title: Justice Department Announces Compensation Process for OneCoin Fraud Victims With Funds Recovered Through Asset Forfeiture

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice announced the beginning of the remission compensation process to provide recovery for victims of the international investment scheme involving OneCoin Ltd. Between 2014 and 2019, Ruja Ignatova and Karl Sebastian Greenwood, co-founders of OneCoin Ltd. (OneCoin), and others orchestrated a large, international cryptocurrency investment scheme defrauding investors from around the globe. OneCoin, which began operations in 2014 and was based in Sofia, Bulgaria, marketed and sold a fraudulent cryptocurrency by the same name through a global multi-level-marketing (MLM) network. As a result of misrepresentations made about OneCoin, victims invested over $4 billion worldwide in the fraudulent cryptocurrency. The Department of Justice filed a number of OneCoin-related prosecutions in the Southern District of New York. Several key figures involved in the scheme have been sentenced, and the Department pursued criminal forfeiture of property derived from the proceeds of the fraud scheme. More than $40 million in forfeited assets are currently available for victim compensation. Through the remission process, victims who purchased the fraudulent OneCoin cryptocurrency between 2014 and 2019 may be eligible for compensation. Individuals who believe they may be victims may obtain a petition form online at www.onecoinremission.com . Victims may also call, email, or write to the Remission Administrator to request that a Petition Form be sent to them. The deadline for filing a petition is June 30. The Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section manages the remission compensation process. “Victims are at the core of everything we do at the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. “As we did in this complex investment fraud case, the Department pursues forfeiture to take the profit out of crime and then use that money to compensate victims wherever possible. I commend the efforts of our colleagues in the Southern District of New York, our law enforcement partners, and our Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, which manages the Asset Forfeiture Program, for all of their work on behalf of the victims in this important case.” “Between 2014 and 2019, OneCoin’s founders sold a lie disguised as cryptocurrency, costing victims more than $4 billion worldwide,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s announcement marks an important step toward returning funds to those harmed. While no recovery can fully undo the damage, our Office will continue working to seize criminal proceeds and prioritize getting money back into the hands of victims. If you believe you may be a victim of OneCoin, you may obtain a petition form online at www.onecoinremission.com.” “The victim losses accrued in this case are monumental,” said Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr of the FBI New York Field Office. “Misled by falsified statements and empty promises, many unknowingly depleted their savings for a fraudulent investment scheme in an emerging financial ecosystem that would never pay out. With the unwavering support from the Department of Justice, the FBI maintains its commitment to returning these stolen funds to their rightful owners. Our office will continue its investigative pursuit of these criminal fraudsters — especially locating Ruja Ignatova, an FBI Top Ten Fugitive — alongside our partners at the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Southern District of New York. Any information concerning this fugitive can be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov or via our tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI.” “The victims of the OneCoin scheme were misled and financially devastated by promises that were never real,” said Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of IRS-CI. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, we worked tirelessly to trace illicit funds and recover them for victims. This compensation process represents a critical step toward returning stolen assets to those who were deceived. IRS-CI remains steadfast in its mission to follow the money and dismantle complex financial fraud schemes like OneCoin.” More information regarding the remission process, including eligibility criteria, updates, and frequently asked questions are available at www.onecoinremission.com or by calling 1-833-421-9748. Kroll Settlement Administration LLC is serving as the remission administrator in this matter. The FBI and IRS-CI conducted the criminal fraud investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance. The Department of Justice, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to compensate victims of crime. Since 2000, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF), which oversees the Asset Forfeiture Program’s victim compensation program, has returned more than $12.5 billion in forfeited assets to victims of crime. MNF Attorney Advisor Drew Halter with the section’s Program Management and Training Unit is leading the remission process. Neither the Remission Administrator nor the Department of Justice will ask for any payment to participate in this remission process. Please be cautious of any individual or organization claiming to represent the Remission Administrator or the federal government in this matter. If you are a victim, any communications will come directly from the Remission Administrator or from government representatives with whom you have already had contact. PSA: FBI Warns of the Impersonation of Law Enforcement and Government Officials https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250418 PSA: Fictitious Law Firms Targeting Cryptocurrency Scam Victims Combine Multiple Exploitation Tactics While Offering to Recover Funds https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250813 How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam


title: Bluefield Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Landon Joseph Cartwright, 23, of Bluefield, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 13, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cartwright’s residence in Bluefield and seized approximately 443 grams of methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Cartwright admitted that he possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute it. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Bluefield Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-115. ###


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty in $1.9M  in Unemployment Insurance and Pandemic Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Detroit resident pleaded guilty today related to an extensive unemployment insurance and Paycheck Protection Program fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. Tauheed Salik Wilder, 43, pleaded guilty today before Judge Brandy R. McMillion to one count of wire fraud. Joining in the announcement was Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation and Jason Palmer, Director, Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. According to court records, Wilder filed hundreds of false claims for unemployment insurance benefits in multiple states, including Michigan and California, in numerous other individuals’ names and without their consent. Wilder used, or arranged for others to use, ATM cards issued in the names of identity theft victims to withdraw the fraudulently obtained unemployment funds. In total, Wilder's conduct caused actual UI benefit losses of $1.8 million. Further, Wilder accepted responsibility for two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans he applied for and received in his own name, totaling approximately $84,000. In total, Wilder’s scheme caused actual losses of $1.9M. U.S. Attorney Gorgon stated, “Fraud against the government is itself a pandemic. One that hurts the American taxpayer and undermines the strength of our economy. Each of these prosecutions is a dose of justice.” “Tauheed Wilder’s guilty plea sends a clear message: the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General will relentlessly pursue those who steal from taxpayers through fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Protecting the integrity of these programs for American workers in need remains one of our highest priorities,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we are going on offense against fraud—tracking down bad actors who try to game the system and line their pockets at taxpayers’ expense.” “This guilty plea is an important victory for America’s taxpayers who play by the rules and don’t use assistance programs as a cash slush fund,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Today’s plea is also part of a much larger and coordinated effort by the IRS-CI and Department of Justice to aggressively find and crack down on fraudsters misusing taxpayer dollars. For those still hiding in this shadowy world, know that we will find you and hold you fully accountable.” “Mr. Wilder joins a growing list of fraudsters who thought they could get away with fleecing the unemployment insurance program in Michigan,” said Michigan UIA Director Jason Palmer. “He should be ashamed of his failed scheme to steal money from hard-working Michiganders and businesses who support the unemployment insurance program. He may have thought he got away with it, but in the end he and other bad actors will learn the Unemployment Insurance Agency will come after them and hold them accountable for their crimes.” Wilder will be sentenced by Judge McMillion on July 30, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud charge. The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. This case was investigated by special agents of the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Michigan UIA. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Particka.


title: Brazilian Illegal Alien Indicted for  Reentry Of Deported Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – WALYSTTON HENRIQUE DE SOUZA (“DE SOUZA”) , age 32, a native of Brazil, was indicted on April 9, 2026, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, DE SOUZA , an illegal alien, was found in St. Tammany Parish on March 31, 2026. He had previously been convicted of violating 8 U.S.C. § 1326, Illegal Re-entry of Removed Alien and was removed back to Brazil on July 2, 2021. If convicted, DE SOUZA faces a maximum penalty of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Lovus Austin Brewer, 28, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 4, 2025, law enforcement officers responding to reports of shots fired at a Huntington apartment building encountered Brewer and ordered him to raise his hands in the air. When Brewer complied, officers saw a black pistol with an extended 30-round magazine on his right rear hip. Officers recovered a 9mm pistol from Brewer and 17 spent shell casings and one live, unfired round near the apartment building. Security camera footage captured Brewer walking to the front of the building and opening fire. Several residents reported that the gunfire struck the apartment building, and officers observed bullets holes in the building’s windows and walls. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brewer knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Wayne County Circuit Court on August 21, 2017, and fleeing with reckless indifference to the safety of others in Cabell County Circuit Court on September 22, 2022. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-149. ###


title: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced in Carrying Loaded Pistol at Anacostia Metro Station

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jonathan McCrimmon, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a pistol at a Metro station in Anacostia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. McCrimmon pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 12-month prison sentence, Judge Nichols ordered McCrimmon to serve three years of supervised release. Government prosecutors had requested a sentence of 12 months. According to court documents, on Sept. 17, 2025, just before 6 p.m., members of the Metro Transit Police Department stopped McCrimmon for publicly smoking marijuana in the Anacostia Metro Station parking garage. Officers patted him down and recovered a silver Armi Galesi .25 caliber pistol from his inner leg. The Italian-made firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber. Officers also determined that McCrimmon had an outstanding warrant out of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and placed him under arrest as a fugitive from justice. In a post-arrest interview, McCrimmon acknowledged his status as a convicted felon, that he understood he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, and that he had been carrying the loaded pistol recovered by officers. McCrimmon was previously convicted of second-degree burglary in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for which he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. This case was investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter. This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. The Italian-made Armi Galesi .25 caliber pistol found in McCrimmon’s possession. 25cr393


title: Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tina Marie Dixon, 53, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a garage structure behind Dixon’s residence in Huntington. As part of her guilty plea, Dixon admitted that she consented to a search of her bedroom in her residence during the execution of the search warrant and that officers found 37.1 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and 2.7 grams of crack in her bedroom. Officers also found $18,984 in her bedroom during the search. Dixon further admitted that officers saw her distribute a quantity of crack to an individual standing outside her residence when they arrived to execute the search warrant for the garage structure. Dixon’s daughter and co-defendant Tabatha Rae Gardner, 35, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on January 28, 2026, to distribution of fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-172. ###


title: Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for Carrying Stolen Shotgun on D.C. Metro Bus

body_text: WASHINGTON – Gerald Anthony Evans, 30, a previously convicted felon and sex offender who resides in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for his unlawful possession of a 12-gauge shotgun that he carried as he rode a WMATA bus, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Gerald Evans boarded a public bus in the District of Columbia carrying a loaded stolen shotgun, which he admitted was his,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “With 23 prior law enforcement encounters, Evans has had every opportunity to choose a different path. Instead, he chose to carry a weapon onto a bus full of commuters. That choice has consequences.” Evans, aka “Big Woobie G,” pleaded guilty on Jan. 13, 2026, in the U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 21-month prison sentence, Judge McFadden ordered Evans to serve three years of supervised release. According to court papers, on Dec. 10, 2024, a Metro Transit Police officer observed Evans board WMATA Bus 5476 without paying his fare. The officer identified himself and asked Evans to step off the bus. During the stop, officers asked Evans about a bag hanging below his coat. Evans said, “that’s my gun.” Officers opened the bag and found a Mossberg 590 Shockwave 12-gauge shotgun loaded with one round in the chamber and three rounds in the magazine. A check of the serial number revealed the shotgun had been reported stolen. Evans’s criminal history includes a 2013 arrest for armed carjacking for which he pleaded guilty to attempt to commit robbery. While he was on probation for that case, he was found guilty of second-degree assault in Prince George’s County and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with ten years suspended. In 2022 he violated probation and was sentenced to 18 months confinement. In April 2016, Evans pleaded guilty in Prince George’s county to a sex offense in the fourth degree. He repeatedly has failed to register as a sex offender in the jurisdictions in which he has lived. This case was investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Bloss. Gerald Anthony Evans, 30, a previously convicted felon and sex offender who resides in the District of Columbia, in a photo taken by police body-worn camera. The shotgun was in the satchel resting on his lap. Evans, circled in red, boarded the WMATA bus carrying a loaded shotgun that he had stowed in a black satchel. 24cr572


title: Justice Department Sues Connecticut, City of New Haven Over Sanctuary Policies

component: Civil Division

body_text: Yesterday, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Connecticut, Governor Lamont, Attorney General Tong, the City of New Haven, and Mayor Elicker to challenge the State’s and City’s sanctuary policies that interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of immigration laws. The complaint targets Connecticut’s so-called “Trust Act,” as well as other state and local sanctuary policies. Not only are the policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, they have allowed dangerous criminals to be released into Connecticut communities. The State’s and City’s intentional efforts to obstruct federal law enforcement put citizens at risk and are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. “For years, Connecticut communities have paid the price of these misguided sanctuary policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This lawsuit seeks to end such open defiance of federal law.” The case, filed in the District of Connecticut, is the latest action from the Justice Department targeting illegal sanctuary policies across the country, including Minnesota, Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, New York State, Colorado, Illinois, Rochester, and several New Jersey cities. Read the full complaint here .


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Darnell Marice McCarver, also known as “WAP,” 19, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. McCarver admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 27, 2025, McCarver arranged the sale of approximately 63.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that he communicated with the confidential informant while he was in Detroit via a FaceTime video call, and that he directed the confidential informant to a Huntington, West Virginia, residence where another individual conducted the transaction with the confidential informant. McCarver also admitted that he coordinated the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl on multiple occasions between April 2025 and August 2025. On September 10, 2025, law enforcement officers arrested McCarver and executed a search warrant at his Detroit residence. Officers seized approximately $4,479 from McCarver’s person and approximately 950 grams of methamphetamine, 48 grams of fentanyl, four firearms, and $8,764 at the residence during the search. McCarver admitted that he stored drugs at his residence for distribution in the Southern District of West Virginia and elsewhere, that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and fentanyl, and that the seized cash was proceeds from drug distributions. McCarver is among 10 defendants indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO. McCarver and four co-defendants pleaded guilty. The charges against the other defendants remain pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-154. ###


title: Texas Man Faces Multiple Federal Charges Related To Attack on AI Company and its CEO

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A Texas man was charged federally today with attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm after he threw a Molotov cocktail at a San Francisco residence and attempted to set a related business on fire on April 10, 2026. According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, of Spring, Texas, is alleged to have traveled to San Francisco from Texas in order to kill the CEO of a major Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) company. Moreno-Gama allegedly approached the residences of the CEO, threw a Molotov cocktail, and then fled the premises. “Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These alleged actions – which damaged property and could well have taken lives – will be aggressively prosecuted.” After throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residences, Moreno-Gama allegedly went to the headquarters of the CEO’s AI company. Moreno-Gama attempted to break the glass doors of the building with a chair and stated that he had come to burn down the location and kill anyone inside. The complaint describes that when San Francisco Police Department (“SFPD”) officers arrived on scene, they found Moreno-Gama in possession of incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a blue lighter, and a document. The first part of the document, entitled “Your Last Warning” by Daniel Moreno-Gama, advocated against AI and for the killing and commission of other crimes against CEOs of AI companies and their investors, listing names and addresses that purported to belong to multiple CEOs and investors. In the document, Moreno-Gama admitted to attempting to kill the victim CEO and requested others to join his movement. Moreno-Gama ended the document with a letter addressed to the victim CEO, writing “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself…” Law enforcement later learned that on the same day he committed these attacks, Moreno-Gama also emailed a version of the document to representatives at his former college back in Texas. “We will not tolerate any attempt to change the way Americans live and work through fear or violence,” said United States Attorney Craig Missakian. “We are only at the beginning of this investigation, but if the evidence shows that Mr. Moreno-Gama executed these attacks to change public policy or to coerce government and other officials, we will treat this as an act of domestic terrorism and together with our law enforcement partners prosecute him to the fullest extent allowed by law.” “The charges announced today reflect a deeply concerning escalation from intent to action targeting a private residence and a technology company with violence. The FBI will not tolerate threats against our nation’s innovation leaders or the companies that drive our economy forward. Acts of destruction aimed at the tech sector will be met with the full force of law enforcement. This case underscores the strength of our partnership with the San Francisco Police Department. Together, we remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and holding accountable anyone who seeks to bring violence to our communities.” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Moreno-Gama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, and a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of an unregistered firearm. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI and SFPD. To view the complaint, click here .


title: Two Asheville Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Two Asheville methamphetamine traffickers were sentenced to prison today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jennifer Fox, 45, of Asheville, was ordered to serve 139 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Isaac Robinson, 47, also of Asheville, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents and evidence presented at Fox’s trial, beginning in July 2022, law enforcement began investigating Fox and Robinson’s drug trafficking activities in and around Asheville. Investigators learned that the defendants supplied methamphetamine to a network of local distributors. The investigation revealed that Fox and Robinson were selling methamphetamine out of Fox’s Asheville residence and elsewhere. According to trial evidence and witness testimony, the defendants trafficked kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, selling at least one pound of methamphetamine every couple of weeks, and maintained a premise for the purpose of trafficking and storing controlled substances. Evidence further established that Fox and Robinson possessed 412 grams of actual methamphetamine and approximately 180 grams of marijuana stored in a hidden compartment in Fox’s house. During the investigation, law enforcement also found $26,211 in U.S. currency inside a safe in Fox’s residence. On April 9, 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On August 5, 2025, a federal jury found Fox guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their investigation of the case, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in to practice in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position reflects the partnership between the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.


title: Defendant Pleads Guilty To Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Bradley Gonzales, a/k/a Christopher Bradley Robison, age 32, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on June 21, 2025, Gonzales assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury. The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Ada Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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. Gonzales will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Missouri Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Two Burglaries, Gun Thefts

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Monday sentenced one of the men who stole guns from two Jefferson County, Missouri businesses in 2020 to 46 months in prison and ordered him to pay restitution of $3,875. Judge Stevens ordered Jynell Edward Luss’ sentence to run consecutive to his 20-year sentence for second-degree murder in an unrelated case. Luss, 25, of Jennings, pleaded guilty in January to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee. His co-defendant, Carnell Robinson, 24, of Jennings, pleaded guilty in November of 2023 to the same charge. Both men admitted to breaking into a pawn shop in Imperial, Missouri on July 12, 2020, at about 1 a.m. They stole four AR-style rifles, a shotgun, ammunition and jewelry. The next day, also at 1 a.m., they broke into a gun store near Arnold and stole two rifles and numerous boxes of ammunition. Luss pleaded guilty in St. Louis Circuit Court in 2025 and admitted fatally shooting a man five days after the second robbery and stealing the victim’s gun. Robinson was sentenced in February 2024 to 13 months in prison for the gun thefts. He pleaded guilty in Jefferson County Circuit Court in 2023 to burglary and stealing and was sentenced to eight years in state prison. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.


title: Convicted Felon Federally Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms in Connection to Fire in Lexington Neighborhood

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky.- A federal criminal complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court in Lexington on Monday charging a Lexington man, Jonathan Huff, 37, with illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the criminal complaint, officers with Lexington Police Department, other emergency personnel, and federal agents were dispatched to a house fire on Orleans Circle in Fayette County. During a preliminary investigation, law enforcement determined Jonathan Huff was a resident of the house and involved in criminal activity. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Huff’s residence and vehicle. Two firearms were found inside the vehicle, and Huff admitted to possessing the firearms. Huff is a convicted felon originally from Indiana and prohibited from possessing a firearm. The Lexington Police Department’s Hazardous Devices Unit, Lexington Fire Department Arson Investigators, FBI, and ATF are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire. “This case highlights how vital rapid intervention and coordination is when a threat to public safety emerges,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Thanks to the quick and coordinated efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners, a dangerous situation was addressed, and a prohibited individual was taken into custody. Our Office will continue to act decisively to protect our communities.” “The defendant in this investigation is federally prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior criminal conduct,” said John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division. “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) remain committed to prioritizing investigations that hold accountable individuals who pose a threat to public safety and the communities we serve. We are proud to partner with the Lexington Metro Police Department, Kentucky State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in this investigation.” “It takes all of us to keep our communities safe,” said Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department. “I want to thank all of our federal, state, and local partners who worked with the Lexington Police Department to investigate the Orlean Circle explosion. Our continued combined efforts help make a safer community for us all.” Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the criminal complaint. Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Rieker is representing the United States in this case. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations. The Defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. — END —


title: Religious Liberty Commission Holds Final Hearing on the Past, Present, and Future of Religious Liberty in America

body_text: Today, the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) held its final hearing to discuss the past, present, and future of religious liberty in America. “Today’s capstone hearing of President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission contained more powerful testimony and discussion about how people of religion are under assault by the secular left," said Chairman Dan Patrick. "It is time to set the record straight: there is no such thing as ‘separation of church and state’ in the Constitution. For too long, the anti-God left has used this phrase to suppress people of religion in our country. During all 7 Commission hearings, witness after witness testified that the so-called ‘separation of church and state’ was used to take their God-given religious liberty rights away." The witnesses included: Clarence Henderson – Clarence Henderson is a community activist with deep roots in the nation’s civil rights affairs. He was a participant in the 1960 Woolworth Lunch Counter Sit-in Movement and now is an outspoken advocate for Pro-Life and Pro-family causes in the black community. A former chairmen of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of North Carolina; a former fundraising chairman of the Gate City Alumni Chapter for North Carolina A&T State University and former secretary of Dudley High School Hall of Fame, Hall of Distinction for historic James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, NC, Henderson is a passionate bridge builder who has a history of bringing people together across cultural and political divides. His energetic involvement in his church as Head Elder, New Members Coordinator, Sunday school teacher, and Finance committee member; and his life’s journey as a teacher, college administrator, entrepreneur and motivational speaker has given him a unique perspective on what confronts society today. Paul Brintley - Dr. Brintley is the Senior Pastor and founder of Fellowship Church in Dallas, North Carolina. He is the son of the late Bishop L.C. Brintley. He was ordained into the ministry in September 1994 by his father in the Lord, Reverend William N. Podaras. During his mentorship with William Podaras, he attended Duke University School of Divinity where he furthered his studies in the gospel. He also has a Paralegal Degree from Kings College. And a Bachelors of Theology from Agape College. His travels have included South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Canada, Haiti, Israel, Germany, India, London, Zimbabwe, and 30 states in the USA. Through his travels and work in the mission field, He has established a number of churches in India and Africa and provides 100’s of DVD’s and printed materials to strengthen and support those churches. Dr. Brintley has authored a book entitled “Loyalty to the Man of God”. He is married to Celeste Crocker and they have one son, Paul Brintley II. Helen Aguirre Ferré - Helen Aguirre Ferré is the Administrator for Government and Public Policy at the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom. She is a bilingual government affairs and communications executive with extensive experience in public policy, institutional leadership, and strategic engagement at the state and national levels.She served as Assistant to the President and Director of Media Affairs in the White House during the first Trump administration, where she was also the Spanish-language spokesperson. She later served as Director of Communications for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Helen also served as Executive Director of the Republican Party of Florida. A former journalist, she has experience across print, radio, and television in both English and Spanish. In her current role, she advances research, dialogue, and policy initiatives that promote economic freedom and informed public discourse. Erika Bachiochi - Erika Bachiochi is a legal scholar who works at the intersection of constitutional law, political theory, women’s history, and Catholic social teaching. She is a Professor of Practice at the School for Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, where she teaches courses in the history of political thought, directs the Mercy Otis Warren Initiative for Women in Civic Life and Thought, and serves as editor-in-chief of its online journal, Fairer Disputations. Akshar Patel - Dr. Akshar Patel is an active volunteer with BAPS, a Hindu organization, where he dedicates his time to community service, spiritual development, and humanitarian initiatives. Through his involvement, he practices the values of selfless service, compassion, and integrity, contributing to programs that support individuals and strengthen communities. Furthermore, he helps to ensure that the voices of Hindu Americans are heard and recognized by our civic leaders. Professionally, Dr. Patel is an oncologist devoted to providing thoughtful, patient-centered cancer care based in Maryland. He specializes in delivering advanced, precise treatments while guiding patients and their families during one of the most challenging periods in their lives. By combining clinical expertise with a compassionate approach, he strives to improve outcomes and support patients through every step of their journey. Heather Rice-Minus – Heather Rice-Minus first joined Prison Fellowship in 2013. In her role, she leads teams that build partnerships with churches, help strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their children, foster partnerships with donors at every level, and advocate for restorative criminal justice reform. Previously, as the head of Prison Fellowship’s advocacy team, she was a leading voice behind the passage of the FIRST STEP Act. A sought-after public speaker on the intersection of faith, justice, and incarceration, Rice-Minus has addressed audiences at national conferences and events including Wilberforce Weekend, Q Ideas Conference, and more. She has also contributed to Christianity Today, Slate, CBN News, The Marshall Project, PBS’ Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, and many other media outlets. Previously, Rice-Minus managed prison reform advocacy efforts at the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and taught English in East Africa. She graduated cum laude from Colorado State University with a degree in liberal arts and social work. After earning her J.D. from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, she became a member of the Virginia State Bar, a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network and Faith & Public Life Ideas Council, and a Colson Fellow. Sister Mary Elizabeth, S.V . - Sr. Mary Elizabeth joined the Sisters of Life in 1993 after graduating from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, having heard the cardinal talk on campus during her junior year. Rabbi Aaron Lipskar - Rabbi Aaron Lipskar serves as Aleph’s Chief Executive Officer, operating out of the organization's headquarters in South Florida. He oversees key aspects of the Aleph Institute, including board and program development, finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and government relations with the Pentagon, the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Department of Corrections nationwide. In 1995, Rabbi Lipskar began serving as an Aleph volunteer, conducting national prison visits, and in 2000, he joined the organization as a full-time employee. A highlight of his Aleph experience was leading High Holiday services at GITMO for Jewish military personnel. After concluding formal Talmudic and rabbinic studies in the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva, Rabbi Lipskar studied in Israel and received rabbinical ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He has taught in the United States, Israel, Canada, and South Africa. Helen Alvare - Helen Alvaré is a Professor of Law at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, where she teaches Family Law, Law and Religion, and Property Law. She publishes on matters concerning marriage, parenting, non-marital households, and the First Amendment religion clauses. She is faculty advisor to the law school’s Civil Rights Law Journal, and the Latino/a Law Student Association, a Member of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (Vatican City), a board member of Catholic Relief Services, a member of the Executive Committee of the AALS’ Section on Law and Religion, and an ABC news consultant. She cooperates with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations as a speaker and a delegate to various United Nations conferences concerning women and the family. In addition to her books, and her publications in law reviews and other academic journals, Professor Alvaré publishes regularly in news outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, and CNN.com. She also speaks at academic and professional conferences in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Australia. Prior to joining the faculty of Scalia Law, Professor Alvaré taught at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America; represented the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops before legislative bodies, academic audiences and the media; and was a litigation attorney for the Philadelphia law firm of Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young. Ms. Oriel Ekşi - Oriel Ekşi is a managing partner with The Woolf Group, specializing in legislative strategy, coalition building, and non-profit development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville and brings extensive experience in operations management, grant development, and public speaking. Oriel works with organizations across the country to advance policy initiatives, strengthen programs, and drive sustainable growth.


title: Massachusetts Man Arrested for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mark Nacht, age 65, of Waltham, Massachusetts, was arrested on Friday, April 10, 2026, on charges of attempted enticement of a minor. First Assistant 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. The complaint alleges that between December 18, 2025, and April 10, 2026, Nacht exchanged sexually explicit messages online with an undercover agent in Albany whom he believed would allow him to engage in sexual contact with a 13-year-old relative. Nacht also directly communicated with another undercover agent he believed was the 13-year-old girl to groom her to engage in sexually explicit activity. On April 10, 2026, Nacht travelled from Massachusetts to Albany with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 13-year-old girl. Nacht was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “As alleged, this defendant sought to prey on an innocent young girl and inflict terrible harm on her. Thanks to this incredible sting operation and others like it, parents can sleep more soundly tonight. Every day, we are working with our law enforcement partners to lock up pedophiles who would seek to exploit children in our communities.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “As alleged, Mr. Nacht left his home in Massachusetts to travel to Albany to have sexual contact with an individual he believed to be a minor. Instead, he found FBI Albany’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force waiting to arrest him. This arrest should send a clear message that the FBI is committed to aggressively investigating these dangerous predators and ensuring they are held accountable for their disturbing actions.” Following the initial appearance on April 10, 2026, Nacht was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending a detention hearing on April 14, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart. The charge filed against Nacht carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of ten years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. If convicted, Nacht would also be required to register as a sex offender. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The FBI are conducting this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force Takedown Results in Arrests and Indictment of Two Men for Distributing Large Quantities of Drugs and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Two men have been arrested and made their initial appearances in court on April 10, for allegedly trafficking significant quantities of fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine, and for laundering drug proceeds to Mexico. An indictment unsealed Friday charges Francisco Felix and Alexis Arturo Martinez, also known as Arego Martinez Reglado, for conspiring to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. On April 9, federal law enforcement executed multiple search warrants on the defendants’ stash houses and a storage locker and seized approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills; 2.25 kilograms of fentanyl powder; 2.3 kilograms of heroin; one pound of methamphetamine; a semi-automatic rifle; and over $30,000. “This indictment is a direct result of the coordinated actions and outstanding investigative work by the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The defendants were poisoning our communities with drugs. Nevada is safer thanks to the whole-of-government partnership and interagency collaboration. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to rid crime and drugs from our communities.” “Fentanyl traffickers must be held accountable for the destruction caused by their crimes, and these arrests are the first step to holding those responsible,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Our Homeland Security Task Force will continue to fight against drug traffickers putting dangerous individuals behind bars and sending a clear message: if you peddle drugs and carry guns in our community, we will find you, and we will stop you.” “Through coordinated efforts and strong partnerships, two narcotics criminals will face the full force of the law for the devastation they caused,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Nevada. “DEA is in lockstep with our HSTF partners, remaining ever committed to disrupting drug trafficking networks and halting the flow of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other dangerous drugs. Together, we will continue to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our communities.” Photo Credit: FBI Las Vegas Field Office Photo of drugs, cash, and assault rifle with ammunition seized by law enforcement, U.S. v Francisco Felix and Alexis Arturo Martinez, Case No. 2:26-cr-0048-GMN-MDC The indictment charges one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; six counts of distribution of fentanyl; four counts of distribution of methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and four counts of money laundering. Felix and Martinez were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A jury trial has been scheduled for June 15, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is life in prison, and there is a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was investigated by the FBI and DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Brister is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. 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. The Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


title: Texas Man Faces Multiple Federal Charges Related To Attack On AI Company And Its CEO

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A Texas man was charged federally today with attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm after he threw a Molotov cocktail at a San Francisco residence and attempted to set a related business on fire on April 10, 2026. According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, of Spring, Texas, is alleged to have traveled to San Francisco from Texas in order to kill the CEO of a major Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) company. Moreno-Gama allegedly approached the residences of the CEO, threw a Molotov cocktail, and then fled the premises. “Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These alleged actions – which damaged property and could well have taken lives – will be aggressively prosecuted.” “We will not tolerate any attempt to change the way Americans live and work through fear or violence,” said United States Attorney Craig Missakian. “We are only at the beginning of this investigation, but if the evidence shows that Mr. Moreno-Gama executed these attacks to change public policy or to coerce government and other officials, we will treat this as an act of domestic terrorism and together with our law enforcement partners prosecute him to the fullest extent allowed by law.” “The charges announced today reflect a deeply concerning escalation from intent to action targeting a private residence and a technology company with violence. The FBI will not tolerate threats against our nation’s innovation leaders or the companies that drive our economy forward. Acts of destruction aimed at the tech sector will be met with the full force of law enforcement. This case underscores the strength of our partnership with the San Francisco Police Department. Together, we remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and holding accountable anyone who seeks to bring violence to our communities.” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. After throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residences, Moreno-Gama allegedly went to the headquarters of the CEO’s AI company. Moreno-Gama attempted to break the glass doors of the building with a chair and stated that he had come to burn down the location and kill anyone inside. Moreno-Gama striking the glass doors with a chair (above). Moreno-Gama being approached by security while holding kerosene (above). The complaint describes that when San Francisco Police Department (“SFPD”) officers arrived on scene, they found Moreno-Gama in possession of incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a blue lighter, and a document. The first part of the document, entitled “Your Last Warning” by Daniel Moreno-Gama, advocated against AI and for the killing and commission of other crimes against CEOs of AI companies and their investors, listing names and addresses that purported to belong to multiple CEOs and investors. In the document, Moreno-Gama admitted to attempting to kill the victim CEO and requested others to join his movement. Moreno-Gama ended the document with a letter addressed to the victim CEO, writing “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself…” Law enforcement later learned that on the same day he committed these attacks, Moreno-Gama also emailed a version of the document to representatives at his former college back in Texas. A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Moreno-Gama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, and a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of an unregistered firearm. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI and SFPD. Moreno-Gama Complaint


title: Former Sacramento County Mail Carrier Arrested for Stealing Checks and Credit Cards from the Mail to Pay for Gambling and Personal Expenses

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment against Jimbert Escalicas, 41, of Sacramento, charging him with bank fraud, identity theft, misuse of a Social Security Number, aggravated identity theft, and mail theft by a postal employee, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Escalicas began working for the U.S. Postal Service in September 2023. His duties included delivering mail to routes in Sacramento County. From November 2023 through October 2024, Escalicas stole checks, gift cards, debit cards and credit cards from mail destined for Postal Service customers on his routes. Escalicas forged the account owners’ signatures on checks he stole and altered checks to make them payable to himself. He then deposited the forged and altered checks into accounts he controlled. At times, Escalicas sold stolen checks to others. To activate and use the credit cards he stole, Escalicas contacted the issuing financial institutions and provided the card owners’ personally identifiable information. Escalicas stole no less than 130 checks and cards with a total value of more than $620,000. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is conducting the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Escalicas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the bank fraud charges, five years in prison and a $250,000 on each of the charges for identity theft, Social Security Number misuse, and mail theft, and a two-year mandatory prison sentence and a $250,000 fine on the aggravated identity theft charge. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: DC Solar Accountant Is Last to Be Sentenced for the DC Solar Billion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The last defendant in the biggest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California was sentenced today, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. Ronald J. Roach, 59, of Walnut Creek, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 66 months in prison. Roach and co-defendant Joseph Bayliss were the first DC Solar defendants to plead guilty on Oct. 22, 2019. “Today’s sentencing marks the final chapter in an extensive fraud that caused significant loss. This outcome reflects years of careful, methodical investigative work and a prosecution built on meticulous attention to detail,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “None of the eight defendants went to trial, but each ultimately accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty. Our office remains committed to holding accountable those who exploit others for personal gain. We will continue to pursue justice with diligence and integrity.” "As the company’s accountant, Ronald Roach concealed the truth from investors for years, enabling DC Solar to operate on fabricated financials," said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. "This fraud permeated nearly every level of the company’s criminal operations. Today’s sentencing reflects the tireless efforts of FBI Sacramento and our partners at IRS-CI, FDIC-OIG, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who spent years methodically dismantling one of the largest fraud schemes in the Eastern District of California." “The sentencing of Ronald Roach underscores the unwavering pursuit of accountability in this far-reaching fraud scheme,” said Linda Nguyen, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Oakland Field Office. “The DC Solar case revealed a deliberate and sweeping effort to abuse federal tax incentives and deceive investors on an extraordinary scale. IRS‑CI, together with our law enforcement partners, remain firmly committed to ensuring every individual responsible is brought to justice.” “Mr. Roach ignored his responsibilities as a certified public accountant, conspiring with his co-defendants to defraud individuals, financial institutions, and the U.S. Government,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “This case highlights that no matter how complicated the fraud, FDIC OIG and our law enforcement partners will join forces to unravel the scheme, hold the perpetrators accountable, and bring justice to victims.” According to court documents, Roach played a central role in the DC Solar fraud. As DC Solar’s accountant, he lied to investors and worked with others at the company to conceal the lack of third-party lease revenue. Between 2011 and 2018, DC Solar manufactured mobile solar generators that were mounted on trailers and claimed that they were used to provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting and other events. A significant incentive for investors was generous federal tax credits due to the solar nature of the generators. A key part of the fraud was that investors would never actually take possession of the generators. Instead, DC Solar typically leased those generators back from the investors and claimed to sublease them to third parties to generate revenue. In reality there was very little actual third-party rental demand for the generators, but the co-conspirators at DC Solar continued to claim that the rental market for the generators was robust. They took new investor money to pay obligations to existing investors. Between March 2011 and Dec. 18, 2018, investors invested approximately $759.4 million, and several financial institutions and other investors transferred $152.7 million to DC Solar as part of related transactions for the purchase and lease of generators. In total, DC Solar closed transactions with investors that contributed more than $912 million to purchase generators. Those transactions were purported to involve approximately 17,000 generators, at approximately $2.5 billion in value. During the conspiracy, approximately 94% to 95% of the lease revenue on the books was actually intercompany transfers disguised as new investor money. In truth, third-party end-user demand for generators never exceeded 5% of the revenue that was claimed. The FBI, IRS-CI, and the FDIC OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and Nicholas M. Fogg prosecuted the case. The status of the other seven defendants is as follows: Jeff Carpoff, 55, of Martinez, was sentenced on Nov. 9, 2021, to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $790.6 million in restitution. Paulette Carpoff, 52, of Martinez, was sentenced on June 28, 2022, to 11 years and three months in prison. Joseph W. Bayliss, 50, of Martinez, was sentenced on Nov. 16, 2021, to three years in prison and ordered to pay $481.3 million in restitution. DC Solar CFO Robert A. Karmann, 59, of Clayton, was sentenced on April 12, 2022, to six years in prison and ordered to pay $624 million. Alan Hansen, 54, was sentenced on May 31, 2022, to 39 months in prison. Ryan Guidry, 49, of Pleasant Hill, was sentenced on Jan. 31, 2023, to six years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $619,415,950 in restitution. Ari J. Lauer, 61, of Lafayette, was sentenced on March 9, 2026, to 11 years and five months in prison. One week before trial, on Oct. 14, 2025, Lauer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, 12 counts of bank fraud, and 10 counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution.


title: Podiatrist and Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Sentenced in $3.2 Million Healthcare Fraud Conspiracy Involving Unlicensed Person Performing Skin Grafts

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston sentenced Felipe Ruiz, 52, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 53, of Clovis, to 63 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. Judge Thurston also ordered forfeiture of nine properties owned by Aguirre and Ruiz, as well as a $2.6 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Aguirre and a $12.1 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Ruiz. “We trust licensed medical professionals to safeguard their patients and not hand them over to unqualified individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “This podiatrist put profit over patient safety by allowing a salesman to perform medical procedures on vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries. Today’s outcome underscores our commitment to holding providers accountable when they abuse that trust and bill federal health care programs for services that violate the most basic standards of care.” "Health care fraud schemes don't just drain taxpayer-funded programs, they also put patients directly at risk," said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. "The FBI will continue working alongside HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who treat public trust as an opportunity for personal profit." “By allowing an unlicensed and unqualified sales representative to perform medical procedures – including sharp wound debridement – on Medicare and Medi-Cal enrollees, Dr. Ruiz abandoned his professional responsibilities and violated the trust his patients placed in him,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Fueled by greed, Dr. Ruiz’s scheme exposed his patients to serious risk and undermined the integrity of federal health care programs. As today’s sentences demonstrate, HHS‑OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those who put profits above patients accountable for their actions.” According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist and the sole owner of West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties. Aguirre was a pharmaceutical sales representative who sold skin grafts to Ruiz and WCP. Aguirre was not licensed to practice medicine. Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre to apply skin grafts and perform other medical procedures on patients suffering from severe wounds, including foot amputations. Application of the skin grafts required sharp debridement, which means using a scalpel to scrape the wound until it bleeds. Some patients believed Aguirre was a physician, referring to him as “Dr. Gabe.” Aguirre would perform medical procedures alone without supervision from a trained physician. Ruiz and Aguirre submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz and other physicians had performed the medical procedures, such as applying skin grafts to patients, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services. In one example, WCP submitted $150,000 in claims to Medicare in 2023, claiming a physician performed the procedures, when in fact the physician was out of the country on vacation. In another example, Aguirre cut into patients with recently amputated feet with a scalpel and apply skin grafts without a physician’s supervision. Ruiz knew about Aguirre’s conduct and dismissed staff’s concerns about Aguirre. Throughout the period, staff and third-party auditors raised concerns about Ruiz and Aguirre’s billing practices. The two ignored those warnings and continued to bill Medicare and Medicaid for services performed by Aguirre. As a result, Ruiz submitted approximately $3,200,000 in false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal between 2021 and 2024. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.


title: Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Found Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Portland Overdose Death

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found Hugo Gomez-Soto, 51, a Honduran National unlawfully residing in Oregon, guilty today for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the fatal overdose death of a Portland man. “This case highlights the devastating toll of fentanyl in our community. Fentanyl claims too many lives and leaves families heartbroken,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We remain committed to fighting this epidemic and holding fentanyl traffickers in Oregon accountable.” As presented at trial, Gomez-Soto sold illicit fentanyl in the form of powder and counterfeit pills to a 29-year-old resident of Southwest Portland. The following day, the victim overdosed on the illicit fentanyl, dying just moments after using it, despite life-saving measures, including Narcan, by those on scene. On January 25, 2024, Gomez-Soto was arrested on state charges. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of both fentanyl powder and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. On June 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Gomez-Soto with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Gomez-Soto faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. He will be sentenced on July 10, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge. U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott M. Kerin and Nicole Bockelman. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org . Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily. 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: Cedar Rapids Woman Sent to Federal Prison  for Meth Trafficking

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison. Rose Lee Beranek, age 44, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 24, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. In a plea agreement, Beranek admitted that in February 2024, she obtained nearly two pounds of methamphetamine in Arizona. She was driving to Cedar Rapids to distribute the methamphetamine, when law enforcement officers pulled over her car in Oklahoma. Law enforcement officers searched her car and found the methamphetamine in vacuum-sealed bags. Beranek was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Beranek was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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 Kansas City is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, covering Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. HSTF Kansas City is composed of agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the State Investigative Agencies for Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. This HSTF case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by HSTF Kansas City, with the assistance of the Linn County Sheriff’s Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. 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. Beranek is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-13. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Repeat Drug Offender Sentenced to  Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

body_text: A man who possessed cocaine that he intended to distribute was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison. Leondraie Antwarn Johnson, age 36, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 29, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance after a conviction for a felony drug offense. On September 13, 2024, Cedar Rapids Police Department officers stopped Johnson’s car for a traffic violation. Johnson sped off in his car. While driving through a residential area, he reached speeds of more than 70 miles per hour. Johnson eventually stopped, left his car, and tried to elude officers on foot. Before officers were able to catch Johnson, he placed a bag containing cocaine and marijuana in a yard waste receptacle. Officers, using a police dog, found the bag that Johnson hid. At the guilty plea, Johnson admitted he intended to distribute the cocaine. Johnson was previously convicted of two different felony controlled substance offenses. Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl .


title: U.S. Attorney Moore Capito and U.S. Marshals Service to Announce Results of Operation Spring Sweep

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito and the United States Marshals Service will join with law enforcement partners tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, for a press conference to announce the results of Operation Spring Sweep. The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force conducted Operation Spring Sweep in partnership with the West Virginia State Police. The nearly month-long operation recently concluded and targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives. WHO: United States Attorney Moore Capito, U.S. Marshal Service, West Virginia State Police, additional law enforcement partners WHAT: Press Conference to announce results of Operation Spring Sweep WHEN: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. WHERE: Front Plaza, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 4 months in Prison For Immigration Offense

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: HAMMOND – Angel Mario Rosas-Martinez, 40 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien with a prior felony conviction, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Angel Mario Rosas-Martinez was sentenced to four months in prison and a $100 Special Assessment. According to documents in the case, Rosas-Martinez’s criminal history includes two prior convictions for attempting to or illegally entering the United States, theft, a felony conviction for stalking when a temporary restraining order was in effect and was previously deported on three occasions. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Officer. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan.


title: Federal Judge Revokes Naturalization of Violent Extortionist

body_text: Today the Justice Department announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York revoked the naturalized U.S. citizenship of Michael Pizzuti, a native of Italy, after finding that he had illegally procured his citizenship. The court determined that Pizzuti had committed crimes involving moral turpitude and unlawful acts and had given false testimony about those crimes during his naturalization proceedings, all of which prevented him from establishing the good moral character necessary to naturalize. The court additionally found that Pizzuti obtained his naturalization through fraudulent concealment and willful misrepresentations of material fact relating to his crimes. From July 1998 through August 2000, Pizzuti dealt in counterfeit money, trafficked contraband cigarettes, and conspired to steal a truck and commit mail fraud. He was arrested and indicted for those crimes on December 5, 2001, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. Then, between May 2001 and September 30, 2001, Pizzuti violently extorted his financial advisor after discovering that the advisor was running a Ponzi scheme with Pizzuti’s money. Pizzuti broke into his house, held him at gunpoint, ordered him to maintain the Ponzi scheme until he had enough money to pay back Pizzuti’s investment, and then destroyed computer records to hide his crimes. For that violent extortion and obstruction of justice, Pizzuti was convicted in 2005 (after he naturalized) and sentenced to 17½ years in prison. “Violent criminals like this have no place in our society, and when they lie about those crimes to obtain U.S. citizenship, this Administration will stop at nothing to correct that travesty,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. But on May 2, 2002 — less than five months after his first indictment and arrest — Pizzuti appeared at his naturalization interview and falsely testified, under oath, that he had never been arrested and had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested. Based on that false testimony, Pizzuti naturalized unlawfully on July 24, 2002. Pizzuti’s naturalization revocation case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the ICE Office of the Principle Legal Advisor. The cases were civilly prosecuted jointly by the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, Affirmative Litigation Unit and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Pizzuti’s underlying criminal cases were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.


title: Participant in $542,000 Family Covid Fraud Ring Sentenced to Prison

body_text: New Bern, NC. – A federal judge sentenced Erica McMillian, a Robeson County woman, to 10 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for her role in submitting a false application to the Small Business Administration’s to receive an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. “We are proud to prosecute this case as a part of the President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. This office will continue to hold accountable anyone who defrauds any of our taxpayer funded programs. This Covid fraudster has learned the lesson – Cheaters.Never.Win.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. Inmate McMillian submitted a fraudulent EIDL loan application for a fictitious business located in Robeson County. To obtain the $150,000 loan, McMillian made false representations concerning the number of employees and gross revenues of the business. She also submitted false and fraudulent tax forms and bank statements. Following approval of the loan application, funds were disbursed into a personal account controlled by Inmate McMillian. McMillian’s case is part of a broader investigation into a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration’s EIDL and Paycheck Protection Programs. That scheme resulted in the disbursement of $542,288 in fraudulent covid loan proceeds. Former Robeson County Sheriff’s Office deputy Ricky McMillian, age 50, his wife Erica McMillian, age 46, and their two sons, Dwayne McMillian, age 29, and Derian McMillian, age 27, have all been convicted in the scheme. W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced McMillian to prison. The FBI and IRS-CI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-126-FL, 7:25-CR-113-FL, 7:25-CR-120-FL, 7:25-CR-122-FL.


title: St. Thomas Airport Employee Arrested for Possessing Three Kilograms of Cocaine at the Cyril E. King Airport

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: ST. THOMAS – U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Aslyn Thomas, 45, of St. Thomas, was arrested for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, on April 8, 2026, Thomas arrived at the Cyril E. King to report for work as a ramp agent. As part of routine security procedures, Thomas was inspected by security personnel at the entrance. When his backpack was inspected, security personnel observed three bricklike plastic bundles that they deemed suspicious. Virgin Islands Port Authority officers arrived and utilized a K-9 unit which alerted to the presence of narcotics. U.S. Customs and Border Protection was then brought to the scene, and it was discovered that the three bundles weighing over 7 pounds tested positive for cocaine. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Erik Tate is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Florida Man Arrested at the Cyril E. King Airport with 28 kilograms of Marijuana in His Luggage

body_text: ST. THOMAS – U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Davaunte Butler, of Kissimmee, Florida, was arrested for bringing two suitcases of marijuana into St. Thomas. According to court documents, on April 8, 2026, at the Cyril E. King airport U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered Butler’s luggage during a routine inspection of a flight arriving from Atlanta, Georgia. The luggage was then placed on the baggage claim conveyor belt for retrieval. CBP officers then observed Butler retrieve the bags, at which time Butler and the bags were taken into custody. The luggage contained 28 kilograms (61 pounds) of marijuana. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Erik Tate is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Franklin County Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Ahmod Talley to over 10 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Franklin County. On January 14, 2026, Inmate Talley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell and possess with the intent to sell heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, possession with intent to sell heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to sell cocaine, and two counts of possession of a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. “We recognize the devastating impact drug addiction and overdoses have on families in our communities. This sentence sends a message, understand clearly: when you sell deadly poison to our kids and families just to make a little bit of money, you will pay serious consequences. Dope dealers lose their freedom for decades. This prolific drug dealer earned every day of his prison sentence, and the residents of Eastern North Carolina will be safer while he’s locked up. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. The investigation into Inmate Talley’s drug dealing started after a fatal drug overdose in Franklin County. Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated and determined that Inmate Talley sold fentanyl to the victim three days before the death. Ultimately, law enforcement pulled Inmate Talley over, and found a loaded .40 caliber handgun, bindles of fentanyl labeled “Try This” (like the ones found in the overdose victim’s house) and bindles perversely labeled “Life Support.” Law enforcement searched Inmate Talley’s house, finding a .380 caliber pistol, cocaine, and marijuana. They also searched Inmate Talley’s grandmother’s house, where they found a rifle and 350 bindles of a heroin and fentanyl mix stamped “Life Support” and, apparently marketed at children, “Goosebumps.” “Today’s sentence underscores the power of coordinated law enforcement efforts to hold drug dealers accountable when their actions cost someone their life,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte. “Through the combined work of the FCSO, HSI, and our partners in the Eastern District of North Carolina, HSI remains committed to targeting those who distribute lethal fentanyl and other narcotics in our communities at the expense of public safety.” Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. FCSO and HSI investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-365-M-RJ.


title: Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Years-Long Bank Fraud Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Rhode Island man was sentenced yesterday to 28 months in prison for deceiving banks by artificially inflating his company’s sales numbers to avoid bank scrutiny over its excessive consumer chargebacks. According to court documents, Michael Brian Cotter, 64, of Greenville, Rhode Island, was CEO of a tech support company that operated from a call center in India. In 2016, when banks began restricting the company’s ability to process debit and credit card payments because of fraud and chargeback concerns, Cotter and his co-conspirators began purchasing virtual debit cards to run thousands of sham transactions on their own merchant accounts. In doing so, Cotter artificially inflated the company’s sales numbers to make it appear to banks and their agents that the company’s chargeback ratios — a key metric used by banks to detect fraud — were within acceptable levels. Although this tactic amounted to the company effectively paying itself, Cotter used actual customer personal identifying information, without customers’ knowledge or consent, to disguise the transactions from banks by making them appear like legitimate sales. Cotter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the United States Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS CIG) made the announcement. The USPIS investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jason Feldman and Shana Priore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.