title: Grand jury indicts former fugitive on attempted murder of federal officers, firearms & violent crimes

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury returned an indictment here today against a Dayton man who had been a fugitive in Missouri for approximately five years. The defendant fired shots at fugitive apprehension officers when they arrived at his Dayton home to take him into custody. Terrence Gay, 41, had been a fugitive since September 2021, when he failed to appear to begin serving a federal prison sentence for fentanyl crimes. According to court documents, on March 19, the Southern District of Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) developed new information regarding Gay’s whereabouts and began surveillance on his residence. On March 23, law enforcement officials surrounded Gay’s home, announcing their presence and purpose. Gay allegedly failed to comply with agents to come out of his home and eventually fired approximately 12 rounds at officers, striking an unmarked Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office vehicle with deputies nearby. Dayton Police SWAT and Montgomery County SWAT teams arrived to provide assistance. During this time, United States Marshals received a phone call from Gay’s attorney, and a three-way call was made to arrange Gay’s peaceful surrender. Gay is charged in the six-count indictment with assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, attempted murder of a federal officer, two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and illegally possessing a firearm as a fugitive. He was originally charged by federal criminal complaint on March 25. Besides his prior convictions in Missouri, Gay has prior convictions in Montgomery County for aggravated robbery, theft and kidnapping. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; United States Marshal Michael D. Black; Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck; and Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Erica D. Lunderman is representing the United States in this case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Longtime Bucks County Teacher Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Adamsky, 66, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for child pornography offenses. Judge Pappert also ordered Adamsky to pay a $30,000 fine, $38,000 in victim restitution, a $10,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment, and a $20,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. The defendant was charged by indictment in September of last year and pleaded guilty in December to one count of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Adamsky was a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Nativity of Our Lord grade school in Warminster, Pa., and had taught there for 38 years. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Adamsky knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or about June 15, 2024. Additionally, he possessed two computers and two flash drives containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These depictions included prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age. 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 United States 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 projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, the Warminster Township Police Department, Upper Merion Township Police Department, and Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.


title: Behavioral therapist pleads guilty to health care fraud for submitting inflated insurance reimbursement claims

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: AUGUSTA, Georgia: The owner of a McDuffie County behavioral therapy service faces up to 10 years in federal prison and substantial financial penalties after pleading guilty to submitting fraudulent insurance reimbursement claims. Mira Stallings , 41, of Thomson, Georgia, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of Health Care Fraud, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Stallings to a statutory sentence of up to 10 years in prison, payment of restitution and fines, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Our health insurance programs, particularly those that provide benefits to our military servicemembers and their dependents, are vital to those who need assistance for medical treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “With our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively pursue those who fraudulently access those funds for their own personal gain.” As described in court documents and testimony, Stallings is a licensed behavioral therapist and owner of ABAscape LLC, a Thomson, Georgia, agency that provided behavioral therapy services to individuals with developmental disabilities. A parent of patients who received services from ABscape reported concerns about billing discrepancies to TRICARE, the health care and insurance program serving active duty servicemembers and their families. The resulting investigation determined that from June 2020 through May 2023, Stallings submitted false and fraudulent billing claims to TRICARE for individual and group therapy services that were not provided, or were not provided as presented. The investigation determined that the fraudulent billing for more than $652,000 resulted in TRICARE payments of more than $572,000. In addition, Stallings, through ABAscape, applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, under the guise of seeking funding for working capital to alleviate economic injury from the COVID-19 pandemic. She received nearly $1 million, and while certifying in her application that the funds would not be used for personal or household purposes, Stallings instead spent tens of thousands of dollars on personal credit card debts and to a debt collector, salary payments to a family member for fraudulent services, personal purchases from online vendors and retail stores, and nearly $50,000 for the construction of a dog-breeding compound. “The reach of this investigation extends beyond healthcare into the deliberate manipulation of federal programs designed to support honest small businesses,” said Special Agent-in-Charge, Jason J. Sargenski, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Southeast Field Office. “By allegedly utilizing wire fraud to siphon resources from the Small Business Administration while simultaneously defrauding TRICARE, the defendant demonstrated a pattern of deceit that harms both the taxpayer and the integrity of our nation's essential support systems. We remain dedicated to following the trail of fraud wherever it leads to ensure those who prioritize personal greed over public service are held fully accountable.” U.S. District Court Judge J. Randall Hall will schedule sentencing for Stallings after U.S. Probation Services submits a presentencing investigation report. The case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes and Jennifer S. Thompson.


title: Drug Dealer Sentenced in Two Separate Federal Cases

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa drug dealer was sentenced in two separate federal cases for distributing drugs throughout the Northern District of Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Tony Eugene Bahe, 38, for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of a Firearm while Drug Trafficking. He was ordered to 180 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. In the second case, Bahe was sentenced for Drug Conspiracy. He was ordered to concurrently serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents, in November 2024, Tulsa Police officers executed two search warrants on homes they believed Bahe was using for drug distribution. During the execution of his home in south Tulsa, officers found Bahe with a loaded firearm in his pocket. During a search of the residence, officers recovered 8 grams of fentanyl, more than 50 grams of methamphetamine broken down for distribution, drug scales, and additional drug distribution paraphernalia. While searching the second home located in north Tulsa, officers recovered more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, ballistic body armor, digital scales, and additional items used for drug distribution. A K-9 conducted an open-air sniff on Bahe’s truck and alerted its handler that drugs were present. Officers searched the vehicle and found an additional 24 kilograms of methamphetamine in the truck. While searching both homes, officers seized more than 22 guns from the properties. Court records show that Bahe has been convicted of several felonies that make it unlawful for him to possess a firearm and ammunition. In Bahe’s second indictment, he admitted to conspiring with several others to distribute bulk quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Tulsa community. Once Bahe obtained a large quantity, he would break it down for individual sale. Bahe is a member of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Tulsa Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal Service, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy prosecuted the case.


title: Hampton man sentenced to 20 years in prison for coercing minors to produce child sexual abuse material

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the coercion and enticement of two minors. According to court documents, on March 7, 2020, Yahmir Deshawn Kawante Hamlet, 25, uploaded a video file with advertising links to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in exchange for payments. On Dec. 6, 2023, FBI investigators searched Hamlet’s residence and seized seven electronic devices containing approximately 425 image files and 122 video files of CSAM, as well as MEGA and Dropbox links and multiple Telegram chats negotiating sales of CSAM. The CSAM files included infants and toddlers, masochism, and bestiality. The devices also included sexually explicit conversations between Hamlet and two minors. Hamlet paid the minors for sexually explicit images and videos. After Hamlet’s arrest on May 1, 2025, the FBI identified additional CSAM, including 30 images and five videos. The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-36.


title: Florida Nursing Assistant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces. Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large. Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000. “Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.” “By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.” After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Bosque Farms Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense for Unlawfully Possessing a Shotgun

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Bosque Farms man pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm after multiple prior convictions for felonies and misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence. According to court documents, on July 15, 2024, Warren Chewiwi , 52, possessed a 12-gauge shotgun and shotgun shells. As a person previously convicted of both a felony and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Chewiwi was and is prohibited by law from possessing firearms and ammunition. Chewiwi pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing and up to three years of supervised release after his prison sentence. He must also forfeit the shotgun and ammunition to the United States government. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Isleta Pueblo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement (Chewiwi).pdf


title: ADT to Pay $1.3M to Servicemembers for Illegal Charges

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Note : Read the full settlement here . The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders. “Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.” “Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.” The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period. Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations. The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil .


title: Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 9, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Félix Ebdiel Muñiz-Rivera to 240 months (20 years) in prison and 15 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of two five-year-old female minors, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Muñiz-Rivera was indicted on August 28, 2025, arrested on August 29, 2025, and plead guilty on December 18, 2025. According to court documents, Félix Ebdiel Muñiz-Rivera, 21, of Camuy, Puerto Rico, from June 2025, through in or about August 2025, did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two five year old female minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, and the visual depiction was produced and transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, that is, a cellular phone device. According to the facts admitted during the change of plea hearing, Muñiz-Rivera sexually assaulted two female minor victims and recorded the acts in his cellular phone. On August 7, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents received a duty call from the Police of Puerto Rico (POPR) regarding a potential child pornography case. This occurred while the POPR were at a Public Housing Project in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, conducting a drug trafficking operation. While at the scene, a POPR agent observed defendant Muñiz-Rivera engaging in what appeared to be a drug transaction. The officer went after the defendant, but he ran off, leaving his cellphone behind. The cellphone was unlocked and opened, and the agent was able to observe a video/image of a female infant, and close to the infant’s genital area, was a male adult genital member. Evidence obtained from a federal search warrant of defendant’s cellphone revealed another video produced by the defendant containing child sexual exploitation material with the two five-year-old female minor victims. “The Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute those criminals who exploit and harm children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated Police of Puerto Rico and HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community. Exploitation of our children has no place in civilized society.” HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos said: “Two decades behind bars underscore the profound gravity of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. This 20-year sentence reflects not only the enduring harm inflicted on victims, but also our unwavering resolve to hold offenders fully accountable.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . # # #


title: Illegal Alien from Mexico Indicted for Alleged Drug Trafficking after Law Enforcement Seized Approximately 176 Pounds of Narcotics

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah – a federal grand jury in St. George returned an indictment today charging an illegal alien from Mexico for drug crimes after law enforcement, including agents with the Homeland Security Task Force, seized approximately 176 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop last month. According to the allegations in court documents, on March 13, 2026, Robert William Galicia-Hernandez, 27, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was pulled over in a black Nissan Sentra for a traffic violation near the Utah/Arizona border. During the traffic stop, A law enforcement K-9 was used to conduct a “sniff” of the vehicle and gave a positive alert to the presence of illegal drugs. A search of the vehicle was conducted and officers located and seized multiple packages of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed approximately 176.6 pounds. Galicia-Hernandez is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470. First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the St. George Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Hurricane Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The case was investigated by agents and officers of the HSTF Salt Lake and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Collin County man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking meth and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas –A McKinney man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Eraldo Orozco-Fernandez, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III on April 14, 2026. According to information presented in court, on March 31, 2023, Orozco-Fernandez was stopped for a traffic violation in McKinney. A search of the vehicle during the stop revealed approximately 3.76 kilograms of cocaine, a firearm, and over $2,800 in cash. A search of Orozco-Fernandez’s McKinney residence yielded another eight kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately one kilogram of cocaine and $6,000 in U.S. currency. Orozco-Fernandez admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson. ###


title: Attempted Carjacking at Suburban Chicago Gas Station Leads to Nearly Six-Year Prison Sentence

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for attempting to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint while the driver’s wife and children were inside. The attempted carjacking occurred on the afternoon of Feb. 19, 2023, at a gas station in Dolton, Ill. An off-duty Cook County Sheriff’s Deputy was standing next to his Dodge Challenger when JAVON STINGLEY and two other men—JOSEPH SMITH and MICHAEL BANKS—approached with loaded handguns and demanded the vehicle. One of the carjackers said words to the effect of, “I’ll shoot you, don’t move,” and removed the Deputy’s service weapon from his waistband. The Deputy’s wife and children were able to flee the Challenger before the men started to get inside. The men decided not to take the Challenger and drove off in their own vehicle. Stingley, 28, of Midlothian, Ill., was arrested in October 2024 and has remained in law enforcement custody since then. He pleaded guilty in federal court last year to an attempted carjacking charge. On April 9, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis sentenced Stingley to five years and ten months in federal prison. Banks, 23, of Chicago, admitted his role in the attempted carjacking as part of a plea agreement that included other carjackings and firearm offenses that he committed. Banks is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ellis on June 24, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. Smith, 34, of Hammond, Ind., has pleaded not guilty to the attempted carjacking as well as to other carjackings and firearm offenses for which he is charged. Smith is awaiting trial. Stingley’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.


title: Dallas mechanic sentenced to lengthy prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas –A Dallas auto mechanic has been sentenced to a lengthy federal prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jose Cruz Badillo-Rivera, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III on April 14, 2026. According to information presented in court, in January of 2020, an on-going drug trafficking investigation in the Eastern District of Texas identified Badillo-Rivera as a multi-kilogram methamphetamine distributor who was negotiating drug transactions at his Dallas automotive mechanic shop. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson. ###


title: Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Re-entering the U.S. Without Authorization

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – Five aliens have been sentenced for illegally entering the United States after being previously deported from the country. These cases are separate and not related. Upon completion of their sentences, they will be subject to a detainer from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will be taken into administrative immigration custody for removal from the U.S. The following defendants previously pleaded guilty to Illegal Entry of a Removed Alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326: Francisco Constancio-Mariscal, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least two occasions, with the most recent being April 28, 2011. He was found in Port Clinton, Ottawa County, on Jan. 4. Oscar Mendoza, 52, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Jan. 17, 2008. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Guillermo Gutierrez-Rivas, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being June 29, 2024. He was found in Benton Township, Ottawa County, on Dec. 19, 2025. Alvaro Veliz Gonzalez, 35, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions, with the most recent being Oct. 11, 2021. He was found in Toledo, Lucas County, on Dec. 8, 2025. Marcos Alberto Bardales-Lopez, 27, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion, with the most recent being Dec. 6, 2019. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Additionally, Jhofran Andres Laya-Gutierrez, 29, a citizen of Venezuela, was sentenced to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty to Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Federal Officer, Falsification of Records, and Misuse of a Social Security Number. These investigations were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station. The prosecutions were led by Assistant United States Attorneys Ava Rotell Dustin , Robert Melching , Sara Al-Sorghali , Alissa Sterling , and Matthew Simko for the Northern District of Ohio. 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, and to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Burleson man sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas –A Burleson man has been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Zachary Don Mathis, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on April 14, 2026. According to information presented in court, in March of 2022, Mathis was identified during a drug trafficking investigation involving the distribution of fentanyl-laced pills in the Eastern District of Texas. Mathis admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing at least 4 kilograms of a mixture containing fentanyl which he would provide to others for further distribution in the Eastern District of Texas. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson. ###


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – A South Point, Ohio, man, Michael Merrick, 26, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 360 months for the production of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, in September 2024, a minor victim reported that she had been sexually assaulted by Merrick, and he had taken sexually explicit pictures of her using his phone. On September 27, 2024, law enforcement searched Merrick’s phone and located the sexually explicit photos. Merrick admitted to sexually abusing the minor victim and to producing sexually explicit images of the victim in Boyd County, Kentucky. Under federal law, Merrick must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 25 years. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Todd Kelley, Ashland Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Ashland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 . – END –


title: Federal Jury Convicts Porcupine Man of  Assault and Witness Tampering Charges

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal jury has convicted Jimmy Pilcher, age 49, of Porcupine, South Dakota, of Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation, three counts of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Witness Tampering, following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 9, 2026. The charges carry a maximum penalty of sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, and a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Pilcher was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026. During the wintertime of 2024, Pilcher began a romantic relationship with the victim. Shortly after their relationship started, Pilcher began controlling the victim by monitoring her communications with others. When Pilcher started to lose control of his victim, he began assaulting her and using other forms of mental and emotional manipulation on her. In July 2025, Pilcher saw a picture of the victim with another male and accused her of cheating on him. Pilcher became enraged and punched the victim in the face and stomach and pulled her hair. He used his knee to continuously strike the victim’s upper leg and outer thigh/hip area. Pilcher then strangled the victim over a kitchen sink. This strangulation caused the victim to see flashes of light and impeded her ability to breathe. The next day she received medical attention at Indian Health Services, and the staff observed injuries consistent with abuse, including bruising around her neck. In October 2025, Pilcher assaulted the same victim in the head and face inside a truck in rural Pine Ridge. Witnesses intervened and were able to get the victim away from Pilcher. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety responded to the scene and arrested Pilcher. Following his arrest, Pilcher began contacting the victim from within the jail. Pilcher was able to convince the victim not to show up for court and was eventually released from jail. A tribal protection order was, however, still in effect. On December 5, 2025, in violation of the protection order, Pilcher took the victim inside his truck and drove to a field away from his residence. While inside the truck, Pilcher accused her of cheating on him with another male. Pilcher dragged the victim across the seat, threw her out of the truck, and pulled her up by her hair. During this beating, Pilcher struck the victim in the face, hit her in the back of the head, punched and kicked her with shod feet, and strangled her. During the beating, Pilcher threatened to kill her and her family. The victim was able to get away from Pilcher and got a ride to her house. Pilcher was eventually arrested by law enforcement. After his arrest, Pilcher contacted the victim from the jail in Pine Ridge. Pilcher attempted to persuade the victim into not pursuing charges and pleaded with her not to report the full extent of the abuse. Pilcher told the victim and his sister that he had spoken with law enforcement and was aware that his case was under federal investigation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: ADT to Pay $1.3 Million to Servicemembers for Illegal Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: Note : Read the full settlement here . MIAMI – The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders. “Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.” “Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.” The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period. Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations. The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil . ###


title: Florida Man Charged with Running Multi-State Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Florida man was arrested today for allegedly defrauding investors who believed they were funding short-term, high-return loans for real estate transactions or storm damage repair. Jose Bello, 38, was charged with four counts of wire fraud. He made an initial appearance in the Southern District of Florida and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging document, Bello told investors that he worked with a group that would invest its money in short-term financing that Bello variously referred to as “private lending,” “gator lending” or “hard-money lending.” It is alleged that Bello recruited investors through friends and family and over Facebook and Discord. Bello allegedly gave investors fake descriptions of the investment opportunities and claimed that the loans were for repairs caused by storm damage. It is alleged, however, that Bello did not invest any of the funds he received from victim investors. Instead, Bello allegedly used the money to pay purported returns to earlier investors and otherwise gambled with investor funds. It is further alleged that Bello made false statements and excuses to investors as to why he had not made promised interest payments and/or could not return the investors’ principal. It is alleged that Bello obtained at least $5.7 million from investors and caused them to lose at least $1.8 million in purported investments. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for  Killing His Nephew on the Pine Ridge Reservation

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on April 13, 2026. Eric Anduja, 53, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Anduja was charged by a Superseding Information with Voluntary Manslaughter. He pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026. In May 2025, Anduja became intoxicated and got into a disagreement with Alban “Boots” Vitales. During the argument, Anduja ultimately stabbed Vitales in the neck with a kitchen knife. Vitales ran from the residence where the argument had taken place, sought help, and passed away on the front door step of a neighbor’s home. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. Anduja was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Carver Man Arrested on Federal Dogfighting Charges

body_text: BOSTON – A Carver, Mass., man has been arrested and charged in connection with his alleged participation in a multi-year dogfighting conspiracy involving the breeding, training and fighting of dogs, as well as related animal cruelty and illegal gambling activities. Corey Elliott, 49, has been charged with conspiring to participate in an animal fighting venture in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Elliott was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. today. According to the charging documents , Elliott allegedly participated in a long-running dogfighting conspiracy spanning several years and involving the breeding, training and fighting of dogs, as well as related gambling and animal cruelty offenses. Specifically, it is alleged that Elliott and a co-conspirator operated a dogfighting venture, at times using the kennel name “The No Name Gang,” through which they possessed, bred, trained and fought dogs for sport and profit. The defendant and his co-conspirator allegedly maintained a close partnership over a period of years, during which they communicated extensively about dogfighting activities, including arranging fights, discussing outcomes, placing wagers and coordinating the acquisition, sale and conditioning of dogs for fighting purposes. Charging documents further allege that Elliott was directly involved in organizing and hosting dogfighting events, including at his residence in Carver, Mass., and assisted in constructing dogfighting pits and kennel structures designed to house and condition dogs for fighting. Elliott and his co-conspirator allegedly discussed plans for specific fights, including the dogs to be used, the location and timing of the events and preparations necessary to conduct the fights. It is further alleged that Elliott engaged in acts of animal cruelty in furtherance of the conspiracy, including training dogs to fight, subjecting dogs to violent encounters and culling dogs that did not meet desired performance standards. Elliott also allegedly discussed disposing of deceased animals and, at times, taking steps to conceal evidence of dogfighting activity. According to the charging documents, Elliott and his co-conspirator also took steps to avoid law enforcement detection. These efforts allegedly included the use of coded language when discussing dogfighting activities, concealing dogs from public view, advising one another on how to avoid scrutiny from law enforcement and animal control authorities and relocating dogs to avoid potential seizure. Searches of the co-conspirator’s residence in June 2023 resulted in the seizure of multiple pit bull-type dogs and evidence consistent with dogfighting activity, including veterinary supplies, training equipment and implements associated with dogfighting. Analysis of electronic devices seized revealed numerous videos and communications related to dogfighting, allegedly including messages between Elliott and his co-conspirator spanning several years. In June 2025, during a search of Elliott’s residence in Carver, Mass., multiple pit bull-type dogs were seized from an outdoor kennel area. According to the charging documents, several of the dogs exhibited scarring consistent with dogfighting. It is further alleged that multiple items consistent with dogfighting activity were also recovered, including dog pedigrees, harnesses, leashes, syringes and veterinary medications, as well as equipment used to train and condition dogs. To report animal fighting crimes, please contact your local law enforcement or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121. The charge of conspiring to participate in an animal fighting venture provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Joseph F. King, Director of the Animal Rescue League of Boston – Law Enforcement Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Massachusetts State Police; Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; United States Marshals Service; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and the Acton, Boston, Carver and Hanson Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


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

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mitchell, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 13, 2026. Dakota Moore, 24, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Moore was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 2, 2026. On August 5, 2025, law enforcement officers were looking for a certain vehicle after receiving reports that someone in the vehicle had fired shots. When law enforcement found the vehicle, they found Moore inside the vehicle and in possession of a firearm. Moore is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction for a felony crime. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Moore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: 4 Sinaloa Cartel-Linked Defendants Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging They Operated Family-Run Drug and Gun Trafficking Ring

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement today arrested four Sinaloa Cartel-linked defendants – all members of the same family, three of them illegal aliens from Mexico – who are charged in a 29-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they trafficked fentanyl, pound quantities of methamphetamine, and firearms, including so-called “ghost guns” lacking serial numbers. The following defendants were arrested today and are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles: José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, a.k.a. “Oso,” of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico; Alfonso Salazar, 46, a.k.a. “Pirate,” of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico; José Manuel Salazar, 22, a.k.a. “Lil Oso,” of Lancaster; and Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, a.k.a. “Sharky,” of Hesperia; an illegal alien from Mexico. José Luis Salazar-Cruz, Alfonso Salazar, and Jorge Humberto Salazar are brothers. José Manuel Salazar is José Luis Salazar-Cruz’s son. Law enforcement continues to search for co-defendant José Ángel López Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock. All five defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Salazar-Cruz is charged with seven counts of being an alien in possession of firearms, seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of possession of a destructive device, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. The other defendants are charged with various felonies – with Paniagua charged with two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. Among the charges Alfonso Salazar faces is distribution of methamphetamine and being an alien in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, from February 2024 to December 2025, Salazar-Cruz used text messaging applications, encrypted messaging applications, telephone calls, and in-person meetings to coordinate the sale of narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as firearms. The other defendants charged then brokered sales of the drugs and firearms between suppliers and customers and met with customers to sell the drugs. Multiple drug sales were made – often of approximately one pound of methamphetamine. For example, on January 21, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer nearly one pound of methamphetamine and approximately 324 grams (11.4 ounces) of fentanyl. On July 30, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer approximately 1.2 kilograms (2.5 pounds) of methamphetamine. On December 19, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold the same buyer approximately 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds) of methamphetamine. From December 2024 to July 2025, Salazar-Cruz and the other defendants also illegally sold buyers multiple firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber pistol, a street-sweeper destructive device, and a privately manufactured AR-style rifle with no serial number, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” In May 2025, Salazar-Cruz and three other defendants told a buyer that their supply of drugs came from Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico by traveling across the border via trailer; Paniagua obtained the drugs from members of the Sinaloa cartel; and he provided the drugs to Salazar-Cruz in exchange for money. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the San Bernardino Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the California Highway Patrol; and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Clifford D. Mpare of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this 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. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. The HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: First Assistant U.S. Attorney, FBI SAC Warn Residents of Scam Calls

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Ian Kaufmann, warn residents of scam calls being made in the Western District of Virginia. Callers have reported receiving multiple phone calls from numbers not associated with the United States Attorney’s Office, or other government agencies, but manipulated to appear legitimate. The fraudulent callers demand payment and threaten to “kick down their doors.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will not contact citizens demanding money or personal information. If someone receives such a call or email, they should not provide any personal information, credit card numbers, prepaid cards or money. Federal authorities do not call victims of crimes or suspects of crimes and ask for money or personal identifying information over the telephone. If you receive a similar call or email, please contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov immediately.


title: Two Cousins Plead Guilty to Federal Crimes in Connection with Nationwide Online Short-Term Rental Booking Scam

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Two cousins – one from Southern California, the other from Colorado – pleaded guilty today to federal crimes related to a double-booking, bait-and-switch scam run nationwide through online short-term property rental platforms. Shray Goel, 37, of Calabasas, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Shaunik Raheja, 36, of Denver, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice. According to their plea agreements, in 2013, Goel and Raheja started an online business, listing properties for short-term rental through online platforms. They operated the business under various legal entities and business names, including Abbot Pacific LLC and Jet Set Work LLC. The defendants rented properties nationwide, including in Marina del Rey, the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles, and Malibu as well as San Diego; Chicago; Cleveland; Dallas; Denver; Milwaukee; Bloomington, Indiana; South Bend, Indiana; Savannah, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Austin, Texas. From October 2017 to November 2019, Goel and Raheja used fake host names and, in certain instances, other people’s identities to list properties. They used these fake host accounts to conceal their own identities, to double-book properties, and to post fabricated positive reviews of their properties. They also used the fake host accounts to continue to list properties after one online platform banned them in 2015 because of repeated host cancellations and guest complaints. In some cases, Goel and Raheja listed fake addresses, addresses that did not have any rental housing, were unaffiliated with the schemers, or did not exist at all – using these fake addresses to create duplicate listings for a single purported property. The fake addresses also allowed them to evade local rules and regulations governing short-term rentals, and to control who had access to properties. The crux of the scheme was a double-booking-bait-and-switch practice. To carry out the scheme, Goel and Raheja posted multiple listings of the same property, listing the same property multiple times on a single platform and cross listing the property on multiple platforms. This was done, in part, to maximize the price they could charge for their rentals – by listing different daily rates for the same property and renting to the guest that booked at the highest price. The defendants also did not block calendars of competing listings after a property had been booked and continued to list the booked property as being available for rental on the booked dates. After a listing had been booked the defendants chose which – if any – guest to host. For an overbooked guest – or a guest they did not want to host – the defendants lied to the guest about why a booked property was unavailable. These false excuses included that the property had a plumbing problem or some other unforeseen issue. The defendants then cancelled the reservation, convinced the guest to cancel, or switched the guest to a different property. To further their fraud, Goel and Raheja took steps to discredit negative reviews, and they otherwise tried to hide negative reviews from prospective future guests. They posted bogus negative reviews about the guests who panned their listings or called out the fraudulent and deceptive listing practices, and they removed negatively reviewed listings and then re-listed the properties using new listing identifiers, thereby removing the bad reviews. Goel and Raheja used these and other lies and misrepresentations to trick guests into booking properties they would not have otherwise booked and to profit at the expense of guests and the rental platforms. The last-minute nature of the cancellations also caused guests and the rental platforms to suffer losses when guests were forced to find alternative lodging at the last minute. Raheja admitted in his plea agreement to lying in April 2023 to federal law enforcement officials investigating the scheme. Raheja falsely stated that he never intentionally overbooked properties and that he was not aware of any intentional overbooking. United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu scheduled an August 14 sentencing hearing for Goel, who will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Judge Hsu scheduled a September 11 sentencing hearing for Raheja, who will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated this matter with assistance from the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Kerry L. Quinn and David Y. Pi of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Potomac Gardens Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to 12 Months for Role in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: WASHINGTON – Lawrence Smith, 55, a resident of Fairfax, Virginia, was sentenced today to 12-months-and-a-day in prison for his role in a large-scale cocaine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Lawrence Smith was a regular participant in a drug operation that fed narcotics into a District of Columbia neighborhood in Southeast,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This prosecution was the product of a long-term federal wiretap investigation which dismantled this conspiracy that was poisoning the Potomac Gardens community. Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to pursuing every link in that chain.” Smith pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. In addition to the 12-month sentence, Judge Kelly ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. The government had requested a sentence of 15 months. According to court papers, the FBI began a long-term investigation in 2024 into drug trafficking at the Potomac Gardens housing complex in Southeast Washington. As part of that investigation, agents obtained authority to wiretap phones used by Ronald Hunt and Garrett Isley, alleged leaders of the conspiracy whose cases are pending. Intercepted calls revealed that Smith regularly communicated with Isley and obtained narcotics from him on an almost every-other-day basis, then redistributed them to others. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted responsibility for distributing between 200 and 300 grams of cocaine. Co-defendant Maurice Tutt was sentenced on March 13, 2026, to 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Co-defendant Michael Augment pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Augment’s sentencing is pending. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the D.C. Housing Authority Police, Virginia State Police, Montgomery County Police, and Fairfax County Police. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Solomon S. Eppel and Nihar Mohanty. 24cr456 Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Missouri Woman Sentenced to Prison for $3.8 Million International Embezzlement

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Monday sentenced a woman to 90 months in prison for embezzling $3.8 million from her employer with the help of co-conspirators in China. Judge Clark also ordered Bridget Thebeau, now 46, of St. Charles County, to repay the money. Her lawyers brought checks totaling $104,500 to court. As part of her scheme, Thebeau struck a deal with some of her employer’s suppliers in China to inflate purchase orders in exchange for kickbacks. She altered some purchase orders and issued others that were fictitious. Between 2015 and 2023, she altered 152 purchase orders and issued 82 completely fictitious purchase orders, for a total of $3.82 million. In return, her co-conspirators wired more than half of that money to her personal bank account. When asked at sentencing to explain what she did with money, Thebeau provided what Judge Clark deemed to be incomplete and untruthful answers. It was a crime motivated purely by greed, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf wrote in a sentencing memo. Thebeau did not have a drug problem, financial issues or mental health problems that might have motivated her to steal from her employer. Judge Clark characterized Thebeau’s embezzlement scheme as one of the worst he’s seen during his time on the bench. Thebeau tried to hide her crime with fraudulent shipping labels and fraudulent bills of lading issued by the China-based suppliers, fraudulent invoices that she created and claimed she had issued to the company’s customers and false information she supplied to the company’s owner and accountants. When her embezzlement was discovered, she deleted records from the company’s server, submerged her laptop in a sink full of water, tried to destroy evidence on her cell phone and deleted information that was stored in the cloud, according to testimony in Monday’s hearing. The owner of Thebeau’s former company is no longer able to retire and has been forced to sell assets to try and keep the company afloat, the sentencing memo says. Thebeau pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in May of 2025 to five counts of wire fraud The U.S. Secret Service and the Chesterfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.


title: Sexual Predator Sentenced To 135 Months In Prison For Enticement Of A Minor – Currently Awaiting Trial On State Murder Charges

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Rockland County Sheriff, Louis Falco III, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced that ANTHONY MITCHELL was sentenced today to 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti for enticement and coercion of a minor spanning multiple years when the victim was 13 and 14 years old. “Anthony Mitchell is a sexual predator,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He enticed a 14-year-old victim numerous times, both in person and while incarcerated and awaiting trial on state charges for a 2022 murder. New Yorkers know how important it is that Anthony Mitchell and those like him are off the streets. This Office will use all our tools to deliver on that mission. We ask that all New Yorkers be proactive and vigilant in holding predators accountable and ensuring every child can grow up free from exploitation. Individuals with information concerning the sexual exploitation of children are urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or use the tips page: https://tips.fbi.gov .” “The Rockland County Sheriff’s Office was proud to work alongside our federal partners, including the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office, in this investigation,” said Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco III. “Through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to protecting our community, our collective efforts helped lead to the successful prosecution and sentencing of an individual who preyed on a child. Those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our society will be identified, investigated, and held fully accountable under the law.” “Already incarcerated, Anthony Mitchell’s depravity extended beyond the walls of his cell as he continued to seek sick satisfaction from the sexual coercion and exploitation of a young teenage girl,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI continues to stand alongside our local law enforcement partners to hold accountable sexual predators who target our communities’ children.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings: Between January 2021 and September 2022, MITCHELL induced a 14-year-old female minor (the “Victim”) to create sexually explicit photographs and videos of herself and send them to him. In or about July 2022, MITCHELL was arrested on state murder and other charges and incarcerated at the Rockland County Jail. For a period of months while incarcerated awaiting trial, the defendant continued to communicate with and demand sexually explicit material from the Victim, which the Victim created and sent to MITCHELL at his direction. Individuals with information concerning the sexual exploitation of children are urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or use the online tips page: https://tips.fbi.gov . * * * In addition to the prison term, MITCHELL, 26, of Haverstraw, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of Haverstraw Police Department, the Town of Ramapo Police Department, and the Village of Spring Valley Police Department. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Arad, Kathryn Wheelock, and Jeffrey C. Coffman are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Fayette County Man Previously Convicted of Violating Clean Water Act Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Graves, 70, of Charlton Heights, pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return. Graves admitted to causing tax losses totaling $266,053.00 by underreporting his income. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2021, Graves filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return for tax year 2016 listing his income as $816.00. As part of his guilty plea, Graves admitted that he filed a false return and that his corrected tax income for 2016 was approximately $427,256.00. Graves further admitted that his false tax return resulted in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $125,285.00. Graves also admitted that he falsely listed his annual income as $816.00 on tax returns for years 2017 to 2020, underreporting his income by a total of approximately $608,163.00 and wrongfully withholding $140,768.00 from the U.S. Treasury Department. Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00. Graves also owes $266,053.00 in restitution. During the time period, Graves owned and operated West Virginia Environmental Services, Inc. (WVES). Graves and WVES were paid over $9.8 million from 2006 to 2020 to accept industrial waste at a Fayette County landfill and treat the resulting contaminated liquid or leachate. On February 22, 2023, Graves pleaded guilty as an individual and on behalf of WVES to violating the Clean Water Act, admitting they failed to maintain the landfill’s leachate collection for several years beginning in at least 2016. This failure by Graves and WVES caused the discharge of toxic pollutants including arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and selenium into Jarrett Branch, a tributary that flows into the Kanawha River near Alloy. On December 21, 2023, Graves was sentenced to one year of incarceration, to be served on home confinement as part of a five-year term of federal probation, and fined $10,000.00 WVES was fined $500,000.00 and placed on corporate probation for three years. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The Criminal Investigative Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection investigated the Clean Water Act violations, which brought the false tax returns to light. The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-31. ###


title: Former Connecticut Tax Preparer Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DIANA MILLER-LLOYD, also known as “Diana Rabin” and “Diana Lloyd,” 45, of Port Orange, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release for preparing numerous false tax returns. According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller-Lloyd formerly resided in Middlefield and operated Lloyd Forenzique & Accounting Services Corporation, a tax return preparation business in Connecticut. She established the business in 2017 in Windsor, and subsequently moved it to Branford in 2019 and to Guilford in 2021. Before 2017, Miller-Lloyd provided tax preparation services under the business name Lloyd Forensic & Accounting Services. Miller-Lloyd routinely obtained substantial federal tax refunds for her clients, many of whom had annual incomes exceeding $500,000, by disregarding information provided by the clients and their employers, and by fabricating and improperly deducting charitable contributions and business expenses, including advertising, repairs and maintenance, travel, meals, utilities, insurance, and legal services. As a result of these fraudulent deductions, for the 2016 through 2021 tax years, Miller-Lloyd attempted to obtain for her clients at least $1,062,293 in either fraudulent refunds or fraudulent reductions on owed tax payments. The IRS detected apparent fraudulent activity on several of the filed returns before refund monies were paid, resulting in an actual loss to the government of $472,913. In addition, Miller-Lloyd at times used the professional credentials of another person, who was a certified public accountant, to defend filed returns when audited by the IRS. Judge Nagala ordered Miller-Lloyd to pay to the IRS restitution of $467,717. On October 1, 2025, Miller-Lloyd pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns. In 2010, Miller-Lloyd was convicted in New York for grand larceny related to the preparation of false tax returns. Miller-Lloyd, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 13. This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.


title: Virginia Woman Convicted of Identity Theft and Money Laundering

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Richmond, Virginia woman has admitted identity theft and money laundering in the Northern District of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Kelli Renee Miller, 43, pled guilty today to aggravated identity theft and transactional money laundering. According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller worked with Michael Vordjorbe to assume the identities of account holders without their knowledge or permission and withdrew funds from accounts at several banks, some in the Northern District of West Virginia. Miller and Vordjorbe deposited the illegally obtained money into another count to hide the theft. The amount of fraudulent funds obtained was $137,000 and the total relevant conduct fraud was between $500,000 and $1.5 million. Vordjorbe pled guilty in March 2026. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026. Miller faces up to two years in prison for identity theft and faces up to 10 years for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the FBI; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations; the U.S. Postal Service, Loudon County, Virginia; and the Stamford, Connecticut Police Department. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: North Carolina man sentenced to 12 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms crimes

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on June 4, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of 14.16 grams of methamphetamine and 1.18 grams of fentanyl from Donjuan Murphy, 23, of Hertford, in Virginia Beach. On June 18, 2024, in Chesapeake, law enforcement executed state warrants from North Carolina and Virginia. When law enforcement attempted to take Murphy into custody, he initially tried to escape by backing his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle and refused to put the car in park and exit it. He eventually complied with commands and was taken into custody. From Murphy’s vehicle, investigators recovered, among other items, 38.76 grams of fentanyl; 2.54 grams of methamphetamine; 80.55 grams of cocaine; 816.94 grams of marijuana; Oxycodone, Buprenorphine, and Naloxone; four firearms, including one equipped with an extended magazine and another that had been reported stolen; ammunition; and $9,246. Murphy previously was convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions in North Carolina for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a felon. As a convicted felon, Murphy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Chesapeake Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-34.


title: Florida Nursing Assistant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

body_text: MIAMI – A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces. Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large. Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000. “Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.” “By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.” After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. ###


title: Former Placerville Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing and Tampering with the Narcotic Medications of United States Military Veterans

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carrie Wallace, 47, of Pollock Pines, pleaded guilty Monday to tampering with a consumer product and mail theft by a postal employee, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Wallace used her position as a U.S. Postal Service employee to access and steal mail parcels containing prescription medication and vape products. She intentionally targeted packages sent by the Department of Veterans Affairs to its patients because those packages generally contained narcotic medications. Wallace cut into the packages, opened the prescription narcotics medication bottles, stole the medication and replaced it with over-the-counter medication, retaped the packages and placed them back in the mail stream to be delivered to the intended recipients. Multiple veteran victims consumed the tampered medication, putting them at risk of injury for taking incorrectly dispensed drugs. Due to Wallace’s medication theft and tampering, veteran victims experienced extreme pain, increased agitation, anger, and other mental health symptoms. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the VA Police Department conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case. Wallace is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 10, 2026. Wallace faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.