title: CEO of L.A.-Based Childcare Company and Camp Counselor Charged with More Than a Dozen Child Sexual Exploitation Crimes

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today charged a childcare program CEO, camp counselor, and private babysitter in a 16-count indictment with using his positions of authority to sexually exploit at least six children he babysat. Miguel Adrian Gonzalez, 28, of West Los Angeles, is charged with two counts of obtaining custody of a minor with the intent to produce child pornography, seven counts of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, three counts of receipt of child pornography, and two counts of possession of child pornography. Gonzalez has been in federal custody since October 28. A federal magistrate judge the following day ordered him jailed without bond. Gonzalez’s arraignment is scheduled for December 4 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. According to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in this case, from at least 2021 to 2025, Gonzalez – a long-time childcare provider, private babysitter, and the CEO of Let’s Play LA LLC, a childcare company based in West Los Angeles – produced sexually explicit images of children in his care or supervision. Gonzalez also sexually abused at least one minor victim. In October 2023 and May 2024, Gonzalez texted the parents of two minor victims – each of them 6-year-old boys at the time – and offered to obtain custody or control of the two victims through his babysitting services, knowing that each victim would be portrayed in a visual depiction engaging in sexually explicit conduct. These requests led to two instances in which Gonzalez produced child sexual abuse material (CSAM). From April 2025 to August 2025, Gonzalez used social media platforms such as Snapchat and Telegram to distribute and receive images and videos depicting CSAM, including images and videos depicting CSAM of children he had babysat. In October 2025, Gonzalez knowingly possessed on two Apple iPhones images and videos depicting CSAM, including of the six children who had been under his supervision. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Gonzalez would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office also has charged Gonzalez with a felony child sexual exploitation crime in connection with this matter. That case is pending. Homeland Security Investigations and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kelsey A. Stimson and Kim Meyer of the Major Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Numerous Individuals Charged as Part of Operation Brightside

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The United States Attorney announces multiple new indictments against individuals in mid-Missouri, returned by a grand jury in Jefferson City, Missouri on November 18, 2025. The following individuals were each charged with being in possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction: Thomas Adam Abbey, Jr., 38, of Columbia; Paul Stewart Arnall, 35, of Columbia; David Tyler Blair, 27, of Columbia; Frank Cortez Bonaparte, 44, of Columbia; Jordan Booker, 31, of Jefferson City; Jaimonte Tremelle Cooper, 34, of Columbia; James Elvaughn Hanton, 45, of Columbia; Malachi Allen Hughes, 21, of Columbia; Paul Allen Johnson, 58, of Columbia; Quinton Marquez Miller, 27, of Columbia; Leo Demarcus Roland, 34, of Columbia; Tyrone Sabb, 49, of Columbia; Justin Terrell Shelton, 31, of Columbia; Terrell Maurice Sims, 29, of Columbia; Damon Lashay Thompson, 25, of Columbia; Timmy Ray Whittle, 69, of Lohman, Mo. If convicted, these individuals will face up to 15 years’ imprisonment. Several other defendants were also indicted by the grand jury in Jefferson City, Missouri, on November 18, 2025, and charged with other crimes. Kenneth Ryan Williams, 41, and Asia Javone Shafer, 24, were both charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as separate counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Williams is also alleged to have possessed a firearm after a prior felony conviction. Dexter Terrell Mason, 45, of Jefferson City, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges contained in all these indictments 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. The cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley S. Turner, Jim Lynn, Aaron M. Maness, Cecily L. Hicks, and Lauren E. Kummerer.


title: Utah Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program Out of $437,230

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Troy Campbell, 57, of Taylorsville, Utah, was sentenced today to 18 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud and money laundering after he engaged in a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program and the Small Business Administration by unlawfully submitting and obtaining $437,230 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan proceeds. The COVID-19 PPP Loans were provided to small businesses for funding to meet specific obligations, including payroll and rent during the pandemic. In addition to Campbell’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow ordered that he serve two years of supervised release and pay $437,230 in restitution to the victim. According to court documents and statements made at Campbell’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning in July 2020 and continuing until February 2023, Campbell, the registered agent and an owner of Salt IT Solutions LLC, a Utah business, fraudulently obtained $437,230 in PPP Loan proceeds. Campbell, who had control over SALT IT bank accounts, admitted that he submitted a PPP Loan application on behalf of SALT IT for $437,230 and received the proceeds via wire transfer after the fraudulent PPP Loan application was approved. Among other things, Campbell’s Salt IT PPP Loan Application falsely represented that SALT IT’s monthly payroll was $174,892.17 and that it had 22 employees. Campbell also submitted fake tax documents in support of the PPP Loan application that included grossly inflated wage information and, in fact, were never filed with the IRS. Additionally, Campbell admitted he wire transferred $75,000 in PPP Loan proceeds to another participant in his scheme. “Mr. Campbell’s crimes impacted all taxpaying citizens and small business owners that legitimately needed pandemic-related assistance during a challenging time,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “My office, along with our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing justice to those who exploited the pandemic for their personal gain.” “This sentencing underscores SBA-OIG’s unwavering commitment to recovering stolen taxpayer dollars” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Tim Larson. “We are thankful for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their continued dedication to ensuring justice is served.” “Mr. Campbell enriched himself with money meant to keep Americans working during a national crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This sentence reflects the FBI’s commitment to uncovering fraud and ensuring that those who steal from the public are held accountable.” The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG). Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Mark Y. Hirata of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud .


title: Anchorage man sentenced to 20 years for leading local drug trafficking conspiracy

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man currently serving a 20-year term of incarceration was sentenced yesterday to an additional 20 years in prison for leading a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for trafficking over eight kilograms of dangerous drugs in Alaska. According to court documents, from April to December 2023, Rodney Godwin, 51, organized and operated a drug trafficking organization while under indictment for a separate drug trafficking crime. Godwin’s organization imported and distributed over 3.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.6 kilograms of cocaine and 1.3 kilograms of heroin within Alaska. Godwin also possessed numerous firearms in connection to the drug trafficking organization. On Sept. 12, 2023, Godwin was arrested after he failed to appear for sentencing in another federal drug trafficking case. Immediately prior to his arrest, Godwin was a passenger in a vehicle that left the area of two motorhomes he used for his drug operation. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, Godwin fled. He was apprehended later that day after a brief foot pursuit. Law enforcement officers discovered roughly $6,000 in cash on his person and a loaded handgun close to where he was arrested. He was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in federal prison earlier that day while in abscond status prior to his arrest. Law enforcement continued their investigation and searched the vehicle. They found over $192,000 in cash, large amounts of drugs and a loaded firearm. Law enforcement also searched one of the motorhomes Godwin was using to traffic drugs and discovered large quantities of drugs and multiple firearms. Godwin continued to lead the organization from jail after he was arrested. On May 23, 2024, Godwin and seven co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in this matter. On May 10, 2025, Godwin pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. At sentencing, the Court ordered Godwin to serve his 20-year sentence consecutive to the 20-year sentence he received for his earlier federal drug trafficking conviction from 2023. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized Godwin’s extensive criminal history, the significance of his crime and the message his sentence sends to the public. Specifically, the Court expressed that if criminals running the drug trafficking organizations targeting Alaska reoffend, there will be harsh consequences. “Mr. Godwin has a long criminal history and chose to continue to engage in conduct that placed our community at risk, landing him in jail for nearly the rest of his life," said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. "This sentence should serve as a warning to offenders in Alaska that my office, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local level, will be relentless in our efforts to keep our community safe from drug trafficking and violent crime.” “Godwin oversaw the importation and distribution of dangerous drugs into and throughout Alaska, jeopardizing public safety in a profound way,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “For his actions, he will now spend decades in federal prison. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not allow criminals like Godwin to operate with impunity in our communities.” Calvin Oktollik, 37, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2026. Miles Apatiki, 38, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Apatiki’s case remains pending. Jennifer Godwin, 41, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on July 11, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on a later date. Andrew Akulaw, 42, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on a later date. Reigna Archuleta, 40, of Anchorage, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of carrying firearms during a drug trafficking crime. Archuleta’s case remains pending. David Henry, 51, of Palmer, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Henry’s case remains pending. Page Peak, 27, of Sterling, pleaded guilty on July 30, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on a later date. The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile, IRS Criminal Investigation, Alaska State Troopers and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Beausang and Mandy Mackenzie are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Rochester area teacher going to prison for possession of child pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kevin Burns, 45, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve 54 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who handled the case, stated that on November 5, 2024, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at the Burns’ residence in Irondequoit, because of a child pornography file he uploaded to Bing Image. During the search, electronic devices were seized, including a computer. More than 450 images of child pornography were found on the computer. Some of the images depicted violence against children and the sexual exploitation of an infant or toddler. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. # # # #


title: Two foreign-controlled companies agree to pay $1.75 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to receipt of Paycheck Protection Program loans

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Setterstix Inc. and MAE-EITEL Inc. have agreed to pay, collectively, $1,757,603.65 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for which they were not eligible. In March of 2020 Congress created the PPP to provide emergency financial assistance to American small businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A PPP loan was both forgivable and guaranteed by the SBA. Among the requirements for eligibility to obtain a PPP loan and subsequent forgiveness, applicants were required to disclose and certify that the applicant, together with affiliates, did not exceed size thresholds. In 2020, Setterstix obtained a PPP loan after certifying that it had fewer than 500 employees. The government alleges that, at the time it applied for its PPP loan, Setterstix had more than 500 employees when accounting for employees of its parent entity and affiliated companies. Similarly, in 2021, MAE obtained a PPP loan after certifying that it had fewer than 300 employees. The government alleges that, at the time it applied for its PPP loan, MAE had more than 300 employees after accounting for the employees of its parent entity and affiliated companies. Setterstix and MAE are both part of the GESCO Group, a German-based conglomerate that acquires and holds medium-sized industrial companies. “PPP loans were meant to help small business weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but too often large businesses obtained these funds through subsidiaries that failed to disclose their true size,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This office has been committed to recovering misspent money and, in 2025, more than $10 million has already been recovered from companies and entities that obtained PPP loans through false and fraudulent representations on PPP loan applications.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Setterstix Inc.; MAE-AMERIKA GmbH, 25-cv-418 (W.D.N.Y.). The relator will receive a share of the settlement. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Coriell and Investigator Margaret McFarland, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. 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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability. # # # #


title: Alma Avenue gang member and brother, both prior felons, facing new drug and gun charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kevin Miller, 35, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine. In addition, Kevin’s brother, Kaylen Miller, 28, of Lackawanna, NY, was arrested and charged in a separate criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. According to the complaints, Kevin Miller was charged after he made two controlled sales of methamphetamine to an undercover officer. Since 2019, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, along with the Lackawanna and Buffalo Police Departments, have been investigating the drug trafficking activities of Kevin Miller, an Alma Avenue Gang member with a prior federal narcotics conviction. Kevin’s brother, Kaylen Miller, was also charged as the result of the execution of a search warrant by law enforcement that resulted in the recovery of a loaded handgun, suspected cocaine, drug paraphernalia and $2,005.00 in cash. Further investigation determined that the recovered handgun had been reported stolen in Cleveland, Ohio. Kaylen Miller was prohibited from possessing the gun due to a prior felony conviction. “Kevin and Kaylen Miller have a documented history of criminal behavior, which they have both been prosecuted and punished for in the past,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “These brothers clearly did not learn a lesson the first time around and are now being held accountable once again for their actions. Let these newest charges serve as a reminder that my Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue our efforts to keep defendants like the Miller brothers from filling our community with drugs, guns, and violence.” “Kevin and Kaylen Miller are previously convicted felons, who, once again, find themselves, in federal custody. These arrests and seizures demonstrate our relentless determination to remove gun and drug-fueled violence from our city,” said Philip Tejera, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force is proud to work side by side with the Lackawanna and Buffalo Police Departments, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring these individuals to justice.” According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, Kaylen and Kevin Miller appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer today. Judge Roemer ordered Kevin Miller to be detained and released Kaylen Miller on conditions. The complaints are the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright, and the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Rochester man pleads guilty to his role in financial fraud scheme involving stolen checks

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Sheldon Marquis Adams, 26, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that between March and September 29, 2023, Adams conspired with others to obtain hundreds of checks that had been stolen from U.S. Postal Service mailboxes in the Rochester, NY, area. Adams and his co-conspirators would then forge or alter the checks with the intent to obtain money from the associated bank accounts. Adams used social media to recruit individuals to cash or deposit the checks into their own accounts and withdraw the money before the issuing bank detected the fraud. If the individuals successfully cashed the checks, they would give the money to the members of the conspiracy in return for a small payment. On September 29, 2023, in furtherance of the conspiracy, Adams was found in possession of 15 pages of blank check stock paper and approximately 335 checks that had been stolen between April and June 2023 from U.S. Postal Service blue collection boxes. Some of the checks had been altered by washing them with acetone. The scheme involved approximately 227 individual victims and 36 business victims, in addition to the victim financial institutions, and stolen and altered checks totaling approximately $516,912.17. The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. Sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Colorado Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Threatening to Kill Cayuga County Man

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jerry Gordon, age 56, of Colorado, was sentenced yesterday to 24 months in prison for transmitting a threat in interstate commerce to injure another person. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Gordon admitted that in April 2025, he sent threatening text messages to a man in Aurora, New York. In the text messages, Gordon told the victim to get his affairs in order before Friday April 25, 2025, as he was going to “drink your blood from the chalice that I will make out of your heart.” Gordon was arrested by FBI agents as he was getting off a plane in Syracuse, on April 25, 2025, after law enforcement became aware of the threats. Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Disgusting threats to kill the citizens of our district will not be tolerated. The defendant not only made these abhorrent threats; he traveled from Colorado to Syracuse to make good on them. Thankfully, local, state and federal agents, working together, were one step ahead of him. They apprehended the defendant as he was getting off the plane, thwarting his devious plans.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, worked to identify, investigate, and quickly intercept Mr. Gordon before he could follow through on his disturbing threats of violence. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that the FBI will not stand idly by when a dangerous individual threatens the safety of our communities.” United States District Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe also imposed a 3-year term of post-release supervision. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Cornell Police Department, Tompkins County Sherriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office, Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Oneida County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown prosecuted the case. ###


title: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Offense

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced on November 21, to a total of 248 months in prison on one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Chief Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. Torrance Dejuan Farmer, Sr. age 51, was convicted last August after a two-day jury trial. According to the evidence presented in court, Farmer had an altercation with his daughter over lost drug proceeds and threatened to kill her. Subsequently, a vehicle pursuit ensued where Farmer ordered his wife to chase his daughter while brandishing a firearm. Farmer discharged the firearm near the Braum’s restaurant at 2511 North College Avenue in Fayetteville. A Fayetteville Police Officer located Farmer’s vehicle near Drake Street and Farmer and his wife fled from the pursuing officer. During the pursuit, the officer observed Farmer throw the firearm from the vehicle onto the overpass of Interstate 49. Shortly thereafter, the pursuit ended, and Farmer and his wife were taken into custody. Farmer has an extensive criminal history and is considered an Armed Career Criminal under Federal Law based on his prior felony convictions for violent and serious drug offenses. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Harris, Dustin Roberts and Kevin Eaton prosecuted the case for the United States. 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. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov .


title: Former Okfuskee County Jailer Pleads Guilty To Deprivation Of Rights Under Color Of Law For Assaulting An Inmate

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donovan Matthew Pruett, age 24, of Checotah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information for one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The Information alleged that on September 28, 2024, while on duty and working in an official capacity as an Okfuskee County jailer, Pruett physically assaulted the victim, an inmate in the Okfuskee County Jail, while the inmate was restrained, resulting in bodily injury to the victim. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Judge Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino, in consultation with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, represented the United States.


title: Wilburton Resident Sentenced To Sixty Years For Murder

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tracy Ann Mannon, a/k/a Tracy Ann Moore, a/k/a Tracy A. Carter, age 53, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 720 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country - Second Degree. The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Wilburton Police Department, and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. On April 21, 2025, Mannon pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on February 26, 2024, Mannon bludgeoned and stabbed the victim to death at a Wilburton residence. The crime occurred in Latimer County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Mannon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.


title: FORT WALTON BEACH FELON SENTENCED TO MORE THAN TWELVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSING A MACHINE GUN

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Louis Terrell Jones, 42, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was sentenced to twelve and a half years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a machine gun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work by our state law enforcement partner, with support from the ATF, this violent felon has been taken off our streets. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to keep our communities safe.” In November 2024, an Escambia County Sherriff’s Office deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by the defendant. During the stop, the vehicle was searched, and the deputy found a Glock 9 millimeter pistol with a machine gun conversion device attached to it. The defendant is prohibited from possessing firearms because he was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including aggravated assault by threat with a firearm. The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: MARIANNA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO INTRODUCING MARIJUANA  INTO TALLAHASSEE FEDERAL DETENTION CENTER

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Bertram Williams, 50, of Marianna, Florida pleaded guilty in federal court to introducing contraband into the Federal Detention Center (FDC) at Tallahassee. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I want to commend the outstanding work by our federal law enforcement partners to stop this offender before he could bring illegal contraband into the federal prison where he was already serving a criminal sentence. Thanks to this successful prosecution by my office, he will now have an extended stay behind bars.” According to court records, the defendant is currently incarcerated at FDC Tallahassee. On April 13, 2025, after the defendant had a visitation session, Bureau of Prison (BOP) staff searched him. While searching the defendant’s left boot, BOP staff discovered two, cylinder shaped, plastic tubs that were in the cut fingertips of a latex glove. Inside one cylinder, staff discovered marijuana. In the second cylinder, staff discovered a rolled-up piece of paper saturated in a substance, which field tested positive for synthetic marijuana. The substances were also tested at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory, which confirmed the substance contained marijuana. Williams faces up to five years’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release when he is sentenced. The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric W. Welch. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: MOTHER AND SON SENTENCED FOR CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE FROM ARIZONA TO FLORIDA

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Kanethia Tremeka Steele, 51, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Her son and codefendant, Kenneth Steele, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison for the same charge. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle this drug trafficking enterprise that had flooded our communities with deadly drugs. This is yet another successful prosecution by my office in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the drug traffickers who have peddled poison on our streets for far too long. Substantial prison time awaits these offenders and any others who try to traffic drugs in the Northern District of Florida.” Court documents reflect that over a three-year period Kanethia Steele obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Arizona-based drug suppliers on behalf of drug traffickers operating in the counties of Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy. In addition to her packaging the methamphetamine, Steele enlisted the assistance of her son, Kenneth, to transport multi-kilogram shipments of methamphetamine secreted in luggage on commercial flights from Phoenix, Arizona to Orlando, Florida. At the direction of his mother, Kenneth Steele made three flights, transporting over 40 pounds of methamphetamine that was distributed in North Florida. “Putting this mother and son enterprise out of business will make communities safer,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “These illicit substances—particularly methamphetamine—have the ability to destroy families.” The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Former Assistant United States Attorney Corey Smith and Assistant United States Attorney Jason Coody. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: U.S. ATTORNEY HEAP ANNOUNCES FORFEITURE OF CRYPTOCURRENCY AND RETURN OF FRAUD PROCEEDS TO VICTIM

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, today announced that, through a civil asset forfeiture action, the government has forfeited, liquidated, and returned approximately $84,327.50 to a victim of cryptocurrency theft. “The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the FBI and the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, worked diligently to locate, seize, and forfeit these funds, and thereafter, return money to the victim,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “This case demonstrates my office’s commitment to helping victims of crime. By using civil asset forfeiture, we can expeditiously recover as much stolen money as possible and return this money to victims. Although it can be difficult to come forward and admit that you were a victim of a crime, we stand ready to help you to the fullest extent possible. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will work with the victims in these cases and with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section to properly return forfeited assets to eligible victims. If you think you have been a victim of a cybercrime, file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov .” As set forth in the civil complaint, in October 2024, a resident of Richmond Hill, Georgia, noticed several unauthorized transactions in a cryptocurrency address the resident owned and controlled. As a result of the illegal transactions, approximately $124,000 was stolen from the Richmond Hill resident. Upon discovering the theft, the victim reported the crime to local law enforcement and to the FBI. The FBI thoroughly investigated the case, tracing the location of the majority of the stolen cryptocurrency, charting the pathway of the ill-gotten crime proceeds, and identifying the involvement of overseas actors, including in Cambodia. The FBI, working with the Asset Forfeiture Unit, quickly seized the traced cryptocurrency. Earlier this year, the property was forfeited through a federal civil forfeiture case in Savannah. Throughout the investigation and court proceedings, the FBI worked with the victim to advance the investigation and to return the net proceeds of the cryptocurrency after forfeiture and liquidation. “The FBI is committed to pursuing justice for victims of cybercrime, no matter where the trail leads,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “In this case, our agents used advanced investigative techniques to trace stolen cryptocurrency across international borders and recover funds that otherwise might have been lost forever. We’ll continue working alongside our partners to identify cybercriminals, seize their illegal gains, and restore assets to those they’ve harmed.” The Internet Crime Complaint Center is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov to report a crime, and for updated information and other cyber fraud schemes. This case was investigated by the FBI. The United States was represented by Senior Litigation Counsel J. Bishop Ravenel. Attachments: Civil Complaint Default Judgment


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Sending Obscene Videos to an Individual he Believed to be a Fifteen-Year-Old Female

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARK BROOKS (a/k/a “Baby Nu”) , age 35, from New Orleans, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1470. According to court documents, on or about May 1, 2025, BROOKS contacted an FBI online covert employee who was pretending to be a fifteen-year-old female named “Ava”. Subsequently, after “Ava” told BROOKS that she was only fifteen years old, BROOKS engaged in a sexually charged, text-based correspondence with her. During their correspondence, BROOKS sent multiple sexually explicit videos to “Ava,” including videos of BROOKS masturbating while at work and inside rooms in a residence. During their correspondence, BROOKS repeatedly discussed meeting “Ava” in person to engage in sexual acts. On May 13, 2025, BROOKS proposed to Ava that they meet at a restaurant near his residence and then return to BROOKS’s residence to engage in sexual contact. “Ava” agreed. Law enforcement authorities arrested BROOKS as he walked from his residence to the restaurant. BROOKS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. BROOKS may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Ashe has been scheduled for February 12, 2026. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.projectsafechildhood.gov. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Wapato Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Attempted Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 on the Yakama Reservation

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastain sentenced Shawn De Sun Speedis, age 19, to 30 months in prison for Attempted Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 years of Age in Indian Country. Judge Bastain further sentenced Speedis to 5 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. As a result of this conviction, Speedis also will be required to register as a sex offender. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing, on October 31, 2024, after the child returned home from trick-or-treating, and her mother had left their residence, Speedis asked the child if she wanted to see and touch his penis. When the child refused, Speedis continued to try and coerce the child. The child repeatedly told Speedis that she did not want to do what he asked. Speedis then exposed himself to the child. The child victim was eleven years old at the time of the offense. “The sexual abuse of children is some of the most heinous criminal conduct that we face as a community,” said US Attorney Pete Serrano. “My office will continue to work alongside our tribal, state and federal partners to stand up for victims of sexual crimes and against those who seek to prey on the most vulnerable people in our community. No one can give the victim back what the Defendant took, but this significant sentence, along with Defendant’s ongoing supervision upon release, and his required registration as a sex offender reflects our commitment to prioritize these investigations and these victims.” “Mr. Speedis turned Halloween evening last year into a profoundly traumatic experience for this child: a predator seeking to sexually abuse her in her own home," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "We hope this prison sentence and sex offender registration will serve as a warning to all that this behavior has long-lasting consequences.” This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse. 1:25-cr-02057-SAB


title: Indiana Laboratory Company Agrees to Pay More Than $9 Million to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations

component: Civil Division

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Patients Choice Laboratories (“PCL”), a diagnostic laboratory headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, has agreed to pay the United States $9,620,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”). The government alleges that PCL knowingly submitted claims to Medicare for respiratory pathogen panels (“RPPs”) that were either medically unnecessary or obtained through kickbacks. PCL also paid commissions to independent sales representatives and marketing firms (“1099 representatives”) based on the volume or value of referrals. Specifically, the United States alleges that on November 20, 2020, PCL entered into a Marketing Services Agreement (“MSA”) with a purported infection prevention company (“the Company”), agreeing to pay $5,000 per month in exchange for “marketing and management services” in long-term care facilities. In reality, according to the United States, the MSA served as a pretext for paying the company for laboratory test referrals, which PCL then billed to Medicare. The United States further alleges that PCL paid the Company to perform services in long-term care facilities, including specimen collection for infectious disease testing. The Company swabbed residents for COVID-19, and PCL used the same specimens to conduct and bill Medicare for medically unnecessary RPPs. In some cases, PCL billed for RPPs without performing any COVID-19 tests at all. Between December 1, 2020, and May 11, 2022, PCL paid the Company approximately $1.86 million in exchange for RPP referrals. During that time, PCL billed Medicare for thousands of RPPs conducted at 43 long-term care facilities nationwide, receiving over $6 million in reimbursement. Additionally, from January 1 to March 31, 2021, PCL contracted with 1099 representatives to promote its laboratory tests to health care providers. The United States alleges that these individuals were not bona fide employees. PCL paid them a percentage of the revenue generated from testing they facilitated. The representatives helped arrange referrals and orders for tests billed to Medicare in violation of the AKS. PCL’s commission payments to these representatives totaled at least $372,000. “Kickback arrangements that drive unnecessary testing waste taxpayer dollars and undermine the integrity of our healthcare system,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This settlement reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who seek to profit at the expense of federal healthcare programs and the patients they serve.” “Providing impermissible compensation to induce patient referrals that then lead to medically unnecessary diagnostic tests is simply unacceptable,” said Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “We’re committed to taking the necessary actions to protect patients and taxpayer-funded government health programs.” “Wasteful spending fueled by kickback arrangements undermines the public’s confidence in our health care system and depletes valuable resources that should be used to improve patient care,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the HHS-OIG Chicago Regional Office. “Working together with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to identify and investigate alleged violations of federal law.” “Entities who submit false Medicare claims destroy public trust in federal health care programs and divert taxpayer-funded resources away from vulnerable citizens who truly need them,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the HHS-OIG. “We are unwavering in our dedication to safeguarding the integrity of the Medicare trust fund and the services provided to enrollees.” “Companies that submit false claims undermine public trust and divert critical resources away from legitimate care,” said Timothy J. O’Malley, special agent in charge of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement and government partners to hold accountable those who seek to profit through fraud or deception.” The matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Kelly McAuliffe and Asha Natarajan of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tarra DeShields, District of Maryland, and Adriana Figueroa, Southern District of Indiana, who jointly handled this case. The litigation team received investigative support from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States’ settlement in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Washington Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced today that Michael Avila Espinoza, age 34, was sentenced for two counts of Production of Child Pornography. Espinoza pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Espinoza to 23 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Judge Rice also imposed a $15,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. According to court documents, Espinoza met with and engaged in sex with two minor females, one as young as 12 years of age, and recorded the child rapes on his cell phone. Espinoza was identified during the course of a state sexual assault investigation involving one of Espinoza’s victims. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Espinoza’s social media and found communications between Espinoza and his minor victims that made it clear Espinoza met with the minors several times for sex. Investigators also observed in Espinoza’s social media records the sexually explicit videos Espinoza created and additional sexually explicit photos of the victims solicited by Espinoza. When the victims were interviewed, they confirmed that Espinoza offered and paid them small amounts of money in exchange for sex. “It is difficult to imagine more violative conduct than the sexual assault of multiple minors, but here Defendant multiplied the horrors of his crimes by commodifying his child victims, and by recording his acts of violence against them,” said United States Attorney Serrano. “In a civilized society, it is everyone’s job to protect the innocent and the vulnerable. The United States Attorney’s Office stands with child victims and prioritizes their protection from sexual predators like Defendant. A 23-year sentence is significant, and demonstrates the collaborative partnerships of local, state, and federal law enforcement colleagues who work tirelessly to protect our communities.” “Espinoza’s sentencing—23 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release—reflects the profound harm caused by the defendant’s crimes, including his abuse of minors in the production of child sexual exploitation material,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of HSI special agents from HSI Yakima and HSI Wenatchee, who supported our local law enforcement partners, this threat to children has been removed from our communities and will be closely monitored for the rest of his life. HSI remains unwavering in our commitment to stop the vile crime of child exploitation.” “This negotiated sentence accomplishes several of the goals the State hopes for—it encompasses crimes from multiple jurisdictions, with multiple victims, holds the defendant accountable at a high level, and protects the victims from having to speak about and relive the trauma of what the defendant did to them multiple times.” Said Deputy Prosecutor Micaela Meadow. “Chelan County is grateful to our federal counterparts for assisting in and taking on these difficult cases where we may not be able to accomplish those goals at the State level.” “Protecting the safety of our community, especially our most vulnerable, is our highest priority. We are grateful for the partnership that helped bring this offender to justice,” stated Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Tyler I. Caille. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick. 2:23-cr-00030-TOR


title: Habitual Domestic Violence Offender Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Assaulting His Intimate Partner on the Spokane Reservation

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on November 6, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Idris Haith, age 47, of Wellpinit, Washington, to 30 months in prison for Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender in Indian Country. Judge Rice also ordered that, following imprisonment, Haith must serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on September 26, 2024, Haith’s intimate partner, a Native American woman with whom Haith shares several children in common, called 911 emergency response and reported that Haith struck her, choked her, and threatened to kill her at a residence on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The victim said she confronted Haith about cheating on her and they both became mad and aggressive. The victim said Haith hit her face then began to strangle her. Law enforcement officers on scene observed the victim had scratches on the left side of her neck and blood on the left side of her lips. Haith’s conduct is part of a pattern of assaulting the same victim. Haith has been convicted twice before for assaulting the same victim. The prior convictions occurred in the Spokane Municipal Court in 2012 and 2014. A person is considered a “habitual offender” within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 117 if, like Haith, he or she has two prior, separate, and final convictions in other court proceedings for assaults against an intimate partner. “The Spokane Tribal Police Department commends the outstanding work of our team and the strong collaboration we share with neighboring jurisdictions. The Spokane Tribe remains firmly committed to thoroughly investigating and effectively assisting in the prosecution of crimes committed by non-Natives in Indian Country. We take all allegations of domestic violence and other serious assaults against Native American women with the utmost seriousness.” Stated Clint G. Kieffer, Chief of Police for the Spokane Tribal Police Department. “The Spokane Tribal Police Department will continue to pursue every case to the fullest extent of the law to safeguard the safety and well-being of our community.” “This significant sentence reflects the serious nature of the offender’s ongoing pattern of abuse. Domestic violence is rarely a single event – more often is arises as repeated violations of trust, safety, and basic human dignity, as happened here. When individuals continue to harm their partners or family members despite prior intervention, stronger judicial action becomes necessary. Domestic violence and intimate partner abuse will continue to be a priority for this Office and I am grateful for our tribal partners, the FBI, and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office for their tireless pursuit of justice for victims of these offenses.” “Mr. Haith not only has a history of domestic violence, but those assaults have repeatedly been directed at the same victim,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Even worse, that person is his partner and mother of his children. The FBI and our partners are committed to combatting violent crime in Washington state, including on tribal lands, to keep our families and communities safe.” The case was investigated by the Spokane Tribal Police Department, the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Ellis. 2:24-cr-00179-TOR


title: Accountability in Action: Federal Immigration Enforcement Numbers

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- Six illegal immigrants, five of whom are convicted felons, have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry in the Southern District of Indiana. The prosecutions, which involved defendants from Monroe, Dubois, Marion, and Perry counties, stemmed from separate investigations. Each case was handled independently. Defendant Sentence Prior Removals Prior Convictions Teodulo Gonzalez-Parral, 51, of Mexico 3 years, 10 months November 2010 (twice) & April 2012 Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated (x3); Criminal Mischief (3 rd & 2 nd degree), 2 nd Degree Assault Raymundo Antonio Galdamez-Lobo, 44, of El Salvador 3 years, 1 month December 2008, June 2009, September 2011, August 2012, June 2019, August 2022 Criminal Trespass; Driving while intoxicated (x3); Prostitution; Reckless Driving; Resisting Arrest; Providing False Information (x3); Burglary (x3); Evading arrest; Illegal Reentry Jorge A. Esparza-Reyna, 32, of Mexico 7 months November 2015, January 2018, June 2021 Driving Under the Influence (x2) Noe Hernandez-Cocullo, 37, of Mexico Time Served January 2009 & April 2023 Recklessly Endangering Safety of a Child Amin Derli Reynosa-Diaz, 29, of Mexico Time served October 2019 Domestic Battery Martin Cortez-Lopez, 36, of Mexico Time served February 2011 Possession of a controlled substance; Resisting an Officer with Violence; Disorderly Intoxication in Public At the time the defendants entered their guilty pleas, they acknowledged that upon completion of their sentence, they will be subject to removal from the United States. Conditions of supervision require the defendants to surrender to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement upon release from federal custody. “Violent criminal aliens who repeatedly violate our immigration laws and endanger our communities must face real consequences,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Through Operation Take Back America, we are unleashing the full force of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal aliens and ensure that those who threaten our security face swift and decisive justice.” The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated these cases. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judges Richard L. Young, Matthew P. Brookman, Tanya Walton Pratt, and James P. Hanlon. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd Shellenbarger, Matthew Miller, Meredith Wood, Carolyn Haney, and Lauren Wheatley, who prosecuted these cases. 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) ###


title: Foreign National Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Unlawfully Re-Entering United States After Deportation

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: ROCKFORD — A foreign national residing in Illinois has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being deported. SANTOS VASQUEZ-ORTIZ, a native of Guatemala, was unlawfully present in the United States when he was arrested in 2021 for aggravated criminal sexual assault in McHenry County, Ill. He was later convicted of the offense in state court. Vasquez-Ortiz had been deported from the United States in 2008 and did not receive authorization from the U.S. government to return. Vasquez-Ortiz, 41, pleaded guilty earlier this year in federal court in Rockford to one count of unlawful re-entry after removal. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the two-year federal prison sentence on Nov. 17, 2025. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew J. Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.


title: Mission Man Sentenced to more than Two Years in Federal Prison  for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on November 12, 2025. Tyler Waukechon, age 32, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Waukechon was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on August 7, 2025. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in October 2024, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, when Waukechon confronted another adult male with a shovel at a residence in Mission. Waukechon struck the man in the face with the shovel, inflicting a deep laceration that required hospitalization. Waukechon was arrested later that day at a nearby residence. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Waukechon was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sanford Cocaine Trafficker Convicted Of Firearms And Drug Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Terrence Denard Perkins (45, Sanford) guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Perkins faces a minimum penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 4, 2026. Perkins was indicted on January 8, 2025. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on January 9, 2024, law enforcement executed a narcotics search warrant on a house in Sanford, Florida, occupied by Perkins’ elderly stepfather. Inside the house, agents found an electronic money counter, revolvers in the bedrooms, and a loaded AR-15 semiautomatic rifle concealed behind a sofa cushion. AR-15 found in the sofa Revolver in Perkins' bedroom In a backyard carport, agents found bags of cocaine and a cocaine cutting, packaging, and distribution station. Next to the packaging station, on the hood of Perkins’ Corvette, was another loaded AR-15 and a MAC-10 handgun wrapped up in a t-shirt. AR-15 and MAC-10 on the hood of the Corvette Hidden inside two broken-down cars on the back yard lawn, agents found Perkins’ cocaine inventory—18 vacuum sealed kilogram bricks of cocaine—along with more AR-15s, handguns, an AK-47 rifle, a machinegun, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Financial records, DNA results, videos saved on Perkins’ stash house surveillance system, and Perkins’s own social media posts proved at trial that the seized items were tools and inventory of Perkins’ prolific drug trade. The United States is forfeiting the firearms and ammunition involved in the offense. Bricks of cocaine, firearms, and cocaine trafficking paraphernalia seized from Perkins' house Perkins is a seven-time convicted felon, including convictions for conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and aggravating fleeing and eluding. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office’s City County Investigative Bureau (CCIB), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan and Michael P. Felicetta. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington is handling the forfeiture of firearms and ammunition. 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: California Man Sentenced to 33 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a San Jacinto, California man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025. Darrel Devorce, 56, was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Devorce was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025. “Devorce is a longtime meth dealer responsible for shipping that poison into South Dakota since at least 2018,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “He will now be separated from the rest of society for most of the rest of his life.” “IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to be part of a task force that is dedicated to dismantling criminal organizations that pose a threat to the safety of our local communities,” said Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Devorce’s 400-month prison sentence is a reflection of that dedication and our determination to use our financial expertise to help get dangerous people off our streets.” Through an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, investigators learned that Darrel Devorce was responsible for running a large methamphetamine trafficking organization for approximately five years. Devorce began sourcing methamphetamine to co-conspirators in Sioux Falls around 2018 and continued to do so into 2023. During Devorce’s involvement in the conspiracy, he arranged for methamphetamine from California to be delivered to co-conspirators in South Dakota. Devorce directed others to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds from the methamphetamine conspiracy using CashApp, Western Union and Zelle. The money transfers were designed to conceal the source of the proceeds of the methamphetamine conspiracy and Devorce’s involvement in the conspiracy. In addition to Devorce, multiple other individuals from California and South Dakota were involved in the conspiracy, and to date over ten of them have been charged and convicted in federal court. Devorce was the leader of the group responsible for souring the drugs and directing the movement of money. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Devorce was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Bahamian National Indicted For Illegal Voting, Passport Fraud, And False Claim Of United States Citizenship To Obtain State Benefits

body_text: Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Rochelle Deborah Johnson (65, The Bahamas) with illegal voting, passport fraud, and false claim of United States citizenship to obtain state benefits. If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, Johnson was born in The Bahamas and is not a citizen of the United States. In 2016, Johnson used a passport that she secured by falsely claiming to be a United States citizen to take an international flight. Then in 2018, she attempted to renew her passport by, once again, falsely claiming to be a United States citizen. Johnson also unlawfully voted in the 2020 Presidential election and falsely claimed to be a United States citizen to renew and replace her Florida driver’s license. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the United States Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 17 1/2 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Javier O. Jasso, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Jasso to a total of 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jasso’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Between January 24, 2024, and continuing until on or about May 28, 2024, Bryan Hall, Javier Jasso, and Jeremy Eaves worked together to sell cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in and around the Lincoln and Omaha areas. The group is responsible for possessing and/or distributing at least two kilograms of cocaine, 600 grams of methamphetamine, and 500 grams of fentanyl throughout the conspiracy. Law enforcement also made multiple controlled buys from Jasso during this time. A search warrant was executed at the residence of Eaves, Jasso, and Hall. In Eaves’s bedroom, investigators found a baggie of M30 pills, $1,985 in U.S. currency, a package that was delivered to another residence containing drugs, his identification card, bank receipts, and 330 grams of methamphetamine. In Jasso’s bedroom, officers seized $5,050 of U.S. currency and an additional $415 of U.S. currency from his wallet. Drugs were also found on the floor in the community room. In a closet, officers found 170 grams of methamphetamine, baggies of M30 pills, pink pills, suspected MDMA, LSD, Adderall, unknown liquids, unknown pills, bags of mushrooms, THC cartridges, THC syrup, ammunition, and a Marlin lever action .22 caliber rifle. Co-defendant Jeremy Eaves was sentenced on September 25, 2025, to 224 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. Co-defendant Bryan Hall was sentenced on October 23, 2025, to 30 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Over Nine Years In Prison For Possession Of A Firearm

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Mar’keise Bates (31, Jacksonville) to nine years and two months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Bates pleaded guilty on August 20, 2025. According to court documents, police were dispatched to the River City Inn on March 3, 2025, in response to a disturbance. A hotel employee reported she had asked Bates to leave the hotel. Despite that, Bates returned with what appeared to be a gun in his waistband. The employee then saw another individual running while saying that Bates had pulled a gun on him. Police obtained surveillance video, which showed Bates holding a gun and pointing it at another person before running off. After viewing the surveillance video, police apprehended Bates and recovered the firearm he possessed, a Beretta M9 9mm semi-automatic pistol, in one of the hotel rooms. Prior to this, Bates was convicted of multiple felonies, including felony battery, robbery, aggravated battery upon a pregnant female, and sale of cocaine. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney. 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: U.S. Attorney's Office Highlights Prosecutions During Lapse In Appropriations

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – During the recent lapse in government appropriations, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada remained open and performed excepted duties related to national security, violations of federal law, and essential public safety functions. The following are highlights of some cases prosecuted during the lapse in appropriations: Matthew Wade Beasley pleaded guilty to defrauding investors of money to fund loans, but in reality, he enriched himself and others, and to repay investors as if loans had been made. From 2017 to March 2022, he caused 1,213 investors to invest about $519.9 million. He paid himself about $33.5 million from the scheme, paid off gambling debts, and purchased luxury homes, high-end cars, and recreational vehicles. Sentencing is scheduled for January 28, 2026. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Schiess and Jessica Oliva are prosecuting the case. A jury convicted Francisco Ivan Velazquez , a Mexican national, of operating a fraud scheme in which he impersonated an IRS officer and told victims he could obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars for them from a fictitious IRS program. Sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2026. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Hua Xiao, Cheng Cheng Li, and Jianming Li from China, and Jisup Hwang from South Korea, were charged with operating brothels masquerading as massage parlors throughout Las Vegas and laundering the illegal proceeds. The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Steven Rose is prosecuting the case. Sergio Octavio Sanchez was indicted and made his initial court appearance for allegedly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at and in the flight path of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department helicopter. The laser interfered with police operations and endangered the crew of the helicopter. A jury trial is scheduled to begin on February 23, 2026. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tina Snellings is prosecuting the case. Steven Gregory Thornton was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tina Snellings prosecuted the case. After a three-day trial, a jury convicted Elijah Sylee Shelton of possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2026. The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys James Gaeta and Joshua Brister are prosecuting the case. Five-time felon Brenton Scott Williams was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. In furtherance of his crimes, Williams waited for individuals to leave the gun range, followed them as they left, and then later broke into their vehicles to steal their firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Ryan Tyler Maness was sentenced to 10 years in prison for engaging in a sexually explicit conversation over Kik messenger with someone who he believed was a 13-year-old girl and attempting to engage in sexual activity with said minor. Maness attempted to meet who he believed to be a 13-year-old girl while being armed with a loaded firearm. At the time, he was on probation for a robbery conviction in Las Vegas. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin prosecuted the case. An Indictment merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Massachusetts Man Charged and Detained in Ongoing Elder Fraud Investigation

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A citizen of India currently residing in Dorchester, MA on a student visa has been ordered detained on a federal criminal complaint for his alleged role in a conspiracy targeting Rhode Island seniors, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Samyag Uday Doshi, 25, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy E. Moses on November 17, 2025 for his initial appearance following his arrest. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. It is alleged that he participated in a scheme that caused a Rhode Island resident to turn over $54,000 in cash, with an attempted loss amount totaling more than $385,000. According to allegations in the criminal complaint, law enforcement received a call for service regarding a Newport resident who was suspected to be the victim of an elder abuse financial fraud scam. The individual received a voicemail on his cellular phone regarding a phony purchase and was instructed to call a telephone number provided to him to address the issue. When he called the number, scammers falsely told him that he was speaking with a federal official and was under investigation for a myriad of charges, including money laundering. The scammers represented that they could assist the individual through the investigation. Over the course of approximately three weeks, scammers directed the individual to make multiple cash withdrawals of tens of thousands of dollars and to then mail the funds out of state or provide the funds to “couriers,” whom he met in person in Rhode Island. The individual also made multiple inquiries about purchasing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gold bars. These inquiries are believed to have been directed by members of the conspiracy. On November 17, 2025, the scammers attempted to arrange for the victim to deliver an additional $45,000 in cash. The victim contacted law enforcement, who surveilled the delivery as it was made, as is alleged, to Doshi, who was arrested at the meet spot. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Taylor A. Dean. The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-Providence and the Newport Police Department, with assistance from HSI-Chicago. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Rhode Island comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Intelligence & Analysis, and Rhode Island Police Departments in Warwick, Newport, Providence, East Providence, and Lincoln, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.


title: Southington Man Convicted of Firearm and Drug Offenses Stemming from 2020 Shooting in Hartford

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on November 21, 2025, a federal jury in New Haven found ERIC D. COX, 42, of Southington, guilty of firearm and narcotics offenses stemming from a shooting in Hartford in 2020. According to the evidence introduced during the trial, on September 4, 2020, Cox engaged in a violent altercation near Hartford Hospital in Hartford. During the altercation in which Cox was slashed with a knife, Cox pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots at the individual who slashed him and others in the vicinity, which resulted in a bystander being shot multiple times. Hartford Police responded to the incident and found several cartridge casings on Jefferson Street where the stabbing and shooting occurred, and a hospital employee found a discarded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol outside the entrance of the hospital’s emergency department and notified law enforcement. Police searched Cox’s car after the incident and found a bag containing approximately 28 grams of cocaine. Subsequent analysis of the firearm revealed the presence of Cox’s DNA. Cox’s criminal history includes a federal conviction in 2008 for a crack cocaine distribution offense for which he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment. The jury found Cox guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and possession of cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. Cox is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the other individual involved in the altercation. This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Mary G. Vitale.


title: Michigan Pharmacist Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison  for $4M Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former Michigan pharmacist was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for his role in a health care fraud scheme at a pharmacy he operated. He was also ordered to pay $4 million in restitution and to forfeit four real estate properties and $726,364.96. According to court documents, from approximately 2011 to 2017, Nabil Fakih, 50, of Wayne County, billed Medicare for prescription medications that he did not dispense at the pharmacy he owned and operated in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. As part of the scheme, Fakih submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicare for high-reimbursing prescription medications, such as blood thinners and lung disease inhalers that his pharmacy did not even have the inventory to dispense. He concealed his fraud by manipulating the inventory purchases at his pharmacy, as well as the receipt and transfer of the proceeds from the fraud, diverting the proceeds for his own personal use and benefit. As a result of his crime, Fakih caused a total of approximately $4 million of loss to Medicare. In August 2024, Fakih pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud before a federal judge in the Eastern District of Michigan. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Andres Q. Almendarez of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.


title: Illegal Immigrant from Honduras Sentenced to Eight Months in Prison For Illegal Reentry into U.S.

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – Nelson Deras-Pineda, 43, an illegal immigrant from Honduras with a history of driving under the influence and fleeing the scenes of traffic accidents, as well as entering the United States without authorization, was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold accountable those individuals who flout the immigration laws of the United States,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. According to court documents, Deras-Pineda was arrested in June 2025 by the Roanoke City Police Department on felony DUI charges, his third DUI arrest in the last 10 years. Roanoke City officers contacted Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington to conduct an Immigration Alien Query. At that time, it was determined that Deras-Pineda was in the United States illegally having previously entered the country in January 2003 and May 2006. He was subsequently removed following each of those illegal entries. Deras-Pineda again reentered the United States, illegally and without authorization, at an unknown date following his 2006 removal. Deras-Pineda has prior state convictions for fleeing the scene of an accident, driving without a license, and three DUIs. Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, investigated the case for the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Explosives and Manufacturing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Matthew Henry Jacober, 44, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of explosives and manufacturing crystal methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in July 2025, Jacober possessed 50 pounds of dynamite, which he had secreted in a cave approximately 10 to 15 feet from a travel trailer where Jacober was residing. In 2021, Jacober was convicted in Kern County Superior Court of making a destructive device without a permit, a felony. As a convicted felon, Jacober was prohibited from possessing explosives. In addition, Jacober was in the process of manufacturing crystal methamphetamine in his trailer, where he possessed both finished product and methamphetamine in the process of changing from liquid to a crystal form. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, and the Kern County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. Jacober is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 17, 2026, Jacober faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the explosives charge and a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine for manufacturing methamphetamine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Illegal Mexican National with Five Prior Removals Caught with 50,000 Fentanyl Pills Hidden in Child’s Toy

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Mexican national made his initial appearance in federal court in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 17 after law enforcement recovered more than 50,000 fentanyl pills concealed inside a child’s toy. According to the complaint affidavit, officers approached a vehicle driven by Guillermo Higuera German, 37. During a consensual encounter, a certified narcotics K-9 conducted an open-air sniff and alerted to narcotics. A search of the vehicle followed. Officers found several boxes and a Sesame Street-style school bus toy packed with thousands of fentanyl pills that weighed about five kilograms. The investigation also determined that Higuera German was illegally in the U.S. and had been deported five times. Higuera German is again subject to removal. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. The DEA Miami Field Division and Fort Lauderdale Police Department are investigating, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on potential immigration offenses. About the Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section This case is being prosecuted by the newly formed Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section. BICE was created by U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones to strengthen South Florida’s border security posture, protect maritime and land points of entry, enforce federal immigration law, and dismantle transnational smuggling networks operating through the region. The Section brings together narcotics, immigration, fraud, and violent-crime expertise into a single coordinated unit focused on border-driven threats. BICE Deputy Chief Jeremy Fugate is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-mj-06666. ###