title: After Runaway Ship Incident in 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina, Vessel Operator and Chief Engineer Sentenced

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today, a vessel operating company pleaded guilty and was sentenced, and the company’s chief engineer was sentenced to pay a fine, following a June 2024 incident where the vessel MSC Michigan VII caused the evacuation of a large bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, and created a large wake that injured two people, damaged ships and piers, and led to the clearing of local beaches. MSC Shipmanagement Limited (MSC), a vessel operating company, was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $6 million and to serve a four-year term of probation for failing to report a hazardous condition on board the containership MSC Michigan VII and to obstructing a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) investigation . MSC must also conduct a root-cause analysis of the circumstances relating to the hazardous conditions onboard the MSC Michigan VII . MSC’s chief engineer, Fernando San Diego San Juan, was sentenced to pay a $2,000 fine. He previously pleaded guilty, also for failing to report a hazardous condition and obstructing the investigation. “The hazardous condition onboard this vessel, and MSC’s failure to report it, could have ended in a fatal bridge strike as occurred months earlier in Baltimore. Had the MSC Michigan VII been heading into port instead of out to sea, the result would likely have been catastrophic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “By their reckless actions, these defendants put a coastal community, critical infrastructure, and the marine environment at risk. Congress made clear in the Ports and Waterways Safety Act that safe navigation and the protection of our waterways are matters of national importance. The Department of Justice will continue to ensure that vessel operators who violate these obligations are held accountable.” “The Charleston Harbor is the lifeblood of the iconic Lowcountry coastal region, facilitating $88 billion in economic impact to our state each year, serving thousands of local residents and welcoming millions of visitors each year,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The defendants’ actions put all of that and lives in grave danger when it disregarded maritime law in a time of potential crisis. The true heroes here are our local law enforcement, who evacuated the Ravenel bridge and local beaches, and the harbor pilot who navigated the vessel safely out to sea. Today’s sentencing reminds mariners and their operating companies that they have a responsibility to protect our waterways and communities when operating these enormous vessels.” “This guilty plea highlights the vital role that independent, rigorous law enforcement investigations play in protecting our nation's infrastructure,” said Supervisory Special Agent Brian O’Sullivan of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. “This guilty plea is a direct result of the meticulous work of CGIS special agents working closely with the Department of Justice and the local Captain of the Port. We will continue to dedicate our resources to ensuring the safety and security of the Port of Charleston.” On June 5, 2024, the MSC Michigan VII departed from Charleston. The vessel intended to travel up the Cooper River to a turning basin. Once it turned around, it was to proceed down along the Cooper River, beneath the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, and through Charleston Harbor and out to sea. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is an eight-lane, major thoroughfare that spans two-and-a-half miles and connects Charleston with Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. During this outbound transit, the linkage rod disconnected from the vessel’s governor after the MSC Michigan VII ’s crew made a manual adjustment to it. The governor regulates engine speed. Because it was not connected to its governor, the MSC Michigan VII ’s main engine could not be slowed and the vessel sped along at approximately 16-17 knots. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was evacuated over concern the vessel could strike the bridge, though it was successfully navigated under the bridge and out to sea. Local beaches were also cleared because of concern that the wake of the MSC Michigan VII could cause injuries to people on the beach, and it did injure two people. The vessel’s wake also damaged ships and piers. In pleading guilty, MSC and San Diego San Juan admitted that, on occasion, the exact revolutions per minute (rpms) ordered by the MSC Michigan VII’s bridge telegraph could only be achieved if the length of the linkage rod between the governor and fuel rack was manually adjusted. Only trained technicians should manually adjust a vessel’s governor and linkage rod, and none of the engineering crew onboard the MSC Michigan VII were qualified to make the adjustments. Despite this, when the vessel was maneuvering (entering or departing a port) the engineering crew had to pay attention to the bridge telegraph order that could be seen in the engine control room. As needed, they would go to the governor and manually adjust the length of the linkage rod until the desired rpm was reached. Additionally, bridge crewmembers would occasionally call the engine control room and request the rpms be raised or lowered to match the telegraph order. San Diego San Juan admitted that he knew that this practice was hazardous because manually adjusting the length of the linkage rod could cause it to fail. Nevertheless, he allowed the practice to continue. The nuts on both ends of the linkage rod were loosened by the MSC Michigan VII ’s engine department crew so that the rod could be more easily turned to adjust its length and, therefore, the main engine rpms. The system was designed so that on each end of the linkage rod was a locking washer that would hold the nuts in place so they could not back out. However, on the M/V MSC Michigan VII , both the upper and lower locking washers were removed and the USCG found one of the locking washers on the deck beneath the governor. Both the failure of the engine to achieve the rpms dictated by the bridge telegraph and the manual adjustment to the linkage rod during maneuvering constituted hazardous conditions that should have been but were not reported to the USCG. During their investigation, the USCG and the NTSB interviewed San Diego San Juan and asked him if the linkage rod was ever adjusted. He lied and said that the crew never adjusted the linkage rod and only a qualified technician would adjust the linkage rod. The NTSB and USCG later interviewed San Diego San Juan again and asked him whether there had been a delay between the bridge telegraph and the main engine response in the past. He lied and said there had not been. However, when he made that statement, he knew that the governor linkage rod had at previous times been manually adjusted to match the engine order telegraph input which caused a delay for the main engine to reach the desired rpm. San Diego San Juan was asked again if anyone had ever adjusted the linkage rod and he falsely answered “no.” He also stated that the crew should never adjust the linkage rod and that only a technician should adjust the linkage rod. He was asked whether he knew that the crew were making manual adjustments to the linkage rod and he lied and said that he was unaware. During the USCG inspection of the MSC Michigan VII after the incident, San Diego San Juan told another crew member that he had said to the USCG that he did not see anyone adjust the linkage rod. He told that crew member and two others to say what he had said to the USCG so they would be on “the same page.” In doing this, he was attempting to persuade these witnesses not to admit to the USCG that there had been manual adjustments to the linkage rod. The USCG Sector Charleston, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the NTSB investigated the case. Assistant Section Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and W. Cole Shannon for the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case.


title: Final member of COVID rental assistance fraud ring convicted at trial of wire fraud and money laundering

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The final defendant of a six-defendant fraud scheme that submitted fraudulent applications seeking more than $6.8 million in COVID benefits was convicted late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Jahri Asad Cunningham, 48, of Houston, Texas, is the brother of the scheme’s mastermind, Paradise Williams. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the two worked hand-in-glove to defraud a variety of relief programs. Cunningham personally received $344,240 in benefits that were intended for those struggling to keep their homes during the pandemic. The entire group collected more than $3.3 million. U.S. District Judge John H. Chun ordered Cunningham remanded into custody after the guilty verdict was returned. He scheduled sentencing for November 2, 2026. According to records filed in the case and evidence presented in the four-day jury trial, Cunningham initially tried to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) of more than $515,000 by creating fictitious companies in a bid to obtain funds from SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. The SBA recognized the applications as fake and did not pay out any money in response to the fraudulent applications. Cunningham and his sister then turned to another program: the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which was administered by King County. In 2021 and 2022, the pair posed as landlords seeking rental assistance to prevent the supposed eviction of tenants who supposedly could not pay their rent because of the pandemic. In fact, the tenants did not exist. Cunningham did not own or represent building owners but submitted eight applications in various names posing as a landlord. At trial, prosecutors showed how Cunningham and his sister defrauded the program and narrated their activities in real-time via text message. “They created fake tenants, they created fake documents, they created fake eviction notices for their fake tenants,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar told the jury in closing argument. “And every dollar that went to a fraudster was a dollar that could not go to a family in need.” When King County identified the fraud and pulled back $100,000 it had paid out to Cunningham, he continued to try to get the county to return the money by providing additional fake documents. “Jahri Cunningham was trying to steal every last cent of the (rental assistance) program,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy Chang said in the closing rebuttal. When he realized law enforcement was investigating him, Cunningham urged his sister to get a new phone and new telephone number in an effort to hide text messages that proved damning at trial. Cunningham was convicted of three counts of wire fraud – one for submitting fake SBA EIDL applications, and two for submitting applications to the emergency rental assistance program. He was convicted of money laundering in connection with the tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks that he paid to his sister, Paradise Williams, for her role in the scheme. Williams was sentenced in March 2024 to five years in prison . Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. In 2016, Cunningham was convicted in the Western District of Washington and sentenced to 75 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Small Business Administration office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cindy Chang and Lauren Watts Staniar.


title: Illegal Alien from Ecuador Caught with Hidden App Containing Child Pornography, Will Spend 10 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – An illegal alien from Ecuador was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 10 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. According to court documents, on June 15, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Jefferson Chancay-Sanchez, 26, with a group of individuals near Uvalde. Chancay-Sanchez had unlawfully entered the U.S. near the Eagle Pass Port of Entry and was placed under arrest. A search of his cellphone led to the discovery of an application disguised as a calculator, a method typically used to hide criminal behavior. When questioned about the app, Chancay-Sanchez, who was visibly nervous, stated it contained personal photographs of his girlfriend. Further investigation of the app revealed multiple photos which were sexually explicit in nature, including multiple images depicting child genitalia. Chancay-Sanchez admitted to downloading the CSAM from WhatsApp and saving it to the hidden folder on his phone. A forensic examination of his cellphone resulted in the discovery of 31 images and one video depicting CSAM. An additional 48 images and 15 videos were located and considered to be child erotica material. Some of the CSAM depicted toddlers, prepubescent, and adolescent males and females engaged in sexual activity. Chancay-Sanchez was named in a two-count indictment on July 16, 2025, and charged with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession and access with intent to view child prepubescent pornography. He pleaded guilty to both counts on Dec. 22, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case. The U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Ellis-Dotson and Nallely Duarte prosecuted the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Shilling handled the sentencing. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: August Underway with 271 New Federal Immigration Cases in Western District of Texas

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 271 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 31 through August 6, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against alien smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes, thefts, and multiple prior removals. Among the new cases, illegal alien from Mexico Karla Yaslin Montes-Esparza is charged with bringing in and harboring aliens. According to a criminal complaint, U.S. Border Patrol agents requested and received consent to view, search and utilize the cellphones of two arrested illegal aliens on July 23. The agents allegedly discovered the aliens had jointly paid a smuggler in Juarez, Mexico, $1,500 for their illegal passage into the United States. USBP agents allege the smuggler was linked to Montes-Esparza, who then attempted to gain entry into the U.S. via the Ysleta Port of Entry on July 31. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers determined that Montes-Esparza allegedly received $1,500 for aiding in the smuggling of two illegal aliens on July 23. Additionally, CBP officers determined Montes-Esparza had allegedly assisted with the illegal entry, transportation, and furtherance of approximately 100 illegal aliens, from which she received approximately $83,174. The criminal complaint alleges Montes-Esparza’s cellphone revealed multiple images and videos of proof of transportation and furtherance of several illegal aliens. Ricardo Gonzalez-Aguirre aka Antonio Ybarra-Rodriguez aka Francisco Carranza-Salas, an illegal alien from Mexico, is charged with illegal re-entry. A criminal complaint alleges Gonzalez-Aguirre approached the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry on Aug. 2 and claimed to be a U.S. citizen born in Cameron. Gonzalez-Aguirre allegedly stated he was in the process of obtaining a new state identification card and therefore did not have documents. The complaint alleges Gonzalez-Aguirre provided the CBP officer with his name, date of birth and age, but the age did not correlate to the date of birth. Further inspection revealed that Gonzalez-Aguirre was an illegal alien previously removed from the U.S. for the third time in June 2024. His criminal record includes convictions for domestic violence and disorderly conduct, as well as burglary and grand larceny. Illegal alien from Ecuador Gen Santiago Aguirre-Zapata was arrested by USBP near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. He’s been deported only once, in October 2021, but has been previously convicted of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property exceeding $1,000 in value, forcible theft armed with a deadly weapon, murder with intent, and second-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury. USBP agents also arrested Jose Luis Amador-Bonilla , an illegal alien from Guatemala, near Eagle Pass. Amador-Bonilla was deported for the fifth time in September 2025. He’s been twice convicted of illegal re-entry, as well as forgery, interference with a law enforcement officer and a DUI. Arturo Vasquez De La Sancha , an illegal alien from Mexico, was found in the Travis County Jail and transferred into ICE custody. Vasquez De La Sancha was removed for the third time in July 2022. He was convicted of his third DWI in 2021 and had his temporary supervised release revoked in 2022. Vasquez De La Sancha has also been previously convicted of deadly conduct, discharge of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance. He’s now charged with his second illegal re-entry offense. Roberto Quintanilla , also an illegal alien from Mexico, was found in Travis County and charged with illegal re-entry as well. Like Vasquez De La Sancha, Quintanilla has three DWI convictions on his criminal record. He has also been previously convicted of improper entry by an alien and illegal re-entry. He’s been removed from the United States three times. Illegal alien from Mexico Jose Martin Velasquez-Monsivais was transferred into ICE custody from the Blanco County Jail and charged with illegal re-entry. Velasquez-Monsivais has previously been convicted of alien smuggling, escape while arrested/confined, and prohibited substance/item in a correctional or civil commitment facility. He was previously deported from the U.S. in 2020. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Clarksville, Tennessee, Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay $291,470 in Restitution for Defrauding Employer

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Clarksville, Tennessee, woman was sentenced this week to 2 years in federal prison on five counts of wire fraud. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Field Office made the announcement. Kathleen M. Michaelis, 50, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for five counts of wire fraud. According to court documents, between May 2017 and May 2024, Michaelis was employed as a bookkeeper for a business in Christian County, Kentucky. She embezzled over $238,000 from her employer utilizing a fraudulent check scheme. She used the stolen money to pay personal expenses. Michaelis concealed her scheme by failing to forward employee paystub withholdings to the United States Treasury and the company’s retirement plan. Michaelis was also ordered to pay $291,470 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI Bowling Green Satellite Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office prosecuted the case. ###


title: Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The final defendant, an illegal alien from Honduras who was involved in a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to time served (16.5 months’ imprisonment) after approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills were seized by law enforcement during a controlled buy and the execution of a search warrant in 2025. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Jill N. Parrish comes after Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz, 20, of Honduras, residing illegally in West Valley, Utah, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026, to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. His co-defendants also pleaded guilty. Diego Armando Campos-Fallas was sentenced in September 2025 to 42 months’ imprisonment and 36 months’ supervised release. Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and 36 months’ supervised release. In addition to their terms of imprisonment, upon release, all three defendants will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings. According to court documents and statements made at Zuniga-Diaz’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 19, 2025, during the execution of a search warrant in West Valley City, Utah, law enforcement seized approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills that Zuniga-Diaz knew were intended for distribution. See prior press release: Approximately 13,000 Fentanyl Pills Seized During Undercover Operation, Three Foreign Nationals Detained and Charged . “Fentanyl is deadly, and in this case, our law enforcement partners and my office successfully removed 13,000 pills from our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “This case reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared commitment to keeping communities safe by stopping drug traffickers and reducing the flow of dangerous drugs.” The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Sex-trafficking Crips member sentenced to 30 years in prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 25-year-old member of the Forum Park Crips has been ordered to federal prison for sex trafficking a 16-year-old minor. Andres Serrano Portillo a/k/a Andro pleaded guilty July 11, 2022. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Portillo to serve 360 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard information and evidence detailing Portillo’s exploitation of the minor victim. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Portillo had ruined lives and only appeared remorseful because law enforcement apprehended him. He was further ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. In October 2019, Portillo lured a 16-year-old girl he met on social media and forced her to engage in sex acts for money in cars and motels around the Bissonnet “blade” or “track.” In addition to trafficking the teenage victim for commercial sex, Portillo held her at a residence where she was repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted. The victim ultimately hid and contacted her mother by phone, leading authorities to rescue her. The “blade” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex. Co-conspirators Michael Anthony Gonzalez a/k/a Mumbles, 29, Jerreck Michael Hilliard a/k/a J-money, 37, Damarquis McGee a/k/a Blue, 28, Javon Yaw Opoku a/k/a Glizzy, 26, and Clarence Christopher Chambers a/k/a Chris, 34, all of Houston, were previously sentenced to 240, 292, 348, 365, and 420 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the sex trafficking conspiracy. Portillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh, Anthony Franklyn, and former AUSA Richard W. Bennett prosecuted the case. The Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and Harris County District Attorney’s Office as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). HTRA law enforcement also includes members of the FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas formed HTRA in 2004 to combine resources with federal, state, and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.


title: Illegal alien breaks law, plays the victim, is found guilty, and sent to federal prison

body_text: HOUSTON – A 37-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country without authorization. The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before convicting Eduardo Aguilera-Gallardo following a two-day trial May 19. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Aguilera-Gallardo to serve 48 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard about Aguilera-Gallardo’s use of firearms in his criminal history and his lack of regard for the law. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Aguilera-Gallardo’s prior sentences where not enough of a deterrent for his continued criminal conduct. At trial, testimony revealed Aguilera-Gallardo became a lawful permanent resident in 2001. However, he later lost that status and was removed from the United States in 2025. A deportation officer described how he escorted Aguilera-Gallardo across the international boundary in Laredo to be returned to Mexico. A fingerprint examiner also identified Aguilera-Gallardo as the same person documented in various deportation materials. Testimony revealed that on April 21, 2025, authorities found Aguilera-Gallardo in Houston with no authorization to be in the United States. The jury heard that, at that time, he had not reported any threat or kidnapping and neglected to ask for any help. However, the defense attempted to convince the jury Aguilera-Gallardo was kidnapped at the Mexican border after returning to Mexico and held for ransom. He claimed his family paid for his release, and kidnappers forced him to return to the United States. Testimony and evidence revealed that neither Aguilera-Gallardo nor his family sought assistance from law enforcement in either country. He also never reported the alleged kidnapping to authorities once in the United States. The jury rejected the defense and found Aguilera-Gallardo guilty as charged. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Hostetter and Ekua Assabill prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation leads to dismantling of dark web drug trafficking organization

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Three defendants were convicted and sentenced in the Southern District of Ohio as part of a law enforcement operation against a dark web drug trafficking organization. The coordinated multinational operation led to arrests of key members of the group in Florida, North Carolina, and Medellin, Colombia. Between July 2017 and May 2023, the Undertaker45 drug trafficking organization operated as a sophisticated, transnational criminal enterprise that used the dark web marketplaces DarkMarket, White House, Dark0de, Dark0de Reborn and ASAP, along with encrypted messaging platforms like Wickr and Telegram, to distribute: (1) counterfeit OxyContin pills that actually contained fentanyl; and (2) counterfeit Adderall pills that actually contained methamphetamine. The organization was led from Medellín, Colombia, and supported by U.S.-based cell leaders in Miami, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina. In Cincinnati, Cesar Augusto Olmos Usaquen, 51; Juan Carlos Carroll Borrero, 43; and Eduardo Villarroel Bellorin, 37; were prosecuted for participating in the drug and money laundering conspiracies. According to court documents, Olmos Usaquen led the organization from Medellin, Colombia, where he ran the organization’s dark web presence. This included taking orders over the dark web and coordinating the shipment of counterfeit pills with his co-defendants. In Miami, Carroll Borrero was responsible for receiving bulk shipments of counterfeit pills and then distributing those pills throughout the United States to the organization’s clients. The pills were commonly shipped in old DVD cases to avoid detection. Villaroel Bellorin worked in North Carolina. There, he received bulk pill shipments and provided them to Carroll Borrero for further distribution. Villaroel Bellorin also coordinated the group’s money laundering efforts. The group received payments in cryptocurrency, largely bitcoin, before moving those funds through a variety of wallets to avoid law enforcement detection and eventually withdraw the funds in fiat currency. In all, the group sold approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills and laundered $2.5 million in drug proceeds. Usaquen and Borrero were each sentenced to 90 months in prison. Bellorin received a term of imprisonment of 38 months in prison. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division; Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Mason Police Chief Levi Wells; and officials with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, Colombian National Police and DEA Colombia announced the sentences imposed. Assistant United States Attorney Frederic C. Shadley is representing the United States in this case. This case 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 Cincinnati comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. # # #


title: Felon on supervised release pleads guilty to possessing machinegun device, drugs while causing high-speed chase

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A previously convicted felon currently on federal supervised release pleaded guilty in federal court here today to new gun and drug crimes. Jashon Tatum, 29, of Columbus, led Columbus police officers on a high-speed chase in August 2024, striking another vehicle, before ultimately being caught with a firearm and machinegun conversion device and narcotics. He admitted in court today to possessing a machinegun, possessing ammunition as a previously convicted felon and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, on Aug. 28, 2024, Columbus police officers used a phone ping to locate Tatum near Sullivant and South Wayne avenues as Tatum had active felony warrants. Officers observed Tatum driving a Mercedes Benz with the license plate “2BLK4U.” A police helicopter was deployed. Tatum began to drive erratically on I-71, almost causing several accidents. He exited near 11 th Avenue and struck another car. After crashing, Tatum then attempted to flee on foot, throwing things as CPD SWAT and task force officers with the ATF pursued him. He was ultimately taken into custody. Investigators discovered a pistol with an attached machinegun conversion device, a magazine with ammunition and narcotics containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine base. Tatum admitted to having fentanyl and crack cocaine but told officers he cut his fentanyl with sugar to make it less dangerous. He said he had been selling drugs to make money to pay for legal counsel in his other criminal cases. Tatum was indicted and arrested in this case in July 2025. Possessing a machinegun conversion device is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Possessing ammunition as a previously convicted felon carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. The narcotics charge in this case involves a prison term of five to 40 years. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Courter M. Shimeall. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison After Sending Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Christopher J. White, 46, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 16 years and three months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material. White was also ordered to pay $27,0000.00 in restitution. According to court documents, on March 19, 2024, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers responded to White’s home after a domestic disturbance was reported. White’s relative contacted police after discovering sexually explicit images of minors on White’s cell phone. Witnesses told officers that White, a registered sex offender with a 2016 conviction for child exploitation and possession of child sexual abuse material, had posted images of a minor relative on social media without permission. The minor was under eight years old and was wearing a swimsuit. Witnesses also reported finding text messages containing sexually explicit images of other minors on his device. Another witness stated she received a notification in January 2024 that her Google account had been locked due to uploads of child sexual abuse material while White was using her phone. A forensic analysis revealed that since November 2023, White had been distributing and receiving sexually explicit images of children, including infants and toddlers. When White distributed the images, he described his sexual abuse of children to the individuals- later determined to be fictitious- as if he were the individual who had participated in the sexual abuse. White also made these same fictitious comments about images of his minor relative. Investigators recovered at least 13 files depicting violence or exploitation and more than 600 additional images, including approximately 1,038 files identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as known child sexual abuse material. The U.S. Secret Service and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. “Protecting children from exploitation is one of our most critical responsibilities,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence makes clear that those who victimize children, whether through hands‑on abuse or the distribution of child sexual abuse material, will be held accountable. We are grateful for the diligent work of the U.S. Secret Service and IMPD in ensuring this offender was brought to justice.” “Individuals who exploit children through the use and distribution of child sexual abuse material must be held accountable for the profound harm they cause to victims and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “The sentence in this case reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions. The Secret Service remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect children from exploitation and bring offenders to justice. We thank the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their collaboration and commitment throughout this investigation.” U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. Sawa, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood ###


title: Marshalltown Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – On August 5, 2026, a federal jury in Des Moines convicted a Marshalltown man of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, in early 2025 Christopher James Moore, 55, was the subject of a methamphetamine investigation by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force. On March 25, 2025, police stopped a vehicle in which Moore was a passenger. During the traffic stop, Moore possessed over half of a pound of methamphetamine. A subsequent search of his trailer located over 300 grams of methamphetamine, U.S. currency, and digital scales and baggies, used to weigh and package drugs for sale. The methamphetamine Moore possessed with intent to distribute was 100% pure, according to lab testing performed by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Currently, Moore faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Shai Gonzales and Mallory Weiser prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 107 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 107 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On August 1, Oscar Salado and Brayan Manuel Castro Sanchez, Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Salado and Castro were the captains of a smuggling vessel that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard near the entrance of Quivira Basin in Mission Bay. The nine undocumented aliens aboard the vessel included the defendants plus Luz Mayda Andres Ignacio, Jorge Garcia Santiago and Everado Gonzalez-Gonzalez, who were charged with Attempted Reentry after Deportation. On August 4, Jose Alexis Rojas Palomera, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 70.33 pounds of fentanyl, 29.85 pounds of cocaine, and 24.52 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the spare tire, quarter panels, fuel tank, rear seat, fire wall area and center console of the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta she was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On August 5, Gustavo Espinoza Hernandez, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 74.91 pounds of methamphetamine and 23.63 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the driver side floor, front passenger floor, front passenger seat, passenger backrest, passenger rear seat, and passenger backseat of the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ex-CBP Officer Sentenced for Opening His Inspection Lane to Cartel Drug Smugglers

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Jesse Clark Garcia was sentenced in federal court today to nine years in prison for allowing drug-laden vehicles to pass through his inspection lane at the Tecate Port of Entry on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. The sentencing follows a long‑term, multi‑agency investigation that uncovered a significant corruption scheme involving Garcia and his co-defendant, then-Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer Diego Bonillo. Both officers pleaded guilty in July 2025, with Garcia admitting that since at least 2021, he provided the Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug trafficking organization with his duty schedules and lane assignments so vehicles carrying cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl could pass through his lanes unchecked. Bonillo was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 2025. “Officer Garcia betrayed his oath, his fellow officers, and his country. Officer Garcia’s conduct warranted this significant sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. To coordinate with the traffickers, both defendants used a secret emoji-based code in text messages to discreetly communicate their shift and lane assignments. The cartel then routed drug-laden vehicles through those lanes, where the defendants allowed them to enter the United States without inspection. Garcia also exploited CBP’s flexible duty-switching policies to place himself in inspection lanes where he was not scheduled to work. Other times, he falsely claimed technical issues prevented required checks, allowing narcotics to enter the United States despite mandatory system alerts. In exchange for his assistance, the Garcia received at least $10,000 for each drug-filled vehicle he allowed to pass through the port. Evidence further showed that his illicit proceeds funded a lifestyle far beyond his government salary, including luxury purchases, a high-end vehicle, a San Diego residence, co-ownership of an equine racing business, and construction of a ranch in Mexico. As the investigation progressed, the Garcia attempted to evade law enforcement. He stopped reporting for duty, ignored inquiries from CBP supervisors, and was observed driving into Mexico in a fully packed vehicle in late March 2024. On May 2, 2024, Mexican authorities—acting on a request from the United States and pursuant to a federal warrant—arrested the defendant and transferred him to U.S. custody later that same evening. On July 8, 2025, Garcia pleaded guilty to nine felony counts, including conspiracy to import controlled substances and multiple counts of importation and aiding and abetting. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted facilitating the entry of substantial quantities of controlled substances, including at least 100 kilograms of fentanyl, 107 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 270 kilograms of cocaine. DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., said, “DHS employees who abuse their positions and betray the public’s trust will be held accountable for their actions. The Office of Inspector General will continue to relentlessly root out corruption. We appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and our law enforcement partners in bringing these individuals to justice.” “Jesse Clark Garcia showed total disregard for the oath he took as a CBP Officer to protect our communities when he knowingly and repeatedly allowed cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego and our partners work tirelessly to ensure those individuals dishonoring the badge are held accountable. The corrupt few do not represent the whole of the federal law enforcement workforce. Today’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to rooting out those unworthy individuals and paving the way for justice to be served.” According to Special Agent in Charge Sara Esparagoza, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, San Diego Field Office, “The Office of Professional Responsibility is unwavering in its commitment to upholding the highest standards within our ranks. Today’s events underscore our dedication to rooting out corruption and ensuring that those who betray the public trust are held accountable.” This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna R. Prewitt, Sean Van Demark, and Bianca Calderon-Peñaloza. DEFENDANT Case Number 24-CR-0908-RBM Jesse Clark Garcia Age: 38 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960, and 963 Maximum Penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum Importation of Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952 and 960 Maximum Penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation – Border Corruption Task Force Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility U.S. Border Patrol – San Diego Sector Intelligence Unit Homeland Security Investigations – SDNET Drug Enforcement Administration Homeland Security Investigations – Hermosillo Attaché


title: Homeland Security Task Force Secures Life Sentences for Two Leaders of Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine and Fentanyl-Trafficking Organization That Used Children as Couriers

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man and woman were sentenced to life in prison for operating a multimillion-dollar drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”) that distributed bulk cocaine and fentanyl and used children as couriers. According to court documents and evidence presented at a three-week jury trial in January 2026, Glennie Antonio McGee, 42, Echandza Dianca Maxie, 43, and several coconspirators were members of a lucrative, Mobile-based DTO that distributed hundreds of pounds of cocaine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills between 2017 and 2024. The DTO sourced cocaine from cartel-connected suppliers in Texas and, ultimately, Mexico. The DTO’s fentanyl pills—counterfeited “M30” pills pressed to look like oxycodone—came from various sources in Alabama, Florida, Washington, and other locales. At trial, the evidence against McGee and Maxie included numerous court-authorized wiretap recordings, CCTV videos from a covert camera installed in McGee’s Cadillac Escalade, pole camera and aerial surveillance videos, text messages and other phone data, financial records, tax records, and DNA evidence, among other things. The jury heard evidence that the defendants used their illicit proceeds to travel the world, including trips to exotic locations including France, Greece, the Maldives, Mexico, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. In December 2022, Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) agents arrested one of McGee’s cocaine suppliers following a dangerous high-speed chase in midtown Mobile. Agents seized 9.5 kilograms of cartel-sourced cocaine from the supplier, who was scheduled to deliver one kilogram of the cocaine to McGee that same evening. Weeks later, FBI agents executed a search warrant at McGee’s and Maxie’s house in west Mobile. Agents seized a backpack containing cocaine residue from a vehicle that Maxie was driving. They also seized bulk cash, custom jewelry and other proceeds of the defendants’ drug crimes, a money-counting machine, drug ledgers, documents linking the defendants to other members of the DTO, and a Draco AK-47-style pistol from the house. Maxie lied to FBI agents and claimed the pistol belonged to her, but an FBI DNA analyst found McGee’s DNA on the weapon and other evidence showed that one of McGee’s drug couriers had illegally bought the weapon for him because he is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing guns. McGee’s prior felonies include state convictions for shooting into occupied buildings and vehicles, as well as a federal conviction for trafficking crack cocaine. While agents were still on-scene searching the house, Maxie left the residence and traveled to multiple bank branches in Mobile and withdrew $138,000. Agents also found a ledger in the house linking Maxie and McGee to numerous fraudulent tax returns falsely claiming millions of dollars’ worth of COVID-19 relief benefits. In January and February 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) agents obtained multiple recordings of McGee discussing his DTO’s procurement and distribution of hundreds of pounds of cocaine and thousands of fentanyl pills. In those recordings, McGee explained how he took his drug profits and laundered them through real estate properties that he and Maxie had acquired, including properties they rented out on Airbnb. On February 17, 2024, agents recorded McGee selling 1,018 fentanyl pills to a cooperating defendant. In March 2024, HSI agents began a court-authorized wiretap of several cell phones used by McGee. Agents intercepted more than 8,000 calls during three months’ worth of monitoring. At trial, the jury reviewed more than 100 recorded calls and videos from the covert CCTV camera installed in McGee’s Escalade. On those calls and videos, agents captured McGee making dozens of drug deals for bulk cocaine and fentanyl pills. Agents also intercepted Maxie brokering a drug deal on McGee’s behalf. In one instance on March 18, 2024, McGee sold a kilogram of cocaine to a customer for $18,000 in the driveway of his mother’s house on Euclid Avenue in Mobile. A pole camera captured a 15-year-old child hand delivering the brick of cocaine to McGee. On March 30, 2024, agents arrested one of McGee’s drug couriers, Tierra Tocorra Hill, in possession of a kilogram of cocaine, a quarter-kilogram of fake cocaine (boric acid), and a loaded pistol. McGee had unknowingly purchased several kilograms of fake cocaine and instructed Hill to mix the boric acid into real cocaine for resale on the street to recuperate his losses for the bad cocaine deal. Boric acid is a household cleaner and detergent. When McGee learned that Hill had been arrested, he traveled to a stash house on Harvey Court in Mobile. There, as recorded on the wiretap, McGee instructed several young children, including an eight-year-old boy he described as “game,” to remove a backpack that contained bulk cocaine from the house and throw it over a fence. Agents responded to the house and encountered the children, including a three-year-old boy who was wearing the backpack filled with pounds of cocaine. Inside the house, agents found additional bulk cocaine and loaded firearms that McGee was storing there. After the raid, agents intercepted calls in which McGee attempted to coach the children to lie to Alabama Department of Human Resources personnel about the incident. In June 2024, agents intercepted several calls involving McGee and his Houston, Texas-based suppliers, Eric Anthony Aguilar and Jonathan Maurice Hackworth, arranging a shipment of five kilograms of cocaine to the DTO in Mobile. During a traffic stop in Mobile on June 13, 2024, agents seized $24,000 in bulk cash that McGee had paid Aguilar for a portion of the drugs. Later that same day, agents arrested McGee after he and one of his DTO lieutenants, Antonio Dwone Reed, attempted to flee in a brief high-speed chase. Agents boxed in the vehicle and encountered McGee with three kilograms of cocaine sitting in his lap. McGee then confessed in a videotaped interview that he had been dealing bulk cocaine since 2017 and earned $20,000 per month in profits. Following McGee’s arrest, agents intercepted Maxie and her sister, Exavieria Deagnes Maxie (“Exavieria”) plotting to conceal evidence while operating the bugged Escalade. Specifically, Maxie gave Exavieria, a convicted felon, a shoebox full of custom jewelry and a loaded .380 caliber pistol. Exavieria took the jewelry and gun and stashed them in her apartment in west Mobile. Thereafter, on CCTV recordings, Maxie and Exavieria directed a 15-year-old child to find the gun and toss it from a balcony before agents could enter the apartment. When Maxie’s teenage son tried to instruct the 15-year-old, her nephew, how to remove the clip from the loaded weapon, Maxie stated, “No, tell him don’t do all that. Just drop it off. . . . [H]e ain’t got time to do that. We ain’t got time to coach him.” Exavieria was intercepted admitting that she told her 15-year-old son to toss the gun from the balcony. Agents found the loaded pistol near a softball field behind the apartment. Exavieria then admitted to agents that she had brought the gun to her apartment from McGee’s and Maxie’s house. Exavieria had previously been convicted of a federal methamphetamine-trafficking offense and was prohibited from possessing firearms. “For nearly a decade, Glennie McGee and Echandza Maxie led a drug-trafficking empire that peddled hundreds of pounds of deadly cocaine and fentanyl. They despicably involved young children in that effort. Now, their crimes are over for good,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “This extraordinary multi-agency investigation demonstrates the creativeness and grit of the Homeland Security Task Force. Working alongside our agency partners, our office will stop at nothing to protect children and stem the flow of deadly drugs into our community.” “Trafficking hundreds of pounds of cocaine and tens of thousands of counterfeit fentanyl pills is not just a crime, it is a direct assault on the safety of our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “This investigation stands as a testament to HSI’s commitment, alongside our Homeland Security Task Force partners, to eradicate violent drug trafficking organizations from our neighborhoods. The life sentences announced today guarantee that these individuals will never again force innocent children and teenagers to act as couriers or conceal weapons, sending a clear message that those who traffic poison and exploit our youth will face the ultimate consequences.” “Our partnership through the Homeland Security Task Force demonstrates the impact of a whole‑of‑government approach. By combining intelligence, investigative tools, and the work of agents across many jurisdictions, we delivered accountability, protected vulnerable children, and continued crushing violent crime tied to deadly fentanyl and cocaine trafficking,” said Christopher Flowers, Special Agent‑in‑Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mobile Office. In addition to the lifetime prison terms, U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered McGee and Maxie to pay $10 million and $1 million fines, respectively, to each reimburse the Criminal Justice Act panel nearly $250,000 in funds expended for their court-appointed attorneys. McGee and Maxie were ordered to pay a total of $2,846,901.97 in restitution for their fraud crimes. The court also ordered forfeiture of real estate, high-end vehicles, luxury jewelry, cash, firearms, and bank accounts, and issued money judgments totaling $500,000. Judge Moorer also ordered the defendants to pay a total of $1,900 in special assessments. For their roles in the DTO, the court previously sentenced the following codefendants: Eric Anthony Aguilar (163 months); Jonathan Maurice Hackworth (48 months); Antonio Dwone Reed (43 months); William Thomas Agee, Jr. (105 months); Tavaris Lamon Body (75 months); Exavieria Deagnes Maxie (240 months). Other codefendants, including Tierra Tocorra Hill, will be sentenced at a later date. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Office of Inspector General Small Business Administration, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. The United States Marshals Service and several local agencies in Houston, Texas substantially assisted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and George May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.


title: Four Arizona Residents Charged with Anabolic Steroid-Trafficking Conspiracy in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A federal grand jury in Mobile returned an indictment charging four Arizona residents with a yearslong anabolic steroids-trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents, Laura Stratton, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona, Brenna Eppley, 48, of Buckeye, Arizona, Benjamin Stratton, 39, of Avondale, Arizona, and Karissa Stratton, 33, of Avondale, Arizona conspired with one another and with other persons to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, which are schedule III controlled substances. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to traffic anabolic steroids to the Southern District of Alabama and elsewhere between October 2023 and July 2026. Between March 23, 2026, and March 30, 2026, Laura Stratton allegedly distributed anabolic steroids—namely, trenbolone enanthate and a substance containing detectable amounts of testosterone propionate, testosterone isocaproate, testosterone decanoate, and testosterone phenylpropionate—to the Southern District of Alabama. The indictment also includes a notice seeking forfeiture of two real properties in Phoenix and Avondale, three vehicles, and several cryptocurrency wallets and financial accounts, which are alleged to be proceeds of and property used to facilitate the conspiracy. The defendants made their initial court appearances in Arizona and Montana on August 5 and August 6, 2026. They are scheduled to make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Alabama on August 26, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sonja F. Bivins. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mesa, Arizona Police Department, and the Avondale, Arizona Police Department are investigating the case. U.S. Attorney Costello thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for its exceptional coordination and assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Seven Charged for Roles in Fentanyl Drug Trafficking Conspiracy as Part of the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A criminal complaint prepared by Homeland Security Investigations was filed in Las Vegas charging seven individuals for their alleged roles in a fentanyl drug trafficking organization. “Fentanyl is a deadly poison that is devastating our communities and traffickers often disguise these substances as ordinary prescription pills, placing teenagers and young adults at risk,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This complaint dismantles a major supply chain that put profit over human lives. We will continue to use every federal resource to target, disrupt, and prosecute the networks flooding our streets with these lethal drugs." “Fentanyl trafficking at this scale is a direct threat to public safety and homeland security,” said Jonathan Sherwin, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Las Vegas. “This seizure of significant quantities of Fentanyl, firearms and illicit proceeds demonstrates the danger these criminal organizations pose to our communities. Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners working together as the HSTF, will continue to disrupt and dismantle the networks moving deadly narcotics through Nevada and beyond.” According to allegations in the criminal complaint and statements made in court, from at least 2024 to August 2, 2026, Adrian Ortiz Moreno, also known as “El Apache,” a Mexican national, and Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro, a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise with their co-defendants to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. As alleged, Adrian Ortiz Moreno, Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro, Martin Castro, Jr., David Romero Hernandez, Edgar Rosas, Juan Martinez Ramirez, a Mexican national, and Walter Estrada Carlos, a Mexican national, were principal administrators, organizers, supervisors, or leaders of the criminal enterprise, which involved the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. On August 2, 2026, law enforcement executed search warrants at two residential addresses. At one residence, law enforcement recovered a substantial amount of cash, 12 firearms including a gold and black semi-automatic firearm engraved with “EL APACHE,” and semi-automatic rifles. At the second residence, law enforcement recovered 36 wrapped packages consistent with the packages containing fentanyl seized from a vehicle, two semi-automatic pistols, and a semi-automatic rifle. Law enforcement had previously seized 40 kilograms of fentanyl and $200,000 cash from vehicles operated by this organization. A substantial amount of cash recovered in U.S. v. Adrian Ortiz Moreno et al, 2:26-mj-0558-NJK A gold and black semi-automatic firearm engraved with “EL APACHE” in U.S. v. Adrian Ortiz Moreno et al, 2:26-mj-0558-NJK Wrapped Packages in U.S. v. Adrian Ortiz Moreno et al, 2:26-mj-0558-NJK “The charges announced today are the result of a shoulder-to-shoulder partnership between the FBI, HSI, ATF, IRS, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Nevada Gaming Commission,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Our community is safer today. There is no doubt lives across our state were saved from the devastating impact of these dangerous drugs and firearms crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable those who insist on sowing destruction in our neighborhoods.” “DEA remains in lockstep with our federal law enforcement partners, working to maximize our efforts to defeat drug traffickers and disrupt their assembly line of illicit drug distribution,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Las Vegas. “HSTF encapsulates a whole-of-government approach, which, as demonstrated by this collective investigation, ensures that drug criminals face the full force of the law. This operation removed dangerous and potentially deadly drugs, along with guns and illicit funds, from our community — delivering on our commitment to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our residents.” “ This operation underscores the effectiveness of the Homeland Security Task Force, where federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combine their expertise and resources to dismantle sophisticated transnational criminal organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge John Wester, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive. “Working alongside our partners from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and our local law enforcement agencies, ATF helped remove a significant cache of firearms, dangerous narcotics, and illicit proceeds from our communities while disrupting a network with ties to a drug-trafficking organization. These coordinated enforcement efforts demonstrate our unwavering commitment to targeting violent offenders, trafficking organizations, and the criminal infrastructure that fuels violence throughout the region.” “Our frontline success in Nevada comes down to one thing: our absolute commitment to the Homeland Security Task Force,” said U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield. “By combining our resources through these powerful interagency partnerships, the U.S. Marshals Service is aggressively dismantling the cartels, violent gangs, and human trafficking rings trying to gain a foothold in our state.” The complaint charges Adrian Ortiz Moreno and Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro with one count of continuing criminal enterprise and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Martin Castro, Jr., David Romero Hernandez, Edgar Rosas, Juan Martinez Ramirez, and Walter Estrada Carlos with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; Adrian Ortiz Moreno, Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro, and Walter Estrada Carlos with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; and Martin Castro, Jr. with one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Four defendants made their initial appearances in court on Tuesday before United States Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III. Three were remanded to custody. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is life imprisonment. Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Task Force consisting of special agents with the FBI, HSI, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Commission. The case is being prosecuted by the District of Nevada. 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 U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


title: Felon Charged for Unlawful Possession of “Ghost Guns” and Ammunition

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A felon has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he unlawfully possessed ammunition and privately manufactured firearms. A privately manufactured firearm without a serial number is sometimes called a “ghost gun.” “Ghost guns are specifically designed to evade the law, making them the weapon of choice for individuals seeking to bypass background checks,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Our office will aggressively prosecute anyone who manufactures or distributes these untraceable weapons, ensuring they are held accountable for undermining public safety.” “The rise of ghost gun manufacturing threatens our community, prompting the FBI and its partners to join forces in combating criminals who bring their unsafe practices into our neighborhoods,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Public safety is at the forefront of ATF mission,” said Special Agent in Charge John Wester, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). “The suspect in this case illegally possessed firearms and ammunition. ATF will continue to work alongside our partners to ensure that firearms remain out of the hands of prohibited people. We are committed to ensuring that this community is a safe place.” According to the complaint, on August 4, 2026, Chang Tan possessed firearms, including a privately manufactured 5.56x45mm semi-automatic rifle and eight privately manufactured 3-D printed AR-15 pattern lower receivers. Additionally, he possessed more than 500 rounds of 5.56x45mm ammunition and .300 AAC Blackout ammunition. Tan has multiple prior felony convictions, including fraud activity connected with computers in the Northern District of Illinois and sale of controlled substance in Clark County, Nevada. He is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm or ammunition Tan is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is ten years confinement and three years supervised release. This case was investigated by the FBI and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Shiprock Man Charged with Assaulting Federal Officer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged in federal court after he allegedly fired at a law enforcement officer during an emergency response in Shiprock. According to court documents, on July 26, 2026, Navajo Nation Police responded to a report that Marcus Allen Benally , 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was using a rifle to threaten his neighbor in Shiprock, New Mexico. Benally fired in the direction of an officer, striking and damaging a patrol vehicle. Benally fled on foot and was apprehended by a K9. Benally is charged with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Benally faces up to 20 years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Nation Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Multi-Agency Gang Investigation in Las Cruces Leads to Federal Charges and Seizure of Firearms and Narcotics

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and Police Chief Jeremy Story of the Las Cruces Police Department announced today that federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies concluded a months-long joint investigation targeting violent gang activity in the Las Cruces area, resulting in federal and state criminal charges, the seizure of firearms and narcotics, and the clearance of multiple violent crimes. The investigation was led by the Las Cruces Police Department's Street Crimes Unit in partnership with the Las Cruces/Doña Ana Metro Narcotics Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Safe Streets Task Force and the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office. During the investigation, law enforcement officers executed approximately 58 legal processes, including search warrants, arrest warrants, and court orders totaling more than 800 pages. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 19 firearms, three machine gun conversion devices, two sets of body armor, approximately 265 grams of methamphetamine, and approximately 200 grams of fentanyl. A small plastic bag of blue pills sits on a digital scale showing a weight of 18.6 grams. Several small plastic bags containing a white crystalline substance are placed on a digital scale reading 26.5 grams. A workbench with various disassembled firearm parts, magazines, and a tactical vest arranged on the surface. As a result of the investigation, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico has charged six defendants with federal offenses as part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. By surging resources alongside federal, state, and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, the FBI seeks to aggressively restore safety in communities across the country. These cases include: Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone Discharging a Firearm in a School Zone Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment Possession of a Firearm by a Felon Possession of Body Armor by a Violent Felon Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl In addition, multiple defendants were charged in state court for the following offenses: Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon Shooting At or From a Motor Vehicle (multiple counts) Unlawful Possession of a Handgun by a Person Under Age 19 (multiple counts) Possession of Cocaine Information developed during the investigation also led investigators to solve 11 drive-by shootings in the Las Cruces area. Because the investigation remains ongoing and additional enforcement actions are anticipated, the identities of the charged individuals are not being released at this time.


title: Maine Man Indicted for Escape from Custody

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A federal grand jury this week indicted a Maine man for escape from custody, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. According to the indictment, on July 18, 2026, Michel D’Angelo, age 46, left federal custody from the Hampshire House Residential Reentry Center in Manchester without permission. If convicted, D’Angelo faces up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. D’Angelo is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. D’Angelo will appear before the Court at a later date. The United States Marshals Service is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon is prosecuting the case.


title: Former USDA Employee Indicted for Threatening Federal Law Enforcement Officer

body_text: CONCORD – A former USDA employee was indicted this week for sending emails containing threats to a federal law enforcement officer, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Keith Bergstrom, 40, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of Interstate Communications of Threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Each charge of threatening communications carries a maximum sentence of 5 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasir Sadat is prosecuting the case.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that James Dennise Barratt, 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 6, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Barratt to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Barratt is released from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Barratt was also ordered to pay a total of $9,000 in restitution to the identified victims. Between August 28, 2023, and November 4, 2023, Verizon reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children five Cybertips of a user uploading child pornography. A Nebraska State Patrol investigation led to the identification of Barratt as the individual responsible. A residential search warrant was executed at Barratt’s Lincoln home on March 21, 2024, and for Barratt’s cloud-based storage account. Law enforcement located 660 images of child pornography on Barratt’s cell phone, and 17 images and 9 videos of child pornography on Barratt’s cloud-based storage account. Barratt was interviewed and admitted to looking at child pornography for about five years prior to getting caught. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Pocahontas County Man Admits to Transporting Methamphetamine

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A Marlinton, West Virginia man has admitted to drug and firearm charges after a traffic stop led to methamphetamine and firearms seizures, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Charles Robert Calhoun, 40, pleaded guilty today to possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. According to the filed plea agreement and statements made in court, officers seized a pistol, four bags containing 141 grams of methamphetamine, $3,630, and drug paraphernalia. At the time of the traffic stop, Calhoun was on state home confinement. A court-ordered home check of Calhoun’s residence led to a search warrant, and investigators subsequently seized 11 firearms and three sets of digital scales. Calhoun faces 10 years to life in prison for the drug charge and faces a consecutive 5 years and up to life for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Bixby Man Convicted by Federal Jury for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury convicted a Bixby man of possessing more than 220 images of child sexual abuse material, including an AI-generated and morphed video that he made of an identifiable toddler engaging in sexually explicit conduct. After a 3-day trial, Aaron Chase Sanders, 28, was convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. In January 2026, a Tulsa Police officer was dispatched in response to a possible child molestation report. When the officer arrived, they spoke with a woman who was messaging with Sanders on the social media app Snapchat. When the witness testified, she explained that their conversations became sexual; however, she felt uncomfortable when Sanders stated that he wanted to include a toddler in their sexual acts. She testified that Sanders messaged that the toddler had walked in on him having sex before and that it “turned him on.” The sexual messages shown to the jury showed that Sanders repeatedly asked if she wanted to come over for sex while he was with the toddler. When the Tulsa Police officer testified, he explained to the jury that he read the messages between the woman and Sanders, and that the messages concerned him as well. He preserved the evidence and discovered that Sanders lived in Bixby and possibly had access to minor children. The officer contacted a detective with the Bixby Police Department. Both officers shared the same concern for the well-being of the children that Sanders possibly had access to. A detective with the Bixby Police Department testified that they went to a home in Bixby to check on the children's well-being and verified that Sanders was not currently with the children. After executing search warrants, Sanders agreed to speak with the detective. During that conversation, Sanders admitted to chatting with the woman on Snapchat; however, downplayed it as “fantasy.” When the detective looked through Sanders' cellphone, they discovered additional conversations Sanders had with other women on the dating app Hinge, and that he possessed images and videos of children being sexually abused. The detective then collaborated with the Glenpool Police Department on extracting an exact copy of the data from Sanders' device. A sergeant with the Glenpool Police Department explained to the jury that he is trained to extract data from electronic devices and that they help several police departments that may not have the funding or equipment to extract data. After an exact copy was made of Sanders' cell phone, they provided it back to the detective with the Bixby Police Department. He reviewed Sanders' phone data and flagged child sexual abuse material, including an AI-generated and morphed video of an identifiable toddler engaged in sexually explicit conduct. An expert and agent with Homeland Security Investigations testified about the data he reviewed from Sanders' cellphone. The data was voluminous; however, the expert went through several examples and showed the jury that Sanders was actively seeking out child sexual abuse material online, viewing sample videos, downloading, and even purchasing it. The expert showed the jury some of the child sexual abuse material found on Sanders' phone and specified exactly when it was viewed and where it was saved on the phone. The jury was also shown the AI-morphed video that Sanders created of an identifiable toddler and adult woman performing a sexual act. The jury was also shown where the original photo was stored on Sanders' phone that he used to create the video. Prosecutors asked the expert if there was any proof that Sanders reported any child sexual abuse material that he “found” online to the local police or an official law enforcement agency. The expert said that there was no evidence that Sanders reported to a law enforcement agency from September 2025 through January 2026. Two additional women testified about meeting Sanders through Hinge. They both explained to the jury that the conversations quickly became sexual. However, when Sanders began discussing that he wanted to include a toddler in their sexual acts, both women attempted to change the conversation and take the toddler out of the conversation. Both women testified that Sanders kept bringing the toddler back into the conversations. One woman told the prosecutors that she was afraid that Sanders would “catch a case” because of how he was texting. The other woman described a photo that Sanders sent her, which appeared to be taken in a child’s bedroom with his penis erect. She went on to explain that during a separate conversation, Sanders also discussed his “erection” while being with children. The sexually explicit images of children found on Sanders' devices were sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). They identified more than 220 images on Sanders’ devices. Forty-three minor children were identified in the child sexual abuse material. Sanders will remain in custody, and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The Bixby Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Glenpool Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Matt Cyran prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, local, and tribal resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Reports More Than $3.2M in Criminal and Civil Collections for April-June

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that criminal and civil collections for the Northern District of Ohio during the months of April, May, and June totaled $3,246,089.50. As the chief law enforcement officer for the 40 northern counties in Ohio, U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer is responsible for enforcing collections resulting from settlements, restitution paid to crime victims, or money owed to the U.S. Government. In criminal division cases, monetary penalties included as part of a defendant’s judgment are enforced soon after sentencing and are not suspended due to a defendant’s incarceration. In civil division matters, the amounts collected are often the results of monetary settlements. The months of April, May, and June represent the third quarter (Q3) of the USAO’s Fiscal Year 2026 which runs Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 31, 2026. During Q3, the Criminal Division collected $3,081,323.23 and the Civil Division collected $164,766.27. Notable cases include: U.S. v. Mario Salwan – Mario Salwan, 55, a Chagrin Falls businessman, was sentenced to probation in 2024 on one count of Attempted Tax Evasion. Salwan was ordered to pay $511,396.35 in restitution, plus all applicable interest and penalties, to the Internal Revenue Service; this restitution has now been paid in full. U.S. v. Yaser Najjar – Yaser Najjar, 64, of Westlake, Ohio, was sentenced in 2022 on four counts of attempt to evade and defeat income tax. Najjar was ordered to pay over $503,000 in restitution to the IRS and a $100,000 fine, paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund. The restitution and fine have now been paid in full.


title: Illegal Alien With Sexual Assault Conviction Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Re-Entering United States After Deportation

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — An illegal alien with a sexual assault conviction has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being deported. RAMON SALGADO-DELGADILLO, a native of Mexico, was unlawfully present in the United States on Nov. 5, 2023, when he was found to be in Chicago. Salgado-Delgadillo had been deported from the United States to Mexico eight months earlier after being convicted of a felony sexual assault offense in the Circuit Court of Cook County, for which he was sentenced to four years in state prison. Salgado-Delgadillo, 38, pleaded guilty in federal court in February 2026 to one count of unlawful reentry after removal. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness imposed the 18-month prison sentence and ordered that it be followed by a year of court-supervised release. The conviction subjects Salgado-Delgadillo to removal from the United States. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Frank Padula, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago. “Defendant’s prior criminal conviction was serious, and his four-year sentence did not deter him from returning to the United States and continuing to violate the law through his illegal reentry and failure to register as a sex offender,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill J. Bhalakia argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Illegal reentry by a convicted felon is a serious crime, and the United States has a strong interest in keeping convicted criminals from returning to the United States.”