title: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS OVER $350,000 IN GRANTS TO AREA FOUNDATIONS

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women has awarded $353,303 collectively to the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, Inc. and Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc. The Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, Inc. was awarded $243,213 to: (a) work with local sexual assault programs and other providers of direct services to encourage appropriate responses to sexual assault within the state or territory; (b) work with judicial or law enforcement agencies to encourage appropriate responses to sexual assault cases; (c) work with courts, child protective services agencies, and children’s advocates to develop appropriate responses to child custody and visitation issues when sexual assault has been determined to be a factor; (d) design and conduct public education campaigns; (e) plan and monitor the distribution of grants and grant funds to their state or territory; and (f) collaborate with and informing federal, state, or local public officials and agencies to develop and implement policies to reduce or eliminate sexual assault. The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc. was awarded $110,090 to coordinating state and territory victim services activities and collaborate and coordinate with federal, state, territory, and local entities engaged in violence against women activities. For more information about this award, contact the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Policy, Communication, and Evaluation Division.


title: Marion County Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Vincent Irving Jones, 34, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison for methamphetamine and firearm charges. According to the court documents and statements made in court, Jones was found with methamphetamine and a pistol in Marion County. Jones has multiple prior felony convictions, prohibiting him from having firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fairmont Police Department. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Lieutenant in Sinaloa and Beltran-Leyva Cartels Detained in Atlanta After Years of Hiding in Mexico

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ATLANTA - Roberto Lopez, a/k/a Shrek, a/k/a NWA, was arraigned and detained in federal court on Friday following his transfer from Mexico to face federal charges of cocaine importation and distribution and money laundering. Lopez, who was hiding in Mexico for more than a decade before his capture, allegedly smuggled hundreds of machineguns and assault weapons and helped manage a vast cocaine smuggling network in support of high-level cartel leaders. “Lopez allegedly moved tons of cocaine and millions of dollars through Atlanta and other cities while supplying machineguns and other tools of war to fuel cartel bloodshed in Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Though it took years to find and arrest him, he will now finally be held accountable for his crimes.” “This violent cartel member is part of a ruthless criminal network that profits from drugs, guns, and bloodshed,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA will not stop until every member of these organizations is taken off of our streets.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In the early 2000s, Edgar Valdez-Villareal, a/k/a “La Barbie,” was an infamous and ruthless enforcer for the Sinaloa and Beltran-Leyva Cartels in their war against the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas. Valdez also partnered with U.S.-based trucking businessman Carlos Montemayor to operate a distribution network that moved up to 300 kilograms of cocaine per week to Atlanta, Memphis, and other cities while smuggling cash back to Mexico in shipments carrying no less than $1 million per load. In just a six-month period, the organization distributed 1,500 kilograms of cocaine in Atlanta alone. In 2018, a federal judge in Atlanta sentenced Valdez to 49 years and one month in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. In 2019, Montemayor was sentenced to 34 years and three months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Lopez is alleged to have been the primary lieutenant for Valdez and Montemayor’s network, handling various logistics, including payments to truck drivers and stash house operators and the repackaging and transportation of money over the border. Lopez is also alleged to have been in charge of supplying weapons and other equipment to the cartels, obtaining high-powered rifles, silencers, ammunition, magazines, night vision goggles, ballistic vests, helmets, and other gear in the United States and smuggling them into Mexico. He also allegedly developed skills to convert semiautomatic rifles to function as fully automatic machineguns and manufactured silencers for handguns. He is estimated to have smuggled over 1,000 rifles, 100-200 converted machineguns, and over 1,000 magazines and ammunition drums into Mexico from the United States. As part of the cartel’s intimidation campaign and reign of terror, Lopez is also alleged to have played a critical role in distributing a video of the assassination of one of Valdez’s rivals to media and law enforcement in the United States and Mexico. U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker detained Lopez, 45, of Texas, on Friday after he pled not guilty to charges of conspiring to import, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute cocaine; possessing cocaine with intent to distribute; distributing cocaine; and conspiring to commit money laundering. A federal grand jury indicted Lopez for those crimes on December 15, 2009, nearly 16 years ago. Lopez faces a statutory maximum of life imprisonment for each of the drug counts and up to 20 years of imprisonment for the money laundering count. 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. 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 Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Elizabeth M. Hathaway are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood This effort is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Chicago Man Sentenced for Role in Scheme to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with Drone

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno, 23, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation for conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2024, Aleman-Piceno traveled on foot with co-defendant Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez to the fence surrounding Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell. Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez possessed a backpack and a duffle bag containing a drone and two camouflaged packages containing four cell phones, chargers, phone cards, marijuana, and tobacco. As part of his guilty plea, Aleman-Piceno admitted that they intended to fly the packages onto the grounds of FCI McDowell using the drone and were stopped by law enforcement as they prepared to launch the drone. Aleman-Piceno further admitted to traveling to McDowell County, West Virginia, from Chicago with Gonzalez and co-defendant Arturo Joel Gallegos, believing that he would be paid $3,000 to deliver the packages into the prison by drone. Aleman-Piceno also admitted that he and his two co-defendants stayed an area motel where law enforcement seized marijuana, tobacco and materials used to make the camouflaged packages. Gonzalez, 24, of Chicago, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2025, to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025. Gallegos, 26, of Chicago, pleaded guilty August 26, 2025, to conspiracy to introduce or attempt to introduce contraband into a federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-126. ###


title: Oregon Man Sentenced to 39 Months in Prison for Cyberstalking and Interstate Stalking

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – On September 4, Brian Thomas Balda, 52, of Oregon, was sentenced by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 39 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. On June 13, 2025, a federal jury found Balda guilty of one count of Cyberstalking and one count of Interstate Stalking following a four-day trial In 2023 and 2024, Balda engaged in a campaign to intimidate and harass a former United States government official. For approximately ten months, Balda sent abusive and profane text messages and voicemails to the victim. Balda ultimately drove from Oregon to Arizona to confront the victim, and was arrested by law enforcement near the victim’s home. Four knives, binoculars, and a replica handgun were found in Balda’s car at the time of his arrest. The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office investigated this matter, with the assistance of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the University of Arizona Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-1182-TUC-AMM RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-145_Balda # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: California Man Sentenced for Role in Global Digital Asset Investment Scam Conspiracy Resulting in Theft of More than $36.9M from Victims

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for his role in laundering more than $36.9 million from victims in an international digital asset investment scam conspiracy that was carried out from scam centers in Cambodia. The court also ordered him to pay $26,867,242.44 in restitution to victims. “The defendant was part of a group of co-conspirators that preyed on American investors by promising them high returns on supposed digital asset investments when, in fact, they stole nearly $37 million from U.S. victims using Cambodian scam centers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Foreign scam centers, purporting to offer investments in digital assets have, unfortunately, proliferated. The Criminal Division is committed to bringing to justice those that steal from American investors, wherever the fraudsters may be located.” “This defendant will spend years in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy in which victims lost tens of millions of dollars, starting with the simple step of responding to unsolicited messages on their phones,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “The public should always remember to be vigilant and wary of strangers marketing promising investment opportunities. Your retirement fund or children’s college money may depend on it.” Shengsheng He, 39, of La Puente, California, a former co-owner of the Bahamas-based Axis Digital Limited, pleaded guilty in the Central District of California to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business on April 10. According to court documents, He was part of an international criminal network that induced U.S. victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by co-conspirators who then laundered victim money through U.S. shell companies, international bank accounts, and digital asset wallets. As part of the conspiracy, co-conspirators residing overseas would contact U.S. victims directly through unsolicited social media interactions, telephone calls, text messages, and online dating services to gain the victims’ trust. The co-conspirators then promoted fraudulent digital asset investments to the victims. Scammers would tell victims that their investments were appreciating in value when, in fact, the funds the victims sent to the scammers had been stolen. More than $36.9 million in victim funds were transferred from U.S. bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators to a single account at Deltec Bank in the Bahamas, opened in the name of Axis Digital Limited. He and other co-conspirators directed Deltec Bank to convert victim funds to the stablecoin Tether (USDT) and to transfer the converted funds to a digital asset wallet controlled by individuals in Cambodia. From there, co-conspirators in Cambodia transferred the USDT to the leaders of scam centers throughout the region including in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty so far, including Daren Li , a national of China and St. Kitts and Nevis who has been in U.S. custody since April 2024, and Lu Zhang, a Chinese national illegally in the United States who managed a network of U.S.-based money launderers. Li and Zhang each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on Nov.12, 2024, and May 13, 2024, respectively. He co-founded Axis Digital with defendant Jose Somarriba. Chinese national Jingliang Su joined Axis Digital as a director and participated in the digital asset conversions and transfers of victim funds. Somarriba and Su each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business on April 14, and June 9, respectively. USSS’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case. The Homeland Security Investigations’ El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Dominican National Police, and U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maxwell Coll and Alexander Gorin of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section, and Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted this case. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. If you or someone you know is a victim of a digital asset investment fraud, report it to IC3.gov .


title: Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Richard Charles Cart, 42, of Poca, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 28, 2025, Cart sold a Ruger model LCP .380-caliber pistol at a pawn shop in Charleston. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Cart knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for grand larceny in Kanawha Circuit Court on May 23, 2022, and for possession of methamphetamine in Jackson County, Georgia, Superior Court on August 8, 2019. Cart is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-108. ###


title: Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Abuse Material Possession

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — John Edward Prigmore, 40, of Fort Lawn, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material.* Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in May 2023, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) executed a search warrant on Prigmore’s residence after receiving a cyber-tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). According to the cyber-tip, accounts associated with Prigmore contained child sexual abuse material. Several electronic devices that belonged to Prigmore were searched pursuant to the warrant and found to contain child sexual abuse material. Prigmore was previously convicted on state charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Prigmore to 120 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. He was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting the case. ### * The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”


title: New Orleans Men Indicted For Hobbs Act Robbery and Felon in Possession

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – JEREMIAH MILLS (“MILLS”), age 28, was charged on August 28, 2025 in a four-count indictment, announced Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Count 1 charged him with Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a). Count 2 charged him with Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(iii). Count 3 charged him with Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a). Count 4 charged him with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to the indictment, on or about July 17, 2025, MILLS committed an armed Hobbs Act robbery at a gas station in the 2700 block of S. Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans. During the robbery, MILLS allegedly knowingly used, carried brandished and discharged a firearm during the robbery. Three days later, on July 20, 2025, MILLS attempted to rob the same gas station. If convicted of Count 1, MILLS face a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, as to Count 2, he faces; a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release; as to Count 3, he faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 3; and as to Count 4, he faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. MILLS also face a payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all four counts. Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Luzerne County Man Sentenced On Drug Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Joseph Nieves, age 32, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 4, 2025, to 105 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. for possession with intent to distribute five grams of fentanyl. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, in October of 2024, members of the Pittston City Police Department used a confidential informant to purchase fentanyl from Nieves on multiple occasions. On November 1, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Nieves’ home and seized fentanyl, drug trafficking paraphernalia, $1,274 in cash, and body armor from the residence. This is Nieves’ fifth drug trafficking conviction. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittston City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. # # #


title: Dulce Man Charged in Federal Court for Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury has indicted a Dulce man on a charge of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate or dating partner. According to court documents, on July 23, 2025, Shelton Atole , 35, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, assaulted the victim and the assault resulted in substantial bodily injury. Atole will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Atole faces up to 5 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment (Atole).pdf An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: San Gabriel Valley Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Role in $36.9 Million Global Digital Asset Investment Scam

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for his role in laundering more than $36.9 million from victims in an international digital asset investment scam conspiracy that was carried out from scam centers in Cambodia. Shengsheng He, 39, of La Puente, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also ordered him to pay $26,867,242 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on April 10 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal money transmitting business. “This defendant will spend years in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy in which victims lost tens of millions of dollars, starting with the simple step of responding to unsolicited messages on their phones,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The public should always remember to be vigilant and wary of strangers marketing promising investment opportunities. Your retirement fund or children’s college money may depend on it.” “The defendant was part of a group of co-conspirators that preyed on American investors by promising them high returns on supposed digital asset investments when, in fact, they stole nearly $37 million from U.S. victims using Cambodian scam centers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Foreign scam centers, purporting to offer investments in digital assets have, unfortunately, proliferated. The Criminal Division is committed to bringing to justice those that steal from American investors, wherever the fraudsters may be located.” According to court documents, He was part of an international criminal network that induced U.S. victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by co-conspirators who then laundered victim money through U.S. shell companies, international bank accounts, and digital asset wallets. As part of the conspiracy, co-conspirators residing overseas would contact U.S. victims directly through unsolicited social media interactions, telephone calls, text messages, and online dating services to gain the victims’ trust. The co-conspirators then promoted fraudulent digital asset investments to the victims. Scammers would tell victims that their investments were appreciating in value when, in fact, the funds the victims sent to the scammers had been stolen. More than $36.9 million in victim funds were transferred from U.S. bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators to a single account at Deltec Bank in the Bahamas, opened in the name of Axis Digital Limited. He and other co-conspirators directed Deltec Bank to convert victim funds to the stablecoin Tether (USDT) and to transfer the converted funds to a digital asset wallet controlled by individuals in Cambodia. From there, co-conspirators in Cambodia transferred the USDT to the leaders of scam centers throughout the region including in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty so far, including Daren Li , a national of China and St. Kitts and Nevis who has been in U.S. custody since April 2024, and Lu Zhang, a Chinese national illegally in the United States who managed a network of U.S.-based money launderers. Li and Zhang each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on Nov.12, 2024, and May 13, 2024, respectively. He co-founded Axis Digital with defendant Jose Somarriba. Chinese national Jingliang Su joined Axis Digital as a director and participated in the digital asset conversions and transfers of victim funds. Somarriba and Su each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business on April 14, and June 9, respectively. The United States Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case. The Homeland Security Investigations’ El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Dominican National Police, and U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Maxwell Coll and Alexander Gorin of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section, and Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted this case. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of more than 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of more than $350 million in victim funds. If you or someone you know is a victim of a digital asset investment fraud, report it to IC3.gov .


title: Lowndes County Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun Possession Case

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, MS – A Lowndes County woman was sentenced today to over 12 years in prison for distributing drugs and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. According to court documents, Jaquelyne Leiataua, of Columbus, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes. Leiataua was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson on Monday to 85 months in prison for the illegal drug charges and 60 months on the firearm charges to run consecutively. She was further sentenced to three years supervised release following her release from prison. “There are consequences for bringing deadly narcotics into our community and for using firearms to protect that illegal trade,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We are proud to stand with our partners at the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, DEA, and ATF in protecting our citizens from dangerous narcotics and from those that sell them.” “Thanks to strong partnerships with state and federal law enforcement partners and thorough investigative efforts, our community is safer with the removal of dangerous drugs and dealers from our streets,” stated Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins. “Methamphetamine is a substance that devastates individuals and families; those who traffic and sell this poison are contributing to death and destruction. This situation highlights the significance of collaboration in law enforcement. Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we have successfully prosecuted these offenders and kept them off the streets.” The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case. This investigation and resulting case are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dyson Lamont Woody Jr., also known as “DC Sosa,” 33, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 17, 2021, Woody sold approximately 27.28 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $430. As part of his guilty plea, Woody admitted that he conducted that transaction, that he arranged it beforehand, and that it occurred in a Huntington motel room. Woody is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-81. ###


title: District Man Arrested in Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: WASHINGTON – Richard J. Pavel III, 34, of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged last week with distribution and receipt of child pornography in the context of actively discussing the sexual abuse of young boys, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Following his initial court hearing on September 4, Pavel was ordered to be held until his September 9 detention hearing. On Sept. 4, 2025, law enforcement executed warrants at Pavel’s residence in Northwest Washington, D.C., seized multiple electronic devices, and arrested Pavel. Pavel communicated with another individual regarding his sexual interest in children. During the course of that conversation, he traded multiple images of child pornography. The case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen. 25mj197


title: Baltimore Man Arrested in Traveling with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Young Girl

body_text: WASHINGTON – Andrew Juarez, 28, of Baltimore, was arrested last week and charged with travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a nine-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Juarez was arrested Sept. 5, 2025, at a bar in the District where he had gone to meet who he thought was the mother of the girl. He was taken into custody by members of FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Juarez was found to be in possession of two cell phones at the time of his arrest. During an interview with task force agents, Juarez indicated that there was child pornography on one of his phones. The case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from the region The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell. 25mj207


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy-Related Fraud

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Wayne Robert Rummel, 40, of Crown City, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to falsifying recorded information relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor in bankruptcy. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2023, Rummel filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. While the bankruptcy case was still pending, Rummel sought to obtain financing to purchase a 2022 Nissan Altima for $24,758.50. Rommel knew he needed the permission of the Bankruptcy Court or the United States Trustee, who oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia, to obtain a post-bankruptcy petition loan. On February 26, 2025, Rummel emailed the lender a fake order from the Bankruptcy Court, which purported to provide approval for him to finance the vehicle purchase through the lender. As part of his guilty plea, Rommel admitted that he knew the Bankruptcy Court order was fake because he created it, and that neither the Court nor the United States Trustee had given him permission to obtain a loan with his bankruptcy case still pending. Rummel is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-138. ###


title: Missouri Man Sentenced for Advertising Child Pornography on the Dark Web

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Missouri man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for advertising child pornography on the dark web. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Larry Stendebach, 60, to 17.5 years (210 months) in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Stendebach pleaded guilty on April 27, 2025. According to court records, in May 2024, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Portland, Maine were investigating a site on the dark web dedicated to the sexual abuse of children. During the investigation, HSI agents observed a profile, later identified as belonging to Stendebach, that had a history of postings dating back to December 2022. Agents observed the profile had made over 1,000 posts on the site. Agents reviewed several links posted by Stendebach that contained videos of child sexual abuse material including young children. In August 2024, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Stendebach’s residence in Hannibal, Missouri. During a subsequent interview, Stendebach admitted he had used the profile on the dark web. HSI investigated the case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: New York Man Sentenced for Identity Theft

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Bolarinwa Salau, 30, of Rockaway Beach, New York, was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for identity theft. According to the court documents and statements made in court, during a traffic stop of Salau’s vehicle, West Virginia State Police found identification documents for other people which were being used in connection with a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, often referred to as “SIRF.” This type of fraud involves the use of stolen personal information, including social security numbers, used to file tax returns for purposes of obtaining fraudulent refunds. Salau attempted to file fraudulent tax returns that would have yielded nearly $1 million in refunds. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia State Police, with assistance from the Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Federal Charges Filed in Assault Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Two men have been indicted on federal charges for an assault that left one victim seriously injured. According to court documents, on January 10, 2025, Myron Scott, 34, of Navajo, New Mexico, and Eric Scott , 34, of Fort Defiance, Arizona, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John and Jane Doe with a baseball bat and a large stick, resulting in serious bodily injury to John Doe. Myron and Eric are both charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury for the attack on John Doe. Myron faces an additional count of assault with a dangerous weapon for the attack on Jane Doe . Myron and Eric will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Myron and Eric both face up to 10 years in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment (Scott)_0.pdf An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Admits Child Sex Charges

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Mexican national on Monday admitted sexually abusing a minor and engaging in explicit communications with her on Instagram. Giovanni Falcon, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to transfer of obscene material to a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted messaging a 15-year-old girl on Instagram between Jan. 1, 2024, and Aug. 12, 2024. In July and August of that year, Falcon sent the victim images of his genitals. Falcon and the victim also engaged in sexual contact on multiple occasions. On Aug. 13, 2024, the victim’s father contacted the St. Ann Police Department after discovering the explicit Instagram messages. St. Ann police arrested him the next day, and he admitted sexually abusing the victim. The U.S. Attorney’s office will ask for 216 months in prison at Falcon’s sentencing, which has been set for Jan. 27, 2026. Falcon is not in the country legally and will be deported upon his release from prison. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Ann Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Defrauding Missouri Company, Others out of More Than $250,000

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a man who defrauded three companies out of $257,000 to 15 months in prison and ordered him to repay his victims. Nadeem Gul, 54, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of wire fraud. He admitted claiming to represent wholesale distributors of merchandise including grocery items and electronics. The companies used the names Mega Liquidations Group, Mega Liquidations Warehouse and Mega Liquidations Corp. In late 2021, an employee of a Maryland Heights company began communicating by email with someone claiming to be an “executive senior partner” at Mega Liquidations Group. The victim submitted nine purchase orders and wired a total of $112,000 but never received any merchandise. A Phoenix, Arizona company responded to a solicitation email from Mega Liquidations Group by submitting two purchase orders and wiring $30,376 in November of 2021. They never received any merchandise from Mega Liquidations Group. In June of 2021, a Ft. Worth, Texas company received a solicitation email from Mega Liquidations Warehouse, submitted five purchase orders and wired a total of $115,000. They also never received any product. The U.S. Secret Service and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case.


title: Adel Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Federal Prison for Transportation of Child Pornography

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – An Adel man was sentenced on Friday, September 5, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison for transportation of child pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Douglas Harsh, 55, received files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Harsh’s Adel residence. The investigation showed that Harsh was a member of an online chat group whose members shared images and videos of child pornography including content of prepubescent children. After completing his term of imprisonment, Harsh will be required to serve a seven-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Harsh was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children, and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Edmond Man Pleads Guilty after Filing Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program Loan Application

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – RUSSELL KIM , 63, of Edmond, has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a financial institution and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, in 2020, Kim was the owner of R&D 2 Investment Group (R&D) in Oklahoma City. On April 3, 2020, Kim submitted an application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, administered by the Small Business Administration, to support the ongoing operations of a restaurant operated by R&D. The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. Court documents show R&D’s restaurant had in fact closed in March 2020, and that Kim submitted payroll information for employees who no longer worked for R&D. As a result of Kim’s false statement, the bank approved a PPP loan in the amount of $174,000. On August 12, 2025, Kim was charged by Information with making a false statement to a financial institution and money laundering. On September 4, 2025, Kim pleaded guilty to the Information, and admitted he knowingly made a false statement to a bank in order to influence the bank to approve a PPP loan, and that he knowingly engaged in a monetary transaction of a value greater than $10,000 with funds derived from the unlawful activity of making a false statement on a PPP loan application. At sentencing, Kim faces up to 40 years in federal prison, and fines of up to $1,250,000. This case is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle London is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Alamo man guilty of smuggling illegal aliens

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 62-year-old Alamo resident has admitted he illegally transported two Mexican citizens in a tractor-trailer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Lazaro Rosendo Vega drove to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint in a maroon tractor-trailer May 30. At primary inspection, authorities noticed him sitting unusually high in his seat and acting abnormally loud and excited. When asked what he was hauling, he claimed “avocados loaded about two hours ago.” A subsequent x-ray scan revealed two illegal aliens hidden under blankets on the top bunk of the sleeper cab. Both were citizens of Mexico. Vega claimed he was unaware of the two men hiding just feet behind him. As part of his plea, Vega acknowledged one of the illegal aliens had claimed to have entered the United States about a month earlier, was led to a warehouse and later placed in Vega’s tractor-trailer. He had paid $9,000 to be smuggled into Fort Worth and was hidden inside the cab with another man for extended periods before the truck continued north. Vega had blocked the dash camera view before picking up the aliens. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos accepted the plea and set sentencing for Dec. 10, at which time Vega faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Vega was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Izaak Bruce and Patrick Overman are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: April 2023 Murder at a Southeast Apartment Complex Results in Guilty Plea

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Darrell Hinkle, 36, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for the April 2023 shooting of Dajuan Blakney, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Hinkle’s guilty plea on September 4, 2025, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, calls for a sentence of between 17 and 21 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release. Superior Court Judge Jason Park accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2026. According to the proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, at 12:01 a.m. on April 21, 2023, Hinkle parked his vehicle in front of an apartment complex located at 1511 19th Street SE. Thereafter, the defendant approached the victim, who was seated on the steps leading to the entrance of the complex. When Hinkle was within a few feet of the victim, he shot him with an assault-style rifle, killing him. He then fled the scene in his vehicle. Hinkle was arrested in October of 2023 and has been in custody since. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by officers, detectives, and other personnel of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Carson.


body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – John Ladelle Puryear, 49, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Puryear’s apartment in Huntington and seized approximately 299 grams of cocaine, 10 grams of fentanyl and 8 grams of crack, a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol, a Colt MK IV Series 80 .45-caliber pistol, a Ruger LCF .380-caliber pistol, digital scales and approximately $6,487. As part of his guilty plea, Puryear, admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances. Puryear further admitted that he possessed the seized firearms to protect the controlled substance and the proceeds from distributing them. Puryear is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-125. ###


title: Shiprock Man Charged in Stabbing that Left Victim Seriously Injured

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges after allegedly attacking a woman with a knife in a grocery store parking lot, leaving her with life-threatening injuries. According to court documents, on August 31, 2025, Navajo Police Department officers responded to a stabbing in the parking lot of the Bashas Grocery Store in Shiprock, New Mexico. Officers located the victim with serious stab wounds and significant blood loss. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment and survived. A witnesses identified the assailant as Tony Tsosie , 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Tsosie was later detained nearby with blood on his hands and shoes matching prints at the scene. Tsosie denied involvement, provided a false identity, and claimed not to be carrying a knife, though a witness described him stabbing the victim multiple times after a verbal altercation. Tsosie is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Tsosie faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Tsosie).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two Albuquerque Men Plead Guilty to Harboring Undocumented Immigrants and Ransom Conspiracy

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Two Albuquerque men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport and harbor undocumented immigrants after federal agents uncovered a stash house linked to a kidnapping and ransom scheme. According to court documents, the investigation began on March 1, 2025, when the FBI received a kidnapping complaint reporting that the victim’s family was being extorted for ransom under threats of violence and cartel involvement. Agents traced the ransom calls to a residence in southwest Albuquerque and executed a search warrant the following day. Inside, they found 11 undocumented immigrants, including an unaccompanied minor, along with more than 20 cell phones and a ledger of smuggling activity. Victims reported being locked in rooms, threatened with violence, and told not to contact law enforcement. Both Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar were identified as running the stash house and producing ransom videos. Jose and Gaspar admitted to their roles in a conspiracy to transport and harbor undocumented immigrants in Albuquerque between late February and early March 2025. Jose maintained the stash house and took videos of the individuals he was harboring, while Gaspar lived at the residence without paying rent and supported the operation by cooking, cleaning, and helping manage the premises. Both defendants acknowledged they knowingly participated in the conspiracy, which was carried out in exchange for money. At sentencing, Jose and Gaspar both face up to 10 years in prison. Upon their release from prison, Jose and Gaspar will be subject to three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as 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: Two Men Admit Kidnapping St. Louis County Toddler in Attempt to Recover Guns

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two men have admitted kidnapping a toddler in St. Louis County, Missouri in a bid to recover missing guns. Kendal “KD” White, 20, of St. Charles, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of kidnapping. Cam’Ron Henderson, 20, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 11. White admitted as part of the plea agreement that he believed that the father of the kidnapping victim, a 2-year-old, had taken firearms and other items from him. On Aug. 10. 2023, White, Henderson and others then began looking for the man and eventually found their way to the victim’s mother’s apartment in St. Louis County. When she did not answer the door, White and Henderson kicked it in. Both men were armed. After learning that their quarry was not in the apartment, White demanded that the mother turn over her daughter. She refused, and White struck her in the head with his gun multiple times before grabbing the toddler from her arms. White and Henderson fled with the girl and the victim’s mother called police. When White and Henderson learned that an Amber Alert had been issued and included a description of the Hyundai Elantra they were driving, White paid three women to return the toddler to her uncle’s home. The kidnapping charge carries a penalty of at least 20 years in prison. Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2 and White on January 27. The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.


title: South Dakota man sentenced to over 12 years in prison for sexually abusing two victims on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS – An South Dakota man who sexually abused two victims on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 148 in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Farron Gene American Horse, Sr., 40, was found guilty by a jury in April 2025 of sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged at trial and in court documents that American Horse sexually abused the victims in September and October 2020 in Hays, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. In October 2020, one victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, who had attained the age of 12 years but had not yet reached the age of 16 years, disclosed being sexually abused by American Horse. About this time, another victim, identified as Jane Doe 2, who also had attained the age of 12 years but had not yet reached the age of 16 years, disclosed that American Horse had touched her. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Hendricks and Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services. XXX


title: Canadian national sentenced to over 11 years in prison for facilitating cocaine shipments from South America to Canada

body_text: HOUSTON – A 35-year-old man who illegally resided in the Heights area in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a transnational drug trafficking organization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jack Kasjaniuk pleaded guilty May 27. U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Kasjaniuk to serve 135 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Kasjaniuk’s role in operating a waypoint for hundreds of kilograms of cocaine coming from Mexico and South America and destined for Canada. Not a U.S. citizen, Kasjaniuk is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence. Kasjaniuk came to the United States for the express purpose of receiving the shipments of cocaine, repackaging them and sending them on to the drug trafficking organization in Canada. Kasjaniuk operated the cocaine distribution point in the Heights neighborhood of Houston for approximately two years. The investigation revealed that in one three-month span alone, Kasjaniuk handled at least 620 kilograms of cocaine on behalf of the organization. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Alberta, Canada, Law Enforcement Response Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case.


title: Shelton Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sex Abuse Images

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROSS DeLIBRO, 54, of Shelton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 288 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for producing and possessing child sex abuse images. According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2024, a detective assigned to the Connecticut State Police Computer Crimes Unit began an investigation into the sharing of child sex abuse images and videos over a peer-to-peer file sharing network. The investigation revealed that an internet protocol (IP) address assigned to DeLibro’s residence in Shelton had been used to share child sex abuse videos. The investigation also revealed that DeLibro had worked since at least 2007 as a preschool teacher and in-home nanny for several families with young children in Connecticut, and had a degree in early childhood education. He solicited in-home nanny business through a popular and legitimate employment website. On May 1, 2024, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of DeLibro’s residence and seized his Apple MacBook Air, his iPhone, an external hard drive, and other items. Analysis of the seized items revealed image and video files depicting male children being sexually abused, including two images in which DeLibro appears engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a toddler. DeLibro has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 11, 2024. On May 15, 2025, he pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Shelton Police Department and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Scientific Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel George and Nancy Gifford. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Ansonia/Milford for its cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Fairfax man pleads guilty to threatening to kill  Veterans Affairs and U.S. Postal Service employees

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pled guilty today to making threatening communications over interstate commerce and threatening to kill a federal official. According to court documents, on April 29, Kenneth R. Woodard, 57, called the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) crisis line and demanded to be connected to a VA hospital and, specifically, a VA police officer that he interacted with earlier in the day. During the call, Woodard stated he was on his way to the VA hospital with an armor-piercing firearm to kill the officer. On May 13, Woodard made three calls the United State Postal Service (USPS) Customer Care Center, speaking with a different USPS employee each time regarding a package he was waiting to receive. Woodard threatened to kill one of the employees with whom he spoke. He stated the next time he saw a mailman he was going to “kill him,” and that if the package was not delivered that day, he would travel to the post office with a firearm. Woodard claimed that he was a U.S. Marine sniper and that if he had to go to the post office, he would bring a gun. During a phone call later that day with Postal Inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service, Woodard stated he would sit outside a local post office and put a bullet in someone’s head if he did not receive his package. Woodard claimed to possess three firearms and told the Postal Inspectors that if they came to his house they should come with firepower. On May 28, during a phone call with the VA crisis line, Woodard told a VA Crisis Specialist that he was going to find and rape the specialist’s husband and children. Woodard is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 26 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Cheryl L. Mason, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-204.


title: Statement of David X. Sullivan on his appointment by the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut to serve as United States Attorney

body_text: “I sincerely thank Chief Judge Shea and the District Court judges for allowing me to continue in my role as United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. I am honored that they, President Trump, and Attorney General Bondi have placed their trust in me to serve our country and the people of Connecticut alongside the hard-working men and women of the office, and federal, state, and local law enforcement.”


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States for the Third Time

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Mexican national was sentenced to three years in federal prison today for illegally reentering the United States following multiple prior deportations and felony convictions. According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 17, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents were conducting enforcement operations in Rankin County on Interstate 20. Agents conducted a vehicle stop and Luis Simon Acevedo-Rodriguez, 33, freely admitted to being a citizen of Mexico and to being present in the United States without the requisite permission. He was arrested and processed for removal. Acevedo-Rodriguez’s fingerprints were scanned into DHS databases resulting in a computer match to his prior immigration records, including photographs. Acevedo-Rodriguez has previously been convicted three times in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas – once for improper entry by an alien and twice for illegal reentry by a deported or removed alien. He has been formally removed from the United States three times previously. A Criminal Complaint was filed against Acevedo-Rodriguz on March 20, 2025. Acevedo-Rodriguez was then indicted by a federal grand jury on April 8, 2025, and pleaded guilty to unlawful return of an alien removed after conviction of a felony on June 6, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, made the announcement. The United States Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Rankin County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

body_text: JACKSON, MS – Wilbert Lindsay Ransom, 45, pleaded guilty today to bank robbery. According to court documents and statements made in open court, Wilbert Lindsay Ransom pleaded guilty today after being indicted by a federal grand jury. Ransom pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery. Ransom’s charges stemmed from the May 27, 2025, robbery of the Trustmark National Bank branch location on Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson. Security footage from the incident showed Ransom enter the bank and approach the teller window with a hand-written demand note. In one angle of the security footage, Ransom is shown reaching into his pocket and removing a folding knife while making his demand. Ransom fled from the bank and was later arrested in Brandon the same day. Ransom is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026. Ransom faces a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff made the announcement. The Jackson Field Office of the FBI investigated the matter with assistance from the Capitol Police Department and the Brandon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Five Members of Violent Crew Sentenced for 2020 Homicide and Shootings That Occurred in 2020 and 2021

body_text: WASHINGTON – Five members of the Avenue Crew a.k.a. the 1080 Clickas a.k.a. Simple City of Washington, D.C., were sentenced for their roles in the April 2020 murder of 21-year-old Brea Moon and shootings that took place in May 2020 and June 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. DaJuan Jones, 24, pleaded guilty on April 11, 2025, to one count of second-degree murder while armed for his role in the April 2020 murder of Brea Moon and one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for his role in the May 2020 shooting in the 5000 block of H Street Southeast. On September 3, 2025, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Jones to 23 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Charles Hill, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed for his role in the April 2020 murder of Brea Moon and one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for his role in the June 2021 shooting in the 3200 block of 34th Street Northwest. On September 3, 2025, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Hill to 23 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Dominique Franks, 24, Melvin Morris, 27, and Nkobia Edwards, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for their roles in the June 2021 shooting on the 3200 block of 34th Street Northwest. On August 22, 2025, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Franks to 13 years in prison, Morris to 12 years in prison, and Edwards to 11 years in prison, each of which will be followed by five years of supervised release. With respect to the April 2020 homicide, according to the government’s evidence, Jones was driving, and Hill was riding in a stolen white vehicle that pulled into the BP gas station located at 4101 Alabama Avenue SE shortly before 10:30 p.m. on April 7, 2020. Minutes later, a gray sedan pulled into that same gas station with the victim, Brea Moon, in the front passenger seat. When the gray sedan left the gas station, the white vehicle intentionally followed closely behind. Shortly thereafter, the white vehicle pulled up beside the gray sedan and multiple gunshots were fired by the occupants of the white vehicle at the gray sedan, including one that struck the victim in the head and killed her. With respect to the May 2020 shooting, according to the government’s evidence, Jones rode in a silver car toward the 5000 block of H Street Southeast shortly before 4:00 p.m. on May 2, 2020. After the car stopped nearby, Jones exited the vehicle and fired multiple gunshots in the direction of numerous individuals who were in the front yard of 5023 H Street SE. Two individuals were hit by Jones’ gunshots, suffering gunshot wounds to their leg and arm, respectively. When Jones was done shooting, he got back into the silver car and the car drove off. With respect to the June 2021 shooting, according to the government’s evidence, on June 17, 2021, at approximately 1:35 p.m. Hill, Franks, Edwards, and Morris were inside a stolen silver Dodge Charger that stopped on the 3200 block of 34th Street Northwest, immediately adjacent to John Eaton Elementary School, which was undergoing renovation. After the car came to a stop, the defendants got out of the car, brandished their firearms, and fired multiple gunshots at an individual, who was standing just 50 to100 feet from the defendants. As a result, the individual suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal, Julia Cosans, Sarah Folse, Yasmin Emrani, and Daniel Bromwich, who investigated and prosecuted the case, along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Alec Levy.


title: Three high-level MS-13 gang members plead guilty to 50-year sentences in large-scale racketeering conspiracy involving murder and other violent crimes

body_text: GALVESTON, Texas – Eight El Salvadorian citizens who illegally resided in Houston and are members of the violent transnational criminal organization Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a racketeering conspiracy that included multiple murders and acts of witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Walter Antonio Chicas-Garcia aka Mejia, 28, Wilson Jose Ventura-Mejia aka Discreto, 29, Miguel Angel Aguilar-Ochoa aka Darki, 40, and Marlon Miranda-Moran aka Chinki, 26, have now entered their pleas. Four others - Luis Ernesto Carbajal-Peraza, aka Destino, 33, Edgardo Martinez-Rodriguez aka Largo, 35, Carlos Alexi Garcia-Gongora aka Garcia, 27, and Wilman Rivas-Guido aka Inquieto, 29 - also pleaded guilty to the same racketeering conspiracy Aug. 11. “This case demonstrates the tremendous public safety threat that MS-13 and other criminal terrorist organizations pose to American communities,” said Ganjei. “Here, defendants carried out a series of murders - bludgeoning, butchering, and strangling their victims with sadistic glee. These are people without remorse or pity. When it comes to eradicating these gangs, the United States cannot afford to either relent or fail. As the facts of this case show, the stakes are too high.” “These defendants carried out brutal murders in the name of MS-13, killing victims with machetes, baseball bats and their bare hands, and then sending photos of the victims’ bodies to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants committed these unthinkable acts to maintain their status in a gang that spread fear in local neighborhoods and targeted those brave enough to cooperate with law enforcement. Today’s guilty pleas send a powerful message that the Justice Department will aggressively pursue and hold accountable MS-13 members who use violence and murder to terrorize our communities.” According to court documents and statements made in court, MS-13 is a violent international street gang involved in a variety of violent criminal activities across the United States, including Texas, Virginia, Maryland, New York and California. MS-13 also has a large international presence in El Salvador and Honduras. To protect MS-13’s power, reputation and territory, members and associates must use intimidation and violence, including murder and assault with deadly weapons, such as machetes. As part of their plea agreements, all eight admitted to being members of MS-13 and participating in a criminal enterprise responsible for multiple murders, extortion, drug trafficking, robbery and obstruction of justice in and around the Houston area from 2017 through 2018. High-ranking MS-13 leaders based in El Salvador ordered and approved of the murders, sometimes listening by phone as MS-13 members carried out the crimes. MS-13 members participated in the murders to increase or maintain their own position within MS-13’s ranks. MS-13 targeted the murder victims because they were believed to be members of rival gangs, cooperating with law enforcement or working against MS-13’s interests. MS-13 members committed the murders using machetes, a baseball bat and strangling. After the murders, MS-13 members sent photos of the victims’ bodies to high-ranking MS-13 members in El Salvador, sometimes further mutilating or dismembering the victim’s bodies before sending the photos. According to their plea agreements, Chicas-Garcia, Ventura-Mejia and Aguilar-Ochoa will each be sentenced to 50 years in federal prison while Miranda-Moran will receive a 35-year-term of imprisonment. Martinez-Rodriguez, Garcia-Gongora and Rivas-Guido have agreed to a term from 45-50 years, while Carbajal-Peraza is expected to receive 40-45 years of imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown accepted the pleas and has set sentencing for November. At that time, he will consider the sentencing stipulations and impose any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. FBI; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; police departments in Houston and Galveston as well as Prince George’s County in Maryland; sheriff’s offices in Harris and Liberty counties; Texas Department of Public Safety; University of North Texas Center for Human Identification; U.S. Marshals Service; and Texas Office of the Attorney General led or contributed to the lengthy and complex investigation of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keri Fuller and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Britni Verdeja are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. 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 Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Murders Committed in April and May 2020

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michael Mason, 21, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on September 5, 2025, to two charges of second-degree murder for the shooting death of 21-year-old Brea Moon in April 2020 in Southeast Washington and the shooting death of 18-year-old Antwuan Roach in May 2020 in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. His guilty plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, calls for a range of 27-31 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release. Superior Court Judge Jason Park accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for October 31, 2025. With respect to the April 2020 homicide, according to the government’s evidence, defendant Mason was riding in a stolen white vehicle that pulled into the BP gas station located at 4101 Alabama Avenue SE shortly before 10:30 p.m. on April 7, 2020. Minutes later, a gray sedan pulled into that same gas station with the victim, Brea Moon, in the front passenger seat. When the gray sedan left the gas station, the white vehicle intentionally followed closely behind. Shortly thereafter, the white vehicle pulled up beside the gray sedan and defendant Mason fired multiple gunshots at the gray sedan, including one that struck the victim and killed her. With respect to the May 2020 homicide, according to the government’s evidence, defendant Mason learned of Mr. Roach’s location and tracked him to the unit block of Anacostia Road NE shortly before 5:00 p.m. Mr. Roach was walking alone and was unarmed. After locating Mr. Roach, the defendant’s vehicle pulled into an alley behind the 3800 block of East Capitol Street Northeast. As Mr. Roach stepped into the alley, the defendant fired at Mr. Roach killing him. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal, Julia Cosans, Sarah Folse, Yasmin Emrani, and Daniel Bromwich, who investigated and prosecuted the case, along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Alec Levy.


title: Online child predator sentenced to 25 years

body_text: HOUSTON – A 28-year-old Vermont man has been ordered to federal prison after his multiple convictions related to the production of child sexual assault material (CSAM) involving a South Texas victim, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Daniel Lee Hicks pleaded guilty April 16 to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Hicks to a total of 300 months in federal prison. In imposing the sentence, the court noted its responsibility to the victims and advised Hicks there are consequences for his actions. Hicks will also serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hicks will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. The court will determine and order restitution at a later date. “The internet is a valuable tool, but unfortunately, for predators like Hicks, it can become a weapon used to target some of our most vulnerable,” Ganjei said. “To anyone who tries to use social media or other avenues to prey on our kids, it matters not where you are. We will hunt you down, arrest you, and imprison you…often for decades. To parents, stay vigilant and be aware of those that could be infiltrating your children’s devices.” “As a parent, cases like this hit close to home knowing that dangerous predators like this are just a mouse click or phone swipe away from our children on social media,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations Houston. “Fortunately, working with our partners at the Montgomery County Constables Office, we were able to identify this child predator and remove him from the community for the next 25 years, but it’s never a bad time for parents to talk to their kids and educate them about the dangers on social media. Department of Homeland Security offers plenty of useful tools and resources that can be found at https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect .” In November 2022, authorities discovered sexually explicit conversations between Hicks and a minor female victim who was residing in the Southern District of Texas. Hicks began communicating with her since at least 2021 and knew she was under the age of 14. During the conversations, Hicks sent demeaning and threatening messages to coerce the victim to create and send videos and images depicting sexually explicit conduct. During the conversations, Hicks also sent CSAM images to her. Authorities identified at least two additional minor victims residing across the United States, both under the age of 16. Hicks would communicate with the children online for the explicit purpose of creating and obtaining more CSAM. Hicks exploited online social media platforms to identify and exploit the minor victims. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation as part of their Child Exploitation Investigations Group with the assistance of Montgomery County Constable’s Office – Precinct 5. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse prosecuted the case which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .