichment. Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Bailey also owes at least $1,518,013.58 in restitution, with a final amount to be determined by the Court. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU). NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case. Bailey’s brother, Ryan Keith Bailey, 47, of Beaver, pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025 to theft of government money. Ryan Keith Bailey obtained $2,166,517.40 in loans through the CARES Act for his business and instead converted nearly all of the proceeds for his personal use. Ryan Keith Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12, 2025. Mark William Bailey, 52, of Beckley and a cousin of Ross Jay Bailey and Ryan Keith Bailey, pleaded guilty on September 8, 2023, to theft of government monies, admitting he stole approximately $451,237.51 in SBA loans he obtained through the CARES Act. On October 25, 2024, Mark William Bailey was sentenced to five years of federal probation, including one year on home detention, and paid $451,237.51 in restitution and an additional $451,237.98 as a civil penalty to settle False Claims Act allegations. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . 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 Nos. 5:24-cr-105. ###


title: Grand Jury Returns Indictments for Illegal Re-Entry Via Texas National Defense Area, 138 New NDA Violators Arrested in the Western District, Convictions for the Month Exceed 340

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned indictments last week for defendants alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States through the Texas National Defense Area (NDA). The NDA was established April 30, 2025, along the U.S.-Mexico border from area bordering New Mexico, through El Paso County, to an area near Fort Hancock. Among those indicted is Mexican national Leonel Sotelo-Santillan , who was arrested after allegedly entering the NDA illegally on May 2. Sotelo-Santillan was first charged in a criminal complaint on May 8. He is a convicted felon with two 2015 convictions for domestic abuse battery and theft in Louisiana, as well as a felony conviction in June 2024 for illegal re-entry. He has two prior removals, the last one being Dec. 28, 2024. Another Mexican felon, Rafael Cabrera-Barron , is a thrice-deported felon and was convicted in 2007 for sexual assault of a child in Weld County, Colorado. His most recent removal from the U.S. to Mexico was April 25 through El Paso. Ramon Benigno Mancinas-Rodriguez , also a Mexican national, has been removed from the U.S. eight times—the last one being Nov. 5, 2024—and has been granted three voluntary returns. His criminal history includes three illegal entry misdemeanors, a conviction for assault on a federal officer, and one illegal re-entry felony conviction in November 2023. Some of the indicted defendants, like Cuban national Aldanay Caridad Carricarte-Grillo , Guatemalan national Carlos Tomas-Cristostimo , and Salvadoran national Juan Carlos Lopz-Uriasan , have one prior removal in their immigration history. The 16 defendants are each indicted for one Title 8 United States Code (USC) 1326 felony charge and one 50 USC 797 misdemeanor charge. If convicted, these individuals can face terms of imprisonment for up to 20 years if previously convicted of an aggravated felony, up to ten years if previously convicted of a felony and otherwise and up to two years in federal prison. Additionally, 138 new NDA-related immigration cases were added to the federal district’s docket and over 220 defendants pleaded guilty throughout the week, raising May’s total of NDA-related convictions in the Western District of Texas to more than 340. Title 50 USC 797 is among the federal statutes that establish criminal penalties for unlawful intrusions into areas designated as National Defense Areas. It refers to the willful violation of defense property security regulation, which, pursuant to lawful authority, was approved by the Secretary of Defense—or a military commander designated by the Secretary of Defense—for the protection or security of Department of Defense property. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. These cases are 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). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Two interrelated drug rings taken down in series of arrests following wiretap investigation

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Fourteen people were indicted in late May and eleven were taken into custody in coordinated arrests last week as part of an ongoing investigation of drug traffickers with ties to drug trafficking in Seattle’s International District and homeless encampments, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. The defendants are charged in two separate indictments with trafficking cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from California into the Western District of Washington. In addition to searches of Washington locations, search warrants were executed in Oregon and Southern California. The defendants have detention hearings over the next few days. “The indictment of five defendants in January 2025 was just the first step,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “Now we are prosecuting fourteen additional defendants. Law enforcement partners continued to pursue drug traffickers even after the initial arrests in January to address the importation of substances like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into western Washington generally and the International District in particular.” “For years, this criminal organization preyed on the homeless and drug addicted. They terrorized people living and working in the Chinatown-International District and South Seattle,” said Seattle Police Chief Shon F. Barnes. “I am proud of the work our detectives and federal partners have done to put these criminals behind bars where they belong.” The seven defendants named in the first indictment for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin are: Octavio Salazar Palma, 33, of Federal Way, Washington, a U.S. citizen Luis Soto Lara, 47, of Vancouver, Washington Juan Ramirez Recinos, 41, of Burien, Washington, sought by law enforcement German Juarez-Otanez, 34, Bothell, Washington, sought by law enforcement Alexander Emilio Cozza, 42, of Seattle Marco Antonio Bobadilla, 33, Pacific, Washington Isai Gamboa Pacheco, 55, of Everett, Washington The seven defendants in the second indictment for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine are: Daniel Ibarra Loera, 31, of Kent, Washington Jose Garcia Corona, 61, of Seattle Leonardo Rojas Cruz, 53 of Federal Way, Washington Oscar Omar Serrano Serrano, 31, of Algona, Washington Juan Lopez Roblero, 43, of Tukwila, Washington Giovanni Antonio Garduno Garcia, 46, of Issaquah, Washington Sang Su, 44, Seattle, a U.S. citizen, sought by law enforcement In this investigation in March 2025 alone, law enforcement seized 100 pounds of methamphetamine, 111 kilos of cocaine, 19 kilos of fentanyl powder, 250,000 fentanyl pills, and four kilos of heroin. The street value of the narcotics is nearly $3 million. “Thanks to the sustained investigative efforts of the FBI and our partners, we are continuing the work we began in November 2023 by first intercepting the flow of dose quantities of dangerous drugs into the International District and homeless encampments in Seattle,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Since January 2025, when we arrested five Washington-based members of this organization, we followed the investigation outside of Washington state as the traffickers made frequent trips into Oregon and California. We are now reaching sources of supply, further stopping these poisons—and the violence that accompanies them—from reaching our communities.” On May 29, 2025, law enforcement executed 16 search warrants in Federal Way, Vancouver, Everett, Pacific, Tukwila, Kent, Issaquah, Seattle, Woodlake California and Beaverton, Oregon. Investigators seized more than seven kilograms of cocaine, 18 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 57,000 fentanyl pills, and 17 firearms. They also seized more than $353,000 in cash Due to the quantities involved some of the defendants face mandatory minimum ten-year prison terms. Federal law enforcement is still determining the citizenship status of many of the defendants in this case. “This trafficking group was a major supplier of deadly drugs to the International District and other communities throughout the Seattle area,” said David F. Reames. “The fentanyl powder and pills our team seized in this case could have yielded enough lethal doses to kill everyone in Seattle twice. I am proud of our team and would like to thank the Seattle Police, the FBI, the IRS and the Washington National Guard Counterdrug program for their amazing partnership.” “Illegal drug trafficking devastates lives and affects us all. It is a huge issue that requires a forceful response,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “This investigation draws from the resilience of our communities, which drives the combined efforts of our law enforcement partners and of our agency. Together, we will push back and continue to make a positive, felt impact for all our friends and neighbors.” The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was led by the FBI, Seattle Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with significant assistance from the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program (HIDTA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Washington National Guard Counterdrug Program. Investigators also worked with the Oregon State Police and Clark County, Washington Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.


title: Richmond man sentenced to over three years in prison for child sexual abuse material

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, in November 2020, FBI agents received information from KIK Messenger about username "boredani" sharing videos believed to be CSAM. On Dec. 8, 2021, agents searched the residence of Hasson Julian Roberts, 42. Agents seized several electronic devices belonging to Roberts, including an external hard drive. A forensic examination of the external hard drive revealed that it contained over 100 CSAM files, including a video file depicting a prepubescent minor engaged in various sexual acts. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-137.


title: Arcadia Felon Given Five-Year Consecutive Sentence For  Selling Firearms To Undercover ATF Agent

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Roger William Clayton (41, Arcadia) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. This sentence will run consecutively to a nine-year sentence Clayton is currently serving in Florida state prison for methamphetamine trafficking. Clayton pleaded guilty on January 14, 2025. According to court documents, on July 28, 2022, Clayton sold five firearms to an undercover ATF agent in Arcadia. Clayton directed the undercover agent to meet him near Southwest Lettuce Lake Avenue and County Road 761, where Clayton revealed the firearms for sale. The firearms included a Ruger Mini-14 .223 caliber rifle, a Mauser 6.5 caliber rifle, a VZ24 6.5 caliber rifle, a Tokarev 7.62mm caliber pistol, and a Romarm-Cugir 7.62mm pistol. Clayton advised the undercover agent that he could also facilitate the sale of suppressors or silencers and “ghost guns” – also known as privately manufactured firearms which cannot be traced. At the time, Clayton had multiple prior felony convictions including grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle, trafficking in stolen property, possession of a place for the purpose of trafficking, fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, and robbery. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael J. Buchanan. 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.


title: Romanian Citizen Pleads Guilty to ‘Swatting’ Numerous Members of Congress, Churches, and a Former U.S. President

component: Department of Justice

body_text: WASHINGTON – Thomasz Szabo, 26, of Romania, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being the leader of a years-long conspiracy that targeted victims across the United States with “swatting” and bomb threats. Szabo and his co-conspirators falsely reported ongoing violent emergencies at government buildings, houses of worship, and private residences, including the homes of senior government officials. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool of the Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr., of the Minneapolis Field Office, and the U.S. Capitol Police. Szabo, aka “Plank,” “Jonah,” and “Cypher,” pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson to one count of conspiracy and one count of threats and false information regarding explosives. Sentencing is scheduled for October 23. “This defendant’s targeted and ruthless behavior put countless people in danger, including law enforcement, public officials, and ordinary citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Swatting attacks, that is, falsely reporting an ongoing threat of violence at a victims’ home address for the purpose of provoking a police response there, drain precious resources and can result in major injury or even death. Anyone who hijacks police resources for senseless crimes like these will have to answer for their actions.” “This defendant led a dangerous swatting criminal conspiracy, deliberately threatening dozens of government officials with violent hoaxes and targeting our nation’s security infrastructure from behind a screen overseas,” said Attorney General Bondi. “This case reflects our continued focus on protecting the American people and working with international partners to stop these threats at their source.” “This plea agreement is a testament to the extraordinary investigative work, tenacity, and global reach of the U.S. Secret Service and our partners,” said Special Agent in Charge McCool. “This perpetrator hid behind a computer screen on the other side of the world believing he could commit these crimes with impunity. It was a gross miscalculation to underestimate our determination in pursuing and bringing to justice those who would commit these crimes, wherever they may be.” “This individual’s actions put innocent people, including government officials, at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The U.S. Secret Service and our domestic and international partners worked tirelessly to ensure that this individual was identified and brought to justice.” “Swatting is not just a prank, it is a serious violation of the law,” said Assistant Director in Charge Jensen of the Washington Field Office. “Today's guilty plea makes clear those engaged in these actions will face justice.” "Swatting is a serious crime that wastes public resources, threatens individuals and communities, and jeopardizes law enforcement personnel," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "This guilty plea is the result of significant efforts by the FBI and our law enforcement partners at home and abroad. Together, we will continue to ensure that there is no anonymity for offenders who use law enforcement to target public figures, institutions, and individuals." According to court documents, Szabo was the founder and leader of an online community that, starting in late 2020, engaged in a pattern of bomb threats and “swatting” — that is, falsely reporting an ongoing threat of violence at a victims’ home address for the purpose of provoking a police response there. As leader of the group, Szabo made false reports to U.S. law enforcement including a threat in December 2020 to commit a mass-shooting at New York City synagogues, and a threat in January 2021 to detonate explosives at the U.S. Capitol and kill the President-elect. Szabo publicized his “swatting” activity to his followers and encouraged them to engage in similar behavior. Beginning on Dec. 24, 2023, and continuing through early January of 2024, subordinate members of Szabo’s group perpetrated a spree of swatting and bomb threats that included, as its victims, at least 25 Members of Congress or family members of Members of Congress; at least six then-current or former senior U.S. Executive Branch officials, including multiple cabinet-level officials; at least 13 then-current or former senior federal law enforcement officials, including the heads of multiple federal law enforcement agencies; multiple members of the federal judiciary; at least 27 then-current or former state government officials or family members of such officials; at least four religious institutions; and multiple members of the media. During that time period, one of those subordinates bragged to Szabo: “I did 25+ swattings today,” and “creating massive havoc in [A]merica. $500,000+ in taxpayers wasted in just two days.” Szabo was extradited from Romania in November 2024. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office and Criminal Investigative Division, the FBI’s Washington and Minneapolis Field Offices, and the U.S. Capitol Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Szabo’s arrest and extradition and assisted with securing evidence from abroad, including through mutual legal assistance requests. Assistance was provided by National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the U.S. Secret Service’s Bucharest Resident Office, Miami Field Office, Syracuse Resident Office, Springfield Resident Office, the FBI’s Legat Office in Bucharest and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, the District of South Dakota, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Southern District of Illinois, and the Northern District of New York, as well as the Romanian authorities whose assistance was critical to the successful investigation of the case and extradition of Szabo. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr386


title: Residential Treatment Provider Agrees to Pay $346,369 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: The Opportunity Alliance , of South Portland, has agreed to pay $346,369 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by causing the submission of false drug testing claims. The civil settlement agreement between The Opportunity Alliance and the United States and the State of Maine resolves allegations that The Opportunity Alliance caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare and MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) from July 2018 through June 2021. MaineCare is funded primarily by the federal government, which pays approximately two-thirds of all reimbursed claims. On May 22, 2025, the United States and Maine (“Plaintiffs”) filed a civil complaint against The Opportunity Alliance in the U.S. District Court in Portland. As alleged in the complaint, The Opportunity Alliance operates Morrison Place, a residential treatment program for homeless individuals who have a major mental illness and/or a substance use disorder. Between July 2018 and June 2021, The Opportunity Alliance sent misleading urine drug requisition forms to Morrison Place clients’ medical providers, and then used these forms in directing a third-party urine drug testing lab (“Laboratory A”) to perform an excessive number of presumptive and definitive drug tests on certain Morrison Place clients. Individual test orders were treated as “standing orders,” according to which three presumptive and definitive drug tests would be ordered each week, without exception and without regard for the client’s individualized treatment needs, for up to a full year. Under an agreement between The Opportunity Alliance and Laboratory A, Laboratory A would bill MaineCare and Medicare directly for any urine drug tests performed on Morrison Place clients; Laboratory A would not bill Morrison Place for any urine drug testing-related service. Such tests were not individually approved as medically necessary, were performed without a valid order from a medical provider, and were used by The Opportunity Alliance as a means of performing residential monitoring in violation of relevant MaineCare rules. The United States brought the complaint under the FCA, as well as Maine’s false claims statute. The FCA provides that any person who “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval” or “knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim” is liable to the United States for three times the amount of damages which the United States sustains, plus a civil penalty for each FCA violation. As alleged in the complaint, by sending the misleading requisition forms to clients’ medical providers, and then using these forms in directing Laboratory A to perform a grossly excessive number of presumptive and definitive drug tests, The Opportunity Alliance knowingly caused Laboratory A to submit false or fraudulent claims for payment or approval in violation of the FCA. The Opportunity Alliance cooperated with the investigation. Federal authorities encourage health care providers to cooperate with investigations involving the possible submission of false claims to federal programs. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; and the Office of the Maine Attorney General investigated the case. The civil action is docketed United States & State of Maine v. The Opportunity Alliance, 2:25-cv-00266-JCN (D. Me.). ###


title: Lexington Man Sentenced for  Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Alejandro Galvan Gomez, 51, was sentenced on Monday to 28 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds. According to his plea agreement, from November 2023 until September 2024, Gomez agreed with others to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine. Gomez owned a trucking company, G and G Transportation, headquartered in Lexington, and used the trucking company and its semi-trucks to travel to the southern border of the United States at McAllen, Texas, to pick up drug loads. Gomez made these trips on a frequent basis, at least two times per month. Gomez would conceal the cocaine in large vehicle batteries that were hollowed out to allow for four kilograms of cocaine. To evade detection by law enforcement, the batteries contained a small battery within the modified battery, so that the battery would still produce a charge if tested. Gomez would receive at least two batteries per trip to McAllen, and sometimes as many as ten batteries. Once he obtained the drugs, he would then distribute them to others around the country, including in Dallas, Texas; Columbia, South Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; and Cincinnati, Ohio. Additionally, Gomez admitted to laundering drug proceeds by methods known as promotional and concealment money laundering. To do this, Gomez would make large cash deposits in both his personal and business accounts. G and G Transportation was not a cash-based entity and the source of the cash stemmed from his involvement in drug distribution offenses. Gomez would use the cash deposits to pay the transportation company’s expenses, including maintenance and fuel for the Volvo semi-truck that was used to pick up the drug loads and for his personal expenses, including mortgage payments. From September 2023 to May 31, 2024, Gomez deposited $159,350 in cash in the G and G operating account and $105,745.95 into his personal account. Gomez admitted that these funds were the proceeds of the drug trafficking offenses and that they were intended to promote drug distribution offenses. Under federal law, Gomez must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Derrick Napier, Frankfort Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, HSI, FBI, Frankfort Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . – END –


title: Par Funding Principal and Former CFO Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Joseph Cole Barleta, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 66 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, $302,700,484.60 in restitution, and forfeiture of $8,063,303.83, for racketeering conspiracy (RICO), in connection with his role in the operation of a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Complete Business Solutions Group Inc. d/b/a Par Funding (“Par Funding”). Barleta was charged by second superseding indictment in February of 2024 and pleaded guilty to the RICO charge in October. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Barleta and co-defendants Joseph LaForte, James LaForte, and others, were part of an association-in-fact RICO enterprise that conspired to commit a number of predicate crimes, including crimes related to the fleecing of Par Funding’s many investors. Barleta’s role in the conspiracy related to helping financially engineer the securities and wire fraud components of the enterprise at the direction of Joseph LaForte. In particular, Barleta manipulated financial statements, fudged numbers, and cooked the internal books of Par Funding in order to deceive investors into thinking that Par Funding was profitable and successful, when the business was actually losing significant amounts year after year. In January 2025, the Court found the Par Funding fraud scheme caused an actual fraud loss of approximately $404,000,000, which it reduced to $288,395,088 after factoring in credit for collateral that federal authorities seized from Par Funding when the investigation became public in July 2020, upon the SEC placing Par Funding in receivership. Joe LaForte and James LaForte pleaded guilty last year to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and related crimes. In March, Joe LaForte was sentenced to 15½ years in prison and James LaForte to 11½ years in prison. “Barleta played a key role in the massive fraud scheme that was Par Funding,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He participated in an extensive and destructive conspiracy that inflicted substantial harm on the community. My office will continue to prosecute perpetrators of these complex financial crimes and vindicate the victims who lose their hard-earned money to them.” “This sentencing holds Joseph Barleta accountable for his criminal actions, including securities and wire fraud,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The FBI, together with our partners, remains unwavering in our commitment to identify, investigate, and disrupt complex financial crimes, ensuring that those who perpetrate them are brought to justice.” “Mr. Barleta was brought to justice today for his role in the operation of a fraudulent investment vehicle that deceived Par Funding’s numerous investors and caused them significant financial losses,” said Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who participate in fraudulent schemes such as these, that harm investors and threaten the safety and soundness of our Nation’s financial system.” This case was investigated by the FBI, FDIC OIG, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Samuel Dalke, and Eric Gill. The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution.


title: Española Man Sentenced for Trafficking Drugs, Possessing Illegal Firearms and Explosives

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Española man was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison following a series of law enforcement actions that uncovered illegal firearms, narcotics, and unstable explosives. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on August 1, 2023, Pojoaque Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a sedan with expired registration driven by Mario James Valdez , 35. Inside the car, officers located two loaded “ghost guns,” one of which was outfitted with a non-functioning machinegun conversion device, a loaded and stolen handgun, fentanyl, additional ammunition, a police scanner, 377 blue pills marked M30 and 42 grams of crack cocaine. Valdez was released after serving one day in custody. On September 15, 2023, Valdez was arrested again for shoplifting and on an outstanding state warrant. During this arrest, officers found fentanyl, Xanax, crack cocaine, and ammunition on Valdez ’s person. In recorded jail calls between October 15 and 18, 2023, Valdez discussed having additional firearms and sticks of dynamite stored at a house in Española, warning of their instability and danger. On October 20, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Española residence. In Valdez ’s bedroom, officers discovered six sticks of deteriorating dynamite, a shotgun, and an AR-style rifle. Additional rifles, including those referenced in the jail calls, were found in another bedroom. 6 sticks of dynamite Due to the hazardous condition of the dynamite, law enforcement destroyed it for public safety. As a previously convicted felon, Valdez was prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and explosives. Valdez pleaded guilty to possession to intent to distribute cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and being a felon in possession of explosive material. Upon his release from prison, Valdez will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Pojoaque Police Department, New Mexico State Police and Española Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Hirsch is prosecuting the case.


title: Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Making Interstate Threats

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: An Illinois man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to making threatening interstate communications. According to court records, Massimo Frangella , 24, sent seven identical emails to Maine public officials from his email account. The subject line of each read: “You’re going to die.” In the body of the emails, Frangella further threatened: “I’m going to kill you and all of your child raping friends.” Frangella faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from Maine Capitol Police. ###


title: Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A New Jersey woman pleaded guilty to bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Ciara Brascom, 38, of Newark, pleaded guilty to an information charging her with one count of bank robbery before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On July 28, 2024, Brascom entered a bank in Princeton and demanded cash from a bank teller, while holding what appeared to be a black handgun. During the robbery, Brascom threatened that she would use the gun if the bank’s alarm was activated. Brascom fled from the bank after taking approximately $60,500. The charge in the information to which Brascom pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for October 6, 2025. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Princeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Christopher Tash, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, for their assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Shephard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton. ### Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton brascom.information.pdf


title: Minneapolis Man who Robbed Postal Carriers at Gunpoint and Carried out a Check Forgery Scheme Sentenced to  132 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Rubin David Adams, of Minneapolis, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for his involvement in a string of robberies of U.S. Postal Service letter carriers in the fall of 2023, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, over a two-day period, Rubin David Adams, 28 , robbed two different letter carriers—one in Edina and the second in Brooklyn Center—at gunpoint. Adams stole Postal Service keys from one of the victims, granting him access to secure mail collections boxes. Adams then carried out a check fraud scheme, with others he recruited, stealing mail from dozens of Twin Cities-area collection boxes and using that stolen mail to pass forged checks. At the time of Adams’ robbery spree, he was on supervised release in Georgia. The defendant was wearing an ankle monitor that corroborated his presence and involvement with each robbery. Adams was charged with numerous crimes, including two counts of armed robbery of a mail carrier, two counts of theft of Postal Service keys, and mail theft. “Serious crimes demand serious federal time,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Adams went on a two-day crime spree and, for that, will spend a decade in federal prison.” Adams was sentenced to 132 months of prison and 5 years of supervised release, with $77,998.33 in restitution in U.S District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. When handing down the sentence, Judge Tostrud stated, “the United States Postal Service is a vital institution to our country. People will stop trusting the mail if they believe it will be stolen. And people will stop applying to be mail carriers if they believe they will be victims of violence.” U.S. Postal Inspection Service Denver Division Acting Inspector in Charge Steve Hodges added: “Our nation’s letter carriers deserve to go to work without fear of harm from a robbery or attack. Letter carriers are hardworking, federal civil servants who deliver an essential service to communities across America. An attack on a letter carrier, or any postal employee, is also an attack on the very community they serve. The prosecution and strong sentence in this case reflect the seriousness of the crimes. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Project Safe Delivery initiative and this criminal investigation show our commitment to protect the U.S. Postal Service and bring those who attack postal employees to justice.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Edina Police Department, Brooklyn Center Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hennepin County Violent Offenders Task Force, Saint Louis Park Police Department and the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.


title: New Brunswick Man Sentenced after Crossing into US Carrying Methamphetamine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Canadian national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for unlawfully entering the U.S. from Canada and importing a controlled substance. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Nathan Paul Curran-McQuade , 31, to 12 months and a day of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for importing a controlled substance. Curran-McQuade received a concurrent sentence of 100 days for entering the U.S. unlawfully. He pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025. According to court records, in September 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Van Buren station stopped Curran-McQuade for illegally entering the U.S. from Canada in the town of Caswell. Curran-McQuade was encountered while operating an ATV on an ATV trail that borders Canada and was marked with international boundary signs. When stopped by the agents, Curran-McQuade had approximately 13.9 grams of methamphetamine on his person as well as marijuana in a mason jar in his backpack. He claimed to be traveling to a store in Caswell to get gas and that the drugs were for personal use. U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. ###


title: Mexican National Charged with Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Rufino Hernandez-Hernandez, 42, of Mexico, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful re-entry following prior removal from the United States. Court records indicate that Hernandez-Hernandez was removed from the United States on four occasions from 2013 through 2020. Because of that history, and because he had failed to reapply for admission to the United States, his presence in the United States constitutes a new offense. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Hernandez-Hernandez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Hernandez-Hernandez faces up to two 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 commended the investigatory efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Hernandez-Hernandez is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. 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: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WILLIAM LANG (“LANG”), age 47, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on May 28, 2025, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, and four hundred grams or more of fentanyl. LANG was sentenced to one hundred twenty (120) months of imprisonment, five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, LANG, and other co-conspirators, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute, multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Kansas City Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in federal court on charges related to child sexual exploitation. According to a criminal complaint unsealed today, Mohammad Maher Chamma, 26, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity in May 2023, one count of transportation of child pornography in May 2024, and one count of distribution of child pornography between June 2024 and January 2025. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers learned of multiple CyberTips reporting that Chamma had used various online aliases to distribute and transport images and videos depicting child pornography, also referred to as child sexual exploitation material. Law enforcement officers also received a report that Chamma had transported a minor female from Kansas to Missouri to engage in illegal sexual activity in May 2023. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: District Man Indicted on First-Degree Murder for 2024 Slaying

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Morris Stokes, 70, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on the charge of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), stemming from the August 6, 2024, slaying of Maurice Rowe, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Stokes was indicted by the grand jury on the sole charge of first-degree murder on May 14, 2025. According to the government’s evidence, at around 4:00 a.m., on August 6, 2024, Stokes approached Mr. Rowe while armed with a metal pole and knocked him to the ground. The defendant continued to hit Mr. Rowe multiple times in the head and body. Mr. Rowe was rushed to the hospital, where medical staff concluded that he sustained six large lacerations to his head, fractures in both legs, a facial fracture and a brain bleed. Mr. Rowe passed away as a result of his injuries on October 14, 2024. The Office the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Mr. Rowe’s death was a homicide, caused by complications from blunt force injuries. The murder weapon and the clothing worn by the defendant during the assault were recovered from the defendant’s apartment by MPD Officers during a search warrant. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Braintree man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl sourced from Latin America. Jonathan Melendez Decatro, a/k/a “Jacha,” 32, of Braintree, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Melendez Decatro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Melendez Decatro was indicted in June 2023. In 2019, Melendez Decatro was identified as the leader of a large-scale DTO operating in the Brockton area, who sourced narcotics directly from Colombia, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. On two dates in 2021, packages intended for Melendez Decatro were intercepted by law enforcement and each found to contain a kilogram of cocaine. Additionally, on several dates in the spring of 2023, Melendez Decatro conspired with an individual who resided in the Dominican Republic to distribute 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl to another individual in Braintree. It was later determined that the purity of the fentanyl ranged from 54% to 79% and also contained xylazine. During of search of Melendez Decatro’s residence, over $11,000 in drug proceeds and clothing worn during the fentanyl transactions were recovered. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Bogota; United States Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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 .


title: California Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day for Federal Cares Act Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that NIPUN DESAI (“DESAI”) , formerly of Hammond, La., but now a California resident, age 56, was sentenced to 12 months plus one day by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter for making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program. According to court records, on or about January 25, 2021, DESAI made false statements to an approved lender in order to obtain an SBA backed PPP loan in the amount of $146,947.50 for a hotel in Metairie, LA. At the time of the loan application, DESAI ’s hotel was permanently closed and had no employees or payroll. In addition to incarceration, which is to be divided between time in the Bureau of Prisons and home incarceration, DESAI was sentenced to 2 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to repay the SBA approximately $234,000 and the Louisiana Workforce Commission $26,000. He also paid a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 and a fine of $25,000. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office (Region 5) in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Edgar Enrique Pineda-Ardon, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 42 days in prison and one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. Earlier in the hearing, Pineda-Ardon pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In 2014, Pineda-Ardon was apprehended near the U.S.-Mexico border, claimed asylum and was released on bond. While awaiting his asylum hearing, Pineda-Ardon was arrested for Indecent Assault & Battery. That case was dismissed for lack of prosecution; however, Pineda-Ardon’s claim for asylum was ultimately rejected and he was removed from the United States in November 2019. Sometime after his November 2019 removal, Pineda-Ardon illegally reentered the United States without permission. Federal authorities became aware of Pineda-Ardon’s presence in the United States when he was arrested twice in Waltham. He was apprehended by immigration authorities in April 2025. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Hard Money Lender Sentenced for Defrauding Investors in Loans Made to Failed Fresno Company Bitwise Industries

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million. “The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.” According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise. One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle. Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else. Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.


body_text: Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million. “The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.” According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise. One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle. Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else. Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.


title: Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Scheme to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with Drone

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno, 22, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2024, Aleman-Piceno traveled on foot with co-defendant Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez to the fence surrounding Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell. Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez possessed a backpack and a duffle bag containing a drone and two camouflaged packages containing four cell phones, chargers, phone cards, marijuana, and tobacco. As part of his guilty plea, Aleman-Piceno admitted that they intended to fly the packages onto the grounds of FCI McDowell using the drone, and were stopped by law enforcement as they prepared to launch the drone. Aleman-Piceno further admitted to traveling to McDowell County, West Virginia, from Chicago with Gonzalez and co-defendant Arturo Joel Gallegos, believing that he would be paid $3,000 to deliver the packages into the prison by drone. Aleman-Piceno also admitted that he and his two co-defendants stayed an area motel where law enforcement seized marijuana, tobacco and materials used to make the camouflaged packages. Aleman-Piceno is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. 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 hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case. The indictment against Gonzalez, 24, and Gallegos, 26, both of Chicago, remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Hector Luis Gomez DeJesus, 32, of Sanford, North Carolina, Raymond Luis Saez Aviles, 37, of Poinciana, Florida, and Gamalier Rivera, 33, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, each pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison in a separate indictment. On February 9, 2024, DeJesus, Aviles, and Rivera used a drone to transport marijuana, tobacco, and cell phones into FCI McDowell. DeJesus and Aviles are scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2025. Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2025. 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-126. ###


title: Vanderwagen Man Charged with Assault for 2022 Incident

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Fe man has been charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury following an incident in 2022. According to court documents, on November 24, 2022, Anthony Nieto , 38, an enrolled member of Nambé Pueblo, assaulted the victim and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury. Nieto is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending his detention hearing, scheduled for June 3, 2025. If convicted of the current charges, Nieto faces up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Pojoaque Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Mark Probasco is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment (Nieto)_0.pdf An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Cyberstalking Multiple Women

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison after a pattern of persistent digital harassment targeting multiple women over a nine-month period. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, between June 2022 and March 2023, Phillip Gonzales , 39, stalked and harassed three women using anonymous texting applications and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. Over this nine-month period, Gonzales sent the victims graphic sexual messages, expressed rape fantasies, threatened the victims, and demonstrated knowledge of their personal information. FBI agents obtained subpoenas for subscriber information for several of the numbers which returned registration IP addresses tied to a residence in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During the time period the crimes were committed, the only people living at this address were Gonzales and his father. On May 11, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at the residence and seized a number of electronic devices. A review of the devices revealed at least four additional women who were believed to have received messages from Gonzales to include threats of rape and murder. On September 6, 2023, Gonzales was charged with cyberstalking and remanded to third party custody pending trial. As a condition of his release, Gonzales was strictly limited to one monitored phone and required approval for any device with internet access. Gonzales was later found to be in possession of two unauthorized internet-capable phones which he had used to send unwanted and potentially harassing messages to two women. This violation led the court to revoke his release and order his detention, citing his demonstrated inability to comply with court-ordered restrictions. Subsequently, Gonzales pleaded guilty to three counts of cyberstalking. Upon his release from prison, Gonzales will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Moghadam prosecuted the case.


title: Man Charged with Hate Crime in Attack on Boulder Gathering

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Mohammed Sabry Soliman, age 45, of Colorado Springs, has been charged with one count of a hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion, or national origin. According to the criminal complaint, on June 1, 2025, at approximately 2pm, Soliman threw two lit Molotov cocktails at individuals participating in a gathering near the Boulder Courthouse of members of “Run for Their Lives,” which organizes weekly walks to call attention to the Israeli hostages in Gaza. When he threw the Molotov cocktails, Soliman yelled “Free Palestine!” The Molotov cocktails ignited in the crowd of people, causing burn injuries to eight individuals. The complaint also alleges that when Soliman was detained by local law enforcement, at least fourteen unlit Molotov cocktails and a backpack weed sprayer, potentially containing a flammable substance, were found nearby. A car registered to Soliman, parked a block away, contained a red gas container, red material consistent with rags used in the Molotov cocktails, and paperwork with the words, “Israel,” “Palestine,” and “USAID.” The complaint further alleges that, during an interview with local and federal law enforcement, Soliman stated that he had researched on YouTube how to make Molotov cocktails, purchased the ingredients to do so, and constructed them. He traveled to Boulder in his vehicle with the Molotov cocktails and threw two of them at individuals participating in the gathering. He stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead. He stated that he would do it (conduct an attack) again. Throughout the interview, Soliman stated that he hated the “Zionist group” and did this because he needed to stop them from taking over “our land,” i.e., Palestine. He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year. The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Denver Field Office and the Boulder Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the Civil Rights Division and the National Security Division, both of the Department of Justice, and in coordination with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office (Twentieth Judicial District). Case Number: 25-mj-000108-NRN


title: Five-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a Restricted Person

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Michael Anthony Rangel, 43, of Ogden, Utah, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment after a federal jury found him guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. In addition to the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr. sentenced Rangel to three years’ supervised release. According to evidence presented at trial, and statements made at Rangel’s sentencing hearing, in July 2022, during a traffic stop, Rangel, knowing he was a convicted felon and restricted from possessing a firearm and ammunition, possessed a stolen Taurus PT111 G2 pistol. The firearm and associated ammunition were seized by law enforcement. Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated by Ogden Metro Gang Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Branden B. Miles and Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Greensboro Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Possessing and Conspiring to Steal High-End Motor Vehicles

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for possessing and conspiring to steal over $800,000 in high-end motor vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Jamarus D. Hoskins, 30, of Greensboro, Alabama, to 60 months in prison for conspiring to steal at least 18 high-end motor vehicles, and to 97 months in prison for receiving or possessing stolen motor vehicles. The sentences will run concurrently. Hoskins was convicted by a jury in November 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, between December 2020 and January 2023, Hoskins was the ringleader of an organized conspiracy to steal high-end motor vehicles from private citizens and car dealerships at various locations across the United States. Hoskins directed members of the conspiracy to steal vehicles and replace the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) with fake VINs. The vehicles were registered with the Alabama Department of Revenue using fraudulent out-of-state titles, and Hoskins sold them for cash at below market price. Hoskins and his co-conspirators stole multiple vehicles, including a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk from a victim in Michigan, a Chevrolet Corvette from a victim in Tennessee, three Ford trucks from a dealership in Tennessee, and a Chevrolet Camaro and several vehicle tags from another dealership in Tennessee. “Jamarus Hoskins and his co-conspirators terrorized car dealerships and innocent victims across the United States for years,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Hoskins and his crew thought the fast cars they stole and sophisticated techniques they used would help them escape responsibility for their crimes. They were wrong.” “I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort our team put forth to ensure this defendant was brought to justice and can no longer terrorize or threaten the hardworking citizens and businesses in our country,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the Birmingham Division. “This case serves as another example of our U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners working together to identify, dismantle, and disrupt organized criminal networks while effectively holding reckless criminals accountable. Let it be clear: the rule of law is not optional.” The FBI investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward “Ted” Canter prosecuted the case.


title: D.C. School Teacher Charged with Federal Child Pornography Offense

body_text: WASHINGTON – Devonne Keith Brown, 56, of the District of Columbia, was arraigned today on a federal child pornography charge, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven Jensen of the Washington Field Office. According to the FBI, Brown was employed at a school in Northeast Washington, D.C. and may have also been involved with a local youth track club. Brown is charged with one count of receipt of child pornography. He made an appearance today in U.S. District Court and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for June 4, 2025. According to court documents, Brown is alleged to have solicited the production of child sexual abuse material from a minor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI . A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. brown_complaint_signed.pdf


title: Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact with Minor

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor involving the use of force. According to court records, on or about September 13, 2023, Cisco Cruzito Pinto , 38, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, engaged in sexual contact with a minor who was between the ages of 12 and 16 at the time. When the victim resisted, Pinto used force to maintain control. Pinto will be detained pending sentencing. At sentencing, Pinto faces any term of years and up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, Pinto will be subject to a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Nicholas J. Marshall are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . View the Plea Agreement (Pinto).pdf


title: Coalinga Gang Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution and Firearms Trafficking

body_text: Juan Carlos Ruiz Jr., aka “Goer”, 26, of Coalinga, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Ruiz distributed more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine and sold 19 firearms over several occasions. Ruiz is also a felon and documented Bulldog gang member. Ruiz joins several other co-defendants that have now been sentenced to prison. On March 31, 2025, Javier Alfonso Lopez Lopez was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. On Jan. 6, 2025, Sostenes Quintero Lopez was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine. On June 24, 2024, Angel Sanchez was sentenced to 14 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking with Ruiz, who is his cousin. On Sept. 25, 2023, Alma Sanchez was sentenced to over 16 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine to Ruiz, who is her son. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Coalinga Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA), and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case. This effort 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.