title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi recognizes National Fentanyl Awareness Day

component: Department of Justice

body_text: OXFORD, MS – United States Attorney Scott F. Leary announced today that the Northern District of Mississippi, recognized the fourth annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day on April 29, 2026. This awareness helps to inform communities about the fentanyl crisis in the United States. Our office is joining a coalition of issue area experts, corporations, nonprofits, schools, families and elected officials who are coming together to raise public awareness of the urgent problem: people are dying at alarming rates due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fake prescription pills. Organized by the national nonprofit Song for Charlie, National Fentanyl Awareness Day uses education as the first step in preventing tragic outcomes. U.S. Attorney Leary stated, “In 2020, our borders opened up and fentanyl poured into our country. Within a year a thirty-dollar contraband fentanyl pill was selling on our streets for mere dollars. Fentanyl now shows up in all kinds of different drugs. Kids made the immature decision to take a pill that resulted in death. Tens of thousands of families throughout our nation were left devastated. Several things can be done now to slow this continued tragedy. First, close our border and slow the flow of fentanyl and illegal drugs onto our streets. Prosecute fentanyl traffickers to the full extent of the law. And finally, get the word out - recreational drug use can be fatal. The National Fentanyl Awareness Day is part of this response. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi will do our part in putting these traffickers behind bars. Please join us in spreading the word about the dangers of drug use.” “We’re encouraged by recent signs of progress in reducing overdose deaths,” said Ed Ternan, co-founder of Song for Charlie. “But our work isn’t done. With our expanded educational resources like our new film for teens, Real Talk about Fake Pills , we’re working to reach every student, parent, family and community with the knowledge they need to navigate today’s drug landscape safely. No family should lose a child because they didn’t know a pill was fake.” Song for Charlie is the leading national, family-led nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about "fentapills"—fake pills made of fentanyl. Ed and Mary Ternan created Song for Charlie after losing their son Charlie to a fentapill in 2020. Song for Charlie partners with experts, educators, parents and other influencers to reach the most vulnerable group: young people between the ages of 13-24. Its programs highlight the emerging dangers of self-medication and casual drug use in the fentanyl era and encourage healthier strategies for coping with stress. For more information, please visit www.songforcharlie.org


title: Federal grand jury indicts Little Valley man who fled from police following high speed chase on drug charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Ronald D. Mitchell, 44, of Little Valley, NY, with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000. According to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, in September of 2025, law enforcement began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Mitchell, who was identified as a distributor of methamphetamine and cocaine in Cattaraugus County. Just after midnight on September 17, 2025, investigators, while surveilling Mitchell in the Village of Little Valley, observed him selling drugs inside his vehicle. A Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputy subsequently conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, during which Mitchell appeared very nervous and started to sweat profusely. Mitchell was asked to exit the vehicle, but instead he fled from the scene, leading deputies on a chase, which exceeded 90 MPH. Mitchell eventually crashed his vehicle into a tree in Ellicottville, and fled. Investigators seized 52 grams of cocaine and a large amount of cash from the vehicle. A bag containing a large quantity of suspected narcotics, believed to have been discarded by Mitchell when he fled from the crash, was discovered on Route 242. The bag contained drug paraphernalia, 196 grams of cocaine and 472 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Mitchell was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Eric Butler and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raciel Osorio Lopez, a/k/a Raciel Osoriolopez, a/k/a Raciel Osorio-Lopez, age 33, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Atoka, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Stringtown Police Department. The Indictment alleged that on March 27, 2026, Osario Lopez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on April 28, 2015, August 19, 2015, and March 9, 2017. 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 Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Osorio Lopez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.


title: Baltimore Recidivist Sex Offender Indicted on  Child Sexual Exploitation Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore convicted sex offender is facing indictment stemming from child sexual exploitation charges. Tarif Jahmil Alston, 43, is charged with five counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material, two counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City; and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD). According to the federal indictment, Alston used a BitComet program on his cellphone to distribute and receive child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement found Alston, a convicted sex offender, in possession of more than 1,700 visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. At the time of his arrest, Alston failed to comply with registering as a sex offender. Alston has more than five prior convictions for failing to register as a sex offender in Baltimore. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. If convicted, Alston faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison for each count of receipt of child sexual abuse material, a minimum of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years for distribution of child sexual abuse material, and a minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum sentence of 20 years for possession of child sexual abuse material. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, USMS, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Elliot Higgins who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Convicted Sex Trafficker Sentenced to Additional 19 Months in Prison for Failing to Meet Sex Offender Registry Requirements and Violating Terms of Supervised Release

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Malik Hudson, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone for failing to keep his sex offender registration up to date. In addition, Judge Beetlestone imposed a consecutive sentence of four months’ imprisonment and a concurrent sentence of 10 years of supervised release for Hudson’s violation of the terms of his supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty in November 2018 to sex trafficking of a minor and was sentenced in September 2019 to 72 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Both Hudson’s guilty plea agreement and the sentencing judgment advised the defendant of his requirements under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), including the need to “update his registrations not later than three business days after any change of name, residence, employment, or student status.” The defendant confirmed that he understood these obligations. Hudson was released from Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) custody on September 27, 2024, and began his term of supervised release. He then immediately absconded, never reporting to the U.S. Probation Office as required. The defendant’s assigned probation officer repeatedly tried to contact and locate the defendant, to no avail. In addition to failing to report to the Probation Office, the defendant failed to update his sex offender registration, as required by law. On October 8, 2024, the Probation Office filed a violation of supervised release (“VOSR”) petition against the defendant. Hudson was apprehended in June 2025, after being caught stealing items from a Philadelphia store. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.


title: Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corporation to Perform at Least $12 Million in Corrective Measures to Address Contamination at Middletown Works in Ohio

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Note: the press release has been updated to include a quote from EPA. Today, the Department of Justice announced a proposed settlement with Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corporation (Cliffs) requiring it to address releases of hazardous waste at its Middletown Works facility. Under the proposed consent decree, Cliffs will perform long-term corrective measures to comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The required corrective measures will address several site areas at the Middletown Works, a 2,600-acre integrated steel mill that has operated in Middletown, Ohio, since 1901. “This settlement shows the Administration’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of the public, including workers at the Middletown Works,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The Department of Justice is committed to addressing hazardous waste while ensuring that responsible parties are held accountable and the public is not left with the bill.” “This consent decree ends decades of litigation uncertainty and shows that this Administration will pursue efficient cleanups using all available tools,” said EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Jeffrey A. Hall. “This novel consent decree based on EPA’s expertise ensures full remediation of longstanding hazardous waste alongside continued operation of the steelworks and that the responsible party bears the cost of cleanup. EPA’s oversight of Cleveland Cliff’s implementation of the cleanup framework will ensure this work is properly completed in a timely manner.” This consent decree will provide final closure to a civil lawsuit against Cliffs’ predecessor, AK Steel Corporation, by the Department of Justice and later joined by the state of Ohio and environmental groups. Under a partial settlement , AK Steel conducted cleanups of two tributaries to the Great Miami River and agreed to perform comprehensive investigations of other contaminant releases and evaluate potential corrective measures. Under the consent decree lodged today, Cliffs now agrees to implement the corrective measures when approved and selected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The first two areas to be addressed under the new consent decree are closed landfills that historically received wastes from Middletown Works including industrial wastewater treatment sludges, steel production process sludges, and slag. The corrective measures at these areas are expected to cost $12 million. Additionally, the consent decree will require Cliffs to implement corrective measures at other site areas, such as the Middletown Works’ production and slag processing areas. These steps are needed to achieve long-term protection of human health and the environment. The consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and is subject to a 30-day public comment period. The complaint and proposed consent decree are available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . EPA has overseen the interim measures and RCRA Facility Investigations and Corrective Measures Studies that Cleveland-Cliffs has conducted at and around the facility. The proposed consent decree requires that Cleveland-Cliffs implement corrective measures at the facility and provide financial assurance for that work. ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section is handling the case.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced to Over Eight Years for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Illegal Reentry into the United States

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Marlon Jefferson Fajardo-Paiz (22, Guatemala) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to eight years and one month in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Fajardo-Paiz pleaded guilty pleas on November 13, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Fajardo-Paiz is a citizen and national of Guatemala. He was previously removed from the United States on July 20, 2018, and has never received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States. On April 24, 2025, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Fajardo-Paiz during an investigation of a Cybertip relating to an upload of CSAM to the internet. Fajardo-Paiz told investigators that he had participated in viewing, downloading, and transmitting CSAM. A subsequent search of Fajardo-Paiz’s cellphone revealed at least 20 items of CSAM in his possession. This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Two Marion County Men Plead Guilty to Possession with the Intent  to Distribute a Pound of Methamphetamine

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Reshawn Graham (36, Ocala) and Tyrone Pierson (29, Ocala) have pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Graham faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. Pierson faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Graham’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 25, 2026. Pieron’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the plea documents, on October 7, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer negotiated the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine with Graham. Later that day, Pierson met with the undercover officer and told the officer that the source of supply for the drugs had been delayed. The next day, Graham again reached out to the undercover officer and stated that Pierson now had the methamphetamine. Afterward, Graham and Pierson were arrested by law enforcement at a predetermined meeting location for the drug transaction. Pierson was wearing a bag that contained approximately 438 grams of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. The 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: Marion County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison For Attempting to Meet A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Shawn Adampeter Grunther (42, Marion County) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Grunther pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, in July 2025, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent posed online as a 14-year-old girl (UC). Grunther messaged the UC account and, after learning the minor’s age, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. On July 24, 2025, Grunther was arrested after he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the UC to engage in sexual activity. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Deltona Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Attempting to Meet a 13-Year-Old Girl to Engage in Sexual Activity

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Keiron Jashua Williams (23, Deltona) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Williams pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, in June 2025, a detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office posed online as a 13-year-old girl (UC). Williams messaged the UC account. After learning he was speaking with a minor, Williams engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. On July 5, 2025, Williams was arrested after he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. A search of Williams’s car revealed he had brought an unopened box of condoms, a video game system, and marijuana for the meeting with the minor. This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Former Senior NIAID Official Indicted for Concealing  Federal Records During COVID-19 Pandemic

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee is facing indictment for his role in a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in connection with COVID-19 research grants. David M. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy against the United States; destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations; concealment, removal, or mutilation of records; and aiding and abetting. Morens served as a senior advisor in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche; FBI Director Kash Patel; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Inspector General T. March Bell, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “These allegations represent a profound abuse of trust at a time when the American people needed it most—during the height of a global pandemic,” Blanche said. “As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Morens and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed information and falsified records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19. Government officials have a solemn duty to provide honest, well-grounded facts and advice in service of the public interest—not to advance their own personal or ideological agendas.” “Circumventing records protocols with the intention of avoiding transparency is something that will not be tolerated by this FBI,” Patel said. “Not only did Morens allegedly engage in the illegal obfuscation of his communications, but he received kickbacks for doing so. If you have engaged in activity conspiring against the United States, we will not stop until you face justice.” “When public officials deliberately circumvent the law to hide their communications from the public, they undermine the public’s trust and the integrity of our institutions. This was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic when transparency was needed most,” Hayes said. “Our office will continue to hold accountable those who seek to evade their legal obligations for their own gain.” “As a public official, Morens was held to a higher standard and expected to dutifully follow the law,” Paul said. “Morens allegedly violated the law by circumventing the required processes for retaining official documents.” “Public officials who disregard their legal obligations undermine the transparency that keeps our federal programs strong. The deliberate mishandling and concealment of records in a federal investigation is not just a breach of duty, it is a betrayal of public trust,” Bell said. “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone who seeks to evade the law is held fully accountable.” As a senior advisor, Morens counseled Senior NIAID Official 1 and other senior-level NIAID staff on senior-level policies, developed recommendations and solutions for issues impacting the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and wrote and edited manuscripts. Morens also provided guidance and expertise to senior staff members on epidemiological studies and issues related to infectious disease planning and management. Additionally, Morens gathered information from grantees and others in the scientific community to establish facts about the nature of COVID-19. This enabled Morens to understand NIH and NIAID’s historical activities in coronavirus research, assist in formulating policy and procedures, and brief Senior NIAID Official 1 so he could then relay information to the President of the United States, Congress, and the public. According to the indictment, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, Co-Conspirator 2, and others conspired during the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud and commit several offenses against the United States after NIH terminated Co-Conspirator 1’s grant. NIH terminated the grant, Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence , based on allegations that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China. NIAID awarded the grant to Company #1 and Co-Conspirator 1, who made a subaward to the WIV. Following the termination, Morens and Co-Conspirator 2 pledged to help Co-Conspirator 1 restore the termination of the bat coronavirus grant and counter the narrative that COVID-19 leaked from a lab. In anticipation that their communications would be requested through a FOIA Request, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, and Co-Conspirator 2 agreed in writing to intentionally hide their communications, from public view, by corresponding using Morens’s personal Gmail account, rather than his official NIH email account. The indictment alleges that the conspirators used Morens’s personal Gmail account to exchange non-public NIH information; correspond about their efforts to influence NIH to fund Company #1; exchange edits to drafts of letters addressed to NIH leadership for Company #1 and Co-Conspirator 1; and “back-channel” information to Senior NIAID Official 1. According to the indictment, each of these matters fell within Morens’s role as senior advisor and constituted federal records that needed to be created, maintained, and exchanged on government systems. Additionally, the indictment further alleges that Morens and Co-Conspirator 1 conspired to pay illegal gratuities. The indictment states that Co-Conspirator 1 gifted Morens wine for his “behind-the-scenes shenanigans,” and arranged for its delivery to Morens’s residence in Maryland. Morens then allegedly identified an official act that he could perform to “deserve” the gift, which was a scientific commentary in a prominent medical journal advocating that COVID-19 had natural origins. The indictment further alleges that Co-Conspirator 1 suggested he would provide Morens with additional things of value, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington, D.C. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. If convicted, Morens faces up to five years in prison for conspiracy against the United States, 20 years for each count of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations, and three years for each count of concealment, removal, or mutilation of records. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Bijon A. Mostoufi who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Former USPS employee pleads guilty to stealing and hiding mail

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: TOPEKA, KAN. – A former employee at a Kansas post office pleaded guilty to illegally taking mail that was supposed to be delivered to customers. According to court documents, Gayli Harman, 44, of Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado, formerly of Manhattan, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of mail. Harman worked for the U. S. Postal Service in Westmoreland in the Sales, Service, and Distribution department. Between June 2021 and March 2023, Harman opened mail that wasn’t addressed to her and removed items from some of the packages. She also hid mail causing it not to be delivered. Investigators found 16 pieces of mail hidden throughout the Westmoreland Post Office. Harman also issued herself a post office box without paying. The estimated loss value to customers is approximately $530.00. “Even with the heavy usage of email, Americans still depend on the mail system numerous ways in their daily lives. Although the total dollar amount here might not be overwhelming, the damaged trust in our mail system cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We encourage customers to report when their packages don’t arrive or items are missing, because the follow up investigations can help to root out bad actors for prosecution.” The U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Felon Sentenced to More than 22 Years for Selling Dangerous Drugs in North Central West Virginia

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: A Detroit, Michigan man has been sentenced for leading a drug trafficking organization, selling methamphetamine and fentanyl in Harrison County, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Emmitt Renand Richardson, 53, was sentenced to 275 months in prison. Following a trial in September 2025, a federal jury found Richardson guilty of multiple methamphetamine and fentanyl charges. Richardson has a history of drug related convictions and was operating under an alias. “Richardson’s ability to sell deadly poison to our community has come to an end,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “Because of the great work of our drug task force, a jury found him guilty and now he will spend more than two decades in prison.” For nearly a year, the Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force investigated a drug operation led by Richardson centered in Clarksburg West Virginia. Richardson was responsible for drug sales that took place on city streets, as well as from several residences Richardson used to further the operation. Richardson was responsible for nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine and more than three grams of fentanyl sold in the area. The other three defendants in this case admitted guilt. Randy Joe Jones of Clarksburg was sentenced to 136 months in October 2025 for his role. The remaining defendants will be sentenced at a later date. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Will Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 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. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Former Senior NIAID Official Indicted for Concealing Federal Records During COVID-19 Pandemic

body_text: A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee is facing indictment for his role in a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in connection with COVID-19 research grants. David M. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy against the United States; destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations; concealment, removal, or mutilation of records; and aiding and abetting. Morens served as a senior advisor in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022. “These allegations represent a profound abuse of trust at a time when the American people needed it most — during the height of a global pandemic,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Morens and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed information and falsified records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19. Government officials have a solemn duty to provide honest, well-grounded facts and advice in service of the public interest — not to advance their own personal or ideological agendas.” “Circumventing records protocols with the intention of avoiding transparency is something that will not be tolerated by this FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Not only did Morens allegedly engage in the illegal obfuscation of his communications, but he received kickbacks for doing so. If you have engaged in activity conspiring against the United States, we will not stop until you face justice.” “When public officials deliberately circumvent the law to hide their communications from the public, they undermine the public’s trust and the integrity of our institutions. This was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic when transparency was needed most,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Our office will continue to hold accountable those who seek to evade their legal obligations for their own gain.” “Public officials who disregard their legal obligations undermine the transparency that keeps our federal programs strong. The deliberate mishandling and concealment of records in a federal investigation is not just a breach of duty, it is a betrayal of public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone who seeks to evade the law is held fully accountable.” As a senior advisor, Morens counseled Senior NIAID Official 1 and other senior-level NIAID staff on senior-level policies, developed recommendations and solutions for issues impacting the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and wrote and edited manuscripts. Morens also provided guidance and expertise to senior staff members on epidemiological studies and issues related to infectious disease planning and management. Additionally, Morens gathered information from grantees and others in the scientific community to establish facts about the nature of COVID-19. This enabled Morens to understand NIH and NIAID’s historical activities in coronavirus research, assist in formulating policy and procedures, and brief Senior NIAID Official 1 so he could then relay information to the President of the United States, Congress, and the public. According to the indictment, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, Co-Conspirator 2, and others conspired during the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud and commit several offenses against the United States after NIH terminated Co-Conspirator 1’s grant. NIH terminated the grant, Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence (bat coronavirus grant), based on allegations that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China. NIAID awarded the grant to Company #1 and Co-Conspirator 1, who made a subaward to the WIV. Following the termination, Morens and Co-Conspirator 2 pledged to help Co-Conspirator 1 restore the termination of the bat coronavirus grant and counter the narrative that COVID-19 leaked from a lab. In anticipation that their communications would be requested through a FOIA Request, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, and Co-Conspirator 2 agreed in writing to intentionally hide from public view their communications by corresponding using Morens’s personal Gmail account, rather than his official NIH email account. The indictment alleges that the conspirators used Morens’s personal Gmail account to exchange non-public NIH information; correspond about their efforts to influence NIH to fund Company #1; exchange edits to drafts of letters addressed to NIH leadership for Company #1 and Co-Conspirator 1; and “back-channel” information to Senior NIAID Official 1. According to the indictment, each of these matters fell within Morens’s role as senior advisor and constituted federal records that needed to be created, maintained, and exchanged on government systems. Additionally, the indictment further alleges that Morens and Co-Conspirator 1 conspired to pay illegal gratuities. The indictment states that Co-Coconspirator 1 gifted Morens wine for his “behind-the-scenes shenanigans,” and arranged for its delivery to Morens’s residence in Maryland. Morens then allegedly identified an official act that he could perform to “deserve” the gift, which was a scientific commentary in a prominent medical journal advocating that COVID-19 had natural origins. The indictment further alleges that Co-Conspirator 1 suggested he would provide Morens with additional things of value, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington, D.C. If convicted, Morens faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy against the United States, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations, and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of concealment, removal, or mutilation of records. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Bijon A. Mostoufi for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two Kansas men sentenced for sexual exploitation of a minor in separate criminal cases

body_text: TOPEKA, KAN. – Two Kansas men received prison sentences following separate Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigations into reports of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Douglas Harpster, 53, of Salina pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child sexual abuse material. Harpster was sentenced to 78 months in prison and a ten-year term of supervised release. In October of 2022, the FBI received a tip that a computer IP address with a geolocation in Salina was downloading known CSAM files using an Internet files haring platform. The user was identified as Harpster. FBI agents executed a search warrant on Harpster’s home and seized multiple electronic devices and electronic storage devices. A review confirmed his files contained over 1,500 thumbnails or cached images depicting minors, including those under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In a separate case, according to court documents, Eric Holloway, 53, of Clay Center pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child sexual abuse material, with statutory sentencing enhancement as the defendant has a prior conviction for a crime of sexual violence. Holloway was sentenced to 135 months in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release. “Child sexual abuse material is a plague on our communities. If you possess, create, and/or distribute these perverse images you should expect to be prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton prosecuted the cases. Project Safe Childhood 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Jury Finds Man Guilty of Threatening a Federal Judge

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Pensacola, Florida - Christopher Summers, 58, an inmate at the Florida Department of Corrections, was found guilty in federal court of mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. The conviction was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “When threatening statements exceed the legal bounds of constitutional Free Speech, my office will not hesitate to aggressively prosecute those criminal threats to ensure they do not have the opportunity to ripen into acts of violence. Criminal threats directed at public officials are becoming alarmingly more common, and this must stop now. We have zero-tolerance for such criminality in the Northern District of Florida and will seek maximum punishments to keep our public officials safe.” Court documents and evidence presented at trial revealed that in October 2024, Summers sent a handwritten letter addressed to a Federal District Judge at the Federal Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. In the letter, Summers wrote in relevant part: “I am writing this letter to you in hopes that you will know what it feels like to be helpless when you know for fact that you’re going to either be beaten so badly you’ll never function like a normal person again, or be killed. I’m very driven to have you killed, even if I’ve got to do it myself when I get out and back to Pensacola. I thought I’d have to wait until I got out, but now that I’ve thought about it I realize that I can have it done now. As soon as I leave this prison and get back to my perminet [sic] camp I’ll get on one of the many cell-phones there and green light a hit on you … Hell if I have to I’d shoot your head off as you pull in to that gate at the Court house, I can do it from that park next door. I don’t care if I get more time or even killed. As long as I get you first. So how dose [sic] it feel to know who is going to be responsible [sic] for your life, yet not be able to stop it or do anything about it?” At trial, counsel for Summers claimed that Summers wrote the letter as part of his mental health therapy, and that Summers never intended to mail the letter. However, the Government’s case revealed that mental health therapy did not include threatening letters; that the prison takes steps to ensure that inmates do not inadvertently send letters to the courts; and that Summers told another inmate his desire to have the Judge killed. The jury swiftly returned a guilty verdict. The defendant faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for August 6, 2026, before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II, in Pensacola, Florida. This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Florida Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo is prosecuting the case. 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Federal Charges Filed for Drug Trafficking in Perry, Florida

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Nicholas Michael Freeman, 48, has been indicted in federal court for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge. Freeman appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida. Freeman faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’, and up to 40 years’, imprisonment. The case is being jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Perry Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. 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: Pensacola Mail Handler Federally Indicted For Drug and Postal Crimes

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Divincent M. Madison, Jr., 25, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of delay or destruction of U.S. Mail, one count of theft of U.S. Mail by U.S. Postal employee, and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Madison, Jr. appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. If convicted, Madison, Jr. faces up to 5 years imprisonment on each count. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson. 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. 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: Former Brink’s, Inc. Employee Sentenced to 171 Months in Federal Prison for Robbing Two Brink’s Armored Trucks

body_text: A former Brink’s, Inc. employee was sentenced to 171 months in federal prison for robbing two Brink’s armored trucks, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Isaiah Warren, 25, was sentenced today, April 27, 2026, by Senior United States District Judge David C. Godbey for interfering with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Warren was ordered to pay $696,700 in restitution, among other conditions. According to court documents, on November 30, 2024, at approximately 12:06 p.m., a Brink’s armored truck driver was completing his assigned route when he arrived at DolEx Dollar Express located at 1788 W. Irving Boulevard, in Irving, Texas. DolEx is a check cashing and money transfer business. The Brink’s driver collected the deposits from DolEx and placed the deposits in a Brink’s tote bag. Warren, who was wearing all black, including a ski mask and a Loomis branded jacket, approached the driver as he was returning to the Brink’s armored truck. Then, Warren pressed a handgun underneath the driver’s body armor and removed the driver’s Brink’s issued firearm from his holster. Warren then took the tote bag from the driver that contained approximately $34,700, which had just been collected from DolEx. Warren then fled from the location in a vehicle. Court records also revealed that Warren admitted that on December 31, 2024, he and another individual robbed a second Brink’s armored truck. On that day, a Brink’s armored truck driver was beginning her assigned route refilling ATM machines with United States (U.S.) currency. At approximately 9:54 a.m., the Brink’s driver arrived at the Educational Employees Credit Union (EECU) located at 9350 Clifford Street, in Fort Worth, Texas. The driver parked the Brink’s truck in front of EECU and exited the truck. Warren and another individual then approached the driver while armed with handguns and wearing face coverings. The Brink’s driver was forced back into the Brink’s truck at gunpoint. Once inside, both Warren and the other individual entered the secure area of the truck where the U.S. currency was kept in bags, and Warren took two Brink’s cash bags containing approximately $662,000. After exiting the Brink’s truck, he and the other individual were confronted by a security guard employed by EECU. Warren pointed his firearm at the security guard and then he and the other individual fled on foot with the bags of stolen money. Court records further revealed that on January 3, 2025, Warren and a female passenger were pulled over on a traffic stop after running a red light in Gainesville, Texas. Warren was found to be in possession of a Springfield XD .40 caliber handgun that he used in both robberies, multi-gram quantities of marijuana, and $98,785 in stolen U.S. currency. The FBI Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Reaches $300,000 False Claims Act Settlement with Clarksville Clinic Over Allegations of Improperly Coded TRICARE Claims

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today that Pitts Therapies, LLC (Pitts Therapies), doing business as Cornerstone Pediatric Therapies (Cornerstone or the Clinic), has agreed to pay $300,000 to the United States to settle allegations that Cornerstone violated the False Claims Act by excessively billing TRICARE for certain billing codes. Cornerstone operates a clinic in Clarksville, Tennessee, that provides pediatric therapy, including speech therapy, to children who are autistic, non-verbal, or speech-delayed. The United States alleged that Cornerstone improperly caused false claims to be submitted to TRICARE in two categories. First, the United States contended that the Clinic billed TRICARE for two units of a billing code per day, per beneficiary, when only one unit of that code per day, per beneficiary, was allowed, from 2020 through October 2022. Second, the United States alleged that Cornerstone billed TRICARE for two different billing codes for certain services, when only one such code was payable, from 2020 through mid-2025. That practice is commonly referred to as “unbundling.” “Our office will always seek to protect taxpayer dollars from false claims,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This resolution means that the taxpayers will get their money back and sends a message that these kinds of false claims will not be tolerated in our community.” The Defense Health Agency (DHA) supports the delivery of TRICARE, the program that provides integrated, affordable, high-quality healthcare services to more than 9.6 million uniformed service members, retirees, and their families. TRICARE is the government health program that was allegedly defrauded in this case. “Holding fraudulent providers accountable is essential to safeguarding TRICARE, our military’s primary health care program,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “By aggressively combating health care fraud, we ensure critical resources remain dedicated to the care our service members, retirees, and their families have earned. This settlement reinforces a clear standard that those who seek to exploit our health systems and beneficiaries will be investigated and pursued.” The civil claims settled by this Settlement Agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The resolution of this matter was the result of an investigation by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, assisted by the Army Criminal Investigative Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre represented the United States. # # # # #


title: Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Assault and Kidnapping

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to carrying out a series of violent assaults and a kidnapping that resulted in serious injuries to the victim. According to court documents, on or about June 30, 2025, Darrin Begay , 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted the victim by punching, kicking, and strangling them, causing visible injuries to the victim’s face, neck, and arms. On or about July 2, 2025, Begay went to the victim’s home, threatened to harm the victim’s family members, and forced the victim into a vehicle. Begay then drove the victim away from their residence. He reportedly assaulted the victim again before pushing them out of the vehicle and leaving them on the roadside. Begay pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation and kidnapping. At sentencing, he faces up to life in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.


title: Peruvian National Unlawfully in U.S. Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Distraction Theft and Identity Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANGEL GIANCARLO BELLIDO COSIO, also known as “Jesus Requejo,” 36, a citizen of Peru unlawfully residing in the U.S., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment for his participation in a distraction theft and identity theft scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into a series of distraction thefts of wallets from victims, typically elderly women, at Trader Joe’s grocery stores, TJ Maxx stores, and other retail stores in Connecticut and elsewhere. The investigation revealed that Bellido Cosio and at least two other Peruvian nationals rented vehicles to travel throughout the U.S. in order to steal wallets from unwary victims and then use the victims’ credit and debit cards to purchase electronic devices and other items at other stores. Bellido Cosio and his co-conspirators stopped at shipping providers along their route to ship the goods they purchased to a co-conspirator’s address in New Jersey. Bellido Cosio was living in Paterson, New Jersey, at the time of the offense. Court documents detail Bellido Cosio’s role in the theft from at least 10 victims in Connecticut, Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and the purchase of more than $53,000 in goods using the victims’ credit or debit cards. Rental records reveal that Bellido Cosio and his co-conspirators rented vehicles 14 times for a total of 144 days and drove the vehicles more than 65,000 miles around the U.S. during the scheme. Bellido Cosio and a co-conspirator, Angel Eugenio Bances Chaponan, were arrested on March 13, 2024, shortly after they stole a wallet from a victim at store in Orange, Connecticut, and used the victim’s credit card to purchase a MacBook for approximately $2,850 and an iPad Pro for approximately $1,050. On January 30, 2026, Bellido Cosio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He has been detained since his arrest and faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. Bances Chaponan and a third co-conspirator, Erick Christian Luna de la Cruz, pleaded guilty to related charges. On September 17, 2024, Bances Chaponan was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. Luna de la Cruz awaits sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manchester (Conn.) Police Department, with the assistance of the Orange (Conn.) Police Department, the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department, the Spartanburg County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office, the Spartanburg Police Department, the Warwick (R.I.) Police Department, the Cary (N.C.) Police Department, and the Metropolitan Nashville (Tenn.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and Michael S. McGarry.


title: Civil Rights Division Sues Cloudera for Excluding U.S. Workers from Applying to High-Paying Technology Jobs

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Cloudera Inc. (Cloudera), a Santa Clara, California-based technology company for violating the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by intentionally discriminating against U.S. workers in favor of hiring workers with temporary visas. The complaint was filed with the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, which has jurisdiction over cases arising under the INA. “Employers cannot use the PERM sponsorship process as a backdoor for discriminating against U.S. workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Division will not hesitate to sue companies who intentionally deter U.S. workers from applying to American jobs.” The complaint alleges Cloudera intentionally created a separate recruitment and hiring process to deter U.S. workers from applying, and also did not consider them, for lucrative technology jobs that the company earmarked for people with temporary employment visas. Cloudera created an email account that did not allow external emails, but still instructed applicants to use that unworkable email address to apply for jobs. The Division received a charge of employment discrimination from one U.S. worker who tried to apply using the email account Cloudera set up, but received a bounce back notification. When sponsoring current employees under the permanent labor certification program (PERM), Cloudera purposely failed to recruit U.S. workers in good faith. The PERM program allows employers to sponsor workers for permanent resident status, only after completing recruitment of U.S. workers. But, as with any recruitment or hiring, employers cannot illegally discriminate against U.S. worker applicants based on their citizenship status during the PERM process. This lawsuit is part of the Department’s Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, which was relaunched in 2025. The Initiative, under which the Division has already obtained ten settlements in the last year, focuses on companies that illegally discriminate against U.S. workers in favor of those with temporary employment visas. For information about additional settlements under the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, visit IER’s website . For informal assistance, the public can call IER’s free hotline at 1-800-255-7688 for workers or at 1-800-255-8155 for employers (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired between 9am and 5pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation ; email IER@usdoj.gov ; or visit www.justice.gov/ier .


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Possessing, Distributing Fentanyl in Allentown

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Wilson Rosario, aka “Joshua,” 36, a Dominican national who had been illegally residing in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, 10 years’ supervised release, a $3,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for possessing and distributing significant quantities of fentanyl. The defendant was charged by indictment in May 2025 and pleaded guilty in January of this year to drug distribution conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a protected location — specifically, an Allentown elementary school and playground. “After entering the United States illegally, the defendant wasted no time in acquiring bulk quantities of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He stored tens of thousands of doses of this deadly drug steps from an elementary school — and peddled that fentanyl to as many people as he could, profiting off the misery of addiction. Wilson Rosario has endangered countless Pennsylvanians and repeatedly insulted the rule of law. Today’s sentence will keep him behind bars for over a decade, right where he belongs.” “This investigation and prosecution stopped an upper-level drug trafficker who was storing his poisonous products within walking distance of an elementary school and public park,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “I commend our partners for collaboration that removes another predatory trafficker from the community.” As detailed in court filings and statements, from April 2023 to August 2023, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (“BNI”) worked with a confidential source to arrange multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from the defendant. On August 26, 2023, BNI agents executed a state search warrant at a residence on the 800 block of West Chew Street in Allentown, which Rosario used to store and package fentanyl. During their search of this location, which is approximately 100 feet from a city elementary school and playground, agents seized nearly 300 grams of suspected fentanyl, a hydraulic press, respirator, digital scales, and other paraphernalia consistent with preparing fentanyl for distribution. The same day, agents secured a search warrant for another location used by Rosario on the 1300 block of West Chew Street, approximately 300 feet from Allentown’s Franklin Park. In that apartment, investigators recovered more than four kilograms of suspected fentanyl, Narcan, a respirator, and empty vacuum seal bags. Subsequent testing of the suspected fentanyl recovered at the search warrant locations was performed by the Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Laboratory. Testing concluded that approximately 4,272.76 grams contained fentanyl or a mixture containing xylazine and fentanyl. Combined with the 62.17 grams of fentanyl recovered from the four controlled purchases conducted by law enforcement in this case, the total amount of fentanyl that the defendant is responsible for in this case is 4,334.93 grams. 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 case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf.


title: Area Men Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Stealing Dozens of Vehicles From Rental Companies, Dealerships, Other Businesses

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two area men have been sentenced to prison by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston for conspiring to steal dozens of vehicles, including cars, tractors, and backhoes, from rental companies, dealerships, and home improvement stores. Tariq Bennett, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 39 months’ incarceration, three years’ supervised release, $502,070.13 in restitution, and a special assessment of $2,600. Syheed Goodman, 37, of Upper Darby, Pa., was sentenced to 39 months’ incarceration and three years’ supervised release, $939,295.48 in restitution, and a special assessment of $2,700. The defendants were charged by superseding indictment in June 2024 and pleaded guilty last year to more than two dozen counts apiece, including conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and transportation of a stolen vehicle. As detailed in court filings and statements, from at least October 2021 through October 2023, Bennett, Goodman, and third co-conspirator engaged in a conspiracy to steal dozens of vehicles. To effectuate the scheme, the defendants test-drove, rented, and/or fraudulently purchased the vehicles. They then failed to return the vehicles they had rented or taken for test drives, or failed to make any payments for the vehicles they had fraudulently purchased. As part of the conspiracy to obtain the vehicles, the defendants presented fabricated driver’s licenses bearing either the personal identifying information of third-party victims, which they had purchased online, or the personal identifying information of fictitious individuals. The defendants then sold the vehicles and equipment to other individuals. In some instances, the defendants transported the stolen vehicles across state lines to facilitate the sales to third parties. In all, the defendants stole at least 46 vehicles from businesses in and around Pennsylvania. This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Organized Crime Task Force, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Abington Police Department, Bensalem Township Police Department, Plymouth Township Police Department, and Springfield Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.


title: Felon Sentenced for Possessing a Shotgun and Ammunition

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

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A prior felon living in Tulsa was sentenced for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Marcus Antonio Jones, 46, to 51 months imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release. In July 2025, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched to an apartment where Jones was seen discharging a firearm. Upon arrival, officers spoke with several residents who stated Jones had been drinking earlier in the day. They told officers that Jones discharged a shotgun in the occupied apartment, with a juvenile present. Officers executed a search warrant and seized a 12-gauge shotgun from Jones’s bedroom, along with the spent shell and three rounds of ammunition. Court records show that Jones has a lengthy criminal history, including being convicted of first-degree manslaughter, and domestic assault and battery by strangulation. Jones will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard prosecuted the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses on the most pressing violent crime issues facing our communities. This nationwide initiative brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to strategically address and reduce violent crime, in collaboration with other agencies and organizations that serve communities.


title: Broken Arrow Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing Several Firearm Switches

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Broken Arrow man was sentenced for unlawfully possessing “switches” that are used to convert a handgun into a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Derrick Carl Andrew Chatman, 25, of Broken Arrow, for Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun. Chatman was ordered to serve 24 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. In July 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was contacted by the Tulsa Police Department about recovering a firearm with an attached machinegun conversion device commonly known as a “switch.” A parent found the gun and ammunition in their juvenile’s bedroom. With the parents’ permission, the juvenile spoke with law enforcement and disclosed that he purchased the firearm at a gun show at the fairgrounds. While at the gun show, the juvenile met a man who sold and installed a switch. When law enforcement searched Chatman’s home, they found a firearm, several rounds of ammunition, and a box with a shipping label from China that contained firearm switches. During the investigation, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol intercepted a second package addressed to Chatman from China that contained an additional 15 machine gun conversion devices. State court records show that Chatman was charged in July 2024 with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, and other crimes. Shortly after being charged, Chatman pleaded guilty, was sentenced, and was under the State's supervision when federally indicted . Chatman will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The ATF, the Tulsa Police Department, and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses on the most pressing violent crime issues facing our communities. This nationwide initiative brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to strategically address and reduce violent crime, in collaboration with other agencies and organizations that serve communities.


title: New Albany man pleads guilty to threatening more than 30 public officials

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A New Albany man who sent 92 threatening communications targeting more than 30 public officials pleaded guilty in federal court here today. Ronald Lidderdale, 40, admitted guilt to 31 counts of federal crimes including mailing threatening communications, transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, false information and hoaxes and cyberstalking. As part of his conviction, law enforcement seized two 9mm pistols, ammunition, a lock-picking kit and tactical gear from Lidderdale’s residence. “Threatening political violence against public officeholders is antithetical to our system of government and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Public officials must be permitted to carry out their duties free from threats that cause concern for their personal safety and the safety of their loved ones. Perpetrators like Lidderdale, who use mail or the internet to engage in such conduct, will be taken at their word and prosecuted accordingly.” “Ronald Lidderdale violently threatened public officials because he didn’t agree with their views,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie. “Threats of political violence have no place in our society and Lidderdale will be held accountable for his criminal actions.” According to court documents, Lidderdale sent the communications threatening to kill and injure public officials in Ohio and elsewhere between July 2024 and May 2025. At the state level, the victims included the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, members of the supreme court, state senators and representatives, and a gubernatorial candidate. Federally, Lidderdale threatened several members of the United States Congress. Lidderdale often mailed letters to the victims’ offices and homes. Several letters were addressed to public officials and their spouses. Return addresses were for staffers, law firms and other individuals in the community. Many of the letters contained a white powder purported to be poison. One letter included a single round of 9mm ammunition with the Ohio Attorney General’s name etched on it. In January 2025, Lidderdale mailed letters containing white powder to seven different locations threatening to kill the Ohio Governor. In total, Lidderdale sent nearly 50 letters containing a white powder that he sometimes referred to as ricin, a deadly toxin. Lidderdale used an email service based in Switzerland to create encrypted emails to anonymously send threatening electronic communications. Throughout his messages, Lidderdale threatened to kill the officials by shooting them in the head and/or by poisoning them with a type of chemical agent. He repeatedly referred to his victims as “fascists” and “pedophiles.” The defendant anonymously submitted an online tip to the FBI stating, in part: “My urge to act has hit a boiling point. I believe that by removing those parasites will bring a renewed peace to all of Ohio…This is a fair warning that my urge to kill will break my patience…” A forensic review of Lidderdale’s devices revealed that he used the AI-powered chat bot to discuss his criminal conduct and its legal implications. Lidderdale stated he had mailed threatening letters to politicians and described sending a bullet with the victim’s name etched on it. He asked ChatGPT about the charges he could face, the sentence that could be imposed and what to expect while in federal prison. Lidderdale was arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint in May 2025. Mailing threatening communications carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison per count. Making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, conveying false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking are all federal crimes punishable by up to five years in prison per count. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and David Cunningham, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); as well as the U.S. Capitol Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol and several Ohio police departments; announced the plea entered into today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Little Water Man Pleads Guilty to Assault for 2024 Shooting

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Little Water man pleaded guilty to shooting another man during a drunken altercation. According to court documents, on July 29, 2024, Anthony Sandoval , 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo nation, and John Doe were intoxicated when they got into disagreement. During the altercation, Sandoval shot John Doe. After shooting him, Sandoval called for assistance and admitted to shooting him before fleeing the scene and hiding the firearm. Sandoval was apprehended that night and the firearm was recovered. John Doe was hospitalized and underwent surgery to repair injuries sustained during the shooting. Sandoval pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.


title: Madison Felon Sentenced to 9 ½ Years for Armed Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Gairitt Schad, 28, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 9 ½ years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Schad pleaded guilty to these charges on January 15, 2026. On April 17, 2025, a law enforcement agent arranged to purchase crack cocaine from Schad at a local restaurant. When officers approached, Schad attempted to flee. Officers ultimately arrested Schad and in his vehicle, found approximately 114 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of crack cocaine, 55 grams of cocaine, 24 grams of heroin, counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills, and 24 Xanax pills. In the vehicle’s center console was a a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Schad’s DNA was recovered on the slide of the handgun. Schad was prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for first degree recklessly endangering safety, robbery, and eluding. He was on state probation at the time of his federal offenses. At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that Schad was aware that his conduct could result in federal charges but committed the offenses anyway. Judge Peterson expressed concern that Schad would return to crime when released. The charges against Schad were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case. Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Gloucester man sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a foreign exchange student and receiving child sexual abuse material

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced today to life in prison following his conviction for coercion and enticement of a child and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anthony George Ruggiero, 42, and his family hosted a foreign exchange student who arrived at their home in Gloucester in 2021. After returning to her home country in 2022, the student disclosed to medical professionals that she had been sexually abused and exploited by Ruggiero in 2021 through 2022. Ruggiero also engaged in sexually explicit messages with the student through social media accounts that indicated that Ruggiero was sexually abusing the student while she was 15 and 16 years old. The sexually graphic conversations continued after she returned to her home country. Ruggiero asked her for sexually explicit photos, offered her sexually explicit photos, and engaged in sexually explicit conversations both reminiscent of past sexual encounters and fantasies of future encounters. Ruggiero was also found guilty of receiving five videos of CSAM of an identified victim in Texas. The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon E.A. Heath and Peter G. Osyf 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 . Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-39.


title: Cincinnati man sentenced to more than 6 years in federal prison for gun & drug crimes

body_text: CINCINNATI – Myron Nichols, 29, of Mt. Healthy, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 80 months in prison for fentanyl and firearms crimes. According to court documents, in November 2024, Nichols, driving a stolen vehicle, fled from Cincinnati police officers when they attempted to stop him for multiple traffic violations. Hours later, police officers were dispatched to Kellogg Avenue for a reported fight or disturbance. Nichols was at the scene in the stolen vehicle. When officers told him to exit the vehicle, the defendant fled on foot and was ultimately apprehended after a short pursuit. Upon Nichols’ arrest, officers discovered a pistol in his jacket pocket. After the stolen vehicle was towed to the Cincinnati police impound lot, officers located distribution quantities of fentanyl and fentanyl mixture in the vehicle’s center console area. Nichols was arrested in July 2025 and pleaded guilty in October 2025. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Cincinnati Police Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie; and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: 58 Kilograms of Cocaine Destined for West Tennessee Seized; Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Erick Chaparro-Gamboa, 28 , of Denver, Colorado, has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in conspiring to transport 58 kilograms of cocaine into West Tennessee. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, on August 9, 2025, the Texas Department of Safety conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by the defendant. After searching the vehicle, troopers located 58 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a speaker box. The Texas Department of Safety contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to assist. Upon investigation, investigators determined that the narcotics were destined for West Tennessee. The narcotics had an estimated street value of $750,000. A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted Gamboa on September 9, 2025 for Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine. On January 9, 2026, Gamboa pled guilty as charged. On April 17, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced the defendant to 54 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by a three-year period of supervised release. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Criminal enterprises that distribute harmful drugs into West Tennessee can no longer hide. We are taking the fight to the drug trafficking organizations who want to poison our citizens for their greed and profit. I commend the outstanding investigative efforts by DEA and our other state and local law enforcement partners in this important and impactful case." “Mexican drug traffickers are on notice…you and your poison are not welcome here, find a new line of work,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Field Division. “This case highlights how effective law enforcement can be when we all work together, from the state and local level, up to the federal level.” This case was the result of multiple agencies working together in the investigation and prosecution: DEA Memphis, TN; DEA Amarillo, TX; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), McAllen, TX; Texas Department of Safety; and the Germantown, TN Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory D. Allen prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Employees for Outstanding Work in 2025

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio recently honored employees for outstanding work in support of the office’s mission during the 2025 calendar year. Award recipients were recognized at the office’s annual USAO Awards during an in-house ceremony April 17. “Each year, we recognize a special group of employees for their exceptional achievements. The contributions of these men and women—whether behind the scenes or in the courtroom—are critical in executing our mission to protect the public by aggressively enforcing the law,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer . “These recognitions signify our deep appreciation for their hard work and dedication to serving our office, and to the people of Northern Ohio.” USAO employees were recognized across administrative, criminal and civil divisions and are as follows: Career Achievement Award Awarded to an attorney with more than 15 years of experience and demonstrated superior professionalism in the execution of duties, excellence in leadership and mentorship throughout their USAO career. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Corts , Criminal Division Chief Attorney of the Year Awarded for outstanding overall performance and demonstrated a superior commitment to the interests of justice and the USAO mission. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Czerwien , Financial Litigation Unit Supervisor of the Year Awarded for superior management skills and excellence in leadership. Assistant United States Attorney Elliot Morrison , White Collar Crimes Unit Chief Support Staff Career Achievement Award Awarded to a staff member with more than 15 years of experience who demonstrated superior professionalism in the execution of duties, excellence in leadership and mentorship throughout their USAO career. Karen Vesely , Paralegal Specialist Support Excellence Awarded for outstanding performance for a particular project/case/duty or series of projects/cases/duties in a respective office division: Excellence in Administrative Support: Andrew Hejl , Information Technology Specialist Excellence in Civil Support: Tina Tennant , Paralegal Specialist Excellence in Criminal Support: Ekaterina Marceta , Paralegal Specialist Excellence in Criminal Support: Kristen Eder , Legal Assistant Excellence in Criminal Advocacy Awarded to the Project Safe Childhood prosecution team for their work to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Margaret Kane , Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Tangeman , Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer King , Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Al-Sorghali , Assistant U.S. Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel , Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik , Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Dangelo , Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Spryszak , Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Daly , Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Kretz , Victim Assistance Specialist Gail Hollis , Victim Assistance Specialist Excellence in Civil Advocacy Awarded to the litigation team of a medical malpractice action: Kimberly Lubrani , Assistant U.S. Attorney James Bennett , Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vesely , Paralegal Specialist Tina Tennant , Paralegal Specialist Devin Zabarsky , Paralegal Specialist Merit Award Awarded to the prosecution team of a complex cryptocurrency/cybercrime case: James Morford , Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Riedl , Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry DeBaggis , Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Katz , Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Gedeon , Asset Forfeiture Contractor Kristin Thresher , Asset Forfeiture Contractor Carol Farago , Asset Forfeiture Contractor For more information on career opportunities with the USAO, visit usajobs.gov to search for openings in Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown, or Akron. To learn more about the Northern District of Ohio, visit justice.gov/usao-ndoh .


title: Connecticut Resident Sentenced to Nine Months’ Imprisonment For Fraudulently Obtaining $1.2 Million In Unclaimed Property

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Patricia A. White, age 70, resident of Old Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced on April 27, 2026, to nine months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for submitting false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property to state treasuries. White was also ordered to pay $1,208,271.40 in restitution to approximately 30 state treasuries. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, White, along with her brother and codefendant, Henry A. White, Jr., together received over $1.2 million in false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property from state treasuries around the United States. Henry White using the names of corporate entities with which he was not affiliated and which he had no lawful authority to use, applied for and received unclaimed property from state treasuries throughout the United States. The scheme took place over the course of approximately ten years, from 2013 until around 2022. State treasuries, relying on the certifications provided by Henry White under penalty of perjury, issued payment checks, which were generally sent by U.S. mail to the shared home address of both defendants. From there, the Whites deposited and cashed these fraudulently obtained payment checks into a joint bank account, and they used these funds for personal expenses, including for mortgage payments for their shared home in Connecticut. At the time of her guilty plea, Patricia White admitted to personally depositing some of these fraudulently obtained checks. Henry White was sentenced on December 17, 2025 to 37 months in prison and was ordered to pay the same restitution amount as Patricia White. Patricia White will surrender herself to the Bureau of Prisons on May 8, 2026. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Dubuque Man Found Guilty of Possessing Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute it After Four Day Trial

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Dubuque man who possessed methamphetamine intending to distribute it was convicted by a jury on April 23, 2026, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Justin Noel Allen, age 43, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The verdict was returned following about four hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that law enforcement officers stopped Allen on March 24, 2025. During the stop, officers realized Allen had outstanding arrest warrants. Officers arrested Allen and located just over 15 grams of methamphetamine and one gram of fentanyl on his person. Allen was previously convicted of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in 2017 in Illinois and a controlled substance violation in 2025 in Iowa. Expert witnesses established that 15 grams of methamphetamine was consistent with distribution amounts of methamphetamine, and not personal use. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Allen remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Allen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers, and was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-1029. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison For Sexually Exploiting Children

body_text: A man who sexually exploited children and possessed child pornography was sentenced April 27, 2026, to 25 years in federal prison. Dawson Sanderson, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a November 13, 2025, guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Sanderson admitted that, in 2021, he got minors to produce and send depictions of sexually explicit conduct to him. He also admitted he possessed child pornography. Information at the sentencing hearing showed that Sanderson used the Internet to attempt to persuade, induce, and entice four girls, and two of the girls sent him sexually explicit depictions of themselves. Sanderson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Sanderson was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is CR 25-51. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.