title: 282 charged in new cases related to SDTX’s continuing efforts to secure southern border

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 281 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from May 23-29, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Among those are 105 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 163 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while seven cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and firearms. One such person charged this week is Carlos Enrique Gonzalez-Pena, an alien present in the United States with a work visa who was allegedly found in possession of CSAM. The charges allege he had visited the darknet where he viewed child pornography sites. A forensic examination of his computer allegedly resulted in the discovery of two video files involving a female child approximately four to six years of age, one of which showed her being sexually assaulted. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Another one of the cases involves Humberto Vasquez - a Mexican male who allegedly attempted to exit the United States via the Donna Port of Entry. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered four pistols belonging to him as well as 870 rounds of assorted ammunition, according to the charges. The complaint alleges he did not possess an export license that would authorize him to transport such items into Mexico and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of illegal exportation of firearms. Authorities also found three Mexican nationals near Mission this week with no legal permission to be in the United States, according to the complaints against them. Victor Manuel Ornelas-Ochoa, Alfredo Samuel Gallegos-Esquivel and Exequiel Solano had allegedly been previously removed from the country and have felonies to include possession with intent to deliver marijuana, human smuggling and aggravated sexual assault of a child, respectively. They are all charged with illegal reentry and could receive up to 20 years in prison. Another man who faces the same charges and penalty is Julio Sanchez-Lorenzo. He is a Mexican male who had just been removed from the United States via Brownsville May 21 with no permission to return, according to the charges. However, authorities allegedly found him just six days later near Roma. In addition to the new cases, a federal jury in Houston convicted a Mexican citizen for illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity . On June 11, 2024, authorities found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. At that time, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Testimony revealed Valdez-Galvan originally stole the person’s identity to avoid previous charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had been previously removed but returned to the United States without permission. He had assumed the other person’s identity in 2015 after his second removal. He faces up to a 20-year prison sentence. “Both public safety and basic common sense require us to know who is entering and residing in our country. Those that adopt false or stolen personas to hide their identities pose an increased criminal risk to our community,” said Ganjei. “Theft of an American citizen’s identity by a foreign national will not be tolerated, and those that engage in such criminality will be charged, punished, and, if appropriate, deported.” In Corpus Christi, an intoxicated driver admitted he was an alien illegally in possession of firearm. Honduran national Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18. Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found him pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. He had red bloodshot eyes, appeared unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol. A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket and a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car. Two men from Brownfield admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens in Laredo federal court this week. On March 22, authorities observed a Ford Expedition circumventing a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Laredo. Mac Quese Howard was driving, and De Richardson Miller was in the front passenger seat providing directions. Authorities conducted a traffic stop and found three illegal aliens hidden in the back seat. Miller and Howard admitted they had travelled to Laredo for the sole purpose of picking up the aliens and transporting them to San Antonio for payment. Also announced was the sentencing of a Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals for illegally reentering the country again. Juan Humberto Lara Molina’s has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois and was previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions, most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias BP checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer. He was ordered to serve 24 months in federal prison. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Beaumont convenience store robbers sentenced for killing clerk with firearm

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – Two men who robbed a Beaumont convenience store and killed the clerk have been sentenced to over 30 years in federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Keandre Marquis Robinson, 20, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death and was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 30, 2025. Larry Nathaniel Hagan, 28, of Houston, also pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison by Judge Crone. According to information presented in court, on December 29, 2023, Robinson and Hagan were wearing masks and brandishing semi-automatic pistols when they entered the Kris Food Mart located on Gulf Street in Beaumont. Robinson quickly forced the clerk behind the counter and demanded cash while Hagan guarded the front door. Seconds later, Robinson shot the clerk two times in the chest, killing him. Robinson grabbed cigarettes from behind the counter and fled with Hagan. No cash was taken. Later that night, the Beaumont Police Department posted images from the robbery to social media and a tip identified Robinson. Police detained Robinson about three hours after the robbery as he was leaving his residence just a few blocks from the store. Robinson later confessed to his role in the robbery and killing but would not identify Hagan. Detectives searched Robinson’s phone and discovered text messages with Hagan related to the robbery. The texts began on December 28 at 10:15 a.m. and ended a few minutes after the robbery. During the conversation, Robinson and Hagan planned to rob the store to “[g]et some money.” In one text, Robinson told Hagan that he would “knock [the clerk’s] top” [to eliminate any] “lose [sic] ends…”. The conversation ended on December 29 at 10:07 p.m. (approximately 4 minutes after the shooting). In that text, Hagan told Robinson to “[s]tay in the house for some days”. “The despicable killing committed by Robinson and Hagan has caused unimaginable pain and loss to the victim’s loved ones and damaged the fabric of our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We can never undue the pain that the victim’s loved ones have endured, but we hope this outcome provides them with some measure of closure. The lengthy sentences that were meted out today reflect the gravity of the brazen and senseless crime committed by Robinson and Hagan.” “This case shows the importance of collaboration between our officers, our federal partners, and the community that helped us identify the suspect so quickly,” said Beaumont Police Chief Tim Ocnaschek. “The shooter had already committed an aggravated robbery a year before and was back on the streets just weeks before this murder. The second suspect came to our city with a violent past. While no sentence can bring back the innocent life that was lost, taking these dangerous criminals off the streets for decades makes our community safer and sends a strong message about consequences.” “Keandre Robinson’s text messages with Larry Hagan, plotting the slaughter of an unsuspecting store clerk, leave no doubt their only ‘plan’ was to kill,” said Douglas Williams, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Houston. “This was not a robbery gone wrong; it was a cold-blooded, premeditated execution. Thanks to the exceptional partnership between FBI Beaumont and the Beaumont Police Department, these savage criminals will now endure the full consequences of murdering an innocent man.” Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 7, 2024. Hagan, who was at large until April 24, 2024 when he was arrested in New Orleans by the U.S. Marshals Service, was added to the indictment by the grand jury on May 1, 2024. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross. ###


title: Nancy E. Larson Named Acting United States Attorney, Becoming Chief Federal Prosecutor for the Northern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Nancy E. Larson was named as the Acting United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas following her appointment on May 29, 2025, by President Donald J. Trump. Ms. Larson is now the top-ranking law enforcement official in the Northern District of Texas. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in a district encompassing 96,000 square miles and serving a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls and surrounding areas. Ms. Larson will oversee more than 80 Assistant United States Attorneys. “It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the office where I have spent my career representing the United States,” said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson. “As our district’s chief federal prosecutor, I will work relentlessly to implement the priorities of the President and the Attorney General and to protect our communities from criminals.” Ms. Larson has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for more than 30 years. She began her career with the Department of Justice in the District of Columbia, serving as a federal prosecutor in the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office. There, she led successful prosecutions involving homicide, narcotics, violent crime, fraud, and other offenses. In 1999, Ms. Larson joined the Northern District of Texas as the lead prosecutor for the Housing Fraud Initiative. After serving in the Criminal Division, Ms. Larson was named the Chief of the Appellate Division. She served in that role for over a decade and regularly appeared before the Fifth Circuit on behalf of the United States. Ms. Larson also has served as the district’s Executive Assistant United States Attorney and its Professional Responsibility Officer. Ms. Larson is an accomplished trial lawyer, having represented the United States in more than two dozen criminal trials. During her career, Ms. Larson received numerous awards for her service and leadership. Ms. Larson is a native of New York and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Ms. Larson’s father, whose father and grandfather served on the NYPD, was a career Special Agent in IRS Criminal Investigations. Her family’s legacy in law enforcement instilled in her a devotion to public service and the cause of justice.


title: El Paso Woman Sentenced for Hostage-Taking, Extortion in Smuggling Stash House Case

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An El Paso woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in a hostage-taking conspiracy involving the forcible detention and extortion of the victims. The defendant was involved in the hostage-taking conspiracy while serving a term of federal supervised release for a prior alien smuggling conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on April 4, 2024, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol responded to a tip from the Otero County Sheriff’s Department regarding individuals being held against their will at an alien smuggling stash house in Chaparral, New Mexico. The joint investigation led law enforcement to the residence where ten undocumented aliens, including three juveniles, were discovered being detained under inhumane conditions, without sufficient food and water. During the subsequent investigation, agents determined that Valerie Perez , 22, and her coconspirator, Diana Perez, were responsible for detaining the victims. The victims were threatened with physical harm and told they were not allowed to leave. Family members of the victims were contacted and coerced into sending money for the victims’ release. Valerie Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit hostage taking, admitting that she participated in detaining undocumented individuals, threatening them with harm, and extorting money from their families and friends in exchange for their release. At the time of this offense, Perez was on supervised release following a prior conviction for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, for which she had been sentenced to one year and one day in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Upon her release from prison, Valerie Perez will be subject to three years of supervised release. Diana Perez remains in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today. The Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated this case with assistance from the Otero County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson Hehr is prosecuting this case.


title: Mexican National Sentenced To Two Years’ Imprisonment For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Jaime Palma Jimenez (45, Mexico) to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Palma Jimenez pled guilty on February 3, 2025. According to court documents, Palma Jimenez is a native and citizen of Mexico. He was removed from the United States on March 5, 2015, April 20, 2015, June 22, 2017, and August 28, 2020. Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office officials then arrested him for illegal specialty contracting in October 2024, in the wake of Hurricane Milton. PCSO officers notified federal immigration authorities of Palma Jimenez’s presence in the United States. This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.


title: Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Illegally Reentering the U.S. after Multiple Deportations

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. —Two illegal aliens have pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. They are Alejandro Mejia Rios, who used the aliases Rigoberto Bonilla-Mejia, and Juan Carlos Espinoza-Bonilla, 45, an illegal alien residing in North Charleston, and Cesar Santana Salazar, who used the aliases Miguel Santana-Hernandez, and Cesar Santana, 43, an illegal alien residing in Florida. Evidence from the investigation presented during the guilty plea showed that Mejia Rios is a citizen of Mexico who has been removed or deported from the United States six times, beginning in 2006 and continuing through 2019. He was convicted of illegal reentry and served prison sentences before being deported each time. He illegally reentered and was arrested in Beaufort for driving under the influence and failure to stop for a blue light on Oct.1, 2023. He was released on bond before an immigration detainer could be lodged. He was again arrested, on March 18, 2024, for open container, driving without a license and driving under suspension in Jasper County. He was again released on bond before an immigration detainer could be lodged. On Feb.10, he was arrested for assault and battery 3rd degree in Jasper County. Santana Salazar was arrested by City of Beaufort Police officers on Jan. 25, for driving without a license and driving under the influence. He has prior federal convictions for illegal reentry and has been removed from the United States six times between 2007 and 2021. United States District Judge David C. Norton accepted the three guilty pleas and will sentence each defendant after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Mejia Rios faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He will be deported after serving his sentence. Santana Salazar faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and will also be deported after serving his sentence. These cases were a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell is prosecuting the cases. ### MEDIA CONTACT: Veronica Hill, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office, veronica.hill@usdoj.gov , (803) 929-3000


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 135 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 135 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On May 28, Leonardo Arturo Sandez Leal, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry discovered 110 packages of methamphetamine weighing 125 pounds, and 10 packages of cocaine weighing 27 pounds, concealed in the rear quarter panels, floor, seats and center console of the vehicle the defendant was driving. On May 23, Jorge Luis Perez-Florez and Rumualdo Morales-Perez, both Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the defendants were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard off Point Loma with multiple undocumented Mexican nationals aboard their boat. Morales-Perez was previously deported to Mexico on March 20, 2025, through Laredo, Texas. On May 29, Noel Lopez Uribe, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the U.S. According to a complaint, a Border Patrol agent discovered the defendant hiding near some brush in Otay Mesa. Lopez Uribe was most recently removed from the U.S. in April 2025. Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases: On May 30, Raul Diaz, a citizen of Colombia, was sentenced in federal court to six months in custody for attempting to re-enter the U.S. illegally. He was previously convicted in November 2014 of embezzling nearly $114,000 of public money. On May 30, 2025, Temo Duble-Chaparro, a Mexican national with no permission to enter the United States, was sentenced to 18 months in custody for illegal reentry of a removed alien, to be followed by a four month consecutive sentence for violating the conditions of his supervised release. This was the defendant’s fourth federal immigration conviction in as many years. He previously had been convicted of alien smuggling and illegal reentry. Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Refund Scheme

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Louis Perpignan, 33, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 27, 2025, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Perpignan was also ordered to pay more than $2.6 million in restitution. Perpignan previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud. Between May 2016 and May 2021, Perpignan operated an online refund scheme called the “Members Only Refund Service,” through which he charged individuals a fee to “return” purchased items, ranging from televisions to handbags, from a variety of retailers across the country. To accomplish the scheme, Perpignan would pose as the customer and use various methods to trick the retailer into issuing a refund without returning the product. For example, Perpignan would convince the retailer that the item either never arrived or had already been returned. The customer would then be refunded the full purchase price but keep the item. Perpignan, in turn, received a fee of up to 25% of the item’s purchase price from the customer. Perpignan admitted to defrauding at least 31 retailers out of more than $2.6 million through the scheme. With his portion of the funds, Perpignan supported his extravagant lifestyle and purchased at least eight vehicles, including a $176,000 Lamborghini Huracan. This case was investigated by the Darknet Marketplace and Digital Currency Task Force, with specific contribution from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01398-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-085_Perpignan # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


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

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending May 30, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 51 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 9 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 79 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 13 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for drug possession and firearms offenses. In one significant case, Moustafa Mahmoud Abdelnabi Salem , a citizen of Egypt who was lawfully in the U.S., was charged by criminal complaint with being an alien in possession of a firearm after he pulled a firearm out of his vehicle at a gas station and pointed it at a homeless man who was not threatening him. In another case, Valerie Perez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for operating an alien stash house. Family members of the aliens contacted authorities after Perez demanded additional payment to release the aliens. The aliens were also threatened with physical harm if additional payments were not received. At the time of her arrest, Perez was on supervised release for a prior alien smuggling conviction. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Directing Interstate Stalking and Harassment Scheme and Conspiring to Procure Sensitive U.S. Military Technology

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Bilal Essayli, United States Attorney for the Central District of California announced that federal grand juries in Milwaukee, WI and Los Angeles, CA each returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee). “As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.” “The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.” Allegations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6). In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account. Allegations in the Central District of California According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The Victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi. “The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.” Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI. In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the Victim, to install a tracking device on the Victim’s car, to slash the tires on the Victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the Victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife. A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the Victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the Victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI. If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years for conspiracy; five years for interstate stalking; twenty years for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; ten years for smuggling. The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller in Serbia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and David Ryan and Amanda B. Elbogen for the Central District of California, along with Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Collin County physician agrees to pay $3.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of billing false claims to the COVID-19 Uninsured Program for evaluation & management services not rendered

component: Civil Division

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Frisco physician has agreed to pay $3.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Samad Khan, M.D. has agreed to pay the United States $3.5 million to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to the Health Resources & Services Administration COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program (the “Uninsured Program”) for evaluation and management services that were not performed. Between approximately May 2020 and April 2022, the Uninsured Program reimbursed eligible providers for COVID-19 tests, testing-related items and services, treatment, and vaccines performed on uninsured individuals. Khan is a physician who owns SK Primary Care, PLLC (“SK Primary Care”), a medical clinic in Frisco. During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”), SK Primary Care provided healthcare services, including specimen collection for COVID-19 tests. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from April 2020 through October 2021, Khan knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to the Uninsured Program by billing evaluation and management services (E/M Services) that were not performed. As alleged by the United States, claims for E/M Services, sometimes referred to as “office visits,” are submitted under Current Procedural Terminology (“CPT”) Codes, and vary in level of complexity. Higher level codes reflect increased complexity, such as a higher level of decision-making, more detailed history, or longer duration of time. E/M Services levels 2 through 5 (e.g. CPT Codes 99202 through 99205, and 99212 through 99215) (“Higher Level E/M Services”) can only be performed by physicians or other qualified health care professionals (“QHPs”). These professionals are distinct from clinical staff, such as medical assistants. A level 1 E/M Service, under CPT Code 99211, may not require the presence of a physician or other QHP. During the PHE, CMS approved the use of CPT Code 99211 for COVID-19 test specimen collection. Physicians and non-physician practitioners, such as nurse practitioners (NPs) were required to use CPT Code 99211 to bill for COVID-19 specimen collection billed by clinical staff incident to their services. The United States contends that during the PHE, SK Primary Care provided services at dozens of COVID-19 testing sites in Texas, operated by SK Primary Care and its management company, the majority of which were walk up or drive through testing sites (the “COVID test sites”). Patients could register to receive a test at the COVID test sites by registering online through a website called “GoGetTested.Com.” The United States alleges that the COVID test sites were staffed with medical assistants who performed specimen collection services through nasal swabs on patients for COVID-19 tests. Khan knew that the appropriate CPT Codes for the services provided at the COVID test sites were specimen collection codes, including CPT Code 99211, but instead submitted claims under CPT Codes for Higher Level E/M Services. The United States contends that patients who went to the COVID test sites were never seen by Khan or any other QHP, and at no time was Khan or any other QHP providing any E/M Services to patients at the COVID test sites either in person or by audiovisual means. From April 2020 through October 2021, for the services provided at the COVID test sites, Khan submitted or caused the submission of approximately 400,000 claims by SK Primary Care to the Uninsured Program for Higher Level E/M Services, the majority of which were level 2 and 3 E/M services. Khan is the only rendering provider listed on SK Primary Care’s claims. The United States further alleges that Khan, in conjunction with and at the direction of SK Primary Care’s management company, coded the COVID specimen collection services as Higher Level E/M Services. Reimbursements for E/M Services were substantially higher than reimbursements for specimen collection. Moreover, in conjunction with and at the direction of SK Primary Care’s management company, SK Primary Care and Khan often submitted two claims for E/M Services for COVID-19 test specimen collection—the first “encounter” for the test, and a second “encounter” for providing results. The second “encounter” of providing results was not Khan providing E/M Services. Instead, an employee or contractor of SK Primary Care or SK Primary Care’s management company, such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and medical assistants, would provide tests results via telephone based on a courtesy call script. NPs were not providing medical services, did not have any audiovisual connection to patients, and in many instances never even spoke to the patients to provide results, which were emailed or sent by text message. As a result of these false claims for payment for E/M Services that were not performed, Khan received payments from the Uninsured Program to which he was not entitled. “The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic required both beneficiaries and the government to place their trust in front-line healthcare providers, even more than usual,” said Jay R. Combs, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. “Unfortunately, some of those providers abused that trust and instead took advantage of the crisis to artificially inflate profits. It is these individuals that the Eastern District of Texas will hold accountable for their greed.” “When health care professionals receive payments for false claims they submit to federal health care programs, they erode public trust and divert taxpayer-funded resources away from those who truly need them,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to safeguarding taxpayer funds and working with our law enforcement partners to use all tools in our arsenal to hold accountable those who steal from the American public.” The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas with assistance from HHS-OIG. This matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Trial Attorney Elizabeth J. Kappakas and by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Kevin McClendon. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Jamaican National Indicted for Lottery Fraud Scheme Targeting the Elderly

body_text: Tucson, Ariz. – Deeno Jackson, 27, of Jamaica, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson last week with Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Charging documents filed in the case allege that Jackson and others engaged in a fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in Arizona and throughout the United States. As part of the scheme, Jackson and his co-conspirators contacted victims, at times pretending to be federal agents, and informed them that they had won prizes, including cash and vehicles, but that they would have to pay fees or taxes to receive their winnings. Jackson and his co-conspirators then kept the money paid to them by the victims. According to the complaint, one Arizona victim lost over $400,000 from the scheme. Convictions for Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud each carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-25-02403-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-086_Jackson # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Stolen Identity, Bank Fraud, and Armed Drug Distribution Net Defendant 60 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON – Deangelo Lorenzo Lewis, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison after being found guilty of defrauding banks by doctoring and depositing stolen checks, distributing marijuana, and illegally possessing a firearm. At the time of his arrest, Lewis was using a stolen identity to rent an apartment in the Kalorama neighborhood, paying for it with funds from a stolen checking account, and using the apartment to distribute marijuana and operate his fraud scheme, all while armed with a semi-automatic assault pistol modeled after an AK47. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Acting U.S. Marshal Ron Carter of the District Court for the District of Columbia. Lewis was found guilty by a federal jury on Feb. 28, 2025, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan ordered Lewis to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on October 3, 2023, Deputy United States Marshals and FBI agents executed an arrest warrant for Lewis at an apartment building on the 2400 block of 17th Street NW. Law enforcement breached the front door of the apartment with a battering ram and took Lewis into custody. During a security sweep the officers observed evidence of fraud in plain view. The Marshals obtained a search warrant and recovered a Maryland driver’s license, three Visa debit cards, and numerous bank checks issued to persons other than Lewis. They also recovered stolen U.S. Postal Service uniforms in Lewis’ bedroom. In addition, the Marshals recovered two laptop computers, three different types of printers, check paper, check writing software, 24 ounces of marijuana, small mylar bags, a digital scale, two loaded 9mm handgun magazines, and a Century Arms Micro Draco 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic assault pistol loaded 25 rounds of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Lewis is prohibited from possessing firearms. The Marshals also obtained a search warrant for Lewis’ electronic devices and Instagram account. The United States’ trial evidence included photos and videos of Lewis holding firearms, including a Micro Draco assault pistol, pictures of stolen checks, pictures of marijuana advertised for sale, and numerous conversations related to marijuana distribution and bank fraud. According to the court documents, more than 10 individuals were victims of Lewis’s stolen check scheme, which involved the theft of checks worth more than $275,000. Lewis has trials pending in D.C. Superior Court, the District Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland for similar conduct. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force, the FBI Washington Field Office, and Arlington County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson. 24cr144


title: Blanchard Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud after Diverting Company Loan Proceeds to Pay for Construction of Personal Home

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – JERRY WAYNE NOLES , 61, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 40 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On September 9, 2024, Noles was charged by Amended Information with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to public record, in January 2015, Noles was the managing partner of Coil Chem LLC, a chemical manufacturing company based in Washington, Oklahoma. The Amended Information alleged that on January 27, 2015, Noles opened a $690,000 revolving line of credit through First National Bank (FNB) for the bank-authorized purpose of funding Coil Chem’s operating expenses. Noles later caused the advance of $250,000 from the company’s credit line into another account under Noles’ control, then directed a coconspirator to immediately withdraw and deposit the funds into the account of a local home builder to help pay for the construction of a new home for Noles. The Amended Information further alleged that Noles then sought and obtained a $1,200,000 home construction loan from FNB, despite the fact he had already paid a portion of the home’s construction costs with the money fraudulently obtained from Coil Chem’s credit line. On September 10, 2024, Noles pleaded guilty to the Amended Information, and admitted he conspired to divert $250,000 from Coil Chem’s revolving line of credit to fund construction of his personal home in Blanchard, Oklahoma. At the sentencing hearing on May 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Noles to serve 40 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered Noles to pay $50,498.62 in restitution. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman noted the need to prevent others from committing similar crimes. Judge Dishman also noted the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense, including that Noles was motivated by greed and deception and personally benefitted from the fraud. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Former Fort Belvoir soldier pleads guilty to assaulting and permanently injuring a newborn child, sexually abusing an adult

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Army private pled guilty today to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of sexual abuse. According to court documents, from October 2010 to September 2013, Austin Blair Johnson, while he was an active duty soldier, resided on Fort Belvoir. On June 25, 2012, Johnson was watching an infant, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), who was born prematurely only 16 days earlier. MV1 was crying, so Johnson picked her up and carried her, but she continued to cry. While holding MV1 in front of him with one hand under each of her arms, Johnson rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 multiple times before letting go of her, causing her to flip and land on her head. Johnson then picked up MV1 and ran with her upstairs to a bedroom where he woke MV1’s mother, identified as Adult Victim 1 (AV1). Johnson falsely told AV1 that he had accidentally dropped MV1 and that he had successfully broken her fall with his foot. AV1 and Johnson took MV1 to the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital emergency room where she presented with a fever, bruising on her head and shoulder, and blood coming out of her mouth. A CT scan conducted there revealed that MV1’s skull had been fractured. MV1 was transferred later to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Walter Reed Medical Center. MV1 was diagnosed with extensive injuries and remained hospitalized at Walter Reed for the next 10 days. The day she was discharged, MV1 was left in Johnson’s care while AV1 was out. Johnson again rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 and dropped her. MV1 was 26 days old. The following morning, AV1 took MV1 to a previously scheduled follow-up appointment with a pediatrician at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. At the appointment, MV1 began having seizures and was sent directly to the emergency room. MV1 was transferred later to the PICU at Children’s National Medical Center, where doctors discovered myriad injuries, including a second skull fracture, and identified extensive brain damage. When she was finally discharged on July 20, 2012, MV1 was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, where she remained for approximately 14 months until she was returned to the custody of Johnson and AV1. On June 22, 2015, MV1 was forced to undergo a hemispherectomy during which the entire left hemisphere of her brain was removed in an effort to control her irrepressible seizures. MV1 is now legally blind, non-verbal, and the entire right side of her body is paralyzed. Cognitively, MV1 functions at the level of a mature infant. In addition to his assaults on MV1, in 2013, at their residence on Fort Belvoir, after AV1 had rebuffed Johnson’s requests to be intimate with her, Johnson proceeded without her consent. AV1 protested and tried to hit Johnson to get him to stop, which he did. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2025. He faces up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Jake Cameron, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard is prosecuting 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. 1:24-cr-151.


title: Murder in Broad Daylight Outside a Northeast Gas Station Leads to Guilty Plea

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Damon McQuarters, 45, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder for the 2024 shooting murder of Michael Simpson, on the sidewalk in front of the Citgo gas station at 3820 Minnesota Ave. NE, Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in Superior Court. The Honorable Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing on August 22, 2025. At sentencing, he faces between 21 and 25 years of incarceration, followed by five years of supervised release. According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, at approximately 5:35 p.m., on August 24, 2024, McQuarters approached Mr. Simpson, who was sitting in a tree box in front of the Citgo gas station socializing with friends. McQuarters retrieved a handgun from his pocket and shot Mr. Simpson a single time in the head. The defendant placed the handgun back into his pocket and walked away. Mr. Simpson was transported from the scene of the shooting to an area hospital where he died the following day. McQuarters has been in custody since his arrest on September 26, 2024. This case was investigated by Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Coronado.


title: Mexico City-Based Attorney Pleads Guilty in $52 Million Dollar Sinaloa Cartel Money Laundering Scheme

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Hector Alejandro Paez Garcia, a Mexico City-based attorney, has pleaded guilty in federal court, admitting that he and others conspired to transport, transmit, and transfer tens of millions of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds from the United States to Mexico. Paez’s plea is part of a long-term FBI investigation targeting a Mexico-based money laundering organization (MLO) that is believed to have laundered at least $52.7 million for the Sinaloa Cartel before the organization’s leaders were arrested. According to court documents, the MLO utilized a network of shell companies in San Diego to launder tens of millions of dollars in bulk cash from across the country generated through the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug importation and distribution operations. MLO employees travelled to dozens of U.S. cities to pick up this bulk cash in amounts up to $200,000. The money was then funneled through the San Diego-based shell companies and delivered to money laundering accounts in Mexico controlled by Paez, who in his plea agreement admitted serving a managerial role in the MLO’s operations. During the investigation, FBI agents seized 66 money laundering bank accounts throughout the United States. As the FBI began to target and seize the MLO’s assets, Paez turned to the use of cryptocurrency in an attempt to shield those assets from law enforcement. But the FBI was able to infiltrate and take down the MLO’s cryptocurrency laundering network. To date, the investigation has resulted in the arrests of 11 people on money laundering charges and the seizure of more than $3.1 million in illicit assets. A related DEA investigation led to 24 additional arrests and asset seizures totaling $450,000. In March 2025, six individuals and seven entities, including several of Paez’s co-conspirators, were the target of sanctions imposed by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Treasury Sanctions Criminal Operators and Money Launderers for the Notorious Sinaloa Cartel | U.S. Department of the Treasury . Paez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2025. To date, in addition to Paez, additional participants in the scheme have been charged, including the following: Miguel Angel Encinas Gomez of Mexicali, México, leader of a Mexicali-based cell of MLO. Encinas pleaded guilty to laundering $35 million in bulk cash narcotics proceeds in July 2023. Hugo Andres Velasquez Pantza, a Colombian national who allegedly assisted the MLO in the implementation of cryptocurrency into their operations. Velasquez was subsequently targeted in an undercover FBI operation and arrested in Rome, Italy in January 2025. Velasquez was extradited to the United States in April 2025 and awaits trial. James Harmon Yarbrough of Apopka, Florida, who worked in partnership with Cevallos to receive $326,000 in illicit proceeds in a scheme to converting the funds to cryptocurrency. Yarbrough pleaded guilty in July 2023. Victoria Johanna Lopez, Jose Jesus Lopez, Jose Mayorga Martinez, and Gerardo Vasquez Jr. who allegedly worked as bulk cash couriers who handled and deposited bulk cash for the MLO. Victoria Lopez, Jose Lopez, Mayorga have pleaded guilty. Vazquez’s case is set for trial in September 2024. Jhonatan Suarez Florez of Auburndale, Florida, who used accounts associated with his Florida-based construction and door manufacturing businesses to receive and transmit funds belonging to the criminal organization. Suarez Florez pleaded guilty in December 2024. Alberto David Benguait Jimenez, an alleged leader of the MLO, remains a fugitive at this time. If anyone has information related to this individual, please contact the FBI at 858-320-1800. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Benjamin and Robert Miller. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth contributed significantly to the case. The FBI worked in close partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Imperial County District Office, as well as Panamanian authorities, to seize the MLO’s assets and arrest multiple participants in the scheme. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Italy to secure the arrest and extradition of Velasquez Pantza. DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr0446 Hector Alejandro Paez Garcia Age: 43 Mexico City, Mexico SUMMARY OF CHARGES International Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h), and 1956(a)(2)(B)(i) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced to 5 Years of Probation for Cares Act Fraud, Money Laundering and False Tax Filing

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CLIFTON C. JAMES (“JAMES”) , age 50, of New Orleans, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo to 5 years of probation for making false statements, theft of government funds, and money laundering related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), as well as making a false tax filing with the Internal Revenue Service. On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program. According to the charging documents, or about April 30, 2020, JAMES , on behalf of a business that he owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain a $86,800 PPP loan. On or about July 13, 2020, JAMES stole $149,900 from the SBA by using a false application in the name of Crescent City Tax Services, LLC. JAMES then committed money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy an automobile from a dealership in California. Lastly, JAMES filed a false document with the Internal Revenue Service wherein he claimed to have earned $1.00 in a 2019 tax return. In addition to probation, JAMES was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and to pay restitution in the amount of $551,973.00 to the SBA along with restitution to the IRS in the total amount of $233,645.65. There is also a mandatory $400 special assessment fee. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC) and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.


title: District of Arizona Charges 257 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

number: 2025-087_May 30 Immigration Enforcement

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from May 24, 2025, through May 30, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 257 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 125 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez : On May 24, 2025, an Integrated Fixed Tower operator observed an individual come out of the brush and enter a truck, driven by Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez, on Federal Route 19 near mile marker 1 in Newfield, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Nation. BPAs located the truck and attempted a stop, but Martinez-Lopez failed to yield. While BPAs were pursuing the truck, Martinez-Lopez abruptly stopped on the right shoulder of the road and an individual exited the passenger's side of the vehicle and ran into the brush. Martinez-Lopez then fled at a high rate of speed. After a foot chase, BPAs apprehended the individual who had run into the bush and determined that they were a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Other BPAs continued to pursue Martinez-Lopez and successfully deployed a vehicle immobilization device (VID), which punctured one of the truck's tires. The truck then came to a stop and Martinez-Lopez fled from the vehicle. BPAs also apprehended Martinez-Lopez after a short foot pursuit. Martinez-Lopez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: MJ-25-2029] United States v. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez: On May 28, 2025, Mesa Police Department executed a search warrant on a residence in Mesa, Arizona. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez, a citizen of Mexico, was one of the occupants of the residence. Inside the residence, readily visible in the living room and stacked against the wall, law enforcement found 10,000 rounds of PMC 5.56 ammunition and 25,000 rounds of Wolf .223 ammunition. Jimenez Rodriguez was charged by complaint with one count of Alien in Possession of Ammunition and Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: MJ-25-9221] United States v. Nicholas Anthony Lawrence : On May 28, 2025, Nicholas Anthony Lawrence, a citizen of Jamaica and illegal alien, was charged by indictment with Aggravated Identity Theft, Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, and Reentry of Removed Alien. Lawrence was previously convicted on or about December 4, 2017, of Attempt to Commit Molestation of Child, and Attempt to Commit Sexual Conduct with Minor, both felony offenses, in the Superior Court of Arizona, County of Maricopa. Lawrence was sentenced to seven years in prison, and lifetime probation, respectively. Lawrence was previously removed from the United States in November 2022. [Case Number: CR-25-00817-PHX-GMS] Criminal complaints and indictments are methods by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raise no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-087_May 30 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Major drug redistributor for ring connected to Aryan prison gang sentenced to 10+ years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A major redistributor for a South Sound-based drug trafficking ring that was connected to Aryan prison gangs was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 126 months in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. 46-year-old Joseph Hempel, of Burien, Washington, was a high-volume drug redistributor for Jesse James Bailey, the leader of one of three branches the drug distribution organization. On March 29, 2024, Hempel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “The quantities you were involved in distributing were unimaginable…. It’s pretty amazing the amount of drugs we’re talking about.” “At various times on the wiretap law enforcement heard Mr. Hempel order as much as 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Distributing such large loads of narcotics meant that both the reach and the damage from Mr. Hempel’s drug activity was widespread in our community.” The three interconnected drug trafficking rings in this case were identified over an 18-month wiretap investigation. The three distribution cells were working together as the Aryan Family/Omerta Drug Trafficking Organization, one of which was led by Hempel’s co-defendant Jesse Bailey. Bailey has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on June 13. On March 22, 2023, Law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day, law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and over $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation, law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms. At the time of the takedown, Hempel’s residence contained 1,003 fentanyl pills 1.6 kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of marijuana, 11 drug scales, a drug ledger, and $14,799 of drug proceeds. Near the drugs, law enforcement found body armor, ammunition, and the following firearms: a 12-gauge Iver Johnson shotgun with an obliterated serial number, a Harrington Richardson Model 088 Rifle, a Halsan Escort Shotgun, and a Marlin Firearms Glenfield 60 Rifle. Hempel has prior convictions for car theft and possession of stolen property that make him ineligible to possess firearms. In asking the court for the 126-month prison term prosecutors noted the impact such drug trafficking has on the community and community safety. “Hempel ordered and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, for the purpose of redistributing it throughout the community. These drugs have a devastating impact. Users of these drugs frequently resort to stealing—from family members, friends, and complete strangers—to feed their addictions. No doubt, drug users are responsible for a large percentage of these crimes, as well as the violent crimes, in our communities,” prosecutors wrote to the court. This case is 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. This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer.


title: Hammond Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Cares Act Fraud

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TRACIE L. MIXON (“MIXON”) , age 43, of Hammond, LA, was sentenced on May 27, 2025 to two (2) years in prison by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after previously pleading guilty to making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses. According to court documents, MIXON made false statements on an SBA form to an approved lender on or about February 23, 2021, to fraudulently obtain a PPP loan. MIXON affirmed that she had not been previously convicted of federal program financial assistance fraud when, in truth, she pled guilty, in the Eastern District of Virginia, to conspiracy to commit federal student loan fraud and mail fraud in a scheme that involved stolen identities. Additionally, MIXON was ordered to pay $31,000 in restitution to the lending institution and the SBA and faces three (3) years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.


title: District Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Deadly Drive-by Shooting in Southeast Washington

body_text: WASHINGTON – Martinez Raynor, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 16 years in prison today for his part in a 2018 drive-by shooting of a man in front of a convenience store in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Raynor pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed on October 4, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan sentenced the defendant to 16 years in prison. According to court documents, on October 20, 2018, Raynor and two other men drove into the parking lot of Holiday Market and Liquor Store located at 3509 Wheeler Road SE at 1:56 p.m. Once there, they opened fire on a group of men standing in front of the store. In the hail of gunfire, the victim, Malik McCloud, was struck in the back by a bullet, and he fell to the ground paralyzed. The defendant then fled on foot while the other two shooters drove off. Shortly after the initial shooting, the shooters returned to the area and opened fire on the group of men again, this time fatally striking Mr. McCloud in the chest as he laid helplessly on the ground. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of those who provided valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including, Paralegal Specialists LaShone Samuels and Lisa Speight, and Victim Assistant Jennifer Allen. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Joshua Hall, who prosecuted the case.


title: Former CEO Of Silver State Health Services And Real Estate Investor Indicted For Embezzling Over $2 Million Dollars In Federal Grant Money

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – The former Chief Executive Officer of Silver State Health Services, LLC, a not-for-profit federally qualified health center, made his court appearance today for allegedly embezzling over $2 million of federal grant money intended for the health care center to provide health care items, benefits, and services to indigent persons in Las Vegas. According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment, from June 2019 and continuing through April 2022, David Ryan Linden, 36, who served as the Chief Executive Officer of Silver State Health Services (SSHS), and Rich Kiran Saga, 53, a real estate investor who affiliated himself with SSHS, conspired to engage in a scheme to steal money belonging to SSHS, including federal grant money earmarked for employee salaries, by funneling grant money belonging to SSHS into bank accounts controlled by the defendants. They then used the stolen grant money to purchase commercial real estate properties. SSHS was a Nevada corporation operating as a Federally Qualified Community Health Center; and SSHS received federal grant money from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A federal grand jury returned the 13-count superseding indictment on May 13, 2025, charging Linden and Saga each with one count of conspiracy to commit offense against the United States; six counts of federal program theft; one count of conspiracy to violate Sections 1956 and 1957; two counts of money laundering; two counts of money transactions in criminally derived property; and one count of false document. Saga was arrested on May 14, 2025, and arraigned on the charges on May 15, 2025. A jury trial is set to begin on December 2, 2025, before United States District Judge Jennifer Dorsey. If convicted, Linden and Saga each face the maximum statutory penalty of 121 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement. This case was a joint investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Myhre and Justin Washburne are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Fort Collins Man Charged with Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Isaac Meraz, age 21, of Fort Collins, has been charged with one count of bank robbery with forced accompaniment. According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 2:00 p.m. on May 27, 2025, Meraz entered the Ent Credit Union on Drake Road in Fort Collins and robbed the credit union. Wearing a full rubber mask with attached fake hair, Meraz approached several employees and told them he was there to “audit” the bank. Meraz then used what appeared to be a handgun to force three employees to accompany him to the bank’s vault. Meraz pointed the apparent handgun at a one of the employees and, out of fear and intimidation, that employee provided Meraz with money out of the vault. As he fled the credit union, Meraz dropped a portion of the money and the apparent firearm used in the commission of the robbery. The firearm was later determined to be a realistic-looking BB gun. Meraz was arrested shortly after the robbery outside of the credit union. On May 30, 2025, Meraz made his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung. The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Denver Field Office and Fort Collins Police Services. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn. Case Number: 25-mj-00105-CYC


title: Eight defendants charged with narcotics offenses

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that eight defendants were charged by indictment or criminal complaint for their roles in a narcotics conspiracy operating in the Rochester, NY, area, and other related offenses. Named in two separate indictments and charged with narcotics conspiracy are: • Carlos Serrano, Jr. • Sam Sierra, Jr. • Carlos Melendez, Jr. • Eban Sterina If convicted, the indicted defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000. In addition: Juan Sosa is charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life. Jose Laviena and Giovanni Serrano are charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of life. Dusty Phakousonh is charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of 40 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas T. Cooper, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictments and complaints against the nine defendants, who are all from Rochester, investigators executed 20 search warrants on 14 residences and six vehicles, seizing: Approximately 2,678 grams of fentanyl Approximately 692 grams of cocaine Approximately 22 grams of crack cocaine Approximately 31 pounds of marijuana Approximately 168 grams of hash Approximately 441 grams of K2 (synthetic cannabinoid) Approximately 108 grams of suboxone Six firearms Drug paraphernalia Approximately $100,000 in cash Approximately $100,000 in jewelry This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The indictments and complaints are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff David Cirencione, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Steven Kurzdorfer. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Buffalo man going to prison for making purchases on illicit online marketplace and cocaine charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Corey Robert Dodge a/k/a Cakesbaylor, 43, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. In addition, Dodge was ordered to forfeit $27,000, which represented proceeds of his criminal activities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that since August 2018, the FBI has been investigating an illicit online marketplace known as Genesis Market, whose operators compile stolen data, such as computer and mobile device identifiers, email addresses, usernames, and passwords, from malware-infected computers around the globe and package it for sale on the market. Purchases made through Genesis Market are conducted using virtual currency, such as bitcoin. Between March 26, 2020, and May 30, 2021, Dodge purchased 14 packages on Genesis Market, that included stolen account credentials. The stolen credentials included accounts for Paypal, Tracfone, eBay, Amazon, FedEx, Etsy, Walmart, Chase, Venmo, and eTrade. In addition, on April 3, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Dodge’s residence to search for evidence related to his use of Genesis Marketplace. During the search, the FBI also found and seized quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, and drug paraphernalia. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright. # # # #


title: Arizona Fentanyl Distributor Convicted of  Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute controlled substances by mailing packages with methamphetamine and fentanyl from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted by a jury on May 29, 2025, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Daniel Alan Van Gorp, age 43, who was living in Arizona at the time, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, both fentanyl and methamphetamine. The jury also found that the fentanyl Van Gorp conspired to distribute resulted in a serious bodily injury to a victim in Iowa. The verdict was returned following about five hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that Van Gorp mailed multiple packages with fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and “ice” methamphetamine to Alexander Chapman in Dubuque, Iowa. Chapman then re-distributed the controlled substances to others in the Dubuque area. The evidence at trial also showed that on May 15, 2023, the fentanyl powder that was mailed by Van Gorp was used by a victim and the victim suffered a serious bodily injury. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Van Gorp remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Van Gorp faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection, and the Phoenix Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-1003. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Shooter Gets 21 Year Prison Term for 2022 Murder of Woman Crossing Street in Broad Daylight

body_text: WASHINGTON – Johnwann Elliott, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on May, 30, 2025, to a total of 21 years in prison for the 2022 murder of Nikia Young, 37, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On December 16, 2024, Elliott pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and attempted assault with a dangerous weapon. In addition to the 21-year prison sentence, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan of the D.C. Superior Court ordered Elliott to serve five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11:59 a.m., on March 15, 2022, Elliott exited a Metro bus at Minnesota Avenue and White Place Southeast and walked southwest toward the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and 23 rd Street Southeast. At the same time, Nikia Young and an individual with initials T.G. were walking northeast on Minnesota Avenue toward the same intersection. As Ms. Young and T.G. crossed 23 rd Street, Elliott walked up to them in the crosswalk and, in broad daylight, used a 380-caliber handgun to shoot Ms. Young from a close distance. Elliott fired seven times and struck Ms. Young five times—once in her face, three times in the chest, and once in the right hip. Elliott then fled the scene on foot, running and catching the same Metro bus that he had exited approximately two minutes earlier. At the time Elliott committed these offenses, he was on release pending trial in D.C. Superior Court for the unauthorized use of a vehicle and was on supervised release after serving a prison sentence for a robbery conviction in the same court. Elliott was arrested on May 19, 2022, inside of a hotel in Northeast Washington, D.C. and has been in custody since. This case was investigated by the Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Lindhorst investigated and indicted the case.


title: Former Child Abuse and Neglect Investigator Sentenced for  Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Sapulpa man and former child abuse and neglect investigator was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Joseph Allen Dale Koss, 45, to 108 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Koss will also be required to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, Koss knowingly possessed hundreds of videos and images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Some of those files contained pre-pubescent children being sexually abused and images of sadistic conduct. When arrested, Koss was working as a child abuse and neglect investigator with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Sapulpa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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: Transient Man Sentenced for Three Counts of Assault  with a Dangerous Weapon

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A transient man was sentenced today for three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Christian Douglas Cook, 36, to serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, in October 2022, the victim was walking his dog outside a hotel when Cook approached him. Court records show that Cook appeared to be under the influence and struck the victim on the hand with a bottle for no reason, causing him to bleed. The hotel manager witnessed the incident. The victim returned to his hotel room, grabbed a baseball bat, and confronted Cook. Cook produced a knife and lunged at the victim and his girlfriend. Both told responding officers that they believed Cook was trying to stab them. Police arrested Cook and transported him to the hospital for medical treatment. Cook made continuous threatening comments about killing the victim once released from jail. He also referred to the victim's race in a derogatory manner. Officers noted that Cook threatened to head butt the police officers and “take that charge.” He further stated that he stabs people and gets away with it. In February 2023, during a second assault, Cook went into a bar, causing trouble, and was asked to leave the property. Instead of leaving, Cook pulled a knife from his backpack and approached a customer. That customer hit Cook’s arm, causing Cook to release the knife. Cook then pulled a second knife and stabbed another customer in the right shoulder blade. Cook called 911, stating he had injuries from stabbing the victim. Court records show that while being booked at the jail, Cook said to officers, “Do you know the stand my ground law? I should have killed all of them. I have done it before and gotten away with it.” During a third assault in December 2023, the victim was in the parking lot of his girlfriend's apartment. Cook approached the car and began banging on the windows, asking for money or cigarettes. The victim stepped out of the car, and Cook started to hit the victim in the head several times. The victim realized he was bleeding and drove himself to the hospital. At the hospital, the victim learned that he was stabbed multiple times throughout his body, including the head, neck, back and upper torso. The victim and his girlfriend identified Cook in a photo lineup. When Tulsa Police officers found and arrested Cook, he possessed several knives. Cook is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Emily Dewhurst prosecuted the case.