title: Kansas Doctor Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for $8 Million Medicare Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry on Friday sentenced a Kansas anesthesiologist to three years in prison for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to order medically unnecessary health care for thousands of patients. She also ordered Dr. Scott Taggart Roethle, 48, to pay restitution of $8.3 million. From 2017 to 2020, Dr. Roethle played a central role in a massive telemarketing scheme that billed Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces. Overseas call centers collected Medicare information from unsuspecting elderly patients. Doctors, including Dr. Roethle, signed fraudulent orthotic brace prescriptions without evaluating patients or their actual medical needs and while falsely claiming to be their treating physician and having examined and diagnosed them. The brace suppliers mailed out the braces and billing companies then submitted the fraudulent claims to Medicare. Dr. Roethle admitted providing no follow-up care after signing the orders. Dr. Roethle was typically paid about $30 for each of his fraudulent orders and received a total of $674,000 from five companies for thousands of prescriptions. Medicare paid out at least $8 million while relying on his fraudulent orders. “Dr. Roethle used his medical license to facilitate a scheme that exploited vulnerable Medicare patients and drained millions from a program meant to provide medically necessary care,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ashley L. Collins of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “By ordering expensive medical equipment without ever examining patients, he betrayed his professional responsibilities and violated the trust of his patients. Today’s sentence demonstrates HHS-OIG’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who put personal profit above patient safety and the integrity of federal health care programs.” Roethle, of the Kansas City area, pleaded guilty in April of 2025 to one count of health care fraud. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek Wiseman and Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.


title: Little Rock Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Antonio Kimmons will spend the next 140 months in federal prison after again being convicted for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. On March 4, 2025, Kimmons, 47, of Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a three-count Indictment for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of a machinegun, and possession of body armor. On September 30, 2025, Kimmons pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Judge Moody also sentenced Kimmons to one year of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. An investigation revealed that on June 30, 2024, deputies from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a verbal altercation between Kimmons and two other men at a garage sale. The men arguing with Kimmons told deputies that Kimmons was angry and followed them in a white van while also shooting at them. No one was injured during the incident, however, investigators observed a bullet hole through the back of the victim’s vehicle, and also through the back of the driver’s seat. Deputies then searched the area for the white van and located it at Kimmons’ residence. After obtaining a search warrant for Kimmons’ residence, deputies conducted a search of the residence. During the search, deputies located approximately 17 firearms, including a machinegun, over 300 pounds of various ammunition, and various firearm accessories, including body armor. During an interview by an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kimmons admitted that he owned the firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories, and purchased illegal firearm parts over the Internet. Kimmons’ criminal history includes felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and aggravated robbery and several misdemeanor convictions for drugs, criminal trespass, assault, domestic battery, and disorderly conduct. 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 investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bart Dickinson. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Essex County Man Convicted of Drug Distribution and Illegal Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was convicted of firearm and narcotics offenses following a three-day trial, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Mookadean Cheeseboro, 38, of Newark, was convicted by a federal jury on February 11, 2026, of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine following a trial before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On December 20, 2021, while executing a search warrant, New Jersey State Police officers saw Cheeseboro engaged in drug trafficking. When State Police detectives searched Cheeseboro, they found 74 doses of cocaine and fentanyl packaged for sale and a key to a vehicle. When detectives opened the vehicle, they found a .380 caliber handgun and thirty rounds of ammunition. Cheeseboro admitted in a post-arrest statement that he possessed the drugs and had the firearm for his protection. The felon in possession charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The possession with intent to distribute controlled substances charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years of imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. Cheeseboro was previously convicted in 2015 of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. U.S. District Judge William J. Martini sentenced him to serve 70 months’ imprisonment for that offense. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited with the investigation special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, as well as the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Lt. Col. Jeanne Hengemuhle, with the investigation leading to this conviction. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Maloy, of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, and Kelly M. Lyons, Acting Chief of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit. ### Defense counsel: F. R. “Chip” Dunne, III, Esq. cheeseboro.indictment.pdf


title: Bookkeeper Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Embezzling $580,000 From Church

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Friday sentenced the former parish secretary and bookkeeper who embezzled from a DeSoto, Missouri church to 33 months in prison and ordered her to repay $581,337. Corie M. Boyer, 50, of Jefferson County, Missouri, stole the funds from the parish in multiple ways from 2017 to 2024, while she was responsible for maintaining the parish's books and records, organizing certain parish fundraisers and assisting in the collection and counting of the weekly offertory. She misused parish credit cards that were intended for fundraising expenses, wrote parish checks to herself and cashed them, used parish bank accounts to pay down the balance on her personal credit cards and stole parishioners’ cash donations from the weekly offertory. She gambled some of the money away and used more to pay for a family vacation, go shopping, pay her taxes and rent and fund a relative’s college tuition. Boyer covered up the theft by falsifying parish records. “Corie Boyer betrayed her parish when she abused her position of trust for personal gain. She stole funds from the church, spent the money on herself and others, and took steps to cover up the theft,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation St. Louis Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “IRS-CI remains deeply committed to investigating such abuses of trust and will work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue justice on behalf of the victims.” Boyer pleaded guilty in October in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of wire fraud. The FBI and IRS - Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.


title: Employee at High-End Car Dealerships Sentenced for Tax Fraud

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced on February 26, 2026, to 18 months in prison for failing to report over $1.6 million in income on his federal income tax returns that he embezzled from his employer, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Jooyeong Lee of Westbury, New York previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an information charging him with filing a false federal income tax return. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From approximately 2015 through 2021, Lee embezzled over $1.6 million from various high-end car dealerships in New Jersey where he worked. When he filed his tax returns, Lee failed to report or pay tax on the funds as income. Over seven years, Lee caused a tax loss of $494,082. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation that led to the sentencing in this case. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Jason A. Seidman, Esq.


title: Mansfield Man Arrested for Unlawful Possession of Ammunition

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Mansfield man was arrested yesterday for unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. At the time of the alleged offense, the defendant was on supervised release for a prior 2021 conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition. Michael Kennedy, 48, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and remains detained in federal custody following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. According to the charging documents, Kennedy had been ordering firearms parts online to be shipped to his residence, including parts utilized to complete and/or manufacture M-16 type and AR-15 type rifle. During a search of his Mansfield residence, it is alleged that numerous privately made firearms frames, a 3D printer and ammunition in varying calibers were located. One firearm, a 5.7 pistol, was allegedly found tucked into the arm of a reclining chair where Kennedy had been sleeping. The pistol was loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition including one round in the chamber. The ammunition allegedly recovered included CBC 9mm ammunition, JAG 9mm ammunition and FN 5.7 x 28mm ammunition. Kennedy is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to prior convictions in the District of Massachusetts for bank robbery and felon in possession of ammunition and in Norfolk Superior Court for armed robbery and witness intimidation. The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Mansfield Police Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending March 6, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 47 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 5 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 22 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 49 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for second degree murder, aggravated assault, drug trafficking, vehicle theft, immigration documents fraud, possession of a firearm by an alien, and prior immigration offenses. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Another week, another nearly 400 more charged in SDTX’s relentless border enforcement efforts

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 395 cases have been filed against 396 people in immigration and related matters from Feb. 27-March 5 in continuing enforcement actions to protect the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Criminal complaints allege 23 people were involved in human smuggling crimes. Another 165 individuals have allegedly entered the country illegally, while 206 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have previous convictions for narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses and more. The remaining cases relate to other immigration crimes. Some of those charged with felony reentry this week include two men who have prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and were just removed within the last several months, according to their criminal complaints. Authorities allegedly found Cuban national Onnis Alvarez Rubio near Penitas and El Salvadorian national Eduardo Neftali Rodriguez-Cubas near Havana with no authorization to be in the United States. Four others also charged with felony reentry after prior removal include Mexican nationals Francisco Gonzalez-Angeles, Jesus Lerma-Villarreal, Oswaldo Odinez-Garcia, and Mario Alberto Munoz-Garcia. The complaints allege they have previous convictions such as illegal reentry, transporting/harboring aliens, evading arrest, or driving while intoxicated (third or more). Law enforcement discovered them all in the McAllen and surrounding areas, according to their charges. All face up to 20 years in prison, if convicted. In addition to the new cases, “ Operation Pick-Off ” has now expanded to the Houston area. The SDTX initiative that began in the Rio Grande Valley in August 2025 has now resulted in federal charges in all divisions against illegal alien offenders who were serving terms of probation or supervision for other state crimes while unlawfully residing in the United States. “Our office created Operation Pick-Off based upon an extremely simple concept—that a state probation sentence should not be a sanctuary from federal immigration laws. Take note, the Southern District of Texas is not a safe harbor for those who enter the United States illegally and commit crimes against our citizens,” said Ganjei. “Now, these offenders, who so brazenly flouted our laws, have earned themselves a jail stay before their one-way flight home. My office promised to bring this targeted operation to every corner of the district. Promise kept.” Also announced this week was the sentencing of MS-13 gang member Ronald Alberto Rivas-Aguilar . He must now serve 23 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. In 2016, Rivas and another MS-13 member conspired to murder a rival gang member in Fort Bend County. Rivas transported the victim to Buffalo Run Park and tied the victim’s ankles with shoelaces before a coconspirator beat the victim to death with a machete. Authorities later removed Rivas to El Salvador; however, he illegally returned to the United States. Two other illegal alien felons were also ordered to federal prison for unlawfully reentering into the country. Honduran nationals Angel Arquimedez Coto-Martinez and Kevin Alexander Bueso-Medina received 38 months and 24 months, respectively. Both have multiple prior convictions for illegal reentry. Bueso-Medina was also previously convicted of importation and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, manufacture/delivery of cocaine and driving while intoxicated. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Romanian National to be Sentenced for Participation in Fraud Scheme

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Romanian national who participated in a large-scale fraud scheme, which used fake business websites to steal more than $1.8 million from consumers across the country, will be sentenced on March 11, 2026, at 10:00 AM in Las Cruces for the crime of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In his plea agreement, Claudiu Pesteleu , 44, a Romanian national illegally present in the United States, admitted that from May 2023 through June 2024, he participated in a nationwide fraud scheme that used fake websites impersonating legitimate businesses to trick victims into wiring money for various consumer products, such as cars and equipment. Victims believed they were making legitimate purchases, but the funds were instead directed to the bank accounts of shell companies that were created with fake passports other fraudulent identity documents. Pesteleu , whose role in this scheme was to help conceal the fraudulently obtained money, obtained fake identity documents and used those to organize sham businesses. He then opened bank accounts for these shell companies using these fake identity documents. These shell companies and aliases included Zammer Equipment LLC (Matthias Zammer), Super Exotic Deals LLC (Samuel Der Saar), Premier E. Liquidators LLC (Fred Laport), Adler Pre Owned LLC (Boris Adler), Bittman Motors LLC (Fritz Bittman), Nikkos Cargo LLC (Nikos Adonis) and Becker Automotive LLC (Karl Becker). Pesteleu also used the alias Thomas Muller. Consumers were directed to wire funds to accounts associated with these entities, believing they were purchasing legitimate goods. In total, approximately $1.8 million in fraudulently obtained funds was wired by victims to bank accounts that Pesteleu controlled. Pesteleu then conducted numerous financial transactions with the money to conceal the source of the funds and to hinder law enforcement from identifying the scheme and seizing the proceeds. If you believe you were a victim of Pesteleu , please contact the Homeland Security Investigations tipline at 866-347-2423. If you would like to attend the sentencing, please contact Victim Specialist Jacquie Gutierrez at (575) 522-2304 before the date of the hearing for more information. The Homeland Security Investigations Deming investigated this case with assistance from the Gainesville, Florida Police Department. Las Cruces Criminal Chief Richard Williams and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Gardner are prosecuting the case.


title: Jamestown man and woman charged with narcotics conspiracy in superseding indictment

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging James Jackson, 39, and Alicia Osar, 37, both of Jamestown, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. In addition, Jackson is charged with maintaining a drug involved premises. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the superseding indictment, between 2018, and February 2025, Jackson and Osar conspired with Ernest W. Brown, Joseph S. Zaso and others, to sell fentanyl. In addition, between 2019, and 2021, Jackson is accused of using a Bush Street residence in Jamestown to manufacture and sell heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine and methamphetamine. Defendant Jackson is being detained, defendant Osar is released on conditions. Defendants Brown and Zaso were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo/Rochester comprises agents and officers from HSI and the FBI with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York. The superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Scott D. Forster, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone. 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: Massachusetts Man Arrested and Charged with Falsely Impersonating U.S. Army Veteran for Over 30 Years

body_text: BOSTON – A Pittsfield, Mass. man has been arrested and charged with falsely impersonating a United States Army veteran for over 30 years to obtain medical care at Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and other benefits. James D. Sommers, whose age is unknown, has been charged with one count of false statements. Sommers was arrested yesterday in Pittsfield, Mass., where he was staying under the guise of a victim’s identity at Soldier On, a facility that provides transitional housing to United States military veterans. Sommers remains in federal custody and will next appear in federal court on March 9, 2026. According to the charging documents, beginning as early as 1994, Sommers has falsely impersonated a United States Army veteran who served honorably from 1979 to 1982. It is alleged that Sommers used the victim’s stolen identity to obtain thousands of dollars in Social Security benefits and nearly $30,000 in medical care and medications from VA medical centers. Most recently, Sommers falsely impersonated the victim on Feb. 20, 2026, to obtain medical care at the VA Medical Center in Northampton, Mass. It is further alleged that Sommers has numerous prior convictions in New York State in 1994, 1997, 2001 and 2011 all under the victim’s name, for offenses including: criminal possession of stolen property; intent to obtain transportation without paying; sale of a controlled substance; possession of a forged instrument; attempted grand larceny; grand larceny; and forgery. The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to 70 Months for Money Laundering and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A foreign national was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in federal prison after being convicted of multiple money laundering offenses and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Two other foreign nationals were also sentenced yesterday for their roles in assisting in the money laundering offenses. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin W. Jackson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police (KSP), Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD), and Chief Richard Sanders of the Jeffersontown Police Department made the announcement On March 5, 2026, Jose Malagon Castro , 49, a citizen of Mexico and unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, fined $30,000, and forfeited $516,800, for twenty-four counts related to money laundering and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Castro was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. Also sentenced on March 5 were Kelin Hernandez Barahona , 31, a citizen of Honduras and unlawfully in the United States, and Suri Rosmeri Hernandez Del Cid, 28, a citizen of Guatemala and unlawfully in the United States. They were each sentenced to just over 11 months incarceration with 3 years supervised release for their roles in assisting Castro’s money laundering operation. Between at least January 2020 and continuing until at least December 2024, here in the Western District of Kentucky, Castro utilized his Money Service Business (MSB) operated at three grocery store locations, El Rey I, II and III, to launder drug trafficking proceeds. Specifically, Jose Malagon Castro transmitted himself or had his cashiers, Kelin Hernandez Barahona, and Suri Rosmeri Hernandez Del Cid , transmit drug proceeds through his MSB service to multiple beneficiaries and locations in Mexico. Forensic accounting conducted by the IRS determined that Castro laundered to Mexico over 1.9 million dollars of drug proceeds for a single drug trafficking organization. On December 4, 2024, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants for Castro’s businesses, residences, and vehicles and seized $516,800 in money laundering proceeds and multiple firearms to include: an Aguirre Y Aranzabal (AYA), model 4/53, 12-gauge shotgun; a Marlin Firearms Company, model 336W, 30-30 rifle; a Henry Repeating Rifle Company, model H004GE Golden Eagle, .22lr rifle; a Maverick Arms, model 88, 12-gauge shotgun; a Colt, model King Cobra, .357 magnum revolver; a Smith & Wesson, model CSX, 9mm pistol; and ammunition. Co-defendants, Vanessa Avila Galaviz , 29, a citizen of Mexico, and Kelin Hernandez Barahona , 32, a citizen of Honduras, have never appeared before the Court following their indictment and remain fugitives at large. United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “ Castro laundered over 1.9 million dollars in drug proceeds to Mexico on behalf of a drug trafficking organization. That 1.9 million dollars of laundered drug money represents a significant amount of poison that was sold in our community. Castro will now spend 70 months in prison before being expelled from the United States.” There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the IRS, ATF, DEA, HSI, FBI, KSP, LMPD, and the Jeffersontown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mac Shannon and Joseph Ansari are prosecuting this case. This investigation is part of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) “Third Party Money Laundering (3PML) Fentanyl Initiative.” The initiative is a collaboration between IRS-CI and the Transaction Record Analysis Center (TRAC). Through advanced data analytics the “3PML Fentanyl Initiative” identifies money launderers working on behalf of Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations and provides law enforcement with the resources necessary to pursue these investigations. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Nashville is comprised of agents and officers from IRS, ATF, DEA, HSI, and FBI and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. ###


title: Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns Related to Multi-Million-Dollar Catalytic Converter Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Providence man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Providence to filing false tax returns after failing to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income that he received from selling stolen catalytic converters to a Rhode Island scrap yard, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Daniel Rivera, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of filing false tax returns. Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to information presented to the court, Rivera received approximately $59,890 from stolen catalytic converter sales in 2021 and $224,750 in 2022 but failed to report those amounts on his federal income tax returns. As a result, Rivera’s false filings caused tax losses of approximately $13,426 for the tax year 2021 and $55,930 for the tax year 2022. Charging documents reflect that from at least January 2021 until November 2022, Rivera and others canvased neighborhoods and parking lots in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in search of unoccupied vehicles from which they could steal catalytic converters. Many of the stolen catalytic converters were sold to a Providence company (identified in court documents as Company 1) that recycles catalytic converters. Depending on the model and type of precious metal component, the average scrap price for catalytic converters ranged from $300 to $1,500. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney’s Paul F. Daly, Jr and Julie M. White. The matter was investigated by the FBI, Cranston Police Department, Providence Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigations, United States Marshal Service, National Insurance Crime Bureau, Newport Police Department, Fitchburg State University Police, Watertown Police Department, Canton Police Department, Attleboro Police Department, Fall River Police Department, and Department of Veterans Affairs- Office of Inspector General-Criminal Investigations Division.


title: Convicted Felon Who Opened Fire on Abilene Police Officers Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison

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

body_text: A previously convicted felon who opened fire on Abilene Police Department officers after leading them on a high speed chase was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Austin Tabor Heuermann, 32, of Abilene, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025 for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Heuermann pled guilty to the charge in November 2025 and was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment on March 6, 2026, by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered him to pay $4,019.26 in restitution. Court records reflect that on August 13, 2025, around 3:40 p.m., Heuermann fled from Abilene Police officers who tried to stop him for a traffic violation and an outstanding state warrant. Heuermann ran through several stop signs and sped toward multiple active school zones. Given the high risk to public safety, officers stopped pursuing. Shortly thereafter, officers located Heuermann’s empty vehicle hidden under a tarp. According to information presented in court, officers tracked Heuermann to a home in another area of Abilene. Other occupants exited the home at the officers’ direction, but Heuermann refused. Seconds after the last occupant exited, Heuermann shot through the house to the outside. Officers simultaneously observed debris from the wall immediately in front of them fly up into the air. Officers then retreated, and the Abilene Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (“SWAT”) team arrived. Court records show that Heuermann refused to surrender for hours, despite the presence of more than 10 SWAT members and negotiators at the home stationed in the armored SWAT Bearcat vehicle. Refusing to obey SWAT personnel commands to come out, Heuermann opened the front door twice. He first looked outside and shut the door. After opening the door again, Heuermann pointed a firearm and shot at the Bearcat, striking and partially shattering the Bearcat’s windshield directly above the driver’s head. According to plea documents, after Heuermann surrendered, officers entered the home and recovered a stolen grey Century Arms, Canik 9mm pistol with spent shell casings on the floor. Heuermann admitted that he was a convicted felon and that he possessed and fired the firearm that day. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Abilene Resident Agency – Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Fort Worth, and the Abilene Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Schrauth prosecuted the case.


title: Iranian Intelligence Agent Convicted of Terrorism and Murder for Hire in Connection With Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Politicians And Government Officials

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – A federal jury today convicted Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” of murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Merchant was a trained operative of the Iranian government’s global terrorist force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). He admitted at trial that in 2024 the IRGC sent him to the United States to arrange for political assassinations, but law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant arrived in the United States in April of 2024, met with purported hitmen in June—who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York—and was placed under arrest before leaving the country in July of 2024. Merchant faces up to life in prison. Pamela Bondi, United States Attorney General; Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict. “This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant to protect Americans, prosecute terrorists, and halt acts of terrorism before they happen.” “Iran’s terrorist regime sent Asif Merchant here to sow mayhem and murder,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Thanks to the vigilance of our law enforcement partners, his scheme ended in failure. Today, with Merchant’s conviction, that failure is complete. Our Office will always remain vigilant in our mission to protect the United States from foreign terrorist adversaries.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s Field Offices in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago and Albany for their partnership on this case. Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance. “At the direction of the Iranian regime, Asif Merchant plotted to assassinate a United States politician or government official on American soil,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “This foiled scheme motivated by vengeance for U.S. actions against the Iranian regime sought to strike at the heart of our democracy. May today's conviction illustrate the FBI's resolute commitment to protect the homeland from the Iranian regime's craven efforts to wage terror on the American people.” As set forth in trial exhibits and testimony, including the defendant’s own testimony, Merchant began working for the IRGC in late 2022 or early 2023, when he received training in intelligence tradecraft, including countersurveillance. Later in 2023, he was sent to the United States to look for potential IRGC recruits in the United States. Merchant testified that he knew that the IRGC was a designated terrorist organization. Throughout this period, Merchant repeatedly traveled to Iran to meet with his IRGC handler. Merchant testified that in 2024, he was sent back to the United States with a new mission: to recruit hitmen to arrange the murder of one of three specific U.S. government officials and politicians. Merchant admitted that he was tasked by the IRGC to kill a U.S. government official or politician to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani. To that end, Merchant contacted an acquaintance in New York who he thought could help him with his scheme. That person instead reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS). In early June, Merchant met the CS in New York and explained his assassination plot. Merchant told the CS that he had an ongoing opportunity for him and then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” in the United States. Merchant instructed the CS to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions. At that meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed the CS on how he would kill a target in the various scenarios. Specifically, Merchant asked the CS to explain how the target would die in different scenarios. Merchant told the CS that there would be “security [] all around” the person. Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with the CS from overseas using code words. The CS asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home with whom Merchant was working. Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to “finalize” the plan and leave the United States. Merchant would later testify that the “party” was his IRGC handler. In mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers (the UCs) in New York. Merchant advised the UCs that he was looking for three services from them: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies and for them to kill a “political person” in the United States. Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill after Merchant had departed the United States. Targets could include President Donald J. Trump, President Joseph Biden, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, and the defendant stated he understood the target would be Trump. Throughout this period, Merchant performed internet searches for the locations of political rallies and sent a report back to his IRGC handler regarding security protocols at rallies. Merchant then began arranging means to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as an advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with assistance from an individual overseas. On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance. After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, “now we’re bonded,” to which Merchant responded “yes.” The UC then stated “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” to which Merchant responded “Yes, absolutely.” Merchant subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024. On that day, law enforcement agents placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country. The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Nina C. Gupta and Gilbert Rein are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Deputy Chief Paul Casey and former Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division. The Defendant : ASIF MERCHANT (also known as “Asif Raza Merchant”) Age: 48 Karachi, Pakistan; Tehran, Iran E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-362 (EK)


title: District of Arizona Charges 177 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Feb. 28 through Mar. 6, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 177 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 124 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 35 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 17 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Iven Jair Jonathan Monjaraz-Perez, Gabriel Garcia-Lopez, and Alvaro Ojeda-Gomez. Monjarez-Perez, Garcia-Lopez, and Ojea-Gomez were charged by complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien on Mar. 4, 2026. In 2025, HSI opened an investigation into a human smuggling organization operating out of Phoenix, Arizona. According to the complaint, on Mar. 2, 2026, HSI agents executed a federal search warrant on an apartment in Phoenix, located 19 smuggled illegal aliens, and arrested two alleged load drivers, Garcia-Lopez and Ojeda-Gomez, who acted as caretakers of the apartment. Agents also learned that Garcia-Lopez and Ojeda-Gomez were citizens of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States. HSI agents then executed a federal search warrant on a second apartment connected to the smuggling scheme and saw two individuals, including Monjarez-Perez, leave the apartment and get into a car associated with the smuggling scheme. Agents arrested Monjarez-Perez, who is alleged to have received money to transport aliens in the United States and receive them at the drop house. Case Number: 26-MJ-3055. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-045_March 6, 2026 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Iranian Intelligence Agent Convicted of Terrorism and Murder for Hire in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Politicians and Government Officials

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, a federal jury convicted Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” of murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Merchant was a trained operative of the Iranian government’s global terrorist force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Merchant admitted at trial that the IRGC sent him to the United States to arrange for political assassinations and steal documents, but law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant arrived in the United States in April of 2024, met with purported hitmen in June—who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York—and was placed under arrest before leaving the country in July of 2024. Merchant faces up to life in prison. “This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant to protect Americans, prosecute terrorists, and halt acts of terrorism before they happen.” “Merchant tried to hire someone to kill a politician or a U.S. government official, but the FBI and our partners stopped that deadly plot,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This was not the first attempt by Iran to harm our citizens on U.S. soil; the other efforts also failed. Let this verdict serve as a reminder that the FBI is committed to detecting such threats and preventing acts of violence, and we will hold accountable anyone who tries to interfere with our democratic system.” “Merchant, a trained Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operative, entered the United States intending to commit acts of terror, and ultimately, to facilitate the assassination of U.S. government officials, including President Trump,” said Assistant Attorney General for National security John A. Eisenberg. “Merchant’s plot struck at the heart of our democracy and our commitment to the rule of law. NSD remains committed to defending our Nation from the pernicious threat of terrorism.” “Iran’s terrorist regime sent Asif Merchant here to sow mayhem and murder,” stated United States Attorney Nocella for the Eastern District of New York. “Thanks to the vigilance of our law enforcement partners, his scheme ended in failure. Today, with Merchant’s conviction, that failure is complete. This Office will always remain vigilant in our mission to protect the United States from foreign terrorist adversaries. ” As set forth in trial exhibits and testimony, including the defendant’s own testimony, Merchant began working for the IRGC in Pakistan in late 2022 or early 2023, when he received training in tradecraft, including countersurveillance. Later in 2023, he was sent to the United States to look for potential IRGC recruits who could stay behind in the United States. Merchant testified that he knew that the IRGC was a designated terrorist organization. Throughout this period, Merchant repeatedly traveled to Iran to meet with his IRGC handler. Merchant testified that in 2024, he was sent back to the United States with a new mission: to recruit “Mafia” members to steal documents, stage a protest, and arrange the murder of one of three specific U.S. government officials and politicians. To that end, Merchant contacted an acquaintance in New York who he thought could help him with his scheme. That person, Nadeem Ali, instead reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source. In early June, Merchant met Ali in New York and explained his assassination plot. Merchant told Ali that he had an ongoing opportunity for him and then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” in the United States. Merchant instructed Ali to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions. Merchant explained that his plot involved multiple criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home; (2) planning a protest; and (3) killing a politician or government official. At that meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed Ali on how he would kill a target in the various scenarios. Specifically, Merchant asked Ali to explain how the target would die in different scenarios. Merchant told Ali that there would be “security [] all around” the person. Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with Ali from overseas using code words. Ali asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home with whom Merchant was working. Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to “finalize” the plan and leave the United States. Merchant would later testify that the “party” was his IRGC handler. In mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers (the UCs) in New York. Merchant advised the UCs that he was looking for three services from them: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies and for them to kill a “political person.” Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill after Merchant had departed the United States. Throughout this period, Merchant performed internet searches for the locations of political rallies and sent reports back to his IRGC handler regarding security protocols at rallies. Merchant then began arranging means to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as an advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with assistance from an individual overseas. On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance. After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, “now we’re bonded,” to which Merchant responded “yes.” The UC then stated “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” to which Merchant responded “Yes, absolutely.” Merchant subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024. On that day, law enforcement agents placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country. The FBI’s Field Offices in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago and Albany for partnered in the investigation of this case. The New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted with the investigation. The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Nina Gupta and Gilbert Rein for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Deputy Chief Paul Casey and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.


title: Biloxi Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison and a Lifetime of Supervised Release for Possession of Images of Minors  Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Biloxi, Mississippi man was sentenced March 6, 2026 to 10 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for possessing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office. In January 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) executed a search warrant at the residence of Terrence Green, a 46-year-old male, in relation to suspected online activity related to the illegal possession of child sexual abuse material. During the search warrant, law enforcement seized Mr. Green’s cellphone. A forensic analysis of the phone revealed that the defendant possessed numerous images of child sexual abuse material. It was determined that Mr. Green would access child sexual abuse material on the cellphone and take screenshots of the images, therefore saving them onto his device. The defendant pled guilty for his conduct in October 2025. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's 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.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Indictment Returned Against Man Who Stabbed Six People in Northeast in April 2025

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kevin Andrade, 34, of Washington, D.C., was indicted this week on charges related to a stabbing spree on April 3, 2025, where six people were attacked with a knife in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The indictment returned against Kevin Andrade sends a clear message: anyone who commits a crime in D.C. will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The senseless violence in this city must stop, and my office will continue pursuing justice and working to ensure the safety of our residents.” Andrade was indicted on 24 felony counts, including six counts of assault with intent to kill while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The indictment includes enhancements for a third violent felony offense and for assaulting senior citizen victims. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years of incarceration if convicted of the enhanced charges. According to the government’s evidence, on April 3, 2025, at the intersection of Montello Avenue and Meigs Place NE , Andrade was heard yelling at a woman before stabbing her on the right side of her face. The second and third victims were in the area visiting a family member, the fourth victim, when one of them observed the defendant pacing back and forth and screaming. Witnesses heard Andrade say, “everybody getting stabbed today,” and “I am going to kill them all.” Suddenly, Andrade ran towards the three victims and started stabbing all three of them. The second victim suffered a laceration to the left shoulder, left clavicle, and left torso. The third victim suffered two stab wounds to her back. The fourth victim suffered stab wounds to her lower left back and breast. A fifth victim, who observed the defendant run up to the group and start stabbing them, attempted to stop Andrade, but they both fell to the ground. Andrade was able to get on top of that victim and stabbed him, before walking away. The sixth victim was getting off of the D8 Metrobus on Montello Avenue NE wearing headphones and listening to music, when Andrade stabbed him in the back of the head. Each victim was treated for their injuries at local hospitals and survived the attack. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). This case is being prosecuted by Assistants U.S. Attorney Nickolas Reck. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 2025 CF1 003726


title: Members of the “Shorty” Drug Trafficking  Group Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: The final defendant in a group charged with drug trafficking crimes in the Cedar Rapids area was sentenced today to twenty-seven years in federal prison. Lavelle Davies, age 32, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 324 months’ imprisonment and ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Davies was sentenced following a July 25, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Davies’ codefendants were previously sentenced as follows: Tanea Browning, age 29, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced on September 4, 2025, to 156 months’ imprisonment and ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Andre Corone McNairy, age 34, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on September 24, 2025, to 210 months’ imprisonment and ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Jeffery Lamonte Hayes, age 32, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on September 8, 2025, to 151 months’ imprisonment and ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term after pleading guilty to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Javonte Carpenter, age 32, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on August18, 2025, to 123 months’ imprisonment and ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence presented during court hearings showed that the group collectively was referred to as “Shorty.” Th group passed phones around taking calls and making deliveries of cocaine and methamphetamine in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area. In October 2023, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, law enforcement officers stopped a car that Davies, Browning, Hayes, and Carpenter were in. Officers found over five kilograms of methamphetamine in the car. While officers were later searching an apartment occupied by Davies and Browning, Davies threw a loaded gun out of a window. In April 2024, officers stopped McNairy driving in a car with over two kilograms of methamphetamine. All five defendants were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams and are in custody of the United States Marshal’s Service or the Bureau of Prisons. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Muscatine County Drug Task Force, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-cr-43. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Two Wild 100s Gang Members Convicted of Murder for Hire Resulting in Death

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that Ronnell Bowman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Houston, Texas, and Lawrence Turner, of Milwaukee, were convicted yesterday after a week-long jury trial. Both Bowman and Turner were convicted of murder for hire resulting in death, conspiracy to commit murder for hire resulting in death, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Bowman also was convicted of conspiracy to commit violations of federal firearms laws, attempted witness tampering, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. At trial, the evidence showed that between March 15, 2021, and April 5, 2021, Bowman and Turner, both members of the Wild 100s gang arranged the murder of N.B. in exchange for Bowman’s offer to pay $10,000. Turner and another gang member, who has already plead guilty to the April 5, 2021, murder of N.B. who suffered more than two dozen gunshot wounds. The evidence showed that Bowman and Turner targeted N.B. and murdered him, because of his believed association with a rival of the Wild 100s gang. Both men face mandatory life imprisonment. Bowman and Turner also were convicted of using, carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, namely, the murder for hire. That count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison. Trial evidence further showed that Bowman agreed with others to violate federal firearms laws including possession of machineguns, the transfer of firearms to felons, and the possession of firearms by felons. Bowman also attempted to intimidate, threaten or corruptly persuade witnesses and conspired with others to attempt to obstruct justice and impede the jury trial in this case. The conspiracy to commit violations of federal firearms laws carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and the witness tampering counts each carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Before trial, both Bowman and Turner pled guilty to participating in a mail fraud conspiracy to defraud the Department of Labor through the submission of false and fraudulent applications for benefits under programs such as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program and other unemployment insurance programs. In total, Bowman, Turner and their other conspirators wrongfully obtained millions of federal dollars through their fraudulent activities and used the funds to purchase, among other things, firearms, controlled substances, jewelry, and vacations, and to solicit murder for hire. “Our community will now be free from the terror inflicted by these violent gang members, and N.B.’s loved ones will finally get the justice for which they have been waiting for years,” said United States Attorney Schimel. “The senseless violence perpetrated by this gang was financed in large part by truly shocking fraud in which these defendants and their fellow gang members stole millions of dollars from a COVID-era benefits program. The convictions in this case were made possible by the very strong collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement partners. I have been stunned since my appointment as U.S. Attorney at the extraordinary amount fraud committed against the hard-working taxpayers of this nation that has been uncovered by our law enforcement team. Taking down violent offenders and fraudsters will continue to be our top priorities.” “The FBI is committed to aggressively investigating and dismantling violent criminal gangs. Based on evidence presented at trial, Ronnell Bowman and Lawrence Turner were involved in a murder-for-hire scheme in 2021 that resulted in a man’s death. Bowman and Turner were members of the Wild 100s, a violent Milwaukee street gang that used millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained COVID relief funds to support purchasing guns and drugs,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI is fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to destroy the ability of violent gangs to operate in our communities.” “This case exposed the extreme violence and lawlessness behind this gang’s actions,” said Joseph Persails, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “These defendants arranged a murder-for-hire, trafficked firearms, possessed machineguns, and attempted to intimidate witnesses to escape justice. I’m proud of the work by ATF special agents and our law enforcement partners who followed the evidence and ensured those responsible were held accountable.” “These convictions are another step closer to making our community safer for everyone to live, work and play,” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. “I am proud of all the hard work of everyone involved in holding these violent individuals accountable.” These defendants were charged based on a joint and collaborative investigation by law enforcement officers from FBI, ATF, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), and Department of Labor-OIG, and prosecutors from the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office. This case was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Kwaterski and Michael Schindhelm. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Hampton felon sentenced to three years in prison for possessing a firearm while still on probation

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, on May 21, 2025, the Hampton Police Division (HPD) and Virginia State Police (VSP) attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Mouctar Balde, 25, pursuant to a search warrant. Balde fled at high speed, running several red lights and driving into oncoming traffic. Balde ultimately struck a curb, which disabled his vehicle, and fled on foot. During the foot pursuit, Balde discarded a firearm immediately before he was apprehended. HPD promptly recovered the firearm, which had been stolen from the purchaser and was loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition, including one round in the chamber. Balde previously was convicted of larceny, reckless handling of a firearm, obstruction, evading and eluding, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Balde was on probation for the marijuana conviction when he was arrested on May 21, 2025. As a previously convicted felon, Balde cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, HPD, and VSP investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-70.


title: Laboratory Agrees to Pay More than $200,000 for Improper Billing to West Virginia Medicaid Program

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –IntegraLabs, Inc. (Integra), a Tennessee based corporation, has agreed to pay a combined total of $208,624.40 to the United States of America and State of West Virginia for improper billings made to the West Virginia Medicaid Program. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia and the Office of the West Virginia Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, partnered to hold this laboratory responsible for its False Claims Act violations. “This joint effort between the Department of Justice and the State of West Virginia is an example of a successful federal and state partnership which yielded real results in combatting fraud, waste, and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “I commend the investigative team for its skillful work in this matter and look forward to future cooperative endeavors to protect the West Virginia Medicaid program.” "We are committed to protecting the integrity of West Virginia's Medicaid program and this settlement reflects that commitment and what is possible when state and federal partners work together. Fraudulent billing robs taxpayers and hurts the patients the program is designed to serve — and we will continue to pursue those who abuse it," Attorney General McCuskey said. Integra provides laboratory services, including drug testing, and is enrolled in the West Virginia Medicaid Provider network. According to the settlement, the United States and State of West Virgina contend Integra violated the law by repeatedly submitting billings to the West Virginia Medicaid program for medically unnecessary testing ordered by medical providers over a two-year period. Specifically, it is alleged that Integra submitted improper claims for specimen validity testing that were not allowable. This case was litigated on behalf of the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Prezioso and Jordan V. Palmer. It is the result of a cooperative investigation by the Department of Justice; the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, West Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; and the West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The West Virginia Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $3,094,936.70 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,031,645.56 for FY 2026, is funded by The State of West Virginia.


title: North Carolina Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl into Virginia  Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A North Carolina man who trafficked fentanyl from North Carolina into Virginia pled guilty this week to federal drug charges. Semaj Montaque Sledge, 35, pled guilty to one count of distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl. “Fentanyl is a poison that continues to kill our citizens and destroy our communities,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will continue to work with federal, state and local partners to aggressively prosecute fentanyl traffickers in this district.” “Drug traffickers like this individual prioritize profit over the lives and families they destroy. They exploit the trust of vulnerable citizens by distributing poisons like fentanyl. DEA is actively working with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain and combat drug trafficking in Virginia and beyond. Together we are working for a Fentanyl Free America,” said DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumennis. According to court documents, on August 26, 2025, Sledge traveled from North Carolina to Virginia to sell an individual approximately 252 grams of pressed fentanyl in exchange for $8,000. The transaction was observed by law enforcement. Several days later, Sledge once again traveled from North Carolina to Virginia to sell the same individual fentanyl. This time selling 437 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $14,500. This purchase was once again observed by law enforcement. A few weeks later, officers with the Virginia State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested Sledge along I-64 near Zions Crossroads in Virginia. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Swartz is prosecuting the case for the United States.


title: New Jersey Man Flew Home After a Failed Smuggling Attempt in Texas, Now Spending Over 10 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A New Jersey man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 120 months in prison for his role in a failed human smuggling event, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. On April 6, 2023, Texas Department of Public Safety agents working in La Pryor pulled over a vehicle and detained one of several fleeing backseat occupants before the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed. The detained individual was determined to be a Mexican national who had no lawful status in the U.S. According to court documents, Cameron Alexander Ford, 23, of Camden, New Jersey, was determined to be the owner of an abandoned cell phone found by the troopers in the same area. An investigation revealed that the vehicle was a rental from the Philadelphia International Airport, reported stolen two days after the smuggling event, on April 8. The abandoned cell phone contained photos leading to Ford, whose name yielded a warrant for robbery from the Philadelphia Police Department. Ford’s phone also contained location information showing he stayed at a hotel in Eagle Pass on April 5 and 6. Text conversations and other evidence found on the phone revealed a smuggling conspiracy between Ford and co-defendant John Klotz aka “Remy,” who was determined to be the son of the woman that reported the stolen rental vehicle. The investigation revealed that Ford and Klotz drove the rental vehicle from New Jersey to Eagle Pass in the days preceding the smuggling attempt. After the two conspirators fled from DPS on April 6, they managed to fly from San Antonio to Philadelphia. Further search warrants identified a third conspirator, Van Donovan Brown aka “Sledge,” as the individual that facilitated the smuggling attempt through a WhatsApp group chat. Records also indicated that Brown paid Klotz through CashApp. Ford was indicted along with Klotz and Brown on Oct. 2, 2024. He was arrested on April 1, 2025. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and placing lives in jeopardy. Ford’s 10-year sentence will run consecutive to a 47-month sentence he received from the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia for carjacking and aiding and abetting. Klotz and Brown have also pleaded guilty and are both scheduled to be sentenced on April 23. A fourth defendant, Jeffrey Ray Jilpas was named in a superseding indictment on Feb. 11 and arrested on Feb. 20. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presides over the case. “This smuggler thought that he could come to Texas, break the law, flee from law enforcement, and then resume his life back home as if nothing happened,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Thanks to a lengthy and thorough investigation by our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors’ dogged commitment to justice, his home for the foreseeable future will be a prison cell.” “This 10-year prison sentence is a testament to the resolve and expertise of Homeland Security Investigations in confronting the threat posed by human smuggling,” said acting Special Agent in Charge, John A. Pasciucco, HSI San Antonio. “HSI’s special agents worked relentlessly to dismantle a criminal network that showed blatant disregard for human life and the rule of law. We will not tolerate those who exploit vulnerable individuals and undermine our nation’s security. HSI remains committed to pursuing justice and protecting our communities from these dangerous operations.” Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, the Zavala County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Frio County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: STEINHATCHEE MAN FACES FEDERAL DRUG AND FIREARM CHARGES

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – David Christopher Jensen, 54, of Steinhatchee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for two counts of distribution of marijuana, four counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, one count of possession of an unregistered firearm, and one count of possession of an explosive by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Jensen appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick, in Tallahassee Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for April 6, 2026, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida. If convicted, Jensen faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on each count of distribution of marijuana; up to 15 years’ imprisonment on each count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance; up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count of distribution of cocaine; up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana; up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the count of possession of an unregistered firearm; and up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the count of possession of an explosive by a convicted felon. The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo. 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: FEDERAL FELON SENTENCED FOR ESCAPE

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Derek Somerset, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to escape from the custody of the Attorney General and the Attorney General’s authorized representative. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I appreciate the excellent work of the U.S. Marshals Service, in collaboration with our local law enforcement partners, to locate this fugitive and return him to federal custody. This successful prosecution reflects my office’s steadfast resolve to keep our communities safe from criminals like this defendant who have no regard for the law.” Court documents reflect that on October 15, 2024, Somerset was furloughed from the Federal Correctional Institute at Hazelton, where he was serving a 48-month sentence after being convicted of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Somerset was to report to a residential re-entry facility in Tallahassee to complete his sentence. Somerset, though, failed to report and was found a little over two months later in a motel parking lot, overdosing on fentanyl. “This case demonstrates the successful collaboration of federal and local law enforcement partners working together to ensure a safer community,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Greg Leljedal. “Thanks to the dedication of all involved, Somerset is now back in prison to serve an additional term of incarceration.” The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch 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: Sarasota Lab Agrees to Pay $980,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Violations

body_text: Tampa, Florida– Allin IP DX LLC, a laboratory located in Sarasota, Florida, has agreed to pay $980,000 to resolve allegations that the company violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act by unlawfully paying a marketing service for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. The United States contends that, between January 2 and June 15, 2023, Allin paid remuneration to independent marketers in exchange for the referral of lab specimens to Allin in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute resulting in the submission of false claims to the Medicare program in violation of the False Claims Act. Allin voluntarily self-disclosed this conduct to the United States and cooperated with the government’s investigation by providing the United States with a detailed disclosure statement and other supplemental information to assist the United States in its investigation. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded healthcare programs. It seeks to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. “This settlement is a reflection of our commitment to protect our healthcare programs and deter those who violate federal laws at the expense of our taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Laboratory testing is important to our beneficiaries, and we will hold providers accountable to safeguard our programs and ensure the provision of appropriate lab services to patients.” “Medicare beneficiaries rely on the integrity of the Medicare program,” said Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s resolution demonstrates our continued commitment to holding providers accountable and ensuring that medical decisions are driven by patient needs, not illegal incentives.” This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Keefe. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Marcus Evans, Inc. Agrees to Pay $2.8 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: Wilmington, Del. – Marcus Evans, Inc. (“Marcus Evans”), a Delaware corporation, has agreed to pay $2,857,081.33 to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) for which it was not eligible. PPP was an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, and administered by the SBA. The program was created to support small businesses and to help them continue to pay employees and meet other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. To be eligible for a PPP loan, a business was required to certify that it had no more than 300 employees, including employees of all domestic and foreign affiliates. Marcus Evans is part of the Marcus Evans Group, a global business intelligence and events company that provides management services including conferences, professional training, and business‑to‑business summits across a variety of industries. On March 17, 2021, Marcus Evans applied for and received a $1,826,000 PPP loan after falsely certifying that it, together with its affiliates, had fewer than 300 employees. Marcus Evans later sought and obtained full forgiveness of that loan from SBA. Marcus Evans was ineligible for the loan, however, because together with its domestic and foreign affiliates, it had over 300 employees. U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace announced the settlement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Laksin handled the case, with assistance from Christopher J. McClintock of the SBA. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. In this case, the relator will receive a share of the settlement. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. The settlement agreement is attached to this press release. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-413-CFC. The claims resolved by the settlement are merely allegations. There has been no determination of liability.


title: JURY CONVICTS MAN OF AGGRAVATED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted David Leonard Mayes, 41, of aggravated sexual abuse against a child. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Mayes raped a nine-year-old severely autistic, nonverbal child while visiting her family on Camp Lejeune. The victim’s mother arrived home early and found her daughter’s door closed. Alarmed, she opened the door and caught Mayes in the act. Investigators found a tub of petroleum jelly in her room, with Mayes’s fingerprint on it. Forensic testing showed the victim’s DNA on Mayes’s genitals and a petroleum jelly substance around both of their genitals. “This monster preyed on the most vulnerable nine-year-old imaginable. He exploited his relationship with the family to violate this defenseless innocent child in the most inhuman ways imaginable. Rather than admit his heinous crime, he further traumatized the family by forcing them to recount what he did before the jury in open court. We will protect the heroes aboard Camp Lejeune and their daughters. We proudly secured this conviction from a jury of American citizens and look forward to advocating for a sentence that will ensure this predator will never hurt another child ever again,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Mr. Mayes must be held accountable for targeting and cruelly exploiting a particularly vulnerable child for illicit, selfish gratification,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Parrish of the NCIS Carolinas Field Office. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners are unwaveringly committed to protecting Department of the Navy warfighters and their families by disrupting and rigorously investigating those who prey on innocent children.” Mayes faces a mandatory minimum of at least 30 years and up to life in prison at sentencing. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The NCIS investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Haughton and Ashley Foxx prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-74.


title: Ramah man sentenced for federal assault and firearm charges after shooting into vehicle

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Ramah man was sentenced to nine years in prison for shooting into a vehicle occupied by three people after a near-collision. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on March 18, 2025,John Doe swerved his vehicle to avoid colliding with a blue Jeep driven by Leon Garcia , 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. After the near-miss, John Doe followed Garcia to a residence on the Ramah Navajo Reservation in Cibola County. When the vehicles stopped, Garcia exited his Jeep armed with a rifle, pointed the firearm at the three occupants and fired multiple shots into the vehicle with intent to do bodily harm. Garcia continued shooting as the victims attempted to turn around and again as they drove away. Garcia pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to three years of supervised release. 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 Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.