title: Johnson County Clinic Owner Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky.- A Harrodsburg, Ky., man, Jeremy Bryson, 47, was convicted by a federal jury in Frankfort on Wednesday for charges related to unlawfully distributing controlled substances. After approximately two hours of deliberations, following an eight-day trial, the jury convicted Bryson on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, six counts of distribution of controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to use a DEA registration issued to another person, and one count of money laundering. According to evidence introduced at trial, during the conspiracy, Jeremy Bryson and Don Bryson, his father, operated a medical clinic in Paintsville, Ky., called Appalachian Family Medicine (AFM). Don Bryson had previously surrendered his medical license in 2012 after a Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure investigation into complaints about his controlled substance prescribing practices. Jeremy Bryson hired Don Bryson as a “medical consultant” at AFM. Evidence at trial established that under Jeremy and Don Bryson’s operation, AFM functioned as a cash-only clinic that consistently issued illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions to patients. Although AFM was not registered as a pain management facility, AFM issued controlled substance prescriptions to the majority of its patients. Between January 2021 and early 2022, 14 separate medical providers worked at AFM, many of whom left after working at the clinic for only a matter of days. The trial evidence established that Jeremy and Don Bryson pressured and used these temporary providers to issue controlled substance prescriptions while limiting the time they spent with patients and restricting their access to basic tools for safe prescribing like drug testing and prescription drug monitoring reports. In August and September of 2021, Jeremy Bryson directed the clinic’s staff to misuse an absent provider’s DEA registration number, which permits a qualifying practitioner to prescribe controlled substances, to continue issuing illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions in that absent provider’s name without her knowledge. Additionally, evidence showed that in August 2021, Jeremy Bryson engaged in money laundering with proceeds derived from the controlled substance offenses through a check payment of $67,466.40 for the purchase of a Ram 2500 pickup truck. Don Bryson previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances in June 2024. Don Bryson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2. Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the conviction. The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Smith is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. Jeremy Bryson will appear for sentencing on June 2. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence. — END —


title: Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Water Piks Stolen from Interstate Shipment

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has pled guilty to one count of being in possession of goods stolen from interstate shipment. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today. Gregory Luss , 44 , pled guilty on March 3, 2026 before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker. According to information presented in court, a semi-tractor trailer filled with Water Piks that were intended for shipment to Amazon was stolen from its Bledsoe Cove location in Memphis on October 20, 2023. Luss posted the Water Pik product to sell on an eBay account registered to him on the same day. Luss is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2026 and faces up to 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Cargo theft from shipping containers and facilities disrupts and harms crucial interstate commerce here in Memphis, which is known as ‘America’s Distribution Center’. Instead of a luxury Water Pik, Mr. Luss will now have a standard prison-issued toothbrush in the Bureau of Prisons.” “Thefts of interstate shipments disrupt the delivery of needed goods and drive-up costs for businesses and consumers alike,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “This guilty plea is an example of the FBI's unwavering resolve and make it clear that anyone who threatens the nation’s supply chain will be tracked down and held accountable.” The case was investigated by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation Cargo Theft Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum and Lauren Delery are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Federal inmates charged with assault in Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – Six federal inmates have been charged with assault in connection with an attack on a fellow inmate in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Earnest Dale Collins, 29; Anderson Garcia, 27; Ira Hall, 38; Quincy Homere, 40; Richard Royal, 41; and Eric Terrill Spencer 34, were named in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas this week charging them with assault with a deadly weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in an alleged attack on a fellow inmate on May 2, 2025. The altercation took place at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont. If convicted, the defendants each face up to 20 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Beaumont felon charged with federal firearms violation in Eastern District of Texas

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

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been charged with a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Koy Wayne Dodd, 42, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas this week charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Dodd faces up to 15 years in federal prison. 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. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Jefferson County felon charged with federal firearms violation in Eastern District of Texas

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been charged with a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Terrance Von Spain, 46, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas this week charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Spain faces up to 15 years in federal prison. 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. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Durable Medical Equipment Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Geneva, Ill., man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for a fraud scheme to defraud Medicare of over $2 million by submitting claims for durable medical equipment (DME) that was medically unnecessary, not wanted by the Medicare beneficiaries and tainted by kickbacks. Kartik Bhatia, 36, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years in prison. In August 2025 , Bhatia was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of making false statements. Bhatia worked with Raju Sharma , and other co-conspirators to own and operate a DME company that paid telemarketing companies for DME orders for orthotics such as ankle, wrist, knee and back braces. Often, the Medicare beneficiaries did not need or want the braces the defendants shipped them and, the doctors whose signatures appeared on these DME orders often did not treat these beneficiaries and did not prescribe the DME. After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a payment suspension to Bhatia’s DME company, Bhatia simply opened a new DME company that engaged in the same conduct. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Leader of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Cocaine into the United States

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – Rosbin Leonardo Duarte-Elvir (43, Honduras) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison and a $5 million forfeiture for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Duarte-Elvir pleaded guilty on December 11, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, beginning on an unknown date and continuing through 2024, Duarte-Elvir routinely owned and invested in cocaine shipments that were bound for the United States. With the help of a security supervisor and other corrupt airport employees, conspirators loaded commercial aircraft with cocaine disguised in boxes of fruit at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali, Colombia and intended for Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in San Andrés Island, Colombia. With the assistance of no fewer than 20 corrupt Colombian police officers, the conspirators exported the cocaine out of the San Andrés Island airport, then smuggled the narcotics by boat to either Nicaragua or Honduras, then to Mexico and the United States via land routes. Historically, Duarte-Elvir and his co-conspirators owned and successfully trafficked thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to the United States. Their last drug trafficking endeavor was in May 2024. After the conspirators’ drug trafficking route was temporarily disrupted due to a seizure at the San Andrés Island airport in 2023, Duarte-Elvir and other leaders in his transnational criminal organization (TCO) decided it was time to re-open their illicit air route. On May 7, 2024, Duarte-Elvir’s couriers tried importing 540 kilograms of cocaine into the Cali airport, but Colombian law enforcement officers seized the load of cocaine. Had the importation been successful, this load of cocaine would eventually be bound for the United States. (Photo of drug seizure) Throughout his years owning and trafficking cocaine in Colombia, Duarte-Elvir and his TCO earned substantial profits. Duarte-Elvir used the proceeds of drug trafficking to furnish a lavish lifestyle, to include a large estate outside of Cali, Colombia. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Colombian National Police’s Dirreccion de Antinarcotics (DIRAN) and the Colombian Equipo de Trabajo Investigativo Control Aeronaves (ETICA). The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and March 2025 extradition from Colombia of Duarte-Elvir. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky is handling the forfeiture. 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 Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Shreveport Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Stalking and Threatening Speaker of the House of Representatives and Threatening President of the United States

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SHREVEPORT– On March 3, 2026, a federal grand jury in Shreveport returned a three-count indictment charging Justin Chadwick Butler, a 31-year-old Shreveport resident, with cyberstalking and threatening the Speaker of the House of Representatives and threatening the President of the United States. Butler faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for each count. “Threats against public officials and our Nation’s leaders are threats to our democracy and our American way of life, and we will not tolerate them,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “For those who would use the mask of internet anonymity to threaten others, the message here is clear: our many state and federal law enforcement partners will track you down, and you will face justice.” According to court documents, Butler used social media accounts to make a slew of menacing posts directed toward the Speaker while often tagging the Speaker’s social media account directly. These postings included stating, for example, that the Speaker “couldnt [sic] lie so smoothly with bullet holes in his face,” that the Speaker “is a traitor. Death to traitors,” and that Butler “really hope[s] I see lots of dead ICE agents and Traitor Mike with a patriotic bullet through his lying face soon” while also writing that he “think[s] holes in traitors faces is the next step.” Butler further wrote of the Speaker and the President that “[a] real patriot would kill some of these traitors” and that he and others would “drop those two traitors.” The United States Capitol Police, the United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, the United States Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Gaskins with assistance from Legal Assistant Amanda Morgan. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer , under Case Number 26-CR-00088. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: Miami Developer Charged with $85 Million Fraud Scheme Used to Fund Luxury Yacht and Lifestyle

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal indictment unsealed today charges a Miami real estate developer with orchestrating an $85 million fraud scheme, failing to pay millions in taxes, and lying to financial institutions to obtain funds to purchase a luxury yacht. According to court documents, Rishi Kapoor, 41, formerly of Miami, was the chief executive officer of Location Ventures, a Miami-based real estate development company that purported to develop projects in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. “The indictment alleges an $85 million fraud scheme in which investor funds intended for real estate development were diverted for luxury purchases, including a 68-foot yacht,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “It further alleges that the defendant withheld payroll taxes from employees but failed to turn that money over to the government, effectively stealing from his own employees. These are serious allegations that will now be addressed in federal court. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” As alleged, although Kapoor raised approximately $85 million from investors, most of the promised real estate projects were never built. Despite being entitled to a capped salary of $400,000 plus certain fees, Kapoor diverted substantially more funds for personal use, including the purchase of a 68-foot yacht and a residence in Cocoplum. The indictment alleges that Kapoor misrepresented to investors the amount of his personal financial contribution to Location Ventures, claiming he had invested $13 million alongside his business partner and family when, in reality, he contributed roughly half that amount. Kapoor also allegedly deceived escrow agents to secure the release of pre-construction condominium deposits and then misappropriated those funds for personal expenses unrelated to the developments. As a result, condominium projects in Coconut Grove and Miami Beach were never built. In addition, Kapoor is charged with withholding payroll taxes from Location Ventures employees but failing to remit those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Instead, Kapoor allegedly diverted more than $2 million from company accounts for his personal benefit. The indictment further alleges that Kapoor failed to pay his own personal taxes from 2019 through 2023, despite earning more than $2.8 million in income in 2022 and 2023 alone. Kapoor is also charged with falsifying bank statements to inflate his account balances, failing to disclose a significant mortgage on his Cocoplum residence, and misrepresenting that his tax returns had been filed with the IRS—all to obtain more than $9 million in financing. One bank extended a $5 million line of credit to Location Ventures, while another loaned Kapoor $4.2 million to finance the yacht purchase. The indictment charges Kapoor with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to commit offenses against and to defraud the U.S., failure to pay payroll taxes, tax evasion, failure to file tax returns, and bank fraud. The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations, including a Rolex Daytona watch and 2.5 carat platinum ring. If convicted, Kapoor faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud; up to 10 years for money laundering; up to five years for each count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S., failure to pay payroll taxes, tax evasion, and failure to file tax returns; and up to 30 years for each count of bank fraud. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also filed a civil action against Kapoor (Case No. 23-cv-24903). U.S. Attorney Reding Quinoñes, Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Quinoñes commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI and FBI Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Young and Daya Nathan are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov , under Case No. 26-cr-20073. ###


title: Federal inmate charged with possessing contraband in prison

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal inmate has been charged with allegedly possessing contraband in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Robert Anthony Summers, 44, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas this week charging him with possession of a prohibited object, specifically a weapon or shank, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont. If convicted, Summers faces up to 5 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Prisons and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Leading Massive Human Smuggling Organization and Holding Illegal Immigrants Hostage

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An illegal immigrant from Guatemala pleaded guilty today to leading one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States, a ring that smuggled approximately 20,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala to destinations nationwide over a five-year span and further admitted to holding two victims hostage. Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 52, a.k.a. “Turko,” “El Jefe,” “Patrón,” and “El Gallo,” who most recently lived in the Westlake neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States, transport aliens in the United States, and harbor aliens in the United States for private financial gain and one count of hostage taking. Renoj-Matul has been in federal custody since February 2025. According to his plea agreement, Renoj-Matul first worked for then acted as a leader in the smuggling organization and specialized in the smuggling of illegal aliens from Guatemala to the United States, the transportation and movement of those illegal aliens within the United States, and the harboring, concealing, and shielding of illegal aliens within the United States. Renoj-Matul admitted in his plea agreement that the organization moved approximately 20,000 illegal aliens from 2019 through July 2024. Associates in Guatemala who solicited illegal aliens to come to the United States accepted payment of between $15,000 and $18,000 for each illegal alien to be smuggled into the United States and coordinated the journey of the illegal aliens from Guatemala to the United States. Mexican smuggling organizations who accepted Guatemalan illegal aliens in southern Mexico transported them through Mexico and then smuggled those illegal aliens across the U.S.-Mexico border. In the United States, co-conspirators within the organization oversaw smuggling cells, teams of drivers who transported illegal aliens, and operators of stash houses where illegal aliens were held while they were within the United States. Co-conspirators operated an illegal alien stash house located on James M. Wood Boulevard in the Westlake district of Los Angeles. Illegal aliens smuggled by the organization were brought to this house. After an illegal alien’s smuggling fee was paid, the illegal alien was transported by co-conspirators to another destination within the United States. If an illegal alien’s smuggling fees were not paid, Renoj-Matul and other co-conspirators would hold that illegal alien against their will at the Westlake house until their fee was paid. Other co-conspirators transported and coordinated the transport of illegal aliens for Renoj-Matul from Guatemala, through Mexico, to the United States and then throughout various destinations within the United States. Within the United States, co-conspirators drove illegal aliens to other destinations in vehicles provided by Renoj-Matul and others for a fee paid by the aliens. Renoj-Matul directed that the transportation of proceeds from human smuggling be transported from Los Angeles to Phoenix to be given to the Mexican smuggling organization and pay the smuggling organization’s expenses. In his plea agreement, Renoj-Matul admitted to arranging for co-conspirators to transport illegal immigrants to Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Renoj-Matul admitted that at all relevant times, he acted for the purpose of private financial gain. In 2024, after a third party reneged on paying a victim’s smuggling fees, co-conspirators in Guatemala and Renoj-Matul called the victim’s mother and threatened to harm the victim, including by warning the victim “would come home in a box” if her smuggling fees were not paid. For a two-month period from May 2024 to July 2024, the victim was held hostage at the house in the Westlake area of Los Angeles. Renoj-Matul further admitted to holding another victim – an illegal immigrant from Guatemala – hostage from April 2024 to July 2024. Renoj-Matul knowingly and intentionally seized and detained, and threatened to kill, injure, and continue to detain the victim to compel third persons to pay smuggling fees to the hostage takers as an explicit condition for the victim’s release. United States District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela scheduled a October 2 sentencing hearing, at which time Renoj-Matul will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. An April 21 trial is scheduled for co-defendants José Paxtor-Oxlaj, 45, a driver for the smuggling organization who is incarcerated in Oklahoma in connection with a November 2023 car accident resulting in the deaths of seven illegal immigrants – including a 4-year-old child, and Cristóbal Mejia-Chaj, 50, of Westlake, Renoj-Matul’s alleged right-hand man. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty. Helmer Obispo-Hernández, 42, a.k.a. “Xavi,” a lieutenant in the criminal organization, faces federal criminal charges in this case and is a fugitive. Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, HSI’s Figueroa Initiative Gang and Human Trafficking Task Force, United States Border Patrol, and the Inglewood Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly L. Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaints Against $15M in Funds Allegedly Linked to Iranian Oil Shipping Network

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Department of Justice filed two civil forfeiture complaints today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against more than $15.3 million allegedly used to fund an illicit Iranian oil distribution network. According to the complaints, the funds are subject to forfeiture because they afford a person a source of influence over the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the IRGC Quds Force (IRGC-QF), and are intended to promote ongoing violations of U.S. sanctions imposed under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA). The IRGC and the IRGC-QF are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The complaints allege that Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani (Shamkhani) has operated a network consisting of companies and individuals (the Shamkhani Network) engaged in selling and shipping Iranian oil and other commodities in violation of U.S. sanctions and obfuscating the source of the oil and role of Iranian persons and entities in the transactions. According to the complaints, the funds in question were being used to operate multiple distribution companies in the Shamkhani Network. According to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which sanctioned Shamkhani on July 30, 2025, Shamkhani is “the son of Ali Shamkhani, a top political advisor to the Supreme Leader of Iran.” Ali Shamkhani is the former head of Iran’s National Defense Council, according to the complaints. In sanctioning Shamkhani, OFAC stated that the Shamkhani Network “comprises a vast fleet of vessels, ship management firms, and front companies — some posing as legitimate financial services firms — that launder billions in profits from global sales of Iranian and Russian crude oil and other petroleum products, most often to buyers in China.” OFAC further stated that “[t]he network employs significant measures to disguise its operations and obfuscate its ties to the Shamkhani family, Iran, and Russia.” “Under President Trump's leadership, we have ZERO tolerance for foreign actors using the U.S. financial system to prop up our nation's enemies,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This defendant was allegedly supporting the IRGC with millions of dollars in violation of U.S. sanctions — he will now pay a heavy price.” “Today’s civil forfeiture complaints illustrate the Criminal Division’s steadfast mission to prevent Iranian-backed shadow companies from using the U.S. financial system to support terrorist organizations, in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Tysen A. Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Shamkhani and the Shamkhani Network allegedly attempted to clandestinely use U.S. financial institutions to enrich themselves by evading sanctions on Iran and benefit Iran’s terrorist networks. The Department of Justice will use all of the tools at our disposal to prevent the U.S. banking system from being used in any manner to support Iran and its terrorist operations.” “Shamkhani runs a vast network of shell companies used to evade U.S. sanctions and launder funds for the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s forfeiture actions reflect the National Security Division’s commitment to dismantling the illicit financial networks that have helped to enable Iran to oppress its own people at home and sow instability abroad, including through funding terrorism worldwide.” “We will continue to aggressively enforce U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime that has sowed instability and violence in the Middle East,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Working with our partners, we will dismantle the Iranian regime’s ability to fund its illicit activities by seizing and forfeiting any funds that the regime launders through the U.S. financial system.” “Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani and his network allegedly violated U.S. sanctions by running an illegal scheme to sell millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil, and today’s forfeiture complaints seek to seize funds that would otherwise enrich Shamkhani and benefit international terrorist organizations,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI will not sit back and watch as criminal actors threaten the integrity of our financial systems and jeopardize U.S. national and economic security. With our partners at home and abroad, we will continue following the money and hold accountable all who attempt to undermine international sanctions and fund terrorists.” “By working alongside our law enforcement partners, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is fulfilling its mission to investigate and dismantle illicit financial networks that attempt to circumvent U.S. sanctions and support foreign terrorist organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of the HSI Washington, D.C. Field Office. “The Shamkhani Network’s efforts to launder millions of dollars through front companies underscore the importance of our work to protect the integrity of the financial system and prevent funds from reaching dangerous criminals. I commend our HSI Washington, D.C. special agents for their hard work and dedication to this effort.” “IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) remains steadfast in pursuing those who exploit the financial system to support terrorist organizations,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the IRS-CI Washington, D.C. Field Office. “We will follow the money, wherever it leads, to protect national security. Today’s filing demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system.” According to the complaint filed in case 26-cv-802, $12,973,529 of the seized funds were intended for use by Wellbred Capital Pte, Ltd. (Wellbred) and its subsidiary Wellbred Trading DMCC (Wellbred Trading), two companies that were acquired and operated by Shamkhani and his associates to maintain a “brand” that was not publicly perceived to be affiliated with Shamkhani or Iran. As alleged in the complaint, despite this public-facing image, Wellbred and Wellbred Trading were actually operated by Shamkhani and his close associates, not the nominal leadership of those companies, for the benefit of the Shamkhani Network and Iran. Shamkhani maintained organizational charts and diagrams showing Wellbred’s place in the Shamkhani Network: Complaint No. 1:26-cv-00802, paragraph 63 Complaint No. 1:26-cv-00802, paragraph 67 According to complaint 1:26-cv-00807, $2,400,000 of the seized funds were intended for use by Sea Lead Shipping Pte, Ltd. (Sea Lead) and its affiliate entity, Sea Lead Shipping Agency India PV (Sea Lead India). As alleged in the complaint, Sea Lead and Sea Lead India were intended to provide shipping services to the Shamkhani Network. The complaint alleges that, as with Wellbred, Shamkhani maintained organizational charts showing Sea Lead’s place in the Shamkhani Network: Complaint No. 1:26-cv-00807, paragraph 66 The FBI Minneapolis Field Office; HSI Washington D.C. Field Office; and IRS-CI Global Illicit Finance Team (GIFT) are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney Peter M. Nothstein and Trial Attorneys Mark H. Goldberg, Katlin K. O’Brien and Jonathan C. Lowry of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section (MNF); Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Barry for the District of Columbia; and Acting Deputy Chief Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section (CES) are prosecuting the case. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system. A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.


title: DEA Search Warrants in Tri-Cities Result in Largest Drug Seizure in EDWA History

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on March 3, 2026, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed federal search warrants at multiple locations in the Tri-Cities, Washington area that resulted in the largest seizure of controlled substances in EDWA history. The federal search warrants were based on an ongoing drug trafficking investigation into Amador Sanchez and several co-conspirators. The investigation revealed Sanchez utilized multiple residences, including at least one residence in each of the Tri-Cities, to facilitate and conceal his illegal activities. Notably, Sanchez was on federal supervised release stemming from a previous federal drug trafficking conviction. The investigation is ongoing. Indictments are expected to be presented to a federal grand jury. In total, approximately over 200 pounds of methamphetamine, over 164 pounds of powdered fentanyl, and over 5 pounds of cocaine were seized along with approximately $2,000,000 in U.S. Currency and 16 firearms were seized. Please note these are preliminary estimates. “This momentous drug seizure reflects the tireless work of our law enforcement partners to protect our communities,” stated First Assistant Pete Serrano. “The enormous quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine seized in this case had the potential to cause devastating harm across our region. Our office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who traffic deadly drugs—especially repeat offenders who continue to endanger public safety. We will continue working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to hold drug traffickers accountable and keep our communities safe.” “This historic seizure, the largest in the history of the Eastern District of Washington, marks significant progress toward a Fentanyl Free America,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The extraordinary amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine removed from the Tri-Cities area would have devastated families and communities. Through strong enforcement, strategic partnerships, and increased public awareness, DEA remains unwavering in its commitment to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain and save American lives.” The charges contained in any Indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Tri-Cities Resident Office, which includes state law enforcement partners as well as federal agents from the United States Border Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, United States Marshals, and Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Palestine National Indicted for Being Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – MOHAMED H.M. ZEIDAN , a/k/a “Sebastian Marcello , a/k/a “Sebastian York , ” age 33, a native of Palestine, was indicted on March 5, 2026, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A). According to the indictment, on or about August 3, 2023, ZEIDAN, an alien illegally present in the United States, was found in possession of a MC9 semi-automatic pistol and a RF-15 semi-automatic rifle. ZEIDAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The United States Attorney’s Office reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The U.S. Attorney’s Office praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, Homeland Security Investigations and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Three Sentenced for Roles in Covid-19 Unemployment Scheme That Stole $669,124 from Virginia Taxpayers

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – Three co-conspirators who stole more than $650,000 from Virginia taxpayers by using the personally identifying information (PII) of inmates at Duffield Regional Jail, and others who were ineligible to receive pandemic unemployment benefits, to file false unemployment benefits claims, were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. Jonathan Ricketts, 45, of Duffield, Va., was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison. He previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of making false statements in connection with emergency benefits. He was also ordered to pay $669,124 in restitution jointly and severally with Farren Ricketts. Christopher Woliver, 37, of Big Stone Gap, Va., was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison. He previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of making false statements in connection with emergency benefits. He was also ordered to pay $29,076 in restitution jointly and severally with Farren Ricketts and Jonathan Ricketts. Megan Caudill, 39, of Swords Creek, Va., was sentenced today to 30 days in prison and three years of supervised release, with 12 months being on home confinement. She previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of making false statements in connection with emergency benefits. In addition, she was ordered to pay $166,204 in restitution jointly and severally with Farren Ricketts and Jonathan Ricketts. “I applaud our partners at the IRS, Department of Labor, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office for their outstanding work on this case. Fraudsters who line their pockets at the expense of taxpayers will face accountability for their crimes,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA) was enacted, expanding eligibility for unemployment benefits to individuals who were not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or had exhausted their unemployment insurance benefits. To receive PUA, claimants had to certify they were unemployed or had their hours reduced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and file weekly claims. Unfortunately, Virginia paid $1.1 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021 in relation to this program. These conspirators charged in the Western District of Virginia played a central role in contributing to this massive fraud, stealing a total of $669,124 in pandemic unemployment benefits to which they were not entitled. Specifically, Jonathan Ricketts and his wife Farren Ricketts owned Ricketts Advisory LLC, a company that employed, at times, seven individuals for the sole purpose of filing fraudulent unemployment benefits claims during the Covid pandemic. While he was incarcerated at Duffield Regional Jail, Jonathan Ricketts collected and sent Duffield inmates’ PII, as well as their signatures, by mail, to Farren Ricketts. She then used that PII to file fraudulent unemployment claims. In total, Ricketts Advisory was responsible for the filing of at least 101 false claims. Caudill was an employee of Ricketts Advisory. In addition to the $21,368 in direct, fraudulent unemployment benefits she received, Caudill also assisted in eleven other individuals filing for, and receiving, fraudulent unemployment benefits, resulting in $166,204 in unwarranted payments. Woliver, also an employee of Ricketts Advisory, received approximately $3,270 in pandemic unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled. In addition, recruited others to file their claims through the business, and, as a result, an additional $25,806 fraudulent claims were received by others. Agencies that assisted with this investigation included The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Norton Police Department in Wise County. Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office, and Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL OIG) made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone prosecuted the case. As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending.


title: Previously Deported Mexican Drug Trafficker Sentenced in D.C. for Role in International Fentanyl Conspiracy

body_text: WASHINGTON – Alfredo Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 27, a previously deported Mexican national, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 235 months in federal prison for his role in a multinational drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed wholesale quantities of fentanyl-laced pills across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Rodriguez-Gonzalez, aka “Alacran,” of Rosarito, Mexico, pleaded guilty on Oct. 15, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to a criminal information charging him with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony. In addition to the 235-month prison term, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Rodriguez-Gonzalez to serve 10 years of supervised release. “Rodriguez-Gonzalez, a previously deported Mexican national, poisoned our communities with large quantities of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in D.C.,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of fentanyl traffickers that led to seizing more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms." U.S. Attorney Pirro continued. "Now this illegal alien can take the next 19 years to enjoy his new view of the America he worked so hard to infiltrate and undermine, from an American prison.” Rodriguez-Gonzalez was one of 24 co-defendants arrested during 2023 in the District, Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy. According to court documents, during the conspiracy Rodriguez-Gonzalez was a Mexico-based supplier to Los Angeles-area drug distributers of large quantities of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. He utilized social media platforms, most commonly Instagram, to facilitate the importation of thousands of counterfeit “M-30” pills per shipment. Rodriguez-Gonzalez previously had been deported to Mexico from the United States following a conviction in Utah for distributing methamphetamine. On Oct. 4, 2019, he was sentenced to 36 months in prison. On June 13, 2021, he was released and deported to Mexico. From December 2021, Rodriguez-Gonzalez was a member of the conspiracy that eventually distributed an estimated 36 kilograms of illegal fentanyl in the U.S. He remained a member of the conspiracy until April 3, 2024, when he was arrested after illegally re-entering the United States. The illegal fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills that Rodriguez-Gonzalez sold to multiple LA-based traffickers were resold to redistributors in Washington, D.C., area and elsewhere. Communications evidence, as well as physical seizures, indicate that he facilitated the transfer of hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris Y. McCranie of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) Section. DEFENDANT AGE LOCATION CHARGES/SENTENCE Hector David Valdez, aka “Curl” 28 Santa Fe Springs, California Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Craig Eastman 22 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Charles Jeffrey Taylor 22 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Aug. 19, 2025, to 98 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Raymond Nava, Jr. 21 Bell Gardens, California Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Ulises Aldaz 29 Bell Gardens, California Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Max Alexander Carias Torres 28 Bell Gardens, California Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy” 36 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Dec. 19, 2025 to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Marvin Anthony Bussie, aka “Money Marr” 23 Washington, D.C. Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Marcus Orlando Brown 30 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Columbian Thomas, aka "Cruddy Murda” 28 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden 36 Washington, D.C. Sentenced May 5, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Andre Malik Edmond, aka “Draco” 24 Temple Hills, Maryland Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Treyveon James Johnson, aka “Treyski” 21 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Karon Olufemi Blalock, aka “Fat Bags” 31 Alexandria, Virginia Pleaded guilty Oct. 16, 2025, to Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Ronte Ricardo Greene, aka “Cardiddy” 30 Washington, D.C. Sentenced July 18, 2025, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21” 40 Washington, D.C. Sentenced June 20, 2025, to 75 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Darius Quincy Hodges, aka “Brick” 35 Glen Allen, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Lamin Sesay, aka “Rock Star” 29 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Paul Alejandro Felix 27 Glendale, California Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Omar Arana, aka “Frogs” 28 Cudahy, California Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano” 27 San Diego, California Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Raul Pacheco Ramirez 31 Long Beach, California Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Giovani Alejandro Briones 32 Victorville, California Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Alfredo Rodriguez-Gonzalez 27 Rosarito, Mexico Sentenced March 6, 2026, to 235 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl 23cr73 Evidence photo. ##


title: Second Spokane Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Running a Commercial Pill Press Operation in the Hillyard Area

body_text: Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice has sentenced Nicholas Adams, 37, of Spokane, Washington to a 20 year term of incarceration, to be followed by 10 years of court supervision upon his release stemming from his role in running a commercial pill press operation out of his residence in the Hillyard neighborhood of Spokane. According to court documents and information discussed during the sentencing hearing, Adams and his co-defendant Timothy Maddox obtained a commercial pill press via the mail from China and set up a ‘pill press operation’ in the basement of Adams’ residence, mixing powder fentanyl and cutting agents to make their own fentanyl pills for bulk distribution into the community. Search warrants were executed at multiple locations in November 2023 and yield a massive amount of fentanyl powder, cutting agents, pill press parts, and multiple firearms along with an operational commercial pill press (below). Given the extremely hazardous conditions and contamination of nearly every flat surface created by operating a pill lab, the Department of Ecology assisted in the execution of the search warrant at Adams’ residence. According to calculations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the amount of fentanyl powder Maddox and Adams had on hand to produce pills was easily enough to make over 2,000,000 fentanyl pills containing a lethal dose. Put another way, the amount of fentanyl powder they had on hand to make these illicit pills could kill the entire population of Spokane County almost 4 times over. In addition to their fentanyl pill production, Maddox and Adams possessed large quantities of methamphetamine, along with heroin, cocaine, MDMA, and marijuana. They each also armed with multiple loaded firearms in their respective residences, which included loaded (and chambered) handguns, loaded modified shotguns, and AK-type rifles. In Maddox’s residence, he also had a loaded (with a round chambered) firearm with a “Glock switch” making it a fully automatic machine gun, with a loaded large drum magazine as well as three sets of body armor. Notably, Adams engaged in this conduct after being repeatedly involved in the criminal justice system. Since 2012, he has repeatedly perpetrated acts of violence against others and then disregarded court orders attempting to keep his victims safe from him. His history also shows a dedication to his controlled substance abuse despite multiple court interventions. In fact, when he was arrested for this offense, he was initially released from custody to attend inpatient drug treatment. However, he continued to use drugs and was returned to custody. “Stopping the production and flow of fentanyl into our communities is one of the most challenging crises we face as law enforcement. This is a matter of importance as it will protect public health. This investigation and prosecution provide a tremendous example of the collaborative approach we take to fighting this serious and ever-increasing threat to our communities,” said First Assistant Serrano. “The volume of fentanyl that this investigation took of the street is truly staggering. I cannot overstate the impact our team made here, by identifying a repeat criminal who was manufacturing vast quantities of this deadly drug while heavily armed. Removing him for decades will protect this community in ways seen and unseen. We want the public to know that these threats exist and that our team is working tirelessly to combat them wherever and whenever they appear.” “This 20-year sentence advances DEA’s unwavering commitment to a Fentanyl Free America,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “By possessing massive amounts of fentanyl powder and operating a commercial pill press capable of producing more than two million potentially lethal fentanyl pills, the defendant was directly placing lives in Spokane County at risk. Fentanyl Free America is our nationwide effort to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain, reduce its availability, and save American lives through relentless enforcement, education, increased public awareness, and strong strategic partnerships. Together, we will continue working to Make America Fentanyl Free.” “HSI Seattle and its partners have removed a major public safety threat by securing decades long sentences for both defendants in one of Eastern Washington’s largest fentanyl pill manufacturing cases,” said HSI Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “With both Adams and his co-conspirator Maddox now behind bars, HSI has safeguarded the community and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the American people. By shutting down their makeshift lab in a residential community, HSI helped eliminate an operation capable of producing over two million deadly pills—saving countless lives and protecting families from harm.” “I am very pleased with news of the successful investigation, prosecution, and conviction of the people in this case.” Said Sheriff Nowels. “Those convicted clearly presented a danger to our entire region as they made the decision to flood our community with Fentanyl and other lethal drugs. This case highlights the importance of unwavering relationships and cooperation between local law enforcement and all our federal partners to bring justice and safety to Spokane and surrounding communities.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement & Narcotics (RAVEN) Task Force, and the Spokane Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard. 2:23-CR-00143-TOR-2


title: Lawton Man Sentenced to Nine years in Federal Prison for Gun Charge after Shots Fired during Domestic Dispute

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – STEVEN LYNN ENGLAND , 43, of Lawton, has been sentenced to serve 108 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, on June 6, 2025, officers with the Lawton Police Department responded to a home after receiving reports of shots fired. When officers arrived, they observed England in the front yard arguing with a woman and discovered several cartridge casings on the ground. After officers separated the two, the woman told law enforcement that England had been inside the residence during the altercation and then directed law enforcement to an area inside where she knew England kept a firearm. From that location, law enforcement recovered a pistol bearing no serial number that was loaded with ammunition matching the recovered casings. The pistol was fitted with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), which converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. England, who was found to be wearing an empty holster on his waistband, was detained. Upon execution of a search warrant at the residence, officers also located a sawed-off shotgun, ammunition, multiple large-capacity magazines, seven privately made silencers, various other gun parts, and a homemade explosive device. Public records further show that England was previously convicted of possession of a controlled dangerous substance in Comanche County District Court case number CF-2014-113. On October 17, 2025, England was charged by Information with being a felon in possession of firearms. He pleaded guilty on October 30, 2025, and admitted he possessed firearms despite having a previous felony conviction. At the sentencing hearing on March 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones, II, sentenced England to serve 108 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the seriousness of the offense as well as the need to deter further criminal conduct and to protect the public. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lawton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case. This case is part of “Operation 922,” “Shots Fired,” and “Project Switch Off,” which are all part of the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. Meanwhile, “Project Switch Off” targets illegal machinegun conversion devices to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Former IRS Employee Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud and Social Security Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employee has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for filing false tax returns in order to fraudulently obtain tax refunds and stealing Social Security benefits. Kathleen Mannion, 59, of Lawrence, was sentenced on March 4, 2026 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2025 , Mannion pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return and one count of theft of government money. Mannion was charged in March 2025. From 1998 to 2009, Mannion worked as an IRS contact representative in Andover, Mass. Between approximately July 2020 through April 2023, Mannion prepared and filed income tax returns for other individuals with the IRS. Even though Mannion prepared these returns on behalf of other individuals, she did not list herself as the tax return preparer. Instead, Mannion prepared the returns to appear as if the taxpayers prepared the returns on their own. Further, Mannion listed ineligible dependents on the tax returns, resulting in higher refund amounts for which the taxpayers did not qualify without the knowledge of the taxpayers. Mannion also filed forms with the IRS directing that a portion of the fraudulently obtained tax refunds be deposited in her personal bank accounts, which she then used for her personal benefit. Separately, between April and October 2020, Mannion applied for Social Security retirement, spouse and widow benefits with the Social Security Administration (SSA) via telephone for other individuals. Unbeknownst to these beneficiaries, Mannion directed SSA to deposit the Social Security benefits in her personal bank accounts, which she also used for her personal benefit. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: New Federal Prosecutor Targets Social Security, Other Government Frauds

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – The addition of a specially-funded prosecutor has resulted in the indictment of 14 people in the Eastern District of Missouri accused of defrauding the government out of $1 million via disability fraud, pandemic fraud and the theft of Social Security and other benefits. Those charged include a home health aide accused of stealing a client’s Social Security retirement and Veterans Administration benefits, the owner of a pest control business who has been accused of fraudulently receiving disability benefits and others who stole benefits being paid to people who died. “This new position is allowing us to expand our prosecutions of Social Security and other frauds and will mean that we can recover hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money in the short term alone,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “These programs are designed to aid those who desperately need the money, and fraud and abuse will not be tolerated.” “SSA OIG special agents work closely with prosecutors and our federal law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of Social Security fraud and hold offenders accountable,” said Michelle L. Anderson, SSA OIG, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant. “These cases demonstrate the value of dedicated resources focused on identifying fraud schemes and ensuring that those responsible face justice.” Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolene Taaffe’s position is being funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and is one of nearly two dozen new positions across the country, bringing the total to 47 in 43 offices. More hires are expected. On April 15, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum entitled Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits. That memorandum authorized the expansion of a longstanding partnership with the Justice Department in which attorneys are detailed to U.S. Attorney Offices throughout the country. SAUSAs typically receive investigative referrals from SSA Office of Inspector General special agents and work with the agents to develop the referrals into prosecutable cases. The memorandum has expanded SSA’s full-time fraud prosecution program to at least 50 U.S. Attorney Offices. It also requires SSA to “prioritize assigning new detailees to the 10 U.S. Attorney Offices whose jurisdictions encompass the largest known populations of illegal aliens, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.” The memorandum also established a new fraud-prosecutor program between the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “with regard to programs administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.” HHS provides direct funding for these positions, enabling dedicated prosecution of beneficiary fraud within CMS programs. March 5 was National “Slam the Scam” Day, meant to raise awareness of fraudsters who pretend to represent the SSA or other government agencies, and part of the Federal Trade Commission’s National Consumer Protection Week. More information on protecting yourself from imposter fraud is available at ssa.gov/scam/ . Information on how to avoid, report and recover from scams is available at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ . Please help investigators, and other scam victims, by reporting Social Security-related scams to oig.ssa.gov or 1-800-269-0271. Report other scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov . Charges set forth in indictments are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The cases were investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.


title: Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Alfred Leslie Pittman, 37, of Harper Heights, was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. A federal jury found Pittman guilty on May 5, 2025, following a one-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that on April 26, 2023, Pittman was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Beckley Police Department officers in Beckley. During the traffic stop, officers found that Pittman possessed a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol with a chambered round and an extended magazine containing 32 rounds in the vehicle. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Pittman knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for robbery in the first degree in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 2, 2015. Pittman’s criminal history also includes prior convictions for conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, domestic battery, and unlawful assault. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-169. ###


title: Venezuelan Nationals Charged with "Jackpotting" Scheme to Steal Cash from Bank ATMs

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal Grand Jury has charged ENDER ENRIQUE MUNOZ PEREZ , 30, and ANGEL RAPHAEL MEDINA-TAGUARIPANO , 24, both Venezuelan nationals, with conspiracy to commit bank theft and bank theft, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to court records, between January 19 and January 20, 2026, Perez, Medina-Taguaripano, and other coconspirators traveled to multiple Arvest Bank ATM locations in Chickasha, Moore, and Norman, Oklahoma. Court records allege that once at the banks, the coconspirators “jackpotted” the machines by gaining access to the ATMs’ computer systems and installing malware. It is alleged that the malware gave the defendants control of the ATMs, allowing them to command the machines to dispense cash. Through the jackpotting scheme, the defendants allegedly stole approximately $235,500 from the various ATMs. On March 3, 2026, a federal Grand Jury returned a three-count indictment against Perez and Medina-Taguaripano, charging them with conspiracy to commit bank theft and two counts of bank theft. If found guilty, the defendants face up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy and up to ten years in federal prison for bank theft, and fines of up to $250,000 for each count. The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle London is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: United States Attorney David Waterman Announces Southern District of Iowa Senior Leadership Team

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – U.S. Attorney David Waterman has announced appointment of the senior leadership team for the Southern District of Iowa: Andrew Kahl, First Assistant U.S. Attorney. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Kahl to continue his service as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, a role he has held since 2022. Kahl joined the Department of Justice 35 years ago and has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 1997. He has previously served as Criminal Chief, Appellate Chief, Senior Litigation Counsel, and as the district’s Professional Responsibility Officer. Kahl is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, where he serves on the Federal Practice Committee. Kahl is a graduate of New York University School of Law. Andrea Glasgow, Criminal Chief . U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Glasgow to serve as the Criminal Chief. Glasgow also continues in her role as the supervisor and Branch Chief of the Davenport Office, a role in which she has served since 2024. Glasgow has 12 years of prosecution experience in both federal and state courts. Glasgow has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2018. Glasgow has successfully led investigations and prosecutions into a broad range of federal offenses including drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and child exploitation. She has a recognized specialty in prosecuting overdose cases, including meaningfully contributing to the Southern District of Iowa’s rank as second in the nation in overdose-related drug-trafficking prosecutions. Glasgow is a graduate of Marquette University Law School. Amy Jennings, Deputy Criminal Chief. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Jennings to continue her service as Deputy Criminal Chief, a role she has held since 2023. Jennings has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2011. She has led successful investigations and prosecutions into a wide variety of federal crimes, including drug trafficking, firearms offenses, child exploitation, and sex trafficking. Jennings is a leading expert in federal prosecutions of sex trafficking, and significant contributor to the Southern District of Iowa’s rank within the top five districts nationally for human-trafficking enforcement. Jennings is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law. Adam Kerndt, Deputy Criminal Chief. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Kerndt as Deputy Criminal Chief. Kerndt has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2012. Kerndt has led successful investigations and prosecutions into an extensive range of federal crimes, including child exploitation, financial fraud, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses. Kerndt also has substantial experience in threat, terrorism, and national security matters, serving as the district’s National Security and Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council coordinator since 2021. Kerndt is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law. Jason Griess, Branch Chief of Council Bluffs Office. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Griess to continue his service as Branch Chief of the Council Bluffs Office, a role in which he has served since 2023. Griess has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2000. Prior to serving as Branch Chief of the Council Bluffs Office, Griess served as Deputy Criminal Chief and Criminal Chief. Griess is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law. Kyle Hanson, Appellate Chief . U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Hanson to serve as the Appellate Chief. Hanson joined DOJ in 2023, following his more than 15-year career with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Hanson has handled more than 600 appeals in the Iowa Court of Appeals, Iowa Supreme Court, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Supreme Court. Hanson is a graduate of Drake University Law School. Richard Westphal, Senior Litigation Counsel. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Westphal to serve as Senior Litigation Counsel. Westphal joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1997 and has previously served as Branch Chief of the Davenport Office, Criminal Chief, and U.S. Attorney. Westphal has extensive litigation experience and will serve as a district-wide resource and mentor on litigation matters, including pre- and post-conviction motions, contested hearings, and trials. Westphal is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law. Deb Harvey, Administrative Officer. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Harvey to continue her service as Administrative Officer, a role in which she has served since 2012 when she joined DOJ after a thirty-year career with the Army, both in uniform and as an Army contractor. She has extensive experience in the logistics management field and served as a resource manager for several Department of Defense components. Harvey previously served on the EARS audit team and routinely mentors other Administrative Officers. Harvey is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in psychology. Madison Lancaster, Supervisory Paralegal. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Lancaster to continue her service as Supervisory Paralegal, a role in which she has served since 2024. Lancaster has 17 years of federal service, including seven years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, following her service with the U.S. Probation Office and the U.S. District Court. Lancaster holds her master’s in criminal justice from Simpson College. Charlotte Kovacs, Victim Witness Coordinator Supervisor. U.S. Attorney Waterman appointed Kovacs to continue her service as Victim Witness Coordinator Supervisor, a role she has held since 2019. Kovacs is also a Victim Advocate for the Department of Justice Sexual Misconduct Response Unit. Kovacs has 26 years of victim-centered service in a wide variety of cases, with a specialty in providing victim services in human trafficking and death cases. Kovacs excels at establishing rapport with victims, building trust, and connecting them to resources to aid in a successful prosecution and minimize re-victimization by the system. She is driven by a deep passion for empowering victims while ensuring their voices are heard in the criminal justice system. Kovacs is a graduate of Buena Vista University with a degree in sociology and criminal justice with an emphasis in psychology and human services.


title: Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Receipt, Distribution, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

body_text: AKRON, Ohio – A 35-year-old repeat sex offender has been sentenced to prison for downloading and uploading images and videos of the sexual abuse of children to a social media platform. Daniel Nutt, of Brewster, Ohio, has been sentenced to 122 months in prison by U.S. District Chief Judge Sara Lioi, after pleading guilty in December 2025 to Receipt and Distribution of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Possession of Child Pornography or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay a $6,000 assessment toward the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act, which was established in 2018 to provide monetary assistance for victims of child sexual abuse. Judge Lioi imposed the sentence on March 3. After imprisonment, Nutt will be required to register as a sex offender and undergo behavioral and psychological treatment. Court documents show that in August 2024, federal agents began to investigate CSAM uploads to, and downloads from, a social media platform. The investigation led them to identify Nutt, and they learned that he was downloading CSAM while he was on the job at a car dealership. In December 2024, agents executed a search warrant and seized his cellphone and discovered more than 230 CSAM images, including images of a prepubescent minor under the age of 12. Investigators also learned that Nutt had been previously convicted of Illegal Use of a Minor in a Nudity Oriented Material and sentenced to seven years imprisonment with the Ohio Department of Corrections. This investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Canton Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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, visit justice.gov/PSC . To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org , or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: Knox County Man Sentenced for   Making False Declarations in Bankruptcy Proceeding

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Barboursville, Ky., man, Ray Dean, 58, was sentenced on Friday, to 5 months in prison and 5 months home detention, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for making false declarations in a bankruptcy proceeding. According to his plea agreement, on April 13, 2021, Dean filed an application, as “Ray Dean jr”, for funds under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which the federal government administered to give economic relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The Small Business Administration (SBA) approved the application for $200,000. Before receiving the funds, Dean electronically signed a Loan Authorization and Agreement in which he agreed that he would use the proceeds of the loan solely as working capital for his business to alleviate economic injury. After receiving the $200,000 loan, he withdrew the money, deposited it into a bank account associated with a church of which he was the pastor. Subsequently, Dean used $92,000 of the funds to purchase mobile homes. On June 20, 2024, Dean filed a petition for bankruptcy and stated that his only liability was the $200,000 EIDL. As part of the bankruptcy filing, Dean was required to disclose any checking, savings, or other financial accounts. Dean only disclosed two accounts with a combined balance of $105 and fraudulently concealed his interest in the mobile homes and the bank account, which still had over $100,000 worth of EIDL proceeds. Under federal law, Dean must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years. Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Lesley Allison, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Field Division, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by USPIS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Boone prosecuted the sentencing on behalf of the United States. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . – END –


title: Former San Diego Securities Attorney Sentenced for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Former Securities lawyer Robert Blair Krueger, Jr., was sentenced in federal court today to 12 months and one day in prison for evading his personal taxes. U.S. District Judge James Simmons Jr. also ordered Krueger to pay $357,666.41 in restitution to the IRS. According to court filings and statements made in court, from 2017 to 2019, Krueger, Jr., 63, was the sole owner of The Krueger Group LLP, a firm that specialized in providing legal services to companies seeking to become publicly traded. During that time, Krueger regularly received payments for legal services he provided to clients. In 2017, Krueger received more than $167,000 for payment of legal services. After providing his return preparer with false information about his law firm’s profits, however, he reported only $10,000 in receipts on his 2017 tax return. In 2018 and 2019, Krueger willfully failed to file a tax return with the IRS, even though he earned income during those years and was required to do so. In total, Krueger caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $130,000. Krueger pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion on October 23, 2025. Trial Attorneys Megan E. Wessel and Robert A. Kemins of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case. DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-02141 Robert Blair Krueger, Jr Age: 63 Las Vegas, NV SUMMARY OF CHARGES Attempt to Evade or Defeat Tax – Title 26, U.S.C., Section §7201 Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY IRS Criminal Investigation


title: Violent Wake County Felon Gets 15 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Bank Robbery

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Christopher Antonio Gilmore, 34, to 15 years in prison for committing an armed bank robbery. According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, Gilmore entered a First Citizen’s Bank in Raleigh wearing sunglasses and a mask and armed with a loaded gun. Gilmore fired a bullet when he entered the bank. The bullet struck a cabinet just outside of the bank manager’s office. The manager sat in the office but, by the grace of God, the cabinet stopped the bullet before it hit her. Gilmore pointed the gun at two bank tellers and ordered them to fill his backpack with money. The tellers put over $20,000 in the backpack along with a GPS tracker. Gilmore then forced the tellers to lay down behind the teller counter, yelling, “Everybody get in the back! Heads down or I’ll start shooting again!” He then waved the gun at the manager ordering her to leave her office and join the tellers on the floor. Gilmore did not know there was another employee hid in the breakroom. That employee called 911. Gilmore fled, but Officers with Raleigh Police Department (RPD) found Gilmore within minutes of the robbery at a nearby tire shop. When they arrested Gilmore, the officers found the gun used during the robbery, which he had stolen, the backpack filled with cash, and a high-capacity magazine for the gun. Gilmore is a convicted felon whose criminal history spans a decade, including convictions for the following, 2015 attempted identity theft; 2019 breaking and entering and larceny; and 2023 assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, discharging a weapon into an occupied property, and possession of a firearm by a felon. “This repeat thug should finally learn his lesson.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Thank God he didn’t kill any of these citizens, though he recklessly tried. We will continue to prosecute and remove vicious threats like this to allow our good citizens to live without fear.” "The violent nature of Mr. Gilmore's actions are reprehensible. To barge into a bank where people are conducting business or accessing their own hard-earned money and endanger their lives is ruthless, reckless, and justifies a long federal prison sentence, said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Aubart and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Dixon, and Jaren Kelly prosecuted the case. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI’s Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force and Raleigh Police Department. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-00121-FL.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 126 Border-Related Cases This Week

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 126 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On February 27, Ulises Gallardo, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, when the defendant applied for entry into the U.S. in his vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the vehicle and discovered a human foot sticking out of the gas tank. The officers removed the rear passenger seats and carpet and found an access panel in the metal flooring of the vehicle, secured by what appeared to be weld marks. An officer began to pry open the access panel and found a woman lying in a puddle of gasoline in a non-factory gas tank compartment. She seemed to be in distress, unable to exit the compartment. She was disoriented and had what appeared to be chemical burns on her legs and feet. The woman, a citizen of Mexico without legal documents to enter the U.S., was treated at a hospital. She later told officers she was in the gas tank for about 90 minutes, covered in sweat and soaked in gasoline and unable to breathe. She said she felt very dizzy from the gas fumes and felt like she was burning alive but couldn’t get out because she was trapped inside the gas tank. On February 27, Jose Angel Vidal Ayala, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents intercepted Vidal north of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in a group of undocumented immigrants. He was previously deported to Mexico through Calexico. On March 3, Benny Jesus Niz Ledezma, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered seven packages containing 19 pounds of cocaine concealed in a non-factory compartment behind the radio of the vehicle when he applied for entry into the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Marion County man charged with assaulting mail carrier in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: MARSHALL, Texas – A Jefferson man has been arrested in connection with the alleged assault of a mail carrier in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Alton Ray Jackson, 43, was arrested pursuant to a federal complaint charging him with assault of a federal employee. Jackson was brought before U.S. Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne on March 6, 2026, for an initial appearance. Jackson faces up to eight years in federal prison if convicted. 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, to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Jefferson Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Farahnak and Whitney Tharpe. A federal complaint is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Previously Convicted Man Is Handed 8 Years in Prison for March 2025 Shooting Near D.C. Fire Station

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Davone Smith, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges stemming from a shooting in Southeast in March 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Smith pleaded guilty on December 12, 2025, to one count each of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. On March 3 rd , Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean sentenced the defendant to serve eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Smith was previously convicted and served a lengthy prison sentence for firearm and robbery charges stemming from an armed robbery in September 2009. He was released from prison in November 2024, appropriately four months prior to this offense, and was on supervised release at the time he committed this offense. According to the government’s evidence, on March 11, 2025, a gunshot victim walked into D.C. Fire Emergency and Medical Services Engine 33 located at 101 Atlantic Street, SE. The victim was transported to a local area hospital for treatment, for injuries to his right shoulder. The victim was uncooperative and would not provide the exact location where he was shot. The victim’s wife arrived at the scene a short time later and stated that she was in their apartment when she heard people yelling for her, letting her know that her husband had been shot. She then transported the victim to the firehouse. Officers were able to review surveillance cameras as they canvased the area and located the crime scene which showed a blood trail along the sidewalk of 20 Mississippi Avenue SE. Smith was identified through CCTV footage at the offense location which captured his face following the shooting. Smith was arrested on April 13, 2025, and he has remained in custody since. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll thanked those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Cook, who prosecuted the case. 2025 CF3 004115