title: Eleven Charged in Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Allegedly Directed from Inside Tennessee Prison

body_text: NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury has returned a 17-count superseding indictment charging eleven defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Middle District of Tennessee, announced Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. According to the superseding indictment and other court filings, Corey Byrd, who is currently serving a sentence in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction, allegedly directed much of the conspiracy from inside prison by using contraband cell phones to coordinate methamphetamine trafficking through a network of associates operating throughout southern Middle Tennessee. The superseding indictment, returned on June 17, 2026, charges: - Corey Byrd, 38, currently in custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction; - Tiffany Byrd, 35, also known as "Tiffany Harris," of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; - Robert Miles, 52, also known as "Smiley," of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; - Demond Garrett, 42, also known as "Jerry," of Pulaski, Tennessee; - Jason Bost, 45, of Pulaski, Tennessee; - Haylee Groover, 26, of Pulaski, Tennessee; - Chelsie Dickson, 31, of Pulaski, Tennessee; - Alyssa Whitsett, 22, of Pulaski, Tennessee; - Sherri Holder, 49, of Pulaski, Tennessee; - Stacy Taylor, also known as "Stacy Ramsey," 45, of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; and - Lila Chester, 28, of Pulaski, Tennessee. "Serving a prison sentence is not a license to continue running a criminal enterprise. This indictment alleges that the lead defendant attempted to turn a prison cell into the command center for a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling drug trafficking organizations at every level and holding accountable those who profit from poisoning our communities, regardless of where they operate." According to the superseding indictment, the conspiracy operated from at least 2023 through August 2025. Byrd, who is serving a 45-year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction, allegedly used contraband cell phones smuggled into the prison to coordinate the acquisition and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine. Court documents allege that Corey Byrd’s sister, Tiffany Byrd, served as one of the organization's primary outside coordinators, distributing methamphetamine to sub-distributors, directing runners, and maintaining money taken in by the organization. "Drug trafficking, whether in or out of prison walls, will not be tolerated," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "This case should serve as a warning to every drug trafficker: justice will pursue those who threaten the safety of our communities. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate those who pollute our communities with dangerous drugs." “When criminals build an empire on addiction, we don’t settle for cutting off a branch. We remove the roots,” said Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Director David Rausch. “This investigation dismantled the conspiracy from top to bottom, strengthened the safety of our communities, and proved that united law enforcement is stronger than organized crime.” The superseding indictment alleges that members of the conspiracy distributed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. It also charges Robert Miles with multiple counts of distributing methamphetamine and with possessing, on August 28, 2025, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of fentanyl, and a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment further seeks the forfeiture of six firearms allegedly connected to those offenses. If convicted, the defendants charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine face penalties of up to life in prison, depending on the quantity of controlled substances attributable to each defendant and other applicable sentencing factors. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Nashville Field Office – Columbia Resident Agency, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Pulaski Police Department, the Giles County Sheriff's Office, and the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. #####


title: United States Attorney’s Office Reaches Settlement With Roll R Way Ensuring Access To Individuals With Disabilities

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced a civil settlement with Roll R Way, a skating center with three locations in York, Chambersburg, and Donora, to ensure equal access under Title III under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). According to U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller, the U.S. Attorney’s Office received several complaints that families with children with Type 1 Diabetes were refused entry into Roll R Way skating center. On separate occasions, each family wanted to enter with their child’s diabetes treatment supplies, which included a small amount of food and drink to regulate the child’s low blood sugar. Management of the skating center refused the families entry because of its “no outside food or drink” policy. The failure to accommodate prevented access to the business for these families and a policy without exception prevents other families with children with diabetes, food allergies, or other dietary restrictions from full and equal enjoyment of the goods and services of the skating center in violation of the ADA. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Roll R Way must revise its “no outside food or drink policy” to include a reasonable accommodation for those patrons with diabetes and dietary restrictions. Roll R Way will train their employees on the new accommodation policy and provide notice to the public to request an accommodation if needed. Roll R Way will also pay $500.00 to each complainant family. Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, like family amusement centers, from excluding people with disabilities from enjoying goods, services, privileges, facilities, and advantages provided. For more information regarding the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat discrimination, please visit ADA.gov. To learn more about the obligations of public accommodations under federal disability rights statutes, call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301, 800-514-0383 (TTY). Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violation to the office’s Civil Rights Coordinator by calling 717-614-4911 or email usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov . The settlement agreement was reached to avoid the costs and burdens of litigation and does not represent an admission of liability by Roll R Way. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Butler represented the government during the investigation and settlement.


title: Berwick Man Sentenced To 180 Months In Prison For Child Exploitation Crime

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Vincent Shaffer, age 46, a resident of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann, for receipt of child pornography. According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on December 7, 2023, FBI agents served a federal search warrant at Shaffer’s residence in Berwick, Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Pursuant to the warrant, agents seized and later analyzed his cell phone. The forensic analysis uncovered approximately 54 images and videos of child pornography including a video exceeding one hour in duration that depicts the sexual abuse of multiple children including infants. The investigation was conducted by FBI – Philadelphia Division, Williamsport RAC. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Two Georgians Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl from China

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

body_text: ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia inmate and a co-conspirator were sentenced to federal prison today for trafficking fentanyl and a synthetic designer drug from China into the state resulting from a Homeland Security Task Force investigation led by FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service. “The defendants took part in an international drug trafficking scheme from behind bars, moving fentanyl and other dangerous drugs from China into Southwest Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office, in collaboration with law enforcement, is dedicated to dismantling criminal organizations, whether they operate from prisons or across borders.” “These defendants profited from the opioid epidemic and endangered thousands of lives by trafficking fentanyl,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta's Athens office. “Disrupting the manufacturers and distributers of this poison remains a high priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners.” “The defendants of this fentanyl trafficking ring will spend a significant time behind bars and will no longer be able to plague our communities with this dangerous drug,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal organizations that utilize the mail system for criminal misuse.” Devito Duran Young, aka “Big” aka “Big Man,” 45, of Macon State Prison and Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 327 months in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance on April 1. Trace Davrin Works, 29, of Mableton, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl on April 1. The following co-conspirators pleaded guilty on April 15 and will be sentenced on August 6: Andreaus Benard Oliver Sr., aka “Doomie Oliver,” 43, of Cordele, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $2 million fine. Andreaus Benard Oliver Jr., aka “Dray Oliver,” 27, of Cordele, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance on April 15 and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Two co-conspirators were charged by a federal indictment returned on May 14, 2025, and unsealed on August 7, 2025, and remain at-large: Xin Wang, 28, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and she faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a $5 million fine for the fentanyl charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance charge; and Gao Yong, 29, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Young conspired to acquire and distribute fentanyl and synthetic cannabinoids (marijuana) from China to the United States beginning in 2023. At the time, Young was an inmate at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Georgia, and Oliver Sr. was incarcerated at the Macon Transitional Center located on the prison campus. The shipments of the synthetic cannabinoids arrived at an address occupied by Oliver Jr. on 4th Avenue in Cordele. Wang and Yong are alleged to have facilitated the sale and distribution of the synthetic controlled substances from China to customers around the world, including to Oliver Sr. and Young. Online advertisement of drugs for sale; this evidence was admitted as part of the forfeiture proceedings. While in prison, Young placed multiple orders of fentanyl using encrypted chat applications he accessed using a contraband cellphone. Young directed Works to acquire the fentanyl and ship it to customer addresses, including addresses in the Middle District of Georgia, and both Young and Works paid for the drugs with cryptocurrency. Oliver Jr. and other co-conspirators placed multiple orders for synthetic cannabinoids from Wang and Yong online and paid them with cryptocurrency, directing the packages to addresses in Cordele and his 4th Avenue residence, referred to as the “lab.” After a package originating from China was intercepted by law enforcement, agents executed a search warrant at Oliver Jr.’s residence on July 22, 2024, and found more than 175 metal pans with sheets of paper; multiple jugs and bottles containing suspected cannabinoids; several measuring beakers; more than 350 dried sheets of paper soaked with cannabinoids; return address labels purporting to be from various attorneys; shipping labels addressed to inmates in jail and prison facilities around the country; cash; and ledgers indicating how many sheets had been processed. In addition, $170,000 in cryptocurrency was seized and forfeited from Wang as part of the investigation. Interior of Oliver Jr.’s residence which served as an illegal drug conversion lab. This image shows papers soaked in pans with synthetic cannabinoid liquid. This photo was admitted during the criminal proceedings. Young and Works are being held accountable for trafficking 2,610 fentanyl pills weighing 279.64 grams and Young is being held accountable for trafficking 5,502.55 grams of MDMB-4en-PINACA, a new synthetic cannabinoid. This investigation and prosecution are part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threaten the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from the ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated the case, with assistance from the GBI and Georgia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Unlicensed Contractor Who Exploited Elderly Hurricane Ian Victim Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – Luis Emilio Hernandez (45, Naples) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to four years in federal prison for wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1,261,019, the proceeds of the fraud. Luis Emilio Hernandez entered a guilty plea on March 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, following Hurricane Ian, between November 2022 and approximately February 2024, the victim, an 85-year-old woman, and her husband (now deceased) were defrauded by Hernandez, who posed as a contractor to fix the victim’s residence in Naples which had been damaged by the storm. The victim wrote personal checks to Hernandez for supplies and equipment supposedly needed by the defendant to fix the victim’s residence. The checks were never deposited, instead cashed against the victim’s account in amounts varying from $200 to $120,000, and in cashier’s checks payable to automobile dealerships. The memo line for each check was specified for items related to construction (windows, materials, paint, permits, etc.). A total of 35 checks were issued to the defendant in the amount of $1,261,019. According to the Collier County Property Appraiser, no permits were pulled for the victim’s residence since February 28, 2018, when a permit for a roof was issued. The next permit was on May 30, 2023, when the residence was demolished. According to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), the defendant had never applied for or received licensing of any sort in the State of Florida. The defendant’s scheme consisted of him cashing checks from the victim, purchasing vehicles with those funds, then flipping those vehicles in trade-ins at multiple automobile dealerships, and purchasing other vehicles with additional funds from the victim’s checks and trade-ins. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Darcey and Jesus M. Casas. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Tampa Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Transporting and Possessing Computer Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Bruce Raymond Robinson, Jr. (44, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for the transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting an actual minor. Robinson was found guilty following a bench trial on December 5, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Robinson knowingly transported and possessed CSAM. Robinson created the CSAM by editing thousands of pornographic images and videos to depict the face of a known minor female. Robinson shared this material with others online. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Tampa Bay Pain Management Clinic to Pay $115,000 for Discriminating Against Disabled Veteran with Service Animal

body_text: Tampa, Florida – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has reached an agreement with APC, INC., a pain management clinic with locations in Tampa and Brandon, to settle allegations that it violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against a disabled veteran with a service animal. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office opened an investigation into APC after receiving a complaint from a disabled United States military veteran who uses a service animal to provide him with non-violent protection, rescue work, and assistance when he experiences seizures and episodes of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result of the investigation, the United States determined that APC violated the ADA when it discriminated against the complainant and his wife by refusing to allow the complainant to attend a post-hospitalization medical appointment at APC’s Brandon office with his service animal. APC claimed to have a “no pets policy” and that their office is a “sterile environment.” APC’s denial caused the complainant to experience a PTSD episode, followed by repeated seizures during the car ride home and over the next several days, and to abruptly discontinue the medicine an APC physician had prescribed him while he was hospitalized. “Service animals are not pets—they provide critical assistance for individuals with disabilities,” said United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Many of our nation’s military veterans use service animals to assist them with service-connected disabilities. Our office does not tolerate discrimination against individuals with disabilities who use service animals and will ensure they receive equal access to healthcare.” Under the terms of the settlement agreement , APC must pay $100,000 to compensate the complainant and his wife for the discrimination they faced. APC must adopt, maintain, and enforce a service animal policy and a non-discrimination policy regarding the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability. Both policies must be conspicuously posted in APC’s reception areas and on its website. APC must also provide training to all personnel on the non-discrimination requirements under the ADA and post a “Service Animals Welcome” sign in all public entryways of its facilities. For the next two years, APC must report any disability discrimination complaints it receives to the United States. Finally, APC must pay a $15,000 civil penalty to the United States to vindicate the public interest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra N. Karahalios handled this case. Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, including professional offices of health care providers, from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations (“goods or services”). In general, Title III prohibits public accommodations from subjecting an individual on the basis of disability to a denial of the opportunity to participate in or benefit from its goods or services. Specifically, public accommodations must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures that are necessary to afford their goods or services to individuals with disabilities who have service animals. Public accommodations are also prohibited from denying equal goods or services to individuals because of their relationship or association with someone with a disability. Individuals who believe they may have experienced discrimination may contact the Civil Rights Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida by calling our Civil Rights Hotline at (813) 274-6095 or emailing us at USAFLM.Civil.Rights@usdoj.gov . To fill out our civil rights complaint form, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights-complaint-form . The Attorney General is authorized to investigate alleged violations of Title III of the ADA and to bring a civil action in federal court if the United States is unable to secure voluntary compliance in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance. Ensuring that professional offices of health care providers do not discriminate against patients with disabilities is an issue of general public importance. For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (Voice) or (833) 610-1264 (TTY). Accessibility specialists are available to answer questions from individuals, businesses, and state or local governments. All calls are confidential. Settlement Agreement


title: Maryland Man Sentenced for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with charges stemming from his attempt to join and fight for ISIS. U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Michael Sam Teekaye, Jr., 22, to 15 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Teekaye, who pled guilty to the charges in January 2026, unknowingly revealed his plan to join and fight for ISIS to an undercover officer (UCO). Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Mr. Teekaye sought to support a foreign terrorist organization that has committed unspeakable acts of violence and took real-world steps to carry out a terrorist attack in Maryland,” Hayes said. “Today’s sentence underscores that those who seek to aid terrorist organizations will be identified, prosecuted, and held fully accountable. I commend the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and our law-enforcement partners for their exceptional work in disrupting this threat and protecting our communities before any harm could occur. There is no margin for error when it comes to terrorism.” “This sentencing reinforces the gravity of Michael Teekaye’s crimes. Undoubtedly, lives were saved because law enforcement thwarted Teekaye’s plan to join ISIS and murder Americans,” Paul said. “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force works around the clock to protect our country by identifying threats like this and preventing them from being carried out and harming our citizens.” According to court documents, between March and April 2023, Teekaye engaged in multiple conversations with the UCO. During these conversations, Teekaye told the UCO he wanted to travel to Africa to join ISIS as a “mujahid,” or fighter. Teekaye also told the UCO that his “plan B” was to carry out an attack in the United States against Jews and people who support Israel. He said that he researched buildings close to him that support Israel and thought about how to “gun down key members or anyone involved.” On three occasions, in May and June 2024, Teekaye purchased ammunition and range time at a shooting range in Severn, Maryland, which he later told the UCO was part of his “training.” Then in July 2024, Teekaye attempted to purchase a Kalashnikov K-9 9mm assault rifle, but since Teekaye was on probation in a state criminal case, the purchase was denied. During conversations with the UCO, between August and October 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he engaged with a Somali ISIS fighter regarding his plans to travel to Somalia to join ISIS. Teekaye explained that he would first fly to Turkey, then travel to Ethiopia, and then cross the border into Somalia. He sent the UCO screenshots of an Ethiopian e-Visa he obtained from the ISIS fighter. On Oct. 4, Teekaye told the UCO that he received airline tickets from the ISIS fighter. He also sent the UCO screenshots of his travel itinerary showing that he planned to depart from Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) on Oct. 14, and fly to Istanbul, Turkey, with a layover in London. Then on Oct. 10, Teekaye sent the UCO a photo of himself wearing a black mask and holding a large machete, and he added, “Victory or shahada [ i.e. , martyrdom] … either you do it here or over there or both.” On Oct.11, the UCO asked whether Teekaye was “sure” he wanted to join ISIS. Teekaye responded that he was “sure” because he had done “a lot of research” and “they are the only group that has the most true and sincere intentions.” Then on Oct. 14, FBI agents arrested Teekaye at BWI after he checked in for his flight and proceeded through security. After his arrest, Teekaye made the following unprovoked statements, among others: “I’m just gonna get out in 20 years and I’m just gonna do it here. Okay? Okay? It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll just do it here then, when I get out.” He then referenced to a recent attack in which ISIS prison inmates killed four Russian penal colony guards, and he threatened to kill a guard while in prison. He continued, “You think 20 years is something? I’ll be like 40 when I get out, then I’ll just do it. I don’t care. It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll come and I’ll kill your soldiers. I’ll kill you, and I’ll kill . . . .” While making these statements, Teekaye kicked and spat on one of the arresting agents. Following Teekaye’s arrest, the FBI searched his cell phone pursuant to a search warrant. The cell phone showed that he conducted multiple searches for specific Jewish and Israeli individuals and organizations in Howard County. Additionally, law enforcement discovered that Teekaye conducted searches about “how to break into a home” and “how to escape murder.” One of these individuals, a rabbi, submitted a victim-impact statement. The rabbi also spoke at the sentencing, detailing how Teekaye’s crime impacted him and the Jewish community. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its work in the investigation and praised the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with the FBI’s Newark and Richmond Field Offices and New York Police Department, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman, who is prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Trial Attorney Elisa Poteat, DOJ’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Store Owner Sentenced for Operating Multi-Million-Dollar SNAP Fraud Mill

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a small convenience in Boston was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars’ worth of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The defendant’s monthly SNAP redemptions in his 150 square foot store ranged from $100,000 – $500,000 per month, far outpacing full-service supermarkets which redeem approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits. The defendant also sold liquor and emergency food supplies intended for food-insecure children overseas. Antonio Bonheur, 75, of Mattapan, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Bonheur was also ordered to pay restitution of $1 million in the form of a money judgment and approximately $400,000 in seized funds were ordered forfeited. In March 2026 , the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of food stamp fraud and one count of wire fraud. Bonheur was arrested and charged in December 2025 . “SNAP is a lifeline for hardworking Americans – not a slush fund for criminals,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Antonio Bonheur came to the United States and repaid this country’s generosity by orchestrating a multi-million-dollar scheme that robbed taxpayers and stole from families who genuinely depend on this program to put food on the table. His so-called “convenience store” was a sham – a 150-square-foot fraud storage closet with bare shelves and virtually no food inventory. The only thing moving across his counter in any meaningful volume was stolen taxpayer money. Even more outrageous, while looting millions from SNAP, Mr. Bonheur was collecting SNAP benefits himself after state authorities accepted his claims of “poverty” with little meaningful scrutiny. That spectacular failure of oversight gave him exactly the opportunity he needed to exploit a system built on trust. Every dollar he stole had to be earned by an honest taxpayer first, and every dollar diverted weakened a program meant to protect our nation’s most vulnerable. This office will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who treat public assistance programs as criminal profit centers to steal from the American people.” “The outcome of this investigation should send a message of deterrence to those individuals who choose to steal taxpayer funds for personal use. Maintaining the integrity of USDA funding remains a priority for our agency. We appreciate the partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in pursuing this type of fraud and holding bad actors accountable,” said Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region. “Food-stamp fraudster Antonio Bonheur came into our country and took total advantage of it, setting up a tiny shop in Mattapan that was essentially nothing more than a front for massive fraud. He stole millions from a taxpayer funded program aimed at helping the poor, to instead make himself rich, and double dipped on a critical safety net that he too claimed he needed to survive,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The selfishness and unremitting greed on display in this case is astonishing, and this sentence makes it clear that fraud is never the ticket to lasting financial gain. The FBI and our partners are working hard to crack down on crooked businesses of all kinds, whether they’re cheating the public, the government, or as in this case, both.” Bonheur owned Jesula Variety Store, which operated as a small variety store within a single street-facing storefront in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston. Jesula Variety Store occupied approximately 150 square feet. The store had a single cash register, no shopping carts, no handbaskets, no refrigerators or freezers and only minimal food inventory. According to the charging documents , for more than three years, Bonheur operated the store primarily as a vehicle for large-scale SNAP trafficking rather than a legitimate retail business. Despite the store’s limited size, inventory and food offerings, Jesula Variety Store exhibited extraordinarily high SNAP redemption volumes, far beyond what could reasonably be supported by legitimate food sales. Transaction data revealed that the store had exceptionally large and anomalous average monthly SNAP redemption rates when compared to similarly situated businesses of the same size, type and location. Specifically, Bonheur’s monthly SNAP redemptions for Jesula Variety Store regularly exceeded $100,000 – with many months exceeding $300,000 and, at times, $500,000. By comparison, one full-service supermarket in the same area redeems approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits. Additionally, transaction-level data showed that only approximately 10% of SNAP transactions were for amounts under $40, while more than 70% of transactions exceeded $95. Such transaction patterns are typically associated with large supermarkets, not small variety stores with limited food inventory. During undercover operations conducted over the course of the investigation, SNAP benefits were trafficked for cash from Jesula Variety Store on four occasions. In each instance, the defendant worked the cash registers and personally exchanged SNAP benefits for cash. Bonheur also sold liquor in exchange for SNAP benefits. Additionally, Jesula Variety Store also sold MannaPack meals, a donated food product manufactured by the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children. These meals are paid for entirely by charitable donations intended for shipment and distribution to food-insecure children overseas and are never authorized for retail sale. Bonheur sold donated MannaPack meals in his store for approximately $8 per package, profiting from food intended for humanitarian relief. Jesula Variety Store carried little legitimate food inventory and generated minimal lawful revenue, therefore Bonheur relied almost entirely on USDA-funded SNAP redemptions as his source of income. To conceal the nature and source of these funds, Bonheur maintained numerous secondary bank accounts through which SNAP proceeds were transferred, withdrawn as cash and redeposited to create the appearance of legitimate business activity while obscuring the true source of funds. The scheme generated approximately $7 million in fraudulent SNAP redemptions, from which Bonheur personally retained roughly 20 percent of the proceeds. Despite receiving millions of dollars per year in SNAP redemptions through Jesula Variety Store, Bonheur was issued a SNAP card for himself by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. In applying for his SNAP benefits, Bonheur made multiple false statements concerning his income and assets. Using those false representations, he obtained SNAP benefits that he then trafficked for cash through his own store while simultaneously operating the multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. On March 26, 2026 , United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621). On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. U.S. Attorney Foley; USDA OIG SAC Parker; FBI SAC Docks; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Randolph Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes

body_text: BOSTON – A Randolph man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug trafficking and firearm charges, following a series of arrests targeting gangs in the Brockton and Randolph areas. Jose Mendes, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled Mendes’s sentencing for Oct. 5, 2026. Federal complaints were unsealed against seven defendants charged with drug and firearm crimes in February 2026 . On Dec. 17, 2025, authorities executed search warrants at numerous residences and stash houses associated with the Brockton-based Harvard Street Gang and their Randolph-based affiliates. Two of the places searched were Mendes’s current and former residences in Randolph. In Mendes’s bedroom at each residence, loaded handguns and over 100 pressed blue pills containing fentanyl were found. One of the firearms was a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device attached and an extended magazine. Also found was cocaine and methamphetamine in one of the bedrooms. In a basement living room, various items commonly used in large-scale drug trafficking, such as a kilogram press device, a respirator mask, digital scales, plastic bags and bottles of cutting powder were located. Guns and drug trafficking materials found at one of Mendes’s residences The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for at least three years and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, supervised release for up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Division; the Abington, Acushnet, Ashland, Boston, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Chelsea, East Bridgewater, Medford, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Stoughton, Taunton and West Bridgewater Police Departments; Plymouth and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments; Massachusetts Department of Correction; and the Plymouth, Norfolk and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Department of Energy Employee Sentenced for Bribery of a Public Official

body_text: BOSTON – A former Security Specialist with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trying to bribe a DOE employee in order to secure government contracts for a private company. Edward Doherty, 35, of Washington, D.C. and Weymouth, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to three years’ probation with first six months in home confinement and a $10,000 fine. The government recommended a sentence of 24 months in prison. In March 2026 , Doherty pleaded guilty to honest services fraud, payment of illegal gratuities and bribery of a public official. In July 2025 , Doherty was indicted by a federal grand jury. Doherty worked for the DOE as a Security Specialist until he agreed to participate in the deferred resignation program in February 2025. Just before he started working with the DOE, in November 2024, Doherty started a company in Massachusetts called MAE Systems, LLC (MAE). In February 2025, Doherty offered a DOE employee money in exchange for the DOE employee ensuring that MAE received DOE contracts. The DOE employee reported the incident to law enforcement. Between February and June 2025, Doherty was recorded offering to pay the DOE employee at least $10,000 in exchange for the DOE employee awarding a DOE contract to MAE. In June 2025, Doherty made two downpayments on the bribe, totaling $2,500, to the DOE employee. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Department of Energy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Lewe Sessions made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Clinton Man Charged with Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor

body_text: BOSTON – A Clinton man has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to pay $150 to have sex with a purported 15-year-old minor. James Gill, 39, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Gill was arrested by state authorities in April 2026 and is currently in federal custody. He will appear in federal court in Worcester at 4 p.m. today. According to the charging documents, Gill allegedly responded to an advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. During subsequent text messages and a phone call with an undercover agent posing as the sister of a purported 15-year-old girl, the agent stated that the minor was available to engage in commercial sex acts. Gill allegedly agreed to pay $150 to have sex with the minor and stated that he intended to video record the sexual encounter. It is further alleged that Gill requested photographs of the purported minor and sent a nude photograph of himself to be shown to her. Gill was arrested upon his arrival at a prearranged hotel to meet the purported minor. The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: California Drug Trafficker and Money Launderer Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Dylan Tai Dang, 55, of Garden Grove, California, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Shanlyn A.S. Park to 87 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Judge Park ordered Dang remanded into custody immediately following his sentencing. According to court records, between April 2023 and April 2025, Dang and his coconspirator, Bill Van Nguyen, sold and distributed over thirty-four and a half pounds of methamphetamine and eleven and a half pounds of fentanyl and fentanyl-laced pills from their base of operations in California to a Hawaii purchaser, who was an undercover law enforcement employee (the “undercover”). The undercover operation involved over $100,000 in payments for drugs intended to be distributed in Hawaii. Dang flew from California to Hawaii on two occasions to pick up over $41,000 in cash drug proceeds from the undercover. He also laundered payments for other drug transactions through bank accounts of five shell corporations that he set up and controlled. For three completed drug transactions in the conspiracy and one attempt, Dang acted as the frontman and negotiated the transactions with the undercover presenting an array of drugs for sale and using coded drug language in their communications. Separate from the conspiracy, Dang flew to Hawaii to meet with the undercover to discuss Dang’s money laundering activities. Dang agreed to launder $25,000 in drug proceeds for the undercover for a 5% fee. Dang directed the undercover to transfer the funds to bank accounts tied to shell corporations that Dang controlled and then Dang returned the money back to the undercover less his fee. During the investigation, the government identified nine shell corporations set up by Dang, who facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars through the shell corporations’ associated bank accounts. At sentencing, Judge Park emphasized the “immense burden” that drug trafficking places on the community and the harm its causes families. She noted that Dang’s conduct involved bringing an “extraordinarily high” amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl into a community that Dang did not even live in yet was “willing to destroy.” In arriving at her sentence, Judge Park also pointed to Dang’s “degree of sophistication and planning” in laundering drug money through multiple shell corporations as a significant aggravating factor. Dang’s coconspirator, Nguyen pleaded guilty to distributing, attempting to distribute, and conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and was sentenced to 220 months in prison by Senior United States District Judge Helen Gillmor on June 22, 2026. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Honolulu Police Department, and Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca A. Perlmutter prosecuted the case. This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Hawaii comprises agents and officers from ICE-HSI, FBI, ATF, CBP, CGIS, DCIS, DEA, DSS, IRS-CI, NCIS, USMS, USPIS and HHIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii.


title: Former Milwaukee County Judge Sentenced for Obstruction

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 8, 2026, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced Hannah Dugan to pay a $5,000 fine for endeavoring to obstruct a pending proceeding before the United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”). The sentence came after a federal jury found Dugan guilty of that felony offense following a four-day trial in December 2025. The trial evidence established the following: On April 18, 2025, six members of the DHS, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ICE ERO”) Task Force arrived at the Milwaukee County Courthouse to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz. Flores-Ruiz was charged with three domestic-violence related misdemeanors and was scheduled to appear in front of then Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Dugan. Flores-Ruiz was also previously removed from the United States and was in the country illegally. The ICE ERO task force officers had a lawful administrative warrant for his arrest, which directed that he be taken into custody for immigration proceedings. The task force officers intended to arrest Flores-Ruiz in the public hallway after his hearing, communicated the same to Dugan’s courtroom deputy prior to Dugan’s arrival, and identified themselves to courthouse security. They then waited quietly and unobtrusively in the public hallway. They were wearing plain clothes and were not wearing masks. The trial evidence further established that when Dugan learned that federal agents were in the public hallway, she left her courtroom, directed another judge to leave her robe on and accompany her to the public hallway, and confronted five federal agents most of whom were sitting on public benches. She told one agent that an administrative warrant was insufficient, initially told some of them to leave the building, and ultimately directed the five agents she identified to leave the public hallway to go to the Chief Judge’s office. After directing those agents out of the public hallway, Dugan went back into her courtroom, immediately addressed Flores-Ruiz’s case off the record, scheduled it for a later date, instructed his attorney that the next hearing could be done via Zoom, and directed them to exit the courtroom through a side door that led to a non-public hallway. Evidence at trial showed that the non-public hallway led to a door to a stairwell and a door into the public hallway. Dugan’s court reporter offered to show Flores-Ruiz and his attorney where to leave because they might go through the door that led to the public hallway, which her court reporter referred to as the “wrong door.” Dugan declined her offer and responded, “I’ll do it. I’ll get the heat.” Agents were able to ultimately arrest Flores-Ruiz outside the courthouse after he fled on foot in front of moving traffic in the rain. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Adelman found that Dugan had abused a position of public trust and that the conviction in this case “affirms that no one is above the law.” “Law enforcement officers need to be able to carry out their lawful responsibilities in the manner that is safest for them, the public and the individual they are attempting to detain,” said First Assistant U. S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “Dugan’s reckless and illegal actions interfered with that goal and created unnecessary risks for all involved. For that there needed to be serious consequences.” “As a judge, Hannah Dugan was in a position of trust. However, on April 18, 2025, she chose to place the public and law enforcement officers in danger when she helped Eduardo Flores-Ruiz evade arrest on a lawfully issued administrative warrant. While in the country illegally, Flores-Ruiz was charged with domestic violence misdemeanors which was why he was in the courthouse,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “Law enforcement officers sought to effect an arrest in the safest manner possible. However, based on Dugan’s actions, Flores-Ruiz was able to leave the building initially evading officers and make it onto the street. Law enforcement officers—to include agents from the FBI—quickly gave chase in front of moving traffic in the rain placing themselves in harm’s way to catch Flores-Ruiz. The jury verdict and today's sentencing reflect how Dugan endeavored to obstruct an official proceeding and betrayed the trust placed in her as a judge.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with assistance from the United States Department of Homeland Security. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Norfolk men sentenced to prison for drug trafficking conspiracy

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk narcotics dealer and his supplier have been sentenced to prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, William Deshaun Martin, 48, was a source of supply for Jaquan Deshaune Johnson, 29. During March and April of 2025, law enforcement investigators conducted a series of controlled purchases of cocaine base, powder cocaine, and hydrocodone pills at a hair salon and Johnson’s apartment, both in Norfolk. During one of the transactions, Johnson travelled to Martin’s residence to pick up the narcotics. During another transaction, Martin travelled to Johnson’s apartment to deliver the narcotics. On April 28, 2025, investigators searched Martin’s residence and recovered a firearm, a 10-round magazine, various ammunition, marijuana, $1,666, and a digital scale. Investigators also recovered 21.73 grams of cocaine hydrochloride and 15.63 grams of cocaine base. Johnson was sentenced yesterday to three years and four months in prison. Martin was sentenced on June 4 to six years in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and the Norfolk Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Pham prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-142.


title: Former Newport News officer indicted on rape charge

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a former Newport News Police (NNPD) officer with deprivation of rights under color of law for allegedly raping a woman while he was on duty. According to the indictment, on March 14, Raheem Massiah Askew and another officer, along with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) from the Newport News Fire Department (NNFD), responded to a report of a woman lying on the ground in a shopping center parking lot in Newport News. Askew asked the victim if she could stand, and then caught the victim by the arm to keep her from falling forward onto the ground as she attempted to stand up. The officers determined the victim’s identity, that she had been drinking alcohol, and that she was staying at a hotel in Newport News. Askew asked the victim if he could take her to her hotel and she agreed. The other officer explained to the victim that Askew would take her back to the hotel to meet her friends. Before entering his NNPD patrol vehicle, Askew allegedly deactivated his body worn camera, in violation of NNPD policy. After arriving at the hotel, Askew entered the victim’s room for approximately 17 minutes during which he allegedly engaged in sex with the victim without her consent. Later that evening, a citizen reported that the victim approached them in a state of undress to request help. Another citizen reported the victim’s condition and stated that police had dropped her off earlier. Officers returned to the scene and found the victim disoriented in the parking lot. The victim collapsed and began vomiting, and she was transported by ambulance to Riverside Regional Medical Center by ambulance for treatment. If convicted, Askew faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk investigated this case with assistance from the Special Victims Unit of the NNPD Major Crimes Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyson Yates and Eric Hurt are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information relating to this matter is encouraged to contact the Newport News Police Department at 757-928-4233. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:26-cr-53. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Attachments: affidavit_in_support_of_criminal_complaint_as_to_raheem_massiah_askew.pdf askew_indictment_ecf_10.pdf


title: Illegal alien living in Garland sentenced to federal prison as part of  Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – An illegal alien has been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Nestor Molina Molina, also known as Chocoalte, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on July 8, 2026. According to information presented in court, Molina Molina, a Mexican national illegally living in Garland, was part of a cartel affiliated drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine imported from Mexico into Dallas and the North Texas area. Molina Molina negotiated the sale and delivery of multiple kilogram quantities of crystal methamphetamine in the Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas. During the execution of a search warrant at his residence in Garland, agents discovered a methamphetamine conversion laboratory along with large amounts of methamphetamine in the conversion process. 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. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Tatum. ###


title: Henderson County man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Brownsboro man has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Bradley Korral Gould, 36, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 6, 2026. According to information presented in court, on October 4, 2024, Henderson County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a shooting in Brownsboro, where they found Gould inside his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his upper thigh. While investigating the shooting, deputies located an abandoned backpack on the roadside between Gould’s vehicle and the location of the reported shooting. Inside the backpack, deputies located 121.3 grams of methamphetamine, 50.86 grams of cocaine, and pills containing fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. Also, inside the backpack, deputies discovered the title of the vehicle in which Gould was found bearing Gould’s name. Gould admitted that the backpack and its contents belonged to him and agreed to forfeit a pistol found at the location of the shooting. 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. The case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Robbing a Kensington Pharmacy at Gunpoint

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Nixon, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 264 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for the gunpoint robbery of a pharmacy in the city’s Kensington section. In March of this year, the defendant was convicted at trial of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, arising from the armed robbery. As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on December 22, 2021, shortly before 6 p.m., Nixon forced a pharmacy employee (“Victim #1”) back into the store, as Victim #1 was attempting to get to their car. Once inside the pharmacy, Nixon demanded access to the store’s controlled substances safe and told Victim #1 to put the narcotics from the safe into plastic bags. As Victim #1 did so, Nixon repeatedly pointed a black firearm at them and urged them to hurry up. Once the defendant had the bottles of drugs, he exited the store, ran to a waiting blue Dodge Charger, and got into a passenger seat. Nearby Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) Narcotics Strike Force (“NSF”) officers observed Nixon flee the store and enter the vehicle. At that time, the NSF officers attempted to stop the Charger, but the vehicle sped off and led police on a high-speed pursuit through the city. During the vehicle pursuit, PPD officers saw what appeared to be medicine bottles being thrown from the vehicle. Following a minor vehicle accident at the 3100 block of Janney Street in Philadelphia, both Nixon and the driver of the vehicle were taken into police custody. PPD officers went back to the route of travel and recovered multiple bottles of controlled substances, specifically alprazolam tablets and one partially broken bottle containing methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets, which matched the substances stolen from the pharmacy. This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stram and Justin Oshana.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced For Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Luis Virgilio Hilario, a/k/a Virgilio Luis Hilario, a/k/a Virgilio Hilario, a/k/a Agustin Santiagocordovas, a/k/a Liuis Virgiliohilario, a/k/a Luis Hilario Virgilio, a/k/a Luis Hilario-Virgilio, a/k/a Luis Virgilio-Hilario, age 35, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Atoka County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Stringtown Police Department. On May 5, 2026, Hilario pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on March 27, 2026, Hilario, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on November 2, 2018, and July 20, 2018, and after previously being convicted of a felony. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hilario will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.


body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raciel Osorio Lopez, a/k/a Raciel Osoriolopez, a/k/a Raciel Osorio-Lopez, age 33, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Atoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Stringtown Police Department. On April 28, 2026, Osorio Lopez pleaded guilty in federal district court. According to investigators, on March 27, 2026, Osario Lopez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on April 28, 2015, August 19, 2015, and March 9, 2017. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.


title: Henryetta Resident Sentenced For Making Threatening Interstate Communications

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Mance Van Orsdol, a/k/a Jason Mance VanOrsdol, age 47, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Interstate Transmission of Threatening Communications. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On March 4, 2026, Van Orsdol pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 24, 2025, while on a phone call with an ATF agent, Van Orsdol threatened to kill the agent. “Threats against law enforcement officers will never be taken lightly,” said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner. “Every ATF special agent puts themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities, and those who threaten violence against them will be investigated and held accountable. This sentence demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting our personnel and ensuring that anyone who attempts to intimidate or threaten federal law enforcement faces the full weight of the justice system.” “Policing is difficult and dangerous work, and threats against the dedicated agents, investigators, and officers who serve is reprehensible and cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office stands firm in its commitment to support law enforcement partners who risk their lives daily securing the rights and safety of the public.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Van Orsdol will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Former McCurtain County Jail Shift Supervisor Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy Against Rights And Deprivation Of Rights Under Color Of Law

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Nelson Ebert, 35, a former shift supervisor at the McCurtain County Jail in Idabel, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count Information of Conspiracy Against Rights, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine, and to a one-count Information of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, also punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. An Information filed against Ebert on July 2, 2026, alleged that on or about September 15, 2021, Ebert, while acting pursuant to his authority as a shift supervisor at the McCurtain County Jail, knowingly and willfully conspired with others to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate an arrestee in the free exercise and enjoyment of the right, protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, to be free from unreasonable seizure, which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a person acting under color of law. A second Information filed against Ebert on July 2, 2026, alleged that on or about January 4, 2022, while acting under color of law as a shift supervisor in the McCurtain County Jail, Ebert willfully deprived a pretrial detainee of the right, secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a correctional officer. Ebert physically assaulted the detainee, who was restrained and not posing a threat to anyone. The assault resulted in bodily injury to the detainee. The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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. Ebert will remain free on bond with conditions pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Defendant Sentenced For Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Bradley Gonzales, a/k/a Christopher Bradley Robison, 32, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Ada Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On April 13, 2026, Gonzales pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 21, 2025, Gonzales attacked the victim from behind, stabbing the victim multiple times with a knife. Gonzales fled on foot but was quickly apprehended by officers. The victim sustained multiple injuries and was life-flighted for emergency medical care. The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Gonzles will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Checotah Resident Sentenced For Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Duane Henrichs, age 47, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. On October 9, 2025, Henrichs pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on November 22, 2022, Henrichs distributed 111.9 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Henrichs will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States.


title: Adair County Resident Sentenced For Armed Felony Assault

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Runningbear Pettit, 24, of Bunch, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm, and to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of Firearm During A Crime of Violence. The court ordered the terms to be served consecutively. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Stilwell Police Department. On June 9, 2025, Pettit pleaded guilty to the charges in federal district court. According to investigators, on January 30, 2025, Stilwell officers responded to an emergency call of shots fired at a Stilwell residence. Witnesses reported that Pettit opened fire on the residence with a semi-automatic rifle. The bullets penetrated the exterior of the building, striking and injuring an occupant. Law enforcement arrested Pettit a short time later, and Pettit confessed to the shooting. The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Pettit will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Corporate controller admits to embezzling funds

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A small business’s former financial controller, who engaged in a pattern of embezzling funds from his employer, pleaded guilty yesterday, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation and Robert Kuszynski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. Jacob Wise, age 29, from Riverview, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for orchestrating a scheme that caused over $1.1 million in losses to the business where he worked. He also pleaded guilty to one count of laundering the proceeds of his crimes. At the hearing, Wise admitted to devising and executing a scheme to order and to divert the company’s funds to bank accounts he controlled. The accounts appeared to be legitimate vendors for the company. In reality, Wise himself controlled the accounts and used the diverted funds to make purchases, including a Ford F-150 pickup truck, which agents seized as part of the investigation. Sentencing before United States District Judge Judith Levy will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Wise faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Fasbinder and Philip A. Ross


title: Two Men Indicted for Staged-Collision Carjacking

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –ALFRED SEYMOUR (“SEYMOUR”) , age 19, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, and DAMION JONES (“JONES”) , age 20, a resident of Walker, Louisiana, were indicted on June 11, 2026 for carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 2119(1), and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to the indictment and information presented at a court hearing in the case, on January 22, 2026, JONES was driving a vehicle in which SEYMOUR was a passenger. JONES and SEYMOUR followed another vehicle on to I-10 and then intentionally struck the back of that target vehicle. When the driver of the target vehicle pulled over to inspect the damage, SEYMOUR and JONES pointed guns at the driver, forced two passengers out of the target vehicle at gunpoint, and then stole the target vehicle. As to the carjacking offense, the defendants face up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. As to the charges of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution. Updated 7/0/2026


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced to Over a Decade in Prison for Drug-Trafficking and Machinegun Possession

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – BRANDON DUNN (“DUNN”) , age 20, was sentenced on July 8, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 11.5 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846, and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2) announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, since at least 2023, DUNN sold marijuana and tapentadol in the New Orleans area. On May 9, 2024, New Orleans Police Department Officers were surveilling DUNN ’s residence. DUNN arrived in a stolen Infinity Q60 and exited the driver’s seat of the vehicle. When DUNN saw the officers, he fled on foot and discarded a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition. DUNN was apprehended after a short chase. There was a distributable quantity of marijuana in DUNN ’s stolen car and DUNN had over $1,000 cash in his pockets. Inside DUNN ’s bedroom, officers recovered a money counter, over $15,000 in cash, a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco, 7.62x39millimeter semi-automatic pistol, credit cards in other people’s names, and a washed check. 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. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANDRE BELL (“BELL”) , age 38, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 8, 2026 by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 78 months’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and $400.00 in mandatory special assessment fees, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, two counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, on April 14, 2025, Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms identified a co-conspirator as a trafficker of narcotics and firearms and made three controlled purchases from him. On each occasion, BELL supplied the narcotics and firearms that the co-conspirator sold to the buyers. On August 3, 2023, the co-conspirator arranged a sale of heroin to an individual he believed was a legitimate buyer and indicated BELL would deliver the substance. A meeting place was set, and the co-conspirator met with individuals he thought were legitimate buyers, in their vehicle. Shortly thereafter, BELL arrived and provided 14.07 grams of heroin and fentanyl to the co-conspirator who distributed the drugs to the buyers. On August 8, 2023, an individual the defendant believed to be a legitimate buyer negotiated the purchase of a half-ounce of cocaine and one ounce of fentanyl from the co-conspirator. At the meeting place, the co-conspirator provided the buyer with 12.95 grams of cocaine and informed the buyer that BELL was delivering the fentanyl. BELL then arrived and provided a half-ounce of fentanyl to the co-conspirator who then distributed the fentanyl to the buyer. On August 11, 2023, the co-conspirator arranged a sale of a firearm to an individual he believed to be a legitimate buyer. At the meeting place, the co-conspirator delivered to the buyer a “ghost gun, a firearm that is not serialized making it difficult to trace. The ghost gun was provided to the co-conspirator by BELL . This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: Indian National Sentenced to 121 Months for Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On July 8, 2026, ASHISH KAPOOR, a/k/a “ Romy Kapoor ,” (“ KAPOOR ” ) age 28, a national of India, was sentenced for Transportation of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(1), (a)(4)(B), (b)(1), and (b)(2), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, KAPOOR traveled from Bombay, India to New Orleans, Louisiana on or about February 21, 2024, with a cellular phone containing digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, on April 11, 2024, KAPOOR downloaded a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child from an Internet Protocol address at his residence in New Orleans. On December 20, 2024, Special Agents with the United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and officers with the New Orleans Police Department arrested KAPOOR . In a recorded statement, KAPOOR confessed that he had seen and received child pornography using Whatsapp on his cellular phone. KAPOOR also admitted to possessing more than 600 images depicting the sexual abuse of minors and further admitted that these items contained sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced KAPOOR to one-hundred and twenty-one (121) months in prison, five (5) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.00. Judge Guidry also ordered KAPOOR to pay restitution in the amount of $3,000 to a victim. KAPOOR will also be required to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon release from prison. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney and Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force Leader Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit. * * *


title: Romanian National Sentenced for Money Laundering Scheme Involving Fake Vacation Rentals

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Romanian National, Liviu Mihai Dumitru, 44, was sentenced to 48 months’ incarceration on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Dumitru created and ran a software platform from January 2016 to September 2023 that helped its users carry out online auction fraud and vacation rental fraud. The platform offered tools for producing ads, creating and managing invoices, and handling payments, all designed to support these fraudulent schemes. Users of Dumitru’s platform, including Ionut-Razvan Sandu and Dumitru’s co-conspirator, Mihai Daniel Dan, posted fraudulent ads on sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Airbnb, advertising cars or vacation rentals that did not exist. They paid for access to Dumitru’s platform, which helped them generate fake ads, create spoofed websites that mimicked legitimate listing pages, and integrate payment mechanisms. Once victims were persuaded the listings were real, the Users sent them convincing invoices generated through the platform. The platform also notified Users when victims submitted payment. Many victims were encouraged to pay in cryptocurrency. For a period of time, Dumitru’s platform helped create cryptocurrency addresses managed through Coinbase accounts registered under false identities. Dumitru admitted to operating the platform for 99 months, and conceded at least 14,000 individuals were victimized through its use. If you feel that you have been victimized by this scheme, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/vacationrentalfraud and provide all available information to support your claim. Mihai Dan, Dumitru’s co-defendant, is pending extradition in the United States. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistance was provided by the Romanian National Police (Service for Combating Cybercrime) and the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (Agency for Prosecuting Organized Crime). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Annville Arsonist Sentenced for Historic Building Fire

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – An Annville, Ky., woman, Shelia Clemons, 58, was sentenced to 60 months in prison on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier for arson. On July 30, 2025, Clemons admitted to destroying Lincoln Hall, a historic building located in Jackson County, along with an attached, under-construction elevator shaft by fire. Clemons gained access to Lincoln Hall via a window and used a lighter to start a fire with a stack of paper located inside the window. At the time of the fire, Lincoln Hall was under active construction for improvement and use by the Annville Christian School. “Lincoln Hall was a cherished historic landmark, and its destruction caused real harm to the Annville community,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Ms. Clemons’s actions and reinforces that intentionally setting a fire—especially one that destroys property under active renovation for a school—will be met with firm accountability. We are grateful for the investigators and first responders whose work ensured that justice was done.” Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Three Juveniles Arrested by Make DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force for Armed Robbery

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Onyx Austin, 17, Pierce Arrington, 17 and Reggie Mateck, 16, were arrested and charged as adults in D.C. Superior Court in connection with an armed robbery committed on July 6, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The three juveniles were charged on July 8, 2026. They made their initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond and were presented on charges involving the armed robbery of two victims. “There will be zero tolerance for those committing crimes in D.C., especially juveniles,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “For too long by virtue of their age, they have been able to escape real consequences for their criminal behavior. Their crimes not only harm individual victims but also upend the lives of law-abiding residents and undermine the safety of our neighborhoods. That is why it is essential to lower the age of accountability for these young criminals who are emboldened because of the D.C. Council’s refusal to recognize the violence that they are committing on other D.C. citizens. The rights of victims are paramount and criminals will face the full force of the law.” According to the government’s evidence, on July 6, 2026, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a call for service near the 3300 Block of 7th St. Southeast for a report of an armed robbery where one suspect placed two victims in chokeholds. Another suspect pushed a handgun into a victim's ribs and threatened them. The suspects stole one victim’s wallet, both victims’ cell phones, and $1,700 from one victim’s bank accounts. Officers located and arrested the suspects at one of the suspect’s mother’s residences. This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Marshal Robert Anthony Dixon. The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Campbell. Charges in a complaint are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.