title: Southern District charges 321 individuals in border security-related cases this week

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 318 cases have been filed in relation to immigration and border security from Nov. 14-20, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Among those are 182 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration or other crimes. A total of 120 individuals are charged with illegally entering the country, while 18 others are alleged to have engaged in human smuggling. One additional case charges Mexican national Jairo Amaya Martinez with assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. The criminal complaint, filed Nov. 20, indicates Martinez was driving a white Chevrolet van and fled on foot as authorities approached to conduct a traffic stop. Court documents allege Martinez bit the agent on his left hand and forearm, while another officer attempted to subdue him. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Other criminal complaints charge Mexican nationals Evencio Arellano-Felix and Ivan Garcia-Mendoza for illegal reentry after having been previously removed Oct. 18 and 21, respectively. Law enforcement allegedly encountered both in Roma. Garcia-Mendoza has a prior conviction for illegal reentry while Arellano-Felix was convicted of failure to identify with fugitive intent, according to the complaints against them. Also charged with illegal reentry after removal is another Mexican national, Juan Humberto Martinez-Martinez. According to the charges, he was removed from the United States Aug. 10, 2022. However, authorities allegedly encountered him again near Rio Grande City this week. If convicted, all three face up to 20 years in federal prison. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Little Rock Man to Spend Life in Prison Following Conviction for Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Death

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—After hearing four days of testimony, a federal jury found that Arthur Joyner distributed fentanyl pills to a man who died after ingesting those pills two days later. That transaction, which resulted in a conviction for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, will keep Joyner, 43, of Little Rock, in prison for the rest of his life. On Thursday, following the four-day trial, the jury convicted Joyner of the charge after 45 minutes of deliberation. On March 5, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Joyner on the single count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The jury returned the verdict to United States District Judge Brian S. Miller, who will sentence Joyner at a later date. Due to Joyner’s prior criminal record, which includes a serious felony drug conviction among other violent felony convictions, Joyner is facing a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Joyner will remain in federal custody while awaiting sentencing. The evidence presented at trial showed that on October 13, 2023, an acquaintance of Joyner’s requested oxycodone pills from Joyner because this person had injured his back while working. The acquaintance specifically told Joyner to make sure the pills were real oxycodone, and not fake pills. Along with the request, the individual sent Joyner articles describing how fentanyl is being pressed and produced to look like oxycodone pills. Joyner responded, “they are real” and proceeded to send a picture of numerous blue pills with an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other, which purported to be oxycodone pills. Joyner then sold the individual three of those blue pills the next day, October 14, from a residence in Little Rock. The pills in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone. According to testimony at trial, the individual took one of those pills at a hotel in Searcy sometime late in the evening on October 15, and then another one in the hotel between 8 and 9 a.m. on October 16. He stopped breathing within minutes of snorting the second fentanyl pill, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:23 a.m. The evidence at trial indicated that Joyner sold the three fentanyl pills for $30 and had been selling cocaine to the victim and others in the weeks prior to selling the fentanyl pills. In addition to the mandatory life sentence, the drug charge carries a fine penalty of up to $1,000,000. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Searcy Police Department and the White County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Chris Givens prosecuted the case. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Four Hartford Men Charged with Trafficking Firearms and Narcotics

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that ANTONIO BAEZ, also known as “Fat Boy,” 26; CORY LEWIS, also known as “City,” 36; JAVON HUTLEY, 33; and ROGER MOODY, 42, all of Hartford, have been charged by indictment with offenses related to the illegal trafficking of firearms and narcotics. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in June 2025, ATF began an investigation of Baez and other armed drug traffickers who were operating in the area of Evergreen Avenue in Hartford, where Baez and Moody resided. Between June and October 2025, ATF undercover agents made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl, which included carfentanil or other additives including xylazine and tramadol, from Baez, Lewis, and Moody, and a total of seven firearms from Baez, Lewis, and Hutley. “The trafficking of guns and drugs, especially when the drugs are fentanyl mixed with extremely toxic additives, are a dangerous combination,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “We remain committed to using federal resources to thwart this criminal behavior and prosecute those involved. I commend ATF for this effective undercover operation. It has made our capital city safer.” “This investigation targeted members of a criminal organization that endangered the community by trafficking firearms and distributing fentanyl,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Greco. “ATF enforcement operations will continue to focus on disrupting shooters and those who enable them by providing firearms.” Baez, Lewis, Hutley, and Moody were arrested on federal criminal complaints on October 15, 2025. On that date, a search of Hutley’s residence on Sisson Avenue revealed two gun magazines and ammunition. A search of Lewis’s residence on New Britain Avenue revealed a .357 magnum revolver. On October 28, 2028, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 16-count indictment charging the four defendants. Baez, Lewis, and Moody are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, an a defendant’s criminal history, Baez faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of 40 years, Lewis faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Moody faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Baez, Lewis, and Moody are also charged with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of controlled substances. The indictment also charges Baez, Lewis, and Hutley with firearms trafficking conspiracy and firearms trafficking, and Lewis and Hutley with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. These charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count. Baez, Lewis, Hutley, and Moody, who have been detained since their arrests, appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: White-Collar Executive Incarcerated for Fixing Nurse Wages and Fraud

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A federal district court in Nevada sentenced Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas to 40 months in custody and $550,000 in criminal fines. In addition, Lopez must pay $2,496,101 in criminal restitution to the defrauded purchaser of his home healthcare company. Lopez was also ordered to forfeit $10,459,000 from the fraudulent sale of his home healthcare company. Today’s sentence follows Lopez’s conviction in April for leading a conspiracy to fix the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019 and for five counts of fraud for concealing the government’s antitrust investigation from the buyer during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million. “American workers are the bedrock of President Trump’s administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will continue to tirelessly fight for the innocent, like the hardworking nurses harmed in this case.” “Wage-fixing is a brazen crime rightly punished by a lengthy period of incarceration. The dignity of work in return for a fair wage is core to our free-market enterprise system. The Defendant — a convicted antitrust criminal — profited at the expense of his employees and the unwitting buyer of his home healthcare company.” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater of the Antitrust Division. “Far from being a mere “technical violation,” wage-fixing is a real crime that harms innocent people — in this case nurses — and today’s sentence — the Justice Department’s first ever wage-fixing conviction — reflects that such conduct will not be resolved with a fine.” “This case demonstrates the consequences of violating antitrust laws. By conspiring to fix wages, the defendant deprived hardworking nurses the right to earn a fair wage,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the Antitrust Division and FBI to protect workers and we will prosecute those who seek to exploit others for personal gain.” “A free and fair market are principles of the United States, and the FBI is committed to investigating those who seek to disrupt that and scam hardworking Americans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The victims here are the hardworking nurses, who suffered loss of wages while they tirelessly cared for and helped Americans. The FBI will continue the fight against corruption and fraud across the country and globe.” The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation, or other antitrust and competition crimes, should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center by visiting www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations . Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards .


title: Guatemalan National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S. and Making False Statements on Immigration Applications

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that MARCOS ISMALEJ IXPANCOC, also known as Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez, 39, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported and making false statements on applications for immigration benefits. Ixpancoc was arrested today. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2006, Ixpancoc was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He identified himself to U.S. Border Patrol as Marcos Hernandez Lopez, claimed to be a citizen of Mexico, and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico. In August 2012, Ixpancoc was again apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas. He identified himself as Jose Ernandez and claimed to be a citizen of Guatemala. He was removed to Guatemala in September 2012. In June 2023, Ixpancoc submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) an application for legal permanent residency and work authorization under his true name and listed a home address in Stamford. The fingerprints that USCIS collected in connection with those applications matched those collected when he was apprehended and removed under the names Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez in 2006 and 2012. It is further alleged that in Ixpancoc’s applications to USCIS, Ixpancoc falsely denied ever using any names other than Ixpancoc, falsely denied ever having been issued a final order of removal, and falsely denied ever having been removed from the U.S. In addition, in connection with his application for legal permanent residency, Ixpancoc submitted a petition under the Violence Against Women Act claiming that he was the victim of abuse by a U.S. citizen spouse or child, and that his abuser was his son. However, his son was two years old at the time he filed the petition. Ixpancoc signed each of these applications under penalty of perjury. If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Ixpancoc faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. If convicted of the charge of making false statements on applications for immigration benefits, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Fraud and Financial-Crime Prosecutions Continue During Federal Funding Lapse

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – During the lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma continued to work to protect Oklahomans from financial harm. The cases below represent a portion of the sentencings finalized during this period in separate and unrelated cases involving bank fraud, forged checks, and theft of mail. AARON D. JOHNSON , 43, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve six months in federal prison, followed by 12 months of home confinement and 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $102,069.44 in restitution and a $100,000 fine for bank fraud. According to public records, from September 2017 through at least November 6, 2018, Johnson, who was President and CEO of Farmers Bank, used the bank’s operating account to pay for personal expenses, causing an overdraft in the bank’s operating account of approximately $200,000. Johnson then approved a modification to a loan, without approval from the bank’s board of directors, advancing $200,000 on the loan which he used to repay the overdraft he caused. DEONTE MONTRELL HORNSBY , 28, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 21 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of stolen mail. According to public records, between December 2024 and April 2025, Hornsby used a stolen United States Postal Service key to steal mail from mail deposit boxes in Oklahoma City. Hornsby then fraudulently altered checks found in the stolen mail and deposited the altered checks into bank accounts owned by co-conspirators to obtain cash from banks. In all, Hornsby and the co-conspirators were responsible for $72,727.96 in losses. RAHBIN JOSEPH WARD , 27, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $53,960 in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to public records, between May 2023 and June 2023, Ward and other co-conspirators obtained checks from stolen mail, fraudulently altered the information on the checks, and deposited the forged checks into Ward’s personal bank account. These cases are the result of investigations by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of the Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge prosecuted the cases. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Romanian Man Sentenced For Access Device Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TAMAS KOLOZSVARI (“KOLOZSVARI”) , age 30, a Romanian national, was sentenced on November 20, 2025 by U.S. District Chief Judge Wendy B. Vitter for access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(4). KOLOZSVARI , who has been in custody since November 20, 2024, was sentenced to time served. According to court documents, on November 13, 2024 and November 14, 2024, KOLOZSVARI and two other individuals possessed device-making equipment, namely credit/debit card skimmers, at three retail locations in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and installed those skimmers on point-of-sale machines. 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). The case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; Deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; Deputies with the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; and Officers with the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution. * * *


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts 7 Louisville Men for Firearm Related Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on November 4, 2025, charging several individuals with firearm related offenses. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to the indictment, Anthony Adams, Jr. , 21, of Louisville, was charged with stealing 52 firearms, trafficking 46 firearms, and possessing an additional stolen firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Roeneil Jones , 22, of Louisville, was charged with possessing two stolen firearms, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and firearms trafficking of two firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Jones was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On March 12, 2024, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 23-CR-0607, Jones was convicted of complicity to receiving stolen property over $1,000 under $10,000, complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree (four counts), complicity to fleeing or evading police in the first degree (motor vehicle), complicity to fleeing or evading police in the first degree (pedestrian), and complicity to receiving stolen firearm. Christopher White , 26, of Louisville, was charged with possessing a stolen firearm, and firearms trafficking. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Dillon Sutherland , 34, of Louisville, was charged with possessing five stolen firearms, and firearms trafficking of four firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Terry Sutherland , 37, of Louisville, was charged with possessing four stolen firearms, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. T. Sutherland was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On July 13, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 09-CR-3249, T. Sutherland was convicted of robbery in the first degree. Robert Malone , 33, of Louisville, was charged with possessing a stolen firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, and firearms trafficking. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Gary White, Sr. , 54, of Louisville, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. White, Sr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On September 19, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 10-CR-3865, White, Sr. was convicted of burglary in the third degree. Defendants Adams, Jr. , Jones , White , Malone and White, Sr. have made their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Defendants D. Sutherland and T. Sutherland are in custody at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections awaiting resolution of charges in Jefferson County. Upon the resolution of their charges, D. Sutherland and T. Sutherland will make their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. Mr. Bumgarner advised that this case is being investigated by the ATF and LMPD and congratulates both agencies for their strong cooperation and dedication to investigating and prosecuting firearms trafficking in Louisville. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Two men face federal charges after task force seizes 21 kilograms of fentanyl and over $380,000 from residence

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Rico Deville Buice and David Estevan Montillo Diaz have been arrested and charged by criminal complaints with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Buice and Diaz appeared in federal court on November 19, 2025, to face charges after law enforcement executed a search warrant on at a Forest Park rental home, where they discovered and seized 21 kilograms of fentanyl, $380,000 in suspected drug proceeds, and a firearm. “These arrests and seizures demonstrate the live-saving impact the Homeland Security Task Force has in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The collaborative effort of different law enforcement agencies united in the fight to eliminate transnational criminal organizations kept a staggering amount of deadly fentanyl from hitting our streets. The resulting charges send a strong message: fentanyl traffickers in our district may run, but they cannot hide. Instead, they will find themselves in federal custody, and their drugs and money seized.” “This operation is an example of the power of the Task Force in disrupting deadly drug trafficking operations,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The seizure of 21 kilograms of fentanyl and over $380,000 in drug proceeds is a direct hit to those who seek to poison our communities. The FBI, in partnership with our law enforcement colleagues, will relentlessly pursue these criminals and hold them accountable.” “This seizure is a clear reminder of the devastation these criminal networks are willing to inflict on our communities for profit,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Working as part of the Homeland Security Task Force, our agents are committed to stopping these dangerous organizations before their poison ever reaches our streets. This result reflects the power of our partnerships and our shared resolve to protect families from lethal narcotics and the violence that comes with them.” “It is with great honor that the Clayton County Police Department partnered with the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) during the execution of a search warrant in Forest Park, Georgia. Members of the Clayton County Police Department’s Narcotics Unit and CAGE Unit assisted in the operation,” said Clayton County Police Chief Kevin Roberts. “This significant seizure will undoubtedly save thousands of lives affected by this highly addictive opioid. The efforts of HSTF have made the streets of Clayton County safer by removing two suspected drug traffickers, disrupting a criminal network, and intercepting dangerous narcotics and illicit proceeds.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and information presented in court: On November 14, 2025, agents from the FBI Atlanta and DEA Atlanta field offices, along with officers from the Clayton County Police Department, executed a search warrant at a rental property in Forest Park, Georgia. As law enforcement approached the house, Rico Deville Buice ran out of a side door and attempted to flee. Agents quickly apprehended Buice and found approximately $4,000 in cash in his possession. After David Estevan Montillo Diaz exited the residence, law enforcement discovered in the kitchen and a bedroom an estimated 21 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately $300,000 in rubber-banded stacks of cash, a money counter, a food sealer machine, and a Glock 19 pistol. Approximately $80,000 of additional cash was found in a designer bag allegedly belonging to Buice. Rico Deville Buice, a/k/a Casino, 41, of Atlanta, Georgia, and David Estevan Montillo Diaz, 23, of Coachella, California, are currently in custody. Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaints only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clayton County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Calvin A. Leipold, III are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Atlanta comprises agents and officers from FBI Atlanta Field Office, the DEA Atlanta Division, Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: White-Collar Executive Incarcerated For Fixing Nurse Wages And Fraud

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS — A federal district court in Nevada sentenced Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas to 40 months in custody and $550,000 in criminal fines. In addition, Lopez must pay $2,496,101 in criminal restitution to the defrauded purchaser of his home healthcare company. Lopez was also ordered to forfeit $10,459,000 from the fraudulent sale of his home healthcare company. Today’s sentence follows Lopez’s conviction in April for leading a conspiracy to fix the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019 and for five counts of fraud for concealing the government’s antitrust investigation from the buyer during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million. “American workers are the bedrock of President Trump’s administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will continue to tirelessly fight for the innocent, like the hardworking nurses harmed in this case.” “Wage-fixing is a brazen crime rightly punished by a lengthy period of incarceration. The dignity of work in return for a fair wage is core to our free-market enterprise system. The Defendant — a convicted antitrust criminal — profited at the expense of his employees and the unwitting buyer of his home healthcare company.” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater of the Antitrust Division. “Far from being a mere “technical violation,” wage-fixing is a real crime that harms innocent people — in this case nurses — and today’s sentence — the Justice Department’s first ever wage-fixing conviction — reflects that such conduct will not be resolved with a fine.” “This case demonstrates the consequences of violating antitrust laws. By conspiring to fix wages, the defendant deprived hardworking nurses the right to earn a fair wage,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the Antitrust Division and FBI to protect workers and we will prosecute those who seek to exploit others for personal gain.” “A free and fair market are principles of the United States, and the FBI is committed to investigating those who seek to disrupt that and scam hardworking Americans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The victims here are the hardworking nurses, who suffered loss of wages while they tirelessly cared for and helped Americans. The FBI will continue the fight against corruption and fraud across the country and globe.” The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation, or other antitrust and competition crimes, should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center by visiting www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations . Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards . ###


title: Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Two Commercial Robberies, Murder of Gas Station Attendant

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Chihean Jones, aka “Cha,” 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted this afternoon at trial of two commercial robberies in the city and the murder of a gas station attendant during one of those robberies. Jones was charged by second superseding indictment in January 2024 with two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), murder in the course of using and carrying a firearm, and using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal jury found him guilty on all counts. As proven at trial, on August 22, 2022, the defendant drove two other men to a cell phone store on the 100 block of East Olney Avenue. While Jones waited in his Chevrolet Suburban, the two others went inside the store, forced their way into a back room, and stole multiple cell phones. The three men then fled the scene in the defendant’s Suburban. As further proven at trial, on January 17, 2023, Jones, accompanied by his girlfriend and two other men, drove the Suburban to a gas station on the 7100 block of Torresdale Avenue, which the group intended to rob. They planned to wait for the gas station attendant to leave the store to smoke a cigarette, at which point the defendant would approach with his .45-caliber pistol. The two men accompanying Jones would zip tie the attendant and force him back into the station to open the safe. When the attendant failed to exit, however, the group sent the defendant’s girlfriend into the store to see what was happening and to determine if the men could kick in the door to the register area. After she reported back, the three men entered the store. Immediately upon entering, Jones pushed his pistol under the protective glass and shot the attendant in the back as the attendant tried to run away. Jones and the two men ransacked the store and stole the attendant’s wallet as he lay dying on the floor. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison. This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Parisi and Amanda McCool.


title: Westwego Woman Sentenced For Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud by Defrauding State Offices of Unemployment Insurance

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that on November 19, 2025 REHA JANEE ARVIE, ( “ARVIE” ), age 35, of Westwego, LA, was sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. According to the indictment, beginning in or around July 2020, ARVIE defrauded, and attempted to defraud, various state offices of Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) through the submission of approximately 100 fraudulent UI applications. ARVIE recruited friends and family, via Facebook, to file these fraudulent UI applications. Additionally, ARVIE filed fraudulent UI applications for herself and others, in various states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Utah, Texas, and the territory of Guam. ARVIE charged those for whom she filed fraudulent UI claims fees, ranging from $1,200.00 to $1,500.00. For example, ARVIE obtained $267,612.00 in UI benefits from California’s Employment Development Department. Moreover, during the investigation, ARVIE lied to federal agents during an interview. United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced Arvie to fifty-two (52) months imprisonment followed by three (3) years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force. “The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.” Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force; The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee; the United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General COVID Fraud Unit; and the California Employment Development Department with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit. * * *


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

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending November 21, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 50 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 2 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 45 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 55 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for child abuse, disorderly conduct, and prior immigration offenses. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Louisiana Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Cares Act Fraud

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ERNEST X. TAYLOR, JR . (“ TAYLOR”) , of Laplace, LA, age 41, was sentenced on October 29, 2025 to 84 months in the Bureau of Prisons, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion. On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act became effective and established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses. According to the court documents, TAYLOR made false statements to an approved lender on or about March 2, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan. TAYLOR falsely claimed in his PPP application that he had not been convicted of a felony involving “fraud, bribery, embezzlement, or a false statement in a loan application or an application for federal financial assistance” within the last 5 years. In truth, TAYLOR had pleaded guilty on July 15, 2016, in the Eastern District of Virginia, criminal matter no. 16-118, to conspiracy to commit federal student loan fraud and mail fraud in a scheme that involved stolen identities. TAYLOR thereafter received approximately $18,500 based upon the misrepresentations. TAYLOR then made the same false statements to an approved lender on or about April 21, 2021, when he applied for a second draw PPP loan. TAYLOR received approximately $18,500 for the second loan. In addition to incarceration, TAYLOR was sentenced to (5) five years of supervised release, as well as payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Fourteen Defendants Indicted For Drug Conspiracy And Related Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that the following individuals were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine: JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma; TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma; MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma; SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 55, of Ada, Oklahoma; GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma; JEFFERY LANCE DEAVER, age 56, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma; JESUS MARTIN OLIVARES VASQUEZ, SR., age 58, of Mexico; DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma; ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma; DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma; RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 57, of Dallas, Texas; WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma; and CLIFFORD EUGENE BERRY, age 61, of Atoka, Oklahoma. In addition to federal Drug Conspiracy charges, JERRY LEE GRIST and DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE each face additional charges for Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI faces additional charges for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine, and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine; and ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ and DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ each face an additional charge for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine. The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine. The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. These charges 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. HSTF Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the DEA and FBI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.


title: Louisville Man Sentenced as a Career Offender to 15 Years and 10 months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on October 30, 2025, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Johnathan Hankins, 35, was sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. Hankins’ conviction stems from two instances in which he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Jefferson County. On March 11, 2024, Hankins sold 444 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Again, on May 22, 2024, Hankins sold 212 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Each methamphetamine transaction was audio and video recorded. The total amount of methamphetamine from both of the controlled purchases was 656 grams. The methamphetamine was tested at the DEA laboratory, where it was confirmed to be methamphetamine. Based upon his criminal history, Hankins was sentenced as a Career Offender. A defendant is a career offender if (1) the defendant was at least eighteen years old at the time the defendant committed the instant offense of conviction; (2) the instant offense of conviction is a felony that is either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense; and (3) the defendant has at least two prior felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense. Hankins had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On or about October 27, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, under Case Number 09-CR-2427, Hankins was convicted of robbery in the second degree. On or about October 27, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, under Case Number 09-CR-3555, Hankins was convicted of robbery in the second degree. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the ATF, with assistance from the DEA Louisville Field Division and the Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts prosecuted the case. This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Co-Founder of Paycheck Protection Program Lender Service Provider Sentenced for $63M COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $63 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $63 million in restitution. According to evidence presented at trial, Stephanie Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received. As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed over $63 million in fraudulent PPP loans. On June 20, a jury found Hockridge guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office made the announcement. IRS-CI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case. Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Three Defendants Sentenced For Their Roles In California-Based Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Hopeton Goslin (57, St. Petersburg) to 20 years in federal prison, Tony Marsh (25, Bradenton) to 10 years in federal prison, and Colin Zirpoli (46, Sarasota) to 30 months in federal prison for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Middle District of Florida. According to court documents, as well as testimony and evidence presented during court hearings in the case, in February of 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Colin Zirpoli for suspected methamphetamine distribution, which led to led to Zirpoli’s supplier, Elizabeth Poff. The investigation into Poff led to her supplier, Tony Marsh, which led investigators to Marh’s supplier, Hopeton Goslin. Search warrants for Goslin’s home and storage unit led to the recovery of over 45 kilograms of methamphetamine. Goslin, Marsh, Poff, and Zirpoli all pled guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Poff was previously sentenced to 37 months in federal custody. Subsequent investigation led to the identification of Goslin’s source of supply in San Diego, California, an origin city for narcotics to be distributed to the east coast. Agents identified Omar Pitter as Goslin’s source of supply, and the investigation revealed that Pitter had been shipping Goslin cocaine and methamphetamine since 2023 via FedEx and UPS. Investigators testified at trial that the estimated combined weights of the shipments were 34 kilograms of cocaine and 697 pounds of methamphetamine. Pitter, and two additional co-defendants, Keona Fulton and Ciarra Guss, were arrested in California. Their case proceeded to trial in September of this year and a federal jury convicted Pitter and Guss of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine on September 25, 2025. The jury also convicted Pitter and Fulton of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Pitter, Guss’s and Fulton’s sentencings are scheduled for December 2025. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.


title: Ocala Convicted Felon Who Attempted To Pawn A Firearm Sentenced To Five Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Shymiere Montese Howell (31, Ocala) to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition affecting commerce by a convicted felon. Howell entered a guilty plea to the offense on July 22, 2025. According to court documents, Howell is a 19-time convicted felon with prior convictions that include possession of a firearm by a felon, child neglect, felony battery, and drug possession. On November 8, 2024, Howell entered a Leesburg pawn shop and attempted to sell a loaded handgun. When law enforcement arrived at the pawn shop, Howell attempted to push past them and run out of the store. He was quickly apprehended. As a convicted felon, Howell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leesburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For  Federal Drug Trafficking and Weapons Violations

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –CYRIL HOFFMAN, JR. ( “ HOFFMAN ” ) , age 27, was sentenced on November 12, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion to 12 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and receipt of a firearm while under indictment, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(n) and 924(a)(1)(D). According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at HOFFMAN ’s residence on August 20, 2021. FBI personnel recovered marijuana that HOFFMAN intended to sell, and six firearms from HOFFMAN ’s bedroom: a Brothers LA Arms .300 millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with a 60 round magazine; a Palmetto State Armory PA-15, .223/5.56 millimeter caliber semi-automatic rifle, loaded with a 30 round magazine; an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, 5.56 millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with a high-capacity magazine containing live rounds; a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 20 live rounds; a Glock 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 14 live rounds; and a Glock 17, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 17 live rounds. A few weeks before the execution of the search warrant, HOFFMAN was indicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for six felony offenses, including four counts of attempted second degree murder, and one count of conspiracy to commit second degree murder. Following the search warrant, HOFFMAN was arrested on those charges but later bonded out of jail in June 2022. On October 25, 2022, while still under indictment and awaiting trial in Orleans Parish, deputies with the United States Marshals Service encountered HOFFMAN inside a motel room in New Orleans East. There was a Glock 22, .40 caliber firearm inside the room, which HOFFMAN denied was his. However, the FBI later found messages that HOFFMAN sent to a third-party admitting he was in possession of the gun. HOFFMAN continued to sell marijuana while on bond and on May 17, 2023, FBI personnel executed another search warrant at HOFFMAN ’s new residence and recovered marijuana, digital scales, and packaging supplies for distribution. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit. ###


title: District of Arizona Charges 174 Individuals for  Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from November 15, 2025, through November 21, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 174 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 102 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 52 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 17 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Juan Francisco Gutierrez : On November 17, 2025, Juan Francisco Gutierrez was charged by complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. Gutierrez was observed driving a Chevrolet Suburban on a remote road approximately one mile north of the border. When agents attempted a vehicle stop on Gutierrez's vehicle, he fled from agents for 20 miles before agents used a vehicle immobilization device to stop his Suburban. When the Suburban came to a stop, multiple subjects fled from the vehicle. In total, nine aliens from the Suburban were apprehended. Gutierrez is a citizen of El Salvador and was in the United States with a temporary work visa. Case Number: 25-MJ-03294-TUC-MAA United States v. John Michael Sparks : On November 14, 2025, John Michael Sparks was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Sparks drove to the Ajo Border Patrol Checkpoint on State Route 85, where he encountered a Border Patrol Agent conducting inspections. The Border Patrol Agent observed Sparks and one front-seat passenger who was wearing camouflage. Upon request, Sparks provided an Arizona driver’s license, and the passenger provided a Mexican voter registration card. The Border Patrol Agent suspected a human smuggling event and referred Sparks to secondary inspection. At the secondary inspection, immigration checks confirmed that the passenger is a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-06479-PHX-ASB United States v. Eliver Gonzalez-Gomez : On November 20, 2025, Eliver Enrique Gonzalez-Gomez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Homeland Security Investigations agents observed Gonzalez-Gomez driving a vehicle that appeared weighed down on Interstate Highway 17 Northbound. Agents suspected the vehicle was involved in human smuggling and initiated a vehicle stop. Gonzalez-Gomez first attempted to flee in the car and then later attempted to flee on foot into active highway traffic before he was ultimately apprehended. After apprehending Gonzalez-Gomez, agents removed ten passengers, including two unaccompanied minors, from the vehicle. None of the passengers were wearing seatbelts. Immigration checks confirmed that Gonzalez-Gomez and eight of the passengers are citizens of Mexico and two of the passengers are citizens of Guatemala, all unlawfully present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-05525-PHX-DMF A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-166_November 21 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Jamaican Man Sentenced To 10 Years  For Defrauding Elderly Victims

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Xavian Brown, a Jamaican-born man living in Baldwin County, Alabama, was sentenced today to 10 years’ imprisonment for defrauding elderly victims using a Publishers’ Clearing House scheme. According to court documents, Brown and his co-defendants targeted over 130 individuals across the United States by notifying them that they had either won the lottery or the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, but in order to obtain their winnings, the targets would have to pay taxes in advance. Testimony at sentencing showed that many of the victims liquidated their life savings and suffered substantial financial harm because of the fraud. United States District Judge Kristi DuBose sentenced Brown to serve 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The Court set a hearing in early December to determine the amount of restitution Brown will owe his victims. Brown’s co-defendant, Romario Nembhard, was previously sentenced to serve one year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $441,281.21 in restitution. Jermaine Smith was also sentenced today to serve one year and a day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $447,591.21 in restitution. Co-defendant Britney James, who has been in custody since February 2025, was sentenced to time-served, followed by three years of supervised release, and was also ordered to pay $447,591.21 in restitution. The remaining co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in December 2025. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “Exploiting Americans through this type of scheme is a cruel and calculated crime, aimed at a vulnerable community. Protecting Americans from financial exploitation is one of our top priorities. This sentence demonstrates that those who abuse trust for personal gain will be held accountable.” “The FBI is committed to investigating those who exploit the American people for financial gain and seeing through the prosecution of those individuals” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sara Jones. “The hard work of our agents and professional staff, along with a dedicated United States Attorney’s Office, assures that these criminals will not go unpunished for their actions. Today’s sentence is another example of our collective efforts to combat criminal activity in the Gulf Coast Region in conjunction with our partner agencies.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Mobile Division. Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Foley Police Department, and the Gulf Shores Police Department also provided support. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasee Heisterhagen and Mike Anderson prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 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. For more information about elder fraud scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/elder-fraud .


title: The United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Seeking to Forfeit $4 Million in Properties Purchased with Funds Related to Fraud Scheme

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon filed a civil forfeiture complaint today against two properties located in Provo, Utah, purchased as part of an alleged multi-layered scheme to defraud the United States and a nonprofit organization. According to the complaint, from July 2020 through May 2025, Benjamin Young, 39, of Provo, Utah, used his position as Financial Manager for a non-profit organization to gain access to its financial accounts and embezzle funds, including federally backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans intended to support payroll and essential operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. He then used the funds as part of his purchase of a $3.5 million commercial office suite in Provo in the name of Square the Books, a separate company he controlled, and leased the property back to the non-profit organization. To conceal the origin of the funds, Young allegedly fabricated a $2.5 million short-term loan and used the fictitious debt to secure a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan under false pretenses. While Young certified that the proceeds from the SBA loan would repay the short-term loan, the funds used by Young to buy the commercial property actually came from the diverted PPP loan proceeds and other funds Young diverted from his employer. Young is alleged to have laundered the SBA loan proceeds and transferred the funds to his personal bank accounts, using a portion to purchase a second property – a $570,000 condominium in Provo. Based on the complaint, the United States will seek to forfeit the two properties. The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. The civil forfeiture action is being handled by Christopher Cardani, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations that certain property is subject to forfeiture. The United States must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture.


title: Omaha Crips Gang Enterprise Charged with Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that 13 Crips gang members were indicted together on a range of federal organized crime charges, including murder in aid of racketeering, murder by firearm, firearms trafficking conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging firearms during and relation to crimes of violence, and other related offenses. The following defendants were indicted on November 18, 2025: Gregory Jerome Bahati, Malik D. Bahati, II, Johnny L. Chatmon, IV, Deshawn P. Jackson, Jaqueris J. Allen, McKeith M. Bingham, Kevin Rashad Pierce, Lamar D. Glover, Kavion Wright, Cameron J. Williams, Darnell L. Matthews, Noah McIntosh, and Antrevion McNichols. The Indictment alleges the Crips gang committed violent acts, including shootings, that targeted portions of the city of Omaha that are claimed territory of rival gangs, such as the Bloods. Evidence adduced at the detention hearings in this matter indicated that many of the victims of these violent events had no gang affiliation at all and were merely innocent people allegedly gunned down by these gang members in their efforts to protect their reputation and status as a gang or to act in retaliation against rival gangs for Crips gang members who were themselves shot or murdered. Evidence at the hearings further indicated that the Crips attempted to claim city blocks in Omaha as their own territory and those actions made those neighborhoods a target for rival gang violence. Among the Omaha shooting targets that described at the pretrial detention hearings were children under the age of 12, a graduation party with attendees of all ages, including children, a man returning from taking his son to baseball practice, a young man and woman driving down the road in their vehicle, and a mother and two sons who simply witnessed a fight amongst Crip gang members who were shot at and assaulted for recording the gang on a cellular phone. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said of the charges: “The recent indictment represents a significant step forward in protecting the safety of our community. The work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in bringing these charges forward, and I want to commend their partnership and commitment to justice. I am equally proud of the relentless efforts of the men and women of the Omaha Police Department—particularly those who have dedicated countless hours to these complex investigations. Their hard work directly contributes to a safer Omaha, and these indictments send a clear message that violent gang activity will not be tolerated in our city.” United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said, “Without the tireless efforts of the dedicated men and women of the Omaha Police Department, this gang would never have been taken into custody and out of these neighborhoods on these charges. The charges are the result of the police department’s resource-intensive and complex investigation into this alleged criminal network, and their dedicated efforts will provide these victims and their families their deserved day in federal court. This Indictment would similarly not have been possible without the outstanding investigative work of the Lincoln Police Department on the murder charges in the tragic shooting of Savieon Hopkins. The collaboration between OPD and LPD greatly furthered this investigation, and when those police departments join forces, no target is out of reach. Any gang that attempts to claim city streets in the State of Nebraska will make themselves the target of a federal investigation.” Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha FBI Field Office said, “The work by the Omaha Police Department in this case will have a profound impact. Our Safe Streets Gang Task Force brings together multiple agencies in the Omaha Metro region to share resources, manpower, and gang intelligence. We will continue using all the tools we have to apprehend violent gang members who prey upon our neighborhoods with violence, intimidation and fear. We commend the unwavering efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office supporting this investigation.” Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Lincoln Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking Minors

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that James Hatten, II, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 7, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for five counts of Sex Trafficking a Minor. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert R. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hatten to 480 months’ imprisonment on each count, to be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hatten’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release. Hatten was also ordered to pay a total of $304,800.90 in restitution to his victims. Hatten was charged with sex trafficking five different minors, spanning from May 1, 2022, through December 6, 2023, in the Omaha area. At sentencing he claimed that he did not know his actions, which involved distributing drugs to minors in exchange for sex acts, constituted sex trafficking as he was not advertising and selling the victims to other people. Calling that of no consequence, Chief Judge Rossiter said the case involved a “reprehensible crime, reprehensible conduct” on the part of Hatten and noted the significant age gap between the perpetrator and his victims in imposing the sentence. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Man from Guatemala Sentenced for False Representation of SSN and Resisting Federal Officer

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Romeo Edilzar Yaxcal-Tiul, 26, of Guatemala, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for falsely representing a social security number and resisting a federal officer. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Yaxcal-Tiul to concurrent terms of 12 months’ imprisonment on each offense. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Buescher also imposed concurrent 1-year terms of supervised release on each count to follow the imposed terms of imprisonment, noting that while Yaxcal-Tiul will be deported by U.S. immigration authorities when he completes his sentence of imprisonment, the imposed term of supervision will serve as a deterrent to Yaxcal-Tiul returning to the United States. Sometime after two unsuccessful attempts to enter the United States illegally in 2022, Yaxcal-Tiul ultimately entered the United States illegally and came to Nebraska. In October 2024, Yaxcal-Tiul used a fake name, fake Social Security Number (SSN), fake Social Security Card, fake Alien Number, and fake Legal Permanent Resident Card to gain employment at an Omaha area restaurant as a dishwasher. Investigators confirmed that both the SSN and Alien Numbers used by Yaxcal-Tiul were invalid and had not been assigned to Yaxcal-Tiul. Yaxcal-Tiul was encountered by law enforcement at the Omaha area restaurant in June 2025. Despite clear identification by law enforcement as “police” and instruction not to move, Yaxcal-Tiul fled from law enforcement and into a crowded patio, diving into a booth filled with restaurant patrons. Members of the public assisted in securing Yaxcal-Tiul until law enforcement were able to take over. Yaxcal-Tiul continued to resist law enforcement on the ground, pulling his hands away and manipulating his body to avoid being handcuffed. Eventually, Yaxcal-Tiul was successfully secured and transported into custody. A law enforcement officer who assisted in apprehending Yaxcal-Tiul was injured during the pursuit. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 235 Months for Fentanyl and Firearm Crimes

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Kadonta Muldrew, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Muldrew to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Muldrew’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release. In January 2024, a Federal Bureau of Investigation task force identified Muldrew as a dealer of fentanyl pills in Omaha and began an investigation. Between February and May of 2024, Muldrew sold pills to a confidential informant four times in quantities ranging from 50 to 200. Investigators also determined Muldrew was supplying at least one other dealer. On May 17, 2024, law enforcement arrested Muldrew and executed search warrants at three residences and a storage unit in Omaha. When he was arrested, Muldrew had approximately 234 fentanyl pills and $11,301 cash. Execution of the search warrants resulted in seizure of almost 2,000 fentanyl pills, four handguns, and more than $124,000 cash. Co-defendant Jeron Morris, 33, of Omaha, has been convicted after a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because of prior federal convictions that enhance the statutory penalties, Morris faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years in prison and a maximum of life. Morris’ sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2025. The cash that was seized will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug dealing. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department with assistance from the Council Bluffs Police Department (Iowa), Bellevue Police Department, Papillion Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Iowa State Patrol. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: California Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Charge

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Felix Cruz, 35, of Fresno, California, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Cruz to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cruz’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Cruz also forfeited $6,000 in U.S. currency seized at the time of his arrest. On April 2, 2024, law enforcement utilized a cooperating witness who purchased approximately one pound of methamphetamine from Cruz at an Omaha location. The following day surveillance officers approached Cruz after observing him engage in a suspected drug transaction. Cruz attempted to flee and after a short foot pursuit was taken into custody. A box containing approximately two pounds of methamphetamine was recovered along with $6,000 in United States currency. A subsequent search warrant was executed on his Bellevue, Nebraska, residence where law enforcement recovered another 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine. Cruz gave a post-arrest statement and admitted to trafficking several pounds of methamphetamine for a Mexican drug trafficking organization since March of 2024. Cruz also admitted the money found in his possession was proceeds from drug trafficking sales. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jason E. Pemberton, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Pemberton to 300 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Pemberton’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. In December of 2023, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents identified Pemberton as a narcotics distributor with a residence near 88th Plaza and Boyd Street, Omaha, and began a surveillance operation. On January 11, 2024, agents saw Pemberton leave his residence driving a Hyundai Veloster. They followed him to a McDonald’s parking lot where he parked and his co-defendant got out of a parked Chevy Silverado, approached Pemberton, and handed him a black backpack containing methamphetamine. Both vehicles departed immediately after the exchange. Agents and local law enforcement officers followed Pemberton onto I-80, westbound. Officers saw Pemberton violate traffic laws while driving near mile marker 412, activated their emergency lights, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but Pemberton did not stop. He fled, reaching speeds of up to 110 MPH, and threw the backpack out the vehicle window. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle by deploying stop strips, but Pemberton made a U-turn and fled the wrong way down an interstate on-ramp near Lincoln, Nebraska, eventually lost control, crashed, and ran before officer took him into custody. The backpack contained multiple bags of methamphetamine with a gross of weight of 11 pounds. Later, on the same day of January 11, 2024, agents and officers served a search warrant at Pemberton’s residence. During the search, they seized 36 plastic bags of methamphetamine with a gross weight of 32.06 pounds. During the residential search, agents also found a digital scale, packaging materials, two cell phones, and a money counter. On January 16 and 17, 2024, agents interviewed two known associates of Pemberton who both said Pemberton had been distributing methamphetamine and is affiliated with a Mexican drug trafficking organization. The co-defendant in this case is similarly charged for his role the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine as well as a separate conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain. His cases are ongoing. This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Task Force.


title: St. Croix Man Sentenced to 18 months on Influencing Federal Officers by Threats

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, USVI –U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Jamoi Weekes, 31, of St. Croix, was sentenced last week by Senior District Judge Wilma A. Lewis for influencing federal officers by threats to 18 months of imprisonment, two years of supervised release, 20 hours of community service, and a $1,000 fine. According to court documents, on August 31, 2024, Weekes arrived at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix in the District of the Virgin Islands to board a flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was referred for a second inspection by an officer with Customs & Border Protection (CBP). At the secondary inspection area station, Weekes was asked to fill out a customs declaration form. He refused to do so. He quickly grew agitated and began yelling at the CBP officers in the secondary inspection area. Specifically, Weekes ripped up the form and demanded to know if CBP Officers had a warrant for his arrest. Thereafter, he threatened to assault and kill the CBP Officers. Because of his unruly behavior, he was prohibited by CBP officers from boarding his flight, and he was asked to leave the CBP secondary inspection area. Weekes did so, but rather than leaving the airport altogether, he sat on a bench near an airline check-in counter. He waited on the bench for a period of time, until he saw the CBP Officers from the secondary inspection area exit the airport terminal and walk towards the parking lot, as their daily shift had concluded. Weekes followed the CBP officers into the parking lot and challenged one to a fight. The investigation was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.


title: Love County Resident Sentenced For Discharging Firearm During A Crime Of Violence

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Isaiah Lynn Wood, age 22, of Overbrook, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Love County Sheriff’s Office. On May 12, 2025, Wood pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on the evening of February 17, 2025, Wood parked at a distance from an Overbrook residence, then entered the residence undetected armed with a Glock 45 semi-automatic pistol. Once inside, Wood threatened one resident, assaulted a second, fired the weapon twice striking a third, then barricaded himself inside. A Love County deputy responding to the 911 emergency dispatch call took Wood into custody. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Wood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Checotah Resident Sentenced For Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Latisha Marie McCarter, age 43, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. On August 13, 2025, McCarter pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 17, 2023, McCarter sold a baggie of white crystalline methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the parking lot of a store in Checotah, Oklahoma. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, serving by designation, presided over the hearing. McCarter will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.