component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Telehealth Company Agrees to Pay $300,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations CONCORD –U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire has entered into a settlement agreement with LifeWorks Counseling Associates, PLLC and its owner Dr. David Ferruolo where they will pay $300,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing Medicaid for services provided by an individual excluded from the Medicaid program. No program payments may be made for services furnished by an individual excluded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”). HHS-OIG has advised health care providers to check the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities on the HHS-OIG web site (http://oig.hhs.gov/exclusions) in order to avoid potential liability. LifeWorks is telehealth mental health provider based in New Hampshire. The United States contended that Ferruolo and LifeWorks submitted claims and received reimbursement from Medicaid for services provided by Erik Alonso, who was excluded from federal health care programs by HHS-OIG at the time such services were provided, which were therefore not reimbursable. To resolve their liability, Ferruolo and his company will pay $300,000. The settlement amount is based on their ability to pay. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, also handled the criminal prosecution of Erik Alonso, who pleaded to one count of healthcare fraud on October 23, 2025. LifeWorks and Ferullo fully cooperated in the parallel criminal investigation. U.S. Attorney Creegan said, “A provider is federally excluded from being paid to give heathcare for good reasons, such as prior fraud, criminal convictions, or patient abuse. To protect the public, we will hold accountable those who violate healthcare exclusions.” “The exclusion authority is a cornerstone of our efforts to protect federal health care programs from fraud and abuse,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “When providers submit claims to the Medicaid program for services rendered by excluded individuals, they violate a fundamental safeguard designed to ensure program integrity. This settlement sends a clear message: we will hold providers accountable when they fail to comply with exclusion rules.” “This settlement should put others on notice that exploiting federally funded health care programs will not be tolerated and those who engage in this type of activity will be identified and held accountable,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to protect taxpayers’ resources from those who would take advantage of such programs for their own greed.” This case was investigated by HHS-OIG and the FBI. The case was handled by Civil Chief Raphael Katz. There was no admission of liability.


title: Bixby Tattoo Artist Charged with Six Counts of Sexual Contact

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A criminal complaint was unsealed charging a Bixby tattoo artist with six separate counts of Sexual Contact in Indian Country. Today, Austin Wayne Haley, 30, appeared before the court for engaging in unwanted sexual contact with six women whom he was tattooing. Court documents allege that from the fall of 2024 through December 2025, each victim scheduled a tattoo session with Haley at his home or tattoo studio. During the appointment and while Haley was tattooing the victims, he positioned his bare penis on the victims’ body and ejaculated on some of them. Haley is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. The FBI and the Bixby Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Mortgage Fraud and Maintaining an Illegal Marijuana Grow House

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A New York man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to submitting a false mortgage loan application and maintaining a marijuana-involved premises. According to court records, Ken Yiu , 49, of New York City, purchased a house in Saint Albans using an $80,000 residential mortgage loan he obtained from a Maine bank. To receive the funding, Yiu submitted a loan application in which he answered “Yes” to the question, “Do you intend to occupy the property as your primary residence?” Yiu never intended to occupy the property in Saint Albans as a residence. From September 2020 through January 2024, he instead used the property to grow and distribute marijuana. In December 2024, federal law enforcement agents interviewed Yiu. During the interview, Yiu admitted selling marijuana he grew at his property in Saint Albans to buyers in Massachusetts. A federal search warrant for the property was executed in January 2025. The search confirmed that the property had been used and maintained by Yiu to grow and distribute marijuana. Yiu faces up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the mortgage fraud count and 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 for the drug count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Neither Yiu nor his property was licensed through the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy. The FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. ###


title: D.C. Campaign Finance Consultant Sentenced to Prison in $1.5 Million Fraud of Covid-Era Loan Program

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jennifer May, 43, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to more than 12 months in federal prison for her role in a scheme that defrauded $1,500,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the U.S. Government, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. May pleaded guilty on Aug. 27, 2025, to an Information charging her with one count of wire fraud. In addition to the more than 12-month term of incarceration, Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered May to serve three years of supervised release. Under the terms of her plea agreement, May also must return the $1,500,000 to the United States. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office and Inspector i n Charge Damon E. Wood U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division According to court documents, May was founder and owner of Next Level Partners LLC, a consulting firm specializing in assisting campaigns with complying with campaign finance regulations and managing their accounts payable functions. In October 2021, May applied for a second modification to an original EIDL application, requesting an additional $1,500,000 in EIDL funds for Next Level Partners. The EIDL was a response to the COVID-19 pandemic in which the U.S. Small Business Administration offered small business owners low-interest, long-term loans. The funds were intended to be used for working capital to make regular payments for operating expenses, including payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, and other ordinary business expenses, and to pay business debt. May falsely certified on loan applications that she would use all loan proceeds only for business-related purposes. Yet the very same day that the SBA disbursed the funds to NLP’s account, May began diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars into her personal accounts and, from there, to cryptocurrency exchanges where she speculated on a thinly traded crypto-asset called “Tomb.” Upon sustaining hundreds of thousands of dollars of losses from her speculation, May took what remained of the EIDL funds and went on to purchase real estate in Middleburg, Virginia and to buy a restaurant-bar-childcare space in Northeast Washington known as The Lane at Ivy City. The purchases were completely unrelated to NLP’s business operations. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS-Criminal Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Hart of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. 25cr211


title: Union City Man Sentenced to Over 19 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Offense

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – Charles Belk , 51 , of Union City, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for possessing a large quantity of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, in violation of federal law. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to evidence presented in court, on January 31, 2024, postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were alerted to a suspicious package that was mailed from California to an apartment complex in Union City. The package came to their attention because it had similar characteristics to previous packages that had been delivered to the same apartment complex and which had been tracked by an IP address in Mexico. After securing a federal search warrant on the package, law enforcement determined that it contained over 2,200 grams of suspected methamphetamine. When law enforcement delivered the package to the apartment complex, Belk took the package—which was addressed to a different recipient and apartment number—into his possession and brought it into his apartment. A search warrant execution at Belk’s apartment led to the seizure of an additional amount of methamphetamine, over $7,000 of U.S. currency, and several firearms. Further investigation revealed that Belk had been using his neighbors’ names and addresses to receive prior packages. In all, the amount of actual methamphetamine involved was over 1,700 grams. Belk pled guilty to two counts of possessing with the intent to distribute actual methamphetamine. On December 5, 2025, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Belk to 235 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Methamphetamine continues to destroy individuals, families, and communities in West Tennessee, and we will continue to aggressively investigate, prosecute, and punish drug dealers to hold them accountable. Belk has sowed addiction and pain into the rural Northwest Tennessee community, and now he will reap the consequence of a long prison sentence." This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the 27th Judicial District Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Immanuel Chioco prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Thirteen Defendants From Across the U.S. Indicted in Cocaine Trafficking Ring

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has indicted 13 individuals from Pennsylvania, California, New York, Florida, and New Mexico on charges of violating federal drug and firearm laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The seven-count Indictment follows a two-year investigation into the drug trafficking organization. The Indictment named the following individuals as defendants: Name Age Residence Feng Ruan 35 Brooklyn, NY Maoxuan Xia 30 Flushing, NY Jhon Canizales-Soto 32 Miami, FL Marcos Francisco-Tomas 34 Riverside, CA Andres Flores-Cedeno 39 New Kensington, PA Eric Vega 38 Riverside, CA Manuel Rivera 43 Coachella, CA Fernando Gonzalez-Gonzalez 24 Los Angeles, CA Julio Flores 23 Los Angeles, CA Michael Johnson 63 Albuquerque, NM Aaron Mitchell 48 Pittsburgh, PA Raymond Simmons 54 New Kensington, PA Toriano Wilson 46 New Kensington, PA According to the Indictment, from January 2023 to April 2024, Francisco-Tomas, Flores-Cedeno, Vega, Rivera, Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Flores, Johnson, Mitchell, Simmons, and Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Additionally, on August 30, 2023, Rivera possessed with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. On February 17, 2024, both Francisco-Tomas and Flores-Cedeno possessed with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The Indictment further alleges that, on January 17, 2023, Ruan engaged in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and that, from in and around January 2023 through in and around April 2024, Xia, Canizales-Soto, Francisco-Tomas, Flores-Cedeno, Vega, Rivera, Gonzalez-Gonzalez, and Flores participated in interstate travel or transmission in aid of racketeering. Finally, the Indictment charges that, on October 5, 2023, Mitchell possessed a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. For Francisco-Tomas, Flores-Cedeno, Vega, Rivera, Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Flores, Johnson, Mitchell, Simmons, and Wilson, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. For Ruan and Xia, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. For Canizales-Soto, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. In relation to the firearms charge for Mitchell, the law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The HSTF for the Western District of Pennsylvania comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Senior Manager for Government Contractor Charged in  Cybersecurity Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday charging a former senior manager at a Virginia-based government contractor with major government fraud, wire fraud, and obstructing federal audits for allegedly carrying out a multi-year scheme to mislead federal agencies about the security of a cloud-based platform used by the U.S. Army and other government customers. According to court documents, from approximately March 2020 through at least November 2021, Danielle Hillmer, 53, of Chantilly, Virginia, allegedly carried out a scheme to defraud the United States by obstructing federal auditors and falsely representing that the contractor’s cloud platform had implemented required security controls. The indictment alleges that, although the platform was marketed as a secure environment for federal agencies, Hillmer concealed the platform’s noncompliance with security controls under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) and the Department of Defense’s Risk Management Framework. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Hillmer falsely represented that security controls were implemented at the FedRAMP High baseline and at Department of Defense Impact Levels 4 and 5, despite repeated warnings that the system lacked required access controls, logging, monitoring, and other security capabilities. As part of the scheme, Hillmer allegedly sought to influence and obstruct third-party assessors during required audits in 2020 and 2021 by concealing deficiencies and instructing others to hide the true state of the system during testing and demonstrations. She also allegedly made false and misleading representations to the U.S. Army to induce it to sponsor the platform for a Department of Defense provisional authorization. According to the indictment, Hillmer submitted, and caused others to submit, authorization materials to assessors, authorizing officials and government customers that she knew contained materially false information in order to obtain and maintain government contracts and authorizations to operate. Hillmer is charged with two counts of wire fraud, one count of major government fraud and two counts of obstruction of a federal audit. If convicted, Hillmer faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for major government fraud and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of obstruction of a federal audit. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Deputy Inspector General Robert C. Erickson of the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG) made the announcement. The GSA-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Lauren Archer and Paul Hayden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section 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: Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Investment Company Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a 21-count indictment was unsealed charging Nathan Gauvin, also known as “defigray” and “gray,” a citizen of Canada with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, securities fraud, wire fraud, investment advisor fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice and aggravated identity theft. The charges arise from Gauvin’s roles in defrauding hundreds of investors in a web-based investment company called Gray Digital Capital Management Inc. (Gray Digital) and in a subsequent scheme to defraud a New York-based financial technology company to obtain credit from two banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). In total, Gauvin fraudulently raised more than $42 million from Gray Digital investors and obtained more than $800,000 in credit from lenders. Gauvin was arrested today in England on a provisional arrest warrant issued from the Eastern District of New York. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the indictment. “As alleged, the defendant’s investment company was a house of cards constructed with investor funds and held together with lies. When his house of cards collapsed, Gauvin doubled down by obstructing the regulator’s investigation and trying to defraud a lender. Gauvin’s run of lies ends today,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This Office remains deeply committed to protecting the investing public and the integrity of financial markets. We will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for victims of financial fraud.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Fort Worth Regional Office for their valuable assistance on the case. “Nathan Gauvin allegedly lied about his background, qualifications and purported investment returns to raise at least $42 million from interested investors of his fund. Later, after being notified of a federal investigation into his activities,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Gauvin allegedly engaged in a separate scheme, using falsified records, to induce a company to lend him an addition $1.5 million. The FBI remains dedicated to dismantling any smoke and mirrors act targeting unsuspecting victims for financial enrichment.” “Today’s indictment reflects IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents continued resolve to investigate and prosecute those who engage in financial crimes,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “IRS-CI Special Agents are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively uncover and disrupt criminals who conspire to exploit our financial markets.” As alleged in the indictment, between approximately May 2022 and October 2024, Gauvin and others defrauded investors in Gray Digital and Gray Digital’s flagship fund, the Gray Fund. The Gray Fund purported to offer investors and prospective investors an investment strategy “that blends TradFi (traditional finance) and DeFi (decentralized finance).” Gauvin, who, according to the company’s website and public statements, was Gray Digital’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, lied to investors about his background and experience, as well as Gray Digital’s assets and returns, including by providing investors with fraudulent documents intended to verify Gray Digital’s assets under management and performance. For example, Gauvin and Gray Digital made false claims that the Gray Fund had a cumulative return since inception of 4,384%, and that Gray Digital’s holdings had been verified by an audit firm when, in reality, the asset attestations were based on doctored bank and brokerage statements provided by Gauvin and others to the audit firm and not independently verified. Gauvin raised at least $42 million from investors based on these false claims, including investors in the Eastern District of New York. Rather than invest the funds he raised as represented, Gauvin used most investor deposits to pay investor withdrawals and misappropriated millions of dollars in investor funds, which he spent on luxury goods, jewelry and his personal credit card bills. Gauvin estimated losses from the Gray Digital fraud to be approximately $20 million. After Gray Digital collapsed in 2024, Gauvin obstructed and attempted to obstruct a SEC investigation into the fraud by providing the SEC with fraudulent documents. The indictment further alleges that after defrauding Gray Digital’s investors and obstructing the SEC’s investigation, Gauvin undertook yet another fraudulent scheme. Between approximately May 2025 and June 2025, Gauvin and others provided fraudulent bank statements and other false information to a New York-based financial technology company (“FinTech Company-1”) to obtain approximately $800,000 in credit from two FDIC-insured banks. Gauvin used the proceeds to pay personal expenses, including to a private members-only social club in London, England. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If you believe that you or someone you know was victimized by Gauvin, please contact the FBI at http://fbi.gov/graydigitalfraud The government’s case is being handled by Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nick M. Axelrod and Jessica K. Weigel are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett. The Defendant : NATHAN GAUVIN Age: 26 Canada E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-357 (LDH) gauvin_unsealed_indictment.pdf


title: South Carolina Man Charged for Fraudulently Selling Millions of Dollars’ Worth of “Discounted” Ski and Snowboard Passes in Utah

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jonathan Rembert, 41, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for financial crimes after he allegedly participated in a fraud scheme that sold ski and snowboard passes, including Ikon and Epic passes, to skiers and snowboarders in Utah. The passes were purchased at full price for skiers via stolen credit cards; the skiers in turn paid Rembert and others a “discounted” price via online payments. The Epic Pass is a mountain resort access pass sold by Vail Resorts, Inc., which has forty-two mountain resorts throughout the world, including Park City Mountain Resort, in Park City, Utah. The Ikon Pass is a mountain resort access pass sold by Alterra Mountain Company. Alterra is the parent company of Solitude Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort, which are both located in Utah. The Ikon Pass sold by Alterra offers purchasers access to the following Utah resorts: Alta Ski Resort, Brighton Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Snowbasin Resort, Snowbird, and Solitude Mountain Resort. (See indictment for details.) According to court documents, from approximately November 2020 to May 2024, members of the scheme placed targeted online advertisements in Utah and elsewhere, offering “discounted” ski and snowboard passes. Members of the scheme would then communicate directly with individuals who responded to the online advertisements, or who, in some instances were prior customers or referred by others, through text and other online communication. Prior to receiving payment from the pass purchasers, members of the scheme would obtain and use the purchasers’ personal information to establish or access accounts through the online portals of individual resorts, Alterra (Ikon Pass), and Vail Resorts (Epic Pass). After obtaining access, ski and snowboard passes were purchased at full price using other individuals’ stolen bank card information. The stolen bank card information was obtained and shared between coconspirators prior to the full price purchases being made and without the pass purchasers’ knowledge of the fraud. As a result, the fraudulently purchased ski and snowboard passes were delivered to the pass purchasers, both electronically and in some instances via the United States Postal Service. As part of the scheme, after purchasing the ski and snowboard passes at full price using stolen bank card information, the coconspirators would resume communication with the pass purchasers to confirm the purchases and request payment of a negotiated “discount” price through peer-to-peer apps such as Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, and Apple Pay. The money went directly into the accounts of Rembert and his coconspirators. The fraudulent funds were then distributed between him and others for personal use. Individuals whose stolen bank card information was used to purchase ski and snowboard passes at full price challenged the transactions as fraudulent, resulting in large scale “charge backs” born by various mountain resorts, including Altera and Vail Resorts, when the funds were returned to the bank card holders. Many of the ski and snowboard passes obtained by pass purchasers were cancelled as a result of the “charge backs” and fraud. As a result, the scheme resulted in millions of dollars of loss. Rembert is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft. His initial appearance on the charges is January 7, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. “For generations, Utah’s families have enjoyed the greatest snow on earth at our renowned ski resorts,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “The alleged fraud targeted local skiers, snowboarders, and resorts and we intend to seek justice for those victims. We are grateful to the law enforcement agencies that had the foresight to investigate and present this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution.” "The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with safeguarding the U.S. Mail against criminal exploitation,” said Glen Henderson, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division. “When this mission is challenged, Postal Inspectors conduct thorough investigations and remain resolute in pursuing justice. This case serves as a reminder to be cautious of offers that seem ‘too good to be true,’ particularly those which require payment through peer-to-peer applications.” “Investigating fraud cases is crucial in protecting and maintaining trust in our communities. The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is committed to holding those who take advantage of our ski resorts and patrons accountable,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. “This is one of the largest fraud cases that the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office has investigated and is attributed to the ongoing partnership with our federal agencies and committed detectives who work hard every day to ensure our canyons are safe to enjoy our annual ski season.” This case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Attachments: rembert_indictment.pdf


title: Shelton Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Relief Funds

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that VINCENZO MINUTOLO, 39, of Shelton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 21 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funds. According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In April 2020, Congress approved more than $300 billion in additional PPP funding. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive unsecured loans at an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds were to be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent the proceeds on these expenses within a certain period of time of receipt and used at least a certain percentage of the amount to be forgiven for payroll. The PPP was overseen by the Small Business Administration, which has authority over all PPP loans. Individual PPP loans, however, were issued by private approved lenders, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA. Minutolo claimed an ownership interest or representative relationship with City Sounds Productions LLC (“City Sounds”). Between March and September 2021, Minutolo defrauded the PPP loan program of more than $145,000 by providing false information on loan applications for City Sounds, including overstating the yearly gross income for City Sounds; misrepresenting that similar PPP loans had not been or would not be sought when he had, in fact, sought and obtained, and intended to seek and obtain, such loans; and providing fraudulent IRS tax filings and tax payment vouchers for City Sounds that had, in fact, never been filed with the IRS. Similarly, on the forgiveness applications he submitted, Minutolo materially misrepresented having complied with all the requirements of the PPP rules. In addition, the CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program for pandemic unemployment assistance (“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance”). Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provided unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits for employed individuals who are not eligible for other types of UI due to their employment status. The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”) that provided additional weekly benefits to those eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or regular UI. The Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) administers UI benefits for residents of Connecticut. Between March 2020 and April 2021, Minutolo defrauded the CT-DOL of more than $140,000 by providing the CT-DOL with fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications seeking unemployment insurance payments in others’ names, including individuals who had died, and individuals who did not know that their name and sometimes other personal information was being used. One fraudulent application was for Minutolo’s grandfather, who died in 2014, and included a telephone number associated with Minutolo. Minutolo continued to make online weekly certifications to the CT-DOL attesting that the information contained in his grandfather’s application, and other applications, were true in order to receive continued unemployment insurance benefits. Judge Dooley ordered Minutolo to pay $244,612 in restitution. On February 28, 2025, Minutolo pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. Released on a $50,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on January 22. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Griffin man charged with dogfighting and CARES Act fraud

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: NEWNAN, Ga. - Norman Dixson has been arraigned on federal charges of sponsoring and exhibiting a dog in an animal fighting venture, promoting an animal fighting venture, animal crushing, and wire fraud. “The indictment alleges that Dixson viciously abused dogs and repeatedly lied to obtain COVID relief funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This depraved and deceitful conduct cannot be tolerated and commands aggressive prosecution.” “An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving the unemployment insurance program. This collaborative investigative effort with our federal partners reaffirms our commitment to investigate these types of allegations,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Dixson is accused of sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in animal fighting ventures on seven occasions. He is also accused of promoting an animal fighting venture and purposefully suffocating a dog. In addition to the dogfighting- and animal abuse-related offenses, Dixson was charged with defrauding the Small Business Administration and a commercial lender by corruptly obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The indictment alleges, among other untruths, that Dixson submitted a false tax form when obtaining the PPP loans and then lied again when seeking forgiveness for the PPP loans he received. Finally, Dixson was charged with conducting Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud by submitting fraudulent claims to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The indictment alleges that, to steal UI benefits, Dixson filed false and fraudulent applications for UI benefits on behalf of himself and others. Norman Dixson, 34, of Griffin, Ga., was arraigned on December 4, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 28, 2025. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Sistla and Samir Kaushal are prosecuting the case. 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 Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Registered Sex Offender Convicted of Sex Trafficking Minors Sentenced to 17 years’ Imprisonment

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A convicted sex offender, Kevin Lavon Giles, was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment for sex trafficking two minors and one adult by the Honorable Terrence G. Berg. Giles was convicted after a seven-day trial in July 2025, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Giles, 59, of Detroit, was convicted of two counts of sex trafficking children and through force, fraud, or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking an adult through force, fraud, or coercion. The testimony at trial proved Giles exploited his female victims by requiring them to perform commercial sex acts in return for shelter for them and their children. Two of Giles’s victims were under 18 at the time he trafficked them. Giles posted advertisements for commercial sex for all of his victims, arranged their commercial sex dates, and collected the proceeds of the sex acts. Witnesses testified that Giles used hidden cameras to monitor the sex acts of all of his victims and to direct the sex acts of the adult victim. “The defendant is wicked and loathsome. He forced women and girls to sell their bodies while he watched,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said. “The court sentenced him. But the full measure of justice is waiting for him.” “Coercing and trafficking women and children is an evil crime that must be stopped,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “FBI Detroit remains committed to protecting vulnerable people in our society and stopping anyone who seeks to exploit them. I want to recognize the dedicated members from the Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes (SEMTEC) Task Force for their outstanding investigative work throughout this case, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their successful prosecution in securing this lengthy sentence.” The FBI’s Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes Task Force investigated this. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Princ and Ranya Elzein prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Hampton Roads heroin trafficker sentenced to over 23 years in prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – Two Hampton Roads drug traffickers were sentenced to prison for convictions relating to their trafficking of heroin and other narcotics. “This case demonstrates the effective partnerships between our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will continue to collaborate in these multi-agency investigations to attain successful prosecutions to remove dangerous drugs and the criminals who distribute them from our communities.” “The DEA's foremost mission is to safeguard American lives by addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis and the drug-related violence undermining our communities and families,” stated DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumenis. “Individuals like Green and Freeman have engaged in violent drug trafficking, spreading poisons such as fentanyl and heroin in the Hampton Roads area. Their sentencing sends a strong signal that we are committed to the relentless pursuit of eliminating gang violence and the illegal drug trade in our communities.” “Virginia State Police is grateful for the combined efforts in securing this important conviction. We are always proud to work with our federal and local partners and will continue to do so,” said Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “The safety of the public is our top priority and that includes doing all we can to ensure these dangerous drugs and drug traffickers are off of Virginia’s streets." According to court documents, during controlled transactions conducted by law enforcement in Hampton on March 28 and April 12, 2024, Sean Maurice Green, aka Nitty, 41, of Newport News, distributed a total of over 51 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. On July 24, 2023, Quincy Lawrence Freeman, aka Diddy or Q, 49, of Brooklyn, New York, delivered $130,780 in illegal drug proceeds to a confidential source at a gas station in Norfolk. On Oct. 16, 2024, Green travelled to Freeman’s apartment in Virginia Beach and obtained 149.64 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl from Freeman. Green then transported the drugs to Newport News where he intended to distribute them. When law enforcement conducted a stop of Green’s vehicle for an expired registration, a narcotics canine alerted to the odor of narcotics and the vehicle was searched. An investigator located the heroin and fentanyl under the driver's seat. During a search incident to his arrest, police recovered approximately $800 in cash from Green. On Oct. 17, 2024, investigators searched Freeman’s apartment. As they entered the apartment, Freeman attempted to flush narcotics down a toilet. Officers recovered from the toilet 180.10 grams of a substance containing heroin, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or “ecstasy"), and fentanyl. During the search of the apartment, investigators recovered 1,810.5 grams of cocaine, 989 grams of heroin, Xylazine, marijuana, two firearms, a hydraulic kilogram press, an electronic money counting machine, and approximately $13,330 in cash. Green pled guilty on June 11 to possession with intent to distribute heroin. On Nov. 24 he was sentenced to three years in prison. Freeman pled guilty on July 22 to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced today to 23 years and four months in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Virginia State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Hampton Police Department, and Virginia Beach Police investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-38.


title: High-Level Colombian Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

body_text: A Colombian national was sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison for conspiring to send more than 450 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. According to court documents, Alejandro Parra Bustamante, 45, was a high-level member of the Shottas and Clan de Bustamante, the leading drug trafficking organizations operating out of Buenaventura, Colombia, one the country’s main seaports and a primary hub for cocaine being transported out of Colombia to Central America, Mexico, and the United States. Between around March 2019 and March 2021, Parra Bustamante led a conspiracy to sell 500 to 1,000 kilograms of cocaine to U.S. buyers during which approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine samples were sent to Tucson, Arizona. Parra Bustamante was indicted in May 2021 and extradited to the United States in August 2023. Parra Bustamante pleaded guilty to one count of cocaine trafficking conspiracy on Feb. 6 before a federal judge in the District of Columbia. Jorge Eliecer Florez Alvarez, Parra Bustamante’s co-conspirator, was sentenced to 102 months’ imprisonment on Oct. 16. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) in Arizona made the announcement. HSI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Colleen King and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section prosecuted the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Colombia to secure the arrest and extradition of Parra Bustamante. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Homeland Security Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods.


title: Former Clayton County jailer pleads guilty to using excessive force against detainee

body_text: ATLANTA – A former correctional officer, Jabin Bethea, has pleaded guilty to depriving a pretrial detainee at the Clayton County Jail of his civil rights by tasing him multiple times without justification. “Corrections officers work long hours in challenging circumstances to maintain order in our district’s jails and prisons, but wanton abuse cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This former officer must be held accountable for using excessive force against a detainee who was complying with his orders and was not acting violently.” “Correctional officers are entrusted with authority, and with that authority comes the responsibility to treat every detainee with basic dignity and respect. This officer chose to abuse that trust and violate the civil rights of someone in his custody,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who uses unlawful force inside our jails and prisons.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and information presented in court: On May 16, 2024, while employed as a correctional officer at the Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro, Georgia, Jabin Bethea was transferring two detainees between housing units. One of the detainees asked Bethea, “Where am I going?” In response, Bethea handcuffed that detainee and told him to shut up. The two argued on the way to the second housing unit before Bethea removed the detainee’s handcuffs and dared the detainee “to buck.” After the detainee cursed and insulted Bethea, Bethea slammed the detainee’s head into a wall, threw him on the floor, and ordered him to put his hands behind his back. Video evidence from surveillance and body worn cameras confirms that, even though the detainee remained on the floor and obeyed Bethea’s orders, Bethea tased the detainee at least six times. The detainee suffered bodily injury during the assault. Sentencing for Jabin Bethea, 29, of Chamblee, Georgia, is scheduled for March 10, 2026 at 11:00, before U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray are prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Ringleader of fentanyl trafficking conspiracy sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – An Arizona man was sentenced to 272 months in prison for his part in a drug trafficking ring that transported large amounts of fentanyl into Kansas. According to court documents, Rafael Turner, 35, of Phoenix, Arizona, and formerly of Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Beginning on a date unknown and continuing through March 2023, Turner conspired with other people to distribute fentanyl. “Turner was part of a criminal organization that injected both fentanyl and illegal drug proceeds into our communities,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Special Agent in Charge William Steenson, St. Louis Field Office. “We’re more committed than ever to using our financial expertise to help disrupt these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.” Forty-five other individuals were prosecuted as part of this overall investigation, which included individuals in Kansas. Across the country, individuals have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Included among them are Clifton Ray Weatherspoon, 33, and Antonio Dawayne Knight, 27, both of Wichita, who were each convicted of one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Weatherspoon was sentenced to 300 months in prison. Knight was sentenced to 150 months in prison. In February 2023, Weatherspoon and Knight traveled by plane from Wichita to Phoenix, Arizona, to purchase 300,000 fentanyl pills. They packed the pills into two suitcases, checked the luggage under their names, and flew back to Wichita. Pursuant to a federal search warrant, law enforcement officers seized one of the bags before it reached the baggage claim area. They x-rayed and searched the luggage and discovered 15 bags stuffed inside containing 150,000 fentanyl pills. Agents arrested Weatherspoon and Knight, who had by then retrieved the second suitcase from baggage claim. A search of that bag showed it also contained approximately 150,000 fentanyl pills. “Over the past few years, the federal government has partnered with state and local governments as well as community groups to curtail the fentanyl crisis. The prosecution of this large drug conspiracy was part of that work. However, we are not done in these efforts. While we try to save lives by raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, criminals seek to undermine that hard work” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Fentanyl dealers have little to no regard for human life and are willing to let children get ahold of this poison in efforts to turn a profit. We are grateful to law enforcement agents whose investigations keep this toxic substance off our streets.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Barnett and Ola Odeyemi prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Wichita comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agency (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigative Division (IRS-CID) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas. ###


title: Detroit Man Charged with Carjacking, Attempted Murder of ATF Special Agents

body_text: DETROIT – Terrance Markyce Davis, 33, of Detroit, Michigan, was indicted by a federal grand jury for carjacking, assaulting and attempting to murder ATF Special Agents, and weapons offenses, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive, Detroit Field Division, Chief Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Department, and Colonel James F. Grady II, Director, Michigan State Police. According to court documents, between November 5, 2025, and November 13, 2025, Davis fired shots into several houses and cars in Detroit, seriously injuring one person. On November 14, 2025, ATF Special Agents obtained an arrest warrant, charging Davis in connection with felon in possession of ammunition for one of those shootings. When agents attempted to arrest Davis, he fled in his vehicle. While fleeing from agents, Davis carjacked a person and exchanged gunfire with ATF agents. Michigan State Police Troopers eventually disabled the stolen vehicle that Davis was driving, and Davis fled on foot, armed with a handgun. Davis was shot by Detroit Police Officers and taken into custody. Preliminary ballistics testing shows that the firearm Davis had in his hands while he ran from police was the same firearm used to shoot at ATF Agents, and the same firearm used in the shootings between November 5 and November 13. “This man is an agent of chaos,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. “He tore through our city streets, raising hell. We are thankful for the brave men who put a stop to the defendant’s rampage.” “Terrance DAVIS is a poster child for the work being done by ATF across the state of Michigan. He is a predator armed with an illegal firearm that ATF and its partners identified through NIBIN, said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Carjacking, assaulting, and attempting to murder ATF federal agents strike at the very heart of our community and its public safety. When individuals are alleged to commit violence at this level, we will respond decisively with sound policing techniques and strategies using every lawful tool to bring these urban terrorists to the federal justice system.” An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive, Detroit, Police Department, and the Michigan State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew R. Picek and John Turrettini.


title: MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR MAJOR METRO DETROIT AUTO DEALER TO PAY $1.5 MILLION TO SETTLE FRAUD ALLEGATIONS REGARDING PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOAN

body_text: DETROIT – United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced today that LaFontaine Management, Inc., which is affiliated with the network of auto dealerships and other related entities in Michigan known as the LaFontaine Automotive Group, has agreed to pay $1,500,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which LaFontaine Management was ineligible. Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to American businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA. Regulations imposed various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of employees and restrictions for certain types of businesses operating as franchises, such as auto dealerships. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications. In April 2020, LaFontaine Management obtained a first draw PPP loan for $1,000,000. The United States alleged that LaFontaine Management falsely certified it was eligible for its first draw loan and loan forgiveness, even though, together with its affiliates, it had more than 500 employees and was not operating as a franchise with a franchise identifier code from SBA, in violation of the PPP rules. “Even though the PPP Program has ended, our mandate to investigate and redress the harm from fraudulent and improper PPP loans continues,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “We will continue to vigorously pursue allegations against companies and individuals who obtained COVID-19 relief funds that they didn’t deserve.” “Investigations like this one reflect collaboration of the Small Business Administration, including SBA’s Office of General Counsel, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as the work of private individuals who uncover fraudulent conduct to recover funds obtained through fraud,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. This civil settlement resolved a sealed lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit has been unsealed and is captioned U.S. ex rel. Patricia Lesko and Bram Lesko v. Lafontaine Management, Inc. , Case No. 2:23-cv-13130. The whistleblowers will receive a combined 15% of the settlement amount. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.


title: Henrico felon sentenced to over three years in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, On Oct. 16, 2024, in Whitcomb Court, a Richmond Police officer observed Barion Quinto Wright, 25, who upon seeing the officer turned in the other direction and fled. As the officer pursued him, Wright removed a firearm from the pocket of his hoodie and tossed it. After the officer detained Wright, he returned to and recovered the firearm, which was loaded with a round in the chamber and equipped with an extended, 24-round magazine. The firearm had been reported lost or missing on Feb. 23, 2024. At the time of his arrest, Wright had been convicted previously of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (twice), possessing a firearm while possessing a controlled substance, and carrying a concealed weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Wright cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. “Rather than embrace the opportunities afforded him to peacefully return to society, Barion Wright chose once again to acquire and carry a firearm, further endangering our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan. “We will not allow convicted criminals to arm themselves and continue to menace our families and neighborhoods.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richmond Police Department investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-33.


title: Mount Airy Man Facing Federal Indictment for Sexually Exploiting Minors to Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today, charging Mark Travis Brigham, 36, of Mount Airy, Maryland, with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Sheriff Charles A. Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; and J. Charles Smith III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County. According to the indictment, between September 2023 and December 2024, Brigham persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced two minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Brigham exploited the minors for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the sexually explicit conduct. Further, the indictment alleges that Brigham possessed child sexual abuse material on four digital devices. If convicted, Brigham faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the seven counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Additionally, Brigham faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for one count of possessing child sexual abuse material. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and State’s Attorney’s Office for Frederick County, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandria A. Bell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Meets with Miami International Airport Leadership to Strengthen Public Safety and Federal Partnerships

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones met this week with Ralph Cutié, Director and CEO of the Miami International Airport (MIA) and the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, along with senior members of his leadership team: Andria Muñiz-Amador, Chief of Staff and Senior Strategic Advisor; Mark Hatfield Jr., Director of Security; and Tony Quintero, Associate Aviation Director for Governmental Affairs. The meeting focused on strengthening coordination between MIA and federal prosecutors to ensure a secure, efficient, and resilient international gateway for the millions of passengers who travel through Miami each year. Joining the U.S. Attorney were First Assistant U.S. Attorney Yara Klukas and Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section Chief John Grivner. BICE is the new criminal-enforcement section created to prioritize immigration offenses, border-related crime, human smuggling, passport and document fraud, and international narcotics interdictions. The section works closely with DHS, CBP, HSI, and airport law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of the border and protect the traveling public. During the meeting, leadership discussed current trends in international smuggling, airport-based narcotics trafficking, passport fraud, and threats to aviation security. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and MIA committed to expanding information-sharing, improving rapid coordination for interdiction cases, and strengthening joint responses to emerging threats. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones stated: “Miami International Airport is one of the busiest and most important international gateways in the country, and it thrives because of the leadership of Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Airport Director Ralph Cutié. Their commitment to safety, efficiency, and public service sets the standard for how a world-class airport should operate. Our Office will continue to work hand in hand with MIA to protect travelers, secure our border, and ensure that anyone who threatens the safety of this airport is held accountable. Today’s meeting reflects a shared mission to keep Miami safe and to protect one of our most important national assets.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office and MIA leadership will continue regular coordination to support joint enforcement efforts and airport security initiatives. For additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, visit justice.gov/usao-sdfl . ###


title: Jury Finds Convicted Sex Offender Guilty of Assaulting a Federal Officer

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL – Roberto Carlos Munoz-Guatemala, age 40, was found guilty today in U.S. District Court of Assault on a Federal Officer with a Dangerous and Deadly Weapon and Causing Bodily Injury, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. On June 17, 2025, law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Munoz-Guatemala, a convicted sex offender, on an immigration order. Agents made a traffic stop of Munoz-Guatemala. The defendant was uncooperative and refused to follow directions. After warning Munoz-Guatemala several times, an agent broke the back window so that he could open the vehicle from the inside. Munoz-Guatemala then accelerated his car. As he sped away, the agent’s arm became trapped between the seat and the car frame. Munoz-Guatemala dragged the federal agent for more than 100 yards, while weaving back and forth in an attempt to shake the agent from the car. The agent was eventually jarred free from the car but suffered significant injuries to his arms and hand. Munoz-Guatemala is illegally present in the United States. In December 2022, Munoz-Guatemala was convicted in Hennepin County of repeatedly sexually abusing a minor. The jury found Munoz-Guatemala guilty on December 10, 2025, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan. The jury found that Munoz-Guatemala assaulted the agent with a deadly or dangerous weapon, and that in doing so Munoz-Guatemala caused the agent bodily injury. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bloomington Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Re-entry after Deportation

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: ANNISTON, Ala. – A native of Mexico has been sentenced for illegally re-entering the U.S. after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Maximiliano Pablo-Cinto, 41, a citizen of Guatemala, to 18 months in prison. Pablo-Cinto pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry after deportation. According to the plea agreement, Pablo-Cinto was previously convicted on November 27, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama for being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 45 months in prison. On February 7, 2019, Pablo-Cinto was removed from the United States. He was then arrested on February 7, 2025, by the Albertville Police Department after he failed to appear in court on charges for fraud and identity theft in Albertville, Alabama. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Removal Office (ICE/ERO) was notified of the arrest and Pablo-Cinto was later transferred into federal custody. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Albertville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Mexican Felon Returns to Prison for Meth Trafficking

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 155 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court documents, Cesar Sepulveda Esquivel aka Cesar Sepulveda Jimenez, 47, of Piedras Negras, was identified as a supplier for methamphetamine and cocaine in December 2022. A joint investigation resulted in multiple narcotics transactions between Jan. 11 and April 5, 2023. Esquivel was arrested at his home on May 24, 2023, and was found to be in possession of a 45-caliber handgun, two ounces of marijuana, several grams of methamphetamine, and 10 grams of cocaine. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 13, 2025, and was sentenced Dec. 8 by U.S. District Judge David Ezra. In 2008, Esquivel was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He served 48 months in prison before being removed to Mexico. Esquivel illegally returned to the U.S. in 2022, continuing to distribute narcotics. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The DEA and Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuted the case. ###


title: Local cell phone stores employee charged federally with child pornography, video voyeurism crimes

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Federal agents arrested a Grove City man today who has been charged federally with child pornography and video voyeurism crimes. Neil Brown, 41, worked at multiple cell phone stores in Columbus and allegedly captured nude photos and videos from customers’ phones. A cyber tipline received in January 2025 led investigators to search Brown’s digital accounts and devices. According to charging documents, Brown was employed by Cellular Sales and would take the phones of female customers and search through them for illicit content. Brown then allegedly created videos of the content on his own phone. To date, investigators have identified three victimized customers. Investigators also discovered more than 75 images and videos of child pornography on Brown’s cell phone. Brown allegedly paid virtual currency on an app to receive videos of child sexual abuse material. Brown was initially arrested locally and charged with pandering obscenity involving a minor. The federal charges have superseded the local ones, and the local charges have now been dismissed. The defendant appeared in federal court today at 2:30pm and his case was unsealed at that time. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Life Imprisonment in the Hostage Taking and Murdering U.S. Citizen in Tijuana

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Brian Alexis Patron Lopez, a Mexican National, was sentenced in federal court today to life imprisonment. The sentence comes after a federal jury found Patron guilty for his role in the kidnapping, hostage taking, torture, and murder of 18-year-old M.A.R., a U.S. citizen whose death was punishment for a drug dispute. The jury deliberated for less than a full day at the end of a seven-day trial. The jury found Patron guilty on all counts, including Intentional Killing While Engaged in Drug Trafficking, Hostage Taking Resulting in Death, and Conspiracy to Commit Hostage Taking Resulting in Death. “Here’s a wakeup call to drug traffickers and cartel members in Tijuana: You harm an American, you will face American justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “This sentence appropriately reflects the grim reality of drug trafficking in Tijuana. But, the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to secure justice for crimes against American citizens even if they occur south of the border.” “Patron’s callous and blatant disregard for human life is unconscionable,” said Mark Dargis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Today’s life sentence is the price Patron must pay for such a gruesome attack on a U.S. citizen and the pain inflicted on his family. The FBI will always work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners devoting every available resource, tool, and technique at our disposable to hold violent criminals accountable and seek justice for our citizens.” The victim was abducted from a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico on May 29, 2020. He was then beaten, tortured, and finally shot to death, all while his attackers sought a ransom from his family. His body was recovered on a hillside in Tijuana six days later. According to evidence presented at trial, on May 29, 2020, at approximately 11:57 p.m., Patron and others forcibly removed the victim from his hotel room. Patron and others punched, kicked, and pistol-whipped M.A.R. Once subdued, the attackers put M.A.R. in a waiting car and drove away. Patron and his co-conspirators then drove M.A.R. to Patron’s neighborhood, where they continued to beat and torture M.A.R. At around the same time, Patron and his co-conspirators began to make ransom demands on M.A.R.’s family over texts and calls, with the demand ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 to methamphetamine in exchange for M.A.R.’s release. In the afternoon of May 30, 2020, Patron and his co-conspirators brought M.A.R. to a different motel and then to an apartment before bringing him to a deserted hillside on the night of May 30, 2020. There, Patron fatally shot M.A.R., even as his family attempted to pay his ransom. During the trial, the government presented evidence connecting Patron to the crimes, including Facebook messages between Patron and co-conspirators about the crimes, plus surveillance video that captured the kidnapping outside a Tijuana hotel. In that video, Patron wore a jacket that matched the one he wore earlier in the night. Patron’s bracelet was left behind at the kidnapping and was later recovered by law enforcement. Patron was wearing the same bracelet in Facebook photos posted before the murder. Jurors were also presented with the call logs and WhatsApp messages with the ransom demands and proof-of-life evidence. At sentencing, a member of the victim’s family informed the Court that the Defendant “didn’t just take [the victim’s] life, he took a part of mine.” She continued, explaining that “every day, I wake up with pain that will never go away.” And closed by telling the Court, “I want [the Defendant] to carry the weight of what he did for the rest of his life.” Judge Hayes addressed the Defendant and told him, “You literally walked the victim to his death.” Judge Hayes explained that the victim must have known at some point that he would be killed and, as the Defendant walked the victim down a deserted Tijuana hillside, the victim “knew that he was going to die alone, left with the trash on the hill.” But the Defendant did not care. “You executed him, turned around, walked up that hill and you left.” Judge Hayes added that the victim’s parents “will live with that until they die.” Judge Hayes closed by sentencing the Defendant to life, as required by statute, on the hostage-taking resulting in death counts, and 420 months (35 years), followed by five years’ Supervised Release for intentional killing while engaged in drug trafficking. All counts to run concurrent. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Mario Peia and Alexandra F. Foster prosecuted this case. DEFENDANT Case Number 21CR1683-WQH Brian Alexis Patron Lopez Age: 24 Tijuana, Mexico AKA Leobardo Garcia SUMMARY OF CHARGE Intentional Killing While Engaged in Drug Trafficking, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 848(e)(1)(A) Maximum Penalty: Life in Prison Minimum Penalty: Twenty years in Prison Hostage Taking Resulting in Death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1203 Maximum Penalty: Life in Prison Minimum Penalty: Life in Prison Conspiracy to Take Hostages Resulting in Death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1203. Maximum Penalty: Life in Prison Minimum Penalty: Life in Prison INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.


title: Jury finds Billings man guilty of child sexual abuse on the Crow Indian Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BILLINGS – A Billings man who sexually assaulted a child on the Crow Indian Reservation was found guilty by a federal jury today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Following a 1.5-day trial, Matthew Paul Stopsatprettyplaces, 49, was found guilty of abusive sexual contact of a child. Stopsatprettyplaces faces up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 8, 2026. The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in 2019, Stopsatprettyplaces gave 9-year-old Jane Doe a ride to a family member’s residence in Hardin. While on the way, he took advantage of Jane Doe while she was asleep. He first put his hands on Jane Doe’s thighs which woke Jane Doe up. But Stopsatprettyplaces continued the assault by putting his hand on her inner thighs and then under Jane Doe’s shirt and fondling her bare breasts. On a subsequent occasion at Jane Doe’s house in Hardin, Stopsatprettyplaces assaulted 10-year-old Jane Doe again by kissing her all over and fondling her over her clothes. Jane Doe disclosed the sexual abuse a few years later to a therapist, who mandatorily reported to the child abuse hotline, which triggered an immediate investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Hendricks and Paul Vestal prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. XXX


title: Federal Jury Convicts Former Suburban Chicago Police Chief of Bribery and Obstruction of Justice

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted the former Chief of Police in the village of Summit, Ill., of bribery offenses for corruptly accepting money from a local businessman to help facilitate the transfer of a liquor license. After a seven-day trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the jury found JOHN KOSMOWSKI, 57, of Lockport, Ill., guilty of bribery conspiracy, bribery, and obstruction of justice. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger set sentencing for March 27, 2026. The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Ardam and Jared Hasten. Evidence at trial revealed that Kosmowski conspired with a Summit building inspector—WILLIAM MUNDY—to accept $10,000 from a businessman in 2017. Kosmowski and Mundy accepted the money intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with the transfer of a liquor license to another person. Kosmowski received a cash payment from the businessman in 2017 and then gave Mundy a portion of it. Mundy, of Summit, Ill., pleaded guilty prior to trial to bribery and tax offenses. He is awaiting sentencing. The obstruction conviction against Kosmowski stemmed from a meeting he had with Mundy in which Kosmowski informed Mundy of the federal investigation into the bribe. During the meeting, Kosmowski sought to corruptly persuade Mundy to mischaracterize the purpose of the payment by falsely suggesting that it was a loan.


title: Pennsylvania Man Found Guilty After 2-Day Jury Trial

body_text: SOUTH BEND – On December 10, 2025, Keisand Santiago-Maldonado, 33 years old, of Milton, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one felony drug count after a two-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Santiago-Maldonado was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2026. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius, Hannah T Jones, and Acting Criminal Division Chief Joseph P. Falvey.


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Cyril Swan, age 30, was sentenced last week to 120 months in prison for distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of ATF Bryan DiGirolamo made the announcement. As part of his prior plea, Swan admitted that he began selling methamphetamine and fentanyl to another individual during the summer of 2024, and that he sold approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine and 8 grams of fentanyl during the offense. Senior United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a five-year term of supervised release, to begin after Swan completes his sentence. Acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone stated: “Peddling dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine in this District will not be tolerated. I commend ATF for getting this dealer off the streets for 10 years and sending a message to other would-be drug dealers.” ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo stated: “This sentence reflects the strong, coordinated work of ATF NY and our partners in Syracuse. By identifying and removing individuals who drive drug trafficking and the harm it fuels, we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our neighborhoods and reduce violent crime. Special thank you to ATF NY Syracuse Field Office, Syracuse PD Criminal Intelligence Division, the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit & the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Northern District of NY.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Syracuse Police Department Criminal Intelligence Division and the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case. ###


title: Twice-convicted smuggler sentenced in new conspiracy involving over 100 illegal aliens

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 30-year-old Brownsville resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Christian Ivan Hernandez pleaded guilty May 19. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Hernandez to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Hernandez conspired with others to transport over 100 illegal aliens in dangerous conditions. The court also reviewed Hernandez’s lengthy criminal history which includes two prior convictions: transporting illegal aliens in 2018 and conspiracy to transport illegal aliens in 2019. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos noted that his past smuggling offenses carry consequences but believes he can move past them. From May 1 – July 21, 2024, Hernandez facilitated the smuggling of approximately 107 illegal aliens concealed in the cargo areas of three separate tractor trailers, as well as another 10 found in the vehicles’ cab areas. At the time of his plea, Hernandez admitted that in early May 2024, he called Carlos Josue Cruz-Rivas and asked him to pick up several illegal aliens at a warehouse in McAllen. Authorities later arrested Cruz-Rivas for attempting to smuggle the 36 illegal aliens found in his empty utility trailer along with six other aliens in the sleeper portion of the cab. That same month, authorities arrested David Vargas-Muniz for attempting to smuggle 46 illegal aliens in a tractor trailer in Brooks County. Hernandez had met him at the location and told him the illegal aliens were in his trailer and not to make any stops. On July 21, 2024, law enforcement also identified and arrested Mendez-Hernandez after attempting to smuggle 25 aliens in a utility trailer and another four in the tractor’s cab. The court found that Hernandez was the organizer of the overall conspiracy. He also operated three stash houses in the McAllen area. Hernandez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Honduran national Cruz-Rivas, 35, who illegally resided in Brawley, California, Vargas-Muniz, 53, Waxahachie, and Mendez-Hernandez, 31, Santa Maria, California, have all pleaded guilty for their roles and been sentenced. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Young Min Burkett prosecuted the case.


title: Three Charged In Fentanyl Case Resulting In Death

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Felicia Ortiviz, 36, Joe Elijo Herrera, 51, and Alina Serena Ochoa-Luna, 33, all of Denver, were indicted by a federal grand jury. All three defendants face a charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. Ochoa-Luna faces an additional charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Ortiviz faces additional charges of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and distribution of fentanyl to a person under twenty-one-years of age. According to statements made on the record in court, Herrera allegedly started dealing “blues” to the victim in September 2023, shortly after the victim’s nineteenth birthday. “Blues” are a common street name for counterfeit M/30 pills which contain illicit fentanyl. Herrera continued dealing blues to the victim until late January 2024 when Herrera’s girlfriend, Ortiviz, started dealing blues directly to the victim. On the afternoon of February 13, 2024, Ochoa-Luna delivered blues to Ortiviz at the residence where Ortiviz and Herrera lived. That night, Ortiviz distributed blues to the victim at the same residence. The victim then returned to his apartment in a student housing complex and died shortly thereafter. The victim died as a result of the toxic effects of fentanyl. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted at trial, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 20 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison. The investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Denver Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Transnational Organized Crime and Money Laundering Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. CASE NUMBER: 25-cr-00327-WJM


title: Court Approves Justice Department’s Settlement in UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys Merger

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The United States District Court for the District of Maryland today entered the Final Judgment proposed by the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with its state co-Plaintiffs, requiring broad divestitures to resolve Plaintiffs’ challenge to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s (UnitedHealth) $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys Inc. In addition, Amedisys must pay a $1.1 million civil penalty to the United States for falsely certifying that it had provided “true, correct, and complete” responses under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. “Under President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, this Department of Justice has moved quickly to resolve transactions, ensuring Americans see the benefits sooner,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “This settlement preserves competition where it matters most for American families – healthcare.” “This is a tremendous outcome for competition in the healthcare industry, where competition itself is critical to the public interest and the well-being of all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “I commend the Antitrust Division’s Staff for prosecuting this case throughout a contentious litigation to reach this settlement on behalf of seniors, hospice patients, nurses, and their families.” The settlement requires UnitedHealth and Amedisys to divest at least 164 home health and hospice locations (including one affiliated palliative care facility) across 19 states, accounting for approximately $528 million in annual revenue. By number of facilities, this is the largest divestiture of outpatient healthcare services to resolve a merger challenge. In addition, the proposed settlement: Obligates UnitedHealth to divest eight additional locations if it fails to obtain regulatory approval for the divestiture of associated facilities without the additional locations; Imposes a monitor to supervise UnitedHealth’s divestiture of the assets and compliance with the consent decree; Provides the divestiture buyers with the assets, personnel, and relationships to compete against UnitedHealth in the overlap areas; Incorporates robust protections to strengthen adherence to the decree and deter interference with the divestiture buyers’ ability to compete; and Requires Amedisys to pay a $1.1 million civil penalty and train its corporate and field leadership on antitrust compliance for falsely certifying that the company had truthfully, correctly, and completely responded to the United States’ requests for documents. The Court has appointed William E. Berlin, of Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, to serve as monitor in this matter. UnitedHealth is a vertically integrated insurer, healthcare provider, pharmacy benefit manager, and healthcare software and services vendor headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. UnitedHealth acquired Amedisys’s home health and hospice rival LHC Group Inc. (LHC) in 2023. Amedisys was a home health and hospice services provider headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.