title: 13 Members of Armed Drug Trafficking and Dog Fighting Ring Sentenced

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- 13 defendants have been sentenced for their roles in an armed international drug trafficking and dog fighting ring in central Indiana. 10 defendants remain to be sentenced in this case. To date, more than 100 dogs have been rescued from these criminals. Defendant Charge(s) Sentence Charles Richardson III, 46 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon 3 years, 10 months’ imprisonment 3 years of supervised release Christopher Norfolk, 51 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture Time Served Three years of supervised release Brent Hutchinson, 45 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture (x2); Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Cocaine 5 years, 6 months’ imprisonment 4 years of supervised release Daymond Mason, 51 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture 2 years, 10 months’ imprisonment 2 years of supervised release Donovan Tipler, 33 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture 8 months’ imprisonment 2 years of supervised release Edward Bronaugh, 60 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture and Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture 3 years, 6 months’ imprisonment 2 years of supervised release James Croons, 37 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture (x2) 8 months imprisonment 2 years of supervised release Marven Carswell, 73 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture (x2 Time Served 2 years of supervised release Marvin Johnson Jr., 49 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture 8 months’ imprisonment 2 years of supervised release Maurice Ervin, 46 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture (x4). 2 years’ imprisonment 3 years of supervised release Robert Hamer III, 43 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture (x3); and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon 5 years, 5 months’ imprisonment 2 years of supervised release Ryan Hicks. 39 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture; Exhibit Animal in Animal Fighting Venture (x7); Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon 5 years’ imprisonment 3 years of supervised release Willie Lee, 59 Conspiracy to Engage in a Dog Fighting Venture 1 year, 9 months’ imprisonment 2 years of supervised release According to court documents, in September 2023, investigators uncovered a large‑scale dog‑fighting and illegal gambling operation based in Indianapolis during the course of a broader drug trafficking investigation. The defendants listed above played various roles within the dog‑fighting enterprise. All thirteen maintained dogs for the purpose of fighting or served as handlers, responsible for provoking and motivating dogs during fights. Maurice Ervin also acted as a referee, weighing dogs and holding gambling proceeds. Christopher Norfolk provided locations for the fights. Willie Lee trained and bred fighting dogs, selling offspring to other dog fighters and attending fights. Edward Bronaugh transported dogs used in fights through his business, Roll & Hold Pet Express LLC. Investigators determined he transported more than 100 dogs, many of which were used in dog‑fighting ventures. More than a dozen videos of dog fights recovered from the defendants’ cell phones and Facebook messages show extremely violent encounters lasting several minutes, during which the dogs suffer significant injuries across their bodies. Their distress is immediately apparent, with yelps and cries audible within seconds. Some videos also reveal evidence of dogs that were killed in the defendant’s care-an all‑too‑common outcome for animals deemed to have underperformed in these fights. Through the course of this investigation, law enforcement officers found and dismantled six dog fighting pits and seized a variety of dog fighting paraphernalia. More than 150 dogs trained for dog fighting were taken from dog fighters. Many of these dogs had severe scaring from past fights. These dogs are now being cared for through a program designed to re-train the dogs and find them new homes through adoption. During searches of the defendants’ residences, law enforcement seized multiple firearms, ammunition, and extensive dog‑fighting paraphernalia: Assorted dog collars, chains, tie‑downs, and weights Multiple flirt poles/flirt sticks Bite sticks and a dog bite sleeve Training equipment, including training ropes, balls, vests, pull sleds, and Dog Pacer treadmills Weigh scale Assorted canine medical supplies, including syringes, sprays, wound‑care creams, penicillin injectables, supplements, and a horse joint supplement Trophies and ribbons Century Arms Centurion 39 Sporter rifle Taurus semi-automatic Springfield Armory XDS-40 semi-automatic American Tactical Imports Mil-Sport rifle Ruger 57 semi-automatic firearm Glock l9 GEN5 9mm pistol Glock l7 CEN5 9mm pistol “These sentences mark a significant step toward securing justice against an escalating criminal threat. Dog fighting is not only an unspeakable cruelty; it also harms the communities where it occurs by fueling illegal gambling and often intersecting with other criminal activity,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The individuals involved in this operation demonstrated a shocking disregard for the suffering of these animals- conduct that aligns with the well‑established link between animal abuse and violence against people. Our office will continue to prioritize animal welfare and target those who engage in the deliberate abuse of innocent animals for the entertainment and profit of others.” “Subjecting dogs to cruelty for spectacle is inhumane and against the law. This case demonstrates the depravity of those that engage in animal exploitation who often commit other dangerous crimes that undermine law and order in our communities and compromise public safety. USDA OIG will continue to prioritize allegations of violations of animal welfare laws administered by USDA and will pursue investigations that result in justice against those criminally responsible for dogfighting,” said USDA Inspector General John Walk. “I commend our OIG special agents, law enforcement partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office for working together to disrupt the criminal enterprise, bring accountability to the perpetrators, and rescue more than 100 dogs from horrendous abuse.” “This case exposed a brutal criminal network driven by greed - trafficking drugs, fueling violence, and engaging in the cruel exploitation of animals,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “Today’s sentence holds these individuals accountable and underscores the FBI’s commitment to targeting complex, transnational criminal enterprises. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle organizations like this - no matter where they operate - and ensure justice is served.” “This case illustrates the connection between drug trafficking and other deplorable crimes. Most importantly, this case shows the resolve of Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement to cooperatively work together to seek out and prosecute the individuals involved in these organizations,” said Gerald C. Dooley, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for DEA Indianapolis District Office. FBI Indianapolis, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation, Indiana Gaming Commission, and IMPD investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Brady, Lindsay E. Karwoski, Adam Eakman, Kelly Rota, and Bob Wood, who are prosecuting this case. A February 18, 2026, memorandum from Attorney General Pam Bondi entitled “Prioritization of Animal Welfare Enforcement” announced a historic plan to combat animal welfare crimes and to strengthen coordination and enforcement efforts between federal agencies, including the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. The plan consists of five parts: (1) A one-week Animal Welfare Summit at the Department’s National Advocacy Center to train federal prosecutors and federal agents from across the country in prosecuting animal welfare crimes; (2) the creation of a multi-agency Animal Welfare Executive Strategy Committee to develop and implement a National Strategy for Combatting Animal Welfare Crimes, to be chaired by Adam Gustafson, who leads the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division; (3) the creation of a law enforcement “Tiger Team” to participate in and assist with the execution of search warrants and seizures in animal welfare cases; (4) the continued use of the Asset Forfeiture Fund to help pay for the evaluation, care, and feeding of animals seized in the course of animal welfare investigations; and (5) the offering of grants, through the Office of Justice Programs, to animal welfare groups, and state and local law enforcement agencies that are taking action to combat animal cruelty ###


title: Farmington Woman Sentenced for Assault on Motorcyclist

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington woman was sentenced to five years of probation for intentionally causing a motorcyclist to crash following an argument There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on September 2, 2024, Tenille Quintawna Peshlakai , 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, argued with the victim at a gas station before driving away. Peshlakai then turned around, caught up to the victim, and swerved her vehicle to block his path. This forced the victim to lay down his motorcycle and crash into Peshlakai ’s vehicle. Peshlakai fled the scene before law enforcement or medical personnel arrived. Peshlakai subsequently pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. 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 Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.


title: Farmington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Charge After Armed Carjacking

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man has pleaded guilty in federal court to federal firearms offenses following a 2022-armed carjacking in which he discharged a weapon. According to court documents, on April 10, 2022, Myles Cordelle Dan Padilla , 34, took a motor vehicle from John Doe by force with a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Padilla is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Padilla pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.


title: Prolific Alien Smuggler Extradited from Brazil to  Face Charges in the United States

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Bangladeshi national Saiful Islam, 39, will make his initial appearance in Laredo, Texas, today after being extradited from Brazil. An indictment in the Southern District of Texas was unsealed today charging Islam for his role in a conspiracy that smuggled numerous aliens through Central America to the United States. According to court documents, Islam participated in a wide-ranging human smuggling operation and assisted other smugglers by facilitating the travel of aliens from São Paulo, Brazil, and other locations in South America, Central America, and Mexico so that the aliens could illegally enter the United States. The aliens were brought to the Southern border and were instructed to cross into the United States by wading across the Rio Grande River or by jumping a border fence. Islam is charged with conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States, multiple counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to enter the United States. If convicted of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of three or five years in prison and he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If he is convicted of conspiracy to bring and/or conspiracy to encourage and induce and alien to enter the United States, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck of the Southern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Phoenix made the announcement. HSI Phoenix and HSI Laredo are investigating this case with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border and Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force, HSI Mexico City, HSI Houston, HSI Calexico, HSI Monterrey, U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Brazil. The Justice Department thanks its Brazilian law enforcement counterparts for their assistance in this matter. Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Cortez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by JTFA, the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 450 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 395 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pojoaque Man Sentence to 14 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a Minor

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Pojoaque man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, between December 2021 and February 2022, Alexander John Duran , 31, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Pojoaque, engaged in a sexual act with a child under the age of 12. Duran subsequently pled guilty to abusive sexual contact. Upon his release from prison, Duran will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

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 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026. Dallas Joseph Bluebird, III, 21, was sentenced to two years and nine 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. Bluebird was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026. On June 30, 2024, Bluebird and another male subject exchanged gunfire with each other outside a Sioux Falls convenience store. Despite numerous shots being fired, no one was hit by the gunfire. Both subjects fled from the scene prior to police arrival, but investigators were able to identify Bluebird as one of the shooters based on DNA recovered from the firearm, which was left at the scene. Bluebird is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2023 conviction for Second Degree Escape. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case. Bluebird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Graduate Student from Colorado Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Cyberstalking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Chandan M. Bhangale (age: 29) with two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of minors from the Fox Valley region and one count of cyberstalking. According to court records, Bhangale was a graduate student studying computer science at Colorado State University. He is originally from Pune, Maharashtra, India, and is legally present in the United States via a student visa. Bhangale is alleged to have targeted minors through popular social media and online messaging platforms to groom and extort them. Court records indicate that Bhangale gained the victims’ trust, collected personal information about them, induced them to produce child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”), and then used blackmail to coerce their compliance with his demands. It is further alleged that Bhangale convinced the underage victims that if they did not comply with his demands, there would be serious consequences, ranging from public disclosure of their explicit videos to death or serious bodily harm to the victims or their immediate family members. Through his manipulation, Bhangale coerced the victims to engage in self-harm, cut their own hair, and produce and transmit CSAM. If convicted of either count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, Bhangale faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. He also faces up to 5 years in prison if convicted for cyberstalking. This case was investigated by the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Denver Field Office, Milwaukee Field Office, and Green Bay Resident Agency), the Appleton Police Department, the Colorado State University Police Department, the Hortonville Police Department, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alex Duros. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Texas Man Indicted for Production of Child Pornography Involving Three Children in the Eastern District of Wisconsin

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Axis C. Williams. (age: 21) of Aransas Pass, Texas, with production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a). According to court records, Williams is charged with meeting a juvenile online and causing her and two other juveniles to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record it, and send him the recordings. If convicted of either count in the indictment, Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. He also faces a $250,000 fine and five years to life terms of supervised release on each count. This case was investigated by the St. Francis Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations – Corpus Christi. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $9.5 Million in Fiscal Year 2025

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that the District of South Dakota collected $9,516,233.90 through criminal fines, restitution, loan defaults, bankruptcy, forfeiture, and affirmative civil enforcement efforts in FY2025. Moreover, the District of South Dakota worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $16,747,398.58. Of the total collections, $8.9 million was derived from criminal cases. A significant portion of this amount—$8,801,058.91—was returned to victims of crime, underscoring the Office’s commitment to ensuring justice and support for those adversely affected by criminal acts. The remainder was deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, a crucial resource that provides financial assistance to victims across the United States for costs arising from violent crime such as medical expenses, lost wages, mental health counseling, funeral expenses, and more. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $65,292,431 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. “Thanks to the diligence and hard work of our U.S. Attorneys and the highly skilled staff in our Financial Litigation and Asset Recovery Units on behalf of South Dakota victims and taxpayers, we have held criminals accountable and done everything we can to make victims whole,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We will continue to prioritize collection of restitution and debts to the federal government together with our law enforcement partners, as a critical part of our mission.” The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.


title: Two Wilmington Men Indicted on Federal Methamphetamine and Gun Offenses

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging two Wilmington men with conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine pills and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. According to court records, Marcus Warren and Donavan McGriff, both 35, were the subjects of a drug investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Castle County Police Department (NCCPD). Following that months-long investigation, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, members of the DEA, NCCPD, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team executed search warrants for Warren and McGriff, their residences in Wilmington, and McGriff’s car. Both Warren and McGriff were occupants of the car at the time of the search. The car search revealed over 500 grams of pills which were subsequently identified as methamphetamine. The search of Warren’s residence resulted in the recovery of nearly one kilogram of additional methamphetamine pills and three guns, including a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” with no serial number. The search of McGriff’s residence resulted in the recovery of an additional gun. Warren and McGriff are charged with conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and one count each of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, Warren faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. McGriff faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and DEA Philadelphia Field Division, Wilmington Resident Office, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett made the announcement. The DEA and NCCPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin B. Smith is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:26-cr-61-UNA The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Titusville Teen Charged as Adult in Killing of Stepsister on Cruise Ship

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A 16-year-old has been indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the killing of his stepsister. According to court records, T.H., 16, of Titusville, was traveling aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon with Anna Kepner and other family members on or about Nov. 6-7, 2025. During that time, while the ship was in international waters en route to Miami, T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxiation. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” T.H. was initially charged as a juvenile by information on Feb. 2. The case remained sealed until U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered it transferred for adult prosecution. T.H. is charged with murder in the first degree and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FBI Miami is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. López is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov , under case number 26-cr-20031. ###


title: Previously Convicted Man Sentenced to 14 Year Prison Term for Killing Man in March of 2024

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Monteze Morton, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday, April 10, 2026, to 14 years in prison for killing Dimitrious Brown, 29, on March 22, 2024, in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Morton pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026, to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable J. Michael Ryan ordered Morton to serve his 14-year prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release and he must also register as a gun offender. According to the government’s evidence, Morton shot Brown following a brief altercation in the 2800 block of Hartford Street SE. Morton had previously been convicted of robbery and armed robbery in Maryland and was not allowed to own or possess a firearm. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen, who investigated and prosecuted the case. 2024 CF1 004740


title: San Ramon Man Indicted On Charge Of Using Online Platforms To Coerce And Entice Nine Minor Victims To Engage In Sexual Activity

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted a San Ramon man, Ishaq Ikharo, on charges of coercion and enticement of nine minor victims to engage in sexual activity. According to the indictment filed on February 11, 2026, and court documents from April 2022 to September 2024, Ikharo, 28, used several online chat and gaming platforms to communicate with minor victims to persuade, entice, and coerce nine different minor victims who were under 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity. At the time of the alleged offenses, Ikharo was on federal supervised release for a 2023 conviction in the Western District of New York for possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo made the announcement. Ikharo has been in custody since June 30, 2025. He is next scheduled to appear in district court on July 30, 2026, for a status conference before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Anyone who has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5323) or tips.fbi.gov, or visit the following, dedicated website: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-ishaq-ikharo-investigation-aka-shaq-investigation An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary M. Glimcher and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Volkar are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Jessie Chelsea. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI Special Agent Adelaida Hernandez.


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison  for Possessing Stolen Ammunition

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of Stolen Ammunition. The sentencing took place on March 30, 2026. Nathanal Benoist, age 26, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, ordered to forfeit a firearm and ammunition, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Benoist was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025. The conviction stems from Benoist breaking into a store in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, in the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation on November 1, 2024, while the store was closed. Benoist shot out the front window of the store, entered the store through the broken window, and stole ammunition. 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. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case. Benoist was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Butler Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Assault and Murder President Trump, Other U.S. Officials, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to making threats to assault and murder President Donald J. Trump, other United States officials, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced. Shawn Monper, 33, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy to two counts of threatening to assault and murder United States officials and federal law enforcement officers with the intent to impede, intimidate, interfere with, and retaliate against the officials and agents while they were engaged in, and on account of, the performance of official duties. As part of his plea agreement, Monper also accepted responsibility for the other counts for which he was charged. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on April 8, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Threat Operations Section (NTOS) received an emergency disclosure regarding threats posted to YouTube by user “Mr Satan.” The subsequent federal investigation affirmed that the internet activity associated with “Mr Satan” corresponded with Shawn Monper’s residence in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The investigation further established that Monper sought and obtained a firearms permit shortly following President Trump’s inauguration. In February 2025, Monper commented using his “Mr Satan” account: “I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office.” Further, in March 2025, Monper posted: “Eventually im going to do a mass shooting.” One week later, Monper commented: “I have been buying 1 gun a month since the election, body armor, and ammo.” Investigators determined that Monper posted several threatening statements regarding President Trump, other United States officials, and ICE agents during the period between January 15, 2025, and April 5, 2025, including the two to which Monper specifically pleaded guilty: in February, “Nah, we just need to start killing people, Trump, Elon, all the heads of agencies Trump appointed, and anyone who stands in the way…” and, in mid-March, “ICE are terrorist people, we need to start killing them.” On April 9, 2025, law enforcement arrested Monper on federal charges based on these threats, and he has been detained since that time. Judge Hardy scheduled Monper’s sentencing for August 12, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence on each count of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Butler Township Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Monper.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Stalking, Harassing, and Threatening Women in RI, MA, and Elsewhere

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A California man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to charges related to a scheme in which he made hundreds of obscene and threatening telephone calls to women in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and elsewhere, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Justin Glauthier, 30, pleaded guilty to four counts of stalking through cellular and internet communications. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to court documents, Glauthier repeatedly called and harassed women whose names, photographs, and other personal information he obtained from the internet. At the time of his arrest, at least nine women had been identified as receiving harassing and threatening phone calls that a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation determined were made by Glauthier. In dozens of calls to victims, Glauthier made sexually explicit comments, sometimes claimed to know where they lived and/or worked, and threatened to visit them unannounced at their homes or places of employment if they did not remain on the phone with him or cooperate during the calls. Glauthier was arrested in Anaheim, California on March 5, 2025, by agents from the FBI’s Providence and Orange County, California, Resident Agencies. The case is being prosecuted in the District of Rhode Island by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Restrepo in the District of Central California. The matter was investigated by the FBI.


title: Former Loveland Police Department Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Minor Child

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER - Today, a federal judge in Denver, Colorado, sentenced Dylan Miller, 30, a former Loveland, Colorado Police Department (LPD) officer, to 17 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor while he was on duty. The sentence comes after a jury returned a guilty verdict on Dec. 2, 2025, on the one-count indictment charging Miller with depriving the victim of her civil rights while acting under color of law. The evidence presented at trial showed that Miller was on duty as a LPD officer the evening of Aug. 3, 2023, through the early morning of Aug. 4, 2023. Miller contacted the victim and her friend in North Lake Park and told the victim’s friend to leave. Miller then guided the victim to a more secluded area of the park, where he sexually assaulted her. “Dylan Miller abused his power as a police officer to target, isolate, and sexually assault a minor in his care,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that the Civil Rights Division will continue to hold accountable law enforcement officers who betray their duty to protect and serve.” “Dylan Miller sexually assaulted a minor while on duty as a sworn law enforcement officer. His abuse of power and betrayal of trust are abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado. “Today, I think of the victim and hope she takes some solace knowing that a jury unanimously condemned the defendant’s criminal conduct and the court has now expressed how serious that conduct was with this lengthy prison sentence.” “The actions of Mr. Miller were not only harmful to the individual he swore under oath to protect, but they also undermined public trust and confidence in law enforcement. The FBI will not tolerate those who abuse their positions of authority,” said Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski of the FBI Denver Field Office. “Thank you to Larimer County Sheriff's Office for their participation in the joint the investigation, as well as to Loveland Police Department for their cooperation.” United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing. The FBI’s Denver Field Office, Loveland Resident Agency and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with cooperation from the Loveland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts for the District of Colorado and Trial Attorney Sarah E. Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. Case Number: 24-cr-00083-NYW


title: Mexican Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

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

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on March 31, 2026, Brian Alexis Baldonado Belmontes, a Mexican citizen, was charged in a criminal complaint in the District of Nebraska for unlawfully possessing a firearm while illegally being in the United States. He is currently being held in federal custody on the charge. Per the criminal complaint, on March 22, 2026, a detective with the Omaha Police Department was monitoring a social media account of a juvenile born in 2008. The video appeared to show the juvenile firing a .22 caliber AR-style rifle in the air approximately 20 times. Law enforcement later located the area of the shooting—the 5200 block of South 38th Street in Omaha. Officers went to the scene and found approximately 23 spent .22 caliber cartridge cases and two live .22 caliber rounds. They also found a vehicle that had been struck by bullets with approximately six defects. While processing the scene, the juvenile and Baldonado Belmontes approached officers and admitted to shooting the truck. Baldonado Belmontes later provided additional information to law enforcement, including advising where the rifle used in the shooting was located. Officers went to that location and recovered a Smith and Wesson, M&P 15-22, .22 caliber rifle. Baldonado Belmontes admitted that he crossed into the United States illegally. According to the Department of Homeland Security, he is a foreign national and a citizen of Mexico. He illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location. This case is being investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations. A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, he is subject to a term of imprisonment of up to 15 years.


title: Citizen of Congo Sentenced to Federal Prison For Involvement in Scheme to Defraud the United States

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who came to the United States in 2022 on a student visa and claimed asylum was sentenced on April 10, 2026, for his involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the government. Medard Lotahe Elonge, age 40, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and living in Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 8, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States. In January 2022, Elonge entered the United States on a student visa and later applied for asylum. The mother of his children, who was in the Congo, then participated in a sham or fraudulent marriage in order to come to the United States. Elonge and his co-conspirators helped arrange the fraudulent marriage and filed a fraudulent petition to bring the family to the United States. In a plea agreement, Elonge admitted to having another man marry his wife. Their plan was for the other man to divorce Elonge’s wife six months after Elonge’s family arrived in the United States. Elonge was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Elonge was sentenced to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Elonge was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on May 4, 2026. Joseph Onolenga Okamba and Bienvenu Saido Binyangi, who were charged in the same indictment and have also pled guilty, have yet to be sentenced. Joseph Okoko, who was also charged in the same indictment, was previously sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Cole and Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Waterloo Police Department, the Sioux City Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation. 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. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-2052. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Gun-Toting Felon Who Ran from Officers  Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

body_text: A felon who ran from officers and dropped a gun pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Darrell Jawon Wilson, age 18, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon. Evidence at a prior court hearing demonstrated that on October 1, 2025, in Waterloo, Iowa, officers went to a liquor store because of a report that two men, wearing masks, were walking around the area and looking in cars. Officers arrived and located the two men. One man, later identified as Wilson, ran. An officer chased him and saw him pull out a gun from his waistline. Wilson fell and dropped the gun. After Wilson was taken into custody, officers retraced the path of the pursuit and found the gun. Wilson has felony convictions for conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and going armed with intent. 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. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Wilson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Wilson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-2067. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offense and Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for unlawfully reentering the United States and for possessing child sexual abuse material. A second individual was also charged and deported from the United States. Miguel Gomez-Lopez, a/k/a Miguel Hernandez, 32, was sentenced on April 9, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 13 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In December 2025, the Gomez-Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and two counts of possession of child pornography. The defendant was arrested and charged in June 2023 and has remained in custody since. In June 2023, local law enforcement in Boston conducted a well-being check on a minor 14-year-old female who was believed to be in danger at Gomez-Lopez’s Dorchester apartment. When officers arrived, they discovered not one, but two, missing 14-year-old females at Gomez-Lopez’s apartment. One of the minors (MV-2) was exiting the apartment with Gomez-Lopez as police were arriving. The other minor (MV-1) was eventually located in a bedroom in Mr. Gomez-Lopez’s apartment. She appeared intoxicated and naked from the waist down. A search of Gomez-Lopez’s phone revealed nude photographs and videos of MV-2. A second individual was charged with crimes against MV-1 and has since been deported. Following his arrest, it was determined that Gomez-Lopez was a citizen of Guatemala unlawfully present in the United States. Gomez-Lopez was first ordered removed from the United States in September 2017. Just six weeks later, in October 2017, Gomez-Lopez was again encountered by U.S. Border Patrol and subsequently deported from the United States a second time. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Riley, Jessica L. Soto and Mark Grady of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Quemado Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Quemado man pleaded guilty in federal court after law enforcement seized 13 firearms and ammunition from his property during a 2024 search. According to court documents, in April 2024, the Catron County Sheriff’s Office was investigating residential burglaries and identified Chad Walter Gash , 43, as a person of interest. During that investigation, law enforcement determined that Gash had previously been convicted in Texas in 2014 of manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance and that he completed his sentence in October 2019. As a convicted felon, Gash was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Investigators learned from neighbors that firearms were regularly being fired from Gash ’s property and that Gash had possessed numerous firearms there. On April 30, 2024, officers executed a search warrant at Gash ’s residence and recovered 13 firearms and ammunition from his bedroom and a travel trailer associated with him, along with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Some of the seized weapons included an unregistered short-barreled shotgun and a destructive device. Gash pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Catron County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Dickens and Benjamin Suslavich are prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement (Gash).pdf


title: Career Offender Sentenced to Over 22 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Michael Wilson, 54 , of Memphis, was sentenced to over 22 years in federal prison for his role in engaging in a long-term conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Memphis, Tennessee. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. Through the utilization of recorded phone calls, traffic stops, physical surveillance, and the execution of search warrants, law enforcement officers were able to determine that Wilson was distributing felony amounts of methamphetamine for more than one year before his federal indictment in March 2025. Wilson has a history of committing crimes involving the distribution of narcotics and is classified as a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Following his guilty plea to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Chief District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced the defendant to 270 months' imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "This defendant’s prior conviction history demonstrates his disrespect for the law and his imminent danger to the public. Wilson presented a triple threat of serious bodily injury and death: a prior violent convicted felon in possession of firearms while distributing highly addictive and deadly substances on the streets. Career offender+guns+drugs = a federal sentence that will remove him from our community and save lives." “The FBI and our partners brought the full force of resources to bear—putting a career offender behind bars,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “We will continue to root out drug offenders wherever they operate and hold them accountable. Every family in this community deserves to feel safe.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Desoto County Sheriff’s Office, Bartlett Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) all assisted in the investigations of Michael Wilson and his co-conspirators. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryce Phillips and Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. 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 Memphis comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies, to include the investigative agencies listed above, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Tobyhanna Man Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For His Misappropriation Of Covid Relief Funds And With Making A False Tax Return In Support Of Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Freeman, IV, age 46, of Tobyhanna, PA, was sentenced to 30 months in prison by United States District Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., on April 8, 2026, for one count of wire fraud and one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. Judge Saporito also ordered Freeman to pay restitution in the amount of $352,155.00 dollars. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, over a multi-year period between 2020 and 2021, Freeman submitted at least 10 applications seeking pandemic stimulus funds through both the Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, as well as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on behalf of several entities under his control, including, Second Haven Services for Youth, Inc., Phoenix Behavioral Health Network, LLC, Pocono Wing Hut, LLC, and Legacy Group Real Estate Company. The applications submitted by Freeman were filed on behalf of corporate entities that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, and that bore false employee headcount information, fabricated gross revenues, and costs of goods sold. Freeman additionally made material misrepresentations on these applications about his criminal history, representing that he had none when, in fact, he did. Freeman obtained over $300,000 dollars in stimulus funds through filing the fraudulent applications, which he spent on unapproved personal expenses and was never repaid. Additionally, and in support of that fraud, Freeman filed a falsified Form 1040 and a falsified W-3 in 2020 for the 2019 tax year claiming thousands of dollars in taxes that were withheld and paid over to the IRS which had never happened. In addition to his failure to pay over those taxes, he also attempted to obtain thousands of dollars of tax refund money. Freeman did this for the purpose of creating a filed tax return in an attempt to obtain additional stimulus funds. The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. In sentencing Freeman, the Court articulated its concerns with potential recidivism, noting Freeman’s evasive claims about past and present employment and fraudulent representations about his educational background. “Today’s sentencing unequivocally affirms the gravity with which federal courts regard violations of the tax laws,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to uncovering the financial lies behind these schemes and holding accountable those who profit at the expense of the American taxpayers.” The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Rowan County Man Sentenced for   Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Morehead, Ky., man, Corey Skiles, 34, was sentenced on Monday to 160 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. According to his plea agreement, on September 28, 2024, law enforcement received information that Skiles planned to transport a large quantity of controlled substances to Perry County. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Skiles and found 776 grams of methamphetamine, 57.34 grams of fentanyl, digital scales, and $1,483 in cash. Under federal law, Skiles must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 35 Years for Operating Multi-Kilo Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Aaron Jarvis McGhee (40, Sumterville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan to 35 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Johnny Angelo Pack (51, Jacksonville), Shikita Lashelle James (39, Jacksonville), Natra Antonio Jones (33, Jacksonville), and Bobby Warren Harvey, Jr. (28, Jacksonville) were also sentenced for conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Pack, James, Jones, and Harvey were sentenced to 17 years and 6 months, 14 years, 12 years and 6 months, and 10 years, respectively. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the court documents, in 2022 and 2023, at McGhee’s direction, Pack, James, Jones, and Harvey operated a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that purchased fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine from Mexican sources of supply. They transported the drugs through Houston, Texas to Jacksonville, Florida where the drugs were sold. McGhee, already serving a federal prison term for a prior drug conspiracy conviction, used a contraband cellphone from prison to coordinate these transactions, which resulted in drug shipments across the southern U.S. border from Mexico into Texas. As part of the conspiracy, Pack secured these drug shipments and transported them back to Jacksonville using a semi-truck. Once in Jacksonville, Pack delivered the drug shipments to residences belonging to James, who stored and distributed the drugs to retail dealers in Duval and Clay Counties. James was also responsible for managing the DTO’s money. Jones and Harvey served as runners for the organization in Jacksonville and were responsible for transporting drugs and drug proceeds. Between March and May 2023, members of the DTO routinely flew commercially between Jacksonville and Houston. They typically stayed in Houston one day before flying back to Jacksonville. Their phone location data indicated that they remained close to the airport in Houston before taking return flights. On April 28, 2023, DEA agents observed James travel to the Jacksonville International Airport where she dropped off Jones and Harvey, both of whom were scheduled to fly to Houston. Agents observed Jones and Harvey each checking in two suitcases as luggage. The agents seized the four suitcases and secured search warrants for them. Inside the suitcases, agents recovered a total of $773,780 in cash, as well as approximately five kilograms of fentanyl. On May 16, 2023, DEA agents executed search warrants at two of James’s residences in Jacksonville, one on Mints Court, where Pack was living, and one on Cape Elizabeth Court, where James was living. Inside the Mints Court house, agents recovered approximately $28,000 in cash, approximately 5.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, and four loaded firearms. Inside the Cape Elizabeth Court house, agents recovered approximately $824,900 in cash, approximately 6.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 4.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of heroin, and five loaded firearms. In total, between April 28 and May 16, 2023, agents seized more than 22 kilograms of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin from the DTO, as well as more than $1.6 million in drug proceeds. James used the drug proceeds on high-end luxury merchandise. Throughout the investigation, agents assembled evidence showing that the DTO was responsible for moving thousands of kilograms of drugs in less than a year. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Etowah County Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Prison for Trafficking Drugs

body_text: ANNISTON, Ala. – An Etowah County man has been sentenced for trafficking drugs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby. U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Tostig Denard Moore, 41, of Gadsden, Alabama, to 214 months in prison. In December 2025, Moore pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. According to the plea agreement, between December 2024 and February 2025, Moore sold approximately 495 grams of methamphetamine to a law enforcement source over a series of controlled purchases. On March 4, 2025, deputies with the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Moore and later arrested him after finding over a kilogram of fentanyl in his vehicle. Post-arrest, Moore admitted to travelling to Georgia to resupply on illegal narcotics. This case is part of Operation Tres Hermanos. That operation 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. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama. The FBI investigated the case along with the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert prosecuted the case.


title: Veterinarian Arrested for Sending Threatening Text Message and Transporting Minors in Interstate Commerce with the Intent to Engage in Sexual Acts

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Gregory Ford (53, of Morriston) has been arrested on an indictment charging him with three counts of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity and one count of sending threatening communications. Each transportation count carries a minimum prison term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The threatening communication count carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ford that the United States intends to forfeit his home in Morriston, which is alleged to have been used in the commission of these crimes. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment and facts presented in court, between October 16, 2024, and May 16, 2025, Ford transported two minor victims with the intent to engage in sexual activity. On September 23, 2025, Ford sent a text message containing a true threat to injure a third victim. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the FBI Birmingham Division, Florence RA, with the assistance of the FBI Jacksonville Division, Ocala RA. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko. It is another case 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: North Carolina Man Indicted for Producing Child Sex Abuse Material and Transporting a Minor Across State Lines for Unlawful Purposes

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Joshua Lewis Magraff (37, North Carolina) has been charged by indictment with producing child sex abuse material (CSAM) and transporting a child across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual contact. If convicted of the CSAM offense, Magraff faces a minimum of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison. If convicted of the transportation offense, Magraff faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, on February 2, 2026, a 16-year-old child was reported missing in Gastonia, North Carolina. On March 8, 2026, Magraff was stopped by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office for a traffic violation with the missing child in his vehicle. Magraff told the deputy that the missing child was his “little cousin” and that she was 16 years old. The missing child provided conflicting and inaccurate identification information to the deputy before providing her real name, at which point she was identified as the missing child. Magraff later agreed to answer questions and stated that he had met the child at a hotel in North Carolina approximately one month before and that the child and he were traveling to Florida to play gambling arcade games. Magraff repeatedly insisted that he had not brought the child to his hotel room before admitting that she had stayed in his hotel room for several weeks. Law enforcement officers obtained search warrants for two cellphones that were seized from Magraff’s vehicle. Searches of those phones revealed that Magraff had produced multiple videos of himself performing sex acts on the child. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gastonia (North Carolina) Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor. It is another case 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the Country

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Honduran man pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for reentering the United States after a prior removal. After accepting his plea, U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Marlon Rene Avila-Cruz , 32, to a time-served sentence. Avila-Cruz was originally arrested on December 21, 2025, and has been in federal custody since that time. According to court records, on December 21, 2025, a Farmington police officer pulled over a car that Avila-Cruz was driving for a traffic violation. Avila-Cruz informed the officer that he was from Honduras but could only provide a piece of paper from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. U.S. Border Patrol Agents were then called to the scene. Records checks revealed that Avila-Cruz had been previously deported from the U.S. and returned to Honduras. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: Seminole Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegal Possession Of Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Joe Logan, age 52, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment charged Logan with knowingly possessing a rifle and nine rounds of assorted ammunition on June 2, 2023, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Logan will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Former Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Possessing Controlled Substances with the Intent to Unlawfully Distribute Them

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Andrew Catalone, age 72, of Youngsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026 to unlawfully possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute them. The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Farhana Islam, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) SAC Naomi Gruchacz. Catalone was a nurse practitioner who owned a medical practice with offices in Auburn and Fulton, NY. Catalone regularly prescribed controlled substances to his patients. He also collected from patients drugs that he had prescribed and which they had not used. Catalone was not authorized by federal law to collect these drugs. Catalone then distributed some of those drugs to other patients in the form of loose pills, without a prescription. Catalone failed to document these encounters in the patients’ medical files or record any treatment rationale for providing the controlled substances. He also failed to check the Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing (I-Stop), which is New York State’s prescription monitoring program, and which Catalone was required by state law to consult every time he dispensed a controlled substance. As Catalone knew, each distribution of returned pills was not for a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of Catalone’s professional practice. On February 22, 2022, Catalone possessed approximately 32 grams of oxycodone that he had received from patients to whom he had previously prescribed the oxycodone. He stored the oxycodone in his Auburn office. Catalone intended to distribute at least some of that oxycodone in the same illegitimate manner as described above. Sentencing is scheduled before Judge Anthony Brindisi in Utica, NY on August 18, 2026. If the court accepts the parties’ plea agreement, Catalone will receive a term of imprisonment of 52 months and a 3-year term of supervised release. First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “Medical professionals are entrusted with ensuring that dangerous controlled substances, like oxycodone, are distributed in a safe and appropriate manner. Catalone abused that trust and put his patients and the public at risk. Now he will pay the price.” “Health care professionals are not above the law and must be held to the highest standards, especially when dealing with controlled substances,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Andrew Catalone knowingly chose to put profits above the health and well-being of those lives he took an oath to help. His actions are no different from those of any drug trafficker. The DEA remains steadfast to in targeting those fueling an already deadly and highly addictive opioid crisis.” “The defendant in this case, a nurse practitioner, took advantage of his privileges as a medical provider and intentionally diverted controlled substances and ignored the safeguards in place to prevent their flow into the community,” stated SAC HHS-OIG Gruchacz. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect essential programs and hold accountable those whose actions could result in potential patient and community harm.” The DEA’s Albany Diversion Group investigated this case. HHS-OIG, the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and the Auburn Police Department also assisted with the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Loveland, Colorado Police Department Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Minor Child

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, a federal judge in Denver, Colorado, sentenced Dylan Miller, 30, a former Loveland, Colorado Police Department (LPD) officer, to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release for sexually assaulting a minor while he was on duty. The sentence comes after a jury returned a guilty verdict on Dec. 2, 2025, on the one-count indictment charging Miller with depriving the victim of her civil rights while acting under color of law. The evidence presented at trial showed that Miller was on duty as a LPD officer the evening of Aug. 3, 2023, through the early morning of Aug. 4, 2023. Miller contacted the victim and her friend in North Lake Park and told the victim’s friend to leave. Miller then guided the victim to a more secluded area of the park, where he sexually assaulted her. “Dylan Miller abused his power as a police officer to target, isolate, and sexually assault a minor in his care,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that the Civil Rights Division will continue to hold accountable law enforcement officers who betray their duty to protect and serve.” “Dylan Miller sexually assaulted a minor while on duty as a sworn law enforcement officer. His abuse of power and betrayal of trust are abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado. “Today, I think of the victim and hope she takes some solace knowing that a jury unanimously condemned the defendant’s criminal conduct and the court has now expressed how serious that conduct was with this lengthy prison sentence.” “The actions of Mr. Miller were not only harmful to the individual he swore under oath to protect, but they also undermined public trust and confidence in law enforcement. The FBI will not tolerate those who abuse their positions of authority,” said Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski of the FBI Denver Field Office. “Thank you to Larimer County Sheriff's Office for their participation in the joint the investigation, as well as to Loveland Police Department for their cooperation.” The FBI’s Denver Field Office, Loveland Resident Agency and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with cooperation from the Loveland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts for the District of Colorado and Trial Attorney Sarah E. Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Honduran Illegal Alien Guilty of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARVIN NECTALI MORADEL-VELASQUEZ (“ MORADEL-VELASQUEZ ”), age 40, plead guilty on April 9, 2026, to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, MORADEL-VELASQUEZ, an illegal alien, was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 31, 2025. He had previously been removed from the United States to Honduras on or about October 11, 2016. MORADEL-VELASQUEZ also has a previous conviction for domestic abuse and child endangerment. Because of these past charges, MORADEL-VELASQUEZ faces a sentencing enhancement. MORADEL-VELASQUEZ faces a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. MORADEL-VELASQUEZ ’s sentencing is set for July 2, 2026, before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Bank Larceny  on Behalf of Foreign Terrorist Organization

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT -Yosue Manuel Gonzalez-Moy, an illegal alien from Venezuela, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit bank larceny on behalf of Tren de Aragua, a designated foreign terrorist organization, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Office. On October 12, 2025, Gonzalez-Moy and a co-conspirator drove from Illinois to Dexter, Michigan to break into and steal money from an ATM at the Chelsea State Bank. Gonzalez-Moy used a counterfeit key and a cordless drill to open the ATM. He then connected a device to the ATM that would have allowed him to access the ATM remotely and force the ATM to dispense all of its stored currency, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM Jackpotting.” Gonzalez -Moy and the coconspirator fled without obtaining any money after an alarm went off. While fleeing from the scene, the co-conspirator crashed his vehicle into a tree and later died at the hospital from his injuries. During a post-arrest interview, Gonzalez-Moy admitted that he was associated with Tren de Aragua (TdA) – a designated foreign terrorist organization – and that he attempted to break into the ATM at the request of other TdA members. United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “People sometimes think that the dangers of illegal immigration are a faraway problem that don’t impact us here at home. Today’s conviction shows this is untrue. Tren de Aragua is a vicious and violent foreign terrorist cartel that has victimized numerous communities throughout the United States. Now they have come to Michigan to do the same. But they will find no sanctuary here.” "Criminals who target financial systems through schemes like ATM Jackpotting will be identified and brought to justice,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The defendant, who was identified as an illegal alien and associate of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a transnational organized crime syndicate from Venezuela, manipulated an ATM machine in our community, in an attempt to unlawfully access currency. I want to be clear: No matter the scheme, when there is a federal nexus, the FBI will work with our partners to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle operations of those involved. I commend the dedicated members of FBI Detroit, and our law enforcement partners for their work in holding this individual accountable and protecting our homeland.” Gonzalez-Moy faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. 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 Detroit comprises agents and officers from various law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The investigation was conducted by the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Bilkovic and Tim McDonald.


title: Powell Man Sentenced For Fraud, Money Laundering, And Supervised Released Violations

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 9, 2026, Kenneth Francis Lee, 55, of Powell, TN, was sentenced to 99 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Lee will be on supervised release for 3 years. Judge Crytzer also ordered Lee to pay $7,022,140.12 in restitution to his victims. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Lee agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). According to filed court documents, from 2019 through 2024, Lee solicited money from victims to pay for litigation costs associated with the settlement of a purported legal case. There was, however, no such legal case or settlement, and Lee used the funds to support his own lifestyle and an online gambling habit. To conceal the source, control and ownership of the stolen funds, Lee conspired with others to transfer the money between multiple bank accounts. Prior to committing the crimes leading to his sentencing on April 9, 2026, Lee had amassed earlier federal convictions. The first, in 2010, involved a mortgage fraud scheme that led to his conviction for wire fraud and money laundering. The second, in 2019, involved tax evasion and the failure to file tax returns. Lee committed his most recent offense while still on supervised release following his release from prison for the 2019 offenses. The sentence imposed by Judge Crytzer consisted of an 87-month sentence for the wire fraud and money laundering convictions along with a 12-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release. The court ordered that Lee served the two sentences consecutively. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge, Donald “Trey” Eakins of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Division made the announcement. Lee’s criminal conviction was the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr. represented the United States. ###


title: Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Arson and Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization

body_text: Today, Regan Darby Prater, 28, currently of Tullahoma, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea to one count of arson and one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prater pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sentencing has been set before U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan for Sept. 9, in Knoxville. Prater faces up to 20 years in federal prison, along with related fines, restitution, and a term of supervised release to be served after he is released from custody. As part of his agreement, Prater waived indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges. Court documents establish that Prater used a so-called “sparkler bomb,” i.e., a napalm-based incendiary device ignited by a common sparkler, to destroy facilities maintained by the Highlander Center, a school for grassroots leaders and social movements in New Market, Tennessee. As part of his guilty plea, Prater admitted that he drove from his home in Tullahoma to the Highlander Center, ignited the sparkler bomb, and destroyed a building, ultimately causing over $1.2 million in damage. Before he detonated the bomb, Prater spray-painted the symbol of the Iron Guard, a 1930s-era paramilitary arm of the Romanian Nazi Party, in the Highlander Center parking lot. This same symbol was engraved on the rifle used in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, just two weeks prior to the arson. Prater acknowledged that he committed the arson at the Highland Center due to his white-supremacist ideology and as a response to the Highlander Center’s faith-based educational priorities and its association with the Civil Rights Movement. Separately, Prater also admitted that, in 2019, he attempted to provide material support to Hizballah, also known as “Hezbollah,” which the United States has recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. Specifically, Prater obtained a document purporting to contain personally identifiable information of over 35,000 individuals purportedly affiliated with the government of Israel. He then provided that document to an individual he believed to be associated with Hizballah, stating, among other things: “Start the hunt.” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Katherine McCallister of the Civil Rights Division and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division.