title: Texas and Maryland women plead guilty to COVID fraud

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Brandie S. Williams, 45, of Dallas, Texas, and Brittany L. Herbert, 39, of Brandywine, Maryland, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. In addition, defendant Herbert also pleaded guilty to bank fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen M. McCarthy and Charles M. Kruly, and Ariel Glaser and Jennifer L. Bilinkas of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who are handling the case, stated that between May 2020 and June 2021, Williams and Herbert conspired with Adam Arena and Amanda Gloria, and others, to fraudulently obtain and misuse multiple COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) emergency relief loans, including: Williams, Herbert, and Gloria worked together to fraudulently obtain an approximately $292,700 loan for Williams’s business, Beyond the Next Level, Inc. including by, among other things, preparing and submitting a fraudulent IRS tax form as part of the PPP loan application, which falsely stated that Williams’s business had 25 employees and paid total payroll expenses of $1.4 million in 2019 when, in fact, the business had no employees. After receiving the PPP loan, Williams did not use the funds for legitimate business-related purposes. Instead, Williams used the funds for her own personal enrichment and transferred over $43,000 to bank accounts controlled by Gloria and Herbert. Williams, Herbert, Gloria, and Arena also worked together to fraudulently obtain a loan for approximately $954,000 for Arena's business, ADA Auto Group. After the PPP loan proceeds were transferred into an account controlled by Arena, he conducted a series of financial transactions, including for his own personal benefit, for Gloria's benefit, and for the benefit of others. Adam Arena and Amanda Gloria were previously convicted for their roles in the conspiracy. Anyone with general information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The pleas are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr.; the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Nicholas J. Bucciarelli; and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Michael McGill, New York Field Division. Brandie Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2026, and Brittany Herbert is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026, both before Judge Sinatra. # # # #


title: Attorney General Bondi Announces Department of Justice Prioritization of Animal Welfare Enforcement

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced today a historic plan to combat animal welfare crimes and to strengthen coordination and enforcement efforts between federal agencies, including the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. The plan consists of five parts: (1) A one-week Animal Welfare Summit at the Department’s National Advocacy Center to train federal prosecutors and federal agents from across the country in prosecuting animal welfare crimes; (2) the creation of a multi-agency Animal Welfare Executive Strategy Committee to develop and implement a National Strategy for Combatting Animal Welfare Crimes, to be chaired by Adam Gustafson, who leads the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division; (3) the creation of a law enforcement “Tiger Team” to participate in and assist with the execution of search warrants and seizures in animal welfare cases; (4) the continued use of the Asset Forfeiture Fund to help pay for the evaluation, care, and feeding of animals seized in the course of animal welfare investigations; and (5) the offering of grants, through the Office of Justice Programs, to animal welfare groups, and state and local law enforcement agencies that are taking action to combat animal cruelty. The plan was announced through a memorandum to all Department of Justice employees. “Animals are part of our families: we will always fight to protect the pets we love,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I have fought against animal abuse my entire career and will never stop working to prosecute the sick individuals who prey upon innocent animals. Since taking office, this Department of Justice has already rescued nearly 300 dogs from horrific circumstances. Our work has only just begun, and this cabinet is committed to a whole of government approach to swiftly ending this horrific behavior.” Attorney General Bondi also announced that the Department will partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to strengthen enforcement efforts under the Animal Welfare Act by using all available enforcement options to target the worst offenders and remove chronic violators from the industry. The Attorney General’s announcement was made in conjunction with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) Brooke L. Rollins.


title: Justice Department Joins Lawsuit Against Racial Discrimination in Los Angeles Public Schools

body_text: Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division sought intervention in a lawsuit against the administrators of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) over the Predominately Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Other (PHBAO) Program. This program categorizes students by race and by the race of their neighbors in order to determine school funding and magnet school admissions. The lawsuit was brought by the 1776 Project Foundation, a nonprofit focused on public education. “Treating Americans equally is not a suggestion — it is a core constitutional guarantee that educational institutions must follow,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will never stop fighting to make that guarantee a reality, including for public-school students in Los Angeles.” “Los Angeles County students should never be classified or treated differently because of their race. Yet this school district is doing exactly that by providing benefits that treat students — based on their race — as though they have learning disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racial discrimination is unlawful and un-American, and this Civil Rights Division will fight to ensure that every LAUSD student is treated equally under the law.” “Now in its sixth decade, LAUSD’s desegregation program has outlived its usefulness to the point of being unconstitutional,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “School districts must treat their students equally and no longer discriminate on the basis of race.” The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, notes that the PHBAO Program first separates everyone in the LAUSD area by race into either the “Anglo,” meaning White group, and everyone else. School neighborhoods with less than 30% Whites are treated as disadvantaged with “Predominately” non-White racial groups. Most schools are PHBAO in the majority Hispanic area served by LAUSD. The United States’ complaint notes that LAUSD provides extra funding to the PHBAO schools to lower the student/teacher ratio by 5.5 students, and increase parent-teacher conferences. It also gives students wishing to transfer to a magnet program an admissions preference equal to that for an overcrowded school. LAUSD treats attending school with non-Whites as a disadvantage equal to attending an overcrowded school. This case is brought by the Educational Opportunities Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. You can view the motion to intervene here and the proposed complaint here .


title: Oregon Business Owner Sent to Prison for Employment Tax Crimes

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— The owner of a tree removal business was sentenced to prison today for willfully failing to pay over employment taxes to the IRS on behalf of the company she owned and operated. Joyce Leard, 47, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Leard was also ordered to pay $2,880,346.25 in restitution and $100 special assessment. According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2017 through 2024, Leard owned and operated Mr. Tree Inc., a Happy Valley, Oregon, company that provided tree removal and landscaping services to customers. The company advertised itself as being in business for thirty years and employed approximately 50 to 75 employees each year. Leard was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from the wages of her employees and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter, as well as filing quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS. From the fourth quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2020, Leard withheld taxes from her employees’ wages but did not pay over those taxes to the IRS or file quarterly employment tax returns. Instead, she used funds in Mr. Tree’s business bank account to pay other expenses and creditors and purchased approximately $3.5 million of real estate. During this period, the company also did not file a corporate tax return, and, from 2018 through 2020, Leard did not file a personal income tax return, as required by law. Leard’s conduct caused a total tax loss of over $3.5 million. On January 14, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 12-count indictment charging Leard with willful failure to account for and pay over tax and willful failure to file return. On June 16, 2025, Leard pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over tax. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys J. Parker Gochenour and Megan E. Wessel of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case with substantial support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.


title: Amherst Police officer pleads guilty to impeding an FBI investigation

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gregory Trotter, 51, of Williamsville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to impeding with a federal officer, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $100,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that in September 2022, an FBI Special Agent arranged to meet with Trotter, who was an Amherst Police detective at the time, regarding Trotter’s involvement in a 2019 investigation of the alleged theft of a Rolex watch belonging to Peter Gerace. Trotter was questioned about his contact with Gerace during the investigation, with the agent asking Trotter multiple times whether Gerace had reached out to him while the investigation was active, to ask him questions about the status of the investigation. Trotter said no. During this exchange, Trotter reacted with disproportionate emotion and became physically animated, losing his professional bearing. Due to Trotter’s status as a trained law enforcement officer who was possibly armed, this conduct intentionally impeded the agent in the performance of his duties. “This defendant, a police officer, who was sworn to protect and serve, intentionally impeded the duties of another sworn law enforcement officer, and as a result he now stands convicted of committing a federal crime,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. Sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Vilardo. # # # #


title: Jury finds California woman guilty of defrauding local bank of over $170,000

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – A California woman who defrauded a local bank of over $170,000 was found guilty by a federal jury today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Following a one-and-a-half-day trial, Kristin Renee Zelonish Edwards, 38, was found guilty of four counts of bank fraud. Edwards faces 30 years of imprisonment on each count, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 23, 2026. Edwards was released with conditions pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Kristin Edwards defrauded Glacier Bank of over $170,000 by depositing 12 fraudulent savings bonds at four different bank branches in Northwest Montana. Edwards traveled from California to Montana to deposit the savings bonds, making four trips between October 2022 and January 2023. Glacier Bank received notice in February 2023 from the United States Treasury Department that one of the savings bonds deposited by Edwards was fraudulent. Glacier Bank’s security officer called Edwards and informed her of the fraudulent bond. Her response was that she found the savings bonds while going through boxes of her deceased grandmother’s items with her mother. Witnesses testified Edwards never received bonds from her grandmother’s estate. The savings bonds deposited by Edwards that were alleged to have been purchased by her grandmother had issue dates as early as 1980—over 6 years before Edwards was born. The fraudulent savings bonds have Edwards’ Social Security Number printed on them, which means, if Edwards’ story were true, her grandmother bought the bonds in Edwards’ name and with Edwards’ Social Security Number six years before Edwards was born. The U.S. Secret Service analyzed the savings bonds and found they had several common defects and were not made with the printing presses used for authentic savings bonds. Edwards’ fraudulent savings bonds also share a common source with other fraudulent savings bonds that were deposited in Idaho and Colorado by Edwards’ unindicted co-conspirator. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katy Stack and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. XXX


title: Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Federal Law Enforcement Officer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man pleaded guilty today after assaulting a federal officer at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland. Robert Jacob Hoopes, 25, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of a federal employee with a dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury. According to court documents, on June 14, 2025, Hoopes threw a large rock and struck an ICE officer in the head, causing a significant laceration over the officer’s eye. Later that same day, he and two other individuals were seen using an upended stop sign as a makeshift battering ram, which resulted in significant damage to the main entry door to the ICE building. On August 5, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Hoopes with aggravated assault on a federal employee with a dangerous weapon and depredation of federal property. Hoopes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on May 12, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge. As part of the plea agreement, Hoopes has agreed to pay full restitution, estimated to be over $7,000 The FBI is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.


title: Niagara Falls man pleads guilty to meth charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Charles Barker, 70, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass, who is handling the case, stated on June 13, 2025, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) was alerted to a parcel being shipped from Arizona to Niagara Falls, that was consistent with parcels containing narcotics. USPIS investigators executed a search warrant on the parcel, which was found to contain approximately 703 grams of crystal methamphetamine. On June 17, 2025, a controlled delivery of the parcel was conducted to the 77th Street residence of Barker, who was listed as the recipient. Barker was arrested after accepting the parcel, which had been replaced with sham methamphetamine. During a search of the residence, investigators recovered quantities of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine, a shotgun, and $25,821 in cash. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Nicholas J. Bucciarelli, Boston Division. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.


title: New Orleans Man  Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Firearms

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that SHAYNE DAVIS (“DAVIS”) , age 36, a resident of Gretna, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on February 3, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. Specifically, DAVIS pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, in March 2025, federal and local task force officers were assigned to locate and arrest DAVIS , who was wanted for aggravated assault and felon in possession of firearm charges. DAVIS fled when officers and federal agents attempted to arrest him and, during the chase, he discarded the firearm in a neighbor’s yard. DAVIS was quickly apprehended and found to be in possession of a nine-millimeter magazine. The discarded firearm, a Glock Model 26 Gen5, nine-millimeter pistol, was recovered. Additionally, during the execution of a search warrant at DAVIS ’s residence, officers discovered an FIE Titan, .25 caliber handgun. DAVIS will be sentenced on May 12, 2026, and faces a maximum of fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory M. Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit. * * *


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Fentanyl Distribution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – On January 29, 2026, KENTRELL WILLIAMS (WILLIAMS), a/k/a “Fire,” age 43, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on January 29, 2026, for distribution of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, on August 13, 2025, WILLIAMS distributed approximately 56 grams of fentanyl in New Orleans. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, WILLIAMS faces a minimum term of five (5) years, up to a maximum term of forty (40) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, at least four (4) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, the Major Crimes Task Force, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: Honduran National Sentenced For Reentry of Deported Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WALTER OMAR CASCO-LOPEZ (“CASCO-LOPEZ”) , age 36, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry on February 4, 2026 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, CASCO-LOPEZ unlawfully reentered the United States after having been previously deported on October 12, 2011. Judge Guidry sentenced CASCO-LOPEZ to twenty-one months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Upon completion of his sentence, CASCO-LOPEZ will be transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation to his home country of Honduras. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to deter illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines enforcement efforts through coordination with the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Customs Enforcement Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Macon Check Cashing Manager Pleads Guilty to Filing False Reports

body_text: MACON, Ga. – The manager of a Macon check cashing company pleaded guilty to filing false reports resulting from a larger investigation into a bank fraud conspiracy targeting a Morris Bank branch in Gray, Georgia. James Kevin Meyers, 57, of Gray, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of causing the filing of false currency transaction reports before U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell on Feb. 18. Meyers faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. In two related cases, Ronnie Atkinson, 57, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 84 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Feb. 5, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on May 12, 2025. Atkinson was also ordered to pay a total of $3,357,073.21 in restitution. Alan Childs, 60, of Gray, Georgia, was sentenced to serve twelve months and one day in prison on Sept. 17, 2025, and was ordered to pay $3,094,200.98 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on April 12, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system. “This investigation shows we will hold all participants in financial crimes accountable,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Such schemes harm our community and will not be tolerated.” “Financial crimes like this undermine trust in our banking system and harm everyday people across our communities,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “Whether someone is committing fraud directly or helping conceal it, we will continue holding every participant accountable for abusing positions of trust and enabling million-dollar schemes.” According to court documents and statements in court, Meyer managed Mr. Kevin’s Check Cashing in Macon, a money services business. As a domestic financial institution, his check-cashing company was required to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act regulations and reporting requirements, including filing Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) for transactions exceeding $10,000. Co-defendant Atkinson took out numerous loans with Morris Bank, where co-defendant Childs served as Market President and helped Atkinson obtain them. Atkinson got loans in his name and in the name of straw borrowers. Many of these loans were alleged to be for the purchase of equipment and items from various individuals. Morris Bank would issue a loan or cashier’s check to the listed seller. Atkinson brought several of these Morris Bank checks to Mr. Kevin’s Check Cashing to be cashed several times without the listed payee present, always more than $10,000. The CTR should have listed the person who presented the check and left with the cash as Atkinson. Instead, the CTR’s listed the payees of the check, although they were not present and did not collect the cash. Meyers would either personally cash these checks for Atkinson or direct his employees to cash them and also file the CTRs with the listed payee’s name, even though it was Atkinson who actually cashed the checks. Five checks were cashed in 2022, amounting to $166,788, $117,409, $93,338, $126,743, and $280,013. For more information about this conspiracy, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/central-georgia-man-sentenced-bank-fraud-conspiracy . The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Two Fraudsters Sentenced For Stealing Nearly $1,300,000 Over Six Months From Monroe County Business

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Between 2023 and 2024, two college friends, Dustin Cole Mosley, 40, and Jason Robert Riel, 41, concocted and executed a scheme for them to steal money from Mosley’s employer, the Alabama River Cellulose plant (“ARC”), in Monroe County, Alabama. The United States Attorney charged the pair with a Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, to which they pleaded guilty. The pair created a shell safety services and supplies business, which billed the ARC for fake safety services and supplies purportedly provided to the ARC. Mosley worked as the ARC’s Safety Manager, and it entrusted him to approve invoices for safety services and supplies provided to the ARC. He approved payment to his friend’s shell company more than 20 times, for a total of nearly $1,300,000, which the pair split. The Court sentenced Mosley to serve 18 months in prison and Riel to one year and one day in prison and ordered them both to pay restitution. Mosley received a harsher sentence based on his violation of a position of trust. “Financial crimes leave paper trails that we and our investigative partners—here, the FBI—can and do follow. It’s only a matter of time before they are caught. Whatever short-term monetary benefit they received evaporates, replaced by prison time, and repayment of the money they stole.” U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who victimizes businesses to line their own pockets.” The FBI’s Mobile Division investigated the case. Its Special Agent in Charge, Sara Jones stated, “The FBI is committed to investigating those who exploit the American people for financial gain and seeing through the prosecution of those individuals. These sentences are another example of our collaborative efforts to combat criminal activity in conjunction with our partner agencies. 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.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex F. Lankford, IV, prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Two-Time Felon Sentenced for Illegally Re-Entering the United States

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally re-entered the United States after having been convicted of two federal immigration-related felony offenses was sentenced February 18, 2026, to a total of four years in federal prison. Jesus Banuelos-Lepe, 49, who is a citizen of Mexico but had been living in Maurice, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 30, 2025, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry as a felon. Additionally, at the time he was found illegally in the United States, he was on federal supervised release from another 2023 federal illegal re-entry conviction which included conditions he neither illegally re-enter the United States, nor commit new law violations. The hearing on February 18, 2026, was a combined sentencing for the 2025 illegal re-entry conviction, and for the violations of his 2023 supervised release terms. At the combined hearing, Banuelos-Lepe admitted that on July 20, 2025, he was arrested in Sioux County, Iowa, for operating while intoxicated after he was found passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle in the middle of the road after consuming 12 beers. Following his arrest, he was booked into the Sioux County Jail but provided an alias to law enforcement. Further investigation proved his true identity as Banuelos-Lepe, a citizen of Mexico, who had been removed from the United States on five occasions and did not have permission to legally be in the United States. Banuelos-Lepe had previously been convicted of federal felony transportation of an illegal alien, in April of 2007, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. This offense involved defendant smuggling two aliens into the United States from Mexico then holding one of them against their will pending additional smuggling fees. Banuelos-Lepe was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Banuelos-Lepe was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment for this 2025 illegal re-entry conviction and 24 months’ imprisonment for violating conditions of supervised release from his 2023 conviction. Those periods of incarceration are to be served consecutively, for a combined sentence of four years’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Banuelos-Lepe is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-04045 and 25-CR-4057. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Kokomo Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Keith Hall, 27 years old, of Kokomo, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Hall was sentenced to 188 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $250 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act of 2018. According to documents in the case, Hall possessed 18 still images and 168 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. Hall had previously been convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor in Miami County, Indiana. “We thank Miami County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Sinkovics, Chief Deputy Peter Diedricks, and their office, along with the agents of the Homeland Security Investigations, the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes against Children Task Force (ICAC), and the Miami County Sheriff’s Office for partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help make Hoosiers safer to live, work, and raise their families,” said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Haskell County Resident Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Certain Material Involving The Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andrew Scott Lucas, age 39, of Keota, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that beginning on November 15, 2023, and continuing until October 11, 2024, Lucas knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view one or more matters containing visual depictions of one or more minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including the visual depictions of prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained the age of twelve. The charge arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma City Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lucas will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McAmis, Morgan Muzljakovich, and Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.


title: Allen Resident Pleads Guilty To Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clinton Ray Stowe, age 36, of Allen, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on October 27, 2025, Stowe assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury. The crime occurred in Ada, Oklahoma, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ada Police Department. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Stowe will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Kansas Resident Of Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Ramone Antuane Newman, age 36, of Olathe, Kansas, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The jury trial began with testimony on February 17, 2026, and concluded on February 18, 2026, with the guilty verdict. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on February 2, 2024, while attempting to elude law enforcement during a high-speed chase, Newman threw a Glock handgun and magazine loaded with four rounds from the vehicle. Law enforcement successfully apprehended Newman near the entrance to the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and recovered the firearm and magazine in the area where they were thrown from the vehicle. At the time of the chase, Newman had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the McAlester Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Savanna Police Department, and the Choctaw Lighthorse Police. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Newman will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gross and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Illegal Alien From Mexico And Co-Conspirator Indicted For Trafficking Fentanyl In Homeland Security Task Force Case

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An illegal alien from Mexico and his co-conspirator have been indicted for trafficking fentanyl in a case that is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Samuel Aquino Chavez, 28, of Mexico, and Crystal Stroud, 34, of Charlotte, are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and distribution of fentanyl. According to allegations in the indictment from July 2023 to June 2024, Chavez and Stroud knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. It is further alleged that the pair distributed the fentanyl in and around Mecklenburg and Union Counties, and elsewhere. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson credited the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation of the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. The charges against the defendants are allegations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Secures $850,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky Landlord and Property Manager

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the owners and property managers of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky have agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that two property managers sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act. “Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vigorously protecting the rights of vulnerable tenants subjected to sexual harassment and holding housing providers and managers accountable when they violate the law.” “The harm caused by decades of the defendants’ alleged sexual harassment, which often targeted female tenants perceived as vulnerable because of their need for housing, is difficult to quantify,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul C. McCaffrey for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This settlement provides some measure of justice for those victims, and aims to eliminate future harassment perpetrated by these defendants against their tenants.” “Adnan and Mohommed Shalash exploited tenants’ fundamental need for housing to commit serious abuses of power. Today’s settlement sends a clear message: those who abuse vulnerable tenants will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Northeast Region. “HUD OIG will not tolerate property managers or anyone in positions of authority using housing as leverage to engage in sexual harassment or abuse and will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold housing providers accountable for these actions.” The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in November 2024, and amended in June 2025, alleges that for decades, property managers Adnan and Mohammed Shalash sexually harassed female tenants at various rental dwellings throughout Lexington, Kentucky. The suit alleges Adnan and Mohammed Shalash offered housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual contact, made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their permission, subjected female tenants to unwelcome touching and groping and took adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused their sexual advances. The Department’s lawsuit also names as defendants 17 owners of rental properties managed by Adnan and Mohammed Shalash, including Fox Den Properties LLC and Griffith Market Inc. The lawsuit alleges that these defendants are vicariously liable for the sexual harassment committed by their agents, Adnan and Mohommed Shalash. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation that uncovered the evidence leading to the lawsuit. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the defendants must pay $845,000 to tenants who were harmed by Adnan and Mohammed Shalash’s harassment and a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States. The settlement agreement permanently bars Adnan and Mohammed Shalash from contacting tenants harmed by their harassment, permanently bars them from managing residential rental properties, and mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination at residential rental properties owned or managed by either defendant. If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative . The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered close to $18 million for victims of such harassment.


title: GAINESVILLE MAN SENTENCED FOR CARRYING MULTIPLE FIREARMS WHILE SELLING DRUGS

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Kendrick J. Hills Jr., 23, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to over five years in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office is committed to backing up our brave men and woman of law enforcement on the front lines of this battle against drugs and violence in our communities. We will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America to ensure our streets are safe and our communities are drug-free.” Court documents reflect that the defendant was pulled over for multiple traffic violations. During the traffic stop, law enforcement smelled and observed marijuana in his vehicle. The presence of illegal narcotics was also confirmed by a K9 on scene. During a search of the vehicle, deputies located a stolen 9-millimeter pistol on the driver’s floorboard, a .40-caliber pistol with an extended 22-round magazine under the driver’s seat, and a backpack filled with almost a pound of marijuana and drug-distribution paraphernalia, such as scales and baggies. The defendant later admitted that he possessed the firearms to protect himself, including protecting himself from the risk of drug-related robberies. “This case is an example of the proactive work our deputies do every day to identify criminal activity before it escalates into something even more dangerous,” said Sheriff Chad D. Scott, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. “Through strong partnerships with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office, we are sending a clear message: Alachua County will not tolerate drug distribution and the armed criminal behavior that so often accompanies it.” “I’m proud of the way our agents and officers from Alachua County Sheriff’s Office came together to bring this criminal to justice,” said DEA Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar. “We have great relationships with our North Florida law enforcement partners, and I look forward to our continued enforcement efforts together.” The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by a seven-year term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face additional prison time. The case involved a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James McCain. 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, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: MEXICAN CITIZEN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Carlos Dominguez Lopez, 36, of Mexico, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to false statement in an application for a U.S. passport and aggravated identity theft. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Trying to lie, cheat, and steal your way into this country won’t get you anything except a one-way ticket to federal prison and a swift deportation thereafter. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting criminal illegal aliens like this defendant who brazenly violate our immigration laws.” Court documents reflect that in July of 2022, the defendant purported to be another individual and executed a United States passport application at the Escambia County Clerk of Court Office. The defendant provided a birth certificate and identification card in the other individual’s name, without that person’s permission. After the false statements were made, a United States passport was issued to the defendant. An ICE detainer has been lodged against Dominguez Lopez, and deportation proceedings against him will commence once he completes his prison sentence. The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. 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, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: TALLAHASSEE MAN POSING AS A DECORATED ARMY VETERAN PLEADS GUILTY TO THEFT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michel Duane Dyson, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida, who misrepresented himself as a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran despite having never served in the military, pleaded guilty in federal court of theft of government funds for his fraudulent receipt of Veterans Affairs benefits. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea today. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The brave men and women who served in our military deserve our gratitude, admiration, and support, and VA benefits are reserved exclusively for them based upon their selfless service to this country. I am proud of this successful prosecution by my office to deliver accountability and justice for this despicable defendant’s selfish acts of stolen valor and fraudulent misrepresentations of military service that enabled him to illegally obtain VA benefits intended for our nation’s heroes.” Court records show that in April 2022, Dyson fraudulently applied for VA benefits on the basis of his claims to have actively served in the U.S. Army, further claiming that he served in combat and been awarded both the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star medals. As a result of his fraudulent misrepresentations, from April 2022 until June 2025, Dyson was able to secure VA benefits in the form of medical treatment provided either through VA medical facilities or contracted medical providers, treatments valued at approximately $114,527. In May 2025, Dyson further attempted to fraudulently obtain additional VA housing benefits, at which point his deception was uncovered. Records in the investigation revealed that Dyson had similarly attempted to obtain VA benefits in the Boston, Massachusetts area in 2013, but had been denied. Dyson faces up to ten years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for April 30, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Robert Hinkle. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Possession With Intent to Distribute

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI - United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Tristin Carr, 21, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III on February 13, 2026, to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to court documents, on or about Thursday, October 9, 2025, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers performed an inspection on American Airlines flight 2211 from Miami, Florida to St. Croix. During the inspection, all checked bags from the flight were X-rayed to check for anomalies. Anomalies were detected with respect to checked bags that bore baggage tags with the defendant’s name. According to the baggage tags, the bags were checked at Tampa International Airport and were destined for Henry Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, via Miami. CBP placed the bags on the carousel and monitored to see who would retrieve them. The defendant retrieved the luggage, and CBP escorted him into the secondary inspection area. A physical search of the luggage revealed bundles containing a green leafy substance wrapped in vacuum-sealed bags. The substance tested positive for marijuana with a total weight of approximately 6.14 kilograms. The defendant agreed that the amount of marijuana was inconsistent with personal use and was indicative of an intent to distribute. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.


title: ILLEGAL MEXICAN ALIEN CHILD MOLESTER CHARGED WITH PERJURY AND IMMIGRATION FRAUD

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: GREENVILLE, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Roberto Almeida-Santos, 56, an illegal alien born in Mexico, with perjury and immigration fraud. The indictment alleges that Sanchez lied about his criminal history on his application to obtain a non-immigrant visa. According to the indictment and previously issued court documents, Sanchez is alleged to have knowingly made materially false statements under penalty of perjury on his application to obtain a non-immigrant visa when he submitted it to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) in 2021. He allegedly answered “No” in response to the questions “Have you EVER committed a crime or offense for which you have not been arrested?” and “Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in any of the following:…[e]ngaging in any kind of sexual conduct or relations with any person who was being forced or threatened?” On August 7, 2023, in Randolph County Superior Court of North Carolina, a grand jury returned an indictment which charged him with having committed two counts of statutory sex offense with child under 15, and two counts of indecent liberties with a child, from January 1, 2018, through January 1, 2020. On August 7, 2023, in Guilford County Superior Court of North Carolina, a separate grand jury returned two indictments against Almeida. The first indictment charged him with having committed statutory sex offense with a child from January 24, 2016, through January 23, 2017. The second indictment charged him with having committed the same offense from January 24, 2018, through January 23, 2019. On August 14, 2024, in Guilford County Superior Court of North Carolina, Almeida was convicted of two counts of sex offense with a child by an adult. The child victim was 8 years old. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 18 and 26 years and ordered to register as a sex offender. Almeida confessed to having committed the offenses from January 24, 2016, through January 23, 2017, and January 24, 2018, through January 23, 2019. On December 17, 2024, in the Randolph County Superior Court of North Carolina, Almeida was convicted of two counts of statutory sex offense with child under 15. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 16 and 25 years and ordered to register as a sex offender. He confessed to having committed the offenses from January 1, 2018, through January 1, 2020. The victim was 14 years old. The grand jury charged Almeida in a two-count indictment. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE ERO officers are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven , an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain immigration benefits. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. [insert]. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Fifth Defendant Convicted in Statewide Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Sinaloa Cartel

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL – Eric Anthony Rodriguez, age 47, was found guilty in U.S. District Court for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Rodriguez is the fifth defendant convicted as part of the scheme. Defendants Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, 33, Juan Martin Elvira, Jr., 36, Edward Gonzalez, 30, and Bruce Michael Orton, 44, all previously pled guilty. According to court documents, the defendant conspired with other co-defendants to acquire and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine. Lead and organized by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, the “Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO)” operated and distributed methamphetamine throughout Minnesota from April 2024 to March 2025. The Diaz-Aguilar DTO orchestrated large shipments of methamphetamine from outside the state, sometimes hundreds of pounds at a time, and distributed methamphetamine in northern, southern, and central Minnesota. During a nearly year-long investigation, law enforcement seized approximately sixty pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 fentanyl pills, and more than $20,000 in U.S. Currency from various individuals associated with the Diaz-Aguilar-DTO. Agents also executed search warrants at stash houses in Columbia Heights, Hastings, and Rochester, Minnesota. Officers seized three pounds of methamphetamine from Eric Rodriguez in a coordinated traffic stop in November 2025, and evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Rodriguez received dozens of additional pounds of methamphetamine for distribution. Additional evidence showed that the Diaz-Aguilar DTO was affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel, a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO). Rodriguez was found guilty after a 6-day jury trial before Judge Susan R. Nelson. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Minnesota State Patrol, Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Chisago County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Minnesota Drug Task Force, Hastings Police Department, Rochester Police Department, Cannon River Drug Task Force, and the New Prague Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and William C. Mattessich.


title: Jacksonville Man Indicted for Violating Anti-Doping Law

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Paul Alexander Askew (46, Jacksonville) has been charged by a federal indictment with conspiracy to influence major international sports competition by doping. If convicted, Askew faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Askew that the United States intends to forfeit assets alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the Indictment, from on or about July 10, 2023, and continuing through on or about January 31, 2024, Askew conspired with others to influence major international sports competitions by providing performance enhancing drugs to an athlete. The major international sports competitions the conspiracy sought to influence included the 2023 Ed Murphey Classic, the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League, the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, the 2024 American Outdoor Track and Field Championship, the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, the 2024 United States Olympics Trials, and the 2024 Olympics in Paris. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan. Indictment


title: Expelled Mexican national sentenced for role in large-scale international cocaine trafficking offense

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Mexican national was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import approximately 1,900 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. According to court documents, Jose Francisco Mendoza-Gomez, aka Braulio Jelipe, was a member of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for importing multi-hundred kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States for years. The DTO, which had operations in New York, Texas, and elsewhere in the United States, sourced its cocaine from suppliers in Colombia and provided logistical and financial support to coordinate the narcotics’ passage through Central America and Mexico and, ultimately, into the United States. During the investigation, law enforcement made several cocaine seizures, including approximately 971 kilograms of cocaine on April 21, 2017, and 500 kilograms of cocaine on May 6, 2017, nearly all of which was attributable to the DTO. The investigation revealed the DTO conspired to import at least 1,900 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. In addition to cocaine trafficking, the DTO was involved in transporting substantial illicit proceeds earned from its operations back to Mexico and elsewhere. DTO members engaged in bulk money transfers with cocaine suppliers and utilized a Chinese money laundering network to repatriate bulk narcotics proceeds out of the United States. The DTO engaged in bribery of Mexican officials, including to gain access to information useful to its cocaine trafficking operations, and planned and attempted to execute multiple kidnappings related to rival drug traffickers and in efforts to secure outstanding debts. Mendoza-Gomez assisted in coordinating and transporting cocaine for distribution in the United States, handled hundreds of thousands worth of narcotics proceeds, provided advice to the DTO’s leader, and participated in the DTO’s efforts to plan kidnappings and obtain information from corrupt Mexican officials. On Aug. 12, 2025, Mendoza-Gomez, along with 25 other fugitives, were expelled from Mexico to the United States. Two of Mendoza-Gomez’s co-conspirators, Marisela Flores-Torruco, aka La Dama de Hierro, and Qiyun Chen, have already been convicted for their roles in the DTO, as have several individuals involved in the related Chinese money laundering network. Flores-Torruco pled guilty on Oct. 9, 2018, and was sentenced on Feb. 1, 2019, to 16 years and eight months in prison. Chen pled guilty on Nov. 8, 2017, and was sentenced on Feb. 23, 2018, to 10 years in prison. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, with assistance from DEA’s offices in Cartagena, Colombia; Bogota, Colombia; Panama City, Panamá; Mexico City; and Guatemala City. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service also provided substantial assistance in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher M. Carter and Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Caylee E. Campbell of the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-147.


title: Former Municipal Court Clerk Sentenced on Federal Program Theft Charges

body_text: CLEVELAND – A Cleveland man has been sentenced for using his role at a local municipal court to pocket thousands of dollars in cash. Orlando Chappell, 61, was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $37,931.47 in restitution by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after he pleaded guilty to Federal Program Theft in August 2025. At various times from 2012 to 2023, Chappell was employed as a deputy clerk with the City of East Cleveland Municipal Court. According to his plea agreement, his role entailed performing various administrative and clerical duties to support court operations, such as collecting fines and fees on behalf of the City of East Cleveland. One of his responsibilities was to assist landlords with rental property evictions and to facilitate the processing of forcible entry and detainer filings. Landlords were required to pay a fee to the municipal court to start the filing process which Chappell would then collect as the deputy clerk. Cash payments were accepted, and it was the deputy clerk’s responsibility to enter a record of the payment into the court’s digital financial management system. However, Chappell admitted to not recording the transactions, and instead embezzled the cash fees he collected from the landlords which totaled $37,931.47. Because the city of East Cleveland was a recipient of federal grants and other assistance during the time of his employment, Chappell was eligible to be charged in a U.S. District Court for defrauding the U.S. government. This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Brydle for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Willcox Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison for Bank Robbery

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael Dino Peraino, 64, of Willcox, Arizona, was sentenced on Feb. 9, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 156 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Peraino previously pleaded guilty to Bank Robbery. On July 10, 2025, Peraino entered a Chase Bank located in Safford, Arizona, and handed a note to the victim teller, directing the teller to give him $10,000.00 in cash. Peraino further told the teller to hurry and stated he had a firearm, while motioning toward his waistband. FBI Phoenix, Sierra Vista office, and the Safford Police Department conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-25-3532 RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-029_Peraino # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Bolivian National Arrested in Tulsa for Child Sexual Abuse Material; Wanted by INTERPOL

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Bolivian national currently residing in Tulsa and wanted by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) was charged by Criminal Complaint for receiving, distributing, and possessing child sexual abuse material. Vismar Erick Atahuichi Alanoca, 39, is charged with Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, and Possession of or Access with Intent to View Child Pornography. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline received three reports from Facebook. Court documents show that Facebook reported that photographs consistent with child sexual abuse material were uploaded and shared by a Facebook user. Agents executed a search warrant and discovered that Alanoca possessed child sexual abuse material, including a prepubescent child being sexually abused. It is further alleged that Alanoca messaged with a Facebook user requesting child sexual abuse material. Court records show that, during the investigation of Alanoca, agents discovered that he is listed as a wanted fugitive by INTERPOL. The risk factors listed show that Alanoca has violent tendencies, is an escape risk, a sexually violent predator, and is cautioned that he is a sex offender, specifically involving minors. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Shiprock man pleads guilty to federal firearms charge in shooting

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to federal firearms offense after pointing a handgun at occupants of a vehicle and opening fire as they attempted to flee. According to court documents, on August 1, 2025, Bryson Chee , 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, arrived at a residence in Shiprock as a passenger in a vehicle with two others. After exiting the vehicle, Chee retrieved a handgun, pointed it at the occupants, and began shooting as they attempted to drive away. Chee pleaded guilty to using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing Chee faces not less than seven in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack E. Burkhead is prosecuting the case.


title: Window Rock man charged with assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Window Rock man is facing federal charges after allegedly stabbing another man. According to court records, on June 17, 2025, Jacoby Edo Begay , 20, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a knife and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe. Begay is federally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted, Begay faces up to 10 years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment (Begay).pdf An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Senior Executives Of Telecom Company Charged In Accounting Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANDREW WARNER, the former Chief Financial Officer of Mobileum, Inc., and KISHORE VANGIPURAM, the former Chief of Delivery of Mobileum, with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by WARNER and VANGIPURAM to inflate Mobileum’s key financial metrics in advance of the company’s 2022 sale to an investment firm at an enterprise value of $915 million. Mobileum declared bankruptcy in 2024, after the fraud was uncovered. WARNER surrendered in San Jose, California, on Friday and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen. VANGIPURAM was arrested Friday at the San Francisco International Airport and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. “As alleged, Andrew Warner and Kishore Vangipuram manipulated Mobileum’s financial metrics to sell the company at a higher price and, as a result, line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The company’s investors, creditors, and employees deserved fair and complete financial information, not inflated numbers and schemes. When C-Suite executives commit fraud, the women and men of our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will hold them accountable. That is what investors and the American people want.” “Andrew Warner and Kishore Vangipuram allegedly exaggerated their company’s fiscal success through doctored billable hours and invoices to defraud an unsuspecting investment firm of nearly one billion dollars,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “These two executives allegedly exploited their respective CFO and CDO positions to betray the trust of an interested buyer out of selfish greed. The FBI continues to protect the integrity of corporate transactions from fraudsters seeking to profit from deceitful practices.” As alleged in the Indictment unsealed on Friday in Manhattan federal court: WARNER and VANGIPURAM were the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Delivery Officer, respectively, of Mobileum, a Silicon Valley-based company that provided data analytics and network solutions to telecommunications firms around the world. Beginning in or about September 2021, WARNER and VANGIPURAM schemed to deceive an investment firm into overpaying for Mobileum as part of a private equity transaction. To inflate Mobileum’s apparent value, and to convey the illusion of robust growth and operational efficiency, WARNER and VANGIPURAM falsified the company’s financial metrics, including revenue and unbilled revenue. In or about March 2022, after receiving those artificial metrics, the investment firm acquired Mobileum at an inflated enterprise value of $915 million. In connection with the sale, WARNER received approximately $5.2 million, and VANGIPURAM received approximately $5.5 million, in cash, stock, and other proceeds. WARNER and VANGIPURAM’s scheme hinged on the fraudulent acceleration of revenue. Under Mobileum’s accounting method, the company purported to recognize revenue over the life of a project in proportion to the work performed. Consequently, any inflation of hours worked, or reduction in estimated total effort, resulted in fraudulent recognition of revenue. WARNER and VANGIPURAM manipulated the revenue recognized by directing employees to transfer hours from projects where the hours were non-billable to projects where the hours were billable, to create the false appearance that billable work had been performed. They also directed employees to artificially reduce the “level of effort” for projects, effectively shrinking the total work required so that work already performed represented a higher percentage of the contract. By making projects appear significantly closer to completion than was factually accurate, the defendants manufactured millions of dollars in imaginary revenue. To cover up their fraudulent acceleration of revenue, WARNER and VANGIPURAM engaged in more fraud. Their fraudulent revenue acceleration resulted in a substantial spike in “unbilled revenue”—income recognized on Mobileum’s books but not yet invoiced to customers. Before the sale of Mobileum, when the potential buyer repeatedly inquired about Mobileum’s high unbilled revenue as a red flag indicating poor cash conversion, WARNER and VANGIPURAM directed employees to create fictitious invoices for billing milestones that Mobileum never reached. To prevent discovery of the underlying fraud by Mobileum’s clients, WARNER instructed that those invoices be processed internally to satisfy the investment firm’s scrutiny but strictly withheld from the customers themselves. Even after the sale of Mobileum to the investment firm, WARNER and VANGIPURAM continued their deceptive practices to prevent the investment firm from discovering the true state of Mobileum’s financial health. After the sale, VANGIPURAM cautioned a subordinate not to send emails about their invoicing because it would land them in a “lot of trouble.” The scheme unraveled in 2024 after the investment firm discovered the defendants’ fraud, Mobileum’s true financial condition was disclosed, and the company—which the defendants had represented as a nearly billion-dollar enterprise—filed for bankruptcy. * * * WARNER, 62, of Morgan Hill, California, and VANGIPURAM, 53, of Pleasanton, California, are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Davis, Alexander Li, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Bronx Man Charged With Federal Narcotics Offenses Resulting In Death

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging TEDDY CACERES, a/k/a “Tito,” with distribution of narcotics resulting in death in connection with the April 13, 2025, fentanyl overdose death of a resident of Yorktown Heights, New York. CACERES was also charged with drug and firearms offenses in connection with the search of his Bronx residence in January 2026, during which law enforcement found a significant quantity of fentanyl and a loaded firearm. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman. “As alleged, Teddy Caceres sold fentanyl that tragically claimed a life,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “That did not deter him from dealing in death. Nine months later, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence, Caceres was once again allegedly in possession of fentanyl, as well as a loaded firearm. New Yorkers want streets free from those who distribute deadly fentanyl, and together with the NYPD, the FBI, the DEA and our other law enforcement partners, the women and men of the SDNY will hold them accountable.” “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to decimate the drug trafficking industry and save American lives,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Teddy Caceres is an example of the problem; he allegedly continued to traffic fentanyl even after he contributed to the fatal overdose of an unsuspecting victim. The FBI remains determined to investigate and charge those who threaten our community’s safety with narcotics and firearms.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings: [1] On or about April 13, 2025, the victim was found unconscious by members of her family at their residence in Yorktown Heights, New York. The victim was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. At the family’s residence, law enforcement recovered several yellow glassines filled with fentanyl, consistent with the yellow glassines that video surveillance captured CACERES had sold to the victim the day before. Approximately nine months later, on or about January 14, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant at CACERES’s apartment in the vicinity of Pelham Parkway South in the Bronx, New York, where they recovered a black .45 caliber Glock 21 with a magazine loaded with 18 .45 caliber live rounds, and 17 cartridges of 9mm ammunition, as well as two large blocks of fentanyl. * * * CACERES, 43, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of distribution of narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine base, and methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of firearms use, carrying, and possession, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, New York City Police Department, and Yorktown Police Department. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hoffman is in charge of the prosecution. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Two Defendants Charged With Murdering Man at a Queens Intersection

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Rafael Hernandez, also known as “Cap” and “Ralphy,” and Joibel Perez, also known as “J.P.,” with multiple crimes relating to the February 26, 2021 murder of Akil Kornegay in Queens, New York. The defendants were arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and indictment. “As alleged, the defendants chose to escalate a drug dispute to a deadly act of retaliation,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Such flagrant violence in our communities will not be tolerated and I commend the FBI Special Agents, NYPD detectives, and our prosecutors for their resolve and hard work resulting in today’s arrests. Our Office is committed to preventing the loss of life due to drug and gun crimes.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force, the NYPD Queens South Homicide Squad, the 102nd Precinct Detective Squad, and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their work on the case. “Rafael Hernandez and Joibel Perez allegedly murdered a customer of their drug trafficking operation over a debt dispute,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Their drug distribution and retaliatory violence endangered nearby residents. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains dedicated to crushing violent crime by dismantling criminal enterprises and holding those who terrorize our communities accountable.” As alleged in court filings, Hernandez and Perez operated a lucrative drug trafficking business, distributing marijuana out of the Taylor Street-Wythe Avenue Housing Development in Brooklyn. A dispute over a drug debt arose between the defendants and Kornegay, who was their customer. Text messages sent by Hernandez to Kornegay reflect demands for payment, or “bread,” and accuse Kornegay of “ducking” the defendants and “playing kid games.” As the dispute escalated, Kornegay robbed the defendants of drugs, money, and other items. In retaliation for that robbery, in the early morning hours of February 26, 2021, the defendants stalked Kornegay, following him as he drove through a Queens neighborhood. They pulled alongside Kornegay when he stopped at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard and fired multiple shots into the vehicle. Kornegay sustained multiple gunshot wounds and crashed his vehicle into a pole, and died as a result. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of narcotics conspiracy, possessing, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and causing Kornegay’s death through the use of a firearm, the defendants face a maximum term of life in prison. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Oken and Andy Palacio are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : RAFAEL HERNANDEZ (also known as “Cap” and “Ralphy”) Age: 30 Brooklyn, New York JOIBEL PEREZ (also known as “J.P.”) Age: 25 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-020 (HG) rafael_hernandez_and_joibel_perez_indictment.pdf


title: Woodbridge man sentenced to three years in prison for obstructing the IRS and failing to file tax returns

component: Criminal Division

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to three years in prison for obstructing the IRS and willfully failing to file personal tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Omini Tete Riman, 60, earned income as an information technology specialist and landlord. Riman filed false individual tax returns with the IRS for the years 2013 and 2014, which resulted in him receiving refunds for both years that he was not entitled to receive. After the IRS paid out the refunds, Riman obstructed the IRS’s subsequent efforts to recoup the money. Riman transferred his property to a trust to hide it from the IRS, opened bank accounts in the name of the trust and directed his income to be deposited there, and submitted false documents claiming that the IRS collections officer handling his case had personally received over $600,000 from Riman, which, if accepted by the IRS, would have jeopardized the IRS officer’s job and increased the officer’s personal tax liability. Riman also stopped filing tax returns for the years 2018 through 2023, even though he received a total of more than $854,000 during that period and was required to file each year. In total, Riman caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $500,000. Riman was convicted by a jury in November 2025. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Daniel Lipkowitz of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-99.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Daniel Legette, also known as “Bam,” 50, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 21, 2025, Legette sold approximately 0.65 grams of fentanyl and 0.42 grams of crack to a confidential informant in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Legette admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand. Legette is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-186. ###


title: Former Connecticut Resident Sentenced to 90 Months for Operating $4 Million Investment Fraud Scheme, Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN A. MASANOTTI, JR., 71, of Bonita Springs, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 90 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for offenses stemming from an investment fraud scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, Masanotti, who formerly resided in Darien, Connecticut, was the owner and managing member of Middlesex Mortgage Group, LLC, also known as Middlesex Group, LLC (“Middlesex”), based in Darien. Through Middlesex and while acting as an investment advisor, Masanotti purported to manage a pooled investment vehicle on behalf of investors. Masanotti claimed to clients and potential clients that invested funds were going to be, and were in fact, pooled together and invested in foreign currency and other investments. Between approximately 2016 and 2023, Masanotti defrauded 14 clients of a total of more than $4 million by using their money for personal expenses, and to pay returns to other clients. Masanotti provided clients with fraudulent monthly account statements from Middlesex that showed fake investment profits. In addition, for the 2016, 2017, and 2019 through 2022 tax years, Masanotti failed to report to the IRS more than $3 million in income, resulting in a tax loss of nearly $1 million. Masanotti also made false statements to the FBI during the investigation and filed false records in an attempt to obstruct the investigation. Masanotti has agreed to pay $4,361,632 in restitution to the victims of his crime, and to cooperate with the IRS to pay all back taxes, penalties, and interest. Masanotti was arrested on May 9, 2024. On October 1, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. Released on a $100,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on March 19. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; with the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.


title: Chilean National Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison for Cross-Country Credit Card Theft Spree

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Tuesday sentenced a Chilean national who went on a cross-country crime spree involving stolen credit cards to 75 months in prison. During the spree, Rene Arviso Velasquez, 51, stole purses or bags containing credit cards and then quickly used the cards to buy gift cards or other items. On Aug. 25, 2024, Velasquez stole one victim’s Lululemon belt bag, which was hanging from her seat at a Cottleville, Missouri restaurant. Less than an hour later, Velasquez used her credit card to purchase five Visa gift cards and a pack of salted nuts for $1,031. Later that day, Velasquez stole a different victim’s purse at a Brentwood restaurant and used her credit card to buy $1,445 worth of gift cards. On Nov. 3, 2024, Velasquez stole a woman’s wallet at a St. Peters restaurant and charge five Visa gift cards and a Pepsi for $1,035. Velasquez stole at least $40,000 from victims in the St. Louis area and across the country. Velasquez, who has used the names Miguel Antonio Carrasco-Gomez and Henry Diaz, was living in Tarzana, Calif., but is a Chilean national. Velasquez pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.


title: Compton Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting and Injuring Federal Officer During Anti-Immigration Enforcement Riot Last Year in Paramount

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Compton man pleaded guilty today to assaulting and injuring a federal officer by throwing chunks of concrete at passing government vehicles during an anti-immigration law enforcement riot last year in Paramount. Elpidio Reyna, 41, pleaded guilty to one felony count of assault on a federal officer by deadly or dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury. Reyna has been in federal custody since July 2025. “This defendant could have easily killed a federal officer or innocent bystander,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “As he found out the hard way, violence against law enforcement is not constitutionally protected and will be met with swift justice. Those who engage in similar violence will be arrested, charged, and eventually convicted in a court of law.” According to his plea agreement, on June 7, 2025, Reyna forcibly and intentionally assaulted with a deadly and dangerous weapon a federal law enforcement officer engaged in his official duties, resulting in the infliction of bodily injury to the officer. On that day, federal law enforcement officers were staging a joint enforcement operation in Paramount in the vicinity of a Home Depot. Protestors, including Reyna, began to throw rocks at the officers’ official vehicles, lit objects on fire, and impeded law enforcement activity. During this time, Reyna knowingly and intentionally lit objects on fire in the middle of the street and threw rocks at a convoy of law enforcement vehicles occupied by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, including the victim – identified in court documents as “R.T.” – all of whom were engaged in their official duties as federal officers. Reyna threw a rock at R.T.’s government vehicle, which caused glass to shatter and injure R.T. by cutting his forehead. United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled an August 7 sentencing hearing, at which time Reyna will face up to 20 years in federal prison. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Border Patrol investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brenda N. Galván of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.