title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 135 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 135 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On April 15, Jesus Manuel Zuniga Huerta and Jose Alberto Flores Avalos of Mexico were arrested at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and charged with importing deadly fentanyl into the U.S. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 148 pounds of fentanyl in the rear frame well of a tractor-trailer driven by Zuniga Huerta. On April 15, Brian Jaime Sanchez, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found an undocumented immigrant concealed in the trunk of Sanchez’s car as he attempted to cross the border at the Tecate Port of Entry. On April 17, Sergio Villalba-Serrano, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Departed Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Villalba-Serrano was taken into custody near the Tecate Port of Entry after his Cadillac was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Villalba-Serrano had previously been deported on October 26, 2019, from Laredo, Texas. Also this week, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases: On April 10, 2025, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted seven-time felon Miguel Rolon of conspiring to bring in aliens and bringing in two aliens for financial gain. During trial, the evidence showed that Rolon picked up two Guatemalan nationals at a stash house in Tijuana, Mexico, coached the aliens to weave a fictious backstory to customs officers, and attempted to smuggle the same aliens into the United States using others’ U.S. passports at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Rolon is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2025. On April 18, 2024, Javier Gracia-Meza, a Mexican national, who was previously convicted of a felony illegal reentry offense, was sentenced in federal court to 15 months in custody for again entering the United States illegally. On April 18, 2025, Cruz Torres-Gonzalez, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of five felony immigration offenses, was sentenced in federal court to 54 months in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. On April 18, 2025, Pablo Lazcano-Quinonez, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony conspiracy to distribute marijuana, felony possession/use of drug paraphernalia, and two illegal reentry offenses, was sentenced in federal court to 15 months in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. On April 18, 2025, Jesus Eduardo Morga-Ceballos - a Mexican national who was previously convicted of a felony controlled substance offense in 2014, a misdemeanor criminal threat with intent to terrorize in 2014, and a felony illegal reentry in 2023 - was sentenced in federal court to 101 days in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Garvin County Woman Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Assaulting Child in Indian Country

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – AMANDA STOWERS , 40, of Garvin County, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison for sexually abusing a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On May 4, 2021, a federal Grand Jury returned a three-count Indictment against Stowers, charging her with three counts of sexual abuse of a minor. According to public record, in April of 2020, officers with the Stratford Police Department began investigating a possible sexual assault involving a minor victim. The investigation, conducted by the FBI and Stratford Police Department, determined that Stowers had sexually assaulted the victim between April 20, 2017, and April 19, 2020. This case is in federal court because the victim is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and the crimes took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. On September 10, 2024, Stowers pleaded guilty, and admitted she sexually assaulted the minor victim between the dates referenced. At the sentencing hearing on April 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Stowers to serve 180 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted that the lengthy term of incarceration was warranted due to the serious nature of the offense. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Stratford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Ryan Ellison Appointed as United States Attorney  for the District of New Mexico

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Ryan Ellison has been appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mr. Ellison was sworn in by United States District Judge Margaret Strickland on April 18, 2025. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of New Mexico in this role,” said Mr. Ellison. “For however long I serve as United States Attorney, my primary objective will be to keep New Mexicans safe through the vigorous enforcement of Federal law. Under my leadership, the United States Attorney’s Office will do its part to stem the unlawful flow of people and drugs into our country. We will also not lose sight of our responsibility to combat violent crime, gang activity, child predators, and to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States’ civil interests. Together with our federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the United States Attorney’s Office will work tirelessly to make New Mexico a safer place to live, work, raise a family, and run a business. And we will make New Mexico a far less attractive place to commit a crime.” Mr. Ellison, born and raised in Alamogordo, New Mexico, graduated from the University of Arizona with a business degree in 2010. He earned his Juris Doctor and MBA from Texas Tech University in 2013. Since 2018, Mr. Ellison has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico in the Las Cruces Branch Office, most recently as Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney of the Violent and General Crimes Section. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison prosecuted members of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (“SNM”) prison gang. To date, more than 175 SNM gang members and associates have been charged with serious federal crimes, making the ongoing SNM prosecution the largest criminal case ever brought in the District of New Mexico. He has also investigated and prosecuted other violent crimes, including VICAR murder, RICO conspiracy, carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, murder-for-hire, and various firearms, immigration, and national security offenses. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Ellison worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the 47th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Texas and as an associate attorney in private practice. As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison will be responsible for overseeing federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the District of New Mexico. Ellison leads a dedicated team of over 150 prosecutors and support professionals with offices located in Albuquerque and Las Cruces. The District of New Mexico encompasses 33 counties and shares a 180-mile international border with Mexico. It is home to five National Forests, four major military installations, two National Laboratories, 19 pueblos, two Apache tribes, and one-third of the Navajo Nation.


title: Security Guard Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of an Inmate

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Morris Gary Hibbitt, 51, of Avondale, was sentenced on April 14, 2025, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 13 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexual abuse of an inmate. Hibbitt is also required to register as a sex offender. On May 21, 2023, while on duty as the Security Supervisor at Behavioral Systems Southwest (BSS) in Phoenix, Hibbitt sexually assaulted a female inmate under his supervision. BSS is a residential reentry center contracted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to aid inmates in their transition back into the community while completing their prison sentences. Inmates at BSS are in official detention and remain under the custodial authority of the BOP. The Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Kristen Brook, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00992-PHX-GMS RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-059_Hibbitt # # # 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: 205 charged with illegal entry or reentry as part of new cases filed this week in efforts to secure southern border

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 216 more cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from April 11-17, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. As part of those cases, 86 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, firearms or sexual offenses, or prior immigration crimes. A total of 119 people face charges of illegally entering the country while 11 cases involve various instances of human smuggling. Some of those charged with felony reentry include Mexican national Alejandro Contreras-Zapata, who was allegedly found near Roma. The charges allege he had been previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon before his removal March 7. Erika Camacho-Rodriguez is also a convicted felon and illegally returned recently, according to the complaint. Authorities found her near Roma, having been removed March 31 following a conviction for transporting illegal aliens as the charges allege. She is also from Mexico. Another case charges Cesar Garcia-Rivas, a Mexican male found in the United States near Rio Grande City. He had allegedly been removed Oct. 21, 202o, and had previously received a 70-month sentence for kidnapping. Three other men were apprehended near Laredo and had just been removed within the last five months, according to their charges. The criminal complaints allege Daniel Fimbres and Jose Alejandro Rodriguez-Panjol had just been removed Feb. 19 and 28, respectively, while Delfino Lopez-Roque was removed Nov. 24, 2024. All six of these illegal aliens and others charged in some of the cases filed this week face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of illegally returning to the United States without authorization. Other relevant matters this week include the jury conviction of a 25-year-old Laredo woman for conspiracy to transport, attempting to transport and bringing in and attempting to bring a three-year-old minor to the United States. Salma Galilea Veliz planned to have the boy assume the identity of her biological son in an effort to smuggle him into the United States. In exchange, she would be paid $2,500. In another jury trial resulting in a guilty verdict , a known human smuggler was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before finding Jose Rodriguez Jr. guilty after a one-day trial. When he was initially arrested in August 2024 for transporting aliens, authorities also discovered 150 images of CSAM on his phone. The evidence included numerous files depicting sexual assaults of prepubescent children. Also announced this week was the indictment of two illegal aliens and a Laredo man for various firearms offenses. The investigation began March 21 when law enforcement discovered the location of a firearm allegedly used in a crime. Upon searching the residence, authorities allegedly discovered two machine gun conversion devices, a backpack that contained magazines and ammunition as well a .38 special and .22LR ammunition. Also on the property was a grey backpack containing a 9mm S&W handgun, according to the complaint. Erick Lopez Jr., 18, Laredo, is charged with possession of a machine gun, while Erick Lopez-Rivera Sr., 37, and Marcos Lora-Morales, 24, both illegal aliens unlawfully residing in Laredo, are facing charges of alien in possession of ammunition and alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, respectively. Lopez-Rivera Sr. is also charged with felony reentry of an alien. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are 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 . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Minnesota Man Faces Federal Charges for  Threatening to Murder United States Congressperson

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Michael Lewis of Minneapolis has been indicted for threatening to murder a United States official, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, on March 26, 2025, Michael Paul Lewis, 52, called the office of a United States Congressperson and left a voicemail in which he threatened to murder her. “Federal law protects our elected officials from this sort of violent, unhinged, and murderous rhetoric,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick. “It is entirely unacceptable. Defendants who attempt to terrorize public officials in this way will face the full weight of federal justice. I am grateful for the diligent and swift work of the FBI to hold this defendant to account.” “Threatening to kill a member of Congress is not protected speech. It is a federal crime that will be met with immediate and decisive action,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “No one should be subject to violence for fulfilling their elected duty to represent the American people. The FBI and our partners will investigate such threats thoroughly and hold accountable anyone who threatens the safety of our elected leaders.” Lewis is charged with one count of threatening to murder a United States official and one count of interstate transmission of a threat to injure the other person. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today and will remain detained until his arraignment and detention hearing on April 23, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys LeeAnn Bell and Andrew Winter are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Texas Man Convicted for Unauthorized Identity Documents with Illegal Intent

component: Department of Justice

body_text: GULFPORT, MS – A Houston, Texas, man pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025, to Unauthorized Possession of Five or More Identity Documents or Authentication Features with Intent to Use Unlawfully. According to court documents, Kenny Hoang Nguyen, age 31, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to this felony offense in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. Nguyen is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Federal law also provides for Nguyen to be held responsible for restitution to victims. A federal judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. On May 7, 2024, an agent with the Jackson County, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team (MET) observed a vehicle driving carelessly and initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 10 eastbound. The vehicle was being driven by Kenny Hoang Nguyen. The agent’s narcotics K9 alerted on the vehicle and a search revealed a small amount of suspected methamphetamine. Additionally, agents found seven temporary Texas driver’s licenses bearing Nguyen’s face but with names and personal information of other people. Further, agents found various documents; debit cards, papers with other personal identity information, and U.S. Mail belonging to other persons. Some items were located in an object that appeared to be book entitled “Holy Bible” but actually was a container. Receipts and deposit slips also were found, with two deposit slips in the name of a victim whose identity was used to create a false ID with Nguyen’s photo. 27 victims were identified whose data (such as account numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, and social security numbers) was unlawfully possessed by Nguyen. The case was referred to a U.S. Postal Inspector for further investigation. Multiple victims were interviewed whose identity had been unlawfully possessed by Nguyen in Jackson County. Victims described unlawful activity involving their mail and bank accounts that were directly consistent and matched documents such as bank records possessed by Nguyen when he was arrested in MS. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon, praised the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Lemon joined Shameka Jackson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Postal Inspection Service (Houston Division), and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, in making the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted 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: Highland Park Man Involved in Violent Robberies Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Christopher Bey, a 50-year old from Highland Park, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Use of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm relating to an armed robbery, shooting, and attempted armed robbery, all of which occurred in the City of Pontiac, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced today. Beck was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James Dier of the ATF’s Detroit Division and Sheriff Michael Bouchard of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. “Removing violent offenders from our community is one the office’s top priorities,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “We will not stop being laser-focused on aggressively prosecuting dangerous individuals who persist in terrorizing our citizens. The strategies we use to identify the drivers of violence, who we then prosecute, works. We are truly making our community safer,” she stated. “This 20-year sentence is RIGHTEOUS. Mr. Bey is a sociopathic serial shooter who has consistently shown an inability to follow societal rules. It most certainly sends a clear message: if you use a firearm to shoot an innocent member of our community, there is absolutely no limit on the resources ATF will expend to hunt you down and hold you accountable for your cowardly conduct,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Everyone deserves to feel safe when they go to work to provide for their family. Armed criminals motivated by greed have no place in our Michigan community, and ATF will tirelessly work with our state and local partners to remove the most dangerous offenders off our streets and put them where they belong: behind bars.” Bey robbed a Boost Mobile store in the city of Pontiac on February 4, 2023. After entering the store, Bey brandished a firearm and demanded money from the store employee. The employee fully complied with Bey’s demands. Nevertheless, Bey pulled a potato from his pants, affixed it to the barrel of the revolver, and shot the victim twice in the stomach. The victim was in the hospital for approximately one month. Bey later admitted to the ATF that he got the idea to use the potato as a silencer from watching a movie. Bey attempted to rob a Dollar General Store in the City of Pontiac on March 24, 2023. After entering the store, Bey handed a store employee a note while pointing a gun at the employee. He ordered the employee to the storeroom and directed the employee to apply handcuffs to himself. A customer accidentally entered the storeroom and fought with Bey, who ran out of the store. Bey was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records, during the robbery investigations, law enforcement observed social media posts of Bey holding a firearm with his face obscured by a ski mask. Law enforcement was able to use other images from his social media accounts to determine Bey’s identity. On July 26, 2023, the Pontiac Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF), assisted by, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 Unit, Customs Border Protection - Aviation Enforcement, and the Detroit Police Department, arrested Christopher Lee Bey. Bey has been in custody since his arrest. The GVTF was established by the ATF and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The GVTF is tasked with investigating the unlawful possession of firearms and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes within Pontiac, Oakland County, and the Eastern District of Michigan. This case was prosecuted by the Violent & Organized Crime Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office.


title: HOUSTON, TEXAS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FENTANYL OFFENSES

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Houston, Texas man pleaded guilty today to traveling from Houston, Texas to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, Jeffrey Daster Torres, 38, traveled from Houston, Texas to Gulfport, Mississippi, with Roberto Renteria-Guerrero, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Columbia, South America, to distribute almost 200 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Unfortunately for Torres and Guerrero, law enforcement officers were made aware of their plans, and stopped the vehicle in which they were traveling. After the traffic stop, officers found the fentanyl, photos of which are below. Officers also discovered that Torres was traveling with a fake driver’s license. Subsequent analysis of Torres’ and Guerrero’s phones confirmed that they were involved in drug trafficking, and had made at least one prior trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In fact, in electronic messages Torres and Guerrero shared at least one photos of a substance that appeared consistent with the fentanyl seized. Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment. Guerrero previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and similarly faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment. Guerrero is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2025. 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 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement. The DEA, with assistance from the Biloxi Police Department and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight are 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: Long Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Production and Distribution of  Images of Minors Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Long Beach, Mississippi man pleaded guilty today to three counts of producing images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and one count of distributing images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. According to court documents, in February 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) in Gulfport learned that Jason Leonard Rhodes, a 47-year-old male, had sexual contact with three minor boys. With that information, the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division, conducted a search warrant at the defendant’s residence on February 8, 2023. During the search warrant, the FBI found various electronic devices belonging to Rhodes. A forensic examiner with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division conducted a forensic analysis on those devices and found videos of Rhodes engaged in sexually explicit conduct with minors. The forensic examiner also found chats between Rhodes and others in which Rhodes sent some of those videos to other people as well as videos of other children being sexually abused. During the search warrant, Rhodes gave a confession to law enforcement, admitting to videoing himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the minors and to sending out pictures and videos of children being sexually abused. Rhodes is scheduled to be sentenced August 26, 2025, and faces up to thirty years in prison for each count of producing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and up to twenty years on the count of distributing images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. 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 Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division, and the Long Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Smith, Glenda Haynes, and Andrea Jones prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: New York Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base and Fentanyl

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 17, 2025, Owin Thomas, of New York City, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 70 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Thomas previously pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine base and fentanyl with the intent to distribute those controlled substances. According to court records, on August 28, 2022, Owin Thomas was arrested in a motel room in Bennington, Vermont. After his arrest his motel room was searched and during that search agents located and seized 27.74 grams of bulk packaged cocaine base, and 8.82 grams of bulk packaged fentanyl. Law enforcement also located a backpack attributable to Thomas, which contained empty wax paper envelopes of the type normally used to package fentanyl for sale, a digital scale, and a knife. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Bennington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas J. Aliberti and Jason Turner. Thomas was represented by Steven Barth. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Caldwell Couple Sentenced to 133 and 96 Months in Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – Michael Paul Lacasse, 48, and Venetia Dawn Trischan, 47, of Caldwell, were sentenced to 133 months and 96 months, respectively, in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. According to court records, in December 2023, law enforcement learned that Lacasse and Trischan were involved in distributing drugs. Lacasse provided his “customers” a 3x5 card, which contained different types and amounts of illicit controlled substances, and the “customers” could order from this “menu.” Lacasse traveled to California and Washington to purchase fentanyl and concealed the drugs in the engine of his truck. Trischan weighed and packaged drugs and maintained a ledger of the transactions. On January 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lacasse and Trischan’s shared residence and storage unit. In the residence, law enforcement found five firearms, a homemade suppressor attachment, ammunition, a detailed drug ledger, and approximately $21,000 cash. A search of the storage unit revealed six firearms, ammunition, and pounds of illegal narcotics, including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, ketamine, MDMA, and mushrooms. In total, Lacasse and Trischan intended to distribute 2,919.88 grams of methamphetamine, 1,054.76 grams of heroin, and 2,499.48 grams of cocaine. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Meridian Police Department, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kane Venecia prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position. 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: Kansas City Resident Arrested and Charged in Connection with Tesla Arson

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: WASHINGTON — A Kansas City resident, attending college in Boston, was arrested and made his initial court appearance today in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, to face federal charges related to an arson at a Tesla business in Kansas City, Missouri. According to the criminal complaint, filed in the Western District of Missouri and unsealed today, Owen McIntire, 19, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of malicious damage by fire of any property used in interstate commerce. “Let me be extremely clear to anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: you will not evade us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You will spend decades behind bars. It is not worth it.” “Crimes have consequences. The people behind these violent and dangerous attacks on private property will face decades in prison — we will not make deals and we will not negotiate,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is the second arrest this week of a suspect charged with targeting Tesla, more proof that the FBI will not stand for these destructive acts,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These actions are dangerous, they are illegal, and we are going to arrest those responsible. We will work with our partners at the Department of Justice to hold accountable anyone who commits such crimes. I commend our FBI teams in Kansas City and Boston for their work.” “ATF’s Special Agents and forensic experts recovered and analyzed key evidence—including Molotov cocktails—used in this deliberate and dangerous arson attack,” said Acting Director Dan Driscoll of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). “This wasn’t vandalism — it was a violent criminal act. Thanks to the relentless work of ATF special agents, and our close coordination with the FBI and local law enforcement, we now have a suspect in custody. I am committed to ensuring ATF continues to stand on the front lines of public safety. ATF will not tolerate those who incite political violence in our communities.” According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on March 17, at approximately 11:16 p.m., an officer with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department (KCMOPD) in the vicinity of the Kansas City (KC) Tesla Center observed smoke coming from a grey Cybertruck parked in the KC Tesla Center parking lot. The officer also observed an unbroken suspected incendiary device near the burning Cybertruck. KCMOPD recovered the unbroken incendiary device, also known as a Molotov cocktail. The fire spread from the Cybertruck to a second Cybertruck in the lot. The Kansas City Fire Department responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. The Cybertrucks had sale prices of $105,485 and $107,485. Additionally, two charging stations were damaged by the fire, each of which is valued at approximately $550. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Foley and Trey Alford for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The FBI Kansas City and Boston Field Offices, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department are investigating the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 25-mj-00048-jamlmc_affidavit_redacted.pdf


title: Okemah Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eric Jason Franklin, age 53, of Okemah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on July 15, 2024, Franklin knowingly possessed one .410-gauge pump-action shotgun and 15 rounds of .410-gauge ammunition, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Franklin will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Seven Members of Dunwoody-Based Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization Sentenced

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Seven defendants have been sentenced for their roles in distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly drugs within and outside the metro-Atlanta area. Karla Lopez-Delgado, the ringleader, was also convicted of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute on a premises where a minor resided. “This case underscores our Office’s unwavering commitment to dismantle drug trafficking networks that threaten our communities with deadly substances,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “And the convictions that our Office and our federal and local partners achieved in this case further amplify our collective determination to relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who profit by distributing the drugs that harm our citizens. I commend the exceptional work of our law enforcement partners in bringing these defendants to justice.” “Drug dealers who poison our communities will be held accountable. These sentences serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can profit off addiction — we will find you, and you will be prosecuted,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and our partners remain relentless in our fight to shut down drug operations and protect the safety of our streets.” According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: Beginning in 2022, HSI investigated a drug trafficking operation led by Karla Lopez-Delgado. She ran the organization with the assistance of Jonathon Torres-Aguirre, who, at the time, was incarcerated at Washington State Prison in Davisboro, Georgia. During the investigation, HSI agents seized methamphetamine and fentanyl from Lopez-Delgado’s customers on seven occasions. When agents executed a search warrant at Lopez-Delgado’s Dunwoody apartment—a two-bedroom apartment she shared with her four-year-old daughter—they found approximately 4.5 kilograms of fentanyl, over 80 kilograms of methamphetamine, almost 20 kilograms of cocaine, and a handgun. Agents also found several cell phones with hundreds of conversations with Torres-Aguirre about their drug trafficking activities across the state of Georgia and into Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The following defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg: Karla Lopez-Delgado was sentenced to 19 years, eight months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after she pleaded guilty. Jonathon Torres-Aguirre was sentenced to 12 years, seven months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty. Marco Camacho-Escobar was sentenced to 10 years, one month in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty. Issac Duran-Gomez was sentenced to three years, seven months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty. Carlos Santiago was sentenced to five years, three months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty. Bennie Shelton was sentenced to three years, ten months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty. Kiara Jones was sentenced to one year of home detention, followed by three years of supervised release, after she pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with invaluable assistance provided by U.S. Secret Service, the United States Marshals Service, Brookhaven Police Department, Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, Cobb County Police Department, and Henry County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. LaGrone, and former Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Mann, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to eliminate the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (Atlanta Strike Force) is to eliminate transnational organized crime syndicates and major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Atlanta Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, Regional Priority Organization Targets, and their associates. The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies; and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Edmond Resident Sentenced For Attempted Coercion And Enticement

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lee Edward Redman, age 52, of Edmond, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Attempted Coercion and Enticement. The charge arose from an investigation by the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On November 7, 2024, Redman pleaded guilty to attempting to use the internet to entice an individual who he believed to be under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity. According to investigators, between October 21 and October 24 of 2022, Redman initiated contact with an account appearing to belong to a young female. That account was actually operated as part of an undercover operation conducted by Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office Investigators. After a conversation in which Redman learned that his intended target was 15 years of age, Redman arranged to meet the account holder for sexual intercourse. On October 24, 2022, deputies arrested Redman in the parking lot of a Muskogee mall where he had arranged to meet the 15 year old intended victim. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Redman will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan A. Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

body_text: Tax Fraud Adriana Terrazas-Pacheco , 25, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to one month in federal prison, five months of home confinement, and one year of supervised release for the Willful Failure to File a Tax Return. She was also ordered to pay $48,039 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, $4,387 for the costs of prosecution, and a $4,000 fine. According to court documents, Terrazas-Pacheco failed to file tax returns for tax years 2017-2022. When she learned she was being investigated, she filed delinquent tax returns, two of which were false because she underreported her true income. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the federal tax investigation. The defendant waived indictment and pleaded guilty on Jan. 14. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on April 17 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00003 Drug Trafficking Curtis Wesley Rogers , 48, of Douglas, Wyoming, was sentenced in two separate criminal cases to 240 months’ imprisonment with 5 years of supervised release. In one criminal case, Rogers was charged with the distribution of fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Wyoming resident. In the second criminal case, the defendant was charged in the Eastern District of Texas with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The court ordered the defendant to pay $9,219.78 to the Wyoming victim’s family. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Douglas Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the crimes. Chief U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Casper on April 15, 2025. Drug Trafficking & Firearms Dustin Trosper , 22, a transient on the Wind River Reservation, was sentenced to 60 months with three years of supervised release to follow for carrying a firearm during in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Aug. 14, 2024, the defendant met several people in the parking lot of a convenience store with the intent to sell them fentanyl. According to witness testimony, the victim attempted to attack Trosper by placing him in a chokehold from the backseat. Trosper dragged the victim out of the car and fired a pistol three to four times, hitting the victim. All parties took off, but the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was able to locate the victim and take him to the hospital. The BIA and FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Trosper was indicted on Sept. 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 27. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 17. Case No. 24-00151 Benjamin Cisneros , 65, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months with five years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Cisneros was identified as a source of supply for drugs in Southeast Wyoming. On Nov. 12, 2024, officers witnessed Cisneros park at the Horse Palace at Swan Ranch outside of Cheyenne. Officers received permission to run a drug detection dog through the parking lot, and the dog positively alerted to Mr. Cisneros’ vehicle. Officers seized approximately 111.6 grams of cocaine. A search warrant was executed at Mr. Cisneros’ residence where officers seized another 27.3 grams of cocaine, over 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, digital scales and packaging, all associated with distribution. A Heritage Rough Rider .22 caliber revolver, with an obliterated serial number, was also located in Mr. Cisneros’ bedroom. He is a convicted felon and not allowed to possess firearms. The Cheyenne Police Department Community Action Team investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. On Jan. 14, Cisneros waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an Information. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 15. Case No. 25-00004 Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien Alfredo Carlos Chong-Licea, 51, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Jan. 27, Chong-Licea was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) in Carbon County for no driver’s license, failure to maintain a single lane, and fleeing/eluding the police. The defendant’s fingerprints were examined against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) database, and a match was found. ICE was contacted. They determined that Chong-Licea had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in October 2016. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 18, 2025. Case No. 25-CR-00034 Julio Lopez-Vazquez, 37, of Zacatecas, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Oct. 26, 2024, Lopez-Vazquez was arrested by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence of alcohol and not having a driver’s license. The defendant’s fingerprints were examined against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) database, and a match was found. ICE was contacted. They determined that Lopez-Vazquez had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in December 2019. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore investigated the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 15. Case No. 25-CR-00032 Miguel Ramos-Perez, 33, of Chiapas, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 24, Ramos-Perez was arrested in Campbell County for failure to appear. ICE was contacted when he admitted to being a citizen of Mexico. They determined that Ramos-Perez had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in July 2022. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore investigated the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 15. Case No. 25-CR-00038 About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Operation Take Back America Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Victim Witness Program The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Charges 329 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona this Week

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from April 12, 2025, through April 18, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 329 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 130 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 179 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. The United States also charged one individual with failing to register, as required by law. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Manuel Ivan Rodriguez-Loya : On April 13, 2025, Manuel Ivan Rodriguez-Loya was arrested for Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. Border Patrol agents from the Lordsburg, New Mexico Station attempted to stop Rodriguez-Loya's vehicle, but he failed to yield, leading agents on a high-speed chase into Arizona. Agents from the Willcox, Arizona Station then positioned themselves to intercept the vehicle and eventually caught Rodriguez-Loya. He was found to be transporting eight illegal aliens at the time, including citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. [Case Number: MJ-25-00365-TUC-BGM] United States v. Emilio Escobar-Escalante : On April 15, 2025, Emilio Escobar-Escalante was sentenced to 37 months in prison for Reentry of Removed Alien. Border Patrol agents discovered Escobar-Escalante in the desert near Vamori, Arizona on January 10, 2024. He initially gave a false name but was ultimately identified as Escobar-Escalante. His identity revealed that he is a documented member of the Latin Kings and MS-13 criminal gangs. Immigration records showed that Escobar-Escalante has been removed from the United States seven times. Escobar-Escalante has previous convictions for illegal reentry, as well as racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. [Case Number: CR-24-00541-TUC-CKJ] United States v. Antonio Terrell Gaither : On April 15, 2025, Antonio Terrell Gaither was indicted for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States for Profit. According to the criminal complaint, Gaither admitted to using Telegram and burner phones to recruit others to travel to the southern border to pick up illegal aliens before transporting them to Phoenix, Arizona. [Case Number: CR-25-00566-PHX-KLM] United States v. Felipe Alonso-Cabada : On April 17, 2025, Felipe Alonso-Cabada, aka Oscar Sanchez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged for Reentry of Removed Alien. According to the criminal complaint, after being arrested on local charges in Phoenix, Arizona, it was determined that Alonso-Cabada had been previously deported after a conviction for trafficking heroin. [Case number: MJ-25-5220-PHX-DMF] United States v. Eduardo Prado Flores : On April 17, 2025, Eduardo Prado Flores, an alien illegally present in the United States was charged with Failure to Register as an Alien under 8 U.S.C. § 1306(a). Flores, who was removed to Mexico on five occasions, has been living in the United States unlawfully since 2022. On April 16, 2025, Flores was turned over to the Department of Homeland Security after being arrested for Driving Under the Influence. While he was living in the United States from 2022 to 2025, Flores failed to file any immigration paperwork or register as required by law. [Case Number: MJ-25-5225-PHX] A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-060_April 18 Immigration Enforcement # # # 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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: California Man Sentenced to 38 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Juan Demetrio Villalpando Dominguez, 65, of California, was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the plea agreement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted long-term, overlapping investigations of Villalpando Dominguez’s son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando, Jr. a/k/a “Junior,” and others. Two confidential sources made controlled purchases of narcotics in furtherance of the investigations. These controlled purchases were often negotiated with Mexico-based sources of supply and carried out by the suppliers’ associates in the Denver metropolitan area. Drug proceeds collected from Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr.’s customers by one confidential informant were aggregated and then sent in packages addressed to an uncharged person. The true recipient of the money, however, was Villalpando Dominguez. Villalpando Dominguez would then arrange for his son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr., to receive the money in Mexico. “Money laundering is a serious offense that enables drug traffickers to peddle their deadly wares,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “We will hold offenders accountable.” “Facilitating drug trafficking by funneling illegal proceeds back to Mexico perpetuates the scourge of the drug epidemic in our communities,” said Amanda Prestegard, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “Removing these money launderers from the streets and putting them in prison is a result of the hard work of CI special agents, who proudly provide financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice and keep our communities safe.” “Dismantling cartels requires more than seizing drugs – it includes cutting off the flow of illicit money that fuels their operations. That’s why targeting the money laundering component of these networks is a key priority,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “With our partners at IRS-CI and ICE, the FBI continues to take a strategic, coordinated approach to bring these complex criminal enterprises to justice and safeguard all Americans from the devastating impact of illegal drugs.” United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing. The FBI, IRS-CI, and DHS conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Duncan and Michael Houlihan, as well as by former Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Case No.: 23-cr-00106-CNS


title: Guatemalan Man Unlawfully Residing in the United States and Convicted of Sexual Battery Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien Child in the United States

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted a man for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States. “The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.” According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care. Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. “This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.” “The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.” The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance. Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall. 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 other 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 Project Safe Neighborhood. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Wildlife Trafficker Sentenced for Smuggling Baby Spider Monkeys

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Sarmad Ghaled Dafar of Houston, Texas was sentenced in federal court today to four months in custody and 180 days home confinement for trafficking six protected baby Mexican Spider Monkeys. He was also ordered to pay $ 23,501.70 in restitution for the cost of quarantining three of the monkeys at the San Diego Zoo. According to admissions in his plea agreement, Dafar coordinated the purchases and smuggling of the monkeys across the border; received them in the U.S.; and arranged for their sale on three occasions in June 2022 and August 2023. The crime was discovered on August 14, 2023, when U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interdicted three baby Mexican Spider monkeys being smuggled into the United States through the Calexico West Port of Entry by Dafar’s coconspirator. A search of the coconspirator’s phone led to evidence that the monkeys were being smuggled for Dafar. Additional evidence revealed that Dafar had previously arranged to have at least three other baby Mexican spider monkeys smuggled into the United States from Mexico in June 2022 and July 2023. The fate of those three monkeys remains unknown. “This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety. Border security is not just about interdicting drugs and preventing illegal entries . It also involves protecting the public from dangerous diseases. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contributes to securing our borders and keeping the public safe.” The defendant was ordered to surrender on or before May 29, 2025. Baby Mexican spider monkeys continue to nurse throughout their first year and ordinarily are not fully weaned and independent until they turn two. Most baby Mexican spider monkeys will continue to stay close to their mothers until they are approximately four years old. Dafar’s Facebook messages show that he intentionally sought baby monkeys to make the smuggling process easier. According to the government’s sentencing papers, on August 6, 2023, a Facebook user sent Dafar a news article about U.S. Border Patrol agents who “found sever spider monkeys during a smuggling attempt in Brownsville[, Texas].” Dafar responded, “I see it. He stupid brin[g] to[o] many of[] them and all adults they make a lot noise and they active. Baby’s most be sleeping and small to hide.” Photos that Dafar sent via Facebook show how young the baby monkeys were. In June 2022, Dafar sent a Facebook message to a potential customer, J.W.M., that said, “I have monkey coming in 2 week baby monkey…Is a spider monkey… [I’ll] let you know when it is here because they gonna send it to me from California.” In his message to J.W.M., Dafar referred to his below-market price, “Is a spider monkey thos[e] kind go[e]s for 15k and up but I ask 8k.” Along with the message, Dafar attached a photo of the baby monkey under a heat lamp in a cage. In August 2023, Dafar sent the same customer a photo of two baby Mexican spider monkeys in diapers. According to the government’s sentencing memo, the June 2022 photo (right) of what appears to be a baby spider monkey under a heat lamp in a small cage suggests that Dafar understood or should have understood that the baby monkey he was selling had been prematurely separated from its mother. According to testimony from U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents, Mexican spider monkey mothers will not voluntarily relinquish their babies and the entire troop of spider monkeys will try to defend the mother and baby from perceived threats. Consequently, to capture baby Mexican spider monkeys, poachers will typically have to kill or incapacitate the mother and troop to capture the baby. In the case of the three baby Mexican spider monkeys that were interdicted on August 13, 2023, the San Diego Zoo performed genetic tests and determined that the three babies each had different mothers. The three monkeys that Dafar arranged to be smuggled into the United States in June 2022 and July 2023, were not subjected to quarantine, which is required by law to prevent the spread of disease. The regulations are designed to protect the public from zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that spread from animals to humans. Some of the most dangerous zoonotic diseases are those that transfer from primates to humans, such as Ebola, Marburg, monkeypox, and simian immunodeficiency virus Ultimately, the three Mexican spider monkeys that were seized and quarantined by Fish and Wildlife Service in August 2023 found a home at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago as part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Wildlife Confiscations Network. In the case of the three monkeys who were interdicted on August 13, 2023, Fish and Wildlife Service was able to place and pay for the baby Mexican spider monkeys’ quarantine and care at the San Diego Zoo. The Brookfield Zoo now houses a troop of Mexican spider monkeys that consists of the three Mexican spider monkeys (Chrissy, Jack, and Janet) seized in this case, along with two Mexican spider monkeys (Frankee and Bucees) seized in another Southwest Border smuggling case. Here is a photo of Chrissy and Jack, as well as a photo of Chrissy and Jack along with their troopmates Frankee and Bucees: This case was prosecuted by Sabrina L. Fève and Robert J. Miller. DEFENDANT Case Number 24CR0615 Sarmad Ghaled Dafar Age: 33 Houston, Texas SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371 Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


title: Oakland Woman Who Managed On-Demand Drug Delivery Service That Catered To Students And Young Professionals Sentenced To Over Four Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Natalie Marie Gonzalez, the leader of a drug trafficking service that supplied controlled substances throughout the Bay Area to students and young professionals, was sentenced today to 50 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson handed down the sentence. Gonzalez, 31, of Oakland, was indicted along with three co-defendants in October 2023. On Sept. 13, 2024, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C). According to the plea agreement, from April 2023 through September 2023, Gonzalez managed an on-demand drug trafficking delivery service known as “The Shop” that supplied a broad range of controlled substances to customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The Shop had a menu of drugs available for sale and required “a $300 minimum for postal shipments and Bay Area delivery.” Gonzalez paid delivery drivers, including her co-defendants, to deliver controlled substances to customers who placed orders through the encrypted messaging app Signal. During the investigation, Gonzalez messaged an undercover agent that her customer base was “a lot of students and young professionals.” Gonzalez made multiple sales to the undercover agent of methamphetamine pills that were delivered by The Shop’s drivers. In connection with a sale in July 2023, Gonzalez messaged the undercover agent on where to meet the delivery driver, “Please meet him at the car (white Subaru Forester) with exact change and either: – Hop in for a short ‘Uber’ ride around the block – Get your order through the window like Door Dash – Or play with the pup outside the car to cover up a casual swap :).” In addition to accepting cash payments for methamphetamine pills, Gonzalez also advertised that The Shop accepted cryptocurrency on the group’s drug menu. Gonzalez gave the undercover agent multiple Bitcoin addresses that the agent could use to pay for drugs. On Sept. 13, 2023, while executing a search warrant at the group’s stash house in Menlo Park, agents seized, among other illegal drugs, almost a kilogram of fentanyl, roughly seven kilograms of cocaine, orange fake Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, and ketamine. In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson ordered Gonzalez to serve three years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcement. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Pastor is prosecuting the case with assistance from Andy Ding. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA and IRS Criminal Investigation.


title: Houston ISD official and contractor guilty in nine-year, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme

body_text: HOUSTON – A Houston federal jury has returned guilty verdicts against the former chief operating officer of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and an HISD contractor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). The jury deliberated for only six hours before convicting Brian Busby and Anthony Hutchison following a four-week trial. Both were convicted of conspiracy, bribery, filing false tax returns and witness tampering. Hutchison was also convicted of seven counts of wire fraud. Over the course of the trial, the jury heard testimony from over 50 witnesses regarding the 33 charged counts involving bribery, false invoicing schemes, witness tampering and tax violations. Five former HISD officials testified, all of whom received bribe payments - Rhonda Skillern-Jones, former HISD Board of Education president; Derrick Sanders, officer of construction services; Alfred Hoskins, general manager of facilities, maintenance and operations; Gerron Hall, area manager for maintenance – south; and Luis Tovar, area manager for maintenance - north. They described the pressure Busby put on them to provide Hutchison’s companies more work with HISD as well as larger projects following Hurricane Harvey. They recounted how they received tens of thousands of dollars over the course of 2017 and 2018 or longer. Skillern-Jones testified Busby told her she should use Hutchison’s company on school projects with the funds remaining from the school bond passed in 2012. They agreed that if the contract was given to Hutchison, then they could make some money off the projects. Following completion of the Holland Middle School and Pleasantville Elementary School projects, Busby met with Skillern-Jones outside of a Walmart parking lot to give her $12,000 in cash from Hutchison as the bribery payment for allocating her district’s portion of bond funds for projects Hutchison performed. Sanders, who also socialized with Busby and Hutchison, described taking trips to Las Vegas with them where he would be paid bribes and recounted their lavish purchases. On one occasion when Hutchison paid him, he exclaimed “next,” signaling Busby to come into the room for his payment. Hoskins testified his maintenance team did not want to use Just Construction because it was often more expensive than other vendors, but Busby pressured him to give Hutchison’s company more work. Testimony further revealed they would bypass the rotation or bid process in selecting vendors and just provide work directly to Hutchison’s companies. The jury also saw a handwritten ledger seized from Hutchison’s residence which contained detailed notes of all HISD projects awarded to Just Construction. It included entries for bribe payments and locations where they were made. Detailed evidence also revealed the extensive invoicing fraud scheme Hutchison perpetrated through his company Southwest Wholesale. Since 2015, Southwest Wholesale had been the exclusive mowing and landscape contractor for HISD. The jury heard testimony demonstrating how Hutchison continuously overbilled for years for the approximately 150 schools he was contracted to mow. He also similarly charged HISD over twice the cost of what he paid for the supplies and marked that inflated charge up 20%. He consistently overbilled HISD over the course of years for a loss in excess of $6 million. Busby also made excessive cash deposits to over 18 bank accounts which was far more than his legitimate income. He attempted to explain it based on other sources of income, but the jury was not convinced it accounted for the close to $3 million cash deposits made over the course of five years that were not declared in his income tax returns for 2015-2019. Hutchison similarly filed false tax returns in 2017 and 2018 wherein he deducted improper business expenses. Specifically, Hutchison obtained cash he used to pay bribes to HISD officials by writing company checks to vendors, who cashed the checks and provided the cash to him. He falsely stated on the memo line that they were in payment for work performed on HISD properties. He then caused the checks to be improperly deducted on corporate tax returns as business expenses. In reality, they were cashed to pay extensive gambling debts and cash bribe payments. Hoskins also testified about the steps Busby and Hutchison took to interfere with the investigation. Specifically, Busby called Hoskins and told him to tell investigators Busby had nothing to do with the award of the maintenance contract to Hutchison and his company. Hoskins also described how Hutchison advised him that police had a handwritten ledger with numbers on it and that Hoskins should say it was for gambling. “HISD is the largest school district in the state, and the people of Houston trusted that district officials would spend their tax dollars wisely and carefully. Instead, Busby and Hutchinson defrauded the school district and the taxpayers of millions of dollars, doing so to line their own pockets,” said Ganjei. “People need to have faith in their public institutions, and they can become understandably cynical when they hear of public servants stealing from school kids by taking bribes and over-billing. SDTX aimed to restore that public trust by bringing this multi-year investigation to trial, which lasted over four weeks and involved over 50 witnesses. I’m proud of the trial team for delivering justice here, and I thank our incredible law enforcement partners. Most of all, I’d like to thank the jury for devoting their precious time and attention over the past month. This case demonstrates that theft from schools won’t be tolerated and that the public can have confidence in their institutions.” “For years, Busby and Hutchison defrauded the largest public school system in Texas out of millions of dollars - money that was intended to benefit the students of HISD,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “In turn, Busby and Hutchison also defrauded the taxpayers whose hard-earned dollars were fraudulently diverted for their greed and personal gain. Public corruption cases like this one are challenging to investigate and prove and erode the trust we place on our public servants. At the end of the day, we want to make sure corrupt individuals like Busby and Hutchison are brought to justice. Today’s guilty verdict is a step towards that justice. I’m proud of FBI Houston’s public corruption squad for the results of its years-long investigation and thank them, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their commitment to this case and to its thousands of victims.” U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen presided over the trial and has set sentencing for July 28. At that time, Busby and Hutchison face up to five, 10 and 20 years, respectively, for the conspiracy, bribery and witness tampering charges. Hutchison also faces up to 20 years for each count of wire fraud. All charges also carry a $250,000 maximum possible fine. Skillern-Jones, 39, Houston; Sanders, 50, Hoskins, 58, Hall, 48, all of Missouri City; and Tovar, 39, Huffman have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges. They face up to five years in prison. Busby and Hutchison were permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. The FBI and IRS - Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Johnson and Heather R. Winter are prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending April 18, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: • 68 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) • 10 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) • 55 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, aggravated driving under the influence and possession of a forgery writing/device. These cases are 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). These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Serhat Gumrukcu Convicted of Murder-for-Hire

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that earlier today, after a five-week trial before Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss, a federal jury convicted Serhat Gumrukcu, 42, of Los Angeles, California, of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Gumrukcu remains in jail pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Gumrukcu has been held in custody since his arrest in May of 2022. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Gumrukcu solicited the murder of Gregory Davis due to Davis’s threats of legal action related to Gumrukcu’s role in a failed oil commodities transaction. Gumrukcu’s conviction for wire fraud stemmed from his fraudulent activities in relation to this failed oil deal. Gumrukcu was particularly motivated to silence Davis due to his negotiations of a multi-million-dollar biotech merger involving Gumrukcu’s alleged discovery of a cure for HIV. Gumrukcu relied on his close friend, Berk Eratay, to arrange through a second intermediary, Aaron Ethridge, the hiring of a hitman to kill Davis. Ethridge recruited Jerry Banks for the hitman role, who on January 6, 2018, posed as a Deputy U.S. Marshal, and abducted Davis from his Danville, Vermont home. On January 7, 2018, Davis’s deceased body was located in a snowbank a short distance from his home. Investigators quickly discovered emails and messaging indicating the tension between Gumrukcu and Davis over the failed oil deal, resulting in Gumrukcu being interviewed twice by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Gumrukcu made false statements during each interview. Cellphone location information, purchase records, banking documentation, emails, and messaging discovered during the investigation led to the identification of the four conspirators who caused the kidnapping and death of Davis. Based on the jury’s verdict, Gumrukcu faces a statutorily mandated sentence of life imprisonment. “Serhat Gumrukcu tried to hide his role in the murder of Greg Davis by paying one man to pay another man to pay the hitman, who shot and killed Greg Davis on a January night in Vermont. Uncovering Gumrukcu’s responsibility for this murder involved years of determined investigation by the men and women of Vermont’s United States Attorney’s Office, working closely with the FBI and the Vermont State Police,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher. “Holding Gumrukcu responsible for this murder also required the work of an extraordinarily talented trial team, consisting of Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Van de Graaf and Zachary Stendig, with tremendous courtroom support from Erin Thompson-Moran and Karen Arena-Leene.” Drescher also thanked the numerous law enforcement entities across the country who worked to identify Banks as the hired hitman, Ethridge and Eratay as middlemen, and Gumrukcu as the financier and benefactor of the murder scheme. FBI Special Agent in Charge, Craig L. Tremaroli stated, “Serhat Gumrukcu is a ruthless criminal whose greed drove him to order the death of his own business partner. Today, our thoughts are with Gregory Davis’s family. We are proud to have brought them justice and are incredibly grateful to our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office, and all our law enforcement partners across the country who assisted with this complex investigation.” “We join our federal partners in thanking the members of the jury for their careful deliberations and verdict convicting Serhat Gumrukcu of all charges,” said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police. “The jury’s determination of guilt reflects the diligent police work and the copious evidence collected during what would become one of the most sweeping, comprehensive and complex investigations in Vermont State Police history. Starting on the day more than seven years ago that Gregory Davis’s body was discovered on a snowy, remote road in Barnet, the state police, along with our investigative partners including the FBI, focused on identifying those responsible for his senseless killing and bringing them to justice. We hope that with today’s verdict, Mr. Davis’s family may be able to find a small measure of comfort knowing the person who bore ultimate responsibility has been held accountable.” At trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul J. Van de Graaf and Zachary Stendig represented the government, with supported from Karen Arena-Leene and Erin Thompson-Moran. Gumrukcu was represented by Susan K. Marcus, Esq., and Ethan A. Balogh, Esq.


title: Repeat Sex Offender Gets Sentenced for an Attack on a Stranger in the Victim’s Home

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Niko Cherry, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court to 30 months in prison for the sexual assault of a stranger. This sentence will run consecutive to a 64-month sentence Cherry received on April 9 th for an assault in August of 2024. The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On December 20, 2024, Cherry pleaded guilty to one count of attempted second-degree burglary and one count of fourth-degree sexual abuse for the August 3, 2024 assault. On April 9, 2025, he was sentenced for that assault and, today, he was sentenced for a probation violation in connection with a previous sexual assault for a total prison term of 94 months. Cherry must also serve five years of supervised release and register for life as a sex offender in the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on August 3, 2024, the victim was awakened by an unknown individual when she felt something against her left thigh, which she realized was his erect penis. She then felt the person’s body pressing against the back of her. She jumped out of bed and went into her bathroom. When she came out, the defendant was gone and the door was ajar. The following Sunday morning, the victim received flowers with a note that said, “cuddle buddy” and “text me!” with a particular number. She then reported what had occurred to the police on August 5, 2024. An undercover officer started communication in September with that number, Cherry replied around September 15, 2024, corroborating some details of the assault. The defendant agreed to meet up with the victim on October 10, 2024, and was arrested on probable cause. The defendant’s GPS monitor, which he was required to wear as a condition of his release related to his prior conviction, tracked him following the victim to her house, returning to his home, and then returning about a half hour later to her home and leaving her home about an hour and a half after that. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim Advocate Lezlie Richardson, Supervisory Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, who worked on various exhibits for the case, and Interns Youssef Wahba and Haniyyah Zia, of the Sexual Offense and Domestic Violence Unit. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Kelley of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, who prosecuted the case.