title: PANOLA COUNTY MAN SENTENCED FOR COCAINE DISTRIBUTION

body_text: Aberdeen, MS – Irish Lee of Como, MS was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for distributing cocaine. According to court documents, Irish Lee, 49, previously pled guilty to cocaine distribution on November 13, 2025. Lee was charged in an indictment which also named Christopher Mack as a co-defendant. Mack also pled guilty to distribution of cocaine and is awaiting sentencing on March 19, 2026 before the Honorable Michael P. Mills, Senior United States District Court Judge. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Lee today to 60 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Lee was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing. U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary of the Northern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff made the announcement. “Several years ago, our border opened up and drugs poured into our country,” states U.S. Attorney Leary. “The price of drugs then dropped precipitously. Drug cartels took advantage of this situation and made hundreds of millions of dollars by overdosing our kids and taking our money. Cheap drugs resulted in an increase in gang activity and violent crime throughout our district. A response to this crisis was the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, of which this case is a part. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, drug trafficking rings, human smuggling, child trafficking or other crimes involving children. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting such crimes. The Mississippi HSTF is comprised of agents from FBI, HSI, ATF, DEA, among others, who work closely with the United States Attorney’s Office. I want to commend the FBI for leading this investigation, their tenacity and professionalism is superb. I also want to commend prosecutor Chad Doleac. We are blessed in the Northern District of Mississippi to have the most capable narcotics prosecutors in the nation, and Chad Doleac is one of them. We work for the people of the Northern District of Mississippi. The HSTF initiative is an important component of our service to you. Please contact law enforcement if you become aware of these crimes. We will respond.” “Illegal drugs like cocaine devastate communities across our nation and have no place in Mississippi,” states FBI SAC Eikhoff. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: drugs will not be tolerated, and Mississippi will not be a safe haven for drug traffickers and distributors. The FBI, the Cleveland Police Department, the Homeland Security Task Force, and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to pursue individuals like Mr. Lee who bring these harmful substances into our communities.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Doleac prosecuted the case.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and a Supervised Release Violation

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Cleophus Collier, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 12, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Collier to 45 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Collier is released from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Collier was sentenced for a violation of supervised release to a term of 12 months and one day imprisonment to run consecutive to the 45-month sentence. Collier was located by law enforcement who had a warrant for his arrest in relation to a federal supervised release violation. As law enforcement approached, Collier removed a backpack from his body and placed it on the ground next to him. Located in the bag was a loaded Springfield XDS and seven rounds of .45 ammunition. The firearm was found to be stolen out of Omaha in 2016. Collier is a three-time convicted felon and was prohibited from the possession of firearms and ammunition. This case was investigated by the Metro Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Slidell Man Indicted for Injury to Government Property and Federal Clean Water Act Violations

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – On February 12, 2026, BRYANT BROWN, (“BROWN”) , age 58, of Slidell, was indicted for injuring government property, and violating the federal Clean Water Act, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1361 and Title 33, United States Code, Section 1319(c)(2)(A), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, beginning on or about March 2025 and continuing until or about June 12, 2025, BROWN discharged pollutants onto the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. The pollutants caused property damages in excess of $1,000.00. The Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is the largest urban wildlife refuge in the United States. It is comprised of wetlands that span nearly 30,000 acres. For the injuring of government property offense, BROWN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. For the federal Clean Water Act offense, BROWN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three (3) years, a fine of not less than $5,000.00 nor more than $50,000.00 per day, up to one (1) year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 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. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the Environmental Protection Agency-Office of Inspector General, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter. * * *


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta responsible for over $77 million in collections and forfeitures during fiscal year 2025

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia collected over $35 million in civil and criminal penalties and forfeited nearly $8 million of assets during Fiscal Year 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025. “These collections and forfeitures underscore my office’s dedication to securing financial justice for victims and the public,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We and our law enforcement partners will aggressively use all available legal means to hold wrongdoers accountable, compensate crime victims, and protect the public fisc by collecting debts owed to the government.” Defendants who commit certain crimes must pay restitution to the victims of those crimes. Criminal defendants also must pay criminal fines and assessments, which go to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund. This fund distributes the monies to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. During Fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collected over $17 million in restitution, fines, and/or assessments imposed against defendants in criminal cases. In affirmative civil enforcement cases, the United States sues individuals and/or corporations to recover government monies lost to fraud or other misconduct, or to collect fines imposed for non-criminal violations of federal law. This office collected over $18 million through affirmative civil enforcement cases. This office also worked with other Department of Justice components to jointly collect an additional $34 million in civil and criminal cases. In addition, this office’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section used civil and criminal forfeiture tools to deprive wrongdoers of their ill-gotten gains and divest them of the property used to facilitate their crimes. Specifically, in Fiscal Year 2025, this office forfeited more than $4.5 million in criminal cases and over $1.5 million in civil forfeiture cases. This office also worked with its federal law enforcement partners to forfeit an additional $1.8 million through nonjudicial forfeiture processes. The Department of Justice uses forfeited property to compensate crime victims, to share with federal, state and local law enforcement partners and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. In Fiscal Year 2025, more than $3 million was returned to crime victims and over $5 million was shared with law enforcement agencies. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: MARIANNA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO  DRUG DISTRIBUTION CONSPIRACY AND ILLEGAL WEAPONS CHARGES

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

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael Termaine Bell, 43, of Marianna, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant is precisely the kind of violent, drug trafficking offender that Operation Take Back America was launched to capture and remove from our communities. My office remains committed to delivering more successful prosecutions like this until our streets are safe and drug-free.” Court documents reflect that beginning in 2023, investigators identified the defendant as a significant distributor of narcotics in the Jackson County, Florida, area. This investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and surrounding family property on April 18, 2024. Investigators recovered over 1,000 grams of cocaine, over 3,400 grams of marijuana, five firearms, and over $10,000 in U.S. currency. The defendant was later located and arrested in Panama City, Florida, and was found to be in possession of cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded firearm. The defendant is a multi-time convicted felon. Bell faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on the drug charges, a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’ imprisonment on each of the possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes charges, and a maximum of life imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch. Sentencing for Bell is scheduled for April 23, 2026, at 1:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker. 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, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: JURY FINDS CONVICTED FELON GUILTY OF ESCAPING HALFWAY HOUSE

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Trashad Laron Roberts, 35, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of escape from federal custody. The guilty verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The terms of supervision at a residential reentry center are not suggestions, they are mandatory conditions of an inmate’s prison sentence that are designed to keep our communities safe. My office will aggressively prosecute any offenders who attempt to abscond from justice.” In September 2020, the defendant was convicted of possession and distribution of methamphetamine in the Northern District of Florida. The defendant was required to serve four years on supervised release following his multi-year federal prison sentence. The defendant was scheduled to serve the final year of his prison term at a residential reentry center in Tallahassee. Evidence at trial demonstrated that on September 2, 2025, the defendant left the residential reentry center without authorization. Law enforcement immediately acted to locate the defendant. Four hours later, the United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department found the defendant hiding inside a residence. Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. The United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph A. Ravelo and Meredith L. Steer prosecuted the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: TALLAHASSEE FELON INDICTED ON DRUG AND GUN CHARGES

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Landon Dashawn Wilson, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges. Wilson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is scheduled for March 31, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen Winsor. If convicted, Wilson faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana count; up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count; and not less than 5 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense count consecutive to other sentences imposed. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Failing to Register as Sex Offender

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier, has sentenced a man from South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026. Darrell Chase In Winter, 33, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Chase In Winter was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025. Chase In Winter was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Chase In Winter was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from early August through November 2025, Chase In Winter knowingly failed to register and update his registration. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. Chase In Winter was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Independence Man Indicted for Bank Robbery, Attempted Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted bank robbery and bank robbery. Ernest A. Wilcox, 66, of Independence, Mo. was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. on Nov. 21, 2025. The indictment was unsealed and made public following Wilcox’s arrest. The indictment alleges Wilcox attempted to rob a bank in Kansas City, Mo. on May 8, 2024. The indictment also alleges that on June 11, 2024, Wilcox robbed a bank in Independence, Mo., and attempted to rob the same bank on July 3, 2024. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, each count of bank robbery, or attempted bank robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Missouri Police Department, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Manderson Man of  First Degree Murder and Arson Charges

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal jury has convicted Reno Rondeau, age 52, of Manderson, South Dakota, of First Degree Felony Murder, Assault With Intent to Commit Arson, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Arson, following a 3-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on February 5, 2026. The charges carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine and a $400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. In October 2024, Rondeau intentionally set fire to his brother’s residence near Manderson, South Dakota. When he set the fire, Rondeau knew the home was occupied by his brother and his brother’s friend, Tanya White Butterfly. Sadly, Ms. White Butterfly, a former correctional officer with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, perished in the fire. While Rondeau’s brother, John Rondeau, Sr., ultimately escaped the fire, he sustained burn injuries while trying to save White Butterfly’s life. The residence was completely destroyed in the fire. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for May 18, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Lexington Man Sentenced for Money Laundering and Wire Fraud Involving COVID Relief Loans

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, John A. Hopkins, 48, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 24 months, for money laundering and wire fraud arising out of fraudulently obtained Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. According to his plea agreement, from April 14, 2020, through October 19, 2021, Hopkins devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain funding from federal pandemic relief programs. He did this by making false statements about various companies, including Blurock LLC, John A Hopkins, Jahopm, and Hopkins Drywall, named in loan applications submitted to the United States Small Business Administration and other lenders. During this time, Hopkins submitted 10 fraudulent EIDL applications, one fraudulent EIDL modification application, and one fraudulent PPP application. For example, on July 3, 2020, Hopkins submitted an EIDL application stating he was an independent contractor named John A. Hopkins. This application falsely and grossly inflated his revenues serving as a pastor for the 12 months prior to the start of the pandemic. As a result of this fraudulent application, the SBA approved the Hopkins’s EIDL application and issued a loan in the amount of $44,000 and a $1,000 EID advance. As to another EIDL loan, Hopkins fraudulently obtained an EIDL increase in the amount of $352,000, after sending an email containing falsehoods to two members of Congress seeking Congressional assistance in obtaining the loan increase. Through further misrepresentations, Hopkins also obtained a PPP loan in the amount of $120,000 for a business entity called Blurock LLC. In total, Hopkins attempted to fraudulently obtain $1,729,257 in COVID relief funds, of which $517,000 was approved. After receiving the fraudulently obtained SBA funds, Hopkins engaged in numerous transactions over $10,000, using the proceeds of his deceptive conduct to pay off non-business debt, pay for his personal rent, gift money to friends, invest in cryptocurrency, and engage in gambling activities, among other things. Under federal law, Hopkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Great Lakes Field Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Division, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. – END –


title: California Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Production of Child Pornography

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief U.S. Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Thermal, California, man convicted of Attempted Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2026. Juan Pedro Gobea, age 34, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Once released from federal prison, Gobea must register as a sex offender. Gobea was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2025. The conviction stemmed from an undercover chat operation in March 2024, when Gobea attempted to persuade someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl to send him sexually explicit images. Gobea used his online Reddit account with username “saviourtaste” to ask the persona for nude pictures. Gobea was actually conversing with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl from South Dakota. This case was investigated by the SD ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Gobea was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Asphalt companies agree to pay $30 million to settle False Claims Act allegations

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Two asphalt companies have agreed to pay $30 million total to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they submitted fraudulent test results to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for federally funded asphalt projects in Ohio. Specifically, Kokosing Materials, Inc. will pay $17.5 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false or fraudulent asphalt test results from 2012 through 2024. Barrett Paving Materials, Inc. will pay $12.5 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false or fraudulent asphalt test results from 2013 through 2025. Ohio’s Construction and Materials Specifications require that companies performing asphalt projects must conduct certain mix design testing of their asphalt mixtures, known as Job Mix Formulas (JMFs). Companies are then required to submit the test results for ODOT to approve their proposed JMFs prior to beginning their asphalt work on federally funded projects. The companies are also required to conduct regular quality control tests as asphalt is being laid on Ohio roadways. The settlements resolve allegations that, rather than performing these required mix design tests, the companies repeatedly submitted JMFs to ODOT containing data copied from prior JMFs. The settlements also resolve allegations that the companies submitted false quality control test results. “The settlements announced today underscore our unwavering commitment to keeping federally funded transportation projects in Ohio and across the nation free from fraud, waste, and abuse,” said Elise Chawaga, Principal Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. “Through sustained coordination with our federal, state, law enforcement, and prosecutorial partners, we will continue to investigate misconduct and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.” “I applaud our federal partners for holding companies accountable and protecting the integrity of State contracts,” said Inspector General of Ohio Randall Meyer. “The Trump Administration is rooting out fraud at all levels of government,” said FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster. “I commend Department of Justice attorneys, USDOT’s Inspector General and the Ohio Inspector General’s Office for going after bad actors, ensuring the integrity of the Federal-aid highway program, and protecting taxpayer dollars.” The civil settlements include the resolution of claims brought by individuals under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow a private party, known as a relator, to file an action on behalf of the United States. This matter was investigated jointly by agents from the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and investigators from the Office of the Ohio Inspector General. Civil Chief Matthew J. Horwitz and Assistant United States Attorneys Linda Mindrutiu and Brandi Stewart are representing the United States in these matters. Vipal J. Patel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elise Chawaga, Principal Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General; Randall Meyer, Inspector General of Ohio; and Sean McMaster, Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration; announced the settlements. The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. # # #


title: Grand jury indicts 4 men in case involving freight shipment of hundreds of pounds of cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine & marijuana

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted four defendants for a federal crime related to the seizure of 119 kilograms of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, 170 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and 80 pounds of suspected marijuana. According to charging documents, on Feb. 2, DEA agents executed a federal search warrant on a freight package delivered to a distribution center in Dayton where agents discovered and seized the large quantity of suspected controlled substances. Those charged today include Jason Heath, 40, of Dayton; Roderic Searcy, 60, of Los Angeles; Craig Worthen, 40, of Los Angeles; and Mark Lane, 33, of Cincinnati. An affidavit details that Lane and Searcy drove a white Mercedes van to the distribution center on Feb. 3 to retrieve the shipment. Lane and Searcy then allegedly took possession of the freight and loaded two pallets into the van before leaving the distribution center. From the distribution center, Heath and Worthen followed the van in a Honda Civic to an address in Dayton. The defendants discovered the suspected controlled substances had been removed when they started to unwrap the package inside the van, and all four defendants immediately attempted to leave the residence unsuccessfully. All four individuals were stopped and arrested by federal agents. The defendants are all charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, a crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. McCormick is representing the United States in this case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally reentering the United States after he was previously deported. Javier Luis Arias-Zamudio, aka Jose Luis Cordova, 34, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David P. Rush, to a federal indictment charging him with one count of illegal reentry after a felony conviction. According to court documents, on Oct. 23, 2025, deputies with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Arias-Zamudio and determined that he was unlawfully present in the United States. Arias-Zamudio has previously been convicted of felony illegal reentry, in the District of Arizona, in 2021, and removed from the United States on April 21, 2021, through Nogales, Ariz. Additionally, Arias-Zamudio was previously removed from the United States on May 5, 2017, and August 29, 2019, at Laredo, Tx. Under federal statutes, Arias-Zamudio is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Sparta, Missouri Police Department, and the Christian County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office. Operation Take Back America 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: Mother’s Day Carjackers Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, FL – Miranda Lee Pryor (39, Orange Park) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for her role in a May 2025 armed carjacking in Lehigh Acres. Pryor pleaded guilty on October 29, 2025, to carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Her co-defendant, Rebecca Lea Stacey (36, West Palm Beach) was previously sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison in connection with the same case. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court records, on the afternoon of May 11, 2025, Stacey and Pryor carjacked a man waiting in his vehicle outside a store in Lehigh Acres. During the carjacking, Pryor brandished a firearm as the pair stole the victim’s vehicle and sped away from the scene. Later that afternoon, after law enforcement located the vehicle on I-75, Stacey (driving the vehicle) led police on a high-speed chase on the interstate through Collier County, eventually losing control and crashing the vehicle. Stacey and Pryor were quickly apprehended by law enforcement following the accident. During the chase, Pryor (the front-seat passenger) tossed the firearm used in the carjacking out the window of the stolen car, which was later recovered on the side of the highway. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon Eth and Kevin Huguelet.


title: Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Gas Station and Discharging Firearm

body_text: Tampa, FL - Rafael Jimenez (31, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of possession and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. He faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Jimenez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court records, on March 8, 2025, Jimenez entered a gas station in Tampa and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the cash register. Shortly after making this demand, Jimenez fired a shot in the direction of the clerk, striking the ground directly behind the clerk. Jimenez stole cigarettes and more than $600 from the store. He was apprehended after surveillance footage from days earlier showed physical similarities between Jimenez and the robber, including a distinctive tattoo. Evidence found in Jimenez’s trash included a ski mask, gloves, and cigarettes of the same brand the robber had used. Surveillance video showed a vehicle like Jimenez’s traveling near the scene of the robbery before and after it had occurred. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture. 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Hudsonville Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Transferring a Machinegun

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Ethan Carter, 19, of Hudsonville, pleaded guilty to possession and transfer of a machinegun. Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2026, at 3:00PM and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “People living in our at-risk neighborhoods already know how machinegun conversion devices have made gun violence much worse. We are doing all we can to find and stop the people who possess and sell this equipment. I applaud the ATF agents for the work they did to bring this case to us for prosecution.” In June 2025, Carter gave a machinegun conversion device to another person. When installed on a semiautomatic gun, a machinegun conversion device allows the weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. ATF executed a search warrant at Carter’s home several weeks later and found approximately six additional machinegun conversion devices, as well as a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed. “Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) can transform legal firearms into machineguns capable of shooting at an extremely deadly rate. Possessing or transferring these types of illegal devices is a serious federal crime,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Keith Krolczyk. “Working alongside our federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement partners, ATF will aggressively pursue and hold accountable anyone who criminally possesses or distributes MCDs to protect our communities from violent crime.” This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Pine Ridge Man Convicted of Assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal and of  Threatening to Murder Federal Officers

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Franklin Long Black Cat, age 32, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of Assaulting a Federal Officer and two counts of Threatening a Federal Officer following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 29, 2026. The maximum penalty for the assault charge is eight years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, and the threat charges carry a maximum penalty of ten years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine. All three charges carry a maximum term of three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Long Black Cat was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2025. On November 18, 2025, Long Black Cat was in the custody of the United States Marshals Service at the federal courthouse in Rapid City in connection with a court hearing. Long Black Cat spit in the face of one Deputy United States Marshal and threatened to shoot two other Deputy United States Marshals. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has yet to be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Essex County Man Found Guilty of Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and Ammunition Following Trial

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, N.J., man with a felony criminal record has been convicted by a federal jury for carrying two loaded semi-automatic pistols, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Ken Anderson, 33, of Newark, was convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition following a trial that began on February 3 before United States District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2026. According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial: Detectives with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office responded to a tip from a confidential informant in the early evening of July 22, 2025, about a man with a firearm in the area of the Wynona Lipman Gardens housing development located in Newark’s Central Ward. Detectives located Anderson sitting in a vehicle, double-parked within the housing development. When the detectives approached with their sirens and lights, Anderson fled. He drove recklessly through the housing development, reached a dead-end street, and rolled out of his moving vehicle. Before the vehicle crashed into a handicapped sign, he grabbed a backpack, and ran away through the housing development. He jumped over fences, then ran across Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and onto Interstate 280, where officers arrested him. Detectives found two loaded firearms from the backpack and a bullet from one of Anderson’s pant pockets. The charge of being a felon in possession carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Roddy, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Amir D. Jones, with the investigation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Sean Nadel of the International Narcotics and Trafficking Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Tyler Newman, Esq. and Mallory Olwig, Esq. anderson.indictment.pdf


title: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Over 19 Years in Federal Prison  for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Charges

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Carrying a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense. The sentencing took place on January 27, 2026. James Shangreaux, age 43, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture of the pistol was also ordered. Shangreaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 18, 2025. Shangreaux conspired with others to distribute at least 350 grams of methamphetamine in Rapid City and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Shangreaux acted as an organizer and leader of the conspiracy, making trips to Colorado, as well as wiring money to his source of supply. Shangreaux’s conspiracy was exposed following a pursuit that was terminated near the reservation and State boundary line. When ultimately taken into custody, Shangreaux was found in possession of methamphetamine as well as a 9mm caliber pistol that he attempted to conceal. 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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen handled the prosecution. Shangreaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Palmetto Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted Felon

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Markis Maxwell (41, Palmetto) was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland today to seven years in federal prison for possession of a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. The sentence will run consecutive to the state prison sentence that Maxwell is currently serving for the sale of controlled substances and fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer. The court also ordered Maxwell to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the commission of the offense. Maxwell pleaded guilty on October 24, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court records, on June 16, 2023, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call and learned that Maxwell was armed with a handgun during a verbal argument with his significant other. Maxwell was subsequently arrested on outstanding arrest warrants for unrelated offenses involving the sales of cocaine and fentanyl. Deputies located a loaded handgun hidden inside a bag in the bedroom closet. Subsequent analysis supported Maxwell as a contributor to DNA swabs taken from the handgun. Prior to possessing the firearm and ammunition, Maxwell had been convicted of multiple felony offenses. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Retired U.S. Army Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Disclosing Classified National Defense Information

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Kevin Charles Luke (62, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Moody, Jr. to 24 months in federal prison for the disclosure of classified information relating to the national defense of the United States. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. Luke pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025. In his plea agreement, he admitted to abusing a position of public trust. According to court documents, Luke served in both active duty and reserve components of the United States Army from 1981 until his retirement with the rank of Colonel on June 30, 2018. Following his retirement, Luke was employed as a civilian employee at United States Central Command (CENTCOM). During his time in the Army and as a civilian employee, Luke held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. On multiple occasions, including as recently as February 2019, Luke acknowledged his responsibility to protect classified information by signing a Standard Form 312 Nondisclosure Agreement. In October 2024, Luke sent a woman a text message from his personal cellphone that stated, “sent to my boss earlier, gives you a peek at what I do for a living.” Following that message, he sent a photograph of a computer screen displaying a classified email message that he had authored and sent using a government email address intended for classified email communications. The photograph of the classified email also revealed targets of a planned U.S. military operation as well as the future date of the operation, the means of executing the operation, and the goal of the operation. The email contained classified markings at the Secret level that Luke himself had added. The unauthorized release of the information contained within the photograph could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security of the United States. This case was investigated by the United States Air Force—Office of Special Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt and Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Federal Prison   for Assaulting a Federal Officer

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on February 3, 2026. James Holloway, age 46, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Holloway was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 20, 2025. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on May 2, 2025, in the Lower Brule Indian Reservation. On that day, tribal law enforcement responded to a call for service from a residence in Lower Brule. The caller indicated Holloway had entered the residence without permission. Holloway was found in the basement of the residence by an officer of the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. As the officer was attempting to remove Holloway from the home, Holloway physically struggled with the officer and knocked him down, injuring the officer’s arm. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services – Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case. Holloway was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: St. Francis Woman Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Shooting a Person with a Pellet Gun Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from St. Francis, South Dakota, convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on February 3, 2026. Chassity Red Tomahawk, age 40, was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Red Tomahawk was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. She pleaded guilty on October 30, 2025. On May 31, 2025, the victim went to Red Tomahawk’s residence in St. Francis, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Red Tomahawk was outside when she saw the victim arrive. Red Tomahawk went inside the residence and retrieved a pellet gun. Red Tomahawk came back outside and shot the victim in the chest, causing a pellet to lodge under the victim’s skin. The victim was taken to the hospital due to her injuries. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case. Red Tomahawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: SALVADORAN ALIEN CHILD MOLESTER SENTENCED  FOR NATURALIZATION FRAUD, DENATURALIZED, AND DEPORTED

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Isidro Arcenio Alvarado, 58, a native of El Salvador, to active prison time after he pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship. The judge also revoked his citizenship and ordered him removed from the United States. “Sex predators who sexually abuse 10-year-old children deserve, at the very least, prison time and should never be granted the privilege and honor of United States’ citizenship.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Thanks to the excellent investigation by ICE, this pervert will never harm another child in the United States. He better stay out.” Alvarado confessed to having knowingly made materially false statements under oath and penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during a naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS). He answered “No” to the following questions “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…[f]orcing or trying to force someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?”; “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?”; “Have you EVER given any U.S. Government officials any information or documentation that was false, fraudulent, or misleading?”; and “Have you EVER lied to any U.S. government officials to gain entry or admission into the United States or to gain immigration benefits while in the United States?” Alvarado took the oath of citizenship and naturalized on October 12, 2022. On April 25, 2023, police arrested Alvarado and charged him with having committed multiple sex offenses against a child. On July 8, 2025, in the Wake County Superior Court of North Carolina, Alvarado pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a child. The state judge sentenced him to a suspended prison term and ordered him to register as a sex offender. Alvarado admitted to having committed the crimes from January 1, 2019, through April 10, 2021. In 2019, the victim was only 10 years old. Immigration officials did not know about his deviant sex crimes prior to granting him citizenship. Upon completion of his sentence, ICE will deport him from the United States. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE ERO officers investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven , an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Fraud Detection and National Security Division is assisting with the initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick prosecuted the case. 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. 5:25-CR-208-D-BM.


title: Customs and Border Protection supervisor arrested for harboring illegal alien

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 52-year-old Customs and Border Protection supervisor has been charged with harboring an illegal alien, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Andres Wilkinson has made his initial appearance and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian C. Bajew. Wilkinson has served with CBP since 2001 and was promoted to a supervisory position in 2021. In that role, his duties included overseeing the enforcement of customs and immigration laws. According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement learned that an illegal alien was residing at Wilkinson’s residence without legal authorization. The complaint further alleges that Wilkinson was aware of her unlawful immigration status yet maintained a romantic relationship with her. Court records allege the illegal alien initially entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visa in August 2023 and later overstayed authorized travel. From June through November 2025, law enforcement conducted surveillance at Wilkinson’s residence and observed the illegal alien living there with Wilkinson and her minor child, according to the charges. Investigators also observed the alien using vehicles registered to Wilkinson, court documents allege. In February 2026, investigators interviewed the illegal alien, according to court records. The criminal complaint alleges she had been residing with Wilkinson since August 2024. Court documents further allege Wilkinson provided financial support, including housing, credit cards, assistance with financial obligations and access to vehicle registered in his name. The complaint also alleges Wilkinson knowingly transported the illegal alien through U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints. The complaint further alleges Wilkinson traveled with the illegal alien to San Antonio and that messages indicated she and her child resided with him. If convicted, Wilkinson faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. CBP - Office of Professional Responsibility – Laredo conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel Cardenas is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Sacramento County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Child

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Mark Sigl, 63, of Antelope, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in March 2024, Sigl communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Sigl communicated his desire to perform sex acts on the child and planned to meet the undercover officer and child at a designated site to do so. When Sigl arrived at the designated site, he was arrested by law enforcement officers. Several sex items were recovered from his vehicle parked outside. Sigl pleaded guilty to the charge on July 1, 2025. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Taskforce conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zulkar Khan prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Vacaville Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug Possession

body_text: On Feb. 10, 2026, James Cargill, 44, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in January 2025, law enforcement officers arrested Cargill after they found him in possession of approximately 570 grams of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine. In May 2025, officers arrested Cargill after they found him in possession of approximately 230 grams of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine and a loaded Glock 20 semi-automatic pistol. The Vacaville Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case. Cargill is set to be sentenced on June 2, 2026, by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Cargill faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Mexican national who stole U.S. citizen’s identity sentenced to prison

body_text: HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to federal prison after illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Following a two-day-trial, a federal jury found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan guilty May 29, 2025, after approximately four hours of deliberation. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced Valdez-Galvan to 41 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is once again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. On June 11, 2024, authorities encountered Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. During the encounter, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Authorities later determined Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had previously been removed from the United States and had returned without permission. Court records reflect Valdez-Galvan assumed the false identity in 2015 following his second removal from the United States. Law enforcement positively identified Valdez-Galvan through fingerprint analysis. At trial, Valdez-Galvan disputed his identity, and his mother testified that her son’s name was different, despite having previously identified him as Valdez-Galvan. The defense challenged the reliability of the evidence, but the jury found Valdez-Galvan guilty as charged. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Cortez, Jay Hileman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Oliver prosecuted the case.


title: Former Stratford Resident Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Narcotics

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TERRON AMADO, also known as “Littles,” 41, formerly of Stratford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl laced with xylazine, and cocaine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Amado’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for robbery, firearm, and narcotics offenses. An investigation revealed that Amado, who had moved to Georgia in 2017, regularly traveled from Georgia to Connecticut for drug transactions, using rental cars and staying at Airbnb residences. In July 2023, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of approximately 20 grams of fentanyl from Amado in Stratford. Amado was arrested on July 28, 2023. At the time of his arrest, he possessed approximately 220 grams of fentanyl mixed with xylazine, 370 grams of powder cocaine, 30 grams of crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. On September 25, 2025, Amado pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, including personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, and Milford Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.


title: Mexican National to Serve More Than Eight Years in Prison for Cocaine Conspiracy and Illegal Ammunition Possession

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSE TRINIDAD PEREZ FRAIRE , 38, of Mexico, has been sentenced to serve 105 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, in May 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained information that Fraire was involved in cocaine distribution. On May 14, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Fraire’s residence and discovered approximately three kilograms of cocaine, more than $70,000 in cash, suspected drug ledgers, and ammunition. On June 26, 2025, Fraire was charged by Information with a drug conspiracy and being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition. Fraire pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025, and admitted he conspired with others to possess and distribute cocaine and knowingly possessed ammunition despite his status as an illegal alien. At the sentencing hearing on February 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Fraire to serve 105 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the need for deterrence and to protect the public from further criminal activity. This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis 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. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Virtual Asset Trading Platform Sentenced for Violating the Travel Act and Other Federal Criminal Charges

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Paxful Holdings Inc., an online virtual currency trading platform, was sentenced yesterday to pay a criminal penalty of $4 million based on its ability to pay following its guilty plea to conspiracies to promote illegal prostitution, violate the Bank Secrecy Act, and knowingly transmit funds derived from criminal offenses. “Paxful profited from moving money for criminals that it attracted by touting its lack of anti-money laundering controls and failure to comply with applicable money-laundering laws, all while knowing that these criminals were engaged in fraud, extortion, prostitution and commercial sex trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Crimes like this are a high priority for the Criminal Division because criminal money transmitters facilitate so many other crimes like money laundering, prostitution, fraud, romance scams, extortion and human trafficking. This sentence shows that companies will be held accountable when they create safe havens for criminal activity.” “This sentence holds the company accountable for knowingly allowing its platform to facilitate serious criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “By putting profit over compliance, the company enabled money laundering and other crimes. This sentence sends a clear message: companies that turn a blind eye to criminal activity on their platforms will face serious consequences under U.S. law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to protect victims and ensure that the cryptocurrency ecosystem is not exploited by criminals.” “This sentencing underscores IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who exploit financial systems to facilitate criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen of the IRS-CI Oakland Field Office. “Paxful’s deliberate disregard for anti-money laundering requirements and its role in promoting illegal prostitution and other criminal schemes enabled the movement of illicit funds at scale. This case sends a clear message: platforms that choose profit over compliance will face serious consequences and be brought to justice.” According to court documents, Paxful Inc., and later, Paxful Holdings Inc. (collectively Paxful), owned and operated an online peer-to-peer virtual currency platform and money transmitting business (MTB) where customers negotiated for and traded virtual currency for a variety of other items, including currency like cash, pre-paid cards and gift cards. Paxful knew that its customers transmitted funds from criminal offenses, including fraud schemes and illegal prostitution. From Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 2, 2019, Paxful facilitated more than 26.7 million trades, totaling nearly $3 billion in value, and collected more than $29.7 million in revenue. Paxful knowingly transferred virtual currency on behalf of its customers, including Backpage, an online advertising platform for illicit prostitution and similar sites. In various criminal proceedings, Backpage and its owners and operators admitted that Backpage advertised and profited from illegal prostitution, including illegal sex work depicting minors. Paxful’s founders boasted about the “Backpage Effect,” which enabled the business to grow. Between December 2015 and December 2022, Paxful’s collaboration with Backpage and a similar site caused nearly $17 million worth of bitcoin to be transferred from the Paxful wallet to Backpage and the copycat site from which Paxful obtained at least $2.7 million in profits. As described in the plea agreement, from July 2015 to June 2019, Paxful and its founders marketed Paxful as a platform that did not require know-your-customer (KYC) information; allowed customers to open accounts and trade on the Paxful platform without gathering sufficient KYC information; presented to third parties fake AML policies that they knew were not implemented or enforced; and failed to file suspicious activity reports, despite knowing that Paxful users were engaged in suspicious and criminal activity. As a result, Paxful knew it was used as a vehicle for prostitution, fraud, romance scams and extortion schemes. Paxful pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Travel Act by promoting illegal prostitution through interstate commerce; conspiring to operate an unlicensed MTB by knowingly transmitting funds derived from criminal offenses or supporting unlawful activity, including illegal prostitution and fraud schemes; and conspiring to violate the Bank Secrecy Act’s (BSA) anti-money laundering (AML) program requirement. As a result of its illegal conduct, the virtual currency platform was used to transfer the proceeds of fraud schemes, illegal prostitution, hacks by malign state actors and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The Justice Department reached its resolution with Paxful based on several factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offenses, which involved Paxful’s processing of millions of dollars of illicit transactions. Paxful did not make a timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing, but it received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, including among other things, collecting, analyzing and producing voluminous information, providing timely updates on facts learned during its internal investigation and engaging in extensive and timely remedial measures. According to court documents, Paxful agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and the facts in its case is $112,500,000. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that Paxful did not have the ability to pay a criminal penalty greater than $4 million. On July 8, 2024, Paxful’s co-founder and former chief technology officer, Artur Schaback, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fail to maintain an effective AML program in relation to the same scheme. Paxful’s guilty plea was part of a coordinated resolution with FinCEN. HSI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. Bank Integrity Unit Deputy Chief Kevin Mosley and Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen, Caylee Campbell and Katherine Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.


title: City Man Sentenced to Eight and a Half Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking in West Philadelphia

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kristian Jackson, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 102 months’ imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and restitution of $7,400 by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for committing an armed carjacking in West Philadelphia in September 2024. Jackson and co-defendants Legend Hall, 20, also of Philadelphia, and Jalaal Claitt, 20, of Atlanta, Georgia, were charged by superseding indictment in April of last year. [1] Jackson pleaded guilty in October to one count of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. As detailed in court filings and statements, on September 17, 2024, Victim #1 parked on the 300 block of 62 nd Street in Philadelphia and reported being immediately approached by three males, later identified by investigators as Hall, Jackson, and Claitt. One of the defendants asked Victim #1 to drive them somewhere. When Victim #1 refused, two of the males took out handguns and told Victim #1 to get out of the car. The three males then got into Victim #1’s black Chevy Malibu and drove off with Victim #1’s iPhone 14 and approximately $500 that was in the car. Last week, Claitt pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Hall pleaded guilty to the same counts last July. They will be sentenced at a later date, and both face a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of seven years’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena. [1] In addition, Claitt and Hall were charged with an October 2024 carjacking in Upper Darby, Pa.


body_text: Paxful Holdings, Inc., an online virtual currency trading platform, was sentenced yesterday to pay a criminal penalty of $4 million based on its ability to pay following its guilty plea to conspiracies to promote illegal prostitution, violate the Bank Secrecy Act, and knowingly transmit funds derived from criminal offenses. “Paxful profited from moving money for criminals that it attracted by touting its lack of anti-money laundering controls and failure to comply with applicable money-laundering laws, all while knowing that these criminals were engaged in fraud, extortion, prostitution and commercial sex trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Crimes like this are a high priority for the Criminal Division because criminal money transmitters facilitate so many other crimes like money laundering, prostitution, fraud, romance scams, extortion and human trafficking. This sentence shows that companies will be held accountable when they create safe havens for criminal activity.” “This sentence holds the company accountable for knowingly allowing its platform to facilitate serious criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “By putting profit over compliance, the company enabled money laundering and other crimes. This sentence sends a clear message: companies that turn a blind eye to criminal activity on their platforms will face serious consequences under U.S. law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to protect victims and ensure that the cryptocurrency ecosystem is not exploited by criminals.” “This sentencing underscores IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who exploit financial systems to facilitate criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen of the IRS-CI Oakland Field Office. “Paxful’s deliberate disregard for anti-money laundering requirements and its role in promoting illegal prostitution and other criminal schemes enabled the movement of illicit funds at scale. This case sends a clear message: platforms that choose profit over compliance will face serious consequences and be brought to justice.” According to court documents, Paxful, Inc., and later, Paxful Holdings, Inc. (collectively Paxful), owned and operated an online peer-to-peer virtual currency platform and money transmitting business (MTB) where customers negotiated for and traded virtual currency for a variety of other items, including currency like cash, pre-paid cards and gift cards. Paxful knew that its customers transmitted funds from criminal offenses, including fraud schemes and illegal prostitution. From Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 2, 2019, Paxful facilitated more than 26.7 million trades, totaling nearly $3 billion in value, and collected more than $29.7 million in revenue. Paxful knowingly transferred virtual currency on behalf of its customers, including Backpage, an online advertising platform for illicit prostitution and similar sites. In various criminal proceedings, Backpage and its owners and operators admitted that Backpage advertised and profited from illegal prostitution, including illegal sex work depicting minors. Paxful’s founders boasted about the “Backpage Effect,” which enabled the business to grow. Between December 2015 and December 2022, Paxful’s collaboration with Backpage and a similar site caused nearly $17 million worth of bitcoin to be transferred from the Paxful wallet to Backpage and the copycat site from which Paxful obtained at least $2.7 million in profits. As described in the plea agreement, from July 2015 to June 2019, Paxful and its founders marketed Paxful as a platform that did not require know-your-customer (KYC) information; allowed customers to open accounts and trade on the Paxful platform without gathering sufficient KYC information; presented to third parties fake anti-money laundering (AML) policies that they knew were not implemented or enforced; and failed to file suspicious activity reports, despite knowing that Paxful users were engaged in suspicious and criminal activity. As a result, Paxful knew it was used as a vehicle for prostitution, fraud, romance scams and extortion schemes. Paxful pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Travel Act by promoting illegal prostitution through interstate commerce; conspiring to operate an unlicensed MTB by knowingly transmitting funds derived from criminal offenses or supporting unlawful activity, including illegal prostitution and fraud schemes; and conspiring to violate the Bank Secrecy Act’s (BSA) anti-money laundering (AML) program requirement. As a result of its illegal conduct, the virtual currency platform was used to transfer the proceeds of fraud schemes, illegal prostitution, hacks by malign state actors and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The Justice Department reached its resolution with Paxful based on several factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offenses, which involved Paxful’s processing of millions of dollars of illicit transactions. Paxful did not make a timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing, but it received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, including among other things, collecting, analyzing and producing voluminous information, providing timely updates on facts learned during its internal investigation and engaging in extensive and timely remedial measures. According to court documents, Paxful agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and the facts in its case is $112,500,000. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that Paxful did not have the ability to pay a criminal penalty greater than $4 million. On July 8, 2024, Paxful’s co-founder and former chief technology officer, Artur Schaback, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fail to maintain an effective AML program in relation to the same scheme. Paxful’s guilty plea was part of a coordinated resolution with FinCEN. HSI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. Bank Integrity Unit Deputy Chief Kevin Mosley and Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen, Caylee Campbell and Katherine Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.


title: Bronx Gang Member Convicted Of 2013 Murder

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that a jury found LAMAR WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Little Black,” a/k/a “Chase Money Marz,” guilty today of murder in aid of racketeering, murder through use of a firearm, and racketeering conspiracy. The convictions relate to WILLIAMS’ murder of 28-year-old Rasheed Barton on August 11, 2013, in the Bronx, New York, and WILLIAMS’ leadership of the Mac Ballers gang. WILLIAMS was convicted following a seven-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who will impose sentence on May 19, 2026. “Moments ago, a unanimous Manhattan jury rightly found that Lamar Williams, a leader of the violent Mac Ballers set of the Bloods gang, gunned down Rasheed Barton in cold blood,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. “New Yorkers want violent gang members off our streets. Our office, together with our law enforcement partners—including the NYPD, FBI, DEA and HSI—is committed to that mission. In this important case, I commend the women and men of this Office for closely partnering with New York’s finest in bringing a leader of a gang whose stock and trade is murder, violence, and intimidation.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, public court filings, and evidence presented at jury trial: From at least 2013 to 2022, WILLIAMS was a member and leader of the Mac Ballers, which is associated with the national Bloods gang. The Mac Ballers operated primarily in the northeast United States, including in the Bronx, and in jails and prisons of New York City and the State of New York. Members of the Mac Ballers committed acts of violence, including murder, to protect and expand the gang’s territory, to retaliate against rival gang members, to keep victims and potential victims in fear of the gang, and to otherwise promote the gang’s reputation. They also distributed controlled substances in order to enrich themselves. Mac Ballers members promoted and celebrated the gang’s criminal conduct, including acts of violence, drug distribution, and firearm usage. On August 11, 2013, WILLIAMS shot and killed Rasheed Barton in the vicinity of East 174th Street and Bronx River Avenue in the Bronx, New York. WILLIAMS murdered Barton in connection with WILLIAMS’ membership in the Mac Ballers gang and his conspiring to sell crack cocaine. * * * WILLIAMS, 35, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of racketeering conspiracy with special sentencing factors, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and the investigators at the United States Attorney’s Office. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Patrick R. Moroney are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Chanel Foster and Sophie Keegan.


title: Seattle man convicted of abusive sexual contact on flight from Billings, Montana to Seattle

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 55-year-old Seattle man was convicted late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Jurors found Keith Witt molested the 19-year-old victim on an August 11, 2023, flight from Billings, Montana to Seattle. The jury deliberated for an hour and a half following a two-day trial. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2026. According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, the victim was in the window seat and Witt was next to her in the aisle seat on the 90-minute flight. Witt engaged the victim in conversation immediately upon boarding. The victim testified that he asked a number or personal questions that made her uncomfortable and touched her shoulder and earbuds, invading her space. The victim decided to feign sleep to avoid having to interact further. The victim moved as far as she could towards the wall of the plane. Over several minutes, she felt Witt’s hand first move to her seat. Then he touched her thigh and after pausing continued to move his hand up to the hem of her shorts towards her genitalia. The victim flinched, and Witt would remove his hand, only to move it slowly back a few moments later. When the victim opened one eye, she was able to see that Witt appeared to be sexually aroused, and he was rubbing his erection. The victim got up and went to the front of the plane. She reported the conduct to the flight crew and closed herself in the restroom. In tears, she texted her mother about what had happened. The flight attendants moved Witt to a seat at the back of the plane and reported the incident to the flight crew. The flight crew alerted personnel at SeaTac Airport, who contacted the Port of Seattle Police who met the plane and interviewed both Witt and the victim. In closing argument Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Yemini noted that the victim’s testimony was corroborated by others on the plane who saw she was upset and crying. “There is no motive for (the victim) to fabricate the story. She suffered the consequences: she had to talk to the flight attendant; she had to talk to the detectives; she had to come to court and describe what happened to her to strangers. She had no motive to fabricate these allegations.” In his rebuttal closing argument, Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne noted that Witt had testified that any contact was inadvertent as he had fallen asleep. Wynne said that testimony was simply not credible. “He was testing boundaries, pressing those boundaries… he does not want to bring attention to himself… he is trying to do it slowly and methodically. That is evidence of his intent.” Abusive sexual contact on an aircraft is punishable by up to two years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Yemini and Brian Wynne.


title: Founder of Beverage Company Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Defrauding Investors of Millions of Dollars

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The founder and executive chairman of a now-defunct beverage company was sentenced yesterday for lying to solicit investments, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Todd O’Gara, 46, of Austin, Texas and Reno, Nevada previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court. Judge Chesler sentenced O’Gara to serve 51 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: O’Gara, who founded and managed a beverage company, Wanu Water, Inc., raised over $6.6 million dollars from individual victim investors. O’Gara repeatedly lied to solicit those investments and to encourage investors to maintain their investments. Among other things, O’Gara lied about the size of purchase orders from retailers and about major investments from private equity firms. As part of this fraudulent scheme, O’Gara sent investors fake documents including doctored emails and forged term sheets. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Roddy, Newark Field Division, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: John Yauch and Shaiba Rather, Newark, New Jersey


title: Luzerne County Brothers Sentenced on Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Akilees Kadeem Hobson, age 27, of Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, and Armand Kierran Hobson, age 28, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, were sentenced on February 10, 2026, by Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Akilees Hobson was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment and Armand Hobson was sentenced to time served after being incarcerated since September 25, 2024. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in August and September 2024, the brothers conspired to distribute fentanyl. On fourteen occasions, Akilees Hobson sold drugs, which included fentanyl and crack cocaine, to a confidential informant. At the time, Akilees Hobson was on federal supervised release for previous conviction charging him with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking in 2017. On one occasion, Armand Hobson sold fentanyl to a confidential informant. On September 25, 2024, search warrants were executed at their residences and additional drugs were seized. In total, Akilees Hobson was responsible for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 27 grams of fentanyl and 39 grams of crack cocaine. Armand Hobson was responsible for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute at least 4 grams but less than 8 grams of fentanyl and less than a kilogram of marijuana. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kingston Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. # # #


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Donald Renard Taylor, 50, of Dunbar, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 31, 2023, Taylor sold 104.63 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $850. Taylor admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling 27.71 grams of methamphetamine for $240 on June 14, 2023, and 55.75 grams of methamphetamine for $440 on July 13, 3023, to the confidential informant. All three transactions occurred in Dunbar. On August 2, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Taylor’s Dunbar residence and seized 139.7 grams of methamphetamine, over 200 grams of fentanyl, 544.8 grams of cocaine and $19,479. Officers also seized six firearms: a Highpoint 9mm pistol, a Bearman .38-caliber pistol, a F.I.E. Corp .25-caliber pistol, a Glock L9 9mm pistol, a Taurus GX4 9mm pistol, and a Davis Industries .25-caliber pistol. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department, and the assistance provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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. 2:24-cr-44. ###