title: Salvadoran national and MS-13 associate convicted for illegally possessing a firearm

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to a year in prison for possession of a firearm by an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. According to court documents, Oscar Misael Ventura Ventura, 23, unlawfully entered the United States from Mexico near McAllen, Texas. On Feb. 10, 2022, Fairfax County Police (FCPD) officers responded to a report that a group of men outside an apartment complex had guns. As officers arrived, the men fled. After a short pursuit, officers detained Ventura and recovered a stolen handgun from his waistband. The following year, FCPD found Ventura with another handgun in his waistband, along with 23 fentanyl pills in his pocket. By his own admission, Ventura is an MS-13 associate. Ventura is subject to removal from the United States. “Oscar Ventura did not enter the United States to pursue a lawful and productive life,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He immediately associated himself with one of the most dangerous gangs in America and began illegally carrying a stolen firearm. We are committed to eradicating MS-13 and its associates from the Eastern District of Virginia and removing those who choose to ignore our laws and endanger our citizens.” “Individuals who are in our country illegally and choose to associate with violent gangs and unlawfully carry firearms represent a serious and unacceptable threat to our communities,” said Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C. “Homeland Security Investigations remains committed to our unrelenting protection of the United States by investigating and dismantling violent transnational criminal organizations and holding criminal illegal aliens accountable through arrest and prosecution. HSI will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to safeguard the public and disrupt the criminal networks that fuel violence in our cities” Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Coulter Goodman 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-94.


title: Jamaican Citizen Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Federal Prison  for Spearheading a Long-Running Fraudulent Sweepstakes Scheme

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Jamaican citizen, who was previously extradited to the United States from Jamaica. The sentencing took place on December 15, 2025. Dwayne Anderson, age 36, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $181,075.60 and assessed $100 for the Federal Crime Victim’s Fund. Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023. In July 2024, Jamaican authorities arrested him and agreed to a United States request he be extradited to this country to face his federal charges. He pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud in September 2025. The conviction stemmed from Anderson’s participation in a scheme to defraud an American woman from as early as 2010 until September 2017. Using phony names, Anderson contacted the victim by telephone, text message, and email and falsely informed her that she had won millions of dollars in a sweepstakes. He persuaded the victim, who believed his false representations, to send money to pay various purported fees and taxes associated with the sweepstakes. He instructed her on how, and to whom, to send these payments. Anderson repeatedly contacted the victim with additional requests to pay money and told her that her winnings would be forthcoming if she paid the requested money. The victim paid the purported fees, losing more than $181,000, but never received any of the purported winnings. “This case underscores the devastating impact that sweepstakes scams have on older Americans who are targeted because of their trust and generosity,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons. “This conviction sends a clear message that we are committed to protecting our seniors and dismantling the criminal networks—here and overseas—who seek to exploit them.” “If you target vulnerable Americans with schemes designed to steal their hard-earned money, you will become our target,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service knows no boundaries when it comes to protecting our communities. We will find you, we will stop you, and we will hold you accountable.” This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service. Former Assistant United States Attorney Ann Hoffman and Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. They were joined Assistant Chief J. Matt Williams and Trial Attorneys Brandon J. Robers and Edward E. Emokpae of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Anderson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Convicted drug dealer and Mexican national sentenced for illegal reentry into the United States

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: U.S. Attorney Darin Smith announced today that Jorge Saavedra-Delgado, 42, of Zamora, Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment with one year of supervised release for illegal reentry into the U.S. According to court documents, on June 28, 2025, the defendant, a citizen of Mexico, was contacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while he was in the Lincoln County Jail after being arrested on state charges for interference with a peace officer and other offenses. In April 2011, the defendant was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming for the distribution of methamphetamine and for illegal reentry of a previously deported alien into the U.S. The defendant was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment for the drug offense and 24 months of imprisonment for the illegal reentry offense. ICE agents determined that the defendant had not applied for permission to reenter the U.S. after being formally removed in March 2015. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Dec. 16 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00106 “We fully support ICE’s efforts to identify, locate, prosecute, and remove convicted felons who are in the United States illegally,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on December 4, 2025, DAVID SCOTT (SCOTT) , age 22 from New Orleans, pled guilty to Counts One and Two of an indictment. Count One charged SCOTT with possession with the intent to distribute Tapentadol, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). As to Count One, SCOTT faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,00,000 fine, at least three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Count Two charged SCOTT with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(1)(A)(i). As to Count Two, SCOTT faces a minimum of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to five years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. SCOTT’s sentencing is set for March 12, 2026. According to court documents, on August 3, 2023, a New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) detective conducted surveillance on a convenience store/gas station in New Orleans and saw a black male exit a burgundy Kia sedan, dressed in a yellow hoodie. This raised suspicion as New Orleans was under an excessive heat advisory and the temperature was 95 degrees. The detective could see on the surveillance that the suspect had and noticed a bulge in the hoodie he wore that he was suspiciously clutching. The suspect, later identified as DAVID SCOTT , re-entered the Kia sedan and as officers approached him, they noticed a handgun with a drum magazine on the driver’s seat. Officers secured the gun and placed SCOTT under arrest. A search incident to his arrest revealed 15 packs of Tapentadol, totaling 148 pills, and $1,315 in U.S. currency. 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 investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Stillwater Man Faces Life in Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Producing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – LEE GRANT CLARK , 78, of Stillwater, has pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse and production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public record, in October 2024, FBI agents began investigating a computer user requesting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) through a file-sharing website. An investigation into the IP address of the user led authorities to Clark’s home in Stillwater. FBI agents spoke with officers from the Stillwater Police Department, who alerted the agents of a report involving Clark’s alleged sexual abuse of two minors around 2004. Court records further show that Clark produced CSAM on at least two occasions and sexually abused minors under the age of 12. On December 3, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a Superseding Indictment, charging Clark with two counts of production of child pornography and one count each of aggravated sexual abuse, receipt of child pornography, and possession of material containing child pornography. On December 16, 2025, Clark pleaded guilty to all charges in the Superseding Indictment. He admitted he sexually exploited two minors for the purpose of creating CSAM, that he crossed state lines to sexually abuse two minors, that he knowingly received CSAM via the internet, and that he possessed hard drives containing CSAM. At sentencing, Clark faces not less than ten years and up to life in federal prison. He also faces fines of up to $250,000 for each count. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Stillwater Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ganz and Brandon Hale are prosecuting the case. This case is also part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Barrio Azteca Gang Leader Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy and Murder Charges Related to 2010 U.S. Consulate Murders in Juarez

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former FBI “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” and leader of the El Paso/Juarez-based Bario Azteca gang pleaded guilty today in federal court in El Paso, Texas, for his role in the March 2010 U.S. Consulate murders in Juarez, Mexico, in which three people associated with the U.S. Consulate were murdered when gunmen shot into the vehicle in which they and their children were riding. Eduardo Ravelo, also known as Tablas, 57, of Juarez, Mexico, pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Texas to racketeering conspiracy (RICO), conspiracy to distribute and import drugs, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, and murder in aid of racketeering. A sentencing date has not yet been set by the court. At sentencing, Ravelo faces a mandatory penalty of life in prison. “Eduardo Ravelo was responsible for Barrio Azteca brazenly orchestrating the murders of three individuals associated with the U.S. Consulate in Juarez, Mexico,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today, after years of evading capture, he is finally being held accountable for heinous crimes that Barrio Azteca committed during the course of cartel wars in Juarez, including attacks on U.S. employees. The Criminal Division will not tolerate violent attacks on those who support our embassies and consulates abroad, and we will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.” “Ravelo’s admission of guilt today ensures accountability for his role in the murder of U.S. Consulate employees,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Today’s plea also ensures he is held responsible for his leadership of a vicious criminal enterprise that terrorized the city of Juarez and contributed to the poisoning of our communities on this side of the border. This case has spanned decades, and this latest development reflects our commitment to pursuing and prosecuting violent criminals like Ravelo regardless of how long it takes for the long arm of justice to grab hold.” “This case is a tragic reminder of the inseparable link between drug trafficking and violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Arellano of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) El Paso Field Division. “The dedicated men and women of the DEA remain steadfast in their mission to bring violent drug traffickers to justice for their heinous crimes.” According to court documents and information presented in court throughout this case, Ravelo is one of 35 Barrio Azteca members and associates based in the United States and Mexico who were charged in the third superseding indictment in 2011 for committing various criminal acts, including racketeering, narcotics distribution and importation, retaliation against persons providing information to U.S. law enforcement, extortion, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and murder. Of the 35 defendants, 10 Mexican nationals, including Ravelo, were charged for their role in the March 13, 2010 murders in Juarez, Mexico, of U.S. Consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, her husband Arthur Redelfs, and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of a U.S. Consulate employee. All of the defendants have been apprehended, and 28, including Ravelo, have pleaded guilty. Three defendants have been convicted at trial, one committed suicide before the conclusion of his trial, and one is awaiting extradition from Mexico. Two defendants await trial in the United States. Ravelo was the leader of the Barrio Azteca gang in Mexico beginning in around 2004. In 2009, Ravelo was placed on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list and remained there until his arrest in 2018 in Mexico. He was extradited to the United States on Feb. 20, 2025. The Barrio Azteca (BA) is a violent street and prison gang that began in the late 1980s and expanded into a transnational criminal organization. In the 2000s, the BA formed an alliance in Mexico with “La Linea,” which is part of the Juarez Drug Cartel (also known as the Vincente Carrillo Fuentes Drug Cartel or VCF). The purpose of the BA-La Linea alliance was to battle the Chapo Guzman Cartel and its allies for control of the drug trafficking routes through Juarez and Chihuahua. The drug routes through Juarez, known as the Juarez Plaza, are important to drug trafficking organizations because they are a principal illicit drug trafficking conduit into the United States. The gang has a militaristic command structure and includes captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and soldiers — all with the purpose of maintaining power and enriching its members and associates through drug trafficking, money laundering, extortion, intimidation, violence, threats of violence, and murder. As a BA Captain in Juarez, Ravelo directed and controlled the BA’s drug trafficking activities, and he was ultimately responsible for and in some cases directly controlled multiple “hit” or “sicario” squads, which consisted of multiple BA members armed with automatic and semi-automatic firearms who committed numerous kidnappings and murders in support of the BA against rival cartel members. On the day of the Consulate murders, Ravelo monitored radio communications and directed BA members who targeted and murdered Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton; her husband Arthur Redelfs, and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros. Enriquez Catton was four months pregnant, and her fetus was also killed. The case was investigated by the FBI’s El Paso and Albuquerque Field Offices (Las Cruces Resident Agency); DEA Juarez; and DEA El Paso. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, New Mexico Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces, (New Mexico) Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief Jay Bauer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Amy Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Spitzer for the Western District of Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and the Criminal Division’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance in this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the extradition of Ravelo.


title: Shiprock Man Charged with Second-Degree Murder

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged after authorities say he beat a woman to death following a day of drinking. According to court documents, on November 15, 2025, Harlan Joe , 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, beat Jane Doe to death at a residence in Shiprock, New Mexico after a day of drinking. When officers arrived at the residence, they found Jane Doe deceased outside the house with obvious signs of abuse and trauma and immediately detained Joe . During a subsequent interview, Joe stated that he had known what he was doing and that it was wrong. Joe is charged with second degree murder and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. Joe faces life in prison if convicted of the current charges. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Chester County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Numerous Minor Girls Online, Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Valentin Lubinski, 26, of Malvern, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, a $3,600 special assessment, and a total of $28,000 in restitution and other assessments by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for the online sexual exploitation of numerous minor girls and child pornography offenses. In February 2023, the defendant was charged by indictment with 18 counts of use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor, and attempt to entice a minor, to engage in sexual conduct, and 18 counts of manufacture, attempted manufacture, and willfully causing the manufacture of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to all 36 charges in December of last year. As detailed in court documents and statements, throughout June of 2022, Lubinski, operating with the handle “Leo_32149,” used a social media application to sexually exploit and extort 18 identified minor victims to self-produce sexually explicit images and videos of themselves and send them to him. The defendant’s victims ranged in age from nine to 16 years old and lived primarily in rural areas throughout the United States. Lubinski engaged in a common communication style with each victim. He quickly asked the victims how old they were and then lied about his own age, identifying himself as a male between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. He then asked for an image to see what the victim looked like, and upon receipt, responded with a compliment. Lubinski often sent the victims a photo of a teen boy he purported to be himself. After the initial exchange, the defendant commonly told the victim that he had a question for her, and asked some variation of “R u freaky?” Regardless of the victim’s response, he then asked her to make a deal with him – the victim would send him a picture of his choice, and, in exchange, Lubinski promised to send a combination of pictures and videos of himself to the victim. Depending on the victim’s level of resistance at this point, the defendant would explain that the photo he wanted “wasn’t bad” and would then ask for a photo of the victim in her bra or underwear, followed by a topless photo. Upon receipt of these images, he took screenshots and asked the victim for more sexually explicit images, and sexually explicit photos with her face included. Typically, the victim declined to send these images, at which point Lubinski began his sextortion of the victim, threatening to post her topless photo/bra photo/underwear photo on various social media platforms and often sending the screenshot back to her with a banner of text such as, “follow [the victim’s social media handle] she sends nudes.” Lubinski continued to ask for more explicit and humiliating photos and videos of the girls, often employing a countdown, giving the victims “one minute” to pose in a certain way and send him a photo or video or he would post their other images. Many of the defendant’s victims begged him to stop, as he extorted them. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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 projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Harrell and Amanda McCool.


title: Mexican National With Multiple Felony Convictions And Deportations Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance yesterday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country. Rito Lopez-Mundo, 54, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 30, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler. According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Lopez-Mundo is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported on six prior occasions and reentered the United States illegally. On July 4, 2023, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested Lopez-Mundo for robbery with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping 1st degree with a deadly weapon, and own possess gun by prohibited person. On November 26, 2025, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Lopez-Mundo to ICE Las Vegas, Nevada, custody after he served a 19-to-48-month sentence for conspiracy to commit robbery. Lopez-Mundo also has four prior felony convictions for the same offense he is currently charged with. If convicted, Lopez-Mundo faces the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. After serving his sentence, Lopez-Mundo will be deported to Mexico for a seventh time. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Brian Henke made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form . An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Anthony Man Sentenced to Life Following Trial Conviction for Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Anthony man was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of multiple child exploitation offenses following a federal trial. There is no parole in the federal system. As a result, a sentence of lifetime incarceration is served without parole. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from 2018 through 2022, Othon Jorge Zamarripa , 35, abused his position of trust as a caregiver by coercing minors to engage in illegal sexual activity through manipulation, threats, physical abuse, and the use of online pornography to exert control and maintain secrecy. On July 28, 2025, following a multi-day trial, Zamarripa was convicted of two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. Based on the nature of the offenses, the length of time over which they occurred, and the harm caused, the court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Ryan G. McRae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement today. Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Jackson K. Dering V prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.


title: Predator Sentenced to 84 Years in Nationwide Child Exploitation Case; 84 Victims Across U.S. and Abroad Identified

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS –Austin Ryan Lauless, 31, of Colorado, has been sentenced to 84 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In September 2025, Lauless pleaded guilty to 13 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, 5 counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor, two counts of Advertising Child Sexual Abuse Material, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. As of December 17, 2025, 84 victims have been identified from nearly every state in the United States and at least five foreign countries. Investigators believe additional victims may still be unidentified. If you or someone you know has been a victim of Lauless, also known online as Cason Fredrickson or APOPHIS, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov. According to court documents, between late 2019 and May 19, 2023, Lauless used social media applications such as Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Yubo, Purp, and others to coerce, exploit, and threaten at least 84 minor victims into producing thousands of sexually explicit images and videos. The victims ranged in age from 13 to 17 at the time of the offenses. Using these social media platforms, Lauless misrepresented his identity, posing as “Cason Fredrickson,” a teenager from New York or other cities. In reality, Lauless was in his late 20s, unemployed, and living in hotels and motels in Texas and Colorado. To conceal his identity, he accessed the public Instagram page of Individual A and, without their knowledge or consent, saved images and videos to impersonate Individual A while posing as “Cason Fredrickson.” Lauless’ criminal methods included misrepresenting his age, identity, background, and likeness to groom minors and create a false sense of safety in online communications. He also used voice modulators and third-party image and video applications to edit content, making it appear as though it was recorded live through social media platforms such as Snapchat. He feigned romantic interest in victims, told them they were attractive, and pretended to be in online relationships. He purchased items for many victims through Amazon—including fishnet stockings, sexual devices, and customized t-shirts—which he instructed them to wear while producing sexually explicit material. These items were shipped either directly to victims or to designated Amazon lockers for pickup. To prolong his exploitation and avoid detection, Lauless threatened victims with dissemination of their images and videos if they failed to comply with his demands or sought help from parents or law enforcement. At least one victim reported to Lauless that she was contemplating suicide. Lauless also sex trafficked at least five minor victims by forcing them to engage in oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse with adult males, producing numerous videos of these commercial sex acts. Some victims were forced to endure sadomasochistic abuse at his direction. Once he obtained images and videos, Lauless advertised and sold the sexually explicit material on platforms such as Discord, Instagram, Telegram, and MEGA. He engaged in at least 141 transactions, receiving payment through Venmo, PayPal, Bitcoin, and CashApp. He admitted that his collection of child sexual abuse material included thousands of images and videos depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, as well as children subjected to bestiality and sadomasochistic abuse. “The sheer scale of this investigation and prosecution underscores the relentless commitment of federal law enforcement to dismantle networks of exploitation that prey on our children. Austin Lauless orchestrated a campaign of abuse that spanned nearly every state and multiple countries, leaving behind profound harm,” said John Childress, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “While no punishment can erase the trauma these young survivors endured, today’s sentence sends a clear message: we will pursue predators across every platform, every jurisdiction, and every border until justice is served.” “This case represents one of the most egregious forms of exploitation the FBI investigates. This was not an isolated crime - it was a nationwide and international campaign of exploitation that victimized at least 84 people, including children, and involved the trafficking of human beings,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. The FBI is committed to identifying offenders who use technology to abuse, manipulate, and control others, and to ensuring they are held fully accountable. Today’s sentence delivers justice for the victims and reinforces that these crimes will not go unanswered.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Preston and Carolyn Haney prosecuted this case with invaluable assistance from Victim Witness Coordinators, Stephanie Lloyd and Johnna Preidt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation, with additional support from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Additionally, 13 U.S. Attorney’s Offices provided cooperation during the investigation. Without their assistance, bringing Lauless to justice and legally resolving the harm he imposed on the victims would have been delayed. Southern District of Iowa Eastern District of Missouri Northern District of Florida Northern District of Texas Western District of Kentucky Southern District of Ohio Northern District of New York District of South Carolina Southern District of Texas District of Colorado Central District of California District of Arizona Eastern District of Tennessee. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jonte McCall, age 39, of Syracuse, New York, pled guilty yesterday to possession of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, McCall admitted that on December 23, 2021, he was convicted of the New York State offense of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child Less Than 16 Years Old and was placed on probation. He further admitted that in February 2024, while still on probation, he possessed a cell phone that contained 14 videos of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “The defendant, already a registered sex offender and while on state probation, chose to once again seek out and gratify his sexual desires with child pornography. This behavior is disgusting and intolerable. Sex offenders in the Northern District of New York who reoffend will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This is another prime example of how the senseless bail laws and soft-on-crime New York State legislature does not protect our children. Albany legislatures, this should be a wake-up call.” “Crimes against children represent the deepest form of depravity and inflict lasting harm on the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Buffalo. “HSI remains steadfast in our commitment to investigating these horrific offenses and bringing perpetrators to justice. Protecting children will always be our highest priority.” Sentencing is scheduled for April 27, 2026, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Because of his prior conviction, McCall faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and up to life. McCall will also have to pay restitution to victims, forfeit the cell phone used to commit the offense, and again be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes a defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The case is being investigated by HSI with assistance from the New York State Police Troop D Computer Crimes Unit and the Onondaga County Probation Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Travel with Intent to Engage in Unlawful Sex and Transportation of Child Pornography

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Fegley Jr., 31, of Tampa, Florida pled guilty yesterday to travel with intent to engage in unlawful sexual conduct and transportation of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Fegley admitted that he traveled from Florida to the Northern District of New York intending to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with a purported 13-year-old child. He also admitted that he brought with him about 1,000 images and videos depicting child pornography that he had obtained on the internet. At sentencing on April 27, 2026, Fegley faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years on the child pornography charge and a maximum of 30 years on the travel charge, a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, restitution to victims, court-ordered destruction of property used to commit the offenses, special assessments, fines, and registration as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone said: “The defendant’s admitted conduct is deeply disturbing. He not only traveled across multiple states to meet a purported child for unlawful sexual conduct, but he brought with him vile depictions of the sexual abuse of children. Let the defendant’s case be a warning to all predators: If you come into the Northern District of New York with the goal of harming a child, you will be prosecuted.” “This individual’s calculated decision to cross multiple state lines in pursuit of exploiting someone who he believed was a child demonstrates a disturbing level of predatory intent,” said Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Buffalo. “HSI will stop at nothing to track down and bring to justice those who target children, regardless of where their crimes take them. HSI Albany, together with our partners, is unwavering in their resolve to shield children from harm and see that those who prey on them are held to account.” This case was investigated by HSI in coordination with the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: 16 Arrested on Complaints Alleging Shootings, Kidnapping, and Illegal Sales of Firearms and Narcotics by Puente-13 Gang

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Sixteen members and associates of the San Gabriel Valley-based, Mexican Mafia-linked, Puente-13 street gang were arrested today on federal criminal complaints alleging their involvement in one kidnapping, two shootings, illegal firearms sales, and trafficking of narcotics, including methamphetamine cocaine, fentanyl, and carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than fentanyl. The defendants arrested today include: Victor Sanchez, 24, a.k.a. “Pollo” and “Chicken,” of San Bernardino; Isaiah Castro, 24, a.k.a. “Boy,” of Azusa; Isaac Estrada-Frost, 21, a.k.a. “Ghost,” of Rosemead; Heather Covarrubias, 40, a.k.a. “Snowbella,” of Diamond Bar; Dominic Ornelas, 23, a.k.a. “Dom” and “Lil Speedy,” of Rancho Cucamonga; and Adrian Lopez, 25, a.k.a. “Tapped In” and “Monkey,” of La Puente. There are 20 total defendants charged with various offenses, including distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Nine of the defendants are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. The remaining seven defendants are expected to make their initial appearances tomorrow in Los Angeles federal court. Law enforcement is looking for three defendants who remain at large: Larry Castillo, 42, a.k.a. “Lil Dee,” of Victorville; Soo Kang, 31, a.k.a. “Easy,” of Koreatown; and Bryan Gordian-Padilla, 24, a.k.a. “Goon,” of West Covina. Another defendant, Heather Johnson, 38, of Victorville, is in state custody. During the course of this investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of methamphetamine, thousands of pills containing fentanyl and carfentanil, fentanyl power, 71 firearms, including 14 rifles, one machine-gun conversion device, four short-barreled rifles, three firearms with obliterated serial numbers, three pieces of body armor, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and today seized approximately $9,500 in cash. According to affidavits filed with the complaints, Puente-13 is a street gang based in La Puente that enriches itself and the Mexican Mafia prison gang by controlling the distribution of narcotics within its “territory,” maintaining and expanding that control through violence and threats of violence and punishing those in its territory who cooperate with law enforcement. The affidavits outline a series of criminal acts, including the December 2022 shooting of rival gangsters at a Covina residence in which one of the shooters, Ornelas, tripped and left behind his left shoe, which later helped law enforcement link him to the shooting. In July 2023, Lopez, Covarrubias, and others kidnapped two victims to retrieve items they believed had been stolen during a burglary at Lopez’s residence earlier that month. One of the victims eventually was allowed to leave, but the other victim fled after being severely beaten. Another Puente-13-linked shooting occurred in May 2025 outside a La Puente liquor store in which Estrada-Frost, mistaking a victim for being a member of a rival gang, yelled racial slurs at the victim and shot at the victim’s car when the victim drove away from the scene, striking one of the car’s doors. Other criminal acts outlined in the affidavits include illegal sales of dozens of firearms, and the trafficking of pound quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl and carfentanil pills. Complaints contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. If convicted, nine of the defendants arrested today would face statutory maximum sentences of life in federal prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating this matter, with assistance from the Covina Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the West Covina Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the Baldwin Park Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kenneth R. Carbajal and Clifford D. Mpare of the Major Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Two Massachusetts Men Charged with Large-Scale SNAP Benefits Trafficking

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two men have been arrested and charged in an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars’ worth of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through small retail stores they operated in Boston. Defendants’ monthly SNAP redemptions allegedly ranged from $100,000 - $500,000 per month, outpacing full-service supermarkets. Defendants also allegedly sold donated food product intended for food-insecure children overseas. Antonio Bonheur, 74, of Mattapan and Saul Alisme, 21, of Hyde Park, were each charged with one count of food stamp fraud. The defendants were arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:15 p.m. today. Bonheur owned Jesula Variety Store and Alisme owned Saul Mache Mixe Store, both of which operated as small variety stores within a single street-facing storefront in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston. Jesula Variety Store occupied about 150 square feet. Saul Mache Mixe Store occupied about 500 square feet. According to the charging documents , despite their limited size, inventory and food offerings, both stores allegedly exhibited extraordinarily high SNAP redemption volumes, far beyond what could reasonably be supported by legitimate food sales. Specifically, transaction data allegedly revealed that the stores had exceptionally large and anomalous average monthly SNAP redemption rates when compared to similarly situated businesses of the same size, type and location. It is alleged that the defendants’ monthly SNAP redemptions for Jesula Variety Store regularly exceeded $100,000 – with many months exceeding $300,000 and, at times, $500,000. By comparison, one full-service supermarket in the same area redeems approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits. Additionally, transaction-level data showed that only approximately 10%of SNAP transactions were for amounts under $40, while more than 70% of transactions exceeded $95. Such transaction patterns are typically associated with large supermarkets, not small variety stores with limited food inventory. During undercover operations conducted at both businesses over the course of the investigation, SNAP benefits were allegedly trafficked for cash on four occasions from Jesula Variety Store and on two occasions from Saul Mache Mixe Store. In each instance, the defendants themselves allegedly worked the cash registers and personally exchanged SNAP benefits for cash. Both stores were also allegedly observed selling liquor in exchange for SNAP benefits. It is further alleged that both stores sold MannaPack meals, a donated food product manufactured by the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children. These meals are paid for entirely by charitable donations intended for shipment and distribution to food-insecure children overseas and are never authorized for retail sale. The defendants allegedly sold donated MannaPack meals in their stores for approximately $8 per package, profiting from food intended for humanitarian relief. According to the charging documents, because both stores carried little legitimate food inventory and generated minimal lawful revenue, the defendants allegedly relied almost entirely on USDA-funded SNAP redemptions as their source of income. To conceal the nature and source of these funds, the defendants allegedly maintained numerous secondary bank accounts through which SNAP proceeds were transferred, withdrawn as cash and redeposited to create the appearance of legitimate business activity while obscuring the true source of funds. The charge of food stamp fraud greater than $100 provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Incorrigible drug trafficker who repeatedly possessed firearms sentenced to 15 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 42-year-old Everett, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison for eight federal felonies involving drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. David James Michael Jensen was convicted in September 2025, of five counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin said, “You were bringing dangerous drugs into the state. Drugs that are causing thousands of deaths in our country…. Your actions contributed greatly to that suffering…. You kept getting drugs and guns despite being repeatedly detained by police.” According to records filed in the case, over a three-year period Jensen was repeatedly identified and arrested by Everett Police involved with drug trafficking activities and firearms. On September 7, 2021, Jensen fled the scene of a two-car accident but left behind a backpack containing identity documents and a loaded 9mm handgun with extra ammunition. He was charged and convicted of illegally possessing the firearm. On April 7, 2022, Jensen was detained for driving without a license. A court authorized search of his car revealed several loaded firearms as well as fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. For these crimes he was charged and convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime which is punishable by a mandatory five-year term to run consecutive to any other conviction. On May 11, 2022, Jensen was arrested again unlawfully possessing a firearm. In this case he had heroin, methamphetamine, and a High Point 9mm pistol. Jensen’s next run-in with Everett Police occurred on July 31, 2024. Jensen was followed by police as he drove to a storage unit. Again, he was driving without a license and at the time of arrest officers found narcotics on him. In the storage unit officers found several firearms, including two “ghost guns” those that are privately made without serial numbers. They found ammunition and 400 fentanyl pills as well as several motorbikes – one of which was stolen. Finally on December 27, 2024, Everett Police observed Jensen in Seattle placing various bags in different vehicles. They got a search warrant for one of the vehicles and found a loaded Glock 19 handgun as well as fentanyl, heroin, and drug paraphernalia. Jensen was then transferred to federal custody and indicted on these federal charges. In asking for the 15-year sentence Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs wrote to the court, “Jensen was caught on multiple occasions with firearms and distribution quantities of drugs. He was clearly redistributing drugs and was in possession of firearms while doing so. Jensen clearly had no regard for the law, returning to possessing drugs and guns despite being detained for doing so on multiple occasions… Jensen’s actions placed the community, law enforcement, and himself at risk.” The case was investigated by the Everett Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 24 Years In Prison for Coercion and Enticement of Minors

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jorel Fowler was sentenced by United States District Judge Nina R. Morrison to 24 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and receipt of child pornography. Fowler, a registered sex offender, communicated with multiple victims over the internet and requested that they send him sexually explicit images and videos. Fowler was previously convicted of sex offenses in New York State court for similar conduct between 2013 and 2014. He committed the charged offenses after his release from state prison on the prior offenses and while on parole. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence. “Today’s lengthy sentence will protect the community, especially children, for decades from this repeat offender,” stated United States Attorney Joseph Nocella. “After he was paroled for similar depraved conduct, Fowler squandered that second chance to lead a law-abiding life and unfortunately, caused great harm to at least three minors. Our Office will never relent in protecting the most vulnerable members of our community from sexual predators.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia for its assistance during the investigation. “Jorel Fowler, a recidivist sexual predator, prowled online platforms to target minor girls and groom them into sharing sexually explicit content,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Despite being a registered sex offender, Fowler continued to exploit vulnerable victims, violating their trust and physical autonomy. May today’s sentencing highlight the FBI’s determination to hold accountable any depraved individual who relentlessly preys on children to satisfy their own twisted desires.” As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum and other court filings, between at least December 2022 and April 2023, Fowler communicated over the internet and through social media with multiple children, ultimately soliciting them for sexually explicit videos and images. In some cases, Fowler posed as a child himself, earning his victims’ trust and grooming them to provide the graphic sexual material that he sought. Soon after beginning the conversation, Fowler would instruct his victims regarding what type of material they should send him, requesting that they record themselves posing in different positions and engaging in specific sex acts. Fowler was previously convicted of sex offenses in New York State Supreme Court and was a registered sex offender at the time of these offenses. In December 2022, Fowler communicated through Snapchat with a 15-year-old girl (“Jane Doe 1”) requesting that she send him sexually explicit videos and images. Beginning in January 2023, Fowler communicated through Snapchat with a 12-year-old girl (“Jane Doe 2”) claiming that he was a 5-year-old boy. Fowler first met Jane Doe 2 through the game Roblox and soon requested that she begin speaking to him through Snapchat. In approximately April 2023, Fowler communicated with a 14-year-old girl (“Jane Doe 3”). He told Jane Doe 3 that he wanted to “do a pic session” with her and promised to send her digital currency in an online game afterward if she complied. Jane Doe 3 then sent Fowler images of herself posing in the positions he requested and engaging in his requested sex acts. When Fowler was arrested in April 2023, law enforcement recovered multiple cellphones from the defendant’s residence containing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes and National Security and Cybercrime Sections. Assistant United States Attorney Gilbert Rein is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : JOREL FOWLER Age: 35 Queens, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-215 (NRM)


title: Congolese national sentenced to over two years in prison after impersonating his brother throughout his arrest and trial

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Congolese national was sentenced today to two years and two months in prison for aggravated identity theft and perjury. According to court documents, on Sept. 29, 2019, in response to a reported hit-and-run, U.S. Park Police stopped Daniel Likala Emony, 33, on the George Washington Memorial Parkway and asked Emony for his identification. Emony responded that he did not have his driver's license and provided the name and date of birth of his brother, Gregory Emony. Officers arrested Emony and issued violation notices to him under his brother’s name for driving under the influence (DUI), refusal, and hit and run. On Nov. 12, 2020, Emony appeared in the United States District Court for a bench trial where he identified himself under oath as “Gregory Emony.” The Court convicted Emony, still under his brother’s name, of DUI and refusal. Emony failed to comply with the terms of his probation and the Court issued an arrest warrant in Gregory Emony’s name. In April 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Court, and Probation Office learned of Emony’s deception, and a grand jury returned an indictment against him on Nov. 1, 2022. Emony was extradited from Canada on July 31 and pled guilty on Sept. 26. “By allowing his brother to take the blame for his crimes, Daniel Emony deliberately obstructed justice and wasted crucial law enforcement resources,” Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His deception falsely implicated an innocent person and necessitated an international extradition. This office will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to evade justice through fraud and obstruction.” The FBI investigated this case. The Justic Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Emony. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Birnbaum and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Mumma 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. 1:22-cr-201. This release was revised on 17 DEC 25 to reflect a revised sentence from the Court.


title: Easley Man Arrested for Threatening Mass Violence Online

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. — Lucas Brandon Rousso, 30, of Easley, has been arrested by federal agents and charged with making threatening communications online. Investigators were alerted to a YouTube account posting threatening comments alluding to violence and harm, including the Jewish community. The comments were posted to videos the account uploaded and escalated over the last few months. Most recently, the defendant posted, “I’m going to commit a mass shooting.” Investigators traced the account to an IP address, email address and device belonging to Rousso. When interviewed by law enforcement, Rousso stated he posted the comments to YouTube. If convicted, Rousso faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Rousso made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge William S. Brown on Dec. 17 and will have a detention hearing on Dec. 19. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, and the Easley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Cauthen is prosecuting the case. All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Roofing Contractor Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Tax Evasion Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY DELMARO, 49, of Woodbridge, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for tax evasion. Delmaro is required to perform 200 hours of community service while on supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, since at least 2012, Delmaro has owned and operated a commercial roofing businesses in Connecticut, most frequently doing business as “Kings Roofing.” The business also provided paving services. Until Delmaro was notified of this investigation, Kings Roofing was not registered with the Connecticut Secretary of State and did not have a federal Taxpayer Identification Number. From 2012 to 2022, Kings Roofing earned approximately $20.9 million in customer receipts, but Delmaro paid his workers in cash, never filed income or payroll tax returns for himself or the business, and took several steps to conceal income and operating expenses from the IRS. As part of his tax evasion scheme, Delmaro and others associated with his business cashed checks from customers at various check cashing businesses instead of depositing them into bank accounts. Delmaro provided the check cashers with addresses associated with UPS mailboxes rather than his home address. When the check cashers filed Currency Transaction Reports (“CTRs”), the IRS only had a UPS mailbox location to try to identify source of income. When not using a check casher, Delmaro made business-related deposits into his personal bank account. Delmaro also had customers file false Forms 1099 made out to a family member, rather than his business, or made out to Delmaro himself, making income attribution more difficult. Delmaro sometimes provided customers with an alias, “Sonny Rubino,” which they used on the 1099. If a customer refused to pay unless Delmaro provided a Form W-9 identifying his taxpayer identification number and address, Delmaro often provided a W-9 completed with his father’s name and Social Security number and an address associated with a UPS mailbox. Delmaro’s father used an alias, which differed from the name and information Delmaro provided to the customer. As an example, for the 2022 tax year, Delmaro cashed $3,710,628 in checks made payable to Kings Roofing at check cashing businesses, received $439,700 in business-related deposits into his personal bank account, and caused 24 Forms 1099-NEC totaling $1,908,095 to be filed with false information. The investigation also revealed that from 2019 to April 2025, Delmaro received more than $500,000 in Husky Health Low Income Medical benefits. Husky Health is a Connecticut Medicaid program, jointly funded by the federal government and by the State of Connecticut and administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services. Judge Nagala ordered Delmaro to pay restitution of $1,129,669 to the IRS, and $578,259 to the Connecticut Medicaid program. Delmaro pleaded guilty to the offense on August 19, 2025. Delmaro, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 17, 2026. This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.


title: FBI DISRUPTS VIRTUAL MONEY LAUNDERING SERVICE USED TO FACILITATE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced today a coordinated action with international partners and the Michigan State Police to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate E-Note, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money laundering by transnational cyber-criminal organizations, including those targeting U.S. healthcare and critical infrastructure. Since 2017, the FBI identified more than $70,000,000 of illicit proceeds of ransomware attacks and account takeovers transferred via E-Note payment service and money mule network, including laundered funds stolen or extorted from U.S. victims. In conjunction with the operation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also announced the unsealing of an indictment in the Eastern District of Michigan against Mykhalio Petrovich Chudnovets, 39, a Russian national, which charges him with one count of money laundering conspiracy. According to court documents, Chudnovets began offering money laundering services to cyber criminals in 2010. Until this seizure by law enforcement, Chudnovets offered money laundering services via the E-Note payment processing service, which he controlled and operated. Chudnovets worked with financially motivated cyber criminals to transfer criminal proceeds across international borders and to convert those proceeds from cryptocurrency into various cash currencies. As part of the coordinated actions, U.S. and international law enforcement seized servers hosting Chudnovets’ operations, mobile applications, and the websites “e-note.com,” “e-note.ws,” and “jabb.mn.” U.S. law enforcement separately obtained earlier copies of Chudnovets’ servers, including customer databases and transaction records. Chudnovets is charged with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, made the announcement. The FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Wyse is prosecuting this case. The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, and Michigan State Police Michigan Cyber Command Center (MC3). Any individual who believes he/she is a victim whose funds were laundered through Chudnovets should reach out to law enforcement via email address e-note-information@fbi.gov . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Zachary Anthony Campbell, 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for two counts of sexually exploiting a minor. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Chief Charles J. Herring, Towson University Police Department (TUPD). According to his guilty plea, Campbell sexually abused an 11-year-old victim. On two occasions, in October 2023 and February 2024, Campbell recorded a video of himself sexually abusing the victim who appeared to be sleeping. Additionally, on five occasions in 2023 and 2024, Campbell placed a hidden camera in a bathroom and recorded videos of the victim in various stages of undressing. Campbell saved the sexual-exploitation videos on his phone. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, BPD, and TUPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former T&A Crips gang defendant pleads guilty to illegally possessing firearm

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A defendant in a former gang racketeering case pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Eric Henderson, Jr., 26, of Columbus, was sentenced in 2019 to 78 months in prison for his role in the Trevitt and Atcheson Crips (T&A) gang-related racketeering conspiracy . Henderson sold gram quantities of crack cocaine in Columbus and Chillicothe on behalf of the racketeering conspiracy, which also included five murders, multiple attempted murders, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, witness tampering, robbery, assault and other crimes. In this case, Henderson was stopped by Columbus police officers for a traffic violation in June 2025. According to court documents, before the vehicle was completely stopped, Henderson fled on foot, gripping the waist of his pants while reaching under his shirt. Henderson threw a firearm over a privacy fence before he was apprehended. Officers discovered a loaded pistol with an extended magazine. The firearm also had a machine gun conversion device, or switch, attached. Henderson was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin W. Kelley is representing the United States in this case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. # # #


title: Arizona Man Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison For Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Shane Burns, age 26, of Scottsdale, Arizona, to 168 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years’ supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Burns was one of fifteen individuals indicted in February 2023 for conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl in Northeastern Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Burns was the leader and organizer of the conspiracy, having established connections with Mexican cartels to obtain fentanyl pills, and distributing those pills in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and other locations in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as other states. The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Scranton, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard T. Donahue prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. # # #


title: Dacula Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Minors

body_text: ATLANTA - Johann Rainer Nix has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material. Nix used social media platforms to entice minors to send him sexually explicit images of themselves. “Nix used popular social media platforms to lure and exploit minors,” said Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Parents should monitor their children’s social media use because predators like Nix are lurking online. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue, arrest, and prosecute child sex offenders like Nix.” “Nix exploited vulnerable minors on social media for his depraved desires, and the FBI will relentlessly use every tool at our disposal to put predators like him behind bars,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We urge parents to closely monitor their children’s social media use and have open conversations about online safety to protect them from predators.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: throughout 2022 and 2023, Nix used popular social media applications to groom four children who he met online. Nix coerced and enticed all four minors to create and send him sexually explicit images and/or videos. He also sent several minors photographs of his genitalia. Johann Rainer Nix, 36, of Dacula, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to 20 years in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. On November 18, 2025, Nix pled guilty to one count of production of child sexual abuse material. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren E. Renaud and L. Skye Davis prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Career Offender from West Memphis Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Alreico Wiley, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 144 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on December 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. Wiley had seven previous felony convictions for controlled substance offenses. On April 1, 2025, Wiley, 50, of West Memphis, pleaded guilty to count two of an Indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The two-count Indictment filed on November 2, 2023, also charged Wiley with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Wiley to three years’ supervised release. An investigation revealed that after receiving complaints of Wiley distributing methamphetamine from his residence in West Memphis, on July 27, 2023, a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration made contact with Wiley, who was on active parole and had a search waiver on file. During a search of Wiley’s, residence officers located approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine in Wiley’s bedroom. Law enforcement officers also located on the dresser a bag containing 2.5 grams of powder fentanyl and 6.6 grams of fentanyl tablets. In the kitchen of Wiley’s residence, law enforcement officers located two digital scales. After being transported to the West Memphis Police Department, Wiley waived his Miranda rights and admitted to selling methamphetamine. Because Wiley’s criminal history includes felony convictions that include three convictions for possession with intent to deliver cocaine, a conviction for possession with intent to deliver marijuana, two convictions for the sale or delivery of cocaine, and a conviction for the sale or delivery of marijuana, he is classified as a career offender and received an enhanced sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was conducted by the West Memphis Police Department with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shelby Shelton. # # # 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: Digital Health Company And Medical Practice Indicted In $100M Adderall Distribution Scheme

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO—A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned an indictment yesterday charging a California company for its participation in a years-long scheme to illegally distribute Adderall over the internet, conspire to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement for Adderall and other stimulants, and conspire to obstruct justice. A Florida medical practice was also charged in connection with its alleged participation in the scheme to illegally distribute Adderall. “Yesterday, we charged defendants with exploiting telehealth to provide unfettered access to over 40 million Adderall pills. Instead of leveraging technology to improve patient access to care and enhance communications, Done Global saw it as a way to boost profit. We will vigorously pursue companies that engage in this kind of fraud and put patients at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “As alleged, Done Global used lies and deceit to carry out a sophisticated and wide-ranging telehealth fraud scheme, obtaining over $100 million in the process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “From feeding addiction to stealing public funds, rampant health care fraud victimizes our citizens and must be stopped. The Criminal Division will not hesitate to hold health care companies that defraud Americans accountable for their crimes.” “Done Global betrayed the public trust by allegedly exploiting a subscription-based program to flood the country with Adderall, a powerful and highly regulated controlled substance,” said Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division. “By distributing over 40 million Adderall pills for non-legitimate medical purposes, they prioritized profit over patient safety and public health. Controlled substances are not commodities to be marketed through memberships — they are medications that require careful oversight to prevent misuse and diversion. DEA remains steadfast in its commitment to hold registrants accountable.” “Prescribing controlled substances without proper medical oversight, as alleged, endangers patients and erodes trust in our health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Running a sham operation to exploit federal programs and funnel taxpayer dollars into unlawful stimulant distribution is a blatant abuse. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to expose and dismantle schemes that threaten public safety and defraud the American people.” “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are specially equipped to follow the complex financial trail left by criminals, and we are dedicated to holding those accountable for crimes committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis of IRS Criminal Investigation New York. “This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions while also putting individual lives at risk. Yesterday’s indictment sends a clear message that we remain vigilant and will vigorously pursue those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means.” According to court documents, Done Global Inc., a California company, allegedly identified itself as a “digital health company,” which operated on a subscription-based model where individuals paid a monthly fee. Done Global advertised that it provided online diagnosis, treatment, and refills of medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As alleged, Done Global and Mindful Mental Wellness P.A. (MMW), a Florida company, allegedly conspired with others to provide easy access to over 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants in exchange for payment of the monthly subscription fee. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy’s purpose was for the defendants to unlawfully enrich themselves by, among other things, instructing Done prescribers to prescribe Adderall and other stimulants without any legitimate medical purpose, thereby increasing monthly subscription revenue and increasing the value of Done Global. Done Global allegedly arranged for the prescription of over 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants and obtained over $100 million in revenue. The founder and CEO of Done Global, Ruthia He, and Done Global’s former clinical president, David Brody, were previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of controlled substances and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Ruthia He was also convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice. According to court documents, Done Global identified itself as a “digital health company,” which operated on a subscription-based model where individuals paid a monthly fee. Done Global advertised that it provided online diagnosis, treatment and refills of medication for ADHD. Done Global and MMW allegedly conspired to provide Done members with prescriptions for Adderall and other stimulants that were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice. Done Global and MMW allegedly ordered Adderall and other stimulants for Done members, including Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and commercial insurers members, with whom they lacked a pre-existing practitioner-patient relationship, without an examination, and sometimes based solely on a short video or audio communication and limited patient intake documents, or without any video or audio communication at all. Done Global, MMW, and others, allegedly agreed to provide few, if any, medical treatment options besides prescribing Adderall and other stimulants. In some cases, Done members: (a) did not meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-V criteria for diagnosing ADHD; (b) posed a risk of diversion; and (c) in the event such medications were necessary, were provided dosages, directions, combinations or quantities of medications beyond any legitimate medical purpose, and without following the usual course of professional practice for prescribing them. Done Global and MMW also allegedly enabled Done members to obtain Adderall and other stimulants from pharmacies by defrauding pharmacies and Medicare, Medicaid, and the commercial insurers, concealing and disguising the unlawful prescription of Adderall and other stimulants. Done Global also allegedly conspired to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and the commercial insurers. By 2023, certain pharmacies allegedly refused to fill prescriptions written by prescribers retained by Done Health, a California Company that was affiliated with Done Global and purportedly owned by Brody. According to the indictment, Done Global incorporated MMW to circumvent the pharmacies that had blocked the filling of Done Global-affiliated prescriptions. Done Global also allegedly conspired to alter, destroy, and conceal records after receiving a grand jury subpoena. Done Global is charged with one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute Adderall, four counts of illegal distribution of Adderall, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. If convicted, Done Global faces a maximum penalty for conspiracy and illegal distribution of Adderall of twice the gross profits or other proceeds; and twice the gain or twice the gross loss for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and obstruction. If convicted, MMW faces a maximum penalty for conspiracy to illegally distribute Adderall of twice the gross profits or other proceeds. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Green for the Northern District of California and Acting Deputy Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis and Trial Attorney Jil Simon of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law . Finding a New Provider Patients receiving treatment at this practice may contact their insurance carrier for assistance in identifying a new provider for continued care. Individuals seeking access to a new primary care provider or other services can also find a provider through https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/ . Crisis Support Patients experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 support. Trained counselors provide confidential, judgment-free assistance. Additional Information The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners are working with public health and behavioral health partners to communicate where patients can find appropriate care and to alert them of potential risks associated with obtaining medications outside legal channels. Patients seeking further information on where to obtain care can refer to the CDC Health Advisory on a related action from June 13, 2024. Health Alert Network (HAN) - 00510 | Disrupted Access to Prescription Stimulant Medications Could Increase Risk of Injury and Overdose .


title: Nassau County Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty To Firearm And Drug Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Samuel Walter Perkins, Jr. (46, Fernandina Beach) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and distribution of cocaine and cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine). Perkins faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, in late 2024, Perkins twice sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant in Nassau County. After detectives from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office confronted Perkins about these two drug sales, Perkins agreed to work with them as a confidential informant himself. Before taking on that role, Perkins was specifically instructed that he could not engage in illegal activities, could not possess firearms, and would never be tasked “to create crime,” but instead should be “only working to interrupt ongoing criminal activity.” Ostensibly, in his role as a confidential informant, on January 29, 2025, Perkins provided a tip to his law enforcement handler about two individuals traveling to Jacksonville to meet with an unknown subject to obtain drugs and guns. Later that day, without telling Perkins, the detectives followed up on that lead by surveilling the two targets named by Perkins. Following those individuals, the detectives saw them drive from Nassau County to Jacksonville where the pair met with only one person—Perkins—who gave the two men a black bag, which they put in the truck of their car. During a subsequent stop and search of that car, detectives located the bag, which contained a loaded 9mm pistol, cocaine, and cocaine base. Detectives later interviewed Perkins about these events. After a detective explained what they had seen while conducting surveillance, Perkins asked, “So they got it from me?” – referring to the firearm and drugs in the black bag. The detective replied, “They got it from you.” Realizing that he was caught, Perkins then stated, “Well, I tried, man.” Asked where he obtained the gun, Perkins stated, “I just had a gun.” Perkins is a multi-time convicted felon who previously has been prosecuted by both state and federal authorities for a variety of drug offenses. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. This case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Former Financial Advisory Group Executive Pleads Guilty to $4 Million Ponzi Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ATLANTA – David Bradford, the former Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia-based financial advisory group Drive Planning LLC (“Drive Planning”), pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud arising from a multi-year Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors out of millions of dollars. “Bradford betrayed the trust of his clients, family, and friends by encouraging them to make millions in bogus investments,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and aggressively prosecute all forms of investment fraud.” “Justice is served in this latest reminder of the significant impact white collar crime continues to have on everyday Americans,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is aggressively pursuing fraud and will continue to ensure crime does not pay in the end. If you steal from others, you are gambling with your freedom.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: from late 2021 until in or about June 2024, Drive Planning marketed several investments, including the “Cash Out Real Estate Fund,” or “CORE Fund,” as “easy and simple,” advising prospective investors that the fund provided “100% Passive Income from Tax Liens.” Drive Planning guaranteed investors a return of 10% every six months or a 22% return per year for up to three years. Drive Planning further materially misrepresented that investors’ contributions to the CORE Fund were pooled together, government-protected, and fully collateralized. As part of the scheme, Bradford created a marketing brochure to promote the CORE Fund, which was shared with Drive Planning’s sales agents to solicit investors. In actuality, the investors’ monies were being used for other purposes, including to pay off other Drive Planning investors, make commission payments to Drive Planning’s agents, and pay for personal expenditures. Bradford and others at Drive Planning further concealed the scheme to defraud by failing to disclose that Drive Planning did not invest any funds in the CORE Fund after approximately December 9, 2022. To the contrary, even after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began investigating Drive Planning in approximately March 2024, Bradford and others continued to solicit investments for the CORE Fund. In total, Drive Planning received at least $4.1 million from CORE Fund investors. In August 2024, the SEC obtained a temporary restraining order against Drive Planning and filed separate civil enforcement actions against Drive Planning and others in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia related to the above-described scheme. Sentencing for David Bradford, 53, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, is scheduled for March 17, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Assistant United States Attorney Alex R. Sistla is prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: FORT WAYNE –Jamarkis J. Carter, 31 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to distributing a controlled substance, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Carter was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on September 25, 2024, Carter and a co-defendant distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory also assisted with this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.