title: Shiprock Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $1.5 Million Bid-Rigging Scheme Against Federally Funded Educational Organization

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for orchestrating a bid-rigging and money laundering scheme that defrauded a federally funded Native American educational institution of approximately $1.5 million over several years. According to court documents, William Badoni , 62, conspired with an employee of Kinteel Residential Campus, Inc. (KRCI), from April 2018 to June 2019 to obtain confidential information about construction projects and the bidding process, which was used to ensure Badoni ’s company secured KRCI contracts. Badoni also caused the creation of falsified or fictitious bids from other companies to evade KRCI's contracting policies. The contracts and related change orders brought in about $1.5 million in revenue for Badoni ’s company between 2016 and 2019. In return, Badoni paid kickbacks of approximately $50,000 in cash and checks, funds largely derived from the fraudulent contracts. Badoni additionally admitted to conducting financial transactions designed to conceal the proceeds by depositing portions of contract payments into bank accounts and taking other portions in cash to avoid creating records of fraudulently obtained funds. “This wasn’t just a financial crime, it was a betrayal of a community and its children,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “Badoni exploited federal funds meant to support Native students and eroded trust in an institution working to serve them. This sentence brings accountability and reinforces our commitment to protecting these communities from abuse and corruption.” “The sentencing should serve as a deterrent to those who consider defrauding Federal programs that support Native American educational institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie DePaepe. “The Office of Inspector General will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable individuals who violate the public’s trust and misuse funding intended for Native American students." “Mr. Bodoni took corrupt actions to defraud a Native American institution, aiming only to enrich himself.” said Amanda Prestegard, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “Our special agents will continue to work to find, investigate and prosecute those who steal money from essential government programs.” Badoni pleaded guilty earlier to a 10-count Indictment charging conspiracy to commit federal program fraud, theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and money laundering. Upon his release, Badoni will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. At sentencing, the Court heard testimony and victim impact statements from members of the community affected by the crime and who have attempted to ensure quality education for children in New Mexico despite the prolific fraud of tax-dollars caused by Badoni’s criminal conduct. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General and the IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office made the announcement today. The U.S Department of the Interior, Office of Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco prosecuted the case.


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason K. Hairston, 27, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 13, 2024 and January 30, 2025, Hairston sold a total of approximately 1.1 kilograms of methamphetamine for a total of $5,000 over the course of four separate transactions. As part of his guilty plea, Hairston admitted to the transactions and further admitted to selling a total of approximately 61.3 grams of heroin on two occasions for a total of $4,200 and an AR-style pistol for $1,000 during the time period. Each transaction was with a confidential informant and took place in Charleston. On February 4, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hairston’s residence and seized 1.958 kilograms of methamphetamine, 23.87 grams of methamphetamine “ice,” six firearms, an assortment of ammunition and magazines, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and $18,057. Hairston is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-28. ###


title: Former Supervisor of Camden County Jail Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation in the Assault of Pretrial Detainee

component: Civil Rights - Criminal Section

body_text: A former deputy sheriff and Jail Corporal with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting a pretrial detainee, identified by the initials J.H. Ryan Robert Biegel, 27, of Kingsland, Georgia, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Lisa G. Wood on January 28 to one count of using unreasonable force against the detainee. According to the plea agreement, on September 3, 2022, Biegel and two other correctional officers entered a holding cell in which J.H. was being detained. Upon entering the cell, two other correctional officers restrained J.H.’s arms and pushed him against a wall. Biegel admitted that he punched J.H. five times in the back of the head, which he knew was not reasonable or necessary to accomplish a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and then struck J.H. in the head and body an additional twenty-two times with his fists and knees. The FBI Brunswick RA Field Office investigated the matter along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland for the Southern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Monroe Man Sentenced to 48 Months’ Imprisonment for Committing $2 Million In  Covid-19 Pandemic Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brian J. Albelli, age 46, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 23, 2025, to 48 months of imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, following his convictions of wire fraud and money laundering. According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Albelli filed approximately 20 fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds, including under the Payment Protection Program (PPP) and for Economic Injury and Disaster Loans (EIDLs). Albelli filed the applications in the name of various business entities under his and his family’s control, listing himself, his wife, and his parents as the signatories. Some of the applications submitted by Albelli were filed on behalf of corporate entities under his control that did not, in fact, have actual business operations. Through his scheme, Albelli secured over $2.2 million in pandemic stimulus funds. Instead of using his funds on business expenses, as intended, Albelli used them to purchase automobiles, a boat, and make casino withdrawals, among other personal expenses. A significant portion of the loan proceeds were passed through an account held in the name of Outbreak Assets LLC, a company Abelli created for the sole purpose of receiving fraudulent proceeds, before being used on personal expenses. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Judge Mannion also sentenced Albelli to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, to pay full restitution of $2,232,077, and to forfeit numerous assets seized by investigators which included funds in bank accounts, two vehicles, and jewelry. The PPP and EIDL programs, both funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, were designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses. EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligations. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Spencer Woman Sentenced for Bank Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Spencer woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits. Gina Llerena-Donohue, 62, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to time served (approximately one day in prison) and three years of supervised release. Llerena-Donohue was also ordered to pay restitution of $45,154. In April 2025, Llerena-Donohue pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. From February 2006 through May 2021, Llerena-Donohue, fraudulently obtained approximately $41,954 in Social Security benefits and $3,200 in COVID economic impact payments. Llerena-Donohue held a power of attorney (POA) for a Social Security beneficiary that died in January 2006. She did not report the beneficiary’s death to either the Social Security Administration or the bank where the benefits were deposited. Instead, Llerena-Donohue accessed the improperly paid benefits through several counter cash withdrawals. Further, she submitted four false affidavits to the bank in 2018 and 2019 stating that the POA was still in effect because it had not been terminated by the death of the beneficiary. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Former Philadelphia Correctional Officer Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Violating the Constitutional Rights of an Inmate, Filing a False Report

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ivory S. Cousins, 36, of Glassboro, New Jersey, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to 60 months’ incarceration, a three-year period of supervised release, and a $325 special assessment for violating the constitutional rights of an inmate while employed as a Philadelphia correctional officer. The Philadelphia Department of Prisons provided substantial assistance with this case. The defendant was charged by indictment in August 2024 with violating the inmate’s constitutional rights for ignoring his significant injuries from an assault by other inmates, pepper spraying him, helping another inmate to steal from him, and obstructing the investigation of what happened to him. In April of this year, a federal jury convicted Cousins at trial of three counts of depriving an inmate of his civil rights under color of law and one count of filing a false report about the incident. As proven at trial, while on duty at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, the defendant became aware that an inmate had been assaulted by other inmates and had serious injuries, but she was deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs, failed to get him medical attention, and prevented a superior officer from discovering the inmate’s injuries. After her partner discovered the injured inmate and called for medical attention, but before assistance arrived to escort him to the medical unit, Cousins subjected the injured inmate to excessive force, unreasonably pepper spraying him. When the injured inmate had been escorted out of the area for medical attention, Cousins further violated the injured inmate’s constitutional rights by helping one of the inmates involved in his assault to steal the injured inmate’s personal belongings from his cell. When she later completed a report about the incident, Cousins provided false information about the injured inmate being aggressive, engaging in a fight, and using a weapon. “Corrections officers have significant authority over the inmates in their charge and it’s their duty to wield that power responsibly,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “If they fail to meet this standard, and violate a prisoner’s civil rights, as with Ivory Cousins, they will be prosecuted and held accountable.” “Today’s sentencing serves as a powerful reminder that no one is above the law — especially those who take an oath to uphold it,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “The FBI, together with our partners, will continue to pursue allegations of civil rights violations and abuses of power with determination and integrity. We remain firmly committed to holding individuals accountable when they betray the public’s trust.” This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Jessica Rice.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in New Bedford was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Mario Lopez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to time served (approximately four months) and two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025 , Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Lopez was deported from the United States on Dec. 8, 2010 after an assault conviction in Maryland. In 2022, after his removal, Lopez attempted to return to the United States twice but was denied entry. Thereafter, Lopez unlawfully reentered the United States on an unknown date. In November 2023, Lopez was arrested by local law enforcement in Westport on an open warrant. Lopez was later arrested in March 2024 in New Bedford for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, open and gross lewdness and an open container violation. He was arrested again in New Bedford, in December 2024 for operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of property damage, negligent operation and other charges. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican Citizen Living Illegally in Charleston Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Maximino Montalvo Salas, 20, a Mexican citizen living illegally in Charleston, pleaded guilty today to the felony offense of knowingly possessing a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”) and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainers on Salas and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2025, law enforcement officers encountered Salas in Charleston. ICE agents confirmed that Salas is a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and used a counterfeited Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment in the United States. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-83. ###


title: Louisiana Nurse Practitioner Convicted of $12M Medicare Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Louisiana nurse practitioner today for her role in an over $12.1 million health care fraud scheme to defraud Medicare by ordering medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests for hundreds of patients she never met or examined. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scharmaine Lawson Baker, 58, of Richmond, Texas, served as a nurse practitioner and was an enrolled Medicare provider. She held herself out as an expert in Medicare regulations – authoring publications on medical necessity and patient-provider relationships – while actively violating those very standards. “Scharmaine Lawson Baker shamelessly exploited her medical license and the trust of vulnerable patients to enrich herself through a multimillion-dollar genetic testing fraud,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant peddled false promises of free cancer screenings while pocketing kickbacks for medically unnecessary tests. The Criminal Division remains relentless in uncovering and prosecuting fraud against government programs and those who prey on victims for personal gain.” “This conviction signals the end of a challenging and labor-intensive prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Medicare fraud schemes such as these, profoundly impact our society, not only because of the monetary loss sustained by our Medicare program, and the damages suffered by those who were victimized by the fraud, but also by the erosion of public trust in our institutions. The successful prosecution of this case exemplifies our commitment to seek justice for all victims of fraud as well as to preserve taxpayer confidence in our nation’s medical institutions as a whole.” “Lawson Baker abused the privilege of her license to orchestrate a $12 million Medicare fraud scheme,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “In doing so she not only broke the law, she betrayed the trust of a system built to care for the sick, elderly and most vulnerable. This was a calculated abuse of power fueled by greed. The FBI will continue to investigate those accused of exploiting our health care system at the expense of those suffering.” “This defendant brazenly exploited the federal health care system for personal profit. Her scheme to peddle millions of dollars of medically unnecessary genetic tests was not a mistake — it was a calculated crime. She preyed on vulnerable patients, siphoned taxpayer dollars, and turned health care into a tool for fraud. Her actions represent a deliberate betrayal of public trust and a flagrant abuse of those she was entrusted to serve,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in coordination with our federal and state partners, will continue to apply every available resource to detect and disrupt fraud schemes that seek to abuse the Medicare program and enrollees.” From 2018 to 2019, Lawson Baker worked as an independent contractor for a company that claimed to provide telehealth services. In her role, the defendant signed hundreds of orders for medically unnecessary cancer genetic testing after brief phone calls – typically lasting less than 60 seconds – and without conducting any physical exams of patients. Lawson Baker falsely diagnosed patients to justify the unnecessary tests, such as diagnosing male patients with cervical cancer that they did not have. Lawson Baker never reviewed any of the test results, including when the results showed that patients actually had variants predisposing them to certain cancers. In furtherance of the scheme, Lawson Baker participated in phone calls misleading patients into believing they were being screened for cancer at no cost, despite the tests ordered not actually diagnosing patients with existing cancer. In doing so, she exploited the trust placed in licensed health care professionals and manipulated vulnerable patients. In total, Lawson Baker caused over $12.1 million in fraudulent Medicare claims and the labs involved in the scheme received over $1.5 million in reimbursements for unnecessary testing. In exchange for signing these orders, Lawson Baker accepted kickbacks and bribes from the telehealth company – payments she later failed to disclose in her bankruptcy petition. Lawson Baker was convicted of six counts of health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Samantha Usher and Gary A. Crosby II of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section assisted in the prosecution. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: High Point Woman Sentenced for Wire Fraud

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – A High Point, North Carolina woman was sentenced on July 22, 2025, in Winston-Salem to 7 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). Wendy Gibson-Fitzgerald, age 53, was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment plus 3 years supervised release by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. According to court records, from 2017 through May of 2020, Gibson-Fitzgerald defrauded the victim company and lenders of $466,776.79. Gibson-Fitzgerald fraudulently utilized the victim’s personal identifying information to take out loans in the victim’s name. Some of the loans required daily payments. Additionally, Gibson-Fitzgerald secured high-interest loans with victim company equipment and accounts receivable. Gibson-Fitzgerald fraudulently obtained credit cards in the victim’s name as well as fraudulently made hundreds of money transfers from the victim’s personal and business accounts into Gibson-Fitzgerald’s personal accounts. Gibson-Fitzgerald used the money to pay for personal expenses including trips and retail shopping. Gibson-Fitzgerald had previously been convicted of Felony Conspiracy to Defraud the United States – Illegal Kickback Scheme, Felony Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II and II Controlled Substances and Felony Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud in 2012 in the Western District of North Carolina. Gibson-Fitzgerald pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025, to eight counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the High Point Police Department. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney and Assistant United States Attorney Frank Chut. ###


title: FORMER SUPERVISOR OF CAMDEN COUNTY JAIL SENTENCED FOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION FOR ASSAULTING A PRETRIAL DETAINEE

body_text: BRUNSWICK, Ga.–A former deputy sheriff and Jail Corporal with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting a pretrial detainee, identified by the initials J.H. Ryan Robert Biegel, 27, of Kingsland, Georgia, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Lisa G. Wood on Jan. 28 to one count of using unreasonable force against the detainee. According to the plea agreement, on Sept. 3, 2022, Biegel and two other correctional officers entered a holding cell in which J.H. was being detained. Upon entering the cell, two other correctional officers restrained J.H.’s arms and pushed him against a wall. Biegel admitted that he punched J.H. five times in the back of the head, which he knew was not reasonable or necessary to accomplish a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and then struck J.H. in the head and body an additional twenty-two times with his fists and knees. The FBI Brunswick RA Field Office investigated the matter along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland for the Southern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Flight Attendant Who Filmed Minors in Aircraft Lavatory Sentenced to 18.5 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A former American Airlines flight attendant was sentenced yesterday for surreptitiously recording minor female passengers as they used aircraft lavatories. Estes Carter Thompson III, 38, of Charlotte, N.C., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 18.5 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In March 2025 , Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor. “Mr. Thompson took advantage of his position of trust as a flight attendant to exploit innocent children – directing them to an aircraft bathroom he had set up to record them and then revisiting those videos for his own sexual gratification. In so doing, he shattered five children’s sense of safety and trust in the world around them, leaving them instead with fear, mistrust, insecurity and sadness,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “It is our hope that this sentence provides at least some space for the victims and their families to heal.” “Estes Carter Thompson thought he had a no-fail plan to sexually exploit children for his own gratification, until a brave 14-year-old girl thwarted his plan, and worked with us to put an end to his deviant behavior,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “This flight attendant’s disgraceful actions robbed five young girls of their innocence and caused significant pain and trauma that will likely be felt by these victims and their families for years to come. No sentence can ever make up for that but know the FBI and our partners are committed to protecting our most vulnerable from predators like him.” “When this disturbing incident came to our attention, Troopers assigned to Logan Airport took immediate action to ensure the safety of the victim and secure material evidence that became the basis of the federal case. Their diligence and proactive collaboration with FBI Boston stopped this individual from continuing a sustained pattern of child exploitation,” said Colonel Geoffrey Noble. “I commend the young victim and her family for teaching her to speak up when she recognized that something wasn’t right. The Massachusetts State Police remains committed to partnering with the US Attorney’s Office and all our federal partners to ensure criminals in these cases face justice.” On Sept. 2, 2023, while working as a flight attendant onboard an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, N.C. to Boston, Mass., Thompson video-recorded or attempted to surreptitiously video-record a 14-year-old female passenger as she used the lavatory. Specifically, before the minor victim entered the lavatory, Thompson surreptitiously attached his iPhone to the underside of the toilet seat lid using red “INOPERATIVE EQUIPMENT” stickers and set the phone’s camera to record with the flashlight illuminated. After the victim exited the lavatory, Thompson immediately entered the lavatory and removed his iPhone. The minor victim reported this to her parents who then reported it to other flight attendants onboard. When confronted by the minor’s father and other flight staff, Thompson locked himself in the lavatory with his iPhone and restored the device to factory settings – wiping all content from the phone. Upon the flight’s arrival at Boston’s Logan Airport, Thompson’s suitcase was found to contain 11 “INOPERATIVE EQUIPMENT” stickers, like those observed by the minor victim on the back of the toilet seat. A search of Thompson’s iCloud account revealed four additional instances in which Thompson recorded minor females using the aircraft lavatory on flights he had worked between January and August 2023. The four minor victims depicted in the surreptitious recordings were six, nine, 11 and 14 years old at the time. The videos were taken aboard American Airlines flights from Charlotte, N.C. to Denver, Co.; Charlotte, N.C. to Kansas City, Mo.; Orlando, Fla. to Charlotte, N.C.; and Austin, Texas to Los Angeles, Calif. Each of the videos appeared to be taken in a similar fashion, in which Thompson attached his iPhone to a spot above a toilet seat and at an angle that captured the minor victims’ genitalia as they used the lavatory. For two of the videos, Thompson was found to have taken and stored 272 screenshots and 98 screenshots, respectively. Also found on Thompson’s iCloud were over 50 images of a nine-year-old child who had travelled as an unaccompanied minor on a flight he worked. The images included close-ups of the minor’s face as she slept, and images focused on the child’s clothed buttocks as she de-planed. Additionally, hundreds of AI-generated images depicting child sexual abuse were also found stored on Thompson’s iCloud account. All minor victims involved in this matter have been identified and their families have been contacted by law enforcement. U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and MSP Colonel Noble made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Whittier Man Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging He Used Dating Apps to Con Victims Out of More Than $2 Million

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A Whittier man was arrested today on a 14-count federal indictment alleging that he used dating apps and websites such as Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble to con victims of his romance scams out of more than $2 million. Christopher Earl Lloyd, 39, is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned on the felony charges this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. Lloyd is charged with 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from the fraud. According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on July 2, from April 2021 to February 2024, Lloyd used dating apps and websites to befriend and engage in romantic relationships with his victims. Lloyd lied to his victims to give them the impression that he was financially successful and knowledgeable about investments. Lloyd’s falsehoods included that he had closed on multiple properties, that he had been a financial manager for years, that he was the vice president of a company called Planet 13 Holdings, and that he worked for an investment company called Landmark Associates. None of these statements was true. Lloyd fraudulently induced his victims to provide money and property to him, including in the form of purported investments, by telling them he knew of investment opportunities that would benefit them. Lloyd also told his victims that he would invest their money, that they would receive regular returns on these investments, and that they could withdraw these investments at any time. He supported his false statements by signing contracts with victims that specified the investments that the victims were to make and setting a false schedule of investment returns. Lloyd’s victims then sent him money, including via wire transfers, Cash App, Zelle, or cash payments. Lloyd used the victims’ money for his own personal benefit. For example, in May 2023, Lloyd allegedly withdrew $40,000 in funds a victim sent him to write a check to a Lexus car dealership in Mission Viejo. In total, Lloyd caused his victims to suffer more than $2 million in losses. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Lloyd would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years in federal prison for the monetary transaction count. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Fu of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.


title: California Certified Public Accountant Indicted for Filing False Tax Returns and Mail Fraud Scheme

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a California man with filing false tax returns, mail fraud, and money laundering. Gilbert was previously charged with filing false tax returns earlier this year. The following is according to the superseding indictment: Michael M. Gilbert, of San Rafael, filed false tax returns for himself and two business entities he controlled. Gilbert, a certified public accountant since 1985, allegedly underreported the total income his accounting and tax return preparation business, M.M. Gilbert & Company Inc., received during the years 2017 through 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Gilbert solicited payments from clients of M.M. Gilbert for “tax strategies” and “donations,” among other things, which the clients paid to White Mountain Properties Inc., another entity Gilbert controlled. Gilbert allegedly did not report these payments as income on the company’s 2017 through 2021 business tax returns. These payments to White Mountain were allegedly proceeds from Gilbert’s scheme to defraud his clients through the promise of some tax benefit. In fact, the White Mountain funds did not create a tax benefit for Gilbert’s clients, and Gilbert allegedly instead diverted the payments for his own personal enrichment. In 2020-2021, Gilbert is alleged to have transferred more than $5 million from White Mountain to himself and then failed to report that income on his individual tax returns. If convicted, Gilbert faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count money laundering, and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Julia M. Rugg and Patrick Burns of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Missionary Charged with Sexually Abusing Minors Abroad

body_text: A former missionary was arrested today in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for sexually abusing minors abroad. William James Purdy, 28, of West Valley, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16 on charges related to the exploitation of minors outside the United States. “The defendant in this case chose to travel abroad under the guise of good intentions and then sexually exploited and abused children who had been trusted to his care,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When foreign authorities sought to hold him accountable, he fled back to the United States. The United States will not export child exploitation. The Justice Department is committed to securing justice for children exploited overseas when these heinous acts are committed by Americans.” “William James Purdy's actions represent a profound betrayal of trust and have caused immeasurable harm to the young lives he was supposed to protect and nurture,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia. “HSI's global reach and partnerships are crucial in our relentless fight against child predators, ensuring that those who exploit and abuse children, no matter where they are, are brought to justice. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and will continue to work tirelessly to prevent such heinous crimes.” “This is a perfect illustration of the DSS global reach and our ability to partner with U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies on international cases,” said Acting Assistant Director of Domestic Operations Adrian Diaz of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). “DSS and our counterparts are conducting investigations like these on a daily basis around the world.” According to court documents, Purdy, a U.S. Citizen, traveled to Tonga in 2017 for his mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While there, he allegedly sexually abused multiple minor boys. Purdy returned to Tonga in late 2019 to teach at a school in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. For years, Purdy allegedly groomed and sexually abused numerous male students, some of whom lived with him. Purdy allegedly provided gifts, including electronic devices and access to the internet, food, toys, and money, in exchange for the performance of sexual acts. Purdy is also alleged to have surreptitiously recorded minor males in his bathroom at his various Tonga apartments. Purdy was arrested by Tonga police in October 2022, when an eight‑year‑old boy disclosed that Purdy sexually assaulted him during their tutoring sessions. When Purdy was released from jail, he allegedly continued to sexually abuse children. In March 2023, just prior to his scheduled trial, Purdy fled Tonga using an assumed identity and returned to Utah. The investigation thus far has identified 14 minor victims throughout Tonga. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) are investigating the case, with the substantial assistance of the Tonga Police and the Tongan Department of Public Prosecutions. The Justice Department’s Office of international Affairs provided assistance. Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Joey L. Blanch for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: July Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Jonathan Tyler Gross. Possession of Child Pornography; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (superseding). Gross, 36, of Mounds, is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including children under 12 years old. He is further charged with coercing and enticing a minor victim under 18 years old to engage in a sexual act. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-137 Zackery True Huddleston. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Huddleston, 37, of Afton, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-254 David Lera-Hernandez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lera-Hernandez, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-260 Damon Terrell Lewis. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Lewis, 47, of Sapulpa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He is additionally charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-267 Oscar Omar Munoz-Vasquez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Munoz-Vasquez, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2015. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-261 Edgar Noel Partida-Valdez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Partida-Valdez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2008. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-263 Daniel Eduardo Plateado-Martinez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Plateado-Martinez, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2017. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-262 Adam Wayne Ruth. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying Firearms During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Ruth, 42, transient, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. Additionally, Ruth is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-255 Francisco Sanchez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Sanchez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2012. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-264 Jose Amadeos Sanchez Sanchez. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Sanchez, 42, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl. He is further charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence for the purpose of drug distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, the Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-256 Miguel Gabino Trujillo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Trujillo, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-265 Ryan David Whittington. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Whittington, 26, of Sand Springs and a member of the Chickasaw Nation, is charged with assaulting a victim, which resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI, the Bartlesville Police Department, and the Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Heign is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-257


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

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

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Terrence Dockery, 33 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Dockery was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. According to documents in the case, police conducted a traffic stop as Dockery was riding his moped on a late summer night in South Bend. Police found Dockery in possession of two guns and about 30 grams of methamphetamine. Dockery has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for dealing methamphetamine and arson, and as such, he is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Arizona Woman Sentenced in $17M IT Worker Fraud Scheme That Illegally Generated Revenue for North Korea

body_text: WASHINGTON – Christina Marie Chapman, 50, of Litchfield Park, Arizona, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 102 months in prison for her role in a fraudulent scheme that assisted North Korean workers—posing as U.S. citizens and residents—in obtaining and working in remote IT positions at more than 300 U.S. companies. The scheme generated more than $17 million in illicit revenue for herself and for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea), announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Chapman pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2025, in the District of Columbia to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. In addition to the 102-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Chapman to serve three years of supervised release, to forfeit $284,555.92 that was to be paid to the North Koreans, and to pay a judgement of $176,850. The case involved one of the largest North Korean IT worker fraud schemes charged by the Department of Justice, with 68 U.S. person identities stolen and 309 U.S. businesses and two international businesses defrauded. Joining in the announcement were Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Heith R. Janke of the FBI Phoenix Field Office, and Internal Revenue Service Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick for IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office. U.S. Attorney Pirro noted her Office’s ongoing efforts to stem North Korean revenue generation. “North Korea is not just a threat to the homeland from afar. It is an enemy within. It is perpetrating fraud on American citizens, american companies, and American banks. It is a threat to Main Street in every sense of the word,” she said. Pirro further called on corporate America to take action. “The call is coming from inside the house. If this happened to these big banks, to these Fortune 500, brand name, quintessential American companies, it can or is happening at your company. Corporations failing to verify virtual employees pose a security risk for all. You are the first line of defense against the North Korean threat.” Said Acting Assistant Attorney General Galeotti: “The defendant’s role as a U.S.-based facilitator was critical to North Korea’s complex scheme to defraud American companies and steal the identities of American citizens. This multi-year plot highlights the unique threat that North Korea poses to U.S. companies who hire remote workers. The Criminal Division remains steadfast in its commitment to identify and prosecute individuals who facilitate these criminal schemes against U.S. companies.” “The North Korean regime has generated millions of dollars for its nuclear weapons program by victimizing American citizens, businesses, and financial institutions,” said FBI Assistant Director Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “However, even an adversary as sophisticated as the North Korean government can't succeed without the assistance of willing U.S. citizens like Christina Chapman, who was sentenced today for her role in an elaborate scheme to defraud more than 300 American companies by helping North Korean IT workers gain virtual employment and launder the money they earned. Today's sentencing demonstrates that the FBI will work tirelessly with our partners to defend the homeland and hold those accountable who aid our adversaries.” According to court documents, North Korea has deployed thousands of highly skilled IT workers around the world, including the United States, to obtain remote employment using false, stolen, or borrowed identities of U.S. persons. To circumvent controls employed by U.S. companies to prevent hiring illicit overseas IT workers, the North Korean IT workers obtain assistance from persons residing in the U.S. Chapman, an American citizen, conspired and assisted the North Korean IT workers from October 2020 to October 2023. Using stolen and purchased identities of U.S. nationals, the North Korean IT workers applied for remote IT jobs at U.S. companies and, in furtherance of the scheme, transmitted false documents to the Department of Homeland Security on at least 100 occasions. Chapman and her coconspirators obtained jobs at 309 U.S. companies, including Fortune 500 corporations, often through temporary staffing companies or other contracting organizations. The impacted companies included a top-five major television network, a Silicon Valley technology company, an aerospace manufacturer, an American car maker, a luxury retail store, and a U.S media and entertainment company. The IT workers also attempted to obtain employment and access to information at two different U.S. government agencies, although these efforts were generally unsuccessful. Some of the companies were purposely targeted by a group of DPRK IT workers, who maintained a repository of postings for companies at which they wanted to insert IT workers. Chapman operated a “laptop farm” where she received and hosted computers from the U.S. companies her home, so that the companies would believe the workers were in the United States. Chapman also shipped 49 laptops and other devices supplied by U.S. companies to locations overseas, including multiple shipments to a city in China on the border with North Korea. More than 90 laptops were seized from Chapman’s home following the execution of a search warrant in October 2023. Christina Chapman organized and stored U.S. company laptops in her home, and included notes identifying the U.S. company and identity associated with each laptop. Chapman and the North Korean IT workers netted more than $17.1 million for their work. Much of the income was falsely reported to the IRS and Social Security Administration in the names of actual U.S. individuals whose identities had been stolen or borrowed. Additionally, Chapman received and forged payroll checks in the names of the stolen identities used by the IT workers and received IT workers’ wages through direct deposit from U.S. companies in her U.S. financial accounts. Chapman further transferred the proceeds from the scheme to individuals overseas. Said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Janke: “The sentencing today demonstrates the great lengths to which the North Korean government will go in its efforts and resources to fund its illicit activities. The FBI continues to pursue these threat actors to disrupt their network and hold those accountable wherever they may be.” “Today’s sentencing brings justice to the victims whose identities were stolen for this international fraud scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office. “The scheme was elaborate. If this sentencing proves anything, it’s that no amount of obfuscation will prevent IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners from tracking down those that wish to steal the identities of U.S. nationals, launder money, or engage in criminality that jeopardizes national security.” The conspiracy orchestrated a vast and sophisticated fraud scheme, at the expense of generally unknowing U.S. companies and persons — generating at least $17.1 million of revenue for North Korea. The coconspirators compromised the identities of 68 U.S. persons, creating false tax liabilities for these victims; applied for or obtained remote jobs at 309 U.S. companies and 2 international companies; and caused false information to be conveyed to DHS on more than 100 occasions. In 2024 a United Nations Panel of Experts report estimated that the technology sector continues to be a key moneymaker for North Korea with an estimated 3,000 North Korean IT workers abroad and another 1,000 more operating inside North Korea, generating $250 million to $600 million annually. This case was investigated by the FBI Phoenix Field Office, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office. Assistance was provided by the FBI Chicago Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Ashley R. Pungello of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein, the Victim Witness Unit, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section also provided assistance. *** In a coordinated effort, FBI Phoenix also issued guidance for HR professionals on detecting North Korean IT workers, and the Department of State issued guidance [KS1] on the North Korean IT worker threat. Prior guidance was issued by the FBI, State Department, and the Department of the Treasury on this threat in a May 2022 advisory , and by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in October 2023 . The FBI issued updated guidance in May 2024 regarding the use of U.S. persons acting as facilitators by providing a U.S.-based location for U.S. companies to send devices and a U.S.-based internet connection for access to U.S. company networks and in January 2025 concerning the extortion and theft of sensitive company data by North Korean IT workers, along with recommended mitigations. 24cr0220 Additional Guidance on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Information Technology Workers Treasury Sanctions Clandestine IT Worker Network Funding the DPRK’s Weapons Programs


title: Justice Department Sues New York City Over Sanctuary Policies

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, and several other city officials to challenge New York’s sanctuary city laws. As detailed in the complaint, New York’s sanctuary policies have allowed dangerous criminals to roam the streets and commit heinous crimes within the community. These policies reflect an intentional effort to obstruct federal law enforcement and thus are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. “New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If New York City won’t stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will.” “For too long, New York City has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. “Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now.” The case, filed in the Eastern District of New York, is the latest action from the Justice Department fighting back against unlawful obstruction of enforcement of federal immigration laws. In the past three months, the Department has filed lawsuits against Los Angeles , New York State , Colorado , Illinois , the city of Rochester, New York , and several New Jersey cities to invalidate unconstitutional sanctuary policies. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville revoked the city’s sanctuary policy after the Justice Department threatened legal action. Read the full complaint here .


title: Passaic County Man Sentenced to 194 Months in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 194 months in prison for transporting and possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today. Edward M. O’Hagan, 51, of Hawthorne, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: During the course of the investigation, law enforcement obtained records and legal process pertaining to two email accounts that were identified as belonging to O’Hagan. Based on these email accounts, law enforcement determined that, on or about January 19, 2023, O’Hagan transmitted video files containing child pornography through the internet. The investigation further revealed that O’Hagan’s email addresses utilized an encrypted file storage platform to upload and/or create files containing child pornography, which was accessed from an IP address that was traced to O’Hagan’s address. Subsequent to a lawful search of O’Hagan’s residence on May 22, 2023, law enforcement officers recovered hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography on O’Hagan’s electronic devices. In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced O’Hagan to a lifetime term of supervised release, and to pay restitution of $86,000 to the victims. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. She also thanked the Hawthorne Police Department and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farhana C. Melo and Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark


title: Former mayor sentenced to nearly four years for cocaine conspiracy that involved use of school building

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The former mayor of Progreso has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Gerardo Alanis pleaded guilty Feb. 25. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Alanis to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Alanis was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the use of a school building to store and re-package cocaine. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that dangerous drugs destroy lives on both sides of the border and that the use of school district property was an aggravating factor when determining the appropriate sentence. “It is unthinkable that a public official would allow a school of all places to be used as a storehouse for cocaine. The facts of this case demonstrate how the drug trade affects all facets of a community, not just law enforcement,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas is committed to ensuring safe schools and safe streets, and part of that goal is the total elimination of drug trafficking organizations operating within our area of operations.” The investigation determined that from 2020 to 2022, conspirators would smuggle kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Mexico. The drug trafficking organization would then re-package and conceal the cocaine in hidden compartments built into 18-wheelers. Other involved in the conspiracy would transport it to other states, specifically Illinois, Tennessee and North Carolina. Several others have already been sentenced for their roles in the scheme. Francisco Alanis, 42, Weslaco, received 150 months in federal prison. Eulalio Sierra, 51, Los Indios, was ordered to serve 120 months, while Jose Salas, 43, Weslaco, was sentenced to 47 months, and Ralph Lozano, 39, Houston, received time served. David Gomez-Ramos, 36, Mercedes, will serve a 139-month-term of imprisonment, while Juan Pablo Serrata, 50, Santa Rosa, and Gregorio Salinas, 54, Mercedes, received prison terms of 70 and 37 months, respectively. Gomez-Ramos, Serrata and Salinas are not U.S. citizens and are expected to face removal proceedings following the completion of their sentence. Alanis was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Drug Enforcement Administration, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Lance Watt and former AUSA Alejandra Andrade prosecuted the case. The investigation is part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces which identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.


title: California Lobbying Firm Agrees to Settle Fraud Allegations Involving Paycheck Protection Program

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Political Solutions, LLC, has agreed to pay the United States $556,924 in damages and penalties to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) by receiving a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide emergency relief to small businesses experiencing economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many small businesses were eligible for these loans, some were not, including those primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities. In April 2020, Political Solutions, a lobbying firm, applied for and received a PPP loan for $216,000. Political Solutions applied for and received forgiveness of the loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in January 2021. This settlement resolves allegations that Political Solutions knowingly made false statements in certifying the business’s eligibility for a PPP loan. As part of the settlement, Political Solutions agreed to pay $456,924 in damages under the FCA and $100,000 in civil penalties under FIRREA. “The Paycheck Protection Program was a vital resource for struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “This Office will continue to investigate businesses who took advantage of these funds at the expense of the public.” SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis stated, “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies, such as the Small Business Administration working in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to pursue a fair recovery of pandemic relief funds.” This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Fuentes. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Rocky Mount Brothers Sentenced for Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Operation

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Two Rocky Mount men were sentenced this week to federal prison for their roles in separate but related drug trafficking operations involving crack cocaine, fentanyl, and firearms. “Pumping illicit narcotics—especially fentanyl—into our communities not only endangers the lives of our citizens, it is a serious federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We’re grateful to our local and federal partners who worked to shut down both operations, hold these defendants responsible, and make Nash County neighborhoods safer.” “I’m proud of the investigators who refused to stop at the street level and took this case to a higher level,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “Their tireless work helped take down major players in the drug trade and made our community a safer place.” Anivel Pedro Puddy, 35, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine. His brother, Carvell Shamike Puddy, 33, of Rocky Mount, was sentenced to nine years for distributing crack and possessing a firearm in connection with drug trafficking. Both men pleaded guilty earlier this year. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Anivel Puddy was selling crack and fentanyl-laced Percocet pills in the Rocky Mount area between 2023 and early 2024. Investigators used informants and surveillance to track his activities and eventually searched multiple residences associated to him. On one occasion, officers found more than 470 grams of cocaine, fentanyl pills disguised as Percocet, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and high-capacity magazines. Carvell Puddy ran his operation from several homes across Rocky Mount. Law enforcement bought more than 500 grams of crack from him during undercover buys. When they searched his locations, they found over 60 grams of crack, a loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, and a disassembled sawed-off shotgun. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress and Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00252 and 5:24-CR-00092.


title: Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston-area man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang. Wilter Rodrigues, 39, was sentenced on July 22, 2025 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Rodrigues pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. According to court documents, Rodrigues was identified as member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Rodrigues worked with two co-defendants to allegedly distribute cocaine and cocaine base from an apartment in Somerville. Rodrigues has a lengthy criminal record, including a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two state court convictions for drug-distribution offenses. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Warren County Man Admits Sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Warren County, Missouri on Thursday admitted sharing child sexual abuse material online. Donald Carl Held, 50, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. He admitted sharing photos with an undercover investigator with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that Held claimed depicted a 15-year-old girl. He also claimed he was engaged in sexual activity with the teen. A joint HSI - St. Charles County Police Department investigation resulted in a court-approved search of Held’s home on March 4, 2024, that recovered electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Held told investigators that he shared CSAM almost every day with others online via a messaging app, Teleguard. He said he lied about the teen. Held’s cellphone contained 1,077 images and videos with CSAM. His Teleguard and Telegram accounts contained “extensive” communications between Held and others during which they shared and promoted CSAM. Held also advised others on how to avoid law enforcement detection. Held is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27. Each charge carries a potential prison sentence of up 20 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Newburyport Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Scheme to Defraud Home Repair Insurance Providers of More Than $2 Million

body_text: BOSTON – A Newburyport man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for defrauding a home repair insurance provider by billing for purported repair jobs that were never performed. Christian Decristofaro, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Decristofaro was also ordered to pay $2,196,323 in restitution. The Court ordered forfeiture in the same amount. In March 2025 , Decristofaro pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with wire fraud. Decristofaro caused NE Premier Home Services LLC (NE Premier) – a purported home repair company he controlled – to enroll as a contractor with a home repair insurance provider (the victim). Decristofaro used false identities to enroll non-existent homeowners in insurance plans with the victim insurance provider. Decristofaro then reported fictitious home emergencies to the victim on behalf of the purported homeowners and requested that NE Premier be assigned to perform the repairs. He then caused NE Premier to bill the victim insurance provider for the repair jobs, even though there was no repair work done. As a result of these fraudulent billings, between approximately October 2020 and June 2023, the victim insurance provider paid NE Premier approximately $2,196,323 for services that NE Premier had not rendered. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Roxbury Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Heath Street Gang member/associate was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston on drug conspiracy charges. Charles Bomman, 34, of Roxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. In January 2025 , Bomman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Bomman was among more than 40 alleged Heath Street Gang members/associates arrested and charged in February 2024 with various charges including racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms and financial fraud. From 2021 through 2024, Bomman participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, in particular, powdered cocaine, cocaine base (crack) and fentanyl. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department and Massachusetts State Police. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Luis Fernando Lara Uribe, 49, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In April 2025 , Lara Uribe pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Lara Uribe was previously deported five times, the last being in February 2015. Sometime after his removal in 2015, Lara Uribe unlawfully reentered the United States. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Guatemalan National Indicted On Fraud And Illegal Reentry Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Diego Andres Garcia (45, Guatemala) with possession of false documents, false representation of a Social Security number, and illegal reentry of a removed alien. Garcia faces up to 10 years in federal prison on the false documents charge, up to 5 years on the false representation of a SSN charge, and up to 2 years’ imprisonment on the illegal reentry charge. Garcia was arrested on a criminal complaint on July 17, 2025. According to court documents, in July 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted an immigration enforcement and compliance inspection involving a construction company in Jacksonville, Florida. During the inspection, HSI determined that Garcia submitted to the company a counterfeit Permanent Resident card and Social Security card and lied about his status in the United States. On July 17, 2025, HSI arrested Garcia on the fraud related charges. During processing, HSI determined that Garcia was in the United States after having previously been removed from the United States in 2006 and 2013. Garcia had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. 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 Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. 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).


title: Brazilian National Sentenced for Selling Firearms Without a License and Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully living in Massachusetts has been sentenced for conspiring to sell firearms without a license. Lucas Henrique Moreira DePaiva, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin on July 22, 2024 to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In April 2025 , Moreira DePaiva pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. Between Feb. 28, 2024 and Sept. 17, 2024, Moreira DePaiva sold 15 firearms across 10 dates in exchange for cash. In addition to firearms, Moreira DePaiva also sold ammunition and magazines. In February 2024, he also conspired with another individual to sell one of these firearms. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Weymouth and Malden Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Crowley and John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Former Vice Chairman of Smyth County School Board Sentenced to 30 Years

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – The former Vice Chairman of the Smyth County School Board was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for using at least six minor, male victims to produce child pornography. Todd Stewart Williams, 54, of Chilhowie, Virginia, pled guilty in April 2025 to four counts of persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing and attempting to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more minors to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, in interstate commerce. In addition to his prison term, the Court sentenced Williams to 10 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay more than $20,000 in assessments. “Children are spending more time online than ever before, which makes them susceptible to individuals looking to do them harm,” United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert said today. “It is our job in the law enforcement community to protect our kids and prosecute those who prey upon the innocent. Today’s sentence sends a clear message to anyone who exploits a child: you will be fully held accountable.” “Todd Williams, who was entrusted with overseeing the education and welfare of students in Smyth County, committed indefensible acts, forever affecting the lives of his minor victims. FBI Richmond will continue working with state and local law enforcement, as well as our partners at the US Attorney’s Office to ensure the safety of our children. We will not let child predators escape justice,” said Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. According to court documents, Williams’s criminal activity came to the attention of law enforcement in September 2022 when a 15-year-old boy from Oklahoma reported to the FBI that Williams, using the Snapchat username “todd_w3411,” had offered to pay the boy for explicit images of himself. The FBI’s investigation eventually revealed that Todd Williams had sent the boy more than $2,100 in less than six months and exchanged numerous sexual messages with the boy. The FBI’s investigation positively identified at least 11 victims and has also revealed other victims who have not yet been identified. To conceal his criminal activity, Williams used Snapchat, Signal, and Telegram, all of which are designed so that messages and images can be set to disappear or “self-destruct” shortly after they are received. Williams’s pattern was to find a young boy on Snapchat, befriend the boy, find out what he liked, and solicit pornographic photos and videos from the boy in exchange for money or gifts. From 2022 to 2024, Williams paid one teen to take photos and videos of the teen sexually abusing his younger stepbrother, who was 8 to 10 years old at the time. As directed by Williams, the teen would approach his stepbrother in his bedroom at night and force his stepbrother to watch pornography and engage in sexual acts. Between November 2022 and May 2023, Williams sent the teen more than $3,600 spread across thirty-nine payments ranging from $50 to $200. At one point, Williams mailed the teen a debit card hidden inside a box of new shoes. Williams instructed the teen how to lie to his mother about the origin of the new shoes. Williams spent more than $10,000 buying nude images from at least six underage male victims. In addition to serving on the Smyth County School Board, Williams worked with a school basketball team in Smyth County. Williams used his position with the basketball team to spend time in the youth locker room and surreptitiously record boys in various states of undress, though no genitalia are visible in the recordings. On one occasion, Williams set up a hidden camera to record a young boy using the bathroom on an overnight basketball trip. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit Pierce is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Jefferson County man sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Carl Wayne Hite, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 24, 2025. According to information presented in court, in July 2023, federal narcotics agents in Beaumont initiated an investigation into the suspected drug trafficking activities of Hite. The investigation revealed that Hite was supplying fentanyl-laced pills on a recurring basis to individuals in Jefferson County. Federal agents were able to obtain fentanyl-laced pills directly from Hite, at which time Hite was arrested, and a search warrant was executed at his residence. During the search of Hite’s residence, law enforcement seized various controlled substances, including fentanyl. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Beaumont Police Department; Port Neches Police Department; Port Arthur Police Department; FBI CAST; Jefferson County Crime Laboratory; and DEA South Central Laboratory. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan C. Lee and Matthew Quinn. ###


title: David M. Toepfer Takes Oath as U.S. Attorney, Becoming  Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer  for the Northern District of Ohio

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – David M. Toepfer , of Warren, has taken the oath of office to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. Mr. Toepfer is now the top-ranking federal law enforcement official for the district representing the United States in all federal and civil litigation. Mr. Toepfer was sworn in by Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi at the U.S. Courthouse in Akron following the July 23 appointment by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Mr. Toepfer was appointed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of the United States Attorney is vacant.” In July, President Donald J. Trump nominated Mr. Toepfer to the position and his nomination remains pending in the United States Senate. “It is the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Northern Ohio in this role. Our office will continue working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to protect the public by aggressively enforcing the laws of the United States,” said United States Attorney Toepfer. “I am thankful for the trust President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed in me, and for the support of Senators Moreno and Husted as the confirmation process proceeds through the Senate.” Mr. Toepfer is responsible for a district covering the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, home to nearly six million people. The U.S. Attorney’s Office operates from its main headquarters in Cleveland, with additional branches in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown. Mr. Toepfer will lead a staff of nearly 200 attorneys and support personnel. A career prosecutor of nearly three decades, Mr. Toepfer joined the Northern District of Ohio in 2008 as an Assistant United States Attorney based in the Youngstown office. He has served in a variety of leadership roles with the office, and most recently served as branch chief for both Youngstown and Akron. In this role, he supervised branch attorneys and served as a liaison between federal and local law enforcement agencies to review and prepare cases for federal prosecution. In his 17 years with the office, he has prosecuted a wide range of federal criminal cases such as bank robbery, firearms offenses, fraud, narcotics, and export-controlled technology. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he served for nine years as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Trumbull County, Ohio, conducting jury trials in common pleas court for all felonies including death penalty cases, murder, and violent offenses, and coordinating investigations involving numerous local police agencies. He also served two years as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Portage County where he conducted felony and misdemeanor trials in juvenile and municipal courts. Mr. Toepfer has dedicated his career to focusing on the prosecution of the most violent offenders, dismantling interstate drug trafficking organizations, and enforcing federal immigration laws. The Warren native has also been the recipient of numerous awards. Most notably, in 2010 he was nationally recognized with the Director’s Award from the Department of Justice for leading the Violence and Gun Reduction Interdiction Program in Youngstown and Warren, Ohio. The program was a federal, state, and local initiative that successfully targeted violent offenders who illegally used and possessed firearms. Mr. Toepfer is a magna cum laude graduate from Youngstown State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, majoring in accounting. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Akron School of Law. Mr. Toepfer’s appointment marks the first time in more than 117 years that a Youngstown-area lawyer will serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. For more information about the district, visit justice.gov/usao-ndoh .


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Scott Wayne Laney, 47, was sentenced today to 420 months in prison for production of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, between summer 2023 and lasting until January 2024, Laney sexually abused the minor victim, created images of the sexual abuse, and on several occasions distributed them to others on the internet. During the time of the abuse, the victim was under 13 years old. Laney is a previously convicted sex offender. On August 30, 1999, Laney was convicted in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, for Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree, based on an incident where he digitally penetrated an 11-month-old infant. At the time of the instant offense conduct, Laney was required to register as a sex offender in Minnesota. The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted during sentencing that child sex offenders pose an extremely high danger of recidivism. As the Supreme Court explained in McKune v. Lile, “When convicted sex offenders reenter society, they are much more likely than any other type of offender to be rearrested for a new rape or sexual assault.” And Laney, as a “hands-on” offender, is amongst the most dangerous sex offenders who are most likely to reoffend—a reality that his criminal history has already borne out. As the facts of this case reflect, federal courts are experiencing an overabundance of cases involving the sexual abuse—and recording of such sexual abuse—of young children, owing to the ubiquity of smartphones. At sentencing, the government argued that, as these offenses become increasingly easy to commit, the penalties must be severe. The stakes could not be higher. U.S. District Judge Donavan W. Frank sentenced the defendant to 420 months—35 years—of imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In handing down his sentence, Judge Frank noted that this was one of the worst child exploitation cases he had seen in his many years on the bench. “Laney is a predator in the purest and most dangerous sense.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “The 35-year sentence he received is both a measure of justice and a permanent warning to others. We will not allow repeat abusers to cycle through our system and leave a trail of trauma behind them. Minnesota’s children are not expendable. They are not targets. And those who abuse them will be met with relentless, unforgiving federal justice.” “Today represents the final phase in pursuing justice and bringing accountability to Scott Laney for his crimes,” said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. “We will continue to doggedly pursue anyone who abuses children, our society’s most precious resource.” “Scott Laney’s long history of predatory behavior ends today, with a 35-year prison sentence,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Laney targeted young victims and disseminated child pornography. Children in our community must be protected from the abhorrent actions of convicted sex offenders like Laney. The FBI has zero tolerance for such actions, and we are fully committed to combating child sexual exploitation. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners until every child is safe.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the BCA, with assistance from the FBI and the Meeker County Sherriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also thanks the Meeker County Attorney’s Office for its assistance in prosecuting this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Shnider prosecuted the case.