title: Recidivist Fraudster Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Federal Supervised Release Violations

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Daphne woman was sentenced to 93 months in prison for wire fraud, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and violation of federal supervised release conditions. According to court documents, Ramie Renee Freeman, 56, submitted fraudulent documents to a car dealership in Daphne to secure financing for the purchase of a vehicle in March 2025. The fraudulent documents included a forged receipt for nonexistent monthly social security benefits and an altered annulment order from the Circuit Court of Knox County, Tennessee, which claimed that Freeman received monthly alimony payments when she did not. Based on these fraudulent representations, which the dealership transmitted via an interstate wire communication, a financing company in Texas approved an automobile loan and Freeman took possession of the vehicle. Separately, Freeman admitted that between January and May 2025, she falsely held herself out as an attorney and accepted payments from victims purportedly to assist them with an uncontested divorce. In April 2025, Freeman forged the victims’ signatures and mailed bogus divorce paperwork, along with a check drawn on Freeman’s bank account, to the Baldwin County Courthouse in Bay Minette. When the check bounced, a court employee called Freeman, who lied about being a lawyer. The package that Freeman fraudulently mailed contained the victims’ names, addresses, dates of birth, and social security numbers, which the victims had not authorized Freeman to send. In May 2025, federal agents executed a search warrant at Freeman’s apartment in Daphne. There, agents located the vehicle that Freeman fraudulently purchased and documentation regarding Freeman’s frauds. Freeman told agents that she had resumed her fraud schemes because it is difficult for a person convicted of felony frauds to find legitimate work. At the time of her crimes, Freeman was on federal supervised release for prior fraud convictions in the Southern District of Alabama in 2022. Freeman also has prior federal fraud convictions from the District of New Hampshire in 2009 and 2011, as well as multiple fraud convictions in various New Hampshire state courts. Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Freeman to a total of 93 months in prison, consisting of 57 months for the crimes she committed in 2025, followed by an additional 36 months for violating her supervised release conditions. Upon her release from prison, Freeman will serve a three-year term of supervised release, the first six months of which she must serve at a halfway house. While on supervised release, Freeman will be subject to drug testing and will receive mental health treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Freeman to pay $300 in special assessments and $3,800 in victim restitution. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The United States Secret Service, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, and the Daphne Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and George May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Ardmore Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jacob Layton Earley, age 22, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to twenty-eight months in prison for one count of Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Prohibited Person. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On March 18, 2025, Earley pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 21, 2022, law enforcement executing a search warrant at Earley’s home discovered a 5.56X45mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic rifle with a magazine loaded with 28 rounds of .223 REM caliber ammunition and 100 rounds of .223 REM caliber ammunition in Earley’s bedroom. At the time of the search, Earley had notice that he was subject to a protection order from the Chickasaw Nation District Court prohibiting him from owning, possessing, buying, or attempting to obtain any gun or firearm. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Earley will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Mexican National Sentenced For Receiving Child Sexual Exploitation Material

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandon Leal Castro, age 34, of Mexico, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for one count of Receipt of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Castro will also be required to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On July 30, 2025, Castro pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on November 14, 2024, Castro knowingly received a visual depiction of a prepubescent minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct through the internet. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Castro will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Prince George’s County Man Indicted on Charges of Sexually Exploiting Minors to Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Christopher Alexander Watts, 27, of Mount Rainier, Maryland, charging him with four counts of producing child sexual abuse material. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the indictment, between January and May 2024, Watts persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced four minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Watts exploited the minors for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the sexually explicit conduct. If convicted, Watts faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, and the Prince George's County Police Department for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brooke Oki and Megan S. McKoy who are prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: FORMER TALLAHASSEE CHURCH WORSHIP LEADER SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A CHILD

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Hunter Chase Eubanks, 31, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our children depend upon us to keep them safe from predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually victimize them, and the excellent prosecutors in my office will use the full force of the law to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from exploitation.” According to court records, between July 4, 2024, and October 9, 2024, the defendant engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor who attended Morningside Church, where the defendant served as a worship leader and led a church music internship program. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office opened a criminal investigation in October 2024 after it received a report about the sexual relationship. The investigation revealed that the defendant engaged in sexual activity with the minor on multiple occasions at the church and elsewhere in Tallahassee. During their communications using an iPhone app, the defendant requested that the minor produce and send him images that would constitute child pornography. “Those who exploit children—especially from a position of trust—will be held fully accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “This case is a stark reminder of the harm done when an adult abuses their authority, their technology, and their access to target a child. We will use every tool under the law to stop that abuse, to protect victims, and to hold these predators fully accountable.” The defendant’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Eubanks was also ordered to pay restitution to his victim. The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: TALLAHASSEE MAN SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON FOR CONVERTED GLOCK MACHINEGUNS

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

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Anthony Lamorris Davis, Jr., 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a machinegun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners work hard every day to keep our communities safe from violent criminals like this defendant, and my office will continue to back up those efforts with successful prosecutions. The residents of the Northern District of Florida deserve safe streets and crime-free communities, and that is exactly what my office intends to achieve.” Court documents reflect that on both July 21, 2024, and October 25, 2024, officers of the Tallahassee Police Department caught the defendant in possession of a Glock firearm that had been converted into a machinegun. Davis has five prior felony convictions, including two convictions for aggravated assault with a firearm. The defendant’s prison sentence will be followed by four years of supervised release. “Taking illegal guns out of the hands of convicted felons is essential to making our streets safer. This arrest is another example of the unwavering dedication our officers show in confronting gun violence and reducing the harm it causes in our community,” said Chief Revell. “I am grateful for their commitment to this work and the determination they bring to every investigation. We will continue doing everything we can to reduce gun violence and keep our community safe.” The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. 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. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Williamsport Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Officers

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dominique Harris, age 24, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on two counts of assaulting a federal officer. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Harris assaulted two officers of the Department of Homeland Security by spitting on them while they engaged in their normal course of their duties. On November 30, 2025 in Williamsport, Deportation Officers were conducting a routine investigation in Williamsport that resulted in the arrest of an individual for immigration offenses. Harris allegedly interfered with deportation officers at the scene of the arrest and then followed them back to an ICE office where she attempted to enter the premises in her car through a secure gate. When officers confronted Harris, she is alleged to have become belligerent with the deportation officers and spit on two of them. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is eight years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Justice Department Sues Four Additional States and One Locality for Failure to Comply with Federal Elections Laws

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced it has filed federal lawsuits against four states — Colorado , Hawaii , Massachusetts , and Nevada — for failure to produce their statewide voter registration lists upon request. This brings the Justice Department’s nationwide total to 18. The Civil Rights Division is also suing one locality — Fulton County , Georgia — for records related to the 2020 election. “States have the statutory duty to preserve and protect their constituents from vote dilution,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “At this Department of Justice, we will not permit states to jeopardize the integrity and effectiveness of elections by refusing to abide by our federal elections laws. If states will not fulfill their duty to protect the integrity of the ballot, we will.” According to the lawsuits, the Attorney General is uniquely charged by Congress with the enforcement of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which were designed by Congress to ensure that states have proper and effective voter registration and voter list maintenance programs. The Attorney General also has the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (CRA) at her disposal to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of the statewide voter registration lists.


title: Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crimes

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Joseph Kessler III, 44, of Beckwith, pleaded guilty on Thursday, December 11, 2025, to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 25, 2024, Kessler sold a total of 18 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant over the course of two transactions, one in Raleigh County and the other at Kessler’s residence in Beckwith. On June 26, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kessler’s residence and seized approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine, 300 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and ketamine, and a firearm. Kessler is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2 million. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-146. ###


title: Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Sentenced To More Than 10 Years In Federal Prison For Using The Internet To View Child Sexual Abuse Materials

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Matthew Eric Baumgardner (50, Jacksonville) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for using the internet to access and view child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The court also ordered Baumgardner to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and pay $10,000 in restitution to a child victim. Baumgardner is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2017 of possessing photographs depicting the sexual performance by a child, traveling to meet a minor for unlawful activity, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Baumgardner was on state sex probation when he was committed this federal offense and was arrested on July 28, 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 10, 2025. According to court documents, law enforcement received a notification from a company that owns a social messaging application (the “App”) that files containing CSAM were uploaded using the App between May 6 and June 5, 2024. Subsequent investigation revealed that these files were uploaded from a residence in Jacksonville, using an account that was associated with Baumgardner. In April 2025, a warrant was issued for Baumgardner’s arrest based upon his violation of his sex offender probation. On that same day, a detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office contacted Baumgardner and seized his cellphone. Baumgardner admitted that the email address and phone number associated with the internet uploads of CSAM were his and that he had used the App in the past. Baumgardner also admitted using the internet to access and view photos of children being sexually abused, stating that none of the child victims were personally known by him. Subsequent forensic examination of Baumgardner’s cellphone revealed that it contained 67 photos depicting CSAM, including sadistic sexual abuse and bondage involving young children. This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Former Soldier Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Matthew Valkinburg, 35, of Pueblo, Colorado, has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material. Valkinburg was a solider at Fort Jackson at the time of the crime. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Valkinburg began uploading child sexual abuse material to his Discord account in 2023 when he was stationed in Colorado. Local authorities in Colorado determined that accounts tied to Valkinburg were responsible for the child sexual abuse material. After Valkinburg transferred from Colorado to Fort Jackson, Army investigators obtained a search warrant for Valkinburg’s home at Fort Jackson. Upon executing the warrant, investigators discovered child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices within Valkinburg’s home, including his cell phone. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Valkinburg to 87 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 25-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. He is also required to pay $124,000 in restitution and register as a sex offender for life. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beckham are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Battle Creek Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Intending to Sell Fentanyl

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Carmouche-Heath possessed over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, including over 4,700 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Nazzarie Acoy Carmouche-Heath, 29, of Battle Creek, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing and intending to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Prosecuting fentanyl dealers is always a priority for my office because this drug is particularly deadly. It is easy for casual drug users to overdose on this drug, especially when it is disguised as some other controlled substance like it was here. The DEA and the Battle Creek Police Department saved a lot of lives when they seized Carmouche-Heath’s drug stash.” During a search of Carmouche-Heath’s Battle Creek residence in March 2025, officers found over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, two firearms, thousands of dollars of cash, and what appeared to be an area designed to manufacture counterfeit fentanyl pills in the basement, which included scales, trays, packaging material, a blender, Tupperware sifters, a pill press, and cutting agents. Officers found 4,714 blue pills designed to look like the opioid analgesic Oxycodone (M/30), but in fact, contained fentanyl. During an interview, Carmouche-Heath admitted he possessed the fentanyl and intended to sell it. Carmouche-Heath previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl on August 21 2025 , which was National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day . “This sentencing underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from the deadly threat of fentanyl,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. “We will be relentless in our pursuit of those who peddle this and other illicit poisons. With every resource and law enforcement partner, the DEA will continue to protect and save American lives.” Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may contain lethal amounts of fentanyl and are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of what the pills contain. For more information on counterfeit pills and they dangers they pose, see this Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fact Sheet and the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill website, www.dea.gov/onepill . DEA and BCPD investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan McGraw prosecuted it. 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 perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines the efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Eleven Individuals Indicted For Stealing More Than Two Million Dollars In Covid Relief Funds

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Sherell Breus (40, Champions Gate), Jessie Perlado (63, Lakeland), Candice Harper (37, Pooler, GA), Yashica Carter (40, Ft. Lauderdale), Brandon Thomas (39, Champions Gate), Antwaun Jonson (39, Delray Beach), Jessica Sejour (33, Greenacres), Tameshia Roberson (44, Winter Haven), Vance Houston (30, Oakland Park), and Raymound Carvil Sr. (61, Ft. Lauderdale) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies the conspirators that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $2,294,734.50, which represents the alleged proceeds traceable to the offense. According to the indictment, between April 2020 and June 2021, the conspirators devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting multiple false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications. These programs were two sources of economic relief provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help small business during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conspirators’ applications all contained fraudulent documentation which at times included Department of Treasury - Internal Revenue Service Tax Forms. After receiving their fraudulently obtained proceeds, the conspirators transferred a portion of their funds to other accounts belonging to co-conspirators. In a separate indictment, an associate of one the conspirators, Neil Bryant (45, Winter Haven) was charged with one count of wire fraud. According to the indictment, Bryant defrauded the Small Business Administration by submitting a fraudulent EIDL application. If convicted, Bryant faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Bryant was also notified that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $52,400, which represents the proceeds traceable to his offense. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. These cases were investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by contacting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Indictment Indictment - Bryant FBI Poster


title: Des Moines Man Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation Charges

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a 13-count indictment Wednesday, December 10, 2025, charging a Des Moines man with offenses related to sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of children. As alleged in the Indictment, Tyler Boyd Pavlick, 32, produced and attempted to produce sexually explicit visual depictions of minor victims at two cross-country meets for middle school and high school athletes in September 2025 held in Marshall and Clarke counties and one arts and crafts festival in October 2025 held in Polk County. The Indictment also alleges that Pavlick possessed a computer containing child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Pavlick could face up to thirty years in prison on each of the charges involving production or attempted production of the visual depictions. Pavlick made his initial court appearance yesterday before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Trial is set for February 2, 2025. Pavlick remains in custody pending trial. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt is prosecuting the case. The FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Des Moines Police Department, and Iowa DCI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are investigating this case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Head of Lynchburg Community Corrections and Pretrial Services Sentenced to 12 Months and 1-day in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: LYNCHBURG, Va. – The former acting director of the Lynchburg Community Corrections & Pretrial Services Department (LCCPS) was sentenced yesterday to 12 months and 1-day in federal prison for accessing a protected computer system to provide her then-boyfriend and probationer with sensitive non-public information, lying to federal investigators, and destroying evidence. Jennifer Peters, 43, of Madison Heights, Virginia, previously pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy, one count of obstruction of a proceeding before a United States Agency, one count of making false representations, and one count of destruction of evidence. According to court documents, in 2022, Peters worked for LCCPS and supervised a probationer named Brendon Cole Webber – who was being supervised by that agency. In 2023, Peters assumed the role of Acting Director of the LCCPS. In approximately August 2023, Peters and Webber began a romantic relationship. Peters directly or indirectly supervised Webber’s probation throughout his LCCPS supervision. Peters, because of her role with LCCPS, had access to certain non-public, law enforcement materials, including the Lynchburg Police Department’s Records Management System (RMS). The RMS was a protected computer system that housed confidential non-public, law enforcement material. Between November 11, 2023, and January 9, 2024, Webber and Peters conspired to have Webber access RMS information without authorization. Specifically, Peters provided Webber with access to non-public confidential material on RMS, and Webber disseminated that non-public information to others. On November 30, 2023, Webber was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm in violation of Virginia law and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Webber and Peters knew there was an active warrant for Webber’s arrest and knew there was an active U.S. Marshal’s fugitive manhunt for Webber’s apprehension. On or around December 19, 2023, at Webber’s instruction, Peters drove Webber from Lynchburg, Virginia to Hughestown, Pennsylvania with the purpose of obstructing the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive mission. Webber further directed Peters to book a hotel room during the drive. When questioned by federal law enforcement regarding her relationship with Webber, Peters lied. Peters told investigators she had not had physical contact with Webber since December, that she did not know if Webber had an active phone number, did not know where Webber was physically located, and did not know Webber was going to leave Lynchburg. In addition, Peters told investigators she did not know where her own cell phone was located, when, in fact, she had given her cell phone to a friend to keep it away from investigators. After her interview with federal law enforcement, Peters retrieved her cell phone and threw it in a local landfill to destroy evidence contained within. Webber was arrested in Hughestown, Pennsylvania on January 9, 2024. Webber previously pled guilty to state charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as to unlawfully possessing a firearm. Webber was sentenced to 57-months incarceration. Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Ian Kauffman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Lynchburg Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vito Iaia is prosecuting the case.


title: Gloucester man who threatened deputies sentenced to three years in prison for unlawfully possessing firearms

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The federal district court ordered the three-year sentence to run consecutively to the five-year sentenced imposed by the Commonwealth of Virginia earlier this year for offenses related to the federal conviction. According to court documents, following the arrest of his adult son in August 2023 by the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), Allen Dowell, 59, posted videos on social media threatening deputies and their families with violence if they were involved in his son’s arrest. An investigation into Dowell’s threats revealed several videos posted to social media in which Dowell possessed a firearm and described his marijuana cultivation practices at his residence. As a previously convicted felon, Dowell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On Sept. 1, 2023, GCSO and the Virginia State Police arrested Dowell at his residence. From the residence, investigators recovered 20 firearms, approximately 1,000 cartridges of ammunition, an assortment of firearm parts and accessories, suspected silencers/suppressors, and over 400 marijuana plants. “This case demonstrates how the convergence of multiple criminal acts heightens the danger to our communities,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “A convicted felon cultivating a Schedule I narcotic while stockpiling firearms and ammunition felt emboldened to threaten deputies and their families in retaliation for doing their jobs. This conduct is precisely why we remain committed to holding individuals like Allen Dowell accountable when they choose to disregard the law.” “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who endanger our communities with illegal firearms and narcotics, and who attempt to intimidate law enforcement through threats, will be held fully accountable” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “We are committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe, and we will not tolerate violence, criminal activity, or efforts to undermine the safety of law enforcement.” In January 2025, the Circuit Court of the County of Gloucester sentenced Dowell to five years for multiple convictions of obstruction and resisting arrest by threat/force after Dowell barricaded himself in his home while armed during the Sept. 1, 2023, standoff with GCSO and the Virginia State Police. Dowell’s three-year federal sentence will begin once his Virginia sentence is served. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter G. Osyf and Alyson C. Yates prosecuted the case. 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. 4:24-cr-62.


title: Local man who allegedly committed 2 kidnappings, carjackings now faces federal charges

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man who allegedly kidnapped two individuals at gunpoint in two different carjacking incidents in the greater Dayton area on Tuesday now faces federal charges. Colby Smith, 32, has been in local law enforcement custody since the day of the alleged crimes. He is now charged federally with kidnapping, carjacking and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. According to charging documents, on Tuesday morning, Smith brandished a firearm at a victim who was inflating his vehicle’s tires at the Speedway gas station on N. Dixie Drive in Harrison Township. Smith allegedly forced the victim into his car and stole the vehicle. The victim pleaded for his release, and Smith eventually let the victim out of the car. Shortly thereafter, Smith allegedly brandished his firearm at a City of Dayton employee who was working leaf collection on Home Avenue. Smith allegedly entered the victim’s city truck on the passenger side and pointed the gun at the victim. Smith then kidnapped the second victim, forcing him to withdraw money at both an ATM and at a local bank branch. Smith then allegedly instructed the victim to exit the vehicle and stole the city truck. Smith then abandoned the stolen city truck and returned to the vehicle stolen in Harrison Township. Deputies located Smith in this vehicle at a local tire shop. He attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. Smith made his initial appearance in federal court on the afternoon of December 11, 2025, and is scheduled for a detention hearing on December 16, 2025. Kidnapping is a federal crime punishable by up to life in prison. Carjacking carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Displaying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence requires a mandatory minimum of at least 7 years in prison in addition to any other sentence imposed. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal and Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck announced the charges filed on Dec. 11. Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi are representing the United States in this case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Dominican National Sentenced for Dealing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence has been sentenced in federal court in Boston on drug distribution charges. Hector Santana Guzman, a/k/a “DJ Black,” 34, was sentenced on Dec. 10, 2025 by United States District Judge Patti B. Saris to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In September 2025 , Santana Guzman pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. During an investigation of the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, Santana Guzman met with a cooperating witness on two dates in June 2024 to sell fentanyl. On June 6, 2024, Santana Guzman sold approximately 50 grams of powder fentanyl to a cooperating witness. Later, on June 25, 2024, Santana Guzman again sold approximately 70 grams of powder fentanyl. 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 & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted 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: McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Assaulting His Mother

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on December 4, 2025. Brady James Claymore, 38, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Claymore was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 16, 2025. On the evening of December 26, 2024, Claymore was drinking alcohol at his mother’s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, in the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. When his mother reproved him, Claymore became upset, placed his hands around her neck and squeezed. After Claymore’s brother punched him several times in the head, Claymore let go of his mother and lost his balance. Both Claymore and his mother then tumbled down a short flight of steps. Claymore’s mother incurred a broken nose and fractured three teeth in the fall. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Claymore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: New York Developer Charged With Defrauding Pandemic Relief Loan Programs of More Than $8 Million

body_text: BOSTON – A New York real estate developer and investor has been charged in connection with a scheme to defraud pandemic relief programs in 2020 and 2021. David Ebrahimzadeh, 45, of New York City, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on one count of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of wire fraud and two counts of procuring a false tax return. The defendant was arrested and will make his initial appearance in federal court in Massachusetts later today. According to the charging documents, Ebrahimzadeh operated Corniche Capital, LLC as a holding company for various limited liability companies that he used to buy and sell commercial real estate and to lease out properties to commercial tenants. Under Small Business Administration rules, such businesses were allegedly ineligible for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, as well as for loans funded by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston as part of the Main Street Lending Program. Soon after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebrahimzadeh allegedly applied for and received loans through each of these programs. It is alleged that Ebrahimzadeh’s loan applications were riddled with false and fraudulent information, including false revenue and payroll figures. Ebrahimzadeh also allegedly provided false financial information about his debts and liabilities to lenders and applied for pandemic relief loans for a number of companies that had been dissolved years before the pandemic. It is further alleged that Ebrahimzadeh illegally spent loan proceeds on luxury items, on personal and business debt and a personal home on Long Island. It is further alleged that, having succeeded in buying a personal home, he and a family member obtained another pandemic relief loan to buy a second Long Island home. In 2021, it is alleged that Ebrahimzadeh also fraudulently applied for forgiveness of a PPP loan by falsely claiming that he had paid employees in 2020. As part of that alleged fraud, Ebrahimzadeh filed tax returns that falsely claimed expense deductions in 2019 and about $600,000 in wage expenses in 2020. In total, Ebrahimzadeh allegedly obtained approximately $8.5 million in loans he was not entitled to. The charges of bank fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of procuring a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil and Elianna Nuzum of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Two Staten Island Men Indicted for Attempting to Bribe a Juror in a Criminal Trial in the Eastern District of New York

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: An indictment was returned yesterday charging Valmir Krasniqi and Afrim Kupa with obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice for attempting to bribe a juror (Juror-1) to vote not guilty in a criminal trial in the Eastern District of New York. As alleged in the indictment, in mid-November 2025, the defendants offered to pay a juror serving on the criminal trial of United States v. Goran Gogic , 22-CR-493 (JMA), up to $100,000 in exchange for the juror’s not guilty vote at the close of trial. On November 17, 2025, Krasniqi and Kupa were arrested and charged by complaint. Both defendants were detained pending trial. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the indictment. “The indictment sends a clear message to the public that jury tampering and other efforts to undermine and corrupt the criminal justice system will not be tolerated,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “As alleged, these defendants obstructed a federal criminal trial in Brooklyn by attempting to bribe a juror. Our Office acted swiftly and vigorously to prosecute those involved in efforts to obstruct justice.” Mr. Nocella extended his appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations, New York, for their work on the Gogic case. “Valmir Krasniqi and Afrim Kupa allegedly conspired to provide a significant cash bribe to potentially alter a juror’s vote related to a separate impending federal criminal trial. These defendants’ alleged attempt sought to influence a core principle of our criminal justice system and deprive the defendant his right to a fair trial. The FBI will never permit any individual to tip the scales in any proceedings and undermine our country’s democratic practices,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. The Gogic Trial As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, the trial of Goran Gogic was set to commence before the United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack on November 17, 2025. Gogic is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and three counts of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act. As alleged, between May 2018 and July 2019, Gogic conspired with others to distribute massive quantities of cocaine via commercial cargo ships. Gogic coordinated with the sources of the cocaine in Colombia, the crewmembers who transported tons of cocaine on commercial cargo ships on the high seas, and the network of port workers who transported and offloaded the cocaine in Europe via the United States. United States law enforcement seized three of these shipments, totaling nearly 20,000 kilograms of cocaine. If convicted, Gogic faces up to life in prison. The Juror Tampering Scheme On November 3, 2025 and November 5, 2025, a jury was selected in Gogic’s criminal trial. Juror-1 was selected to serve as a juror at trial. Between November 13, 2025 and November 17, 2025, Krasniqi and Kupa, along with a coconspirator (CC‑1), allegedly attempted to bribe Juror-1 with a cash payment in exchange for Juror-1 agreeing to vote not guilty at Gogic’s trial. As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, on November 13, 2025, Krasniqi arranged a meeting between Kupa and CC-1 in Staten Island, New York. At the meeting, Kupa explained to CC-1 that he and other coconspirators wanted CC-1 to offer Juror-1 money to vote not guilty at trial. In a meeting on November 15, 2025, CC-1 informed Juror-1 that he/she would be paid up to $100,000 to vote not guilty at trial. On November 16, 2025, Kupa, Krasniqi and CC-1 met at Krasniqi’s home in Staten Island. There, the three discussed the plan to pay Juror-1 to vote not guilty at Gogic’s trial. During the meeting, Kupa indicated that Juror-1 would receive $100,000 in cash as payment. On November 17, 2025, Kupa and Krasniqi were arrested at their homes in Staten Island. At that time, Kupa was in possession of a document containing Juror-1’s name, home address, and place of employment. Krasniqi was in possession of a digital photograph of Juror-1 that he had sent via text message to CC-1 in furtherance of the criminal scheme. The charges announced today are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Emily J. Dean is in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Erin Payne and Jack Schneider The Defendants : VALMIR KRASNIQI Age: 35 Staten Island, New York AFRIM KUPA Age: 52 Staten Island, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-385 jury_tampering_indictment.pdf


title: Missouri Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for $174M Health Care Fraud Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: On Oct. 23, a Missouri man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud Medicare by unlawfully billing hundreds of millions of dollars in claims for cancer genetic testing and cardiovascular genetic testing. According to court documents, Jamie P. McNamara, 50, of Kansas City, operated several laboratories in Louisiana and Texas, which obtained doctors’ orders for genetic testing from telemarketers and call centers that used aggressive telemarketing campaigns to induce Medicare beneficiaries to agree to receive genetic testing. Orders for genetic testing were signed by purported telemedicine doctors who were not the beneficiaries’ treating physicians, did not perform consultations with the beneficiaries and did not follow up with the beneficiaries after the testing was performed. To obtain the orders, McNamara paid illegal kickbacks and bribes, which he disguised through sham contracts. In furtherance of the scheme, he also shifted the billing between his laboratories to evade scrutiny from Medicare and law enforcement and concealed his ownership and control of the laboratories by falsely listing the names of his family members as owners and company representatives on Medicare and other documents. In approximately one and a half years, the laboratories operated by McNamara submitted over $174 million in claims to Medicare for genetic testing and received over $55 million in reimbursements. The government previously seized several luxury vehicles from McNamara and over $7 million in bank accounts. While on pretrial release, McNamara violated his bond conditions by, among other things, fleeing from an unrelated arrest and cutting off an ankle monitor. He was subsequently detained. McNamara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Moses for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Pharmacist Sentenced to Over Six Years in Prison for $6M Health Care Fraud Scheme

body_text: On October 21, a Michigan pharmacist was sentenced to 80 months in prison for defrauding health care benefit programs by billing for prescription medications that he never dispensed. According to court documents, Isaiah Okoh, 55, of Sterling Heights, billed health care benefit programs for prescription medications that he did not actually dispense to patients at three pharmacies in Michigan. From 2019 through 2022, Okoh and his co-conspirator sent false claims to health care benefit programs for prescription drugs that were not ordered by a doctor and were not dispensed to the patient. Okoh and his co-conspirator used forged prescriptions from doctors to hide their scheme, when in fact the patient had never seen the listed doctor and the medication had never actually been prescribed. Okoh and his co-conspirator caused over $6 million of loss to Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. In April 2025, Okoh pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. At sentencing, Okoh was ordered to pay $3,889,760 in restitution and $3,230,147 in forfeiture, including his interest in approximately $1.2 million of fraudulent proceeds seized by law enforcement in this matter. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jeffrey A. Crapko and Ahmad Huda of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The forfeiture proceedings are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenton Craig Welkener Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.


title: Fentanyl Dealer who Caused Two Overdose Deaths  Sentenced to 17 Years

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL – Patrick Carl Timberlake, Jr., a/k/a “King,” age 29, was sentenced Wednesday in United States District Court to 204 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release for two counts of Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Timberlake is a drug dealer and a felon who is prohibited from possessing weapons. In 2019 and 2020, Timberlake sold poison—heroin containing deadly fentanyl—to two drug users who took Timberlake’s poison, overdosed, and died. The U.S. Attorney’s Office extends its profound condolences to the families of the victims of Timberlake and the deadly drug epidemic. Specifically, on December 4, 2019, Timberlake sold Victim 1 approximately 0.5 grams of heroin that contained fentanyl. Victim 1 used the drugs Timberlake sold him. His father later found him unconscious on the bathroom floor and called 911. Victim 1’s father and emergency personnel attempted to revive Victim 1, but he was pronounced dead. A medical examiner later determined his death to be the result of the toxic effects of heroin and fentanyl. On January 20, 2020, Timberlake sold heroin that contained fentanyl to Victim 2. The next day, emergency services received a 911 call requesting a welfare check on Victim 2 at his parent’s house for a possible overdose. First responders arrived and found Victim 2 unresponsive on the kitchen floor and pronounced him dead. A medical examiner later determined his death to be the result of the toxic effects of heroin and fentanyl. A subsequent investigation determined that Timberlake had been dealing heroin containing fentanyl on a daily basis, first from his apartment in Saint Paul, then from his apartment in Plymouth, and finally from his apartment in Columbia Heights. The investigation also revealed that another drug customer told Timberlake of Victim 1’s death the day after it happened, to which Timberlake responded: “okay.” Despite knowing that his drugs had caused the death of Victim 1, Timberlake continued to sell drugs, including to Victim 2, causing his death. A search of Timberlake’s apartment in Columbia Heights revealed a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun, a 30-round extended magazine, and ammunition—all of which Timberlake was prohibited from lawfully possessing due to his prior felony convictions. United States District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced Timberlake was sentenced Wednesday on two counts of Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl to 204 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. In sentencing Timberlake, Judge Frank spoke about the scourge of fentanyl deaths affecting our country and recognized the heartbreak to both of the victim’s families who lost their loved ones to the fentanyl epidemic. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Nathan H. Nelson prosecuted the case.


title: Wound Graft Company Owners Sentenced for $1.2B Health Care Fraud and Agree to Pay $309M to Resolve Civil Liability Under the False Claims Act

body_text: In the first prosecution of its kind, the owners of several Arizona wound graft companies were sentenced to significant terms of incarceration for causing over $1.2 billion of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare and other health insurance programs for medically unnecessary wound grafts that were ordered as a result of illegal kickbacks and applied to elderly and terminally ill patients. On Oct.7 Alexandra Gehrke was sentenced to 15.5 years in prison, and on Oct. 10 her husband, Jeffrey King, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. According to court documents, Gehrke, 39, and King, 46, both of Phoenix, orchestrated a large-scale wound-care scheme from 2022 through 2024. Gehrke solely owned and operated two companies that contracted with medically untrained “sales representatives” to find elderly Medicare beneficiaries throughout Arizona with wounds of any kind. Once the sales representatives identified these patients, many of whom were in hospice care, Gehrke directed the sales representatives to order expensive bioengineered skin substitutes — amniotic membrane allografts made from human placental tissue — to be placed on the wounds. To maximize profits, Gehrke required the sales representatives to order only the largest sizes of grafts available, even if the sizes of grafts — or the use of grafts as treatment — were not medically appropriate or reasonable. Gehrke referred the patients identified by the sales representatives first to a company she owned, and later in the scheme to a company co-owned by King. Both of these companies were enrolled as Medicare providers and could submit claims to Medicare. Through these companies, Gehrke and King purchased the grafts from a wholesale graft distributor. They also contracted with nurse practitioners to apply the grafts and billed Medicare and other health insurers for the grafts applied. Gehrke and King instructed the nurse practitioners to suspend their medical judgment and apply whatever quantities and sizes of grafts were ordered by the medically untrained sales representatives, regardless of medical necessity. Gehrke, through the three companies she owned, received over $279 million in illegal kickbacks from the wholesale graft distributor in exchange for ordering its grafts, over $100 million of which she diverted to her personal accounts and tens of millions of which she used to pay illegal kickbacks to the sales representatives. The company co-owned by King received an additional $130 million in illegal kickbacks from the same graft distributor. The financial incentive for the sales representatives to order large numbers and sizes of allografts, combined with Gehrke and King’s requirement that nurse practitioners apply all grafts ordered, resulted in large grafts applied to small wounds, several grafts applied to single wounds, grafts applied to non-existent wounds and grafts applied to terminally ill patients receiving palliative care, some of whom died within days or the same day of the allograft application. Over the course of just 18 months, from November 2022 through May 2024, Gehrke, King and their co-conspirators submitted approximately $1,212,005,778 in false and fraudulent claims to health insurance programs, including over $960 million to the federal health care programs Medicare, TRICARE (the health care program for U.S. service members and their families) and CHAMPVA (the health care program for spouses and children of permanently disabled veterans). The federal and commercial health care programs collectively paid $614,945,420 based on these claims. The government seized substantial assets that Gehrke and King accumulated from the scheme, including $97 million from 28 bank accounts at seven financial institutions; three life insurance annuities exceeding $21 million; four luxury vehicles — a Ferrari 488 Spider convertible, a Mercedes-Benz AMG Roadster, a Mercedes-Benz 4x4 Squared G-Wagon and a Mercedes-Benz GLE — collectively purchased for over $988,000; $367,150 in cash recovered from Gehrke and King’s home and safe deposit boxes and over $348,000 worth of gold and silver bars and coins. Gehrke and King pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud on Oct. 24, 2024, and Jan. 31, 2025, respectively. In addition to the terms of incarceration, Gehrke and King were ordered to pay restitution and to forfeit fraudulent proceeds obtained personally and through companies they owned and controlled. Gehrke was ordered to pay $614,945,420 in restitution and to forfeit $279,912,916 in fraudulent proceeds, and King was ordered to pay $605,690,110 in restitution and to forfeit $130,813,658 in fraudulent proceeds. In addition to the criminal case, Gehrke and the wound graft marketing company she owned, Apex Medical LLC, agreed to pay $279,912,916, and King agreed to pay $30 million, related to their respective civil liability under the False Claims Act, resolving allegations that they knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare and other federal health care programs for medically unnecessary wound allografts, received illegal kickbacks from a wholesale wound allograft distributor in exchange for orders, purchases, and referrals and paid illegal kickbacks to other parties. The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering or paying anything of value to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that the judgment of medical providers is not compromised by improper financial incentives. The False Claims Act allegations resolved by the civil settlements were originally brought by whistleblowers under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The matters remain under seal while the investigation of other parties continues. The amount of the whistleblower shares of the settlements has not yet been determined. The FBI, HHS-OIG, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated the criminal case. The civil resolutions were the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, with assistance from HHS-OIG. Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bozdech for the District of Arizona is handling asset forfeiture. The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Vanessa Reed of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lon Leavitt for the District of Arizona. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).


title: West Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: James L. Kenney, 45, of West Sacramento, pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between May 2025 and August of 2025, Kenney, his co-conspirator Kevin Leacy, 31, of West Sacramento, and others worked together as part of a drug trafficking organization selling fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin using a motel in West Sacramento. During three controlled purchases in May 2025, law enforcement officers purchased 100 grams of fentanyl and 540 grams of pure methamphetamine from Kenney and Leacy. In August 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the motel and seized approximately 3.5 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of cocaine, as well as methamphetamine and heroin located in rooms used by members of the conspiracy, including Kenney. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the West Sacramento Police Department and the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Harman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew DeMoura are prosecuting the case. Charges are pending against Leacy. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Kenney is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on March 26, 2026. Kenney faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Doctor Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for $24M Medicare Fraud

body_text: On October 23, a New York doctor was sentenced to seven years in prison for causing the submission of over $24 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary laboratory tests and orthotic braces. He was also ordered to pay $2,210,384 in restitution. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Alexander Baldonado, M.D., 69, of Queens, received tens of thousands of dollars in illegal cash kickbacks and bribes in exchange for ordering laboratory tests, including expensive cancer genetic tests, that were billed to Medicare by two laboratories located in New York. As part of the scheme, Baldonado authorized hundreds of cancer genetic tests for Medicare beneficiaries who attended COVID-19 testing events at assisted living facilities, adult day care centers and a retirement community in 2020. Baldonado was not treating any of the patients who attended the testing events and, in many cases, did not speak to or examine the patients prior to ordering cancer genetic tests and other laboratory tests for them. Baldonado also billed Medicare for lengthy office visits that he never provided to these patients. Several Medicare patients for whom Baldonado ordered cancer genetic tests and billed for office visits testified at trial that they did not know who Baldonado was and had never met or spoken to him. Baldonado did not contact the patients after the testing events to review the results of the cancer genetic tests, and, in some cases, the patients never received the test results. In addition to the laboratory testing scheme, Baldonado also received illegal cash kickbacks and bribes from the owner of a durable medical equipment supply company in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary orthotic braces for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The evidence presented at trial showed Baldonado on an undercover video receiving a large sum of cash in exchange for signed prescriptions for orthotic braces. The medically unnecessary laboratory tests and orthotic braces that Baldonado ordered in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes caused Medicare to be billed more than $24 million. Medicare paid more than $2.2 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. After a five-day jury trial in February 2025, Baldonado was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud; six counts of health care fraud; one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay, offer, receive, and solicit health care kickbacks; one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to receive and solicit health care kickbacks; and one count of solicitation of health care kickbacks. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI Newark Field Office made the announcement. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Acting Principal Assistant Chief Rebecca Yuan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Missouri Sex Offender Caught with Child Pornography Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced a sex offender caught with child sexual abuse material to 15 years in prison. Cody Moore, 25, pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted using a Kik social media account to download, possess and distribute child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The investigation began with a cyber tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Kik account was used to upload 41 files containing CSAM in December of 2022. The upload was traced to a home in Audrain County where Moore was living, and the Boone County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force took over the investigation. At the same time, law enforcement in Audrain County was investigating Moore for failing to register as a sex offender. Moore had twice been convicted of failure to register, and he absconded from probation in April 2023. Moore was charged with failure to register, and an arrest warrant was issued. On July 12, 2023, Moore was arrested in Jefferson County, Missouri. A court-approved search of his phone, social media and cloud accounts revealed dozens of files containing images of girls being sexually abused. The FBI, the Boone County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who 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 .


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Child Pornography Crime

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Friday admitted possessing images containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his mobile phone and discussing CSAM with others online for years. Brayden M. Swathwood, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He also admitted exchanging CSAM with someone in Georgia and claiming in discussions with that person that he was sexually abusing a 4-year-old minor and planned to record that abuse. There is no evidence that Swathwood’s claims about the minor are true. On Dec. 17, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in St. Louis conducted a court-approved search of Swathwood’s apartment in St. Louis County and his vehicle. They seized his cellphone and other electronic devices and interviewed Swathwood, who admitted viewing and discussing CSAM online. Swathwood is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2026. The charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and fine. HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who 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 .


title: Med Spa Owner Agrees to Plead Guilty to Performing Illegal Injections Using Unapproved Prescription Drugs

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to allegedly injecting clients of his business, Rodrigo Beauty Inc., with unapproved botulinum toxin obtained from illegitimate sources outside the United States, resulting in numerous severe cases of botulism. Rodrigo de Medeiros Siqueira, 33, was charged and agreed to plead guilty to one count of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Medeiros Siqueira was arrested and charged by complaint in October 2025. According to the charging documents, beginning in or around August 2022, Medeiros Siqueira offered various cosmetic injection procedures, including the injection of botulinum toxin prescription drugs, to clients of Rodrigo Beauty, despite not being licensed to prescribe, dispense, or administer prescription drugs or perform injections. It is alleged that Medeiros Siqueira falsely represented to clients that he was a licensed medical professional authorized to perform injections and made false statements to clients regarding the identity and source of the botulinum toxin products he was using for their injection procedures. Beginning in or around late May 2025, numerous Rodrigo Beauty clients were diagnosed with botulism, allegedly as a result of injections Medeiros Siqueira performed using unapproved botulinum toxin. Botulism is a rare and dangerous illness that can result from, among other things, the injection of botulinum toxin. Iatrogenic botulism is caused by botulinum toxin circulating in the blood and spreading beyond the injection site, potentially resulting in life-threatening symptoms, including blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, and/or difficulty swallowing or breathing. While botulinum toxin is generally safe when administered by trained medical professionals, improper dosing, administration technique, or use of non-FDA-approved products can result in severe cases of botulism. The charge of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, 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. If you or a family member believe you received services involving illegal injections and/or unapproved drugs or devices from Medeiros Siqueira or Rodrigo Beauty, please complete the questionnaire located on the FDA’s website at: https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/criminal-investigations/oci-vw-assistance-rodrigo-beauty . Information about the status of the case is located on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-rodrigo-de-medeiros-siqueira . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Wright of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Second week of December sees another 293 people charged in border security-related matters in the Southern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 294 cases have been filed related to immigration and border security from Dec. 5-11, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. A total of 87 people face charges of illegal entry, while another 182 face charges of felony reentry after removal. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The filed cases also include 22 individuals accused of engaging in human smuggling and the remaining two charges involve assaults on federal officers. As part of the new filed complaints, two Mexican nationals have been charged with illegal reentry into the country. Authorities had just removed Josadad De La Cruz-Perez in April but found him near Rio Grande City this week, according to the charges. A separate case alleges law enforcement discovered Jose Yuriel Tovias-Alvarez near McAllen. According to their complaints, both men have prior felonies - De La Cruz-Perez for illegal reentry, while Tovias-Alvarez had served a substantial prison sentence for possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine. If convicted for the new illegal reentry charges, they each face up to 20 years in federal prison. In addition to the new cases, the leader and organizer of an alien smuggling ring in Laredo was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard how Laredo resident Juan De Dios Aguero recruited drivers and set abandoned vehicles on fire to distract law enforcement. On Aug. 6, 2024, authorities at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Freer discovered 35 illegal aliens, including three unaccompanied minors, sealed inside a tractor-trailer with a temperature of nearly 100 degrees. Many suffered from heat exhaustion. The investigation revealed Aguero organized the failed smuggling event by driving co-defendant Mateo Guerra to a truck lot and helping Guerra steal the tractor trailer utilized in the operation. Aguero also rented the U-Haul used to move the aliens from a stash house. Authorities further connected Aguero to two additional failed alien-smuggling attempts in October 2023 and February 2024 that involved 28 and 11 illegal aliens, respectively. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Former New York Doctor Sentenced for Receiving Kickbacks

body_text: BOSTON – A New York doctor has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for receiving kickbacks in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans. Dr. Kenneth Fishberger, 76, of East Setauket, N.Y. was sentenced on Dec. 9, 2025 by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to two years of supervised release, one year of which will be served in home confinement with location monitoring. He also was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000, forfeiture in the amount of $48,000 and restitution of $342,876. In November 2024, Fishberger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Fishberger, an internist in Long Island, N.Y., was a licensed medical doctor in the State of New York for approximately 47 years. From approximately June 2013 through December 2019, Fishberger conspired with others, including a principal for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to order hundreds of medically unnecessary TCD scans in exchange for kickbacks. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain. Fishberger and his alleged co-conspirators used false diagnoses to order the unnecessary brain scans, for which a co-conspirator would submit claims to Medicare and other insurance companies, including private insurance companies, on behalf of the medical diagnostic company for payment. In exchange, Fishberger was paid cash kickbacks of approximately $100 per test. The scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $891,978 to Medicare and private insurance companies. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin, Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.


title: Southwick Company Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – Kokusai Denki Electric America, Inc., formerly known as Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark, LLC (Comark), a company headquartered in Southwick, Mass., has agreed to pay $2,092,371 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible. Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administered the PPP in two rounds – the second began in early 2021. To be eligible for a second-round loan, an entity, among other things, had to have fewer than 300 employees, including affiliates’ employees. As part of the settlement , Comark admitted that, in January 2021, it received a $1,342,232 second round PPP loan. Comark certified that it was eligible for the loan under the PPP regulations in effect at the time of the application and represented that it had 67 employees, including affiliates’ employees. Comark later sought and received forgiveness from SBA of the full amount of that loan. When it applied for the loan and when it applied for forgiveness, Comark did not qualify for the loan because it had more than 300 employees, when considering employees of its affiliates. Prior to 2021 and through 2022, Comark was a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc., a company based in Tokyo. Between 2021 and through 2022, Kokusai had more than 300 employees, not including Comark’s employees. The settlement credits Comark for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.


title: D.C. High School Teacher Arrested, Charged in Production of Child Pornography, Enticement of a Minor

body_text: WASHINGTON – John Aaron Gass, 35, a high school history teacher at the District of Columbia International School, was charged by complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court with production of child pornography and with enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. FBI agents arrested Gass yesterday at his home in Maryland. According to the charging documents, Gass allegedly sexually abused a minor child beginning in the Spring of 2025. He allegedly recorded that abuse. On multiple occasions Gass climbed through the child’s bedroom window at night to sexually abuse her. On Nov. 21, 2025, the FBI received information from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) alleging that Gass met with a minor child on multiple occasions to sexually abuse her and, on at least two occasions, used the victim’s phone to record explicit videos of himself and the child. This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen for the District of Columbia. Anyone with further information may contact 1-800-CALL-FBI. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 25mj279