title: Danville Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Multiple Drug Charges, Including Drug-Induced Homicide

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Marcus “Slim” McKinney, 50, was sentenced on August 14, 2026, to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on three drug trafficking charges, including his involvement in a drug conspiracy that resulted in the overdose death of Maggie Avelar on August 19, 2023, and the overdose of another victim who suffered serious bodily harm on April 15, 2023. McKinney was also sentenced to forty years of imprisonment on another drug trafficking charge and twenty years of imprisonment on separate charges for maintaining drug-involved premises, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the judge considered evidence from McKinney’s November 2025 jury trial showing that McKinney was released by the federal Bureau of Prisons to an address on South State Street in Danville, Illinois, on April 6, 2023, on conditions of home confinement, including location monitoring with an ankle monitor. From that date until his arrest in Springfield, Illinois, on June 26, 2024, McKinney conspired with others to distribute crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, including exchanging the drugs with women for sex. The jury found that over the weekend of April 15, 2023, McKinney distributed an opioid to a woman who overdosed and would have died if not treated with Narcan, an opioid reversal agent, by the Danville Fire Department and paramedics with Arrow Ambulance. McKinney had falsely told the woman the substance only contained cocaine. The trial evidence showed that same weekend three other people overdosed on drugs provided by McKinney, including another fatal overdose. McKinney continued using the South State Street residence for the use and distribution of illegal drugs until he moved to Kentucky Avenue in Danville later that summer. The trial evidence further established that McKinney used the premises on Kentucky Avenue to continue his ongoing drug conspiracy, including using and distributing drugs from the residence. The trial jury found that on August 19, 2023, McKinney distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl – a mixture McKinney referred to as a “Hot Shot” – to Avelar, resulting in her death at the Kentucky Avenue home. The next morning, McKinney and his brother, James “Brownski” Young, engaged in obstruction of justice by lying to the Danville Police Department about the circumstances surrounding Avelar’s death to attempt to avoid law enforcement learning about McKinney’s true involvement in the overdose. A DVR surveillance system seized from the residence and played at trial showed McKinney and Young discussing their plan to mislead the police and then their subsequent lies. Young was previously sentenced to 68 months of imprisonment for obstruction of justice, as well as his own drug trafficking activities. In September of 2023, the Bureau of Prisons required McKinney to go to a halfway house located in Springfield, Illinois, due to violations of his conditions of home confinement in Danville. McKinney continued his drug distribution conspiracy in Springfield, including distributing over one pound of methamphetamine to a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source on June 20, 2024. Six days later, DEA agents seized over two pounds of methamphetamine and over five kilograms of cocaine from storage lockers in Springfield that McKinney had opened under the confidential source’s name. The jury further found that McKinney engaged in witness tampering in January of 2025 while his federal charges were pending, when he wrote a letter to a potential witness urging her to contact McKinney’s attorney and falsely say that other witnesses were lying about McKinney’s drug activities and were trying to get her to lie as well. At Friday’s sentencing hearing, Maggie Avelar’s sister addressed McKinney, telling him “You robbed [Maggie’s’s] parents of their daughter, her siblings of their sister, her nieces and nephews of their aunt, and most importantly, you robbed her son of his mother. . . . She was the person I looked up to as a little girl – the one who brushed my hair, cooked me dinner, and comforted me when I needed it most. She was a loving mother to the luckiest boy, a boy who has been robbed of the honor of having his mother here today.” In requesting a life sentence, the United States stressed that McKinney had five prior felony drug trafficking convictions, including two prior federal convictions, and that McKinney was still completing a previously imposed eight-year federal drug trafficking sentence and wearing an ankle location monitor when he committed these numerous crimes, which resulted in multiple overdoses, including the death of Avelar. The United States also argued that McKinney had never apologized to or expressed remorse for all the people his crimes had hurt. At sentencing, Judge Bruce overruled McKinney’s objection to the mandatory life sentence, finding that he was required to impose a life sentence based on McKinney’s drug conspiracy conviction, his prior felony drug offenses, and the jury findings that McKinney distributed drugs that resulted in serious bodily injury and death. In imposing three life sentences for three of McKinney’s drug trafficking convictions, Judge Bruce noted that McKinney’s conduct showed that he “doesn’t care” about his crimes or the people he hurt. “Opioids, such as heroin and fentanyl, pose an extreme peril to human life. The defendant’s distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine secretly mixed with fentanyl resulted in multiple overdose deaths and shows a chilling disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “Our office is dedicated to pursing justice for victims of drug trafficking and to protecting our communities from those, like the defendant, who seek to sow harm. We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their invaluable work on this case.” “Marcus McKinney turned addiction into a business model and human life into collateral damage,” said Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “Even while under federal supervision, he pushed poison into our communities, left victims and families devastated, and then tried to obstruct justice. HSI and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who profit from addiction, violence, and death, and we will not stop until they are held accountable.” The case investigation was conducted by the Danville Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; the Illinois State Police; the Springfield Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the United States at trial and sentencing.


title: Tucson Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Santiago Luis Valencia, Jr., 36, of Tucson, was sentenced earlier this month by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 87 months in prison. Valencia previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter. On June 15, 2024, Valencia assaulted the victim at a private residence on the Pascua Yaqui Tribe after initiating a physical altercation. During the fight, the victim suffered a head injury that resulted in his death the following day. Both Valencia and the victim were enrolled members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04265-TUC-JGZ RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-140_Valencia # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Moises Gabriel Castillo, Jr., 40, of Weatherford, Texas, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Castillo previously pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person, Causing Serious Bodily Injury and Resulting in Death. On July 24, 2024, Castillo, an interstate truck driver, caused a collision between the commercial semi-truck he was driving and another semi-truck on Interstate 10 near Rita Road, Tucson. At the time, Castillo was transporting four passengers inside his truck who were later determined to be illegal aliens, unlawfully present in the United States. During the crash, one passenger was ejected and two others, one of whom was 16 years old, suffered serious bodily injury. The ejected passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. The surviving aliens stated they were paying to be smuggled further into the United States, and Castillo admitted that he expected to be paid for transporting them. Homeland Security Investigations and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-07586-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-139_Castillo # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Phoenix Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $1 Million in PPP Loans

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – A Phoenix man who received over $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by submitting fraudulent applications was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jamar Johnson, 54, previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud. Johnson admitted that he submitted false applications in order to obtain PPP loans on behalf of his entity, CBL Worldwide II. For example, in one of the applications, Johnson stated that the company had 73 employees and over $4.8 million in annual payroll expenses. In reality, CBL Worldwide II had zero employees and no payroll expenses. As a result of his fraudulent misrepresentations, Johnson received two PPP loans totaling $1,007,650. Johnson spent the money on himself, including by purchasing cryptocurrency, a vehicle, and cosmetic dentistry. At sentencing, Johnson was ordered to pay full restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief under the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with substantial assistance from the SBA, Office of Inspector General. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00738-PHX-SHD RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-141_Johnson # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of Seismic Software Inc. and Highspot Inc.

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. of the U.S. Department of Justice issued the following statement today in connection with the closing of the Antitrust Division’s investigation into the proposed merger between Seismic Software, Inc. (Seismic) and Highspot Inc. (Highspot): “After a targeted review of key competitive questions, the Antitrust Division made the decision to close its investigation, reducing the Second Request compliance burden on the merging companies. The resolution of this matter using a targeted approach is an excellent example of the Antitrust Division efficiently reviewing a proposed merger with an expedited focus on key dispositive issues.” On Feb. 12, Seismic and Highspot announced that they had signed a definitive agreement to merge. Both firms offer sales enablement software platforms to businesses. The Antitrust Division opened an investigation and issued Second Requests to the merging companies. “Merging companies often claim that AI is a disruptive force and rationale for consolidation among close competitors in industries subject to historically high barriers to entry,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General G. Charles Beller of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “The Division critically evaluates such claims based on the facts in each individual case, including reviewing whether ordinary-course documents and data from the merging companies and third parties substantiate such claims.” Based on the particular facts surrounding Seismic and Highspot’s proposed merger, the Division and the merging parties entered into a timing agreement that prioritized the production of evidence the Division considered to be relevant to AI entry and repositioning. The Division used this and other material to evaluate its concerns and the merging companies’ arguments. Over the course of the following three months, the Division conducted a thorough investigation, reviewing documents, analyzing data, and interviewing industry participants. In particular, the Division analyzed whether the proposed merger may harm competition for sales enablement software platforms. Although the merging companies and other legacy providers have competed in this space without meaningful entry from larger, more diversified tech companies operating in adjacent markets, the Division considered whether entry from newer, AI-native firms may be timely, likely, and sufficient to make any risk of harm to competition unlikely. Multiple types of evidence indicated that AI-native firms are growing quickly to win sales enablement software platform customers and are increasing competitive pressure on legacy providers. Following this review, the Division decided that its investigation could be closed.


title: Former West Virginia Sheriff’s Office Deputy Indicted for Alleged Deprivation of Rights of Inmate

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A deputy with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office was charged yesterday in an indictment with one count of alleged deprivation of rights under color of law arising out of his alleged sexual assault of a female inmate in his custody. According to the indictment, on July 29, 2025, Cass Aaron Close, 56, violated the civil rights of the victim when he sexually assaulted her. At the time of the assault, Close was on duty as a Kanawha County Sheriff’s deputy and the victim was in his custody at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex. If convicted of all the charges, Close faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office with assistance from the West Virginia State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Herrald for the Southern District of West Virginia and Trial Attorneys Cassandra Hughes and Tenette Smith of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.


title: Alabama Man Charged with Preparing False Tax Returns

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama returned an indictment today charging an Alabama man with preparing false and fraudulent tax returns for others and filing false and fraudulent tax returns for himself. “As alleged, Mr. Shine orchestrated a sweeping tax fraud scheme that exploited federal energy‑credit programs and siphoned tens of millions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Tax preparers have a responsibility to help their clients comply with the law—not to misuse the tax system for personal gain. The Justice Department will continue to work closely with the IRS to pursue those who prepare or file knowingly false returns and to protect the integrity of our tax system.” “The defendant engaged in an alleged scheme to defraud the United States by preparing false tax returns,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr, of the Northern District of Alabama. “With the establishment of the Department’s Fraud Enforcement Division focused on combating fraud, we are strengthening our efforts to investigate and prosecute those who seek to defraud our government. We will use every resource available to hold these individuals accountable and protect the citizens of the Northern District of Alabama.” “The Michael Shine case is a clear example of how fraud harms honest taxpayers and erodes trust in the system,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “By partnering closely with the Department of Justice’s Fraud Enforcement Division, IRS Criminal Investigation can bring advanced investigative tools and nationwide expertise to bear against schemes that threaten the financial integrity of the United States. This collaboration ensures that individuals who exploit government programs for personal gain are swiftly identified, investigated, and brought to justice. Together, we are protecting American taxpayers, safeguarding public funds, and reinforcing confidence that our institutions will hold fraudsters accountable, no matter the size or complexity of their schemes.” According to the indictment, between 2021 and 2026, Michael Shine, 55, of Birmingham, owned a tax preparation business named “Shine’s Professional Services.” Shine allegedly prepared or assisted in the preparation of false tax returns for clients. The tax returns allegedly contained false information about whether the clients had qualified geothermal heat pump property costs. As a result of this allegedly false information, the clients received tax refunds that they were not entitled to receive. Shine allegedly changed and continued with his scheme after the IRS executed a search warrant at his tax preparation business. Shine also allegedly filed false and fraudulent personal income tax returns for himself. These returns allegedly underreported Shine’s income from his tax preparation business, among other falsities. Shine and his business allegedly filed tax returns claiming tax refunds totaling more than $70 million, of which $65 million was paid out. Agents believe that the vast majority of these refunds were predicated on false returns. Shine is charged with 30 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and three counts of filing a false tax return. If convicted, Shine faces up to three years in prison for each false return count. Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. for the Northern District of Alabama made the announcement. Trial Attorney Isaiah Boyd III of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Allison Garnett are prosecuting the case. This indictment follows a federal complaint where Shine was arrested for the same conduct. A federal criminal complaint is a sworn, preliminary charge filed by a prosecutor and a law enforcement officer seeking an arrest warrant. After a complaint, the federal grand jury considers the evidence and, if it finds probable cause, indicts on the formal felony charge. A complaint and an indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: 764 Extremist Group Member Sentenced to 77 Years in Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Distribution of Animal Crushing Videos

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Kyle William Spitze, 27, of Friendsville, TN was sentenced today to 77 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and possessing and accessing with the intent to view CSAM. Following his imprisonment, he was also sentenced to lifetime supervised release and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions. “The Department has pledged to take out online predator networks and today’s sentence is one step toward justice for the families and children harmed by 764,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These types of crimes are the worst of the worst: preying on vulnerable children in the name of a violent and twisted ideology. Federal law enforcement will not stop until nihilistic violent extremist groups and their depraved members are identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that this FBI and our Department of Justice partners will relentlessly hold accountable any individual who preys on children,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As we’ve made clear from the beginning: this FBI is laser focused on identifying, locating, and arresting any participants in Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks – and we have dedicated personnel across all 50 states working on these high priority investigations. We arrested 500% more NVE offenders with our partners last year for a reason – because we have a renewed mission to bring these predators to justice, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. I want to thank our FBI Nashville Field Office and the Knoxville Resident Agency who pursued this case and succeeded in bringing justice to the victims and their families.” “Spitze is one of the original members of the nihilistic violent extremist groups ‘Harm Nation’ and ‘764,’ and was committed to bringing about the downfall of society through terrorism, specifically by targeting children and other vulnerable people and extorting them to engage in criminal sexual conduct, self-harm, and mass casualty events,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence of 77 years, the longest federal sentence ever imposed on a nihilistic violent extremist, sends a strong message that civil society will not tolerate such depravity. The National Security Division will work tirelessly with our law-enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these predators and keep our children safe from this new form of terrorism.” “This sentence reflects the abhorrent nature of the defendant’s crimes, which targeted impressionable children and caused unimaginable harm,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “NVE members and leaders are a threat to our communities, and our office is committed to prosecuting those individuals to the fullest extent.” “Employing and pressuring children, among the most vulnerable members of our society, to produce sexually explicit and harmful material is unconscionable,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, will relentlessly pursue those associated with Nihilistic Violent Extremism networks who target and exploit children. We will use every lawful tool available to disrupt and dismantle these networks, prevent the spread of their depraved ideology, and protect children from further harm.” Spitze, also known as “Crimhn,” “Criminal,” and “Criminaloli,” was a member of the NVE group “764,” and an administrator of the 764 network “HarmNation.” NVE groups such as 764 and HarmNation use online social media platforms to produce and distribute extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material depicting vulnerable, juvenile populations; often conducting group, coordinated extortion of under-aged victims to comply with the groups’ depraved and perverse demands. In December of 2023, the FBI started looking into tips that HarmNation members were distributing child sexual abuse material. Spitze was identified as one of those members and found to have hosted a social media channel where he uploaded images and videos of nude minor girls who had self-mutilated with cuts and gashes, with variations of Spitze’s “Crim” or “Criminal” monikers written in blood on themselves or carved into their bodies. The channel also hosted images of animal mutilation, with a variation of “Crim” written in the images. In February of 2024, investigators obtained a search warrant for Spitze’s cellphone, which contained similar images and videos, particularly of two minor victims, one of which had written “crim” on her chest scrawled in her own blood. The minor victim later admitted to FBI that she was threatened by Spitze to produce the images for him to upload on a separate social media channel. Spitze admitted to investigators that he had a terrorist motive in committing his crimes. Spitze pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child sexual exploitation material, one count of abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and one count of possessing and accessing with the intent to view child sexual exploitation material. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman for the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided assistance. The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of NVE networks like 764 that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”


title: Wyoming U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice work to ensure election integrity

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming, in coordination with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, is monitoring polling sites in Wyoming to ensure transparency, ballot security, and strict compliance with federal voting rights statutes. “Voters deserve absolute confidence that their ballots are secure and their voices are heard without interference,” Wyoming’s U.S. Attorney Darin Smith said. “We are working alongside local officials to ensure every lawful vote is protected.” The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces various federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Acts. Justice Department personnel are available to assist the public. You can submit questions, complaints, or federal election monitoring requests directly to the Voting Section at VEM@usdoj.gov.


title: Repeat offender sentenced to eleven years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A repeat offender, who continued to deal methamphetamine and cocaine in Thurston County even as he was on supervised release from a prior conviction, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 132 months in prison, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. 40-year-old David Nathaniel Hoffman, aka “Fat Nate,” was arrested on August 8, 2025, following three incidents in March and July 2025 when law enforcement confirmed he sold methamphetamine. When he was taken into custody, Hoffman had cocaine and a firearm with the serial number removed. Hoffman is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2019 federal conviction for drug trafficking and assaulting a fellow federal inmate resulting in serious bodily injury. According to records filed in the case, Hoffman was released from a 64-month sentence for drug trafficking in August 2024. While on federal supervision, he quickly returned to drug use and drug trafficking and absconded from supervision. When he appeared before his sentencing judge, he was jailed for two months for his supervision violations. On May 1, 2025, he started federal supervision a second time and continued to sell drugs resulting in the arrest on August 8, 2025. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright said that Hoffman had exhibited a “long-standing pattern of drug distribution and criminal conduct, including while on federal supervised release, which shows disregard for the law.” It was during a July 15, 2025, drug deal in a motel parking lot that Hoffman told a confidential source that he was the most “well known drug dealer in the County.” In September 2025 Hoffman was indicted for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. He pled guilty in April 2026 to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. He also admitted to conspiring to distribute suboxone within the federal prison where he served his previous federal sentence. In asking for a 144-month sentence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Crisham wrote, “Hoffman has been a pernicious presence in Thurston and Mason Counties. Simply put, whenever Hoffman is not in custody, he continues to distribute large amounts of dangerous drugs…. As evidenced by his comments to the confidential source, he has significant criminal contacts and larger-scale sources to supply him with controlled substances. Hoffman also exhibits complete disregard for the law and the Court by selling drugs and ignoring the terms of his supervision.” Judge Cartwright sentenced Hoffman to a ten-year sentence on the drug trafficking and firearms convictions and an additional 12-months for his eight violations of supervised release on his prior drug trafficking conviction. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Olympia and Lacey Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Crisham.


title: DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women awards $2.3 million to Seattle-area non-profits and Muckleshoot Tribe to provide services to abuse survivors

body_text: Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women has awarded grants totaling more than $2.3 million for services to survivors of sexual assault, abuse, and stalking, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Two non-profit organizations and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe received the grants. Three of the grants were awarded to API CHAYA, a survivor-led organization focused on serving survivors of sexual violence, human trafficking, and domestic violence from Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, Asian, and South Asian communities. “These federal dollars go directly to service providers who have experience working on issues of sexual assault and abuse in their communities,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “These grants recognize their expertise and community connections that enhance this work.” API CHAYA received $1.4 million spread over three grants: $600,000 is to provide training and services to those who are deaf and/or disabled and may be the victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual assault and abuse by caregivers. $500,000 to support and expand existing community-based programs providing service to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The work will also develop culturally specific programs for victims who face obstacles in traditional programs. $384,000 to provide crisis response, create safety plans, and organize support groups for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Consejo Counseling and Referral Service based in Renton, Washington, was awarded $384,000 to coordinate safety planning for sexual assault survivors, do crisis intervention and safety planning and support victims though the law enforcement process. Finally, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe was awarded $449,936 aimed at protecting seniors from abuse. The grant provides training for law enforcement and other personnel on recognizing abuse in later life. The project will develop protocols for identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and adjudicating cases of abuse involving victims 50-years-old or older.


title: Federal Jury Finds New Braunfels Man Guilty of Trafficking Thousands of Firearms to Mexico

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

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Demonstrating the continued effectiveness of the Homeland Security Task Force, a federal jury convicted a New Braunfels man on Monday for seven counts related to the smuggling of firearm parts into Mexico and conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Chandler Britain Bradford, 37, engaged in a multimillion-dollar scheme to illegally provide thousands of semi-automatic rifles to a Mexican citizen who resided in the Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico area. Bradford supplied enough firearm parts to arm the recipient with approximately 5,700 semi-automatic rifles, despite not having a license to export firearm parts from the United States to Mexico. Evidence presented throughout the trial proved that Bradford provided his co-conspirator with the parts, tools, and counsel needed to facilitate a full firearm manufacturing enterprise in northern Mexico, and that Bradford received more than $3.5 million from his co-conspirator. “Chandler Bradford played a key role in a complex scheme, knowing that drug cartels were using the firearms he smuggled to secure their territory and the routes they routinely use to push drugs into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Like the drug cartels, Bradford only cared about the money he was making through his criminal activity and cared nothing about the many American lives that would be harmed as a result of his operation. On the other side of this fight, I’m proud of our law enforcement partners and our Assistant U.S. Attorneys who woke up every day during the course of this prosecution fully committed to the mission of the Department of Justice and the entire United States government to aggressively pursue anyone who supports the operations of Mexican drug cartels. Their commitment to consistently do the next right thing was essential in this case and in every case because that commitment ensures that this country is one where Americans can live their lives, enjoy the blessings of liberty, and pursue happiness.” “This conviction demonstrates the consequences of illegally trafficking firearms and firearm components across our borders,” said ATF Houston Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel. “The defendant provided the means and expertise to facilitate the illegal manufacture of thousands of firearms for a criminal market in Mexico, all for financial gain. ATF will continue to work alongside our federal, local, and international partners to dismantle those who profit from these illicit activities.” Julio Gomez-Mendoza is a federally indicted fugitive. Anyone with information as to their whereabouts is encouraged to call the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives tipline at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or email ATF at ATFTips@ATF.gov. A federal jury delivered its verdict late Monday afternoon, ending a weeklong trial and convicting Bradford of one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, one count of conspiracy to transfer firearms for use in a felony, four counts of aiding and abetting the smuggling of goods from the United States, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Bradford faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Octavio Quiroga-Trevino is a federally indicted fugitive. Anyone with information as to their whereabouts is encouraged to call the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives tipline at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or email ATF at ATFTips@ATF.gov. Two co-defendants, Jose Francisco Garcia-Cervantes and Ricardo Rodriguez-Sotelo, were sentenced to federal prison in January 2025 . Co-defendants Troy Vernon Erbe and Jesus Guzman-Delgado have pleaded guilty. Two additional co-conspirators charged in the case, Julio Gomez-Mendoza and Octavio Quiroga-Trevino, remain fugitives at large. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Nowinski and Ryan Groomer are prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. ###


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Armed Business Robberies

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Clayton Bratcher, 25 , has been sentenced to fourteen years and one day in prison following his convictions for multiple armed robberies of fast-food restaurants in Memphis. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to court documents, officers with the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force responded to three separate armed business robberies at fast food locations (two McDonald’s locations and a Taco Bell) in the late night through early morning hours, between July 8 th and July 9 th of 2023. In each instance an individual, later identified as Clayton Bratcher, placed an order in the drive-through. After approaching the window, Bratcher pointed a firearm at employees through the drive-through window and demanded money from the cash register. Bratcher was developed as a suspect through social media and tips from citizens after a media release. Initially, Bratcher was indicted on each robbery by the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office in state court. However, as part of a plea agreement, two of the three robberies were dismissed by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, and Bratcher was sentenced to eight years in state prison as a result. To properly vindicate the interests of the United States, prevent a manifestly inadequate sentence, and protect public safety, the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to hold Bratcher accountable under federal law. Bratcher was later indicted by a federal grand jury for the two robberies that were dismissed by the District Attorney’s office. Bratcher was convicted of the federal offenses after pleading guilty on March 31, 2026. On August 14, 2026, Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Bratcher to fourteen years and one day of federal imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The federal sentence was ordered to run consecutive to Bratcher’s previously imposed eight-year state sentence, for an overall effective twenty-two-year sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Bratcher’s misguided and impulsive violent crime spree is over. His lifestyle of lawlessness and selfish greed terrorized multiple victims – and has rightly earned him significant sentences in both federal and state prison that will remove him from the community and protect Memphians for years to come." "Armed robbery is not simply a theft; it is a violent crime that creates fear throughout the community and puts innocent lives in danger,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Today's sentence sends a clear message that the FBI is committed to investigating violent crime and working with our law enforcement partners to hold repeat offenders accountable at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no possibility for parole.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD) Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Regina Brittenum and Gavin A. Smith prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates


title: Pittsburgh Man Sentenced for Deposit of Stolen and Altered U.S. Treasury Check

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $30,471.80 on his convictions for uttering counterfeit obligations or securities and theft of government property, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Andre Pitts, 21. According to information presented to the Court, on June 12, 2023, Pitts deposited an altered version of a U.S. Treasury check in the amount of $62,211. The check had been issued in February 2023 to another individual related to that person’s income tax return, with the memo line of the check identifying both the individual and tax year of 2021. The payee information and memo line of the deposited check had been altered to identify Pitts, his residence, and a tax year of 2022. Following his deposit of the altered check, Pitts quickly made several transactions, including withdrawing $500 in cash and having a $25,000 cashier’s check issued to himself. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Rivetti commended the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Office of Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pitts.


title: Ontario man going to prison for drug conspiracy

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Mohamed Patel, 40, of Ontario, CA, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute morphine, was sentenced to serve 42 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Between October 2019 and September 11, 2024, Patel conspired with co-defendant Bashir Kasozi, and others, to possess with intent to distribute morphine. Patel arranged for bulk quantities of morphine tablets to be imported into the United States from India and paid multiple individuals in the Western District of New York to receive the controlled substances and store them at their residences. Subsequently, Patel employed Kasozi, a truck driver, to retrieve the morphine tablets and deliver them via tractor trailer across the border to him in Ontario, Canada. On August 22, 2024, 62 packages of morphine tablets were delivered from India to the Western District of New York. On August 23, 2024, Kasozi, acting at the direction of Patel, entered the United States to collect the packages. That evening, Kasozi arrived at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry with a tractor trailer, with the 62 morphine packages concealed. During his outbound inspection, Kasozi told Customs and Border Protection that he had been in the United States for three days, and that he was coming from Massachusetts with a load of paper, and did not have anything to declare, including prescription or nonprescription narcotics. During a secondary inspection, the 62 packages were discovered and Kasozi was arrested. On August 30, 2024, Patel arranged for an additional 26 to 28 morphine packages to be received in the Western District of New York, which he would pick up in the United States. On September 11, 2024, Patel traveled from Canada to the United States, arriving at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry. Patel did not retrieve the morphine packages as scheduled and was taken into custody upon attempting to return to Canada. Patel admitted that between October 2019 and September 22, 2024, he imported multiple shipments of morphine tablets into the United States from locations in India, and that a number of those shipments were seized by law enforcement at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City, FedEx, the Canadian border, and from various individuals in the Western District of New York. Bashir Kasozi was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone. # # # #


title: Prolific Chinese Money Launderer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Laundering Drug Trafficking Proceeds Following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ARLOTTE, N.C. — A Chinese national was sentenced today in the Western District of North Carolina by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez to 15 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $25 million for his role in a Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO) that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico. “Chinese money laundering networks have become a key enabler to the Mexican cartels,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The organization eliminated by this prosecution alone laundered more than $90 million in less than two years. This emerging and enormous threat to the United States has only become more complex. As part of our mission to totally eliminate cartels, the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will investigate and prosecute all facets of cartel activity, including those groups that launder and return the money to them so that they can traffic more poison in our country and throughout the world.” “We are working hard to attack cartels on all fronts,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina. “That means attacking the money laundering networks that fuel the cartels and hide their money, making it harder to prosecute them. This is an important step in eliminating cartels — a key priority in my office.” “Today’s sentence reinforces an important principle, criminal organizations cannot operate without access to their profits,” said Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “Those who knowingly assist in concealing and legitimizing drug trafficking proceeds become an integral part of the criminal enterprise. This case demonstrates the continued commitment of the Homeland Security Task Force and our law enforcement partners to attacking these organizations at every level and holding accountable those who facilitate their operations.” According to court documents, Jianfei Lu, 31, of China, was a prolific courier of the CMLO. He collected drug trafficking proceeds from U.S.-based drug traffickers and deposited the money, using both real and fake identities, into shell company bank accounts registered by other members of the CMLO. As a courier, Lu personally picked up and deposited more than $20 million of illicit bulk cash. Lu also served as a manager for the CMLO: he coordinated directly with U.S.-based drug traffickers and dispatched other couriers to conduct bulk cash pickups and deposits. In addition, Lu procured fake driver’s licenses for the couriers, which were used to deposit illicit funds at major U.S. banks. Approximately $670,000 of U.S. currency and 12 firearms seized from a Designated Terrorist Organization that used the CMLO for money laundering services. In July 2025, Lu pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and two counts of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. In connection to his guilty plea, Lu admitted that he had actual knowledge and involvement in laundering between $25 million and $65 million in illicit funds, and that he knew the laundered funds included drug trafficking proceeds. The DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Mingda Hang, Jayce Born, and Kenneth Kaplan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Miller and Seth Johnson for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case. MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations. MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations. 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.


title: Gaston County “Fence” Sentenced for Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ronald Dale Lynn, 58, formerly of Gaston County, was sentenced to 30 months in prison today for interstate transportation of stolen property, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Lynn was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release. According to filed documents, from 2019 to 2025, Lynn operated a fencing scheme in which he purchased stolen and fraudulently obtained retail merchandise and resold it for a profit through online marketplaces, including eBay, Amazon, and Walmart Marketplace, to customers in the United States and abroad. In the retail theft scheme, Lynn operated as a “fence,” a person who knowingly receives stolen or fraudulently obtained goods from “boosters” for resale at a profit. Boosters are individuals who steal or fraudulently obtain retail merchandise and sell it to a fence. Lynn operated his fencing scheme, in part, from a physical storefront in a commercial strip mall on Wilkinson Boulevard in Charlotte. The storefront had no signage and was not open to the public. Instead, it served primarily as a drop-off and processing location for stolen merchandise. Court records show that much of the merchandise Lynn sold online consisted of new or near-new health and beauty products, including proprietary beauty products sold exclusively by national retail brands. The products were sold at prices significantly below those charged by legitimate retailers. In January 2025, the U.S. Secret Service executed a search warrant on Lynn’s storefront and other locations, seizing stolen or fraudulently obtained merchandise with an estimated value of approximately $414,056. The total losses attributable to Lynn as part of the fencing scheme are between $1.5 and $3.5 million. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Secret Service for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Costa Rican National Sentenced to 20 Years for Leading a Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Costa Rican national was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison terms imposed, Ronald Corrales-Arrieta, 48, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release after he is released from prison. According to court documents and proceedings, Corrales-Arrieta operated a car repair business in Hickory, North Carolina. Corrales-Arrieta used his business to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl. Law enforcement became aware of the defendant’s drug distribution organization on April 15, 2023, after Hickory Police Department officers found a missing man deceased inside Corrales-Arrieta’s business surrounded by hundreds of grams of fentanyl. After finding the decedent in Corrales-Arrieta’s business, investigators used a confidential informant (CI) to purchase drugs from Corrales-Arrieta’s drug trafficking organization on several occasions. Corrales-Arrieta made many of the drug sales himself and used Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States to facilitate other sales. Corrales-Arrieta even coordinated some drug sales from Costa Rica. Investigators arrested Corrales-Arrieta on October 18, 2024. Following his arrest, agents searched Corrales-Arrieta’s business, finding two firearms: a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle and a Taurus 9mm Handgun. Corrales-Arrieta is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Department of Homeland Security and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an 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 CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP), United States ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the North Carolina Insurance Bureau, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the Nash Count Sheriff’s Office, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick Count Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Kannapolis Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Huntersville Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Pineville Police Department, the Stallings Police Department, the Kings Mountain Police Department, the Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Anderson City Police Department, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Airport Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Summerville Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s office, the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Eden Police Department, the Piedmont Triad Internal Airport Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of North and South Carolina.


title: Jury Convicts Kansas City Woman for Fraud Related to Social Security Administration Benefits

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was found guilty by a federal jury for stealing federal benefits. Divianys Morales-Alvarez, 50, was found guilty of two counts of theft of government funds, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. In 2024, the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (“SSA-OIG”) received a report of a retirement beneficiary living in Cuba in substandard conditions. This beneficiary, R.A., had moved to Cuba upon her retirement in February of 2020. The United States Treasury does not allow government payments to individuals living in Cuba; however, SSA was not made aware of R.A.’s move so it continued to send her monthly benefits to her bank account in the United States on which her daughter, Morales-Alvarez, was a joint owner. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. From February 2020 to September 2024, SSA sent over $66,000 to that joint account. The defendant claimed she had sent $10,000 of those benefit payments in cash to Cuba to take care of her mother who was suffering from dementia. Although records show she did not travel to Cuba herself, she claimed to have sent R.A. many packages containing supplies and clothing with others who were traveling to Cuba. The evidence introduced at trial showed she sent approximately $1,600 and four to five packages containing clothes and supplies over that four-year period. Morales-Alvarez spent the remaining funds on herself including purchasing a vehicle and paying her delinquent real estate taxes. While R.A. was living in Cuba, Morales-Alvarez also intercepted United States Treasury checks made payable to R.A. for tax refunds and credits. She forged her mother’s signature on the back of the checks, deposited them into the joint account, and then transferred the majority of the money to her own savings account. She spent that money on her own living expenses including restaurants, online streaming services, and car repairs. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City deliberated for four hours before returning a guilty verdict on all four counts to U.S. District Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, August 10. Under federal statutes, Morales-Alvarez, is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda K. Hanson and Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. National Fraud Enforcement Division On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Bolivar, Missouri Woman Sentenced for Being a Felon  in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Bolivar, Mo. woman was sentenced in federal court today for her illegal possession of a firearm. Summer Gomes, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips for her conviction of being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm. This defendant was charged as part of Operation Spring Cleaning, an initiative in March led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, in coordination with law enforcement agencies across Southwest Missouri. On June 5, 2025, Gomes was contacted by law enforcement during a traffic stop for an improper display of a license plate. During that contact, Gomes consented to a search of the vehicle she drove. During the search, officers found a Jimenez Arms .22 caliber semiautomatic firearm, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and marijuana. Gomes was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by three years of post-release supervision, and payment of a $100 Special Assessment as required by law. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: West Monroe Man Convicted on Multiple Federal Drug and Firearms Charges

body_text: MONROE – On August 11, 2026, a federal jury found Donald Kelly , 44, of West Monroe, guilty of Distribution of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person; and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime after a two-day trial. Kelly faces a sentence of up to life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026. According to court records, Kelly had a prior federal Possession with Intent to Distribute crack cocaine conviction. Evidence presented at trial showed that Kelly was a Monroe-area drug trafficker who sold 112 grams of meth to a confidential source in an undercover buy. The day after the buy, agents executed a search warrant on Kelly’s residence, where they found two baggies of Methamphetamine floating in the toilet as well as two handguns and $23,700 in cash. Kelly claimed that he was a user, not a seller, despite the fact that he had no pipes or syringes in his residence. Prosecutors anticipated that Kelly would attempt to make an entrapment defense; they asked the court before trial to require the defense to present evidence supporting that claim. The Court granted the motion, eliminating Kelly’s use of that defense due to his inability to provide any basis for it. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Metro Narcotics Unit of Ouachita Parish, the Monroe Police Department (MPD), and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) investigated this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Gaskins and Amy Miller with assistance from Legal Assistants Emily Favrot, Stephanie Stewart, and Amanda Morgan. This prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 3:25‑cr‑00082‑01. ### CONTACT: Public Affairs: USALAW-News@usdoj.gov United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla X: @USAO_WDLA Facebook: USAO_WDLA (337) 262-6704


title: Hartford, Vermont Man Sentenced to 24 Months’ Imprisonment for Possession of Unregistered Silencer

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 18, 2026, Joseph Vaillancourt, 43, of Hartford, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. The sentence will run concurrent to any sentence imposed in a pending Windsor County, Vermont case. Vaillancourt previously pleaded guilty to knowing possession of the silencer in June 2026. According to court records, in November 2024, law enforcement recovered 13 firearms, the charged silencer, and over 1,200 rounds of ammunition from Vaillancourt’s apartment during execution of a search warrant on an unrelated offense. The firearms seized from the apartment have been administratively forfeited. Officers also found evidence of an apparent marijuana distribution operation in the apartment. The National Firearms Act requires registration of all silencers, including homemade silencers like the one Vaillancourt possessed. First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Hartford, Vermont Police Department, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in preparing the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles. Vaillancourt was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.


title: A Texas Inmate was Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Sex Traffick a Female Victim from Utah

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: ST. GEORGE , Utah – A Houston, Texas, inmate was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment today and a lifetime of supervised release after he attempted through threats and intimidation from behind bars to transport a victim from Utah to Texas to engage in prostitution while receiving the proceeds. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen comes after Aaron Kern, most recently of St. George, Utah, pleaded guilty on December 8, 2025, to attempted transportation for purposes of prostitution. According to court documents and statements made at Kern’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning on November 17. 2023, and continuing through December 4, 2024, Kern manipulated, intimidated and threatened his victim in an unrelenting effort to sex traffic her. His brazen efforts were recorded in jail calls, tablet visits, and text messaging. Over the course of a year, Kern contacted the victim over 1,800 times by phone and tablet. Kern developed a relationship with the victim and attempted to recruit the victim to prostitution and collect the proceeds. Kern claimed that the victim owed him money from all of the phone calls and tablet visits (he estimated it to be $10,000) and that she needed to prostitute herself to reimburse him. Kern planned to traffic the victim in Utah and, upon his release, in Houston, Texas. When the victim expressed any hesitation, Kern threatened her and members of her family with violence. On one occasion he told the victim “You are going to have a lot of days where you are drinking through a straw.” During the investigation, law enforcement found an online prostitution advertisement that Kern dictated and ordered the victim to place. In Kern’s jail cell, investigators also found a handwritten contract that he wanted the victim to sign as well as handwritten notes and journal entries describing how he needed to break the victim down. “Kern has a long and violent history of abusing women. His latest offense demonstrates that he continues to pose a serious threat to the community — especially to women — even while incarcerated,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “Individuals like Kern must remain in custody to prevent further harm to victims, their families, and the broader community.” The case was investigated by the Washington County Drug/Gang Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Curtis Atwell, 52, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2026, Atwell possessed three Winchester .410-gauge shotgun shells in Charleston. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Atwell admitted that he possessed the ammunition and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of his prior felony conviction for wanton endangerment in Kanawha County Circuit Court on July 10, 2017. Atwell further admitted that he sold the ammunition to a confidential informant and during that transaction also sold a firearm assembled using a 10.75-inch metal pipe and improvised firing mechanism designed to expel the contents of inserted shotgun shells. Atwell admitted that he demonstrated how to fire the firearm behind a business on Charleston’s West Side. Atwell also admitted that he sold the confidential informant a pipe bomb assembled from galvanized pipe, an elbow joint, end caps, and a wick. The pipe bomb was filled with explosive powder and could create a blast, expelling the contents of the pipe. Atwell is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-27. ###


title: Kanawha County Woman Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay Restitution for Wire Fraud

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kelli Rucker, also known as “Kelli Engler,” 48, of Nitro, was sentenced today to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $18,472.75 in restitution for wire fraud. According to court documents and statements made in court, Rucker was hired by the West Virginia Division of Labor as an Administrative Services Manager I in 2020 and assigned three state purchasing credit cards. From 2022 through February 2023, Rucker fraudulently made unauthorized purchases with the three cards that resulted in losses totaling $18,472.75 to the State of West Virginia. As part of her guilty plea, Rucker admitted that she knew she was not permitted to make personal purchases with a state-issued card and that she electronically paid personal expenses including gas and electric bills, hospital expenses, and cable television bills as part of her fraudulent scheme. Rucker further admitted that her fraudulent use of the cards included a $2,200 charge transmitted electronically on January 28, 2023. Rucker has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for access device fraud on October 13, 2010, and failure to appear on October 11, 2016, both in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. “Fraud — of any size and in any form — will be met with decisive action,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Every scam, from minor schemes to large scale operations, drains America’s taxpayers, stealing an estimated $233 billion to $521 billion from the federal government each year. That is unacceptable. Our office is fully committed to a coordinated, government-wide effort to combat fraud, and we will hold accountable anyone who steals from hardworking Americans. We urge every agency, partner, and citizen to stay vigilant, report suspicious activity, and join us in protecting taxpayer dollars.” Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Division of Labor. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case. On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-176. ###


title: Former Law Enforcement Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kenneth McCord, 56, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, between on or about March 4, 2024, and on or about February 4, 2025, McCord communicated using his phone with a 15-year-old male resident of California via text messages, other online messaging, and video-calling platforms. As part of his guilty plea, McCord admitted that he knew the individual was a minor male, that he persuaded and enticed the 15-year-old to send him sexually explicit images and videos of himself, and that these sexually explicit materials included live video transmissions of the minor male masturbating and displaying his genitals. McCord further admitted that between June 2024 and February 2025, he sent obscene materials including live video transmissions of himself masturbating and ejaculating to the minor male via the internet and cellular networks. McCord is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. McCord must also register as a sex offender and owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court. McCord is retired from the West Virginia State Police and was a senior investigator with the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations at the time of this offense. “This case represents a staggering and unforgivable betrayal by someone entrusted to uphold the law and safeguard the community,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Few acts demonstrate such profound moral failure. This office remains relentless and uncompromising in its duty to protect our children and to ensure every predator is brought swiftly and decisively to justice.” Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case. 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 the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-52. ###


title: Fairfield County man sentenced to prison for receiving child pornography

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Lancaster man was sentenced in federal court today to 80 months in prison for receiving child pornography. Carson A. Bigham, 24, was originally arrested on federal charges in May 2025. Bigham was charged in a bill of information filed in January 2026 with receipt of child pornography. According to court documents, law enforcement received two separate Cybertips from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to a Columbus man who was charged with federal child pornography crimes in March 2025, including exploitation of a minor. As part of their investigation, devices were seized from the Columbus man. Law enforcement’s forensic review of the devices revealed conversations between the Columbus man and Bigham. The conversations between the two men were sexual in nature and included discussions about engaging in sex with minors. Between August 2024 and May 2025, Bigham received child pornography during these discussions, including files that depicted prepubescent minors engaged in sex acts with adults. He also solicited the Columbus man for images of a fictitious female minor Bigham believed existed. Law enforcement officers learned that Bigham was at the time employed as a Columbus firefighter and photographs of Bigham match those sent to the Columbus man during their conversations. Bigham pleaded guilty in February. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; other members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force; and officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Columbus Airport Group and Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . # # #


title: Columbus registered sex offender sentenced to 22 years in prison for child pornography crimes

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ryan C. Driscoll, 42, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 264 months in prison for distributing and receiving child pornography. According to court documents, in June 2025, HSI Columbus received a tip from HSI Hague regarding Driscoll, who was communicating online with the username “diaperundiesdude.” Driscoll was a registered sex offender at the time and was a member of multiple online groups dedicated to the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Driscoll’s online activity involved child pornography depicting infants, toddlers and young children, as well as a category known as “hurtcore.” A forensic review of Driscoll’s cell phone revealed more than 1,000 videos and 800 images of child sexual abuse. Driscoll also had a former federal conviction in the Southern District of Ohio for possessing child pornography. He was sentenced in 2012 to five years in prison. Driscoll was under federal supervised release at the time of his new offense. As such, he was sentenced to an additional 10 months in prison for violating the rules of his supervised release to be served consecutively to the 22-year term of imprisonment. The defendant was charged in this current case in July 2025 and pleaded guilty in November 2025. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. # # #


title: Senior Director Of Operations Charged With Insider Trading

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Brett Skiles, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging DAVID PIDGEON with securities fraud stemming from insider trading based on misappropriated financial information belonging to his employer. PIDGEON was arrested today and will be presented in Boston, Massachusetts. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Reardon. “As alleged in the Indictment, less than one year ago, a senior official at a public company engaged in insider trading,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “When corporate insiders misuse confidential information for personal gain, they undermine the integrity of our financial system. Today’s charges—and in particular the speed with which we were able to bring them—reflect our commitment to holding accountable anyone who chooses to engage in this kind of misconduct. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the FBI and the SEC to safeguard our markets and pursue those who violate the law.” “Today’s charges underscore a fundamental principle: when individuals exploit confidential corporate information for personal gain, they undermine the integrity of our financial markets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles. “The FBI is committed to protecting investors, maintaining a free and fair market, and holding accountable anyone who attempts to profit through deception and unlawful insider trading. We will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure that those who violate these principles are brought to justice.” As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in federal court:(1) In or about October 2025, PIDGEON, then Senior Director of Operations at Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. (“TMCI”), obtained material nonpublic information about TMCI’s lower sales volume and difficulty meeting its financial projections. Days before TMCI’s third quarter earnings announcement, PIDGEON sold shares of other issuers and used the proceeds to purchase short-term put options in TMCI stock. PIDGEON’s trades occurred during a company-wide blackout period when TMCI employees were prohibited from trading in TMCI securities, and in violation of TMCI’s policies, which prohibited employees from trading in TMCI options at any time. On November 6, 2025, following market close, TMCI announced its third quarter financial results, which included a net loss of $16.3 million and downwardly adjusted 2025 revenue projections. The following day, TMCI’s stock price dropped approximately 28%. That same day, Pidgeon sold all of his TMCI options. * * * PIDGEON, 40, of Jacksonville, Florida, is charged with one count of securities fraud under Title 15 of the United States Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of securities fraud under Title 18 of the United States Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. The maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. McDonald thanked the FBI. Mr. McDonald further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney L. Heavey is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ^ As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaints and the description of the Complaints set forth herein constitutes only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.