title: Insect Shield LLC and Co-Founder’s Estate Agree to Pay $1.4M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: WASHINGTON — Insect Shield LLC, located in North Carolina, and the Estate of Richard Lane, a co-founder and co-owner of Insect Shield, have agreed to pay a combined $1.4 million to resolve allegations that Insect Shield and Lane caused the submission of false claims to the Department of Defense (DoD) under contracts to provide Army Combat Uniforms. Lane served as the president and chief operating officer of Insect Shield until his death in December 2022. The United States filed its complaint-in-intervention in December 2023 alleging that Insect Shield, a subcontractor to multiple defense contractors who manufacture Army uniforms, violated the False Claims Act by falsifying test results regarding the application of permethrin, an insect repellant, to Army uniforms. The United States alleged that between 2015 and 2021 Insect Shield and Lane failed to follow the permethrin testing requirements by inappropriately combining results from different rounds of testing, re-labeling test samples to hide the true origin of the samples, performing re-tests of uniforms in excess of what the contract permitted, and concealing failing test results. “Government contractors and subcontractors must comply with contractual commitments and share truthful information with the government,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will aggressively pursue those who defraud the American taxpayers by failing to properly perform required testing on goods supplied to our soldiers.” “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), is fully committed to safeguarding the integrity of the DoD procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “Manipulating and failing to perform contractually required testing is not only fraudulent, but compromises military readiness. DCIS will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate and hold accountable those who submit false claims.” “Our Soldiers rely on government contractors to provide equipment that they can depend on while serving their country,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith Kelly, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Fraud Field Office. “The result of this investigation shows that our Army CID and our partner law enforcement agencies are relentless in their pursuit of anyone who may attempt to defraud the U.S. Government by falsely reporting compliance with contractually obligated requirements for equipment used by our Soldiers The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the United States when a defendant has submitted or caused to be submitted false claims for government funds and receive a portion of any recovery. Ms. Downs will receive $315,000 as her share of the settlement. The qui tam case, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, is captioned U.S. ex rel. Downs v. Insect Shield LLC et al. , No. 1:19-cv-1026 (M.D.N.C.). 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 Middle District of North Carolina with assistance from the DoD Office of Inspector General, Army Criminal Investigation Division, Defense Contract Management Agency, and Defense Contract Audit Agency. The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Jonathan Hoerner, Jikky Thankachan, and Jeffrey McSorley and Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Middle District of North Carolina. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Note : Read the Insect Shield Agreement here ; and the Estate of Richard Lane Agreement here . ###


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Prison Time for Immigration Offense

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: HAMMOND – Miguel Bermudez-Herrera, 48 years old, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to felony reentry of a removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Bermudez-Herrera was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. The supervised release term would go into effect should the Defendant unlawfully remain in, or return to, the United States within that period following expected removal proceedings. According to documents in the case, Bermudez-Herrera was previously removed from the United States in 1997 and 2008. He has been detained since his arrest on October 10, 2025. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Valparaiso Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Oscar Armando Banegas Mendoza, a/k/a Oscar Armando Banegas-Bendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas Mendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas-Mendoza, Oscar Banegas-Bendoza, Oscar Banegas Mendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas, Oscar Armando, Oscar Banegas-Mendoza, Oscar Banegas, Oscar Mendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas Bendoza, originally complained as Oscar Armando Banegas Bendoza, age 41, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The Indictment alleged that on December 16, 2025, Banegas Mendoza, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on November 27, 2010. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Banegas Mendoza will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Lake Oswego Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison and Forfeits Over $500,000 for Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Lake Oswego, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for trafficking cocaine and laundering the proceeds through a business bank account to buy cryptocurrency. Michael Wayne Frost, 47, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit over half a million dollars’ worth of assets involved in his money laundering offense, including cryptocurrency and cash. According to court documents, law enforcement officers engaged in multiple controlled purchases of cocaine from Frost. On July 2, 2024, a federal search warrant was served on Frost’s residence in Lake Oswego. Agents seized a kilogram of cocaine and about $20,000 in cash from the residence. Agents later applied for additional warrants and seized more than $509,000 in cash and cryptocurrency tied to the cocaine sales. Frost deposited some of the cash into a business bank account he controlled and then transferred funds to Robinhood, a platform he used to invest in cryptocurrency, in an effort to launder the drug proceeds. On August 21, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Frost with distributing cocaine and money laundering. On September 24, 2025, Frost pleaded guilty to count one of the Indictment charging possession with intent to distribute cocaine and counts two and three of the Indictment charging money laundering. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the Gresham Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office. It was prosecuted by Kemp Strickland and Christopher Cardani, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: Maui Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Making a False Statement for Using a False Merchant Marine Credential

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Jeffrey Worthen, 61, of Lahaina, Maui, pled guilty today in federal court to wire fraud and making a false statement to the U.S. Coast Guard. Sentencing is set for June 15, 2026. According to court records, beginning as early as 2012, Worthen began to falsely represent to employers that he held a valid Merchant Mariner Credential (“MMC”), issued by the United States Coast Guard, in order to work on commercial vessels. In 2021, Worthen provided the false MMC to his employer, for whom he worked operating a small passenger vessel to transport individuals to snorkeling excursions near Lanai, Hawaii. On June 14, 2022, while on a snorkeling expedition, Worthen operated a passenger vessel that struck a rock, ejecting five passengers overboard and injuring multiple passengers. When later questioned by the Coast Guard about the incident, Worthen falsely stated that he had a valid MMC. Worthen faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a period of supervised release of up to three years for wire fraud, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a period of supervised release of up to three years for making a false statement. The Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case.


title: Wood County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cory Alan Fout, 32, of Walker, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 17, 2025, Fout possessed 12 firearms at his residence in Walker. As part of his guilty plea, Fout admitted to possessing the firearms and that one of them, a loaded Smith & Wesson model M&P 45 Shield M2.0 .45-caliber pistol, was reported stolen. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Fout knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for domestic battery in Wood County Circuit Court on August 22, 2022. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Wood County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Wood County Probation Office. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-133. ###


title: South Bend Man Found Guilty by Jury

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Octavius Wentland, 22 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was found guilty of illegal possession of a machinegun after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2026. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Luke N. Reilander. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Repeat Drug Offender Pleads Guilty to Meth and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute meth and illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty February 2, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Seann Mackey, 31, from Mount Pleasant, Iowa admitted that between June 2024 and December 2024, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1500 grams of mixed methamphetamine which contained at least 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. On December 20, 2024, law enforcement apprehended Mackey after he operated a motor vehicle in a high-speed/reckless driving filled chase. Then during a foot pursuit, Mackey was observed throwing a firearm. Law enforcement seized methamphetamine, numerous empty baggies and a digital scale from Mackey, along with a Glock 9mm handgun. Mackey had three prior convictions for drug offenses, and a conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon. Each of these convictions prohibit Mackey from possessing any firearm and also enhance his sentencing penalties. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mackey remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mackey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $8,250,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-4006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Independence Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: A man who distributed child pornography was sentenced on February 3, 3026, to more than 12 years in federal prison. Curtis Lellig, age 42, of Independence, Iowa, received the sentence after an August 25, 2025, guilty plea to one count of distribution of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Lellig admitted that, between December 2022 and January 2024, he knowingly distributed child pornography. Lellig was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Lellig was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $66,000 in restitution to 20 victims depicted in the child pornography he possessed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Independence Police Department, and the Iowa State Patrol. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is CR 25-2020. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 190 Months in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Michael O. Beers, 39 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Beers was sentenced to 190 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in October 2024, officers found Beers unconscious behind the steering wheel of a running vehicle parked in a gas station parking lot. When officers went to check on Beers, they found a loaded handgun holstered on his hip. A search of his car revealed large amounts of heroin and fentanyl, a digital scale, and other drug items. Fentanyl is extremely dangerous and potentially lethal, and Beers intended to sell hundreds of thousands of lethal doses of fentanyl in the community. In addition to his armed drug trafficking, Beers has a significant criminal history with prior weapons and drug convictions, making his possession of the firearm unlawful. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results .


title: Oregon Man Sentenced to More Than 11 years for Marijuana and Money Laundering Charges

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michael J. Konior, 50, of Salem, Oregon, was sentenced on February 4, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Konior to 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Konior will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Konior was charged based on his involvement with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported large quantities of marijuana and marijuana products, as well as the proceeds from the sale of those products, across the country for more than 20 years. Konior’s involvement began around January 1, 2000, when he began assisting the DTO with several illegal California marijuana grow operations. The marijuana from these operations was cultivated and shipped to customers outside of California to include Nebraska. Konior’s involvement with the DTO progressed over the years after he established his own marijuana customers and began using the DTO to transport his own marijuana. The proceeds from the sale of the marijuana were then collected and shipped back to California by the DTO where it was distributed to other co-conspirators and owners of the marijuana. The investigation resulted in the seizure of thousands of pounds marijuana and marijuana products and more than $30 million in cash and assets purchased with the proceeds from the illegal sales. This is the result of a long-term investigation that is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Nebraska State Patrol, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and various other state and local agencies across the United States.


title: Chinese national extradited from Guatemala to face charges of narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and material support to terrorism

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Chinese national was extradited from Guatemala to face an indictment returned in the Eastern District of Virginia charging him with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, launder money derived from drug trafficking, and provide material support to the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. According to court documents, beginning in at least November 2023 and continuing until he was arrested in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on July 17, 2025, Wenshen Xu and his co-conspirators allegedly used a variety of clandestine methods, including mirror-transfers, encrypted communications applications, a serial-number verification system, and trade-based money laundering to launder narcotics proceeds on behalf of transnational criminal organizations as well as funds represented to be narcotics proceeds. Xu also allegedly conspired with individuals in the United States and elsewhere, including Colombia, to smuggle multi-kilogram loads of cocaine into the United States. On July 17, 2025, Xu and others allegedly agreed to arrange and facilitate the transportation of a multi-kilogram load of cocaine out of Cali, Colombia, on behalf of an individual who claimed to represent the CJNG. Xu was arrested by Guatemalan authorities on July 17, 2025, at the request of the United States, and was extradited to the United States on Jan. 30. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case, with assistance from DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit, DEA’s offices in Guatemala and Colombia, the Colombian National Police, and the Guatemalan National Police. The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the Government of Guatemala and its prosecutorial and law enforcement authorities for assisting with the extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Guatemala. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo J. Rodriguez and Christopher M. Carter for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Caylee E. Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-231. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Telco FCU Robbery Investigation Leads to FBI Arrest and Federal Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Round Rock man was arrested Monday on criminal charges related to his alleged robbery of an Austin Telco Federal Credit Union, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. According to court documents, Syntedrick Tramaine Brown allegedly entered the Austin Telco FCU at approximately 10:09 a.m. on Jan. 28, wearing a brown wig with a brightly colored headband, red reflective sunglasses, a black mask, along with a dark hooded sweatshirt and reflective yellow safety vest. A criminal complaint alleges Brown climbed over the teller counter holding what appeared to be a semiautomatic pistol and told employees to lie on the floor and not look at him. The complaint further alleges Brown instructed employees to move to the back room of the FCU, then directed the bank manager to remove U.S. currency from a cash machine. Brown allegedly placed the currency in a black plastic trash bag and asked if the U.S. currency included any “funny money” or contained any “trackers.” After collecting the currency, Brown allegedly instructed employees to enter a bathroom and told them not to leave the bathroom. Surveillance images show Brown exiting the FCU at approximately 10:16 a.m. and driving away in the vehicle in which he arrived, which was later determined to be stolen. An investigation determined Brown stole approximately $113,000 from the FCU. On Feb. 2, FBI agents served a search warrant at an apartment and allegedly discovered a variety of evidence connected to the FCU robbery, including a brown wig with a brightly colored headband, red reflective sunglasses, a hard black mask, and a green hooded sweatshirt similar to the one worn in the FCU surveillance images. The criminal complaint also alleges that agents found a substantial quantity of U.S. currency in the apartment. Brown is charged with one count of bank robbery. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and Austin Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 18 Months  in Federal Prison for Escape

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Escape. The sentencing took place on February 2, 2026. Timothy Joseph Cervantez, 25, was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Cervantez was indicted for Escape by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 15, 2025. Following a 2024 conviction for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Cervantez was sentenced to a term of 33 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. He was allowed to serve part of his sentence at a residential reentry center in Sioux Falls. On September 23, 2025, Cervantez left the residential reentry center without permission and did not voluntarily return. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. Cervantez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.


title: Man Sentenced to Federal Prison For Over 2 Years for Failing to Register as Sex Offender

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026. Kyle Allen Felicia, 43, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Felicia was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025. Felicia was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Felicia was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from mid-August through November 2025, Felicia knowingly failed to register and update his registration. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. Felicia was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. This case was brought as a 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 the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.


title: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 60 MONTHS IN  FEDERAL PRISON FOR GUN AND DRUG CONVICTIONS

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Jeremiah D. Jackson, age 22, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 60 months in federal prison following his convictions for distribution of fentanyl and possession and transfer of machine guns. The Court further sentenced Jackson to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearms involved be forfeited. According to admissions made during his plea, on January 30, 2024, Jackson met with an undercover agent in the parking lot of Spring Hill Suites located at 7980 Howell Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and distributed fentanyl pills and machinegun conversion devices for both Glock-style pistols and AR-15 platform firearms to the undercover agent. In total, Jackson is responsible for at least 10,000 fentanyl pills weighing approximately one kilogram, 19 machine gun conversion devices, and three firearms. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Baton Rouge Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eli J. Abad.


title: Jury Finds Ahoskie Armed Career Criminal Guilty

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury convicted an Ahoskie man on charges of that he illegally possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anton Montes Vernon, 31, had a 9mm pistol in his jeans pocket on the evening of November 9, 2023, in Ahoskie. As part of the Down East Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, officers conducted saturation patrols in high crime areas in communities in Northampton, Hertford, Gates, and Bertie Counties. Ahoskie, with a population of 4,891, is in Hertford County. During one of these saturation patrols, Ahoskie police saw Vernon and some other folks standing outside a vehicle parked at an intersection. When officers approached the group, they smelled the odor of marijuana. They frisked the individuals for a safety check. They found a loaded 9mm pistol in Vernon’s pocket. North Carolina State prosecutors previously convicted Vernon of three separate breaking and entering offenses which qualified Vernon as an Armed Career Criminal under federal sentencing guidelines. “Armed Career Criminals like Vernon have an outsized impact on small communities in Eastern North Carolina, like Ahoskie.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “When Big Shark Bad Boys like Vernon carry illegal guns, they pose a risk to the entire community. My office and our great law enforcement partners will ensure that these career criminal felons cannot threaten our neighborhoods and loved ones all across the District. We will convict them at trial and keep working to make every North Carolinian feel safe.” “The blatant disregard a career criminal has for law and order poses a serious threat to public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Our job is to put a stop to their cycle of crime and violence, and we’ll continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from repeat offenders.” Vernon faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the verdict. The Ahoskie Police Department, the Down East Drug Task Force, and the ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaren Kelly and Phil Aubart tried the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.2:25-CR-4-M.


title: Armed Career Criminal Convicted at Trial for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man has been found guilty at trial for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and for being an Armed Career Criminal following an incident that occurred on June 13, 2023. Duane B. Smith a/k/a “Flex” of Savannah, was convicted following a two-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, said Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. As described at trial, on June 13, 2023, officers with the Savannah Police Department responded to the Goodwill Store at 220 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, Georgia in response to a missing person report. Upon their arrival, the missing individual was located with Smith. Officers learned that Smith drove the missing person to the Goodwill Store in his vehicle. Based on witness interviews, officers obtained a search warrant, and located a Cobra, .380 caliber firearm hidden under the backseat of the vehicle. Smith was arrested later by the Savannah Police Department SWAT team. Smith was prohibited from possessing firearms because of three previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County and one federal felony conviction. The case was referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution. In addition to charging Smith with illegally possessing the firearm, prosecutors sought an enhanced penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The Armed Career Criminal Act requires imposition of a mandatory minimum 15-year term of imprisonment for recidivists convicted of illegally possessing a firearm, who have three prior state or federal convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses. The jury found Smtih illegally possessed the firearm and was, in fact, an Armed Career Criminal. Smith is now subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. “With our law enforcement partners, we continue the work of removing firearms from the hands of those who can’t legally possess them – especially those convicted of prior felonies,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “This effort is a vital step in reducing gun violence in our communities.” “Duane Smith posed a serious threat to the public,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners at all levels to protect the public from gun violence and repeat violent offenders.” “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their amazing work on this case,” said Lenny B. Gunther, Savannah Chief of Police. “Their efforts, along with those of our officers, have removed a dangerous individual from our community.” This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Criminal Chief Patricia G. Rhodes.


title: Pasadena Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Minors

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A 39-year-old Pasadena, Maryland, man will serve more than a decade in prison in connection with child sexual exploitation charges. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Andrew Joseph Stilling, Jr., to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office; Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County; Acting Superintendent Michael A. Jackson, Maryland State Police (MSP); and Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police (AACOPD). According to the guilty plea, in September 2024, Stilling was part of an online group with other adults who were sexually interested in children. In the group, he discussed how he secretly recorded a minor while they showered. During the following three months, Stilling recorded videos of the minor. Stilling sent screenshots of the videos he created to others over the internet in the online group. Law enforcement subsequently arrested Stilling and found him in possession of child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, including at least one image depicting a prepubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, AACOPD, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Victoria Liu and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Compensation Process for Victims of Chinese Liberal Education Holdings Ltd. (CLEU) Investment Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Today the Department of Justice announced the launch of the CLEU remission fund to compensate victims of an alleged “pump-and-dump” investment fraud scheme that resulted in charges against seven individuals. “This was a coordinated act of both social and market manipulation,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants allegedly made millions by setting a trap for unsuspecting investors, many of whom lost their life savings. Today’s announcement demonstrates the Department’s commitment to use forfeiture remedies to take the profit out of crime and to compensate victims as quickly as possible.” “As alleged in the indictment and forfeiture complaint, the defendants defrauded U.S. investors through deceitful and coordinated trading activities,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our attorneys and staff in this case placed a high priority on recovering funds for victims. The large forfeiture order of more than $200 million should serve as a warning that federal law enforcement will aggressively pursue fraudulent profits from those who seek to prey upon investors by manipulating the U.S. stock market.” “Despite the overwhelming manipulation as alleged in this case, this serves as one of the premier FBI investigations in which the federal government was able to successfully recover victims’ hard-earned money before it disappeared into overseas bank accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “This elaborate fraud scheme boasting bogus profit potentials has caused extensive harm to unsuspecting Americans. The FBI will continue to work with our partner networks to ensure that justice is served against anyone who seeks to weaponize financial systems to gain personal profit.” According to the allegations in a March 2025 indictment in the Northern District of Illinois , from Nov. 2024 to Feb. 2025, seven individuals allegedly engaged in a “pump-and-dump” scheme whereby individuals in China posing as U.S.-based investment advisors on social media and messaging platforms falsely promised significant returns from investments in CLEU, a company that purported to provide educational services in China. The false and misleading promotion and coordinated trading caused the NASDAQ-listed stock price to artificially rise. The defendants then sold thousands of shares and made millions in profits. The stock price ultimately decreased significantly, at the expense of other investors, some of whom lost almost the entirety of their investment. CLEU has since been delisted from NASDAQ. The defendants are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. In May 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois civilly forfeited over $200 million in assets traceable to the CLEU scheme. These funds are now available to compensate victims for their eligible losses. The department has retained Kroll Settlement Administration (Kroll) to serve as the Remission Administrator for this matter. Victims who incurred financial losses related to the CLEU scheme may be eligible for remission payments from the forfeited assets. The Remission Administrator has established an official website at https://www.CLEUremissionfund.com/ . Once the Petition Form is made available online, those individuals, their attorneys or estates of deceased victims may file a petition to claim their losses. Any victims who have previously provided their information to the FBI or United States Attorney’s Office will be contacted by the Remission Administrator to file a petition. Victims may also call, email or write to the Remission Administrator to request that a Petition Form be sent to them. For more information about the remission process, please visit the official website at https://www.CLEUremissionfund.com/ or contact Kroll at 1-833-754-8247 toll-free. Special Agent Joseph Holzman and Victim Specialist Amanda Zarobsky of the FBI spearheaded the investigation and identification of thousands of victims. The Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the SEC’s Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten for the Northern District of Illinois represents the government in both the criminal prosecution and civil forfeiture cases with valuable assistance from the office’s victim witness coordinator, Celia Mendoza. The Department of Justice, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to compensate victims of crime. Since 2000, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF), which oversees the Asset Forfeiture Program’s victim compensation program, has successfully used its specialized expertise to return more than $12 billion in forfeited assets to victims of crime. MNF Senior Attorney Advisor Carly Diroll-Black with MNF’s Program Management and Training Unit is leading the remission process. The Remission Administrator and the Department of Justice will not ask for any payment to participate in this remission process. Please be cautious of any individual or organization claiming to represent the Remission Administrator or the federal government in this matter. If you are a victim, any communications will come directly from the Remission Administrator or from government representatives with whom you have already had contact. PSA: FBI Warns of the Impersonation of Law Enforcement and Government Officials https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250418 How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: FELON CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING FENTANYL AND ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Cadale Lamar Carson, 34, of Mary Ester, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Carson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. If convicted of counts one and two, Carson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, up to life, for each count. If convicted of count three, Carson faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Brooklyn Man Charged With Daytime Shooting Beside Manhattan School And Playground

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso, and the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging MICHAEL ZAYAS in connection with the January 14, 2026, daytime shooting during which ZAYAS fired a gun 10 times in the vicinity of Kelly Playground in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. ZAYAS was arrested and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein. “As alleged, Michael Zayas brazenly and unlawfully carried a firearm into a residential neighborhood—across the street from a playground where children were playing, and just down the street from a middle school—and fired it in the air 10 times,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Zayas’s alleged conduct sowed fear and panic among New York residents and visitors, including hundreds of children at the middle school, which was put into lockdown when the gunfire erupted. Our career prosecutors and dedicated partners will continue to act tobring to justice those who commit gun crimes and ensure that our playgrounds, schools, and streets are safe from threat. That’s what New Yorkers want, and we hear them.” “This brazen, broad-daylight shooting—mere steps from a school and a playground and allegedly at the hands of a convicted felon—endangered innocent lives and disrupted the safety of our community,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Zayas’ swift identification and arrest is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between HSI New York, the NYPD, and our federal law enforcement partners. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to pursuing violent offenders and protecting the public from senseless acts.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and statements made in public court proceedings: [1] On or about January 14, 2026, at approximately 2:42 p.m., a masked shooter fired approximately 10 rounds near the Kelly Playground at the corner of 17th Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan before fleeing the scene, causing at least one nearby school to be placed on lockdown. Law enforcement officers recovered 10 9-millimeter cartridges from the scene and later identified the shooter as ZAYAS, who had previously been convicted of a felony offense. The images below show ZAYAS, minutes prior to the shooting (approximately 2:37 p.m.), entering the elevator on a particular floor on an apartment building located approximately two blocks away from the scene of the shooting, then masked and fleeing westbound on 17 th Street toward 9 th Avenue after the shooting. * * * ZAYAS, 49, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of possession of ammunition after felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hoffman and Benjamin Levander are in charge of the prosecution. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: TALLAHASSEE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO COMMUNICATING THREATS TO INJURE CHILDREN

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Demetrius Alpha Omega Murray, 33, has pleaded guilty in federal court regarding the six-count Indictment for interstate communication of threats to injure children. The allegations in the Indictment caused the lockdown of three Tallahassee area schools. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant’s heinous, violent threats directed toward innocent children are despicable and I am very proud of the swift, aggressive prosecution by my office to hold him accountable for his criminal threats. Keeping our kids safe from violent predators, like this defendant, will always be a top priority for my office.” Court records show that on November 14, 2025, the defendant made contact with representatives of a California law firm that was attempting to collect the defendant’s defaulted business loan. During the contact, which included multiple telephone calls and emails, the defendant threatened to commit a school shooting if the firm continued its collection efforts, directing his threats at students at Kate Sullivan Elementary School. The threats were accompanied by a video that the defendant recorded as he sat in a parked vehicle beside the school playground, during which he directed his threats towards children playing nearby and brandished a 9-millimeter handgun to illustrate his threats were serious. The threats to commit violence were quickly relayed to law enforcement in the Tallahassee area, including the Tallahassee Police Department and Leon County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in the lockdown of Kate Sullivan Elementary School, as well as Cobb Middle School and Leon High School, both of which are located in close proximity. Investigators were quickly able to locate the defendant in Gadsden County, where he was taken into custody by the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. Murray admitted to investigators he had made the telephonic and email threats and directed officers to the location of the handgun he had been pictured with earlier. Investigators recovered the handgun, which matched the weapon pictured during the video he had recorded while parked beside the Kate Sullivan playground. Sentencing is scheduled before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle on April 16, 2026, at 2:00pm, in Tallahassee, Florida. Murray faces a maximum of five years imprisonment on each threat count. The case was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin. 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, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Former Executive Director of Legal Services Non-Profit  in Queens Pleads Guilty to Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Lori Zeno, the former executive director of a legal services non-profit organization (the Organization), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for her role in a scheme to embezzle money from the Organization. The proceeding was held before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. When sentenced, Zeno faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment as well as restitution and monetary penalties. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Christopher Ryan, Acting Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the guilty plea. “The defendant brazenly betrayed and abused her position of trust as the director of a non-profit, stealing funds that were meant for legal services for disadvantaged clients and members of the community and then spending those funds on luxury goods and expensive vacations,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will vigorously prosecute those who steal public funds and deprive members of our community of crucial resources.” “Lori Zeno diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding intended for indigent residents to finance her lavish lifestyle. Zeno's abuse of authority deprived vulnerable New Yorkers of critical legal and community services. The FBI is committed to holding accountable anyone who exploits their position for selfish greed, especially those entrusted with supporting the public,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “This defendant—the founder and leader of a legal services nonprofit—spent hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to provide legal representation for indigent New Yorkers on personal luxuries, including foreign travel, expensive meals, and rent for a penthouse apartment. The City’s nonprofits provide vital public services and today’s guilty plea acknowledges the defendant’s misuse of those precious funds. I thank our law enforcement partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their commitment to protecting these organizations and their scarce resources from exploitation and fraud. DOI previously has made recommendations to the City to improve compliance and to strengthen oversight of spending at City-funded nonprofits and we urge the City to accept and implement those reforms,” stated DOI Acting Commissioner Ryan. As set forth in court filings, Zeno co-founded and served as the executive director of the Organization, which provided legal services and community support services to indigent residents of Queens, New York. Zeno hired her co-defendant, Rashad Ruhani, to work for the Organization in October 2023 and later married him in a religious ceremony. Between June 2024 and January 2025, Zeno and Ruhani engaged in a corrupt scheme to embezzle funds from the Organization, diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars for their own personal benefit, including spending these stolen funds on foreign travel, expensive meals, luxury shopping, and rent for a penthouse apartment (the Penthouse Apartment). Zeno and Ruhani made extravagant purchases with the Organization’s credit cards, spending over $10,000 on a vacation to Bali; $1,700 at a luxury resort in Santa Monica, California; $3,300 for an 85-inch smart television to be installed at the Penthouse Apartment; thousands of dollars in food deliveries to the Penthouse Apartment; and thousands of dollars at luxury retailers such as Ralph Lauren and Neiman Marcus. In one instance, Zeno and Ruhani charged over $4,000 to an Organization credit card to buy a Louis Vuitton designer handbag. As part of the conspiracy, Zeno repeatedly lied to the Organization, falsely characterizing personal expenses as business expenses to obtain the Organization’s approval. To pay for the Penthouse Apartment, Zeno and Ruhani fraudulently obtained reimbursements from the Organization for over $39,000 in rent by submitting lease documents that were altered to conceal Zeno’s involvement. Zeno also secured lucrative positions at the Organization for relatives and associates of Ruhani who did little or no substantive work, including hiring another woman married to Ruhani as the director of a non‑existent “health and wellness” program with a salary of $60,000. As a result of Zeno’s misuse of its funds, the Organization lost its contract to provide criminal defense services to low-income New Yorkers. Ruhani is scheduled to stand trial on June 1, 2026. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Johnson Peow and Daniel Arakawa. The Defendant : LORI ZENO Age: 65 Garden City, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-182 (S-1) (RPK)


title: Former CEO Of A Special Purpose Acquisition Company – “SPAC” – Pleads Guilty To Securities Fraud

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that VADIM KOMISSAROV, the former Chief Executive Officer of Trident Acquisitions Corp. (“TDAC”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to securities fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information. KOMISSAROV is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2026. “Vadim Komissarov, the former CEO of Trident Acquisitions Corp., defrauded his shareholders,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He manufactured fraudulent revenue and then obstructed the SEC’s investigation, including by lying under oath. Whether it be SPACs or any other capital raising vehicles, when executives fabricate revenue and mislead our markets, this Office and our partners will pursue them vigorously.” According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in court: From November 2020 through May 2022, KOMISSAROV engaged in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information about a prospective acquisition target and by profiting from the effect of the deception by selling shares of Lottery.com before other market participants realized the true state of the company (the “Revenue Scheme”). The Revenue Scheme arose from an effort by KOMISSAROV to identify a suitable target for TDAC before TDAC reached a deadline to either use or return investor funds that had been raised to support an acquisition. In November 2020, KOMISSAROV settled on AutoLotto, Inc., d/b/a Lottery.com as a target for TDAC. To deceive TDAC shareholders about the nature of AutoLotto’s business, and to thereby secure their approval for TDAC’s acquisition of AutoLotto (the “Business Combination”), KOMISSAROV worked with others to improperly and misleadingly inflate AutoLotto’s revenue and to report those inflated figures to TDAC’s shareholders through public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which KOMISSAROV signed or caused to be filed as the principal executive, financial, and accounting officer of TDAC. The Revenue Scheme created the false appearance of revenue-generating business activity for AutoLotto and later for Lottery.com through a series of sham transactions, including a fraudulent $9 million roundtrip transaction that KOMISSAROV engineered using the alias “Vlad.” In April 2022 and May 2022, KOMISSAROV sold almost 300,000 Lottery.com shares for more than $600,000, months before Lottery.com disclosed to investors that it had identified errors in the company’s reported revenue and available cash. By June 2023 and August 2023, the enforcement staff of the SEC had begun to investigate TDAC and Lottery.com. After receiving a subpoena from the SEC for documents and testimony in connection with the SEC’s investigation, KOMISSAROV schemed to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. For example, during a call with two Lottery.com executives, KOMISSAROV said he wanted to “sync” his “clock[]” with them and align on a false and misleading narrative that concealed his involvement in some of the sham transactions that were part of the Revenue Scheme. KOMISSAROV warned the Lottery.com executives, “guys, you do understand, you say that I was involved with this transaction . . . . if Trident and me specifically knew about it, then I am in deep, deep, deep, deep water . . . . So, if you come out and say that I was involved, then I am in deep shit.” KOMISSAROV also personally tried to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. On November 20, 2024, KOMISSAROV provided sworn testimony to the SEC in connection with the SEC investigation into TDAC and Lottery.com. During his testimony, KOMISSAROV gave false and misleading answers about his prior communications with the Lottery.com executives and his involvement in the $9 million fraudulent roundtrip transaction that was part of the Revenue Scheme. * * * KOMISSAROV, 54, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the SEC, which has filed a separate civil action against KOMISSAROV, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen Credit Card Numbers in Car Rental Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. William Knight, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on February 2, 2026. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Knight participated in a conspiracy in which conspirators obtained credit card numbers and other personal information for numerous individuals through the dark web. Working with a complicit employee, Knight and his conspirators used the fraudulently obtained credit card numbers to rent approximately 100 vehicles that Knight and his conspirators either used themselves or then rented to other individuals. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 12 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Knight.


title: Apopka Man Sentenced To More Than Five Years In Federal Prison For Wire Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Keith Oelerich (62, Apopka) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to five years and five months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $17,964,680, the proceeds of the wire fraud offense. Oelerich pleaded guilty on September 22, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, in December 2018, Oelerich, the owner of Empire Sheds and More, LLC, a portable storage shed company, entered into an agreement with a loan financing company. Under the agreement, Empire Sheds submitted to the loan financing company rent-to-own contracts between Empire Sheds and its customers for the rental and purchase of sheds. The loan financing company paid Empire Sheds the purchase price of the sheds, and Empire Sheds’ customers were required to pay the loan financing company regular monthly rental payments for the sheds under the terms of the rent-to-own agreements. Between December 2018 and September 2023, Oelerich used the personal identifiable information of others to create 1,043 false and fraudulent rent-to-own agreements and submitted those false and fraudulent agreements to the loan financing company. As a result, the loan financing company paid Oelerich a total of $17,964,680, the purchase prices of the sheds referenced in the agreements. In fact, most of the sheds did not exist. Oelerich used this scheme to obtain loan proceeds to which he was not entitled and to enrich himself. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.


title: Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison  for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Central South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 2, 2026. Dillon Big Eagle, age 35, was sentenced to eleven years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 10, 2025. The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in January 2023 and continuing until December 2023. Big Eagle was involved in a conspiracy with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including within the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservations. As part of the conspiracy, Big Eagle was involved in distributing over 500 grams of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case. Big Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy Charge in Relation to International Grandparent Fraud Scheme

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Genesis Delgado Rosa, 31, pleaded guilty on February 2, 2026, to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Rosa participated in a conspiracy commonly referred to as a grandparent fraud scheme. In this instance, an international organized crime group based in the Dominican Republic conducted a scam in which they called elderly individuals impersonating a loved one (often a grandchild) and falsely claimed that the loved one was in a crisis and needed cash quickly, typically to pay bond related to criminal charges. The victims would then access cash, typically from their financial institutions, and provide the cash to unknowing ride share drivers, who would transport the cash, often across state lines, and deliver the money to a conspirator in the scheme. Specifically, Rosa’s participation in the conspiracy included arranging, through her ride share account, to pick up the stolen money from victims, as well as depositing the stolen money into bank accounts at the direction of higher-level participants and that she controlled. She also established a bank account in a fake name using a fraudulently obtained driver’s license and caused the deposit of fraud proceeds into that account, which she then used to pay the ride share drivers transporting the fraudulently obtained money. Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for April 23, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rosa.


title: Inmate Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Activity at Cambria County Prison

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal racketeering laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Blake Young, 36, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines on February 2, 2026. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, while incarcerated at the Cambria County Prison, Young conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, Young bribed correctional officers and medical staff to smuggle contraband into the prison, namely cell phones, K2, and Suboxone, which were then sold to other inmates for a substantial profit. Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Special Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Young.


title: Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Claysburg, Pennsylvania, and a resident of Reading, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Derek Hunter, 34, of Claysburg pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines on February 2, 2026, and John Rickenbach Jr., 44, of Reading pleaded guilty before Judge Haines on January 28, 2026. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around June 2024 to in and around August 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Rickenbach and Hunter conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine Further, in and around August 2024, Rickenbach and Hunter distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, with Rickenbach also possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl. Judge Haines scheduled sentencings for May 27, 2026, for Rickenbach and June 5, 2026, for Hunter. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. The guilty pleas follow those of co-defendants Kayla Rickenbach and Angel Diaz-Gibson Jr., who each pleaded guilty on January 5, 2026. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants.


title: Two Defendants Charged With The Fentanyl Poisoning Of A Four-Year-Old In Brooklyn

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Task Force Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Christopher Roberts, and the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging AHUVA KATZIN and YITZCHOK SKLAR, a/k/a “Isak Sklar,” with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning of SKLAR’s four-year-old child in Brooklyn on March 4, 2025. KATZIN and SKLAR were arrested today, and SKLAR will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein. KATZIN will be presented tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon. “As alleged, Ahuva Katzin and Yitzchok Sklar sold drugs that caused the tragic death of Sklar’s own child,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Instead of stopping, they allegedly continued to distribute fentanyl and other dangerous drugs across New York. There are no good outcomes for deadly fentanyl in and around our city, and New Yorkers want it gone. This Office will hold accountable those who distribute poison in our communities and will seek justice for the victims of these devastating crimes.” “Once again, we are forced to confront the reckless disregard for human life shown by those who allegedly traffic fentanyl and other illicit narcotics” said DEA New York Task Force Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts. “This case reminds us of the danger that fentanyl presents, especially when our most vulnerable, our children, are exposed to it. A four-year-old’s home is the last place fentanyl should ever be. This is a senseless tragedy, as is any loss of life from illicit narcotics, and we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure justice is delivered.” “Ahuva Katzin and Yitzchok Sklar have been indicted for their roles in a drug distribution conspiracy that led to the heartbreaking death of a four-year-old,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This case shows the NYPD’s continued commitment to getting deadly drugs out of our communities and going after the individuals who put our families—and their own—in harm’s way. I would like to thank our NYPD investigators and our partners at the Drug Enforcement Agency and at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on this case and ensuring accountability for this devastating loss.” As alleged in the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings: [1] From at least in or about 2023 through at least in or about 2025, KATZIN and SKLAR conspired to distribute fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine in New York City. On March 4, 2025, exposure to the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl distributed by KATZIN and SKLAR caused the death of SKLAR’s four-year-old boy who had been residing with his mother and SKLAR in an apartment in Brooklyn. On the morning of March 4, 2025, after calling an ambulance service to report that the boy was experiencing a medical emergency, SKLAR attempted to hide his narcotics. Video surveillance footage captured SKLAR leaving his dying child in the apartment while running out with a black bag and returning moments later without the bag. The bag was later recovered from a nearby car rented by SKLAR and found to contain, among other things, fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and heroin. A screenshot of SKLAR running out with the bag of drugs and a photo of the drugs later recovered by law enforcement officers are included below: Following the boy’s death, KATZIN and SKLAR continued to work together to sell drugs throughout New York. * * * KATZIN, 33, and SKLAR, 34, both of Brooklyn, New York, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the DEA and the NYPD in connection with this investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Foster and Henry Ross are in charge of the prosecution. The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Ocala Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Double Robbery

body_text: Ocala, FL – Danny Anzardo (46, Ocala) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Anzardo to forfeit the stolen jewelry seized from Anzardo at the time of his arrest. Anzardo pleaded guilty on September 19, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Anzardo robbed two Ocala establishments on October 29, 2024—a retail store and a local jewelry business located at the Paddock Mall. During the first robbery, Anzardo pointed a firearm at the cashier, demanding money from the cash register. Anzardo took approximately $88 from the cash register and fled. A few hours later, Anzardo robbed the jewelry store. Anzardo implied to the victim that he had a firearm inside his backpack and threatened to kill the victim. Anzardo stole more than $13,000 in jewelry from the store. Anzardo was arrested the following day and confessed to both robberies. He admitted that he used a firearm during the first robbery and that he disposed of it in a lake before he robbed the jewelry store. Anzardo told officers he traded some of the jewelry for drugs, but officers were able to recover two necklaces and two charms that Anzardo still had in his vehicle. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor, Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Walter Tharrington, aka “Black” and “Roaadblock,” 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 192 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for sex trafficking and child pornography offenses. Tharrington was charged by indictment in August 2024. In April of last year, he was convicted at trial of sex trafficking of a minor and possession of child pornography. As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, in or about the summer of 2023, the defendant asked Minor 1, then 14 years old, to help him make money. In order to do so, Tharrington directed Minor 1 to engage in commercial sex, with the defendant facilitating the commercial sex by soliciting customers through online advertisements. Tharrington used his cellular phone to post explicit content of Minor 1 to accompany the online advertisements. The defendant set the prices for the encounters and instructed Minor 1 on what sexual acts to perform in exchange for money. At the defendant’s direction, Minor 1 engaged in sexual encounters with buyers. The evidence established that Tharrington kept and controlled the profits from the encounters, while providing shelter for Minor 1, who lived at Tharrington’s house during the summer of 2023. Tharrington physically assaulted Minor 1 on multiple occasions. Minor 1’s injuries were observed by another minor female, who corroborated Minor 1’s account and confirmed that the defendant had solicited her to work for him, as well. “Walter Tharrington sexually exploited a child for his own profit, actions both inhumane and inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “While it’s gratifying that Tharrington will be behind bars for quite a while, no sentence can erase the harm he inflicted on his victim. We hope this result provides her not just a measure of justice, but also gives her some peace. We know that it will keep Tharrington from victimizing any more young girls.” “Sex trafficking, especially when it involves a child, is one of the most egregious crimes the FBI investigates,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. “This sentencing sends a clear message: the FBI and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who prey on our most vulnerable and ensure they are brought to justice.” “The sentencing of Walter Tharrington is an important step in holding traffickers accountable, but it does not erase the harm done,” said Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse. “Sex trafficking, especially of minors, is a monstrous crime and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold each and every participant accountable for their actions. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Metcalf and his team for their diligence and unfailing cooperation. Delaware County is fortunate to be able to call them partners as we all work to protect our children.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov . This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Amanda McCool.


title: Farmington man charged for fentanyl distribution and firearms offenses

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man is facing federal charges for suspected federal drug trafficking and firearms violations stemming from a traffic stop. According to court documents, on January 26, 2026, Stevie Anthony Lovato , 39, was stopped while driving on U.S. Highway 550 with two other individuals in the vehicle and arrested on an active felony warrant. During the arrest, officers recovered a 9mm hollow point round, approximately 1.34 grams of methamphetamine, and two cellphones from his person. A subsequent search of the vehicle, conducted pursuant to a warrant, resulted in the seizure of approximately 18 grams of fentanyl powder, more than 400 fentanyl pills, and a loaded firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Lovato is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Lovato is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Lovato faces a minimum of ten years and up to life in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Region II Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Lovato).pdf An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Brooklyn Banker Pleads Guilty to Laundering Proceeds of Medicare Fraud  for Transnational Criminal Organization

body_text: A New York man pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to launder more than $8 million in health care fraud proceeds through a U.S. bank on behalf of a transnational criminal organization (TCO). This marks the first time the Health Care Fraud Unit has charged and convicted a former bank employee for conspiring to launder health care fraud proceeds. According to court documents, Renat Abramov, 36, of Brooklyn, a former relationship manager at a U.S. bank branch in Sheepshead Bay, used his position to aid a sophisticated international scheme uncovered by Operation Gold Rush . Abramov, a dual citizen of the United States and Azerbaijan, was a member of a TCO that allegedly submitted more than $10 billion in fraudulent Medicare claims by stealing the identities of over one million Americans, including elderly and disabled citizens in all 50 states. As alleged in charging documents, the TCO exploited the U.S. financial system using a range of tactics to circumvent internal controls at multiple banks. Abramov helped execute the scheme by opening bank accounts for individuals – many not lawfully present in the United States – who posed as owners of fake medical equipment companies using fake corporate registration documents. The bank accounts were used to deposit fraudulently obtained insurance checks, which appeared legitimate because they came from Medicare and established insurance companies. Once deposited, members of the TCO transferred the money into offshore accounts and cryptocurrency. Abramov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Assistant Chiefs Kevin Lowell and Shankar Ramamurthy, along with Trial Attorneys Leonid Sandlar, Sara E. Porter, and Andres Q. Almendarez of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.


title: Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Crack Cocaine Trafficking and Possession of Ammunition

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years of imprisonment on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Timothy Bazmore, aka “Shim,” 35. According to information presented to the Court, Bazmore was caught in possession of approximately 22 grams of crack cocaine as well as a firearm magazine loaded with several rounds of ammunition. The defendant was prohibited under federal law from possessing ammunition due to his multiple prior felony convictions. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that the sentence was warranted for a number of reasons, including Bazmore’s extensive criminal history. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bazmore.