title: Gary Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: HAMMOND- Mark A. Lyons, 32 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Lyons was sentenced to 156 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, postal inspectors executed a search warrant on Lyons’ residence on October 4, 2024, after linking Lyons to several suspicious packages being sent from the Gary, Indiana Post Office. During the search, law enforcement recovered over 11,451 grams of methamphetamine, multiple pill presses and other tools to manufacture counterfeit pills, and a firearm. Lyons has multiple felony convictions, including a prior conviction for trafficking in controlled substances, a burglary, and a carrying a handgun without a license. “This repeat felon possessed over 25 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute that poison in our community. The Northern District of Indiana is safer because of the thorough work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police, and the Lake Ridge Fire Department. He will serve thirteen years in prison for his crimes,” Mildred said. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, and the Lake Ridge Fire Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ambris Saravanan and former Assistant United States Attorney Joel L. Mathur.


title: LaPorte Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Edwardo Trevino, 43 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after a jury convicted him of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Trevino was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, Trevino sold methamphetamine to another person. On another occasion, Trevino was the front seat passenger in a car that was pulled over by police. Officers located a backpack on the front passenger seat floorboard containing methamphetamine, clear plastic baggies used for packaging and distributing drugs, a wallet with Trevino’s ID card, and a loaded pistol. Trevino’s criminal history includes a felony conviction for residential entry, and he is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. “This case is an example of how collaboration between state, local, and federal law enforcement can achieve the most effective available response to drug and gun offenses. We thank LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney Sean Fagan and his office, along with the agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Michigan City Police Department, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division, for partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help make Hoosiers safer to live, work, and raise their families. Due to their efforts, a repeat felon who was intending to poison our community with methamphetamine while armed with a handgun will serve 8 years followed by three years of community supervision,” said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. “The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those who choose drug trafficking, violent crime, and the poisoning of Hoosiers over civility and decency. There is no room in northern Indiana for the cruelty and evilness of drug traffickers. Mr. Trevino will be out of society for a long time, and we will be a safer and healthier northern Indiana because of it,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Michigan City Police Department, the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Joel Gabrielse. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Poughkeepsie Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Selling Guns, Fentanyl, And Crack Cocaine

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that Joseph Crocco was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison for dealing guns, fentanyl, and crack in Poughkeepsie, New York, while on federal supervised release. In June 2025, the defendant was convicted following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel, who imposed yesterday’s sentence. “Joseph Crocco sold deadly drugs and loaded guns to New Yorkers, understanding that they would be used to violent and poisonous ends,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New York families want repeat offenders, particularly those who deal in fentanyl and guns, off the streets. This sentence delivers that.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, the evidence at trial, court filings, and statements made in court: Between June and July 2024, CROCCO sold narcotics and firearms from his residence in Poughkeepsie, New York, to an undercover New York State Police officer. During a series of controlled purchases made at CROCCO’s home, CROCCO sold fentanyl, crack, cocaine, and cutting agents such as xylazine, also known as “tranq.” CROCCO also sold two loaded semi-automatic handguns and boxes of ammunition to the undercover officer as part of one of the drug deals. Firearms, Ammunition, and a Portion of the Drugs Sold by CROCCO On July 24, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at CROCCO’s residence and recovered additional narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition. CROCCO had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses that made it illegal for him to possess a firearm, including voluntary manslaughter. At the time he committed these offenses, CROCCO was on supervised release following a prior federal bank robbery conviction. * * * In addition to the prison term, CROCCO, 49, of Poughkeepsie, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit all of the firearms and ammunition involved in the offense. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New York State Police, and the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levander, Reyhan Watson, and Benjamin Klein are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Samantha Olsen.


title: Ohio Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl-laced Drugs that Resulted in Fatality

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CLEVELAND – A 34-year-old Lorain County man has been indicted on drug trafficking charges that resulted in one person’s overdose. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Roderick Cross, Jr., AKA Chubb, of Elyria, Ohio, with the following: Distribution of Cocaine Base (Crack) Distribution of Cocaine and Fentanyl Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Possession with Intent to Distribute Para-fluorofentanyl Felon in Possession of a Firearm; prior convictions include Attempted Murder and Felonious Assault in 2010; Robbery in 2018; and Drug Trafficking and Drug Possession in 2025. According to the allegations, on March 15, 2025, Cross intentionally distributed several controlled substances to a person, J.K., who then fatally overdosed. The victim was found to have ingested cocaine and fentanyl which investigators connected to the defendant. During search warrant executions at two locations suspected of being connected with Cross, agents seized firearms, fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. The investigation in this case is being conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and the Elyria Police Department-Narcotics Unit, with the assistance of the FBI’s Lorain/Elyria Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth M. Crook and Stephanie A. Wojtasik for the Northern District of Ohio are leading the prosecution. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in federal prison. The sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations. Cross faces enhanced sentencing penalties as a result of the victim’s death resulting from illegal drug distribution and for prior serious felony convictions. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Justice Department Files Case to Revoke U.S. Citizenship of Mastermind Behind Multimillion-Dollar Tax Fraud Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it has filed and served a civil denaturalization complaint in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Maryland, against Emmanuel Oluwatosin Kazeem, a native of Nigeria who organized a vast conspiracy to steal identities and file fraudulent tax returns. In 2017, he was convicted of 19 counts of mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and sentenced to 15 years in prison. But in 2024, then-President Biden commuted his sentence after only six years. “The Trump Administration will not permit wrongdoers to retain the U.S. citizenship that they were never entitled to in the first place,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “U.S. Citizenship is a privilege, and we will continue to ask courts to revoke a status that was obtained through fraud and deceit.” The newly filed denaturalization complaint alleges that Kazeem’s fraud scheme, which he committed in the years before and after his naturalization, along with his concealment of his crimes, precluded him from obtaining his naturalization lawfully. The complaint also alleges that Kazeem had, prior to his fraud scheme, engaged in a sham marriage to obtain permanent resident status and then married a second woman, further disqualifying him from naturalization. According to court documents and evidence presented at Kazeem’s criminal trial, in May 2013, a victim in Medford, Oregon, notified the IRS that false federal and Oregon state tax returns were filed electronically using her and her husband’s personal identifying information (PII) including social security numbers and dates of birth. An IRS investigation led to search warrants of residences in Illinois, Maryland, and Georgia and to numerous email and instant messenger accounts used by Kazeem and other co-conspirators. At a Chicago residence, agents seized approximately 150 prepaid debit cards and $50,000 in money orders. In Maryland and Georgia, agents seized more than 50 electronic devices, 40 money orders in amounts exceeding $29,000, $14,000 in cash and numerous prepaid debit cards containing over $12,000 in fraudulent tax refunds. The search warrants helped agents identify Kazeem as the leader and mastermind of the scheme. The scheme resulted in the conspirators possessing stolen PII of more than 259,000 victims. Kazeem purchased more than 91,000 identities from a Vietnamese hacker that originated from an Oregon company’s private database. The company provided pre-employment and volunteer background checks for thousands of clients. Kazeem divided the identities into batches and shared them with other co-conspirators. They were in turn used to file fraudulent tax returns between 2012 and 2015. In carrying out the scheme, Kazeem trained and directed his co-conspirators including his younger brother, Michael Oluwasegun Kazeem, to use stolen PII to obtain thousands of electronic filing PINs to bypass IRS authentication procedures. They acquired over 19,500 E-File PINS during the course of the conspiracy. Kazeem also used taxpayers’ PII to gain unauthorized access into many taxpayers’ IRS transcripts, which contain sensitive personal financial information. Conspirators also used pre-paid debit cards with the victims’ stolen identities to receive direct electronic tax refund deposits from the IRS. In total, Kazeem was linked to 10,139 fraudulent federal tax returns attempting to get over $91 million dollars in refunds and successfully receiving over $11.6 million dollars. Refunds were withdrawn from the debit cards and at least 2,000 wire transfers totaling over $2.1 million dollars were sent to Nigeria. Over 700 of those wire transfers, totaling more than $690,000, were directly linked to Kazeem. Kazeem used the conspiracy windfall to place a nearly $200,000 down payment on a newly constructed house and to purchase a $175,000 townhouse, both in Maryland. His average monthly credit card payment during 2012 to 2015 was over $8,300. Kazeem also attempted to use his ill-gotten funds to develop a $6 million dollar, 4-star hotel in Lagos, Nigeria. In May 2015, Kazeem transferred the townhouse to his sister in Nigeria for $10 and included her on the deed to his Maryland residence, also for $10. He was arrested one day later. On June 20, 2018, Kazeem was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $12 million in restitution. However, on Dec. 12, 2024, then-President Joe Biden commuted Kazeem’s sentence, along with nearly 1,500 others who had been serving under house arrest following their release from prison due to conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Kazeem’s criminal conviction resulted from a joint investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the FBI. Investigative support was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the U.S. Department of State; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (DHS HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Kazeem’s criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron Chatfield and Gavin Bruce for the District of Oregon. Kazeem’s denaturalization case was investigated by DHS HSI and will be litigated by the Affirmative Litigation Unit of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation.


title: Harrison County Man Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl, Methamphetamine

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg, West Virginia man has admitted to working with others to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Matthew Ryan Lester, 33, pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm charges. According to court records, Lester admitted to conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 40 grams of fentanyl as well as possession of firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. Investigators recovered 900 grams of methamphetamine, 240 grams of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and more than $8,000 in cash during searches of his home and vehicle. Lester is facing at least 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug count and faces at least 5 years for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Philippi Police Department investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided. Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.


title: Honduran National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Associated Fraud Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – Cristian Daniel Diaz-Garcia (age 27), an illegal alien from Honduras, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to three years and two months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Diaz-Garcia was an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On August 17, 2021, Diaz-Garcia applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system. After getting fired in 2022, Diaz-Garcia purchased additional means of identification of a different U.S. citizen, without that citizen’s knowledge. On February 1, 2023, Diaz-Garcia again applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as this other United States citizen and used that person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III, and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

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

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Juan De La Cruz Mejia Castro, 33, of El Salvador, was sentenced to ten months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully in the United States. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This dangerous illegal alien is precisely the kind of violent criminal that Operation Take Back America was launched to target and remove from our communities. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have devoted the full might of the Department of Justice toward keeping our citizens safe from the perpetrators of violent crime, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to give the residents of the Northern District of Florida the safe streets they deserve.” Court documents reflect that law enforcement responded to a report of shots fired, and upon making contact with the defendant he admitted to drinking alcohol in his truck before firing two rounds from a 9-millimeter pistol around 10:30 p.m. Deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office found two spent shell casings at the scene, as well as a small amount of marijuana possessed by the defendant. “The illegal possession of firearms by those unlawfully present in the United States poses a direct threat to the safety of our communities and the rule of law,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue and prosecute anyone who endangers public safety. Those who violate our nation’s immigration and gun laws will face swift and decisive consequences.” The case was investigated by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Brooke DiSalvo prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Panama City Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm Found After Overheard on Jail Call

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Kendrick Parham, 47, of Panama City, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping dangerous, violent felons off our streets is the prime objective of Operation Take Back America , and this successful prosecution delivers on that promise. Our community will be safer and healthier now that this drug-peddling, violent criminal will be locked away in prison rather than roaming our streets.” Court documents reflect that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives assisted the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Panama City, during which five ounces of methamphetamine were discovered, and he was arrested on state charges. While in jail, the defendant – a four-time convicted felon legally prohibited from possessing firearms – made incriminating statements during a monitored phone call about the presence of a firearm in his residence that was not previously found by officers during the search. After obtaining a new search warrant based on those incriminating statements, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office conducted another search of the defendant’s residence and recovered the firearm. The defendant faces imprisonment for up to 15 years at sentencing. The case involved an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. Sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Two Gainesville Felons Indicted for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm & Ammunition

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Reginald Duante Davis, 35, and Kelvin Quentin Scott Wright, 32, of Gainesville, Florida, have each been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm and ammunition by convicted felons. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge. Davis appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Wright appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for April 8, 2026, at 8:30 am before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida. Davis and Wright each face up to 15 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The case is being jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Anchorage Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Million-Dollar Health Care Fraud and Tax Evasion

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Anchorage doctor was sentenced yesterday to six and a half years in prison and three years of supervised release for executing a $12.5 million health care fraud scheme and evading over $4 million in taxes on the profits of that 15-year scheme. Her husband and co-defendant was sentenced to three years of probation, with two years to be served in home confinement. According to court documents and statements made in court, Dr. Claribel Tan, 61, and her husband, Daniel Tan, 70, operated a rheumatology medical clinic in Anchorage starting in 2005. Claribel Tan specialized in the treatment of autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis, and she prescribed injectable medications to treat those conditions. Although these conditions are often chronic, degenerative and irreversible, certain medicines can slow down or arrest their progression. Daniel Tan assisted as an officer manager at the clinic. Beginning in 2009 and continuing through 2024, the Tans deceived patients about the medications Claribel Tan administered through injections and then fraudulently billed health insurance plans for reimbursement of medications that the Tans did not purchase. Claribel Tan routinely and surreptitiously injected patients with free samples, expired medications and medications other than those prescribed. The Tans then knowingly billed insurance plans as if she had provided a proper injection to each patient. Specifically, the Tans claimed to have administered 4,829 units of the medications to patients, and billed the insurance plans for that amount, despite only purchasing 369 units of medication. Daniel Tan helped execute the scheme by ordering insufficient medication for the clinic and creating and submitting fraudulent insurance claims. The Tans also made false statements about the length of Claribel Tan’s office visits with her patients and submitted fraudulent claims to insurance plans for services she never provided. In addition to creating significant health risks for the patients, the Tans’ fraud scheme caused a loss of over $12.5 to more than 10 insurance plans. The Tans also filed false tax returns to conceal their fraud. Knowing full well the clinic had not purchased the quantity of medications for which they billed insurance plans, they fraudulently overstated the clinic’s expenses on its tax returns for 2014, 2015 and 2017, which allowed them to underreport the clinic’s total income during those years. And from 2018 to 2021, the Tans willfully failed to file tax returns for the clinic. The Tans’ tax fraud scheme caused a total loss to the IRS of more than $4.2 million. In July 2019, federal law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the clinic, which uncovered stockpiles of expired medications prescribed to patients for at-home use, free samples clearly marked as not-for-sale and improperly stored and reconstituted syringes of medications. Some of the expired medications, pictured below, were improperly intermingled with other medication stored at the clinic. Stockpiled Medications Following the search warrant, the Tans temporarily began purchasing the medications for which they billed insurance companies. In 2021, however, they reverted to their fraudulent billing practices and once again failed to actually purchase the medications they claimed to administer. They persisted in the scheme until they were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. In November 2025, the Tans both pleaded guilty in the District of Alaska to one count of health care fraud and one count of tax evasion. In 2024 and 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seized approximately $10.4 million in health care fraud proceeds from the Tans. As part of their plea agreements, the Tans agreed to forfeit the seized funds to the U.S. The Tans also submitted a $6.3 million payment towards their future restitution judgment. A district judge will schedule a separate hearing to determine restitution. The Tans also paid approximately $1.8 million to the United States to settle civil claims under the False Claims Act arising from the health care fraud scheme. Claribel Tan also has surrendered her medical license. More information about the case is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/united-states-v-tan-et-al . Victims who believe they may be entitled to restitution can email usaak.victim.witness@usdoj.gov for more information. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska made the announcement. Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division, Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General, and State of Alaska Division of Insurance Investigation Unit investigated the case. Trial Attorney Dominick Giovanniello of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Beausang of the District of Alaska prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Traini of the District of Alaska led the civil fraud investigation.


title: Maryland and Alabama Men Sentenced to a Combined 64 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: A Maryland man was sentenced yesterday to 40 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for his involvement with a website dedicated to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Sean Edward Young, 47, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and to distribute child pornography on Sept. 24, 2025. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Young was a high-ranking member of a website dedicated to CSAM and discussions of child sexual abuse. He advertised and distributed CSAM on this website, counseled other users on how to avoid law enforcement, and bragged about having sexually abused children in the past. Young’s sentencing follows the earlier sentencing of co-defendant and co-conspirator Jacob Parker, 49, of Auburn, Alabama. On Jan. 15 Parker was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison, having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography. According to court documents, Parker, like Young, was a high-level moderator of the same website and spent time and effort managing it and sharing CSAM with fellow users. “Sean Young and Jacob Parker were part of an online community of offenders who came together to share, discuss, and celebrate depictions of child sexual abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Both made every effort to use technology to hide from law enforcement, but they could not. People who prey on our children will pay a heavy price by losing their liberty with the imposition of significant incarcerative sentences like these.” “The exploitation of children through the distribution of child sexual abuse material is a disturbing crime that causes lasting harm to its victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “Those who participate in online networks that advertise and distribute this material will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable. Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect children and bring offenders to justice.” “It is unconscionable for someone to advertise and brag about sexually abusing children,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We must bring depraved people like Young and his co-conspirators to justice and ensure that they lose their freedom for a very long time. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland will always stand ready to assist our partners to ensure that all predators are met with the full force of the law.” “Child predators victimize the most vulnerable and innocent members of our society, their families, and their communities,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Young’s role as a high-ranking member of a website dedicated to CSAM and his purposeful actions to conceal his activities and advise others how to avoid law enforcement makes him amongst the worst offenders. Now he will serve time for what he has done. Along with The Department of Justice and our federal, state, and local partners, the FBI is fully committed to identifying individuals who exploit children and bringing them to justice as quickly as possible.” The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case along with the FBI’s Auburn Resident Agency and Baltimore field office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Cyber Division and the Auburn Police Department. Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara S. Ratz and J. Patrick Lamb of the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan McKoy of the District of Maryland provided valuable assistance. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: South Carolina woman sentenced to prison for multi-state unemployment insurance fraud

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: AUGUSTA, Georgia: A South Carolina woman was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay substantial restitution for her role in a multi-state scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits. Ricki Johnson , 42, of Trenton, South Carolina, was sentenced to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to Mail Fraud, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Johnson to pay restitution and criminal forfeiture of $104,632 and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Relaxed rules during the pandemic era made it easier for individuals to access many government-provided services, but unfortunately it opened the floodgates for scammers who took advantage of the system to enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “This case, and many others like it, demonstrate that federal investigators and prosecutors will identify these criminals and hold them accountable.” In March 2020, Congress authorized additional funding and expanded eligibility for state-administered unemployment insurance programs as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In an effort to maintain the integrity of those benefits, the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor (OIG-DOL) investigates individuals attempting to fraudulently access unemployment insurance funds. As described in court documents and testimony, over a two-year period Johnson electronically submitted false unemployment insurance benefit applications to approximately 18 states. Seven of those states (Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Mississippi, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania) paid out approximately $104,632 in benefits to her. Some of the benefits were in the form of a debit card sent to Johnson through the U.S. Mail. Johnson and her mother, Cheryl Galloway , 66, of Yulee, Florida, subsequently were named in a seven-count indictment in the Southern District of Georgia in May 2025, alleging their participation in a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits in multiple states. Galloway, who is charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and three counts of Mail Fraud, awaits further court proceedings. She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Her son and Johnson’s brother, identified in court as the late Nick Morrison, was listed as an unnamed co-conspirator in the indictment. “Ricki Johnson and her co-conspirators stole from American taxpayers – filing fraudulent unemployment claims across multiple states and abusing programs meant to help workers in need,” said Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “At the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, we are relentless in pursuing fraud. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance system and ensuring criminals who exploit it are held accountable.” Anyone with information about attempted unemployment insurance benefits fraud can contact OIG-DOL at www.oig.dol.gov/hotline.htm . The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III.


body_text: Montgomery, Ala. – A Maryland man was sentenced yesterday to 40 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for his involvement with a website dedicated to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Sean Edward Young, 47, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and to distribute child pornography on Sept. 24, 2025. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Young was a high-ranking member of a website dedicated to CSAM and discussions of child sexual abuse. He advertised and distributed CSAM on this website, counseled other users on how to avoid law enforcement, and bragged about having sexually abused children in the past. Young’s sentencing follows the earlier sentencing of co-defendant and co-conspirator Jacob Parker, 49, of Auburn, Alabama. On Jan. 15 Parker was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison, having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography. According to court documents, Parker, like Young, was a high-level moderator of the same website and spent time and effort managing it and sharing CSAM with fellow users. “Sean Young and Jacob Parker were part of an online community of offenders who came together to share, discuss, and celebrate depictions of child sexual abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Both made every effort to use technology to hide from law enforcement, but they could not. People who prey on our children will pay a heavy price by losing their liberty with the imposition of significant incarcerative sentences like these.” “The exploitation of children through the distribution of child sexual abuse material is a disturbing crime that causes lasting harm to its victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “Those who participate in online networks that advertise and distribute this material will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable. Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect children and bring offenders to justice.” “It is unconscionable for someone to advertise and brag about sexually abusing children,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We must bring depraved people like Young and his co-conspirators to justice and ensure that they lose their freedom for a very long time. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland will always stand ready to assist our partners to ensure that all predators are met with the full force of the law.” “Child predators victimize the most vulnerable and innocent members of our society, their families, and their communities,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Young’s role as a high-ranking member of a website dedicated to CSAM and his purposeful actions to conceal his activities and advise others how to avoid law enforcement makes him amongst the worst offenders. Now he will serve time for what he has done. Along with The Department of Justice and our federal, state, and local partners, the FBI is fully committed to identifying individuals who exploit children and bringing them to justice as quickly as possible.” The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case along with the FBI’s Auburn Resident Agency and Baltimore field office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Cyber Division and the Auburn Police Department. Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara S. Ratz and J. Patrick Lamb of the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan McKoy of the District of Maryland provided valuable assistance. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Cambridge Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Multiple Women

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Cambridge man has been indicted for trafficking four women and attempting to traffic a fifth victim. One victim was a minor when she was first trafficked. Daniel Rodriguez, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sex trafficking of a minor, four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, one count of attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. Rodriguez is currently held in state custody and will be arraigned in federal court in the coming weeks. According to the indictment, Rodriguez allegedly forced four separate women, one of them beginning when she was a minor, to engage in commercial sex from 2018 until as recently as January 2026. Rodriguez also allegedly attempted to force a fifth victim to engage in commercial sex on his behalf in 2017. According to previously filed documents, Rodriguez’s trafficking enterprise involved travel to Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine. According to publicly filed documents, Rodriguez was arrested on state charges in January 2026 after leading the police on a high-speed chase in Randolph, MA, ultimately crashing the car with one of his victims in it. Rodriguez is alleged to have used multiple tactics to force his victims to engage in commercial sex on his behalf, including but not limited to physical violence, stalking and fraud. The charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion carry minimum mandatory sentences of 15 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigations; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Riley and Craig Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Charleston Felon Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Gun, Drug Charges

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Deon Lathel Gibson, 40, of Charleston, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Evidence presented in court revealed that in December 2023, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), while conducting surveillance, observed Gibson meet with a known drug trafficking target. Deputies with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) conducted a traffic stop on Gibson as he drove away. During the vehicle stop, Gibson attempted to fight multiple deputies on the side of the road. After Gibson was quickly secured and placed under arrest, CCSO deputies located 446.9 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded .380 pistol in the vehicle. Gibson also had $2,300 in cash. Gibson and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute crack. His prior drug convictions also made him eligible for an enhanced sentence. At the time of his arrest, Gibson was on state bond after being accused of killing two people in a vehicular hit-and-run. United States Richard M. Gergel sentenced Gibson to 20 years imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Charleston Police Department, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case. ###


title: Haverhill Man Charged with Investment Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man was charged in federal court in Boston with fraudulently obtaining $350,000 in investor funds. Luciano Schipelliti, 28, was charged with one count of wire fraud and has agreed to plead guilty before Senior United States District Judge F. Dennis Saylor on a date to be set by the Court. According to the charging documents, in the fall of 2018, Schipelliti established the Superstars Fund and raised roughly $275,000 to invest in cryptocurrency. By 2019, through a series of bad investments, Schipelliti allegedly lost all the money in the Superstars Fund. He did not, however, tell any of the investors that he had lost the money. Instead, according to the charging documents, beginning in approximately November 2020, Schipelliti began sending monthly newsletters to investors that falsely reported that the Superstars Fund continued to grow in value. Based on the misrepresented performance of the Superstars Fund, in approximately February 2021, Schipelliti allegedly launched a new fund, the TTM Fund. He raised approximately $350,000 to invest in cryptocurrency. Schipelliti allegedly lost all the money in the TTM fund by September 2021. According to the charging documents, Schipelliti lost most of the money in the TTM Fund investing in cryptocurrency and also used some of the money in a manner inconsistent with the terms of the TTM Fund’s operating agreement. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. More than 11,000 Fentanyl Pills Seized

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison on Tuesday, March 17th in federal court for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement identified Roman Walker, 35, as a distributor of narcotics from Hinds County, Mississippi. Court filings reflect that Walker was distributing a “menu” of narcotics, business hours, and prices for different drugs he was selling. On or about January 24, 2023, while executing a search warrant of Walker’s residence, law enforcement discovered large quantities of narcotics including more than 11,000 blue fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine packaged for distribution into the metro Jackson area. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer made the announcement. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Illinois Businessman Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for $14 Million Covid-Relief Fraud

body_text: CHICAGO – An Illinois businessman has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining $14 million across 1,500 fraudulent small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The scheme netted SHARHABEEL SHREITEH at least $741,000 in kickback payments. In turn, Shreiteh then funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in loan proceeds fraudulently obtained from the United States government to financial institutions in the Palestinian Territories, much of which was used to build a second home there. He also used some of the fraud proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle in the United States, including renovations to his residence in Crete, Ill., and vacations to South Carolina and Florida. Under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and consistent with the Administration’s priorities to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal fraud in the federal government entitlement and benefit programs, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is taking a fresh look at Covid-19 fraud. Shreiteh engaged in fraud in 2020 and 2021 related to the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was created by the CARES Act to cover lost revenue due to economic disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic. Shreiteh, who worked as a tax preparer in Palos Hills, Ill., recruited purported sole proprietors, self-employed individuals, and businesses to provide their personal identifying information and other documents, and then submitted more than 1,500 fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf, causing the government to disburse at least $14 million in fraudulent PPP loans. As part of the scheme, the applications contained numerous misrepresentations that inflated the applicants’ operations, payroll, income, and other expenses. For each successful fraudulent loan, Shreiteh received at least $1,000 to $4,000 in kickback payments from the loan applicants. Shreiteh, 46, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On March 10, 2026, U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold sentenced Shreiteh to ten years in federal prison and ordered him to forfeit $741,000 to the United States government. Judge Pacold also ordered Shreiteh to pay $14 million in restitution to the United States government. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Pacold remarked, “Any fraud against any government program, but in particular a program that was an emergency relief program, to take advantage of those emergency funds and ultimately to steal from taxpayers is a terrible thing, and it’s a very serious offense.” Judge Pacold continued, “This was emergency money, it was supposed to help people who were suffering. It was supposed to help people who were suffering the effects of the Covid pandemic. It was funded by the government, therefore, by the American taxpayers, and [the fact] it was then sent overseas is very aggravating. And it's true, as the government pointed out, the next time there’s a crisis . . . people will point to this sort of fraud as a reason why there might be a problem with putting this sort of program out there, and that just hurts ultimately the people who really needed the funds.” Judge Pacold also cited evidence that Shreiteh collected unemployment benefits from the states of Illinois and Ohio in 2020 and 2021 while simultaneously receiving the PPP fraud proceeds and working as a tax preparer. “That just shows a general disregard for the law, and . . . [a] willingness to lie to get money from government programs,” Judge Pacold said. U.S. Attorney Boutros announced the sentence along with Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “In America’s time of need, the defendant saw a chance to upgrade his lifestyle,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His fraudulent scheme resulted in a massive loss to the federal government at a time when Americans were struggling in the pandemic and legitimate businesses needed money to pay their employees. This was a massive, callous fraud motivated purely by greed.” Anyone with information about suspected Covid-19 fraud can report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721, or by submitting an online complaint here .


title: Cowansville, Quebec Man Who Attempted to Enter the United States with Child Sexual Abuse Materials Sentenced to 24 Months

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 17, 2026, Anthony Hamel, 25, of Cowansville, Quebec, Canada, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Hamel previously pleaded guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) Involving a Minor Under the Age of 12. According to court records, Hamel applied to enter the United States from Canada at the Morses Line Port of Entry (POE) on May 9, 2025. Based on his responses to screening questions, Hamel was referred to a secondary inspection by the Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO). During the secondary inspection, Hamel indicated that he was entering the United States to meet an 18-year-old high school student with whom he had been talking online for approximately six months. CBPOs conducted a manual search of Hamel’s cellular phone during the secondary inspection, and they discovered what appeared to be CSAM on the device. The CBPOs contacted the Burlington Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to assist with the investigation. HSI investigators responded to the Port of Entry, confirmed the suspected CSAM on the phone, interviewed Hamel, and later searched the phone in depth pursuant to a federal search warrant. Investigators ultimately located approximately 268 videos and 33 images of CSAM on the device, including depictions of the sexual assaults of prepubescent children, toddlers, and infants and at least two depictions involving bondage, discipline, sadism, or masochism. First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the vigilance and investigatory efforts of the Office of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the subsequent support by Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations. “Every day, Customs and Border Protection Officers protect Americans by performing vital screening functions at our Ports of Entry. This case underscores the importance of CBP’s work, and the need to vet those who cross our borders.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Hamel was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Barclay Johnson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: California Man Sentenced to Five and Half Years in Prison for Loan Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Frank Hamilton, 55, of Simi Valley, California, who previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy affecting a financial institution, was sentenced to 66 months in prison, two years’ supervised release, and restitution of $6,093,024.90 by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone yesterday for loan fraud conspiracy, in which Hamilton and his co-schemers defrauded multiple banks, other lenders, and the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) out of millions of dollars in loans that were either funded or guaranteed by the SBA. As detailed in case filings and admitted to by the defendant, prior to the pandemic, Hamilton and his conspirators started filing fraudulent applications for SBA 7(a) loans, which are loans funded by banks and other lenders and partially guaranteed by the SBA. During the pandemic, Hamilton and his co-conspirators transitioned to Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”), which were funded by the SBA, and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans, which were funded by banks and other lenders but fully guaranteed by the SBA. PPP loans were also eligible for forgiveness if a large percentage of the loan was used to pay employees, as the goal of that program was to enable businesses to continue to pay their employees during the pandemic despite the loss of a company’s business due to the pandemic. To obtain these loans, Hamilton advised his conspirators how to submit false loan applications and helped them generate fake documents, including false tax returns, to support the false applications. In addition, Hamilton assisted conspirators in obtaining “shelf companies,” that is, companies that had been created by a vendor who registered a non-functioning business in a state, paid all required fees for several years, and then sold the company “off the shelf” so that it could be used by individuals who needs to make it appear that they had a company that had been in business for a significant length of time. Hamilton also helped conspirators open bank accounts and obtain websites and email addresses for those non-functioning companies. Moreover, he sometimes even joined his conspirators on phone interviews with lenders. To conceal the scheme and give the fraudulent submissions more legitimacy, Hamilton often used names of conspirators or their non-functional companies in the applications and back-up documents of other conspirators as employees or vendors of the non-functioning companies. In addition to assisting others to apply for fraudulent loans, Hamilton applied for fraudulent loans for one of his own minimally-functioning companies, as well as three shelf companies that he owned. As a result of this sophisticated fraud, the conspirators applied for loans totaling approximately $9 million, of which approximately $7,088,010 was funded. As part of their plan, the conspirators turned over a majority of their proceeds to Hamilton so that he could invest the funds for them and return money to them in installments sufficient to make their loan payments plus a small sum for their personal use. Some conspiracy members made payment on their loans for at least a short period of time. Many did not, as Hamilton did return some money to his co-conspirators, instead keeping most of the money for himself. Despite Hamilton’s receipt of more than a million dollars of loans for Hamilton’s own companies, and his receipt of the majority of the millions of dollars of his co-conspirators’ loans, Hamilton did not make a single payment on any of his own loans. As a result, the vast majority of loans went into default, resulting in more than $7 million in losses to the SBA. This case was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Judy Smith and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Varun Trivedi.


title: Previously Deported Dominican National Charged with Illegal Reentry After Drug Trafficking Conviction

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury in Providence has returned an indictment charging a previously deported Dominican national with illegal reentry into the United States following a drug trafficking conviction, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Fabio Lenin Aza-Velez, 45, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, is charged by indictment with illegal reentry into the United States following deportation after conviction for an aggravated felony. According to the indictment, Aza-Velez was previously removed from the United States on November 10, 2009, after being convicted in New York for felony narcotics offenses, including criminal sale of a controlled substance on school grounds. Court records indicate that on January 12, 2006, he was sentenced to three to nine years’ imprisonment for those offenses. The indictment alleges that after having been removed from the United States, the defendant illegally reentered the country without obtaining consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Aza-Velez was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on March 12, 2026. An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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: Illegal Alien Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced an undocumented immigrant living in St. Charles County, Missouri to 10 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material. Francisco J. Ocana-Talamantes, now 48, was arrested on March 8, 2024, for abusing a child. A subsequent court-approved search of his phone uncovered 338 images and videos containing child sexual abuse material. Ocana-Talamantes pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in December to one count of possession of child pornography. He will be deported after his release from prison, as he is in the United States illegally. The FBI, the St. Charles Police Department and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Dubuque Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who distributed over seven pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced on March 17, 2026, to a decade in federal prison. Michael Scott Boen, II, age 33, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 23, 2025, guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance following a conviction for a serious drug felony. Evidence at sentencing showed that between September 2024 and January 2025, Boen sold more than seven pounds of methamphetamine. In October 2024, law enforcement officers stopped Boen in Dubuque, Iowa, and seized 12 grams of methamphetamine from his car. Two weeks later, Boen attempted to sell a stolen gun to a drug dealer in exchange for more methamphetamine. Officers searched his house in January 2025 and located additional methamphetamine. Boen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Boen was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Boen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, the Dubuque Drug Task Force, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-1016. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Thomas E. Wheeler II Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: On March 11 th , 2026, Thomas E. Wheeler II was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana by United States District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. President Donald J. Trump nominated Wheeler to serve as United States Attorney, and he was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 18, 2025. Prior to his confirmation, he served as Interim United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I am honored to work alongside the dedicated public servants of this office, whose commitment to justice and service to our communities sets the highest standard. It is a privilege to once again serve the people of my home state of Indiana and to continue building on the relationships I’ve developed throughout my career,” said Wheeler. “I deeply value the longstanding partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement, and I look forward to strengthening those relationships that have supported our shared mission for so many years. In this role I will focus our efforts on the Department of Justice’s core priority of reducing violent crime, while also continuing to lead national initiatives that protect taxpayer‑funded research at colleges and universities from theft by foreign adversaries and to safeguard children from online exploitation and threats to school safety as Chair of the Federal School safety Task Force.” As the chief federal law enforcement officer in the district, United States Attorney Wheeler will lead an office of approximately 45 Assistant United States Attorneys and 32 support professionals responsible for criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, and public safety efforts throughout the Southern District of Indiana which comprises approximately two-thirds of the State of Indiana. The Investiture Ceremony, held at the Indiana War Memorial, was attended by state and federal judges, law enforcement leaders, attorneys, and government officials from across the country. The program included remarks from distinguished speakers: The Honorable Mick Zais, Brigadier USA (Ret.) and former Acting United States Secretary of Education; The Honorable Nicholas Kent, Under Secretary of Education delegated the duties of the Deputy Secretary of Education, United States Department of Education; The Honorable Stanley E. Woodward, Jr., Associate Attorney General, United States Department of Justice; and Chaplin Ron May, Commander, USN (Ret.). Prior to his appointment, United States Attorney Wheeler served as the Acting General Counsel for the United States Department of Education. This appointment marks a return to the Department of Justice, where he previously held the role of Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, overseeing a broad portfolio, including the Appellate, Criminal, Disability Rights, Education, Immigrant and Employee Rights, Housing, and Voting sections. His prior federal service also includes serving as Senior Adviser to the White House Federal Commission on School Safety as well as Senior Counsel to the Secretary of Education during the COVID-19 pandemic. In that role he worked with the White House Coronavirus Task Force and the Center for Disease Control. Read more about U.S. Attorney Wheeler’s career here .


title: Former High School Teacher Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison For Coercing Minors To Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that KOSTAS FEKKAS, a/k/a “Constantine Fekkas,” a/k/a “C.J. Justice,” was sentenced to 13 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel for coercing and enticing two minors to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. FEKKAS previously pled guilty on September 5, 2025, before Judge Seibel. “Teachers are entrusted with the safety, mentorship, and care of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Instead of keeping them safe, Kostas Fekkas coerced a 12-year-old girl and a 16-year-old teenager into sending him sexually explicit photographs and video of themselves. Today’s 13-year sentence reflects the seriousness of that betrayal and the profound harm caused to these victims. This Office will never stop aggressively pursuing predators who sexually exploit our city’s children. If you suspect sexual exploitation, please reach out to our law enforcement partners.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings: In or about 2022, FEKKAS, coerced a 12-year-old girl (“Victim-1”) to send him sexually explicit photographs and video of herself via Snapchat. When law enforcement searched FEKKAS’s cellphone in March 2023, they found a video of Victim-1 masturbating, along with still shots taken of the same video. Additionally, from October 2022 through September 2023, FEKKAS engaged in sexually explicit text-message conversations with a 16-year-old teenager (“Victim-2”) and coerced and enticed her to send him photographs and video of herself engaging in sexually explicit activity, which Victim-2 sent to FEKKAS. Any individuals with information concerning the sexual exploitation of children are asked to contact Homeland Security Investigations through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2423 or by completing its online tip form . Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing-impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. * * * In addition to the prison term, FEKKAS, 36, of Hartsdale, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of HSI and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Ly is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Brownsville man sent to prison for over 10 years for producing sexually explicit videos of a minor

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 77-year-old resident has been ordered to federal prison following the discovery of homemade videos depicting the sexual assault of a child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Rosendo Camarillo-Jimenez pleaded guilty Sept. 30, 2025. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Camarillo to serve 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Camarillo will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date. In January 2024, authorities discovered Rosendo Camarillo-Jimemez had been sexually assaulting children for years. The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at his residence where law enforcement found homemade videos of Camarillo-Jimemez sexually assaulting a child. The videos were timestamped as created in 2003. Camarillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitations Investigations Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: U.S. Attorney Charges Dutchess County Man With Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the arrest of Gregory Graff in connection with communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl and attempting to meet the individual to engage in sexual activities. Graff was taken in federal custody today, presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court, and detained. “Gregory Graff is every parent’s nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He allegedly used the internet to convince an individual, whom he believed to be a minor, to meet him for sexual activity. This prosecution shows that we will use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish to the fullest extent of the law those who exploit New York’s most vulnerable citizens: our children. There may be other victims. If you have information to report, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov .” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] On January 21 and January 22, 2026, a New York State Police Investigator (“Investigator‑1”), posing as a 13-year-old girl named “Sammi” on a social media application, communicated with GRAFF. During the communications, GRAFF asked “Sammi” for sexually explicit photos and indicated that he wanted to meet with her to have sex. Furthermore, in her conversations with GRAFF, Investigator-1 referred on multiple occasions to the fact that she was 13 years old, also telling GRAFF that she was in 8 th grade. Among other things, GRAFF told her, “It’s risky to talk to you but it’s quite hot.” GRAFF described in detail various sexual activities that he wanted to engage in with her and said that he would want her to call him “daddy” when they have sex. During their communications, GRAFF sent Investigtor-1 a number of sexually explicit photos, as well photos of his face, including this one: On January 21, 2026, GRAFF made a plan to meet “Sammi” in Orange County, New York. On January 22, 2026, when GRAFF arrived at the agreed-upon meeting spot, he was arrested by the New York State Police. Following his arrest, GRAFF was charged in the Town of Wallkill with Attempted Rape in the Second Degree, Attempted Act in the Manner to Injure a Child Less than 17, and Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors in the 1 st Degree. There may be other victims. If you have information to report, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov . * * * GRAFF, 27, of Poughkeepsie, New York is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, New York State Police Troop F – Computer Crimes Unit, New York State Police Troop K, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcia S. Cohen and John Wynne are in charge of the prosecution. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Falls Church man sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to distribute his vast collection of child sexual abuse material

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Falls Church man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Devin Sinclair Buries, 49, shared his CSAM collection with other users on BitTorrent. On Nov. 15, 2023, law enforcement searched Buries’ residence and seized a desktop computer and Buries’ cellphone. Buries built the computer, which contained six hard drives. One was the operating hard drive and the other five contained CSAM. Buries had over 200 videos and over 19,000 images of CSAM. After his arrest, Buries fled to Ukraine. He was returned to the United States and arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, to face federal charges. Buries pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2025. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Fairfax County Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Ukraine to secure Buries’ arrest and September 2025 extradition from Ukraine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-252.


title: Florida Man Sentenced To Five Years For Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Billing Fraud Scheme

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that TED ALBIN was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme. The defendant was convicted on June 24, 2025, following a 12-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, who imposed today’s sentence. “Ted Albin used fraudulent prescriptions to cheat Medicare out of millions,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Schemes like this cost every New Yorker, including by driving up healthcare costs and diverting resources from seniors and the disabled who need care. Today’s sentence makes clear that those who cheat Medicare will face serious consequences.” According to court documents, statements made in court, and evidence presented at trial: From approximately 2016 through April 2021, ALBIN operated Grapevine Professional Services (“Grapevine”), a medical billing company, which he used to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims for durable medical equipment (“DME”), including back braces, knee braces, wrist braces, and shoulder braces. ALBIN submitted thousands of fraudulent claims on behalf of DME supply companies that had engaged Grapevine for its billing services, including multiple DME supply companies owned and controlled by ALBIN and his sister, Erin Foley. ALBIN’s fraudulent claims were based on prescriptions for DME which he knew had been illegally purchased with kickbacks paid by the DME supply companies. Many of the kickback-tainted prescriptions billed by ALBIN were generated with forged doctor’s signatures and without regard to the medical need of the patients for whom braces had been prescribed. ALBIN knew of the fraudulent nature of the claims he submitted to Medicare and nonetheless continued to submit such claims, over and over, for years. In total, the DME companies for which ALBIN submitted claims billed Medicare for over $38 million, on which Medicare paid out over $12 million. * * * In addition to the prison term, ALBIN, 49, of Stuart, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. The Court deferred the calculation of restitution until a later date. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Kinder, Jackie Delligatti, Brandon Thompson, and Ryan Finkel are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Manhattan Man Charged With Trafficking Fentanyl That Killed A Victim

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Northeast Regional Associate Chief of Operations of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Frank A. Tarentino III, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ADAM SLOAN, a/k/a “Slug,” with distribution of narcotics resulting in death in connection with the July 15, 2025, fentanyl overdose death of a resident of New York, New York. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. “As alleged, Adam Sloan sold fentanyl to a victim in Manhattan, causing his death,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Fentanyl is an extraordinarily dangerous drug that has no place in the streets of New York. When drug dealers sell fentanyl, the cost is paid in human lives. Together with the DEA, the NYPD, and our other law enforcement partners, the women and men of the SDNY will fight for these victims and hold killers accountable.” “While fentanyl remains the greatest drug threat this nation has ever faced, the greatest danger comes from the individuals who continue to push this poison into our communities,” said DEA New York Task Force Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts. “Today’s indictment sends a clear message to those threatening our families. We will find you; and we will bring you to justice. The DEA remains relentless in ensuring justice is delivered to the families who have lost loved ones to this drug epidemic.” “The defendant showed zero regard for life when he allegedly sold a lethal amount of fentanyl to a New Yorker who was trying to turn his life around—and now a family is left grieving that loss,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “We know how dangerous even the smallest trace of this poison can be, and we will continue to hold accountable any drug peddler who carelessly puts our communities at risk. I thank our NYPD investigators, our partners at the DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued commitment to keeping our streets safe.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings: On July 15, 2025, SLOAN sold fentanyl to a Manhattan man, killing him. This was not the victim’s first overdose. In October 2024, after suffering a nonfatal overdose, the victim tried to turn his life around by entering inpatient drug treatment and keeping handwritten notes to try to avoid relapse. When the victim ultimately relapsed, however, SLOAN was ready and willing to sell fentanyl to the victim. On the evening of July 15, 2025, the victim and the defendant arranged to meet. Surveillance video footage likewise shows that the victim and the defendant left their respective homes, walked towards one another for the meeting, and then returned to their respective homes. After consuming the fentanyl that SLOAN had sold him, the victim suffered a fatal overdose. * * * SLOAN, 44, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of distribution of narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA and NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Mandilk is in charge of the prosecution. The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: California Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Enticing Minors to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Eddie Ademir Villalta Hernandez (37, Los Angeles, California) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday to 10 years in federal prison for enticing or coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Villalta Hernandez to forfeit an iPhone, which was used in the commission of the offense, and to register as a sex offender. Villalta Hernandez pleaded guilty in October 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, between November 2022 and April 2024, Villalta Hernandez used a social media application to persuade, induce, and entice minors to send him images and videos of child exploitation material in exchange for monetary payments. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: New Rochelle Man Sentenced To 37 Months In Prison For Fraudulently Obtaining Social Security Benefits And Tax Evasion

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that JAMES PAVLOUNIS was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for perpetrating a 12-year scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration and obtain disability benefits to which he was not entitled, and causing his valet parking service business to evade paying corporate income taxes for five years. In September 2025, PAVLOUNIS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern, who imposed today’s sentence. “James Pavlounis stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a government program meant to support those truly in need, while also evading taxes through his business,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Programs like Social Security depend on honesty, and tax obligations fund essential services that New Yorkers rely on. Those who exploit these systems for personal gain will be held accountable.” According to the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings and filings: From January 2013 through March 2025, PAVLOUNIS obtained approximately $646,370 in Social Security benefits by providing false information to the Social Security Administration. He claimed he was too disabled to support himself and failed to disclose he was receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the operation of valet parking service businesses. Further, from January 2018 through December 2022, PAVLOUNIS evaded the collection of the taxes of Select Parking Systems Inc. (“SPS”), one of the valet parking service businesses, due for the years 2017 through 2021, by making it appear that he was not operating SPS, concealing the income he was earning from SPS from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), and making it appear that SPS was not profitable. Through this scheme, PAVLOUNIS caused SPS to evade payment of approximately $248,810 in taxes. PAVLOUNIS perpetrated the scheme by, among other things: having a family member named as the owner of SPS; paying for his personal expenses using money from SPS’s business bank account; failing to inform SPS’s tax return preparer (the “Preparer”) that he was paying his personal expenses using money from SPS’s bank account; not filing his own individual income tax returns with the IRS, thereby not reporting any individual income; providing ledgers to the Preparer and representing that they contained SPS’s expenses for renting parking lots when there were no such expenses (the “False Ledgers”); causing the Preparer to falsely report on SPS’s corporate income tax returns that SPS paid a total of $1,054,204 in expenses for renting parking lots over the years 2017 through 2021; falsely representing, during a meeting with IRS Special Agents that all the information contained on SPS’s tax returns for 2017 through 2021 was true and correct and that reported rental expenses were amounts expended to rent parking lots where SPS valets parked cars for valet customers; and, producing the False Ledgers in response to a grand jury subpoena. * * * In addition to the prison term, PAVLOUNIS, 62, of New Rochelle, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of approximately $895,180 and forfeiture of approximately $646,370. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Margery Feinzig is in charge of the prosecution.