title: DOJ Awards More Than $72,000 to Support  Residential Substance Use Treatment in Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE- The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety a $72,173 grant through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s FY25 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Formula Grant Program. This funding will support evidence-based substance use disorder treatment, recovery services, and re-entry planning within the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, helping prepare participants for successful reintegration into the community. The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Formula Grant Program helps state correctional agencies provide treatment programs that reduce substance abuse, support rehabilitation, and improve public safety. The program includes substance use disorder treatment, recovery planning, and transitional services that address housing, employment, family reunification, and continued treatment following incarceration. “Recovery and public safety are closely connected,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “This funding strengthens evidence-based treatment and recovery services that help individuals build healthier futures and contribute to safer communities.” “Substance use treatment is an important part of reducing recidivism and improving public safety,” said Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety. “This grant will help ensure that individuals leaving incarceration have access to the recovery resources they need to successfully reenter our communities.” The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.


title: Two Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Child Exploitation

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 1, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Alejandro Morales-Varela and Gabriel Andrés Vélez-Ramírez on charges for production of child exploitation material, receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography. Alejandro Morales-Varela, a 25-year-old man from Arecibo, was arrested via a criminal complaint on June 26, 2026. Gabriel Andrés Vélez-Ramírez, 28-year-old man from Lajas, was arrested on July 8, 2026. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents arrested both defendants. According to court documents, from May to June 2026, Morales-Varela and Vélez-Ramírez, aiding and abetting each other, knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a 5-year-old male minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct using a cellular phone. The defendants are further charged with receipt/distribution and possession of child exploitation material. “There are no cases more important for the Department of Justice and the Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office than crimes against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who exploits minors for sexual purposes,” said Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Those who engage in child exploitation and create child sexual abuse material will be tracked down and held accountable for their heinous conduct.” Yariel Ramos, HSI San Juan’s Acting Special Agent in Charge said: “In the past two weeks, HSI San Juan has made six arrests for child exploitation offenses, with suspects ranging in age from 19 to 63 years old, across multiple communities in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These arrests underscore our unwavering commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable. With the support of U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force, our agents are able to leverage critical partnerships and resources. The Renewed Hope Act will further equip our agency with advanced tools and increased personnel to identify victims faster and bring perpetrators to justice. We will continue to pursue those who exploit children and ensure their crimes are met with the full force of the law.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation. If convicted for the charges, the defendants face the following penalties: production of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years up to life; receipt and distribution of child pornography - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years up to 20 years; possession of child pornography - a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, all charges of conviction to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov . To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov . This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Héctor Ramírez-Carbó Serves as Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Héctor Ramírez-Carbó serves as Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, 5 U.S.C. § 3345 et seq., subject to the time limitations set forth in 5 U.S.C. § 3346. Mr. Ramírez-Carbó has served in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico for more than 17 years as a civil and criminal litigator, Chief of the Civil Division, and, since 2020, as the First Assistant United States Attorney. As Acting United States Attorney, Mr. Ramírez-Carbó serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of Puerto Rico and is responsible for overseeing the prosecution of federal criminal cases and the litigation of civil matters on behalf of the United States. He also works closely with federal, Commonwealth, and local law enforcement agencies to protect the public, uphold the rule of law, and advance the priorities of the Administration and the Department of Justice. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico is committed to enforcing federal law, safeguarding the rights and safety of the public, and ensuring the fair and impartial administration of justice throughout the District. ###


title: Former Private Equity Fund Manager Indicted and Arrested for Embezzling Millions of Dollars from a Private Equity Fund

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 2, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Gian C. Piovanetti with embezzlement of bank funds, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. According to court documents, Gian C. Piovanetti, a certified public accountant, embezzled, and aided and abetted in the embezzlement of approximately 11 million dollars from a private equity fund he managed as part of his employment and connection with a local Financial Institution. The defendant carried out this embezzlement through a series of unauthorized transfers of fund assets under the custody and control of the Financial Institution. Piovanetti secretly, and in contravention of his fiduciary duty, used the proceeds of the fraud to purchase luxury items for himself and others, including his family members, as well as to pay balances owed on credit cards, and for the purchase of real estate. Between May 6, 2024, and July 1, 2024, the defendant embezzled, and aided and abetted in the embezzlement, of approximately $11,266,493.00 of the funds from the equity fund’s deposit account. These transactions were unrelated to the allowable investments under the fund, were not approved by the fund’s Investment Committee, and lacked a valid purpose for a private equity fund. Some of the illegal transactions that the defendant executed were thousands, and on occasions more than one million dollars. Other transactions were in favor of companies that the defendant and family members were in control of, including the purchase of a 2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe registered in the name of the defendant’s wife, and the acquisition of options to purchase apartments outside of Puerto Rico. “As alleged in the indictment, this defendant enriched himself and family members by spending millions of dollars that did not belong to him. The defendant did not fulfill his fiduciary duties and betrayed the trust that his employer and clients had in him,” said Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute and seek just punishment against anyone who victimizes their clients for their own personal gain.” “This arrest underscores the FBI’s commitment to pursuing complex financial crime and safeguarding the integrity of our financial institutions," said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Juan Field Office. "Embezzlement and money laundering are not victimless crimes — they erode public trust and harm our economy. We will continue working closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.” Piovanetti is charged with one count of embezzlement of bank funds, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and five counts of money laundering. The defendant is scheduled to have his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos-Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Radzinschi is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican National Extradited from Canada Sentenced to 14 Years  in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican national was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Portland area, the Oregon coast, and Olympia, Washington, leading to the murder of a victim who owed a drug debt. Fernando Adolip Cruz-Lerma, 25, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay over $3,000 in restitution. According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Cruz-Lerma conspired with others to engage in drug trafficking. In April, Cruz-Lerma transported a victim from the state of Washington to Clackamas County due to a drug debt that the victim owed to members of the drug trafficking conspiracy. The victim was killed by members of the drug trafficking conspiracy in furtherance of the conspiracy. Cruz-Lerma assisted with leaving the victim’s body along a rural road in Clackamas County after the victim had been killed. In May 2019, Cruz-Lerma distributed approximately two pounds of methamphetamine. He returned to Mexico the following month. In May 2023, Cruz-Lerma’s co-conspirator, Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal, was sentenced to 26 years of imprisonment. A few days after that sentencing hearing, Cruz-Lerma flew from Mexico to Calgary, Canada, and was arrested by Canadian authorities on the arrest warrant issued in the District of Oregon. On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a superseding indictment charging Cruz-Lerma with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. On April 7, 2026, Cruz-Lerma pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and distributing controlled substances. U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. This case was investigated by the DEA, the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Homicide and Violent Crimes Unit. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Canadian authorities to secure the arrest and July 2024 extradition of Cruz-Lerma from Canada. CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.


title: Armenian National Extradited to the United States Pleads Guilty to Ransomware Extortion Conspiracy

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— An Armenian national extradited from Ukraine to the United States pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in Ryuk ransomware attacks and an extortion conspiracy targeting companies throughout the United States, including a technology company operating in Oregon. Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and computer fraud. According to court documents, between November 2019 through April 2020, Vardanyan illegally accessed computer networks of victim companies to deploy Ryuk ransomware on compromised servers and workstations. Ryuk ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to encrypt data on a victim's computer or network and prevents the victim from accessing the encrypted files until a ransom is paid. As part of the scheme, ransom payments were extorted from victim companies in exchange for decryption keys to regain access to their data. A ransom note was placed on the computer systems demanding ransom payments in Bitcoin, a form of cryptocurrency, and provided an email address that victims could use to communicate with the cybercriminals. Vardanyan worked with his co-conspirators to attack a company in Michigan that paid 200 bitcoin or over $1.1 million at the time of payment to restore access to their network. They also attacked a company in Wilsonville, Oregon, and in February 2020 attacked a school in Texas. Vardanyan and his co-conspirators illegally accessed computer networks of victim companies and deployed ransomware on hundreds of compromised servers and workstations. Vardanyan and his co-conspirators are alleged to have received approximately 1,610 bitcoins in ransom payments from the victim companies, which was valued at over $15 million at the time of payment. On Feb. 22, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Vardanyan with conspiracy, computer fraud, and extortion. Vardanyan faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for conspiracy. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for computer fraud. Vardanyan will be sentenced on Sept. 22. 2026, by a U.S. district court judge. As part of the plea agreement, Vardanyan has agreed to pay over $1.1 million in restitution. U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Katherine A. Rykken, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Vardanyan’s arrest and extradition from Ukraine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Ukrainian authorities for their assistance in this matter.


title: Zuni Man Sentenced for Fatal Shooting

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to 78 months in prison for the shooting death of an individual in the heat of passion. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents on December 1, 2024, Glendon Laate , 49, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, shot and killed John Doe with a homemade shotgun in the heat of passion. Laate pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, Laate will be subject to three years of supervised release. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Burkhead is prosecuting the case.


title: Zuni Man Charged in Assault That Seriously Injured Two Victims

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man is facing federal charges for allegedly attacking two victims with a hammer, causing serious injuries that required hospitalization. According to court documents, on July 5, 2026, Errick Waikaniwa , 39, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, allegedly assaulted two victims with a hammer at a residence in Zuni, New Mexico. The victims suffered severe injuries and were transported for medical treatment. One victim was later transferred to a regional hospital due to the extent of their injuries, which included significant facial trauma, while the second victim sustained head injuries, including a skull fracture. The investigation determined that multiple people witnessed the assault and contacted law enforcement. Zuni Police Department officers responded to the scene, arrested Waikaniwa , and recovered a hammer believed to have been used in the attack. During a subsequent interview with FBI agents, Waikaniwa allegedly admitted to striking both victims with the hammer. Waikaniwa is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing. If convicted of the current charge, Waikaniwa faces up to 10 years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Las Cruces Woman Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Co-Workers

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces woman pleaded guilty in federal court to anonymously sending threatening messages to co-workers through a health clinic’s online scheduling platform. According to court documents, between September 11 and September 23, 2025, Jovanni Celeste Ortega , 33, anonymously sent multiple harassing and threatening messages to co-workers at Millennium Health and Wellness through the clinic’s online scheduling platform, an interstate electronic communication service. The messages threatened physical harm to employees and their family members and included references to victims’ children, vehicles, home addresses, and other personal information. Among the messages were threats of fatal car crashes, shootings, and other acts of violence, causing substantial emotional distress to the victims. After the clinic reported receiving numerous threatening messages, the FBI traced the communications to an IP address associated with Ortega ’s residence. During a subsequent interview, Ortega admitted sending the messages. Ortega pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and faces up to five years in prison at sentencing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Dickens is prosecuting the case.


title: Brothers Charged with Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Two brothers from Cuba, New Mexico have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a violent assault that allegedly left a man seriously injured. According to court documents, on March 3, 2026, Troy Barbone Jr. , 43, and his brother Tyren Barbone , 40, enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a metal bar and shovel and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury. The defendants are charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, they face up to 10 years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two More Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money Laundering Conspiracies

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two New Jersey men were sentenced this week for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that imported fentanyl analogues from China and distributed them in pill form throughout Northern New Jersey. Nine individuals have been charged and convicted for their roles in this drug trafficking organization. In total, they imported over a metric ton of fentanyl-related substances and other drugs into the United States and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the drugs. Thus far, five individuals have been sentenced to a total of 685 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) announced. On July 7, Sean Tighe, 50, of North Haledon, New Jersey, was sentenced to 151 months in prison. Tighe previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl analogue pills and participating in a money laundering conspiracy, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court. Tighe admitted that from approximately March 2014 to September 2020, he conspired to distribute over nine kilograms of furanyl fentanyl and nine kilograms of 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, synthetic cathinones (also known as bath salts), including ethylone; and ketamine. In addition, from March 2014 to May 2019, Tighe conspired to launder funds, including five wire payments from the United States to China to purchase controlled substances and/or controlled substance analogues. On July 8, Juan Rodriguez, 51, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl analogues. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced both defendants to 5 years of supervised release. Other members of the drug trafficking organization placed orders with a source in China and imported kilogram quantities of various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues to the United States. The drugs arrived through commercial package delivery services and air freight from China and were transported to Newark, New Jersey, where co-conspirators pressed the fentanyl analogue powder into fake prescription pills. The drugs were sold in bulk and pill form directly to consumers and other downstream distributors. Other members of the conspiracy included Thomas Padovano, 52, of Newark, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 234 months in prison; William Panzera, 53, of North Haledon, New Jersey, who was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 144 months in prison; and Michael Action, 51, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 96 months in prison. Four other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing. Bartholomew Padovano is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. Sentencing dates for the other co-conspirators have not been yet been scheduled. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine. They received packages and shipping barrels laden with drugs, which arrived through commercial package delivery services and air freight from China. They distributed some of the drugs in bulk, and delivered some to a dilapidated trailer in Newark, where co-conspirators pressed the fentanyl analogues into counterfeit pharmaceutical pills and distributed them. Tighe was among the individuals who distributed the fake pills to customers and other downstream distributers, including Rodriguez. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) – Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance. The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture (MNF) Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of MNF supported the investigation. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Newark comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS and local law enforcement officers with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. ### Defense counsel: Paul Condon, Esq. for Sean Tighe; Anthony Pope for Juan Rodriguez.


title: Six Individuals, Including a Pharmacist and Doctor, Charged in Connection with $20 Million Healthcare Fraud and Kickback Scheme

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – United States Attorney Robert Frazer announces criminal charges against 6 defendants in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid involving a doctor and other medical professionals issuing medically unnecessary prescriptions to a pharmacist in exchange for cash kickbacks. “The District of New Jersey remains committed to aggressively rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse committed by doctors, pharmacists, and medical professionals who betray their patients in pursuit of greed. Our Office will continue to ensure that those individuals who bilk our insurance systems to line their pockets with taxpayer dollars face swift justice.” - U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer "The defendants in this case allegedly orchestrated a sprawling kickback scheme involving fraudulent prescriptions to fuel their own greed,” stated Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG wants to ensure the public that we are committed, alongside our law enforcement partners, to dismantling schemes that abuse federal health care programs and to bringing those who perpetrate such fraud to justice.” “Each of the defendants had a unique role in this alleged scheme, but the common thread is a complete disrespect for the Medicare and Medicaid programs that so many Americans rely on,” said Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. “The defendants defrauded these programs through kickbacks that lined their pockets, while over $20 million taxpayer dollars were quietly disappearing. The FBI will continue to root out conspiracies to commit health care fraud and restore balance to a system that will not be shaken by these disrupters.” The following individuals were charged by Information in the District of New Jersey on July 7, 2026 and appeared before Judge Karen M. Williams in federal district court in Camden in connection with the scheme: Sherif Elmasri, 45, of Morganville, New Jersey, pled guilty to a two-count Information charging him with conspiring to commit health care fraud and to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute on June 16, 2025. Boris Veysman, 48, of Freehold, New Jersey, pled guilty to a two-count Information charging him with conspiring to commit health care fraud and unlawfully distribute controlled substances on June 17, 2025. Stephanie Cupo, 45, of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pled guilty to an Information charging her with conspiring to make false statements relating to health care matters and to use a Drug Enforcement Administration registration number issued to another person on January 7, 2026. Nikki Steidle, 53, of Toms River, New Jersey, pled guilty to an Information charging her with conspiring to defraud the United States, solicit and receive kickbacks, offer and pay kickbacks, and unlawfully distribute controlled substances on June 30, 2026. Janet Tadros, 59, of Union City, New Jersey, pled guilty to a two-count Information charging her with conspiring to commit health care fraud and to violate the Anti-Kickback statute on July 7, 2026. Additionally, Ashlee Maixner, 39, of Lakehurst, New Jersey, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States, solicit and receive kickbacks, offer and pay kickbacks, unlawfully distribute controlled substances, and two counts of soliciting and receiving a kickback. Maixner was arraigned before Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark on June 25, 2026, and pled not guilty. According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court: From October 2022 to November 2025, Elmasri, a pharmacy owner, paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to several health care providers in exchange for them issuing prescriptions for high-reimbursement medications, which Elmasri selected, to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Elmasri personally profited from these prescriptions and the insurance claims it generated for his pharmacies. One of the providers involved in the scheme was Dr. Boris Veysman, an emergency medicine doctor with offices in New Jersey. Elmasri paid Veysman to issue prescriptions recommended by Elmasri to Medicare beneficiaries Elmasri referred to Veysman from from approximately May 2023 to December 2024. Veysman, at times, did not examine the patients prior to issuing the prescriptions. Maixner and Steidle were advanced practice nurses who worked for Veysman and are also alleged to have received illegal kickbacks from Elmasri for issuing prescriptions. Cupo also worked for Veysman and submitted prior authorizations with false information to increase the likelihood that the prior authorizations she prepared would be approved by Medicare and other health care benefit programs. Separately, Janet Tadros was the office manager of a neurology practice in Jersey City, New Jersey, who, from between December 2023 and November 2025, solicited and received cash kickbacks of approximately $3,000 per week in exchange for sending Elmasri’s pharmacies medically unnecessary prescriptions for patients who were not evaluated nor prescribed the medications and that were sent without the provider’s knowledge or authorization. In total, the defendants are alleged to have caused a loss of approximately $20,684,264 to Medicare and Medicaid. Veysman, Steidle, and Maixner are separately charged with allegedly conspiring to unlawfully distribute controlled substances to patients without assessing them. The charges of conspiracy carry a statutory maximum of five years imprisonment as well as a maximum fine equal to twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss caused by the offense. The charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and violations of the Anti-Kickback statute each carry a statutory maximum of ten years imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and special agents, task force officers, and diversion investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Jersey Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. The Department of Justice has established the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Healthcare Fraud Unit in Newark and Trial Attorneys Nicholas Peone, Paul J. Koob, and Kraig Ahalt of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section. Valuable assistant in the investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the Northern District of Illinois. The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment against Maixner are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Ryan M. Magee, Esq. for Sherif Elmasri. Benjamin Brafman, Esq. for Boris Veysman. James A. Abate, Esq. for Stephanie Cupo. Julian Wilsey, Esq. for Nikki Steidle. Timothy S. Farrow, Esq. for Ashlee Maixner. Kathleen Theurer Platts, Esq. for Janet Tadros. cupo.information.pdf elmasri.information.pdf maixner.indictment.pdf stiedle.information.pdf tadros.information.pdf veysman.information.pdf


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

body_text: Salem Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Possession of Unregistered Firearms and Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person CONCORD – A Salem man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing unregistered firearms in violation of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Act and for possession of firearms and ammunition as a felon, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Daniel Fratus, age 39, who previously pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord before U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty, was sentenced to 72-months of incarceration along with 3 years of supervised release. According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Daniel Fratus was indicted after an investigation that began on January 23, 2024. During that investigation Salem Police Department received a call from a concerned neighbor for shots fired coming from Fratus’ residence. Salem Police Department and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) law enforcement members later executed a search warrant and entered the residence where they observed several firearms along with approximately 12,870 rounds of ammunition. Fratus had previously been convicted of a felony for Sale of a Controlled Drug and, as such, was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. ATF led the investigation. Salem Police Department provided valuable assistance. Special Assistant U.S Attorney Christopher Marin and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherniske prosecuted the case.


title: Macy Man Sentenced to One Year and One Day for Assaulting a Federal Officer

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Britain Snyder, 23, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 2, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for assaulting a federal officer. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Snyder to one year and one day imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Snyder will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On or about October 26, 2024, Victim I was a police officer with the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services who was in the performance of her official duties. Victim l's contract with the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services was federally funded. Victim 1 was called to assist with removing Snyder from a residence on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation in Macy, Nebraska. Snyder fled and hid. Victim 1 located Snyder and in the process of taking him into custody, Snyder resisted arrest and assaulted Victim 1 by headbutting Victim l in the head. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Honduran Man Illegally in the United States Sentenced to 18 months for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm and Illegal Reentry

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Marlon Leiva-Orellana, of Honduras, was sentenced on June 30, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for illegal reentry and unlawfully possessing a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Leiva-Orellana to concurrent terms of 18 months’ imprisonment on both charges. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he faces deportation to Honduras. It is unlawful under federal law for an alien unlawfully in the United States, such as Leiva-Orellana, to possess a firearm. On January 13, 2026, the Omaha Police Department responded to a location near Camden Avenue in Omaha concerning gun shots. Officers arrived and located a Nissan truck with North Carolina license plates. Leiva-Orellana, also known as Marlon Leiva-Orellaha, was the only occupant of the truck. Officers observed a .22 caliber pistol inside the truck. Leiva-Orellana admitted that he had discharged the pistol. The officers arrested him. In addition to being convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm, Leiva-Orellana was convicted for illegally reentering the United States. Despite being previously removed from the United States in November of 2023, Leiva-Orellana returned without lawful authority. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Omaha Police Department, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


title: Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 14 years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Steven Potter, 54, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on June 26, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Potter to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Potter’s release from prison, he will serve a five-year term of supervised release. Potter also forfeited any claim to more than $30,000 and a vehicle seized during the investigation. Potter was charged as a result of his involvement with a Mexico source of supply of methamphetamine known to supply the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas with methamphetamine via a local network of drug couriers. Potter was a local courier operating in Nebraska and Iowa who distributed the Mexican source’s drugs. On March 7, 2024, law enforcement observed Potter meet with suspected drug couriers at an Omaha location while conducting surveillance. Directly following the meetup, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle occupied by Potter. A search of the vehicle revealed more than 900 grams of methamphetamine. During a post-arrest interview, Potter admitted to delivering pound quantities of methamphetamine for the Mexican source for the past 8 months. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, USPIS, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, and assistance of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.


title: Owasso Man Charged with Killing One Man and Injuring Three Others in Fatal Car Wreck

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – An indictment was unsealed today charging an Owasso man with killing Brian Bizzell and injuring three others in a fatal car wreck. Christopher Robert Chaney, 52, of Owasso, is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country; two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; and Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country. According to court documents, on September 30, 2025, Chaney was allegedly driving a motor vehicle on a public road while speeding, failed to obey traffic lights, and was driving after consuming hydrocodone and cannabis. Court documents show that Brian Bizzell was killed, two others were seriously injured, and one victim was wounded in the fatal accident. Chaney is a member of the Cherokee Nation The FBI and the Owasso Police Department are investigating the case with the assistance of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: July Federal Grand Jury 2026-A Indictments Announced

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July Federal Grand Jury 2026-A Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Craig Thornton Bissell. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Bissell, 64, a Canadian national, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Additionally, Bissell is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-258 Marco Antonio Cordova Morales. Drug Conspiracy. Cordova Morales, 19, a Guatemalan national, is charged with conspiring with others to possess and distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-262 Jacob Koran Dake. First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 2); Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Count 4) (superseding). Dake, 25, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with deliberately killing McKaylah Cunningham in Dec. 2025 and Steve Norman in Mar. 2026. He is charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of storing, distributing, and using controlled substances. Lastly, Dake allegedly strangled a victim in Jul. 2022 with intent to commit murder. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nasar and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-119 Rafael Diaz Blett; Raul Manuel Almarales Rodriguez; Raudelis Columbie Ferrer. Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud (Count 1); Possession of Fifteen or More Counterfeit Access Devices (Counts 2 & 5); Possession of Device Making Equipment (Counts 3 & 6); Illegal Transportation of Hazardous Material (Counts 4 & 9); Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Count 7); Use of Counterfeit Access Device (Count 8). Diaz Blett, 31, Almarales Rodriguez, 40, and Columbie Ferrer, 24, all Cuban nationals, are charged with conspiring together to install and use skimming devices to purchase fuel. Diaz Blett and Almarales Rodriguez are charged with possessing more than 15 counterfeit credit cards. Diaz Blett and Columbie Ferrer willfully transported a hazardous material in violation of the Department of Transportation rules and regulations. Almarales Rodriguez is additionally charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Lastly, Columbie Ferrer is charged with knowingly possessing a cloned credit card. Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation, and IRS Criminal Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-251 Luis Garcia Ambriz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia Ambriz, 52, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed twice in 2009 and once in 2010. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Osborn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-257 Efren Garcia. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2010 and 2012. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Osborn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-259 Jose Luis Hernandez Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Hernandez Lopez, 29, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed twice in 2024. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-260 Jose Miguel Malerva Herver. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Malerva Herver, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Flynn and Mike Flesher are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-252 Arturo Oliva Moreno. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Oliva Moreno, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed twice in 2009, once in 2011, and in 2023. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-265 Lucio Perez Mendias. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Perez Mendias, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2009, 2017, and 2020. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-253 Cesar Uriel Rodriguez Martinez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Rodriguez Martinez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-261 Ryan Thomas Salisbury. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Salisbury, 46, of Norman, is charged with attempting to entice an individual he believed was under 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. Homeland Security Investigations and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-264


title: Twice Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Willie Davis, 37, of Syracuse, New York, pleaded guilty in federal court on June 24, 2026, to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and admitted to violating a condition of his supervised release related to his possession of an unmonitored cell phone. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting United States Marshal Christopher J. Amoia made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Davis admitted that in 2011, he was convicted in of Rape in the Second Degree and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment followed by 10 years’ probation. As a result of this conviction, Davis was also ordered to register as a sex offender in New York. In 2012, Davis was convicted of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment followed by 20 years of supervised release. He was also required to register as a Sex Offender based on this federal conviction. “Operation Safe Childhood provides resources and connections to protect our nation’s children, I am thankful to the United States Marshals Service for their efforts in catching this repeat offender,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “Due to his continued pattern of disregarding the law and endangering the safety of others, Mr. Davis once again will spend time behind bars, where he cannot pose a threat to the community.” “The sex offender registration system exists to protect our communities by ensuring accountability and enabling law enforcement to monitor convicted offenders,” said Christopher J. Amoia, Acting United States Marshal for the Northern District of New York. “Individuals who deliberately disregard these legal obligations or violate the conditions of their supervised release will be held accountable.” “The United States Marshals Service will continue working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and apprehend offenders who disregard the law and threaten the safety of our communities.” In September 2025, Davis was released from custody of the Bureau of Prisons and entered the Residential Reentry Center in Syracuse, New York, as part of his term of federal supervised release. In November 2025, staff at the Residential Reentry Center found an unregistered cell phone in Davis’s possession. Forensic examination of the phone by United States Probation Office revealed that three e-mail addresses were being utilized on the device that had not been registered by Davis as required by law. At sentencing, currently scheduled for November 18, 2026, in Utica, New York, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000, and term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life on his Failure to Register conviction. Davis also faces an additional term of imprisonment based on his admission to a violation of his supervised release term. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Whalen is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Schenectady Man Sentenced to 38 Months for Methamphetamine Offense

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Keith Edmonds, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced July 7th 2026, to 38 months in federal prison and 2 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, a fine of $1,500 and a money judgment for forfeiture of $9,730, for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam made the announcement. As part of his previously-entered guilty plea, Edmonds admitted that on April 24, 2025, he possessed 425 pills containing methamphetamine that he intended to sell. Edmonds also admitted that between October 2024 and March 2025, he sold more than 1,300 pills containing either methamphetamine or benzodiazepine to buyers in the Capital Region. “I applaud the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Schenectady and Albany County Sheriff’s Offices for bringing down yet another drug dealer,” said First Assistant United States Attorney John Sarcone. “Deadly narcotics are a plague on our communities, devastating families and undermining public safety. Thanks to the dedication and coordination of our partners in law enforcement, this defendant has been held accountable for his actions and will now be serving his sentence in federal prison. Their continued commitment to protecting our neighborhoods makes a meaningful difference every single day.” “The sentencing of Keith Edmonds reflects the unwavering commitment of the DEA and our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who distribute dangerous counterfeit pills,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Counterfeit pills, frequently laced with methamphetamine, fentanyl, or other illicit substances, place countless lives at risk through addiction and far too often, death. The DEA remains committed to identify and target those individuals who profit from poisoning our communities.” DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office and the Albany County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal prosecuted the case.


title: Schenectady Man Sentenced to 140 Months for Drug and Gun Crimes Committed While on Bail for State Charges

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Garrow, age 40, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced on June 24, 2026, to 140 months’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division Bryan DiGirolamo made the announcement. The defendant’s conviction was based on his drug trafficking activities in Schenectady over several months in 2024, including while he was actively wanted on arrest warrants for unrelated state charges. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the ATF, the Schenectady Police Department, and the Schenectady District Attorney’s Office, this dangerous offender has finally been brought to justice, and his supply of deadly narcotics has been removed from our streets, said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “Under New York State’s current bail laws, defendants like Mr. Garrow can repeatedly return to the community while awaiting trial, giving them the opportunity to reoffend again and again. That is why federal intervention is essential. Working with our local partners the ATF and U.S. Attorney’s Office were able to bring charges federally, where we can ensure that violent, repeat offenders are detained and unable to continue their illegal operations, protecting both public safety and our communities.” “This investigation demonstrates the persistence and coordination required to dismantle armed drug trafficking operations before more lives are put at risk,” said ATF New York Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “Armed drug traffickers fuel violence and endanger our communities by combining deadly narcotics with illegal firearms. ATF NY remains committed to working alongside our partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt those who threaten public safety. This sentence is the result of the outstanding collaboration between ATF NY Albany, Schenectady Police Department, the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” Schenectady Police Chief Brian Whipple stated: "Our officers are doing outstanding work every day alongside our federal partners to make Schenectady safer. The combination of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and an illegal firearm is incredibly dangerous, and this sentence ensures one more violent offender has been removed from our community. Our officers will continue to proactively target those responsible for bringing guns and deadly drugs into our neighborhoods.” As part of his sentence, the defendant will also be required to serve a term of supervised release of 4 years, which will follow his term of imprisonment. ATF investigated this case with the assistance of the Schenectady Police Department and the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Pompey Man Sentenced for Possessing Over 400 Grams of Pure Methamphetamine

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Jon Radway, age 47, of Pompey, New York, was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Radway admitted that on October 9, 2025, he knowingly possessed with intent to distribute approximately 466 grams of pure methamphetamine at his home. He further admitted that he intended to sell that methamphetamine to numerous customers located in Onondaga County and elsewhere. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Dangerous narcotics place a tremendous burden on our communities and public health systems. Individuals like this defendant choose to profit at the expense of the very people they harm. I appreciate the diligent investigative work of our partners at the ATF, whose efforts were critical in bringing Mr. Radway to justice.” Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo stated: “This guilty plea is the result of strong collaboration among ATF’s Syracuse Field Office, the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. Together, we remain committed to disrupting criminal activity that fuels the illegal distribution of dangerous drugs and threatens the safety of our communities.” United States District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release to begin after Radway is released from prison and ordered $3,135.00, seized from Radway’s home, to be forfeited as drug proceeds. ATF investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown prosecuted the case.


title: ALBANY REDESIGNATED AS PRIMARY OFFICE OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – The Executive Office for United States Attorneys, in coordination with the General Services Administration, has approved the redesignation of the Albany office as the primary headquarters location of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. By bringing the district’s headquarters into closer alignment with the federal agencies whose largest regional presence is based in Albany, this transition creates a more unified and efficient operating landscape. The move positions our leadership within facilities that meet the modern demands of federal prosecution and support closer collaboration with the full range of federal partners. It strengthens routine coordination, enables a more effective All‑of‑Government approach, supports faster and more cohesive investigative work, and builds on the interagency cooperation that is critical to successful federal prosecution. “The Northern District of New York continues to evolve in ways that honor our history and strengthen our future,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “Returning the primary office to Albany enhances our ability to work side‑by‑side with the federal agencies that anchor law enforcement in this region. This is a significant achievement for our district, and I am proud of the collaborative effort that made it possible.” “Our mission remains steadfast: to uphold the law, protect the public, and serve the people of this district with fairness, integrity, and unwavering accountability,” Sarcone continued. “This redesignation advances that mission by placing our primary office where it can most effectively support today’s investigative demands and the long‑term success of our district.” In the years following the opening of the James M. Hanley Federal Building in the late 1970s, the district’s primary office designation transitioned to Syracuse, reflecting an administrative realignment responsive to the needs and priorities of that period. The decision to now place the district’s primary office in Albany marks a return to a location that sits at the geographic and operational center of the Northern District’s 32 counties. Albany offers a more balanced vantage point for managing the full breadth of our work—from the critical efforts carried out across the North Country by our Plattsburgh branch, to the wide range of cases arising in Central New York through Syracuse, and the matters handled along the corridor into the Southern Tier in Binghamton. This central location strengthens oversight, supports coordinated districtwide operations, and better aligns our leadership with the realities of serving a region that stretches from the Canadian border to the Southern Tier. The Northern District of New York was created by Congress in 1814, with court initially convening in Utica, Canandaigua, and Salem. Congress designated Albany as a place of court in 1818, and early U.S. Attorneys—beginning with Roger Skinner, appointed by President James Madison—operated from the capital region as the district expanded across upstate New York. Although the district later established major court locations in Syracuse, Binghamton and Plattsburg, Albany remained central to its development, connected to the state’s government, its civic institutions, and its longstanding federal presence. This redesignation returns the district’s primary office to its historical foundation, linking a 212‑year legacy to the operational needs of the present day. By restoring Albany as the headquarters of the Northern District of New York, the office reaffirms both its history and its future.


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison For Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Laquan Broussard, 37 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Broussard was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. “A convicted drug dealer was the passenger in a vehicle speeding down the road and was armed with a loaded handgun with 22 rounds of ammunition in its magazine. Officers determined that he had several felony convictions, including residential entry, dealing cocaine, and conspiring to deal controlled substances, and had no business possessing a gun. Due to the solid work by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the South Bend Police Department with a referral from our state partners in the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office led by Ken Cotter, Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander was able to prosecute the Defendant and will service 6 years in prison followed by a year of supervised release,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander. 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Sin City Deciples Member Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison For Racketeering Conspiracy

body_text: HAMMOND- Romairal Allen, age 52, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Allen was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. “According to the Indictment, the Sin City Deciples, originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, is an outlaw motorcycle organization in which its members and associates engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere." “The Defendant was a leader of an outlaw motorcycle organization called the Sin City Deciples and will serve six years in prison for the crime of Racketeering Conspiracy. The organization’s members and associates have engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere since being originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana. The Defendant was the president of the Chicago Chapter in 2020 and later was promoted to a regional president overseeing all chapters in Illinois and Indiana. During his participation in the racketeering conspiracy, he participated in multiple predicate acts of racketeering, including possession with intent to distribute cocaine and other controlled substances and the extortion of another motorcycle club in Indiana. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and was brought by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Toth and David J. Nozick, with extensive cooperation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, the Schererville Police Department, the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Kokomo Police Department,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred. “The sentence in this case underscores ATF’s commitment to accountability for those who use violence and intimidation to further their crimes. The Sin City Deciples weren’t just a motorcycle club but a criminal gang that preyed on others for their own benefit. ATF and our law enforcement partners will not stop and we’ll continue to work together to dismantle criminal organizations that threaten the safety and welfare of our communities,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. "The defendant was instrumental in driving the Sin City Disciples' criminal enterprise, leading efforts that relied on violence, intimidation, drug trafficking, and extortion to enrich the organization and reinforce its criminal influence," said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley. "The FBI will continue working with our partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle violent criminal organizations and hold those who threaten our communities accountable." The agencies involved in this prosecution were: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, and the Schererville Police Department. Also providing assistance were the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Kokomo Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Toth and David J. Nozick. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Tallahassee Felon Federally Indicted for Child Exploitation & Firearm Offenses

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Amontea Allen John Mitchell, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with attempted enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Mitchell appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker. If convicted, Mitchell faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment with a maximum term of life imprisonment on the attempted enticement of a minor count, up to 10 years imprisonment on the attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor count, and up to 15 years imprisonment for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count. The case involved a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Emma Schwan and Justin M. Keen are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Panama City Felon Indicted for Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida –Brian Earl Glass, 36, of Panama City, Florida, has been indicted in federal court with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Glass appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 8:30 am, before District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee, Florida. The defendant faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The case was jointly investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Sex Offender Registration Rules and Failing to Present at Designated Border Crossing

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: An Ohio man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to failing to comply with sex offender reporting requirements, failing to present at a designated border crossing, and violating federal supervised release. According to court records, in 2021, Darrell Murphy , 42, was convicted in federal court in the Western District of North Carolina of two counts of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He was sentenced to 52 months in prison and 25 years of supervised release. Among his conditions of supervised release was the requirement that he comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Under SORNA, a registered sex offender must provide his local registration authority with advance notice of his intent to travel internationally. Murphy was registered with the Carroll County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Department. On December 31, 2025, Canadian authorities advised U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) that a man (subsequently identified as Murphy) had illegally entered Canada by walking across a train trestle in Vanceboro. Canadian law enforcement officers responded to the area but did not apprehend the man. USBP agents immediately responded to the U.S. side of the bridge and found a set of tracks in the snow leading to the parking lot of the Vanceboro post office and a vehicle bearing Ohio plates. Shortly before 5:00 a.m. on January 5, 2026, USBP was alerted that the same man had returned to the U.S. from Canada by walking back across the bridge. A USBP agent responded to the parking lot and observed Murphy walking towards the Ohio-plated vehicle. When encountered by the agent, Murphy admitted to crossing into Canada days earlier and then returning in the same manner. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) confirmed that Murphy had not notified the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department of his intention to travel to Canada. For the SORNA violation, Murphy faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. For the failure to present violation, he faces up to one year in prison and a $5,000 fine. For the supervised release violation, he faces a consecutive prison term of up to three years. USBP and USMS investigated the case, with assistance provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Carroll County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Department.


title: Carlisle Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Caleb McRoberts, age 33, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender after relocating to Ohio. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from December of 2023 and continuing to the present, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), McRoberts failed to register his new address upon relocating to Ohio, as required by SORNA. The United States Marshals Service (USMS) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Guilford County Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud in Connection with  Million Dollar Urine Drug Testing Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, N.C. – Gwendolyn Singleton pled guilty today to health care fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently bill the North Carolina Medicaid program for over $1.7 million of urine drug tests that were not performed, announced Dan Bishop, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina and North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. According to court documents, Singleton, age 55, owned and operated a business called Joelle’s Center of Hope located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Joelle’s Center of Hope purported to provide substance abuse treatment, including urine drug tests. Between June 2021 and March of 2023, Joelle’s submitted approximately $1,735,865 worth of fraudulent urine drug testing claims directly to Medicaid. A nurse practitioner and a doctor were listed as the ordering providers on the claims. Both providers reported that they never ordered any urine drug tests for Joelle’s Center of Hope. Over the course of the scheme, Medicaid reimbursed Joelle’s Center of Hope over $1.7 million. Sentencing is scheduled to take place on October 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, Singleton faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties. The Department of Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General, North Carolina Attorney General’s Office-Medicaid Investigations Division, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Waid and Eric Iverson and Special Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Spillman. ###


title: Two Georgians Guilty in Athens Fentanyl, Meth Ring Linked to Cartel

body_text: ATHENS, Ga. – A federal jury convicted two Georgia residents for their roles in an armed drug trafficking network linked to a cartel that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other controlled substances throughout the Athens community, with the Homeland Security Task Force investigation led by FBI resulting in the seizure of more than two dozen firearms. Firearms seized from Serda’s home and photographs of pounds of methamphetamine stored in Serda’s home in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v. Serda. “This verdict holds these defendants fully accountable for their roles in a cartel-linked criminal organization that distributed fentanyl and other dangerous drugs in Athens and amassed dozens of firearms. Both men now face life in prison for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Through close coordination with a dozen law enforcement agencies, the FBI led an investigation that successfully removed the deadliest drugs and firearms from criminal possession, making our neighborhoods safer for everyone.” “These defendants built a drug trafficking operation that flooded the Athens area with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other dangerous narcotics while stockpiling an alarming cache of firearms,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta's Athens office. "The FBI and our partners will continue pursuing the organizations that profit from addiction and violence, and we will use every available investigative tool to remove these threats from our communities.” Josue Serda, 26, of Jefferson, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine on premises where a person under 18 was present, and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance and faces a maximum of life in prison. Gregory Robinson, 32, of Athens, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison. A third defendant, Ariel Collins, 32, of Athens, was found not guilty of one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. The trial began on Monday, June 29, and concluded on Wednesday, July 8, before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III in Athens. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system. According to the filed indictment, court documents, and statements made in court, FBI led an investigation beginning in 2024 into Serda and Robinson’s criminal activities distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine from a Mexican cartel into the Athens community. For example, in September and October 2024, Serda was recorded distributing fentanyl at least four times. Serda photographed holding a kilogram of fentanyl (left) and Robinson posing with drug proceeds in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v. Serda. Thirteen enforcement agencies executed search warrants in this case during the early morning hours of Aug. 26, 2025, including at Serda’s home in Jefferson, Georgia. Serda refused to exit the home. Serda is a convicted felon and has a history of threatening law enforcement officers. For instance, on Dec. 18, 2015, Serda was convicted in the Superior Court of Jackson County, Georgia, for terroristic threats. In that case, Serda threatened a police officer, stating he was going to contact “his cartel” to come to the officer’s house to “cut [his] family up.” Serda with firearm over a sleeping infant in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v Serda. More recently, Serda was arrested on June 20, 2025, by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office after he and his girlfriend were found passed out in his vehicle with narcotics paraphernalia in plain view and a Glock 9mm pistol in the glovebox. Serda’s comments to the deputy during that incident were captured on video: “You better look up my record bro, I beat police up bro. I been in prison…I ain’t scared of no police bro.” During the attempt to arrest Serda on Aug. 26, 2025, his girlfriend told FBI SWAT that Serda was informing the cartel in Mexico that the FBI was at his residence. Serda made an outgoing WhatsApp call to his co-defendant and drug supplier in Mexico, Alicio Yanez-Pineda aka “Cochito,” at 6:06 a.m. on the morning of his arrest. Serda informed Yanez-Pineda that the FBI was at his home and that the truck scheduled to deliver narcotics to Serda’s home later in the day should “turn around.” Serda with a purported grenade launcher in a social media post expressing his loyalty to the cartel in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v Serda. When he was successfully taken into custody, his residence was searched, and he was found to be in possession of numerous weapons, including armor piercing ammunition. As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized 26 firearms; 26 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $780,000; 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl with an estimated street value of $60,000; approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine; 5.14 ounces of crack cocaine; 2.4 pounds of marijuana; 128 controlled pharmaceuticals; and $63,532 in cash. An additional 14 defendants are federally charged in this case. For more information, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/seventeen-charged-alleged-fentanyl-cocaine-distribution-ring-athens . An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. 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. The FBI-Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case in partnership with FBI-Atlanta, FBI-Birmingham, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Sandy Springs Police Department, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government. ###


title: South Carolina Man Sentenced for Setting Fire to Central Georgia Church

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A South Carolina Man who maliciously set fire to a church in Byron, Georgia, was sentenced to prison today. Luke Andrew Westefeld, 35, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 9 by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell after he pleaded guilty to one count of malicious use of fire on April 6. There is no parole in the federal system. “Setting fire to a house of worship is a deeply destructive act in a community,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “By working together with local, state, and federal law enforcement, we will hold offenders accountable for these grievous crimes.” “The act of setting fire to a place of worship is not just an attack on a building, it’s an assault on the community's spirit,” said ATF Atlanta’s Resident Agent in Charge Robert W. Davis. “We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure justice is served.” “This case was solved thanks to the crucial assistance provided to us by our law enforcement partners at ATF, GBI, the State Fire Marshals, and the Centerville Police Department,” said Byron Police Chief Wesley Cannon. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia for their diligence in securing the guilty plea. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together for a successful outcome, and we know the citizens of Byron appreciate everyone's efforts.” According to court documents and statements in court, Westefeld approached a few Byron United Methodist Church (now Byron Heritage Church) members who were standing in the church’s parking lot on West Heritage Boulevard in Byron after their choir practice on Aug. 20, 2024. Westefeld asked for water, which the women declined, telling officers they were concerned about their safety. Later that night, Westefeld broke into the church and became upset when he saw unlit candlesticks on the altar. Westefeld believed the candlesticks should remain lit through the night. He said he noticed that the Bible on the pulpit was opened to Ezekiel 24:21, which spoke of the desecration of the sanctuary due to sin. Westefeld took it as a sign for him to burn the Church. Westefeld lit the candlesticks and burned the American and Methodist flags in the sanctuary. Westefeld then went to the Church office next to the sanctuary and found cash and checks. Westefeld said his “anger level reached a 10” because he believed the money should be deposited in a bank. Westefeld took the cash for himself. He then saw food in the office pantry and became even more enraged, believing it should be given to the poor. For these reasons, Westefeld set the Church’s office on fire. Westefeld then stole a plastic gas can from a nearby home, planning to siphon gasoline out of the Church’s van to use as an accelerant. The van was parked and locked behind the Church. Westefeld was unable to retrieve the gasoline, so he stuffed his white shirt in the gas cap of the van and set it on fire. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Fire Marshals, and the Byron Police Department investigated the case, along with assistance from the Centerville Police Department and the GBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch prosecuted the case for the Government.