title: Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto: U.S. Attorney’s Office Warns Public About Romance Scams Ahead of Valentine’s Day

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND - As Valentine’s Day approaches, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio warns the public to remain vigilant against romance scams. The criminals behind these scams shamelessly exploit the trust and emotion of their victims through online relationships. Fraudsters will target victims on dating websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps and pose as potential romantic partners. They patiently cultivate relationships over weeks or months before they ask the victim to give them money for fake emergencies, travel expenses, investment opportunities, or medical crises. Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost each year due to these scams which are often operated by organized criminal networks, including transnational fraud rings. “Romance scammers are not looking for love—they are looking for money,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “They prey on trust and emotion and often target older Americans and vulnerable individuals. We urge everyone to slow down, verify identities, and never send money to someone they have not met in person.” Scammers will: Create fake profiles using stolen photos. Claim to work overseas in the military, on oil rigs, or in international business. Quickly profess love or deep commitment. Move conversations off dating and social media platforms over to private messaging apps. If they do any of the following, consider it a red flag: Declare strong feelings very early in the relationship. Refuse to meet in person, or make excuses for why they can’t meet in person. Have constant emergencies requiring financial assistance. Request payment in the form of gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer. Keep changing their stories or use poor grammar, inconsistent with their claimed background. Ask you to receive and/or forward funds or packages—sometimes turning victims into unwitting “money mules.” U.S. Attorney’s Office recommendations to protect yourself: Never send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you have not met in person. Conduct reverse image searches of profile photos. Consult a trusted friend or family member before sending funds. Report suspicious activity immediately. If you believe you are a victim of a romance scam: Stop all communication immediately and do not delete or erase any evidence. Save all correspondence and financial records and contact your bank or financial institution right away. Make a report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your local law enforcement. Some examples of scams that happened here in Northern Ohio include: Ghanaian National Charged with Running Romance Scams That Took Over $8 Million From Elderly Victims Ohio Woman Loses Life Savings in Cryptocurrency Investment Scam The Department of Justice works with domestic and international partners to dismantle these criminal enterprises and is committed to investigating and prosecuting those responsible. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of a romance scam, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hotline staff are experienced professionals who guide callers through the steps to make a report to assist authorities identify fraudsters. Submitting a report may increase the likelihood of recovering financial losses if done promptly. For more information, visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope .


title: Guatemalan National Guilty Of Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YOVANI ALEXANDER CANU-GONZALEZ (“CANU-GONZALEZ”) , age 25, a citizen of Guatemala, pled guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to the bill of information, CANU-GONZALEZ reentered the United States on or about July 29, 2024, after having been previously removed on or about May 24, 2023. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry. The maximum penalties facing CANU-GONZALEZ are imprisonment of not more than two (2) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Additionally, CANU-GONZALEZ is subject to a period of supervised release after imprisonment of up to one year. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Former NYPD Official And Florida Businessman Charged With Bribery Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Christopher Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Patricia Tarasca, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging former Commanding Officer of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) School Safety Division (“SSD”) KEVIN TAYLOR and Florida businessman GENO ROEFARO with bribery and related offenses. TAYLOR was arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. ROEFARO was also arrested this morning and was presented in the Southern District of Florida. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick. “The NYPD is the greatest police force in the world, including because it invests wisely and honestly in resources,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The NYPD procurement process is not for sale. As alleged in the indictment, in 2023 and 2024, Kevin Taylor engaged in a corrupt relationship with Geno Roefaro—a Florida businessman who paid tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes to Taylor—in exchange for Taylor agreeing to use his power and influence within the NYPD to enrich Roefaro’s company. As alleged, Taylor also used his influence within the NYPD to attempt to extort at least two other businessmen for payments. Corruption will not be tolerated from those, like Taylor, who are entrusted to keep New York City’s children and teachers safe.” “Former NYPD Commanding Officer Kevin Taylor allegedly accepted bribes to steer city contracts to a co-defendant, Geno Roefaro, and attempted to extort another company,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “His alleged actions corrupted the city's contracting process and manipulated high-level executives. While this alleged misconduct is exceedingly rare among NYPD officials, the FBI will not tolerate those who abuse their authority for personal gain.” “When public servants choose to ignore their responsibility to follow the rules and promote fairness and integrity in what they do, they compromise the very fabric of good government and people’s faith in it,” said Acting DOI Commissioner Christopher Ryan. “As charged, the former Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s School Safety Division allegedly monetized his authority and influence for personal gain, promising to advise and pressure others in City government to award contracts to a Florida businessman in return for tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts, including luxury hotel lodging, a helicopter tour, and Broadway tickets. In a second alleged corrupt scheme, the NYPD official used his position to try and extort money from employees of a second company with an NYPD contract, threatening economic harm to the company in an attempt to obtain the payments. I thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our federal law enforcement partners for working with DOI to protect the City’s integrity.” “Kevin Taylor is accused of leveraging his role as Commanding Officer of the NYPD School Safety Division to solicit bribes and extort employees,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “By offering lavish vacations and high-end dining, Geno Roefaro allegedly exploited his illicit relationship with Taylor to secure government contracts. Following today’s arrests, they will now face the repercussions of their alleged misappropriation of City funds.” “We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in announcing this indictment,” said FDIC-OIG Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca. “These charges reinforce the FDIC-OIG’s commitment to investigating all allegations of financial misconduct, including bribery offenses, as we seek to maintain and preserve the integrity of the banking sector.” As alleged in the Indictment: [1] From at least in or about July 2023 through in or about February 2024, TAYLOR repeatedly abused his authority and considerable influence as the Commanding Officer of the NYPD SSD by soliciting or demanding bribes in two corrupt schemes. First, TAYLOR solicited and received bribes from ROEFARO in exchange for promises by TAYLOR to advise and pressure others in the New York City government to award ROEFARO millions of dollars’ worth of contracts. At all relevant times, ROEFARO was the founder, majority owner, and chief executive officer of a company (“Company-1”) that markets and sells cellphone-based tipline applications to school districts and police departments. In or about summer 2022, ROEFARO began attempting to sell his products to the New York City government through seemingly legitimate means. When those legitimate efforts did not progress to ROEFARO’s liking, ROEFARO chose to bribe TAYLOR on multiple occasions to achieve the results he wanted. ROEFARO bribed TAYLOR with multiple cash payments and paid for TAYLOR’s vacations, entertainment experiences, and dining at high-end restaurants. In exchange, TAYLOR advised and pressured others, including other high-ranking officials at the NYPD and the City Council of New York, to procure goods and services from Company-1. Second, TAYLOR solicited and attempted to extort as much as $75,000 from two employees (“Individual-1” and “Individual-2,” respectively) of a second company (“Company-2”) that had contracted with the NYPD to outfit the SSD’s members with ballistic vests. TAYLOR sought these payments in exchange for TAYLOR’s official acts facilitating and not disrupting Company-2’s contract with the NYPD. TAYLOR also threatened economic harm against Company-2 as a means to obtain the payments. Specifically, in summer 2023, TAYLOR signed a contract with an event space (the “Event Space”) in Manhattan so that TAYLOR could host a holiday party for the SSD at the Event Space in December 2023. Through that contract, TAYLOR was personally liable to pay the Event Space more than $100,000 for the holiday party. In an attempt to satisfy that personal liability, TAYLOR repeatedly solicited payments from Individual-1 and Individual-2 in exchange for TAYLOR facilitating Company-2’s contract with the NYPD, and TAYLOR otherwise threatened Company-2 with economic harm to obtain those payments. Despite TAYLOR’s efforts, Individual-1 and Individual-2 never made the bribe payments solicited by TAYLOR. * * * TAYLOR, age 52, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of bribery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and two counts of extortion, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. ROEFARO, age 39, of Pompano Beach, Florida, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, DOI, IRS-CI, and FDIC-OIG. Mr. Clayton also thanked the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, Group 25 for their assistance with this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew J. King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Harlem woman sentenced to prison for trafficking drugs on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Harlem woman who trafficked fentanyl and methamphetamine on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 28 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Twila Marie Cochran, 49, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that Cochran has been trafficking controlled substances on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation since at least October 2022. On April 6, 2023, she drove to St. Regis to pick up thousands of fentanyl pills and 12 ounces of methamphetamine to sell on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Her co-defendant put the drugs in her car, which she drove back to her home. Prior to the drug run, Cochran bragged in text messages to her co-defendant about being able to hide the drugs in her home. Law enforcement eventually recovered nearly 2,500 fentanyl pills associated with the April 2023 drug run hidden on Cochran’s property. Between October 2022 until she was incarcerated, she continued to traffic meth and fentanyl to members of the Fort Belknap Indian Community. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Former Reston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A man who used Snapchat to sexually exploit a pair of middle school girls from Southwest Virginia, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. Justin Steven Boileau, 30, a former resident of Reston, Va., who also spent time in Merritt Island, Fla., pled guilty yesterday to two counts of sexual exploitation of children. “Protecting children from online threats is a priority for the prosecutors in the Western District of Virginia,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI, as well as state and local law enforcement, to hold accountable sexual predators who target our children online.” “While social media is a powerful tool for keeping us connected, it can also be a dangerous weapon criminals use to take advantage of our kids. In bringing justice for these victims, we ask all parents and guardians to stay engaged and know who your children are talking to online,” said Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. According to court documents, Boileau used the messaging app Snapchat to entice two minor females from Southwest Virginia – Minor Victim One and Minor Victim Two– to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. Specifically, in the fall of 2023, Boileau began conversing with Minor Victim One via Snapchat. At the time, Boileau was in his late 20s and resided in Reston, Virginia. Minor Victim One was twelve years old at that time and lived in Russell County, Va. Boileau portrayed himself online as a hockey player named ‘Josh’ and began conversating with Minor Victim One in an explicitly sexual manner. These conversations continued over the course of several months through the early part of 2024. During these conversations, Boileau asked Minor Victim One for sexually explicit depictions of herself. At Boileau’s request, Minor Victim One sent, among other things, nude photos and videos of herself. Boileau also sent sexually explicit images to MV1. Additionally, in early 2024, Boileau used Snapchat to converse with Minor Victim Two, a twelve-year-old minor who lived in Russell County, Va. As with Minor Victim One, Boileau’s conversations with Minor Victim Two were sexual in nature. At Boileau’s request, MV2 sent sexually explicit photos and videos of herself. Boileau knew both Minor Victim One and Minor Victim Two were minors when he requested they send him explicit images and videos. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Russell County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Macon is prosecuting the case for the United States. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .


title: Praetorian Group International CEO sentenced to 20 years in prison for $200M bitcoin Ponzi scheme

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Chief Executive Officer of a multi-level marketing and bitcoin trading firm was sentenced today to 20 years in prison following his conviction on wire fraud and money laundering charges for operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 90,000 investors worldwide. According to court documents, Ramil Ventura Palafox, 61, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, owned and operated Praetorian Group International (PGI) and served as PGI’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and chief promoter. Palafox falsely claimed that PGI was engaged in bitcoin trading, and he promised daily returns of 0.5 to 3%. PGI was not trading bitcoin at a scale capable of making the promised returns, however, and Palafox was paying the investors back with their own money or with funds received from other investors. From December 2019 to October 2021, at least 90,000 investors worldwide invested more than $201,000,000 in PGI, including at least $30,295,289 in fiat currency and at least 8,198 bitcoin worth $171,498,528. As a result of Palafox’s actions, investors suffered losses totaling at least $62,692,007. Palafox created a PGI website for investors to review their purported investment performance. From 2020 through 2021, Palafox caused the online portal to consistently and fraudulently misrepresent that victims’ investments were gaining value, misleading them to believe that their investments were profitable and secure. Palafox spent money on expenses that served both personal purposes and to promote the fraudulent scheme. He spent approximately $3 million on 20 luxury vehicles, including automobiles by Porsche, Lamborghini, McClaren, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, and others. Palafox spent approximately $329,000 on penthouse suites at a luxury hotel chain and purchased four homes in Las Vegas and Los Angeles worth more than $6 million. Palafox spent another $3 million of investors’ money to buy clothing, watches, jewelry, and home furnishings at luxury retailers, including Louboutin, Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Valentino, Cartier, Rolex, and Hermes, among others. He transferred at least $800,000 in fiat currency, plus an additional 100 bitcoin, then valued at approximately $3.3 million, to one of his family members. The FBI Washington Field Office and the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan and Annie Zanobini and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case. Victims of PGI may be entitled to restitution payments. Information about how to submit a restitution claim can be found here . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-5.


title: Federal Court Sentences Four Defendants in $11.5 Million COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 10, 2026, United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson sentenced Joshua White, 44, previously of Yoe, Pennsylvania, to 96 months’ imprisonment for bank fraud. As part of the sentence, Judge Wilson also ordered Mr. White to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution to victims and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Joshua White was the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in a prosecution of a multi-year conspiracy to defraud the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which were intended to provide financial support to businesses and employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced Joshua White’s father, Creed White, 67, formerly of Freeland, Maryland, to 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and sentenced one of his employees, Joseph Bailey, 54, formerly of York, Pennsylvania, to 46 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy. In December 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced another of Creed White’s employees, Kester Murray, 40, of Emigsville, Pennsylvania, to two years of probation for his role in the fraud scheme. In total, United States Attorney Miller said the defendants obtained more than $11.5 million in PPP and EIDL proceeds, making this one of the largest PPP and EIDL frauds prosecuted in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Each of the defendants eventually pleaded guilty. As part of their sentences, Judge Wilson ordered each of the defendants to pay millions of dollars in restitution. United States Attorney Miller explained that the federal investigation initially focused on Creed White, who owned Aluminum Alloys Manufacturing, an aluminum smelting and processing business in Yoe, Pennsylvania. Aluminum Alloys received disaster loans in early 2020, shortly after the outbreak of the pandemic. Thereafter, between the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2022, Creed White submitted approximately 120 fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDLs on behalf of 18 other dormant businesses he owned or controlled, which had no actual operations or employees. Approximately 40 of the applications were approved, resulting in the disbursement of more than $11.5 million in loan proceeds into bank accounts that Creed White controlled, and which he later transferred among other accounts and used to pay for unauthorized expenses and for his personal enrichment. To carry out the scheme, Creed White filed applications in the names of numerous knowing and unwitting individuals whom he fraudulently represented to own the various businesses that he controlled. Creed White relied on Joshua White to obtain personally identifying information from these third parties and relied on Bailey and Murray to create fraudulent business, banking, and tax records that were furnished to banks and lending officials in support of the loan applications. Joshua White separately submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of a dormant business that he owned, obtaining $175,000, which he spent on unauthorized expenses and a spree to Las Vegas. Addressing the sentences that Judge Wilson imposed for each of the defendants, IRS-CI Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty said, “These individuals deliberately and repeatedly defrauded the PPP and the EIDL programs, which were designed to help small business owners during the COVID pandemic,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “These sentencings should be a deterrent to other would-be criminals, knowing that Special Agents from IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to bringing offenders like this to justice.” Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Regional Office for the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General made a similar observation, noting, “When individuals manipulate pandemic relief programs for personal gain, they undermine public trust and divert critical resources from legitimate small businesses. These sentencings underscore that fraud against federal relief programs will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted. SBA OIG will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and uphold the integrity of SBA programs.” “Treasury OIG welcomes the opportunity to contribute our expertise in combating fraud in these important programs”, said Department of the Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba, “We remain committed to protecting the taxpayer through detection, investigation, and prosecution of such frauds with other members of the law enforcement community.” The matter was investigated by agents with the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, and United States Treasury-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case. # # #


title: MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Murder in-Aid-of Racketeering

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Roger Morales, also known as “Crazy,” “Ciclon” and “Cyclone,” a member of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, in Queens, New York, pleaded guilty to the June 5, 2011 murder in-aid-of racketeering of Norman Mizzell. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. When sentenced, Morales faces a maximum term of life imprisonment. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department, announced the guilty plea. “With today’s guilty plea, the defendant has finally been held accountable for his cold-blooded murder of Norman Mizzell almost fifteen years ago,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This conviction reflects my Office’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting members of MS-13 for the violence they have long caused in our community.” Mr. Nocella expressed his thanks to the FBI’s New York Field Office and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding work on the case. According to court filings and admissions made in court, Morales first met Mizzell when he and other MS-13 members purchased marijuana from Mizzell at his home in Queens. Morales and other MS-13 members returned to Mizzell’s home several days later to purchase more marijuana. When they arrived, they found that Mizzell was away, so they broke into Mizzell’s home and robbed him. After Mizzell confronted Morales and another MS-13 member over the robbery, the defendant and other members of MS-13 decided to kill Mizzell for disrespecting them. On the night of June 5, 2011, Morales and his co-conspirators traveled to Mizzell’s home, where they shot him several times through a window into his bedroom. Mizzell was found dead in his home the next day. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kamil R. Ammari and John Vagelatos are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Danielle Barber. The Defendant : ROGER MORALES (also known as “Crazy,” “Ciclon” and “Cyclone”) Age: 31 Ozone Park, Queens E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 24-CR-453 (BMC)


title: Third Leader Charged in Multi-State Forced Labor Conspiracy Involving Kingdom of God Global Church

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned a superseding indictment yesterday against a third defendant for her alleged role in a forced labor conspiracy that victimized individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri. “This case reflects the gravity of forced labor schemes that strip victims of their basic human rights and subject them to physical and brutal psychological abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice. We will relentlessly pursue those who facilitate and profit from forced labor and fight to obtain justice for survivors.” “We will follow the evidence and meticulously build the case,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan “We thank our federal partners for their dogged pursuit of human traffickers.” “Forced labor is a direct assault on human freedom,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “It strips victims of their dignity, their autonomy, and their basic right to control their own lives. Anyone who conspires to exploit and enslave others for profit will be held fully accountable under the law. This case demonstrates the strength of our federal, state, and local partnerships in dismantling a multi-state forced labor operation. We will not stop until these criminal networks are shut down and justice is delivered.” “IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is dedicated to fighting human trafficking to ensure the safety of all communities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS-CI Detroit Field Office. “Working together with our federal and local partners and leveraging IRS-CI’s unique investigative talents, we are able to disrupt suspected trafficking operations, keeping the vulnerable safe from becoming another victim.” According to court documents, Kathleen Klein, also known as Prophetess, 53, was a leader and executive of Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI). According to the indictment, Klein and co-defendants David Taylor and Michelle Brannon, ran a network of call centers across multiple states that used forced labor to solicit donations for KOGGC. Victims were forced to work grueling hours at the call centers without pay and pressured to hit impossible fundraising targets. When victims fell short of leaders’ goals or dared to push back, the punishment was severe: public humiliation, sleep deprivation, physical violence, withholding of food and shelter, forced repentance rituals, and threats of eternal damnation. Klein and her co-defendants allegedly controlled virtually every aspect of their victims’ lives. During the more than decade-long conspiracy, KOGGC collected roughly $50 million in donations, which leaders used to pay for personal real estate, vehicles, travel, and luxury goods. In addition to adding Kathleen Klein as a defendant, the superseding indictment includes additional allegations including that Taylor frequently requested and received sexually explicit photographs and videos from KOGGC workers. Klein is charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Taylor and Brannon were first indicted on July 23, 2025, for conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Taylor and Brannon face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. The FBI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Christina Randall-James of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights & Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Far Out: woman sentenced for making false reports of illegal bank account access from International Space Station

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 51-year-old resident of Sedgwick County, Kansas, has been ordered to federal prison for making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations to law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Summer Heather Worden pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2025. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Worden to three months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. The court also ordered Worden to pay $210,000 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Worden falsely accused her former spouse of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station while the couple was going through a divorce. Even after an internal investigation exonerated the former spouse, Worden continued promoting the false claim to news outlets and hired a media consultant to amplify the claim. The evidence further showed Worden publicly released her former spouse’s personal information. In July 2019, Worden alleged her estranged spouse had guessed her password and illegally accessed her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station. However, the investigation revealed Worden opened her bank account in April 2018, and both parties accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the account credentials. Investigators also determined Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records, including login credentials, as early as 2015. Worden was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.


title: Former TSA Security Officer Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) while employed as a TSA Security Officer full-time. Ismael Rosado Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2026. Rosado was charged in December 2025 . Rosado was employed full-time as a TSA Security Officer at Boston Logan International Airport from November 2018 through October 2021. Between May 2020 and September 2021, Rosado submitted an application seeking PUA and weekly certifications claiming he was unemployed and making no income. Based on misrepresentations in the application and weekly certifications, Rosado received $47,526 in unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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; Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Machine Gun Inside a Charter High School

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – James Adrian Brewer, 19, a resident of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Judge Jia M. Cobb scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2026. According to court documents, Brewer was attending the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School in Northwest Washington on Sept. 3, 2025, when he was observed by a school administrator to have what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband. When confronted, Brewer surrendered the pistol to the administrator, who then turned it over to Metropolitan Police Department officers. The firearm was later determined to be a Glock 19, 9mm pistol that previously had been reported stolen. The Glock was loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition. The gun was fitted with a switch-style machine gun conversion device (MCD) which allowed it to function as a fully automatic weapon. As part of his plea, Brewer admitted to possessing the handgun at the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School and further admitted to knowing that it was fitted with an MCD that converted the pistol into a machine gun. This case was investigated by the MPD with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson. 26cr5


title: Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 35 Years for His Role in Drive-By Shooting On I-95

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Nathaniel Hatcher III (30, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger to 35 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit money laundering, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The court also entered an order for forfeiture in the amount of $2.2 million, the proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hatcher entered a guilty plea in September 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Hatcher operated and led a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). For eight years, Hatcher’s DTO trafficked bulk amounts of marijuana from Northern California to Jacksonville by smuggling the drug on commercial airlines, shipping it through the U.S. mail system, and transporting it by vehicle across state lines. Once the marijuana arrived in Jacksonville, Hatcher and other DTO members transported the marijuana to various short-term rental homes throughout Jacksonville. Hatcher and members of the DTO rented these homes to store, package, and distribute marijuana. Hatcher and other members of the DTO carried and possessed firearms at these residences to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds during drug sales. In addition to trafficking, transporting, smuggling, and selling marijuana, Hatcher was also responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the DTO. Hatcher used the assistance of former corrections officer Desmond Maxwell to unlawfully buy firearms on behalf of Hatcher and members of the DTO. Hatcher, with the assistance of Yaquasia Delcarmen, would collect drug proceeds from the DTO’s members. Hatcher and Delcarmen would then launder the proceeds back into bank accounts controlled by Hatcher. During the conspiracy, Hatcher and others used sham business accounts that were formed for the purpose of laundering illicit proceeds. Hatcher and Delcarmen laundered over $2 million and spent the drug proceeds on lavish lifestyle items. On September 18, 2023, Hatcher, James Toney, and other DTO members arranged a bulk marijuana transaction with subjects whom they had met that evening in Jacksonville. The drug transaction, which occurred at a gas station along Old St. Augustine Road, failed. The other subjects never provided the promised marijuana, and instead, stole approximately $45,000 in cash from Hatcher and Toney. After the failed drug transaction, Hatcher contacted a former police officer, who illegally accessed law enforcement databases to provide Hatcher with the names and home addresses of the subjects who stole the money. For nearly a month, Hatcher and other DTO members tracked, surveilled, and cyber-stalked the other subjects and their family members. In text messages, Hatcher and others discussed and plotted retaliation for the robbery, including committing acts of violence. On October 15, 2023, Briyhon Johnson and Toney traveled to the Jacksonville International Airport to break into a rental car lot. Johnson and Toney stole two cars from the rental car lot with the intention of using one of the stolen cars in the planned retaliation. The theft had been coordinated by Johnson and Toney through text messages. Two days later, on October 17, 2023, Toney traveled to the Duval County courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida, for a scheduled court date in an unrelated pending criminal matter. Toney and other DTO members knew from reading the public court docket that one of the subjects from the September 18 drug deal also had court that day at the Duval County courthouse for a separate criminal matter. After court concluded, Hatcher and other DTO members surveilled this subject as he exited the Duval County courthouse, accompanied by a female subject, and entered his Mercedes sedan. Toney traveled to meet with Johnson, who provided Toney with a firearm. Johnson, Toney, Hatcher, and Tavarius Blue were operating multiple vehicles, including a stolen red Dodge Charger sedan and a gray Audi SUV, and followed the Mercedes sedan from downtown Jacksonville to I-95, traveling southbound toward St. Johns County. Darion Jerido was driving a separate sedan, acting as the lookout for the others and to keep pace with the Mercedes sedan. Johnson was driving the red Dodge Charger, with Toney traveling in the passenger seat. Blue was driving the gray Audi SUV, with Hatcher traveling in passenger seat. At approximately 11:20 a.m., during the pursuit along I-95 South, the red Dodge Charger and the gray Audi SUV boxed the Mercedes sedan into the left lane of traffic. Then, Toney from the Dodge Charger and Hatcher from the Audi SUV discharged dozens of rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition at the Mercedes sedan. According to witness interviews, Johnson and Toney were both wearing masks. Following the shooting, the red Dodge Charger and the Audi SUV fled the scene. Officers with the St. Johns County Sheriffs’ Office and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene within minutes. The driver of the Mercedes sedan, who was the male subject from the courthouse, sustained one gunshot wound but survived and was air-lifted to a trauma unit. The front passenger of the Mercedes, the female subject from the courthouse, did not sustain any gunshot wounds but did suffer injuries from broken glass. Emergency personnel also transported her to a nearby hospital. The Mercedes sedan sustained gunshots to the passenger side, the rear, the front and hood, the front windshield, the interior, and the engine block. On scene, deputies recovered approximately 25 spent 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to ballistics analysis, two different firearms were used during the shooting. Following Hatcher’s arrest in February 2024, Delcarmen continued the drug trafficking activities on Hatcher’s behalf and at Hatcher’s direction. Hatcher tampered with multiple witnesses and co-conspirators, directing them to flee from, or lie to, law enforcement. Hatcher also directed co-conspirators to destroy evidence. Status of Hatcher DTO Co-conspirators Name Status Tavarius Blue Sentenced to 12 years federal prison Yaquasia DelCarmen Sentenced to 8 years in federal prison Al’Donta Easterling Sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Darion Jerido Sentenced to 6 years, 6 months federal prison Briyhon Johnson Sentenced to 14 years, 3 months federal prison Javon Davis Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison Christian Guyton Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison Desmond Maxwell Pled guilty to straw-purchasing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; faces up to 25 years in federal prison Jahson Hatcher Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison James Toney Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison “Hatcher and his drug crew planned and executed a brazen drive-by shooting in broad daylight on I-95, putting dozens of law-abiding Americans in danger of losing their lives,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Now, he will spend decades in federal prison where he can no longer terrorize the Jacksonville community thanks to the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who investigated and prosecuted this case.” “The tenacious work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this case ensured that the members of this drug trafficking organization were brought to justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to leverage our resources, whenever necessary, to protect our communities from violence and harm.” “This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI to protect our communities from the dangers posed by drug trafficking and violent crime,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “The dismantlement of this violent drug trafficking organization and the sentencing of these defendants will have a lasting impact on the safety of our community.” “The judge delivered a punishment that matches the danger this defendant posed to communities,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “The message is simple: profit from poison, and you pay for it. IRS CI and our partners will follow the money across jurisdictions to shut down traffickers and every coconspirator who launders their profits.” This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Wolcott Man Indicted for Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that ELMIN REDZEPAGIC, 24, of Wolcott, has been charged in a 21-count indictment offenses related to an alleged cryptocurrency fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment, between approximately May 2021 and March 2025, Redzepagic held himself out to investors as a cryptocurrency investor who earned high rates of return. Once Redzepagic had victims’ initial investment, he told them they had earned a substantial profit but had to pay additional fees (“gas fees”) to withdraw it. Redzepagic claimed to work as part of a team that included someone known as “The Chef,” who supposedly led the operation and determined who, how, and when investors would receive their profits. In fact, Redzepagic did not invest victims’ funds in cryptocurrency but instead transferred the funds to Stake.com, an offshore gambling platform that Redzepagic used to receive and hold proceeds of the scheme, to generate cryptocurrency addresses for victims to use to transfer Bitcoin to him, and to make large “lulling” payments to victims throughout the course of the scheme. It is alleged that Redzepagic lost victims’ funds gambling on Stake.com, causing a net loss of a total of approximately $950,000 to multiple victims. It is further alleged that when Redzepagic was interviewed by IRS Criminal Investigation agents in September 2023, he made several false statements. On January 20, 2026, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Redzepagic with seven counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; 11 counts of international money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; and three counts of making a false statement to IRS Criminal Investigation agents, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count. Redzepagic, who recently resided in Florida, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farris in Hartford, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment, and was released on a $500,000 bond. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Wines.


title: Fully Blooded Felon Gang Members Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy, Drug Trafficking, and Firearms

body_text: Fully Blooded Felon gang member Dontez Hammond, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person under indictment. As the defendant admitted during his plea hearing and in other court documents, the Fully Blooded Felons have existed in Ohio since approximately 2012, operating primarily out of the eastside of Cleveland, as well as Akron, Youngstown, and elsewhere. They are also active in the Ohio prison system. The Fully Blooded Felons’ structure includes a “Commission,” which is a group of members tasked with maintaining the structure and organization of the enterprise through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means the organization would use to make money. The Fully Blooded Felons had rules that members were required to follow. The rules were sent to members online, by text message, and in face-to-face communications. Members were required to abide by “omerta,” or the code of silence, and were required to memorize and recite at meetings the “Fully Five,” a set of rules that included following all orders issued by the Commission. If a member did not know the “Fully Five,” they were punished. To further their drug trafficking, Fully Blooded Felon members used two separate stash-houses at a local apartment complex in Cleveland. During the execution of two search warrants, law enforcement recovered over 300 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and 7 firearms. Text messages and wiretap calls showed that Hammond regularly supplied Fully Blooded Felon members with cocaine. On Nov. 13, 2023, Hammond obtained a Mac-10 semi-automatic handgun from other Fully Blooded Felon members. Afterwards, Cleveland Police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Hammond. Hammond fled, tossing the gun as he did. Police recovered the discarded firearm. At the time, Hammond was under a state indictment for felony drug charges. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U. S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement. The FBI investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Paul E. Hanna, Robert F. Corts, and Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Vieques Man Indicted and Arrested for Child Exploitation

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging José Amaurys Torres-Abreu, 28, of Vieques, PR, for child exploitation. According to court documents, in or about November 2025, José Amaurys Torres-Abreu transported a 14-year-old female minor with intent that the victim engage in sexual activity. The defendant knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the 14-year-old female minor, to engage in sexual activity, for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense. Torres-Abreu is facing one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. The defendant had his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López-Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted for the charges of coercion and enticement and transportation of minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. “There are no cases more important for the Department of Justice and the Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office than crimes against children. Those who prey on our children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We commend the work of the federal and state law enforcement authorities whose thorough work led to these federal charges being filed today.” “The sexual exploitation of a minor is a serious federal crime that carries significant consequences. There is no gray area and no island too remote when it comes to conduct that violates the law and harms children,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs San Juan Field Office, Claudia Dubravetz. “The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate these offenses and work with our partners to ensure those responsible are identified, charged, and held accountable.” The FBI is investigating the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Elba Gorbea of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned a superseding indictment yesterday against a third defendant for her alleged role in a forced labor conspiracy that victimized individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri. “This case reflects the gravity of forced labor schemes that strip victims of their basic human rights and subject them to physical and brutal psychological abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice. We will relentlessly pursue those who facilitate and profit from forced labor and fight to obtain justice for survivors.” “We will follow the evidence and meticulously build the case,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan “We thank our federal partners for their dogged pursuit of human traffickers.” “Forced labor is a direct assault on human freedom,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “It strips victims of their dignity, their autonomy, and their basic right to control their own lives. Anyone who conspires to exploit and enslave others for profit will be held fully accountable under the law. This case demonstrates the strength of our federal, state, and local partnerships in dismantling a multi-state forced labor operation. We will not stop until these criminal networks are shut down and justice is delivered.” “IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is dedicated to fighting human trafficking to ensure the safety of all communities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS-CI Detroit Field Office. “Working together with our federal and local partners and leveraging IRS-CI’s unique investigative talents, we are able to disrupt suspected trafficking operations, keeping the vulnerable safe from becoming another victim.” According to court documents, Kathleen Klein, also known as Prophetess, 53, was a leader and executive of Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI). According to the indictment, Klein and co-defendants David Taylor and Michelle Brannon, ran a network of call centers across multiple states that used forced labor to solicit donations for KOGGC. Victims were forced to work grueling hours at the call centers without pay and pressured to hit impossible fundraising targets. When victims fell short of leaders’ goals or dared to push back, the punishment was severe: public humiliation, sleep deprivation, physical violence, withholding of food and shelter, forced repentance rituals, and threats of eternal damnation. Klein and her co-defendants allegedly controlled virtually every aspect of their victims’ lives. During the more than decade-long conspiracy, KOGGC collected roughly $50 million in donations, which leaders used to pay for personal real estate, vehicles, travel, and luxury goods. In addition to adding Kathleen Klein as a defendant, the superseding indictment includes additional allegations including that Taylor frequently requested and received sexually explicit photographs and videos from KOGGC workers. Klein is charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Taylor and Brannon were first indicted on July 23, 2025, for conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Taylor and Brannon face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. The FBI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Christina Randall-James of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights & Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Selling Firearms Without a License

body_text: BOSTON – A Salvadoran national unlawfully residing in Chelsea pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to making multiple illegal firearms sales. Melbi Ovidio Ortez, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2026. In June 2025 , Ortez was arrested and charged. According to charging documents, Ortez was identified as an 18th Street Gang associate who supplied firearms and controlled substances to gang members. On four different occasions between April 3, 2025 and May 2, 2025, Ortez sold firearms and ammunition behind his Chelsea residence. Ortez sold a Glock 9mm caliber pistol; a Sturm and Ruger .22 caliber revolver; a Glock .40 caliber pistol; a Colt .380 caliber pistol; magazines; and over one hundred rounds of ammunition. In addition, the serial numbers on both the Glock 9mm pistol and the Colt .380 pistol had been defaced. The Glock 9mm pistol had been purchased only 20 days earlier from a licensed firearms dealer in New Hampshire. Ortez also sold cocaine two times during that same period. The charge of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security Unit; Massachusetts Department of Correction; and the Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: Scott County Man Sentenced  for Armed Fentanyl and Fluorofentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Jamon Ritter, 35, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 132 months for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to his plea agreement, on July 2, 2024, Ritter – who was wanted on active warrants – led law enforcement on a reckless, high-speed vehicular chase in Scott County, eventually bailing out of his vehicle and fleeing on foot before being apprehended. Following the chase, law enforcement searched the vehicle Ritter was driving and found a Glock pistol, ammunition, and a variety of drugs, which KSP laboratory testing determined to be 122 grams of fentanyl, 1.707 grams of cocaine, and 29.786 grams of fluorofentanyl. Ritter admitted possession of the narcotics during the search and also admitted to possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Under federal law, Ritter must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years. Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Jeremy Nettles, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by ATF and Scott County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker. — END —


title: Lexington Man Sentenced  for Distribution of Controlled Substances

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Michael Smitha, 52, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 140 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, in December 2023, law enforcement received information that Smitha was distributing quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Central Kentucky. From December 29, 2023, through May 9, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Smitha. Smitha has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone in May 2014. Under federal law, Smitha must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 8 years. Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Commander Kalan Perdue, Gateway High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by ATF and Gateway HIDTA Task Force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker. — END —


title: Lexington Man Sentenced to 65 Years for Firearms and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Keith Lamont Stallworth, 41, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 65 years in prison after previously being convicted of multiple firearms charges and pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges. In August 2025, Stallworth was convicted of carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; possessing a machine gun; and failing to register the machine gun. Stallworth also previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and using a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing controlled substances. According to testimony at Stallworth’s trial for the firearm charges, in August 2023, Stallworth was arrested in possession of a .57 caliber Palmetto Arms pistol that contained high velocity rifle rounds and an extended magazine capable of holding an additional 29 rounds. A search warrant at Stallworth’s downtown Lexington apartment yielded a large quantity of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hundreds of rounds of ammunition as well as a 9mm handgun and an illegally modified .40 caliber pistol. The pistol was installed with a machinegun conversion device, sometimes called a “switch” or “Glock switch,” that converted the firearm to a fully automatic weapon defined under federal law as a machinegun. Under federal law, Stallworth must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by DEA, ATF, KSP, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker and retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West. — END —


title: Member of Lummi Nation indicted for distributing fentanyl

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 29-year-old Whatcom County man was arraigned today on an indictment for distributing fentanyl on Lummi Nation tribal land, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Stephan Charlot was first arrested by Lummi Nation Police on June 21, 2025, following the fentanyl overdose death of another Lummi Nation member on May 25, 2025. Charlot pleaded “Not Guilty” today in federal court. Trial in front of U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson is scheduled for April 6, 2026. According to records filed in the case, emergency responders were called to a home on the Lummi Nation in Bellingham just after midnight. They found an adult woman unresponsive. Despite life-saving efforts, she could not be revived. The investigation alleged that Charlot had supplied the fentanyl that the victim had ingested. Burned foil paper and Narcan doses were found in the room where the victim was located. Later the victim’s young child was forensically interviewed and described how her mother had started shaking and asked her daughter to “Hold her.” The child did, and said when her mother stopped shaking, she believed this was when her mother had died. Using records on the victim’s phone, law enforcement located the person who had purchased the fentanyl from Charlot, brought it to the victim’s residence where the two of them used fentanyl together. Based upon a review of the cell phone evidence, investigators learned that this was not the first time that Charlot had sold fentanyl. On February 3, 2026, Charlot was brought into federal custody and was ordered detained due in part to multiple prior tribal charges for distributing narcotics, and multiple warrants for failing to appear in court. Charlot has been in tribal custody since his arrest last year and was indicted by the grand jury on February 4, 2026. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI Northwestern Washington Safe Trails Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee. Ms. Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.


title: Webster Groves Felon Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison After Chasing Teens While Armed

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Maria A. Lanahan on Thursday sentenced a convicted felon who chased three teens through a Webster Groves neighborhood while armed to eight years in prison. Leon Joseph Reitz, 54, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in October to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on March 7, 2025, he began walking toward a car containing two juvenile males and one 18-year-old male that was parked on Greeley Avenue in Webster Groves. The juvenile males were picking up their friend, who lived on that block. Reitz had one hand behind his back. He then accelerated to a jog before pulling a handgun. The terrified teens fled and Reitz pursued them in a Toyota Camry through neighborhood streets at an estimated speed of 85 to 90 miles per hour. Reitz passed the teens and both cars skidded to a stop within sight of a Webster Groves Police Department officer who happened to be in the area. The teens ran to the officer, who arrested Reitz. Police found a loaded handgun under the front seat of the Camry and a spare magazine for the pistol in Reitz’s pocket. At the scene, Reitz claimed he believed the teens were going to rob him. In his plea agreement, Reitz admitted that there was no evidence to support his robbery claim. As a convicted felon, Reitz is barred from possession of a firearm. The Webster Groves Police Department and St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane 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, 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: New York Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Drug Trafficking in Franklin County

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A New York man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base with the intent to distribute those substances. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Oscarlin Peguero Ortiz , 27, to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Ortiz pleaded guilty on July 23, 2025. According to court records, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the suspected trafficking of illegal narcotics from an Avon residence. In July 2020, investigators executed a search warrant and found Ortiz inside the residence. During a search of the residence, law enforcement seized approximately 85 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and 40 grams of crack cocaine. Investigators also seized digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and over $8,000 in cash. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine State Police, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. ###


title: Mexican national sentenced for fentanyl trafficking

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Angel Fabian Moreno-Rodriguez pleaded guilty Nov. 25, 2025. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Moreno-Rodriguez to serve 70 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following the completion of his sentence. At the hearing, the court heard evidence how Moreno-Rodriguez coordinated the transportation of drug shipments with traffickers in Mexico. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the potential harm to millions of individuals posed by fentanyl distribution. On Sept. 18, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a blue Kia Forte in Donna. Moreno-Rodriguez was driving the vehicle. During the stop, authorities observed a cardboard box on the front passenger seat containing five vacuum-sealed brick-like packages. Testing confirmed the packages contained fentanyl with a total weight of approximately five kilograms. Moreno-Rodriguez admitted he was paid to transport the narcotics. Moreno-Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Prolific Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 96 Months for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ricky Jackson, 67, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96 months in federal prison in connection to his role in a large drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the Nation’s capital, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Jackson pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 96-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Jackson to serve five years of supervised release. “Thanks to our prosecutors, a 10-time convicted felon and drug-trafficker is off the streets and behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Jackson went so far as to target drug addicts seeking rehabilitation by selling drugs outside of rehabilitation and treatment facilities in Southeast Washington D.C., but now he won’t be bringing down this community anymore.” According to court documents, Jackson was a prolific narcotics redistributor who collaborated with other members of the conspiracy to obtain wholesale quantities of fentanyl which he in turn cut and repackaged for other redistributors and purchasers in the district. Jackson obtained bulk quantities – up to 24 grams of fentanyl – five or six times each week. Jackson then redistributed the narcotic in Southeast Washington D.C. in the vicinity of methadone clinics. He was arrested on Nov. 29, 2023, and has remained continuously detained since that date. Jackson has approximately 10 prior convictions that include violent crimes like armed robbery, voluntary manslaughter, and drug trafficking offenses. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division Office, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). This matter was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the FBI Washington Field Office, the ATF Washington Field Division, and the MPD. It was prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey. 23cr394


title: Box Elder man pleads guilty to drug charges on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A Box Elder man accused of distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Harold Blake Whitford, Sr., 56, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Whitford faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of 40 years, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 17, 2026. Whitford remains released with conditions pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in the early hours of March 28, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to investigate reports of a shooting on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. Surveillance video from the scene showed two suspected gunmen arrive and depart in a pickup truck. A truck that looked like the one used in the shooting was located shortly thereafter in front of Whitford’s home. Officers confirmed that vehicle was the truck used in the shooting. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and found the following items rolled up in a shirt near Whitford’s bed: A plastic baggie containing 489 suspected fentanyl pills; Twenty-seven small plastic baggies each containing 10 suspected fentanyl pills; A plastic baggie containing powder; and Two plastic baggies containing suspected methamphetamine. Officers also found a ripped piece of paper that said, “100pack-$1400,” “$700,” “$300” near the head of Whitford’s bed. They found a scale and a rifle at the house as well. When Whitford was arrested on an outstanding warrant over a week later, he removed a ziplock bag from his pocket and threw it. A pink pill also fell out of his pocket, and another pill was found on his person. The ziplock bag had suspected fentanyl pills in it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and Hill County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.


title: Eastern Jackson County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking, Machine Gun Conversion Devices

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Oak Grove, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and possession of machine gun conversion devices. Kal J. Nay, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 3 years in federal prison without parole. His co-defendant, Robert J. Turnage, 22, was sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, to 4 years in federal prison without parole for his role in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. On Oct. 9, 2025, Nay pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of machine guns. Between May 2, 2024, and June 11, 2024, the Jackson County Drug Task Force utilized a Confidential Informant to purchase “M30” pills, which contained fentanyl, from Nay and Turnage. The Confidential Informant purchased 10 pills from Nay on May 2, 40 pills from Nay on May 23, and 20 pills from Nay and Turnage on June 11. On June 18, 2024, members of the Jackson County Drug Task Force were granted a state search warrant to search Nay’s residence in Oak Grove. Investigators seized 6 machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” that were 3D printed from a 3D printer which was found in the residence. Nay admitted to investigators that he sold fentanyl pills and that he made the “switches” with his 3D printer. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: St. Louis Man Accused of Robbery on Gateway Arch Grounds

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man has been accused in an indictment of a robbery on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park. Thomas Durgins, 19, was indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The indictment accuses Durgins of stealing money and shoes from someone on the Arch grounds on Feb. 1, 2026, at gunpoint. Durgins was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court Thursday, where he pleaded not guilty. A motion seeking to have Durgins held in jail until trial says he had arranged online to buy shoes, but instead produced a firearm and robbed the seller. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for Role in Drive-By Shooting On I-95

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON — Nathaniel Hatcher III, 30, of Jacksonville, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger for the Middle District of Florida to 35 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit money laundering, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The court also entered a $2.2 million order for forfeiture, the proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hatcher pleaded guilty in September 2025. “Hatcher and his drug crew planned and executed a brazen drive-by shooting in broad daylight on I-95, putting dozens of law-abiding Americans in danger of losing their lives,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Now, he will spend decades in federal prison where he can no longer terrorize the Jacksonville community thanks to the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who investigated and prosecuted this case.” “The tenacious work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this case ensured that the members of this drug trafficking organization were brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to leverage our resources, whenever necessary, to protect our communities from violence and harm.” “This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI to protect our communities from the dangers posed by drug trafficking and violent crime,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville. “The dismantlement of this violent drug trafficking organization and the sentencing of these defendants will have a lasting impact on the safety of our community.” “The judge delivered a punishment that matches the danger this defendant posed to communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) Florida Field Office. “The message is simple: profit from poison, and you pay for it. IRS CI and our partners will follow the money across jurisdictions to shut down traffickers and every coconspirator who launders their profits.” According to court documents, Hatcher operated and led a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). For eight years, Hatcher’s DTO trafficked bulk amounts of marijuana from Northern California to Jacksonville by smuggling the drug on commercial airlines, shipping it through the U.S. mail system, and transporting it by vehicle across state lines. Once the marijuana arrived in Jacksonville, Hatcher and other DTO members transported the marijuana to various short-term rental homes throughout Jacksonville. Hatcher and members of the DTO rented these homes to store, package, and distribute marijuana. Hatcher and other members of the DTO carried and possessed firearms at these residences to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds during drug sales. In addition to trafficking, transporting, smuggling, and selling marijuana, Hatcher was also responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the DTO. Hatcher used the assistance of former corrections officer Desmond Maxwell to unlawfully buy firearms on behalf of Hatcher and members of the DTO. Hatcher, with the assistance of Yaquasia Delcarmen, would collect drug proceeds from the DTO’s members. Hatcher and Delcarmen would then launder the proceeds back into bank accounts controlled by Hatcher. During the conspiracy, Hatcher and others used sham business accounts that were formed for the purpose of laundering illicit proceeds. Hatcher and Delcarmen laundered over $2 million and spent the drug proceeds on lavish lifestyle items. On Sept. 18, 2023, Hatcher, James Toney, and other DTO members arranged a bulk marijuana transaction with subjects whom they had met that evening in Jacksonville. The drug transaction failed; the other subjects never provided the promised marijuana, and instead, stole approximately $45,000 in cash from Hatcher and Toney. After the failed drug transaction, Hatcher contacted a former police officer, who illegally accessed law enforcement databases to provide Hatcher with the names and home addresses of the subjects who stole the money. For nearly a month, Hatcher and other DTO members tracked, surveilled, and cyber-stalked the other subjects and their family members. In text messages, Hatcher and others discussed and plotted retaliation for the robbery, including committing acts of violence. On Oct. 15, 2023, Briyhon Johnson and Toney traveled to the Jacksonville International Airport to break into a rental car lot. Johnson and Toney stole two cars from the rental car lot with the intention of using one of the stolen cars in the planned retaliation. The theft had been coordinated by Johnson and Toney through text messages. On Oct.17, 2023, Toney traveled to the Duval County courthouse in Jacksonville for a scheduled court date in an unrelated pending criminal matter. Toney and other DTO members knew from reading the public court docket that one of the subjects from the September 18 drug deal also had court that day at the Duval County courthouse for a separate criminal matter. After court concluded, Hatcher and other DTO members surveilled this subject as he exited the Duval County courthouse, accompanied by a female subject, and entered his Mercedes sedan. Toney traveled to meet with Johnson, who provided Toney with a firearm. Johnson, Toney, Hatcher, and Tavarius Blue were operating multiple vehicles, including a stolen red Dodge Charger sedan and a gray Audi SUV, and followed the Mercedes sedan from downtown Jacksonville to I-95, traveling southbound toward St. Johns County. Darion Jerido was driving a separate sedan, acting as the lookout for the others and to keep pace with the Mercedes sedan. Johnson was driving the red Dodge Charger, with Toney traveling in the passenger seat. Blue was driving the gray Audi SUV, with Hatcher traveling in passenger seat. At approximately 11:20 a.m., during the pursuit along I-95 South, the red Dodge Charger and the gray Audi SUV boxed the Mercedes sedan into the left lane of traffic. Then, Toney from the Dodge Charger and Hatcher from the Audi SUV discharged dozens of rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition at the Mercedes sedan. According to witness interviews, Johnson and Toney were both wearing masks. Following the shooting, the red Dodge Charger and the Audi SUV fled the scene. Officers with the St. Johns County Sheriffs’ Office and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene within minutes. The driver of the Mercedes sedan, who was the male subject from the courthouse, sustained one gunshot wound but survived and was air-lifted to a trauma unit. The front passenger of the Mercedes, the female subject from the courthouse, did not sustain any gunshot wounds but did suffer injuries from broken glass. Emergency personnel also transported her to a nearby hospital. The Mercedes sedan sustained gunshots to the passenger side, the rear, the front and hood, the front windshield, the interior, and the engine block. On scene, deputies recovered approximately 25 spent 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to ballistics analysis, two different firearms were used during the shooting. Following Hatcher’s arrest in February 2024, Delcarmen continued the drug trafficking activities on Hatcher’s behalf and at Hatcher’s direction. Hatcher tampered with multiple witnesses and co-conspirators, directing them to flee from, or lie to, law enforcement. Hatcher also directed co-conspirators to destroy evidence. Status of Hatcher DTO Co-conspirators Name Status Tavarius Blue Sentenced to 12 years in prison. Yaquasia DelCarmen Sentenced to 8 years in prison. Al’Donta Easterling Sentenced to 10 years in prison. Darion Jerido Sentenced to 6 years, 6 months in prison. Briyhon Johnson Sentenced to 14 years, 3 months in prison. Javon Davis Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Christian Guyton Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Desmond Maxwell Pleaded guilty to straw-purchasing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Jahson Hatcher Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. James Toney Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisibeth Adams for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.