title: Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Distribution of Fentanyl

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Tempe, Arizona, man, Terence Michael Carroll, 38, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for attempted distribution of more than 1,000 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the court considered uncontested evidence that in December 2023 Carroll mailed a parcel with approximately 11,757 tablets, or a total of 1,295.4 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, from Tempe to an address in Peoria, Illinois. A federal grand jury returned an indictment in July 2024, and Carroll was arrested in Arizona at the end of that month. He was released on a recognizance bond. Carroll entered a plea of guilty in May 2025, at which time he was detained by the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. The statutory penalties for attempted distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl are ten years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at least a five-year term of supervised release. The court also may impose up to a $10 million dollar fine. “Defendants who peddle deadly drugs like fentanyl introduce poison into our communities,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. “Our office is committed to pursuing these prosecutions in partnership with the United States Postal Inspection Services, Illinois State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, given the life-threatening consequences of this type of drug distribution.” “This successful investigation demonstrates the role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “U.S. Postal Inspectors are federal agents committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service and fulfilling our obligations to safety in the communities we serve by dismantling drug trafficking organizations. U.S. Postal Inspectors will continue to aggressively investigate and bring to justice anyone utilizing the U.S. Mail for distribution of narcotics, as demonstrated by Mr. Carroll’s sentencing.” The United States Postal Inspection Service, assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service Forensics Lab and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Carroll 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: Montgomery Man Receives Federal Prison Sentence for Illegal Machinegun Possession

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, AL – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that a Montgomery, Alabama man has been sentenced for unlawfully possessing a machinegun. On August 19, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 23-year-old Alazavia Devontae Berry to 30 months in prison. Following his prison term, Berry will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on September 8, 2024, members of the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit attempted to stop a vehicle in Montgomery after observing a traffic violation. The driver, later identified as Berry, refused to stop and led officers on a high-speed chase through a residential area. Berry eventually abandoned the still-moving vehicle, which struck the exterior of a nearby residence, and tried to flee on foot. MACS agents quickly apprehended him and discovered a firearm fitted with a machinegun conversion device concealed in Berry’s clothing. On April 11, 2025, Berry pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a machinegun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case as part of the MACS Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits prosecuted this case.


title: Richmond-area felons convicted, sentenced for federal firearms crimes

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond-area men were sentenced to prison and a third was convicted this week for being felons in possession of firearms. According to court documents, Devon Sherman Mickins, 26, came to the attention of Richmond Police (RPD) on August 30, 2024, when he posted a photograph of himself on Instagram holding a rifle. On Sept. 4, 2024, an RPD detective observed Mickins carrying the same rifle that he was holding on Instagram. Mickins sat in a chair outside his apartment with the rifle. RPD detectives and officers approached Mickins, who had the rifle in his lap. Mickins complied with an order to put his hands up and a detective safely retrieved the rifle, and Mickins was taken into custody. Police recovered another firearm from the apartment. Mickins has prior felony convictions for malicious wounding, robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, all of which he committed in Richmond in 2019 and 2021. Mickins pled guilty on March 6. He was sentenced yesterday to three years and eight months in prison by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case. *** On Sept. 29, 2024, RPD officers observed Javion Stamper, 25, standing with a small group, and Stamper appeared to have a firearm in the waistband of his pants. The officers stopped their vehicle to investigate, and Stamper fled as the officers exited the vehicle. After a foot pursuit, one of the officers heard Stamper behind a cluster of bushes and ordered him to come out. Stamper complied and was detained. An officer recovered the firearm from where Stamper had attempted to hide. The firearm had been stolen and was loaded. Stamper had been convicted of robbery in 2019. Stamper pled guilty on April 25. He was sentenced yesterday to a year and nine months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case. *** On May 7, 2024, Henrico County Police (HCPD) officers conducted a traffic stop on Ross Allan Jefferson, 44, who was subject to outstanding warrants in Richmond and Petersburg. During the stop, an officer observed a loaded handgun with an extended magazine protruding from beneath the driver’s seat. The officer secured the firearm, the serial number of which had been obliterated. During a search of Jefferson, officers located a .40 caliber round of ammunition in Jefferson’s pocket. At the time of his arrest, Jefferson had ten adult felony convictions, including: possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (2002); possession of a controlled substance (2002, 2010, 2015); and possession of ammunition by a felon (2015). Jefferson pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gilliland and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony are prosecuting the case. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement. These cases are 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:25-cr-8 (Mickins), 3:25-cr-18 (Stamper), and 3:24-cr-130 (Jefferson).


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man in Connection with Overdose Death

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned a superseding indictment today charging a Louisville man with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, and Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division made the announcement. According to the indictment, Tyler Cull, 25, was charged with distributing a mixture and substance containing fentanyl in Jefferson County and Hardin County on December 14, 2024, which resulted in the death of a victim. Cull was previously indicted on April 2, 2025, for possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. This occurred on March 26, 2025, in Jefferson County, Kentucky. On June 12, 2025, Cull was ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He remains in federal custody pending trial. If convicted of distribution resulting in death, he faces a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. “Today marks the first step in the formal process of holding Tyler Cull accountable for pushing poison into our Commonwealth, causing the death of a remarkable person,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. “Our Office will aggressively pursue this prosecution to ensure justice for the victim’s family and to put all others in the Commonwealth on notice that you will face the weight of federal prosecution if your cavalier drug distribution kills one of our brothers or sisters.” “This federal indictment is what zealous collaboration looks like,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. “Those Kentuckians who we have a duty to protect, and one particular grieving family in Hardin County, deserve no less.” There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the DEA, Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, Lyndon Police Department, and Elizabethtown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Porter and Frank Dahl, III are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Aaron Cooper. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Lawrence Man Arrested for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to traffic a child for sex. Alex Bou, 22, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child. The defendant was arrested last night and subsequently released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon. According to the charging documents, on Aug. 16, 2025, Bou responded to an advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex acts. The advertisement contained images of a young-looking female and language purported to be written by a female describing herself as a “flower ready to blossom.” It is alleged that, on August 16, 2025, Bou sent a text message to the number listed on the advertisement saying, “U available,” to which an undercover agent posing as the purported minor responded suggesting Aug. 19, 2025. On Aug. 19, 2025, Bou continued his conversation with the undercover agent. In their conversation, the undercover agent stated that she was a 15-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. Upon being informed that the purported minor was 15 years old, Bou allegedly responded with, “Ok are you a virgin?” It is alleged that Bou agreed to pay $175 to have unprotected sex with the purported minor and acknowledged that he was agreeing to have sex with an “underage girl.” Shortly thereafter, Bou arrived at the agreed upon meeting location and was apprehended. The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child provides for a minimum mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig E. Estes, of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit, is prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . This case was brought in collaboration with 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 . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Chinese National Arrested for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child

body_text: BOSTON – A Chinese national lawfully residing in Boston has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to traffic a child for sex. Qichen Yuan, 31, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child. The defendant was arrested last night and appeared in federal court in Boston today. According to the charging documents, on Aug. 16, 2025, Yuan responded to an advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex acts. The advertisement contained images of a young females and language purported to be written by a female describing herself as a “flower ready to blossom.” During a text conversation and phone call between Yuan and an undercover agent posing as the purported minor, the undercover agent stated that she was a 15-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. It is alleged that when the undercover agent told Yuan she was young, Yuan stated, “I love you being young lol.” He then allegedly agreed to pay $250 to have sex with the purported minor after learning that she was just 15 years old. According to court documents, at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Aug. 19, 2025, Yuan arrived at an agreed-upon meeting location and stood outside. It is alleged that when an unmarked law enforcement vehicle pulled up, Yuan attempted to flee. He was immediately apprehended. It is alleged that during a search of his person, two condoms were found in Yuan’s pocket. The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings, of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . This case was brought in collaboration with 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 . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime and Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ronald Robinson, 55, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine and violating supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2024, Robinson sold a quantity of a substance containing methamphetamine to an individual in Parkersburg. As part of his plea agreement, Robinson admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling a substance containing methamphetamine on two other occasions in October 2024, each time in Parkersburg. On October 16, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a motel room where Robinson was staying and seized approximately 40.307 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine and approximately 7.368 grams of a substance containing a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Officers also seized $501 including recorded currency from the controlled buys. At the time of this offense, Robinson was serving terms of supervised release as a result of his convictions on July 12, 2004, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form known as crack, and on March 28, 2017, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, both in United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Today’s sentence includes four years in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force, the Police Department, and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer D. Gordon and Francesca C. Rollo 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. 2:25-cr-11. ###


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 95 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Crack Cocaine and Fentanyl

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 19, 2025, Talbert Hill, 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 95 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Hill previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl. According to court records, in the summer and fall of 2023, Hill conspired with others to distribute drugs in the Burlington, Vermont area. On five occasions in September and October, 2023, law enforcement conducted controlled buys of fentanyl from Hill and others working with Hill in the drug trafficking enterprise. On November 3, 2023, law enforcement located Hill in Burlington, Vermont. As they approached Hill to arrest him, he fled, dropping items as he ran. When law enforcement apprehended him, they found on his person and along the path he had traveled approximately 1,000 baggies of fentanyl and 8-12 packages of crack cocaine. The same day, law enforcement searched an apartment that was connected with Hill’s drug trafficking. In Hill’s bedroom at the apartment, law enforcement found approximately 16,000 baggies of fentanyl and a quantity of crack cocaine. According to testimony presented at Hill’s sentencing hearing, this was one of the Burlington Police Department’s largest drug seizures at that time. In total, Hill was held accountable for possessing with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of fentanyl, and a quantity of crack cocaine. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Burlington Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn. Hill was represented by Jordana Levine, Esq.


title: Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Four Individuals for Alleged Covid-Relief Fraud

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted four individuals for allegedly fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. DEXTER M. CRAWFORD, JR., TIMIKA ROYSTON, ORLANDO PATRICK, and JERMIE MILLER engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL)—two sources of relief under the CARES Act, according to an indictment unsealed this week in the Northern District of Illinois. The indictment alleges that the defendants defrauded lenders and the U.S. Small Business Administration of millions of dollars in PPP loans and EIDL funds. From 2020 to 2022, the defendants submitted numerous fraudulent applications on behalf of themselves and business entities purportedly owned by some of the defendants, the indictment states. The applications contained materially false statements and misrepresentations about the defendants’ companies, including the number of purported employees, payroll and revenue amounts, and other expenses, the indictment states. The indictment charges Crawford, 41, of Woodridge, Ill., with seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering; Royston, 49, of Chicago, with three counts of wire fraud; Patrick, 54, of Chicago, with two counts of wire fraud; and Miller, 42, of Plainfield, Ill., with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Each wire fraud count is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison, while each money laundering count is punishable by up to ten years. Royston and Miller have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Arraignment for Patrick is scheduled for Aug. 28, 2025. Arraignment for Crawford has not yet been scheduled. The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Valuable assistance was provided by the SBA Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . crawford_et_al_indictment.pdf


title: San Antonio Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening President Trump

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO– The San Antonio man who was charged with making threats against the President last month pleaded guilty in federal court today. According to court documents, Robert Herrera, 52, commented on a San Antonio news outlet’s July 10 Facebook post pertaining to President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Texas Hill Country in the aftermath of deadly floods. Using the handle, “Robert Herrer,” Herrera commented, “I won’t miss,” along with a photo depicting President Trump surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents immediately after the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. A separate Facebook user replied to “Robert Herrer” stating, “you won’t get the chance, I promise,” to which Herrera responded, “I’ll just come for you.” Accompanying that statement, Herrera posted a photo of an assault rifle and loaded magazines. He was arrested that same day. Herrera pleaded guilty to one count of threat against the President of the United States and faces up to five years in prison along with a maximum $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and San Antonio Police Department are investigating the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Kelly Stephenson are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Corpus Christi man imprisoned for 27 years after recording sexual video of himself with minor relative

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) otherwise known as sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Valentine Cancino pleaded guilty Feb. 20. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now sentenced Cancino to 324 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard that Cancino was actually sexually abusing the minor as authorities knocked on the door to serve the search warrant in the case. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the serious facts and circumstances which supported the sentence imposed. Cancino will also serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designated to restrict his access to children and the internet. Cancino will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date. The investigation into Cancino began when authorities received multiple cyber-tips indicating CSAM been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Cancino as the source of the content. On Jan. 30, 2024, authorities obtained a search warrant for Cancino’s residence in Corpus Christi. They located and seized two electronic devices. One of those devices was a Samsung Galaxy cell phone. Upon inspection, authorities discovered a video recording Cancino made of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor relative. Cancino has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. “There is hardly a sentence available that can fully account for the depravity of the defendant’s conduct, but the 27-year sentence he received here will have to do,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District is working tirelessly to identify and apprehend predators like Mr. Cancino before they can exploit others.” “Despite overseeing criminal investigations for thousands of child exploitation-related cases in my 30-year career, they never get easier, but Homeland Security Investigations’ efforts to expose these heinous predators and prevent them from harming any more innocent children have expanded greatly since I first started,” said HSI - Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “It’s thanks to those partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies like the Corpus Christi Police Department and groups like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that we are able to quickly identify dangerous predators like Mr. Cancino who are hiding in plain sight in the local community and hold them accountable.” Immigration and Customs Enforcement – HSI and CCPD conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Vallejo Man Arrested for Distributing and Possessing Depictions of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: A federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging Marcos Gonzalez-Reyes, 43, of Vallejo, with distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in December 2024, Gonzalez-Reyes used a peer-to-peer software client known as eMule to distribute hundreds of depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct to undercover law enforcement agents over the course of only three days. Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Gonzalez-Reyes’s Vallejo residence in May 2025 and seized electronic devices containing thousands of additional depictions of children—including toddlers—engaging in sexually explicit conduct. This case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case. If convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material, Gonzalez-Reyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material, Gonzalez-Reyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 .


title: Tohatchi Man Pleads Guilty to Violently Strangulation  that Left Victim with Serious Injuries

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Tohatchi man pleaded guilty to federal charges for attacking a female victim (Jane Doe) during an argument, leaving her with serious injuries. According to court records, on March 5 and 6, 2024, Victor Badonie , 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was with Jane Doe at her home in Zuni, New Mexico. An argument broke out, during which Badonie assaulted and strangled Doe, resulting in Jane Doe’s hospitalization for her serious bodily injuries. Badonie pleaded guilty to the felony crimes of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault by strangulation. At sentencing, Badonie faces up to 20 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Badonie will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. Badonie must also make restitution to Jane Doe for costs directly tied to his criminal conduct. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Pueblo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zach Jones is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Charges Filed Against Arizona Man in Assault Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was indicted on federal charges for assaulting three individuals, including two minors. According to court documents, on September 16, 2024, Kendrick Harvey, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted Jane Doe, causing serious bodily injury. He also shoved John Doe, a minor, and struck Jane Doe 2, a minor, with a closed fist, placing both minors in danger of serious harm. Harvey is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of abandonment and abuse of a child and will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Harvey faces up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment (Harvey).pdf An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Corpus Christi man who distributed crack cocaine from apartment pleads guilty

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 37-year-old local resident has entered a guilty plea to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and distribution of crack cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Evaristo Coleman admitted he was selling cocaine and crack cocaine from his apartment in Corpus Christi. The investigation began in January following multiple reports of alleged drug sales from the apartment. Authorities conducted surveillance and observed regular customers who came to buy cocaine and crack cocaine. In February, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they discovered more than 100 grams of crack cocaine, nearly 300 grams of powder cocaine. They also found two 9mm pistols that Coleman possessed while selling the drugs. U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Nov. 20. At that time, Coleman faces up to 40 years for the drug charge and a minimum of five years and up to life for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. Both convictions also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Coleman has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Grand Jury Charges Pico Rivera Man with Impeding Immigration Officers Arresting Illegal Alien in Parking Lot

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Pico Rivera man with impeding immigration officers from conducting enforcement actions in the parking lot of a Pico Rivera shopping center in June. Adrian Andrew Martinez, 20, is charged with one count of conspiracy to impede a federal officer, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of six years in federal prison. Martinez’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. “Today, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against this defendant for conspiracy to impede federal agents,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “He now faces up to six years in prison for his conduct. Make no mistake: There are serious, life-altering consequences for impeding law enforcement.” According to the indictment and court documents previously filed in this case, on June 17 in Pico Rivera, federal agents were arresting a person believed to be an illegal alien residing in the United States. Martinez, who worked at a nearby Walmart, stopped and exited his vehicle and confronted the United States Border Patrol agents. A crowd of several other individuals also stopped their vehicles and parked near the agents, partially blocking the lanes in the parking lot as the agents attempted to leave the area with the arrestee. The hostile crowd collectively honked at the agents from their cars and shouted at them. The crowd – both in vehicles and on foot – surrounded the agents, blocking them from leaving the area. One of these vehicles was the one that Martinez had driven. Martinez positioned his vehicle to block the agents’ vehicle. Martinez grabbed a large trash can and moved it in front of the agents’ vehicle, blocking it from leaving. An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Robbins of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Snohomish County, Washington man sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for production of child sex abuse material and attempted enticement of a minor

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle –A 43-year-old Snohomish County man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 262 months in prison (21.8 years) for production of images of child sexual abuse and attempted enticement of minors, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Bennett S. Park was arrested in August 2023, when he was attempting to pick up a 13-year-old in a residential area of Everett, Washington. Park had told an undercover law enforcement officer that he planned to pick up and molest the 13-year-old. U. S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez ordered Park to be on supervised release for twenty years after his prison term. “By the time you get out you will be in your early 60’s – What will life look like for you,” Judge Martinez said. “This defendant damaged untold lives – those of his victims and those of their family members, friends and adults who tried but could not keep them safe from a predator lurking on the internet,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “I commend the quick work by law enforcement to intervene before he could molest another child.” According to the plea agreement, in July 2023, Park responded to an online add placed by an undercover Homeland Security Investigation agent, falsely claiming that the agent had two young children that could be molested. In his response, Park indicated that he was actively molesting children between the ages of 11 and 17. Park indicated he wanted to molest the agent’s fictional children but was already meeting a 13-year-old. Law enforcement quickly put Park under surveillance to identify and protect the 13-year-old. Just after 1:45 am on August 8, 2023, law enforcement arrested Park just after the 13-year-old got in his vehicle. After Park’s arrest a review of his electronic devices revealed he had communicated with dozens of minors. Twenty-three of the minor victims were identified. Park had convinced them to provide images of sexual abuse via Instagram, Discord, Snapchat, Facebook, Gmail and Zoom platforms. In the plea agreement Park details his crimes with eight different minor victims. In all, fourteen Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were subsequently issued by Discord resulting in the confirmation of twenty-three minor victims between the ages of ten to seventeen years old whom Park enticed and exploited between April 2018 until his arrest. In asking for the 25-year sentence Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “Park profoundly harmed countless minors, only several of whom are reflected in the charges brought in this case. He dedicated years of his life to cultivating, grooming, and enticing young girls in an effort to manipulate them to engaging in sexual chatting, sexual acts, and producing sexual imagery for the sole purpose of feeding his pedophilia. The fact that twenty-three victims were identified, and the imagery of countless others remain saved to his devices and accounts underscores the lengths Park was willing to go to in order to victimize innocent children.” Judge Martinez ordered that Park be required to register as a sex offender. A hearing is scheduled for November 14, 2025, to determine the amount of restitution he owes. Park was fined $3,000 to pay into a fund for victims of child sexual abuse imagery. This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.


title: Drug Conspirator Sentenced to 10 Years For Mailing Cocaine from Puerto Rico to Syracuse

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo age 44, of Puerto Rico, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for money laundering and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Calcano-Carrasquillo admitted that from July 2021 through July 2024, he conspired with others to distribute cocaine in Onondaga County. As part of the conspiracy, Calcano-Carrasquillo, after receiving payment from his co-conspirators, mailed packages containing over 20 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses in Syracuse that were provided to him by Juan Correa, Sr. Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Calcano-Carrasquillo to serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. Co-defendant Juan Correa, Jr. previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 7 years in prison. The remaining co-defendants in this case, Juan Correa, Sr. and Ashley Correa have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Bringing the Puerto Rican source of supply in this conspiracy to justice for his role in flooding our local streets with poison for years is a testament to the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies up and down the East Coast. No stone will be left unturned in our pursuit of these sophisticated drug trafficking organizations.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III stated: “This case highlights the DEA’s focus on cutting off drug pipelines that bring cocaine from sources like Puerto Rico into New York communities. Working with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to disrupting these supply chains and preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching our streets.” Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation New York, stated: “Calcano-Carrasquillo is just another predator who chose to bring highly addictive drugs into our neighborhoods, continuing to prey on the vulnerable. IRS-CI New York is proud to continue its work with the DEA and our law enforcement partners in ridding our communities of those who have no regard for the welfare of its people. Today’s sentencing does exactly that.” Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, stated: “Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo was part of a drug trafficking organization that coordinated a cocaine pipeline from Puerto Rico to New York through the U.S. Mail. His conviction highlights how committed the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our employees and the American people. We would like to thank our extraordinary law enforcement partners for their invaluable collaboration in this case. Together we will continue to be vigilant in disrupting criminal organizations that illegally utilize the U.S. Postal Service.” Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department, stated: “Law Enforcement is never stronger than when we partner together. Together, we represent an omnipresent threat to criminal enterprises such as this one. On behalf of the Syracuse Police Department, I would like to both thank and congratulate the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of our law enforcement partners who successfully dismantled this drug trafficking organization. Well done!" This case was investigated by the DEA, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Syracuse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: New York and Vermont Residents Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Devin LaValley, age 37, of Burlington, New York, Melissa McDougal, age 29, of Altmar, New York, Grace Balthazor, age 33, of Elmira, New York, and Roxanne Clark, age 43, of Bristol, Vermont, appeared in federal court last week related to three criminal complaints charging them with child exploitation offenses. The defendants were arraigned on the charges, and each was detained pending further proceedings. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement. The charges against each defendant are as follows: LaValley – conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography McDougal – conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and distribution of child pornography Balthazor – conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, and sexual exploitation of a child Clark – receipt of child pornography The three criminal complaints allege that LaValley conspired with McDougal and separately with Balthazor to video record the sexual abuse of two minor children. The defendants then exchanged the depictions of that abuse over the internet. The complaints further allege that LaValley later distributed some of the depictions he created with McDougal and Balthazor to Clark via an online social networking application as part of messaging between the two regarding their mutual interest in sexually abusing children. The charges in the complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The conspiracy and sexual exploitation charges carry a term of between 15 and 30 years in federal prison, while the charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography each carry a term of imprisonment between 5 and 20 years. Each charge carries a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. The defendants will also be required to register as sex offenders upon their release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “The allegations in the criminal complaint are horrific. The child victims in this case are now safe thanks to the great work of HSI and the New York State Police. These depraved defendants will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and my office will seek the maximum sentence that can be imposed.” HSI Special Agent Erin Keegan stated: “Through their alleged crimes, these defendants placed children in situations that caused unimaginable suffering that no minor should be face. While nothing can undo what these victims have already endured, HSI Buffalo, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators face justice for preying on the most vulnerable.” New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “There is zero tolerance for those who endanger children, and these charges reflect the severity of the crimes and our commitment to finding justice for the victims. Children must be protected, not preyed upon and anyone who does so will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. I thank our State Police members, Department of Justice, and Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations for their determination in holding these four individuals accountable for their reprehensible actions.” HSI and New York State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle is prosecuting the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Salvadoran Felon Admits Illegally Re-entering United States

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Hector Gabriel Magana Jeronimo, age 44, and a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty on Monday to illegal re-entry as an aggravated felon. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Steve Kurzdorfer, Buffalo Field Office Director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), made the announcement. Magana Jeronimo admitted that he was removed from the United States in 2010 after multiple convictions in California for possession of a firearm by a felon. But Magana Jeronimo was found to have illegally re-entered the United States when, on December 15, 2024, Lloyd Town Police in Ulster County, New York, arrested him for driving while intoxicated. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “Magana Jeronimo is an illegal alien and felon, with a history of illegal gun possession, who has again been apprehended thanks to the work of the Lloyd Police and ICE. We cannot do this job alone and need the help of local law enforcement to remove these dangerous criminals who illegally entered our country and are being coddled by some elected officials who care more about their political agenda than the public they took an oath to defend.” ICE-ERO Field Office Director Steve Kurzdorfer stated, “Jeronimo’s plea serves as a reminder that it is a federal crime to illegally reenter the United States after being ordered removed and deported. This flagrant disregard for our nation’s immigration law cannot go unpunished. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Buffalo commends our law enforcement partners in New York who do the right thing by turning illegal criminal aliens over to ICE for removal processing.” At his sentencing on December 16, 2025, Magana Jeronimo faces a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. ICE-ERO investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting this case.


title: Oswego County Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Drug and Gun Convictions

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – James Hamilton, age 42, of Central Square, New York, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Hamilton admitted that from early 2021 until March 2022, he acquired more than four kilograms of powder cocaine that he either sold or possessed with the intent to sell. Hamilton further admitted unlawfully possessing nine firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle, for the purpose of protecting his drug supply and drug proceeds. Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release to begin after Hamilton is released from prison. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “Cocaine is a dangerous and addictive drug, and James Hamilton distributed large quantities of it into his community for profit. He also possessed firearms in connection with his drug dealing that could have injured or killed other people. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to target and prosecute dangerous drug dealers like him.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III stated, “The trafficking of illicit drugs and guns often results in acts of violence that endangers entire cities. The DEA remains committed to working with our partners to eliminate these criminal networks and protect the public from all harm in their communities.” This case was investigated by DEA, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe prosecuted this case. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Jamaican Citizen Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Leon Byrd, a/k/a “Paul Edwards,” age 61, a Jamaican citizen residing in Winthrop, New York, was sentenced today to time served (26 months in prison) in connection with his distribution and possession with intent to distribute approximately 1.8 kilograms of cocaine and 29 grams of methamphetamine. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Byrd admitted that from September 2022 through June 2023, he worked with a drug trafficking organization led by codefendants Troy Dean and Maijia Scott that trafficked cocaine from New York City and methamphetamine from California to the Winthrop area of St. Lawrence County, New York. When Scott and Dean were not available to distribute cocaine in Winthrop, Byrd distributed cocaine on their behalf and at their direction. On June 22, 2023, police executed a search warrant at Dean and Scott’s residence in Winthrop, where Byrd also lived. Byrd was present in the home at the time the search warrant was executed. In the home, police seized approximately 1,500 grams of cocaine, approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine and $26,597 in U.S. currency. At one time Byrd held permanent U.S. resident status, which lapsed in 2004. Dean has also pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Scott’s case is scheduled for trial in December. The charges against Scott are merely accusations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “Leon Byrd was permitted to legally enter this country, overstayed his lawful status by about 20 years, and involved himself in cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking. After he’s released from prison, he will face deportation and will not be allowed to return to the United States. We will continue to rid this country of foreign nationals who seek to distribute poisonous drugs in our communities.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III stated, “This case underscores the threat posed by traffickers who distribute both cocaine and methamphetamine into our communities. These drugs fuel addiction and violence, and the DEA will remain focused on dismantling the networks that bring them into New York.” The DEA is investigating this case with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: St. Lawrence County Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation and Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Jerod Schaffer, age 42, of Potsdam, New York, was sentenced today to 25 years (300 months) in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and receipt and possession of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. Schaffer was previously convicted in Franklin County, New York, in 2014, of attempted sexual abuse in the first degree and, as a result, was required to register as a sex offender. As part of his guilty plea in this case, Schaffer admitted that in November of 2021 he met a 14-year-old girl on a social media site and began requesting and receiving sexually explicit images from her. In early 2022, Schaffer traveled from New York to Ohio where he engaged in sexual conduct with the child on multiple occasions and recorded it. When Schaffer’s home was searched by law enforcement in May 2022, he had dozens of sexually explicit files depicting the victim. Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Schaffer to a 10-year term of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment. Schaffer will also be required to continue registering as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “This sentence ensures that a child rapist, who recorded the abuse he inflicted on his victim, will remain in federal prison for decades to come. Our community is safer with this pedophile behind bars. My Office will continue to work with our federal and state partners to ensure that child predators get what they deserve.” HSI Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan said: “Jerod Schaffer willfully and repeatedly exploited a 14-year-old girl whom he traveled across state lines to meet. While no amount of justice can undo the trauma this victim incurred, today's sentence ensures this child predator will not soon roam free.” The case was investigated by HSI and the Potsdam Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Hartford Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Oxycodone Distribution and Gun Possession Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL BENITEZ, 38, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, a DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad investigation revealed that Benitez and a co-conspirator were illegally selling oxycodone pills that were prescribed to his co-conspirator. In August and September 2024, investigators made controlled purchases of oxycodone pills from Benitez and his co-conspirator. Benitez was arrested on November 6, 2024. On that date, a search of his residence revealed a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol that had been reported stolen in West Hartford. Benitez’s criminal history includes state assault, burglary, and larceny convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Benitez has been detained since his arrest. On March 26, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, which is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, West Haven, Hamden, Fairfield, Manchester, and Seymour Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.


title: Former Sheriff of Hot Spring County Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for Lying to Federal Agents

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: HOT SPRINGS – A Malvern, Arkansas, man was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of Engaging in a Scheme to Conceal a Material Fact from a Governmental Agency. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs. According to court documents, Derek “Scott” Finkbeiner, age 47, was elected as the Sheriff of Hot Spring County, Arkansas, entering into office in January of 2023. By May of 2023, federal agents became aware of Finkbeiner’s illicit use of both crack cocaine and methamphetamine. When Finkbeiner became aware of a federal investigation involving his drug supplier in August of 2023, Finkbeiner engaged in a scheme designed to steer federal agents away from investigating his personal drug dealer. Specifically, the investigation determined, and Finkbeiner ultimately admitted, that, from approximately August 19, 2023, through August 24, 2023, he intentionally misled and concealed material facts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about the true nature of his relationship with the target of an FBI investigation. Finkbeiner admitted that he was present at the target’s residence when the FBI conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics and that he “smoked” crack cocaine and methamphetamine with the target. Further, Finkbeiner admitted that once he learned of the FBI’s investigation, he intentionally lied about the nature of his and the Hot Spring County Sheriff Department’s relationship with the target, all in an effort to convince the FBI to cease its investigation. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Harris and Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Achorn and Trent Daniels of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov .


title: Washington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.— Jesus Paul Zazueta, 28, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release for trafficking fentanyl. According to court documents, on October 4, 2021, Zazueta was a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident in Deschutes County, Oregon. Officers from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police responded to the accident and received consent to search the vehicle. The officers located two bags in the trunk containing approximately five pounds of fentanyl pills and a semi-automatic firearm. When questioned by officers, Zazueta admitted to trafficking the fentanyl and owning the firearm. Zazueta also admitted to packing the bag containing fentanyl and the firearm and expected to be paid for trafficking the fentanyl to Washington. On July 20, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Zazueta with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On May 21, 2025, Zazueta pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Oregon State Police, and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Adam Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org . Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.


title: Cherokee County Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenny Ray Jackson, age 65, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. On February 11, 2025, Jackson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 29, 2024, Jackson knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle, a lever action rifle, and a break open shotgun, together with 54 rounds of assorted caliber ammunition, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jackson was ordered to self-report on September 19, 2025, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Chinese National Sentenced for Acting at North Korea’s Direction to Export Firearms, Ammo, Tech to N. Korea

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: An illegal alien from China was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for illegally exporting firearms, ammunition, and other military items to North Korea by concealing them inside shipping containers that departed from the Port of Long Beach, and for committing this crime at the direction of North Korean government officials, who wired him approximately $2 million for his efforts. Shenghua Wen, 42, of Ontario, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen V. Wilson for the Central District of California Wen, who has been in federal custody since December 2024, pleaded guilty on June 9 to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Wen is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China who entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained in the U.S. illegally after his student visa expired in December 2013. Prior to entering the United States, Wen met with officials from North Korea’s government at a North Korean embassy in China. These government officials directed Wen to procure goods on behalf of North Korea. In 2022, two North Korean government officials contacted Wen through an online messaging platform and instructed him to buy and smuggle firearms and other goods — including sensitive technology — from the United States to North Korea via China. In 2023, at the direction of North Korean government officials, Wen shipped at least three containers of firearms out of the Port of Long Beach to China en route to their ultimate destination in North Korea. Wen took steps to conceal that he was illegally shipping firearms to North Korea by, among other things, filing false export information regarding the contents of the containers. In May 2023, Wen purchased a firearms business in Houston, paid for with money sent through intermediaries by one of Wen’s North Korean contacts. Wen purchased many of the firearms he sent to North Korea in Texas and drove the firearms from Texas to California, where he arranged for them to be shipped. In December 2023, one of Wen’s weapons shipments — which falsely reported to U.S. officials that it contained a refrigerator — left the Port of Long Beach and arrived in Hong Kong in January 2024. This weapons shipment was later transported from Hong Kong to Nampo, North Korea. In September 2024, Wen — once again acting at the direction of North Korean officials — bought approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that he intended to ship to North Korea. In furtherance of the conspiracy and at the direction of North Korean officials, Wen also obtained sensitive technology that he intended to send to North Korea. This technology included a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects known, unknown, illegal, disruptive or interfering transmissions. Wen also acquired or offered to acquire a civilian airplane engine and a thermal imaging system that could be mounted on a drone, helicopter, or other aircraft, and could be used for reconnaissance and target identification. During the scheme, North Korean officials wired approximately $2 million to Wen to procure firearms and other goods for their government. Wen admitted in his plea agreement that at all relevant times he knew that it was illegal to ship firearms, ammunition, and sensitive technology to North Korea. He also admitted to never having the required licenses to export ammunition, firearms, and the above-described devices to North Korea. He further admitted to acting at the direction of North Korean government officials and that he had not provided notification to the Attorney General of the United States that he was acting in the United States at the direction and control of North Korea as required by law. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; DCIS; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Gerdes for the Central District of California’s Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Mexican National Found Guilty in Waco for Registration Violations

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was found guilty in a federal bench trial in Waco on Monday. Hugo Moreno-Mendez, 41, was sentenced to time served for one count of willful failure to register and one count of failure to provide DNA. According to court documents, Moreno-Mendez was convicted of a state crime for unlawful installation of a tracking device on Sept. 26, 2024, and was sentenced to 180 days of confinement. He was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 13, and charged with willful failure to register. Moreno-Mendez refused to comply with immigration officers and the standard procedures of submitting fingerprints and a DNA sample, adding the second count for failure to provide DNA. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest in March and will now be processed for removal. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. ICE investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: N. Charleston Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — A North Charleston organized crime ring has been successfully prosecuted and sentenced. Eighteen defendants received a total of 144 years in federal prison. The case arose from a long-term wiretap investigation conducted by the Low Country Violent Crime Task Force. The investigation targeted a violent street gang and their associates operating in a North Charleston neighborhood. Fredrick McCray, leader of the street gang, directed drug distribution operations and armed his gang members with fully automatic machine guns to protect their territory from rival gangs and drug traffickers. Cornelius Walker was one of the gang’s primary enforcers and acted as McCray’s right-hand man. Tyrone Cox served as the organization’s primary drug supplier. The gang used an abandoned community center as a central hub for narcotics distribution. In total, the investigation resulted in the seizure of 3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, 700 grams of marijuana, 500 grams of crack cocaine, 26 firearms – including four fully automatic machineguns – and $70,000 in cash. Fredrick Wendell McCray, 44, of North Charleston was sentenced to 30 years for conspiring to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, and heroin, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Tyrone Cox, 44, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 25 years for conspiring to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of ammunition by a felon. Cornelius Walker, 21, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 15 years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Quinton Antonio McClain, 35, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced to 12.5 years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Warren Lamar Forrest, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced to 12 years in a separate indictment for felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Angel Joaquin Flores, 34, of California, was sentenced to 10 years for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and marijuana and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Kevin William Dukes, 39, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 10 years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Kendrick Smalls, 35, of North Charleston, was sentenced to seven years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machinegun, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Kenneth Roger Brown, 35, of North Charleston, was sentenced to six years for conspiring to distribute cocaine and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Earl Allen, 24, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Santerio Bernard Maurice Smith, 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to four and a half years in a separate indictment for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a machinegun. Da’Shawn Marquis Richards, 26, of North Charleston, was sentenced to four years in a separate indictment for possession of a firearm by a felon. Terrell Kurt Myers, 43, of North Charleston, was sentenced to two years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Demetric Gantt, 46, of North Charleston, was sentenced to one and half years for conspiring to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Clayton Thomas, 22, of North Charleston, was sentenced to three months in a separate indictment for knowingly make a false statement when purchasing a firearm. Tyrone Wilson, 63, of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of ammunition by a felon. LaJustin Williams, 43, of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. Tyrone Peterson, 63 of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 50o or more grams of methamphetamine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by the FBI’s Lowcountry Violent Crime Task Force, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Summerville Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Charleston County Aviation Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Nick Bianchi are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Man Sentenced to over 24 years for role in Fentanyl Overdose Death of 17-Year-Old

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Dallas man who distributed fentanyl that caused the death of a seventeen-year-old boy was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. Jesse Medina, 42, pled guilty in March 2025 to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl that ultimately resulted in the teenager’s death. On Monday, August 18, 2025, Medina was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge David Godbey. According to plea documents and evidence presented in Court at sentencing, on January 30, 2024, co-defendant Connor Miller contacted Jesse Medina, also known as “Plug,” to purchase fentanyl. Medina agreed to sell Miller the pills. Miller and a seventeen-year-old boy then travelled to meet Medina at a location on Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. Once there, Medina sold Miller and the teenager four fentanyl pills in exchange for $40. Miller and the teen travelled back to Miller’s residence, where they crushed up the fentanyl pills and used the fentanyl Medina had provided. The seventeen-year-old died after using the fentanyl. A review of the teen’s medical records revealed that he would not have died but for ingesting the fentanyl. Evidence presented in court revealed that Jesse Medina was arrested on January 31, 2024, with 25 pills of fentanyl on his person. A few days after his arrest, Medina contacted a female known to Medina and told her that he sold a twenty-one-year-old four pills and that a seventeen-year-old who used those pills died. Evidence also showed Medina told the unknown female that he told his lawyer, “I don’t have no sympathy for the seventeen-year-old at all . . . ‘Cause that’s his choice . . . [H]e’s old enough to know how dangerous these pills are . . . I don’t got no sympathy for that . . . [I]f I would have sold it to him . . . I would feel bad, but I don’t even feel bad at all, I’m cool, ‘cause I didn’t do nothing wrong.” Information presented in court also showed Medina had multiple prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and that he had been sent to a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility and an Intermediate Sanctions Facility in 2010 and 2019 (respectively) while he was on probation. In 2016, Medina was ordered to serve 42 months in the Texas Department of Corrections for an offense that occurred in Rockwall County, Texas. After being released from prison, Medina was arrested in 2018 for possessing methamphetamine and ordered to serve a term of four years deferred probation in Dallas County. A motion to revoke that probation was filed in 2021 and remains pending. “Tough sentences are necessary for those defendants responsible for the tragic deaths resulting from fentanyl trafficking,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “This Office will continue to advocate for the most severe sentences for those who, like the defendant, have a cavalier attitude toward the deadly consequences of their actions. While a lengthy prison sentence for this offender and others like him will never restore the loss suffered by the victim’s family, we will continue to prosecute those who flood our community with this poison to the fullest extent of the law.” “Unfortunately, this guilty verdict will not bring our victim back or take away the suffering his family and friends have endured. What it does do; however, is affirm that justice prevails and drug dealers and enablers, like Mr. Medina, will be held accountable for their reckless actions,” said DEA Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. “DEA will always aggressively investigate the illicit distribution of deadly drugs in our communities. The memories of those lives lost to drugs will not be in vain.” Co-defendants Connor Miller and Tecose Dchaz Martin have also pled guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, the use of which resulted in death. Miller and Martin are pending sentencing. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Richardson Police Department conducted the investigation of this case with the Hickory Creek Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Mesquite Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Section. Special assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George Leal.


title: Fugitive wanted for murder charged with firing shots at federal agents in Springfield hotel

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A Franklin County man has been charged federally after he allegedly shot at deputies with the United States Marshals Service, FBI agents and task force officers from inside a Springfield hotel room when they attempted to execute an arrest warrant on him for murder charges. On Aug. 8, an arrest warrant was issued for Andre Jordan II, 34, of Reynoldsburg, for murder. The Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST), a federal task force, adopted the fugitive investigation, which led officials to the Quality Inn in Springfield. According to charging documents, on Aug. 14, SOFAST tracked Jordan to a room at the hotel and set up to apprehend him. Law enforcement announced their presence to Jordan, who then looked out the window of the room. Following additional announcements, Jordan allegedly fired a shot through the window toward the pool area in the vicinity of officers and then fired an additional round through the front door of the room toward positioned officers. An affidavit details that officers withdrew to stairwells at the end of the hall for cover. Several occupants of the hotel room, including young children, then exited, after which Jordan allegedly fired several additional rounds. The Springfield Police Division SWAT Team responded to the scene and hostage negotiators established communication with Jordan. After an hours-long standoff, Jordan surrendered without further incident and was taken into custody. Jordan was transported to the Clark County jail on his local murder charge and will be transferred into federal custody. He will appear in U.S. District Court in Dayton today at 1:30pm. Jordan is charged with assault of a federal officer with a deadly weapon, attempted murder of a federal agent, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; United States Marshal Michael D. Black; Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth McCormick and Rob Painter are representing the United States in this case. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Davenport Man Indicted For Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Mauricio Flores (36, Davenport) with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Flores faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Flores that the United States intends to forfeit a cellphone, which is alleged to have been used in furtherance of the offense. According to court documents, Flores’s residence was the subject of a search warrant related to activity on a dark web site dedicated to CSAM. Investigators seized devices belonging to Flores and found files containing CSAM on a cellphone. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Muriel Moore. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: St. Petersburg Man Indicted For Access With Intent To View Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Thomas Ford (61, St. Petersburg) with access with intent to view child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Ford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ford that the United States intends to forfeit two cellphones which are alleged to have been used in furtherance of the offense. According to the indictment, between July 25, 2024, and March 19, 2025, Ford accessed a matter that contained a visual depiction of a child under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the intent to view the CSAM. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Muriel Moore. 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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Evansville Sex Offender to Spend 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse Files Via Kik

body_text: EVANSVILLE- Casey Lee Smith, 48, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of distribution of sexually explicit material involving minors. According to court documents, in January of 2022, the Evansville Police Department received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, stating that 16 files containing child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to the instant messaging application, Kik, by Casey Lee Smith. The video files included depictions of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of twelve years, as well as depictions of sadistic or masochistic conduct. Investigators searched Smith’s cellphone and uncovered 95 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material that had been accessed and viewed by Smith, with some involving infants. Investigators also located the Kik application, which Smith did not disclose on his list of social media accounts when updating his sex offender registration information, required annually. Smith has been a registered sex offender since 2003 due to felony convictions for Child Exploitation and Possession of Child Pornography. “This dangerous criminal used Kik to share the horrific abuse of the most vulnerable victims,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who gather online to revel in the exploitation of children will be identified and prosecuted. I am grateful to the FBI and the Evansville Police Department for their work to ensure that this defendant will serve a significant prison sentence, where our children will be out of his reach.” “The exploitation of children is among the most heinous crimes we investigate. Every file this defendant shared represented the ongoing abuse of a real child,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “He chose to traffic in the sexual abuse of children, and now he will spend years behind bars, unable to harm our communities. Let this serve as a warning: if you exploit children in any way, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you and ensure you face the full consequences of your actions.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc ###