title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 30, 2026, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller sentenced George Dilles (age 55) of Inverness, Illinois, to 15 months in prison. Dilles had pled guilty to one count of failure to truthfully account for and pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202. According to court records, Dilles was the president and part-owner of NG Enterprises, Inc. (d.b.a. Visiting Angels), a company that provided elderly home personal care in the Milwaukee area and employed from 50 to 110 workers. Dilles was required to withhold federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes from his employees’ wages, hold those amounts in trust, and pay them over to the IRS. Additionally, he was responsible for filing quarterly tax returns (Forms 941) reporting those amounts to the IRS, and for paying the employer’s matching portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes. For 17 quarters from 2019 through 2023, Dilles willfully failed to file employment tax returns and pay over taxes to the IRS of more than $1.2 million. Dilles used some of the funds on personal expenses, including mortgage payments and purchases of a Maserati and a McLaren. He also used employment tax returns, which he had not filed with the IRS, to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program loan in the amount of $312,500. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Stadtmueller emphasized the serious nature of Dilles’ conduct, the substantial loss to the IRS, and the need to provide adequate deterrence to others who might engage in similar conduct. He also ordered Dilles to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release. “This was not a mistake or oversight. The defendant was alerted by his accounting firm repeatedly that he needed to submit these tax payments but ignored the warnings and used the money to finance a luxurious lifestyle,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Schimel. “As Judge Stadtmueller observed, there is an important message sent by this prison sentence that hopefully will deter others from considering engaging in illegal conduct such as this.” “Failure to pay over withheld payroll taxes is a serious criminal offense because it harms employees by jeopardizing their Social Security and Medicare benefits,” said Adam Jobes Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office. “Employers have a clear duty to withhold these taxes and remit them to the IRS, and IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to pursue anyone who collects these funds and fails to pay them over.” Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Scully prosecuted. On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Warm Springs Man Found Guilty of Attempted  Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on August 5, 2025, a jury found Gordon Dean Rhoan, 25, guilty of attempted aggravated sexual abuse of child. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke presided over the trial and set sentencing for October 27, 2026. Rhoan faces a sentence of at least 30 years, and up to life, in prison followed by no less than 5 years of supervised release and up to a lifetime of supervision and registration as a sex offender. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Rhoan is a member of the Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation and had been living on tribal trust land of the Yakama Nation along the Columbia River in Klickitat County. The evidence established that in February of 2023, Rhoan attempted to engage in oral sex with a seven-year-old girl. This victim courageously testified about this abuse before the jury. During the trial, evidence was presented that this was not the first child Rhoan had victimized. Evidence showed two separate incidents of Rhoan’s abuse of a child. The first prior incident occurred on the Warm Springs Reservation in February 2020, where Rhoan sexually assaulted a fifteen-year-old girl and admitting to having had sexual relations with her at least nine times over a three-year period. The second instance occurred in April/May of 2020, when a mother found Rhoan in bed with her five-year-old daughter. During that incident, Rhoan claimed not to know where the child was when he was, in fact, attempting to hide the child in the bed. When the woman discovered the child, her pants were pulled down, and she was not wearing underwear. “I commend the courage of this young victim -- without her willingness to come forward, we could not hold a recidivist sex offender accountable,” stated Serrano. “Through the courage of this victim, her family and the efforts of our tribal and FBI partners, a dangerous offender who was never going to stop victimizing children has been removed from our community.” "Mr. Rhoan displayed a shocking pattern of conduct endangering the most vulnerable members of his community. Protecting our children and bringing their offenders to justice is one of the most important things the FBI does. I am proud of the work by our investigators and Tribal partners, and the courage of the victims who told their stories, ensuring Mr. Rhoan was held accountable for his actions," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Yakima Resident Agency and Bend, Oregon Resident Agency, the Columbia River Intertribal Police Department, and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Murphy. 1:24-CR-2008-MKD


title: Okanogan County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on August 3, 2026, Daniel John Standley, age 37, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. United States District Judge Rebecca L. Pennell also imposed a life term of supervised release following the prison term as well as imposing a $10,000 special assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA). Assessments under the AVAA are paid into a fund from which child pornography victims can later obtain restitution. According to court documents, on June 1, 2024, the minor victim, then 11 years old, disclosed to a friend’s mother that Standley had been molesting her. Law enforcement was contacted. During the ensuing investigation, the victim described grooming and sexual abuse that started when she was approximately five or six years old. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Standley’s residence in Okanogan, Washington, they found sex toys that had been described by the victim and several electronic devices. Forensic review of the devices revealed sexually explicit images and videos of the victim. One video is over ten minutes long and depicts the child being coached and coerced to perform sex acts, including performing oral sex on Standley. The Okanagan County Prosecutor’s Office also charged and convicted Standley for several counts of child molestation in the first degree related to this investigation. “Cases like this shine a light on some of the darkest acts in our community,” stated Serrano. “I am tremendously proud of the work this office and its law enforcement partners do to root out predators like Standley can no longer terrorize a child.” “Mr. Standley’s crimes against this child were horrific,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “His sentence will not fix the trauma he brought to this little girl, but it will keep him from harming anyone else for a very long time. HSI will not stop searching for and investigating those predators perpetrating acts like these.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office, as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick. 2:24-cr-00150-RLP


title: Illegal immigrant from Honduras pleads guilty to reentering the country and stealing the identity of a U.S. citizen

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal immigrant from Honduras pled guilty today to aggravated identity theft and reentering the United States following a previous removal. Carlos Alexis Chavez-Paz was sentenced to two years and one day in prison and remains subject to the previous order of removal. According to court documents, Chavez-Paz has illegally entered or reentered the United States four times and has been deported on three previous occasions. On Jan. 10, 2025, at a DMV customer service center in Stafford County, Carlos Alexis Chavez-Paz presented an authentic Kentucky driver’s license bearing a picture that appeared to be Chavez-Paz, but with the name of another person. Chavez-Paz also presented a counterfeit Puerto Rican birth certificate, a counterfeit Social Security card, and mail in the in the identity theft victim’s name. The Social Security card contained the victim’s Social Security number. He presented the documents in support of an application for a Virginia driver’s license in the victim’s name in an effort to evade detection by immigration authorities. Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Eitzen is prosecuting 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-CR-100.


title: Illegal alien living in Dallas sentenced to 13 years in federal prison as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PLANO, Texas – An illegal alien has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jose Romero-Sanchez, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on August 6, 2026. According to information presented in court, Romero-Sanchez, a Mexican national illegally living in Dallas, was part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine imported from Mexico into Dallas and the North Texas area. Romero-Sanchez received 40-45 kilograms of methamphetamine from his source in Mexico at a time. Romero-Sanchez stored the illegal drugs at his Dallas residence before distributing the drugs in the Eastern District of Texas and elsewhere. A search of Romero-Sanchez’s residence resulted in the seizure of over 49 kilograms of methamphetamine, a digital scale, bulk U.S. currency, a drug ledger, and a bill counter. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson. ###


title: Dallas drug dealer sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas in connection with a 2022 overdose death

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Dallas drug dealer has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas in connection with an overdose death, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Dauerashawn Carr, 49, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on August 6, 2026. According to information presented in court, on June 26, 2022, an unresponsive individual was dropped off at an Irving hospital and ultimately died from the toxic effects of a drug overdose. An investigation revealed the victim had purchased drugs from an individual working directly for Carr. Further investigation revealed Carr was using at least four separate rooms at a Dallas hotel as his residence and his personal stash house where he stored, packaged, and sold a multitude of illegal and counterfeit drugs. According to drug ledgers found in the hotel rooms, the following drugs were distributed on a regular basis: Adderall, Blue M-30, Cocaine, Ketamine, LSD, MDMA, Marijuana, Mushrooms, and Xanax. “Every drug overdose death leaves countless victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “The victims are the dead, taken too early, families who lose loved ones, and the community that has been torn apart. This case embodies the devastating impact illicit drugs have on individuals, families, and communities. Our deepest sympathies are with the victim and his family, as well as with all others who have lost loved ones due to fentanyl or other controlled substances. Let this 360-month sentence send an unmistakable message: if you choose to profit from distributing these deadly substances, my office will pursue you relentlessly and hold you fully accountable. We will continue to use every tool available to identify, investigate, and prosecute those responsible for poisoning our communities.” 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. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Little Elm Police Department, and Lewisville Police Department and prosecuted by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson. ###


title: City Man Indicted on Civil Rights Charge in Connection With July Arson at Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon announced that Vincent Lang, 60, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with one count of malicious damage by means of fire to a building used in interstate commerce and one count of damage to religious real property, in connection with an arson fire last month at a city mosque. The defendant has been detained in federal custody since his July 16 arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant. The indictment alleges that, in the early hours of July 5, 2026, Lang maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire, the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center, located on the 1400 block of Tyson Avenue. The indictment further alleges that Lang carried out the act because of the religious character of that property, that is, because it was a mosque. “We will not let anyone attack a place of faith,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “This case demonstrates our resolve to protect our core constitutional liberty of religion. It also exemplifies the swift and decisive response that results for anyone who attempts to disturb the faith of another.” “Setting fire to a house of worship is an appalling act,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Department of Justice will vigorously protect Americans’ right to be free from intimidation and violence while practicing their religion.” “There is no place for acts of violence in our city, especially those motivated by bias,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI is grateful for the valued partnerships we share with law enforcement and public safety agencies across Philadelphia. Together, we remain committed to pursuing those who threaten the safety and wellbeing of those we are charged to protect.” “We thank the city, state, and federal agencies that helped us in this important public safety case,” said ATF Philadelphia Field Division Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree. “Houses of worship fire investigations are an ATF priority that we tackle with all our considerable arson investigation resources.” “An attack on a house of worship is an attack on the fundamental right of every person to practice their faith safely and without fear,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “The additional civil rights charge reflects the seriousness of what is alleged in this case and sends a clear message that acts intended to threaten or intimidate a religious community will be met with the full force of our collective law enforcement response. I am grateful to our investigators and our federal, state and local partners for their continued work to ensure accountability and protect every community in our city.” If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Philadelphia Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office Special Investigations Unit and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz and J. Jeanette Kang and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Former Goldman Sachs Investment Banker Convicted of Foreign Bribery and Money Laundering

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Asante Kwaku Berko, a dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, was convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn on all counts of an indictment charging conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), violating the FCPA, and money laundering conspiracy for paying bribes to Ghanaian government officials in connection with the development of a power plant in Ghana. The verdict followed a nine-day trial before United States District Judge Diane Gujarati. When sentenced, Berko faces up to 30 years in prison. Berko was ordered remanded pending sentencing. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, announced the verdict. “Today’s verdict marks another significant victory in this Office’s longstanding commitment to rooting out corruption,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant abused his access to high-level foreign government officials and his platform as an investment banker at a prestigious American firm to line his own pockets with millions of dollars.” “We live in a global economy that American companies must be able to compete in fairly,” said Assistant Attorney General Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This defendant corrupted that fair competition. He abused his position at a world-renowned American investment bank by helping bribe Ghanaian officials, so he and his co-conspirators, including senior executives at a Turkish company, could make money. Today’s conviction makes clear that criminals who undermine our country’s interests by corrupting foreign governments and cutting off fair competition will face the full force of the Department of Justice.” “Today’s verdict highlights the importance of domestic and international partnerships, and the magnitude of success that working together creates. The FBI is thankful for the assistance from the Department of Justice and the United Kingdom – specifically to the Office of International Affairs, U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL – in pursuing justice to protect our country’s financial integrity,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. U.S. Attorney Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the Government of the United Kingdom, the U.K. National Centre Bureau for INTERPOL, the Embassy of the United States in London, the Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service for providing substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendant. As proved at trial, Berko conspired to pay more than $1 million in bribes to multiple Ghanian government officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant estimated to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in profits. Beginning in December 2014, Berko, a former Executive Director in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs group, was responsible for securing and managing a deal between the Republic of Ghana and Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S. (Aksa), a Turkish energy company and Goldman client, for the construction and financing of a power plant in Ghana amidst a national energy crisis in the country. During the scheme, Berko and his co-conspirators paid and conspired to pay bribes to individuals at numerous levels of the Ghanaian government to ensure that Aksa won its bid to build and operate the power plant. For example, in April 2015, Berko and the conspirators discussed paying $1 million to the Ghanaian Minister of Power who was responsible for securing key approvals enabling the project to progress and $250,000 to his senior adviser. Bribes were also paid to five Ghanaian officials during an all-expenses-paid trip to Turkey to view equipment for the power plant. After the power plant deal was ratified by the Ghanaian parliament in July 2015, Berko and his co-conspirators exchanged detailed emails regarding bribe payments. For example, in August 2015, they discussed $250,000 in bribe payments paid to various individuals, including $46,000 to members of the Ghanaian Parliament, which ratified the agreement between Aksa and the government of Ghana, paid by Berko himself. Also in August 2015, the co-conspirators discussed how a bribe recipient was waiting for the “holy rain” (i.e., the bribe payment) and “would appreciate it sooner rather than later.” To conceal the scheme from Goldman and others, Berko lied to the compliance team at Goldman that was responsible for vetting the deal. Berko also used his personal email account, instead of his Goldman business email account, to discuss the deal and the bribe payments and directed his co-conspirators to do the same. In addition, Berko and his co-conspirators concealed and laundered the bribe payments using shell companies, sham invoices, nominee account holders and cash withdrawals. Payments in furtherance of the bribery scheme were laundered through U.S. and foreign bank accounts. Goldman ultimately withdrew from the deal due to corruption concerns. The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Weigel, Nick M. Axelrod and Tara McGrath are prosecuting the case with Assistant Chief Katherine Raut and Senior Trial Attorney Katherine Nielsen, and with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Melina Piatti-Chayan, Isha Jayadev and Teresa Dolan. The Defendant : ASANTE KWAKU BERKO Age: 52 United Kingdom / Ghana E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-328 (DG)


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl, Oxycodone and Possessing Firearms to Further Drug Trafficking

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – SHELDON SMITH SR. (“SMITH”) , age 60, of New Orleans, LA, was sentenced on July 28, 2026, by United States District Judge Jay Zainey after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute drugs, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. SMITH was sentenced to 18 months as to Count 1 and 60 months as to Count 2, followed by five (5) years of supervised release, and payment of a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the indictment, on or about December 17, 2024, SMITH possessed with intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of oxycodone. It is further alleged that SMITH possessed two firearms, a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter handgun and a Taurus Model G2C, .40 caliber handgun, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. * * *


title: New Orleans Felon Guilty of Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DERRICK SERIGNET (“SERIGNET”) , age 44, pleaded guilty on August 6, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) was surveilling SERIGNET after receiving information that SERIGNET was selling narcotics in the Central City area of New Orleans. On February 4, 2026, FBI special agents and New Orleans Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on SERIGNET . SERIGNET had a loaded Glock Model 43x, 9mm caliber pistol in one pocket, and over 50 baggies of fentanyl and 50 baggies of cocaine, that he intended to distribute, in his other pocket. SERIGNET is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a prior felony conviction for attempted armed robbery. As to his drug-trafficking conviction, SERIGNET faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release up to life. As to his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, SERIGNET faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. ***


title: Boyle County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Junction City, Ky., man, Darion Ford, 26, was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In December 2024, law enforcement began investigating that Ford had recently re-upped a large supply of narcotics from Lexington. On December 18, 2024, Ford was observed leaving his residence and was stopped by law enforcement. When law enforcement talked with Ford, he stated that he had a gun and placed it on his console. He also had three bags containing powder and tablet forms of fentanyl. Ford told law enforcement that he had approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills and seven grams of fentanyl powder at his residence. Law enforcement seized approximately 85.146 grams of fentanyl that Ford intended to distribute. Ford also possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Tony Gray, Danville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Danville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Chapman and Amanda Morgan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine in Federal Prison in Lassen County

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Antonio Ray Ramirez, 35, of Susanville, pleaded guilty today to one count of distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in August 2024, while working as a Correctional Officer, Ramirez knowingly distributed 869 grams of methamphetamine and 127 grams of heroin in the Federal Correctional Institution in Herlong. When beginning an overnight shift, Ramirez smuggled the drugs into the prison by evading security screening, hid them in a laundry room, and told an inmate where to find them. Ramirez received $15,000 in payment for smuggling the drugs. The drugs were eventually recovered from the inmate by other correctional officers. The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dhruv M. Sharma and Nicholas Fogg are prosecuting the case. Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Jan. 21, 2027. Ramirez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.


title: Armed Career Criminal from Memphis Found Guilty a Second Time for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Percy Jackson, of Memphis, Tennessee, who was on federal supervised release after federal convictions for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Tennessee, will spend the next 235 months in federal prison for committing the same crime, this time in Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker. A federal grand jury indicted Jackson, 41, on June 6, 2024, charging him with three counts: being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. A three-day trial was held before Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker. After deliberating approximately three hours, the federal jury returned a guilty verdict on count one, felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the 235-month sentence, Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Jackson to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Jackson was released from federal prison on September 28, 2022, after serving his prior 15-year federal sentence for illegally possessing guns. The evidence at trial revealed that on October 10, 2023, West Memphis Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Jackson for having a defective brake light and expired tags. Jackson was the only occupant of the vehicle and appeared nervous and sweating when questioned by law enforcement officers. Jackson was removed from the vehicle and law enforcement officers conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, under the driver’s seat officers located a loaded Ruger 9mm firearm that had been previously reported stolen. A baggie with pills that contained fentanyl was found in the glove compartment. At the time of this incident, Jackson was on supervised release with the Western District of Tennessee for his felon in possession of a firearm conviction. Because of his violent criminal history, Jackson is classified as an armed career criminal. Jackson’s past criminal history includes five convictions for aggravated robbery, a conviction for attempted aggravated robbery, a conviction for facilitation of especially aggravated robbery, and the previous convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the West Memphis Police Department and the Second Judicial Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Repeat Felon Sentenced After Ghost Gun, Drugs Recovered at Southeast D.C. Apartment Complex

body_text: WASHINGTON – Anthony Thomas, 31, a previously convicted felon of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 42 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a loaded ghost gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Thomas pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 42-month prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Thomas to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on May 19, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers approached a group of people at the Stanton Terrace Apartments in Southeast D.C. When an officer noticed a bulge on Thomas' back, officers stopped him and recovered a ghost gun, which is a privately manufactured firearm, bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. The gun was loaded with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition. A search incident to arrest recovered suspected narcotics and a digital scale. Lab testing confirmed the substances included marijuana, hashish, methamphetamine mixed with cocaine, and pills, two of which tested positive for fentanyl. This is Thomas' third conviction involving the illegal possession or use of a handgun. He was previously convicted of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence as a juvenile, and later of armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence as an adult. He was on supervised release from that case when he committed the offense here. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office. This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 25cr161 Follow us on X , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: D.C. Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: WASHINGTON – William Edwin Allaun IV, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison in connection with his possession of child sexual abuse material depicting images of the rape and torture of young children, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Allaun pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth to one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to the 60-month prison term, Judge Lamberth ordered Allaun to serve 10 years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 78-month prison term, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Judge Lamberth also ordered Allaun to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, in May 2025, Allaun was added to a group chat on an encrypted messaging application that was used to distribute child sexual abuse material. Allaun received multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children and expressed interest in receiving additional material. A search of Allaun's residence in July 2025 led to the recovery of additional videos depicting child sexual abuse material, sent through the same group chat. As part of his sentence, Allaun agreed to forfeit an iPad and an iPhone seized during the investigation. He also agreed to pay restitution to the victims. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Kelley. It was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 25cr230 Follow us on X , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: D.C. Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds

body_text: WASHINGTON – Robert A. Terrell, 51, of Washington, D.C., and Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to falsifying documents to secure $1.35 million in COVID-19 relief funds for his business, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Robert Terrell lied to steal over a million dollars meant to keep struggling businesses afloat, then gambled much of it away,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He forged documents, he denied his own name, and he thumbed his nose at a federal judge. Today, he was held accountable for his actions. My office will continue to aggressively identify fraud, bring consequences to those who misuse federal programs, and enforce strict protections for taxpayer resources.” Terrell pleaded guilty to wire fraud before the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. Following the plea hearing, Judge Sullivan scheduled sentencing for February 4, 2027. Court documents establish that Terrell was the sole owner of District Logistics LLC, which was established in the District of Columbia in 2016. The company’s services include hauling sand, dirt, gravel, and asphalt, and performing snow and ice removal. Between July 2020 and January 2022, on behalf of District Logistics, Terrell applied for an Economic Injury Disaster loan (EIDL) and two EIDL modifications. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offered Economic Injury Disaster Loans to certain entities, including small business owners. These loans were provided directly from the SBA and were low-interest, fixed-rate, long-term loans that could only be used for specified purposes. District Logistics initially received $125,800 in EIDL funds in July 2020. After Terrell applied for a modification to the loan, the business received an additional $384,100 in EIDL money in September 2021. Terrell then sought a second loan modification requesting $2 million. On November 29, 2021, in connection with his second modification request, Terrell submitted a Schedule of Liabilities to the SBA, which showed District Logistics as having approximately $518,000 in outstanding debt to a creditor. Approximately one month later, on January 6, 2022, Terrell emailed the SBA an updated Schedule of Liabilities, which falsely showed District Logistics as now owing the same creditor just over $71,000. Terrell attached four PNC wire transfer receipts to the email, which he had doctored to show his business as having wired more than $400,000 to the creditor when it really had wired less than $20,000. By falsely attesting that District Logistics owed less money than it did, Terrell succeeded in getting the SBA to approve a second modification to the EIDL, which resulted in District Logistics receiving an additional $1.35 million that it otherwise would not have received. The government’s investigation revealed that Terrell spent some of the EIDL funds day trading through his Robinhood account and gambling at casinos. After he was indicted, Terrell’s case took an unusual turn. At his initial appearance in U.S. District Court, Terrell admitted that his name was “Robert Alphonso Terrell.” However, at his next court hearing and several thereafter, Terrell denied that he was “Robert A. Terrell” and instead insisted that he was “Robert Alphonso III, the General Executor of the Terrell Estate.” He repeated this bogus assertion in various pleadings while representing himself. In March 2026, in flagrant disregard of his pretrial release conditions, Terrell traveled to the Turks and Caicos for a weekend trip after securing a new passport. Although Terrell returned to the United States following the trip, as a result of his outrageous conduct, Judge Sullivan issued an arrest warrant for Terrell and ordered him detained after he was arrested on the warrant. Terrell was previously convicted in 1998 of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and Carrying a Pistol Without a License. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and David Liss of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 25cr347


title: West Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Gun Possession Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, announced that MATTHEW CRUZ, 36, of West Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, in February and March 2025, members of the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force made a series of controlled purchases of narcotics from Cruz. On March 27, 2025, a court-authorized search of Cruz’s residence on Newington Road in West Hartford revealed thousands of bags of packaged fentanyl and loose fentanyl totaling more than 600 grams, approximately 184 grams of heroin, quantities of cocaine and crack, drug processing and packaging materials, six firearms, ammunition, gun magazines, and nearly $14,000 in cash. Cruz’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions for state drug offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and other controlled substances, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. At sentencing, which is scheduled for October 29, Cruz faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Cruz has been detained since his arrest. This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford and West Hartford Police Departments. The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham. 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: Mexican National Deported Multiple Times Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering U.S.

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JULIO CESAR FERNANDEZ-SALAZAR, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 18 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S. as a removed alien. According to court documents and statements made in court, Fernandez-Salazar has used numerous aliases, including Julio Fernandez, Julio Cesar Salazar, J. Cesar Fernandez-Salazar, Paulo Cesar Salazar, Alejandro Lugo, Jorge Ortigoza, and Julio C. Fernandez-Salazar. Fernandez-Salazar was first convicted of an immigration violation in October 2007 in the District of Arizona, was sentenced to 45 days of imprisonment, and was voluntarily returned to Mexico. Prior to this conviction, he had already twice been removed from the United States and had twice returned illegally. Fernandez-Salazar again unlawfully returned to the U.S. In June 2009, he was convicted in Tempe Municipal Court in Arizona of failure to appear and driving with a suspended license and was again deported to Mexico. In July 2009, U.S. Border Patrol encountered and arrested Fernandez-Salazar near the U.S./Mexico border and he was again deported to Mexico. Fernandez-Salazar illegally reentered the U.S. and, in October 2014, was convicted in Mesa Municipal Court in Mesa, Arizona, of driving under the influence. In April 2017, he was convicted in Maricopa County, Arizona, of unlawful imprisonment and solicitation to commit misconduct involving weapons. In April 2018, he was convicted in the U.S. District Court in Arizona of unlawful reentry and was again deported to Mexico. On November 27, 2024, Fernandez-Salazar was arrested by the Connecticut State Police in Colchester and charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and other offenses. He was subsequently released on bond. On July 18, 2025, the U.S. District Court in New Haven issued a criminal complaint charging Fernandez-Salazar with unlawful reentry. He was located and arrested in Arizona on February 25, 2026, and has been detained since that date. On May 21, 2026, he pleaded guilty in the District of Connecticut to unlawful reentry of a removed alien. This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Lembo and Daniel P. Gordon. 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: Mexican National Indicted On Charges of Illegal Reentry, False Claim of United States Citizenship, After Assuming Identity Of Deceased Child

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Alejandro Rascon-Perez, 54, of Mexico, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien, and one count of a false claim of United States Citizenship. According to public court documents, Rascon-Perez illegally entered the United States in March 2012 near El Paso, Texas. Shortly after arriving in the United States, he was prosecuted in Adams County, Colorado, for possessing Flunitrazepam (commonly known as Rohypnol), and was removed to Mexico. Rascon-Perez illegally reentered the United States again in 2012, was convicted of illegal reentry in the Western District of Texas and was again removed to Mexico. He illegally re-entered the United States a third time before being arrested by the Denver Police Department in May 2025 for felony menacing. United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detainer for Rascon-Perez, but the Denver Sheriff’s Department released Rascon-Perez back into the community. Rascon-Perez was arrested again in July 2026 for failure to appear in his state criminal case. At that point, ICE obtained a federal criminal arrest warrant and arrested Rascon-Perez. While federal officers were processing the defendant after his arrest, he claimed he was a United States Citizen with a different identity. Rascon-Perez presented federal officers with documents in the name of Jason Raymond Couture and repeatedly insisted he was Jason Raymond Couture. Upon further investigation, and with assistance from the Social Security Administration, federal agents were able to confirm that Rascon-Perez was not in fact Couture because Couture was a child who had died decades ago. Rascon-Perez continued to insist on the false identity and in interviews with federal officers provided a false date of birth and an incorrect spelling of the name he claimed was his identity. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by the Violent Crime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office. Case Number: 1:26-cr-00174-NYW


title: Ventura County Tax Preparer Sentenced to More Than 2 Years  in Federal Prison for Filing More Than 1,700 False Returns

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Thousand Oaks tax preparer was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison for filing more than 1,700 false tax returns for her clients. Ann Quach, 50, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, who also ordered her to pay $6,481,731 in restitution. Quach pleaded guilty on February 18 to one count of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns for the clients of her business AQ Financial, also known as A2Z Tax Solutions. She also pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. From 2011 to 2024, Quach prepared 1,734 Form 1040 returns resulting in the multi-million losses to the United States Treasury. She included made-up losses for fake businesses that didn’t exist and used those fictitious losses to offset her client’s income. Quach also frequently included false deductions for medical expenses and charitable contributions. These false entries on the tax returns fraudulently reduced the taxes the clients owed – often to the point of generating refunds. Quach collected substantial fees from her satisfied clients, many of whom returned year after year. “Tax fraud is a serious crime that corrodes the foundation of a functional society,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Quach’s] tax fraud was serious. It was not committed because of a brief lapse in judgment. For years, [Quach] used her tax expertise to help clients evade tax on their income, causing significant losses to the U.S. Treasury.” IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ranee A. Katzenstein and Matthew R. Hoffman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Tax Section, prosecuted this case.


title: Three O.C. Gang Members Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Murdering a Gangster Who’d Fallen Afoul of Mexican Mafia

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – Three Orange County street gang members were each sentenced today to life in federal prison for murdering a gangster in August 2017 who had come into conflict with a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang. Mike Escobar, 43, a.k.a. “Risky,” a member of the Little Hood gang in Anaheim; James Mendez, 47, a.k.a. “Buck,” a Sureño gang member from Garden Grove; and Kevin Trejo, 38, a.k.a. “Minor,” a member of the Jeffrey Street gang in Anaheim, were sentenced by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter. At the conclusion of an eight-day trial, a jury in October 2023 found the defendants guilty of one count of murder in aid of racketeering. “We will never tolerate violence ordered by imprisoned gangsters operating from behind bars,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Today’s life sentences demonstrate our commitment to holding these thugs accountable until their dying day.” “Gang members directing murders from behind bars will be charged and prosecuted just like those who pull the triggers,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case charged both the shooters and the perpetrator who ordered the murder. The Criminal Division will maintain its commitment to eradicate gangs at all levels and make America safe.” “Gang members committing violent acts of murder on the streets of America violates everyone’s sense of safety and security in our neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Three more members of the Mexican Mafia who steal from society and degrade our communities are off the streets for the rest of their lives thanks to the joint efforts of the Orange County Violent Gang Task Force and the Homeland Security Task Force.” According to evidence presented at trial, on August 21, 2017, the defendants murdered the victim, a member of a Costa Mesa street gang. At the time of his murder, the victim trafficked drugs and collected “taxes” from gangs in Orange County for imprisoned Mexican Mafia member Johnny Martinez, 50, a.k.a. “Crow,” a co-defendant in this case who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and who is scheduled to go to trial in August 2027. The defendants tricked the victim into driving with them just before midnight from his home in Anaheim to a residential neighborhood in Orange, where they shot him seven times in the back and once in the head. Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo were acting on orders from Martinez, who issued the order to kill the victim because the victim on two occasions stole drugs and money controlled by Martinez. The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; the Orange Police Department; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Anaheim Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Placentia Police Department; the Orange County District Attorney’s Office; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) investigated this matter. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Staples of the Orange County Office and Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Chris Matthews of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted this case, with substantial assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Greg Scally of the Orange County Office.


title: Owner of Santa Ana-Based Fruits-and-Vegetables Food Truck Indicted on Charges She Committed Food Stamp Fraud

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The owner of an Orange County-based fruits-and-vegetables food truck that law enforcement believes is the highest-redeeming vendor of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits among nearby fruit-and-vegetable stores and large grocery stores, has been indicted on food stamp fraud charges, the Justice Department announced today. Esmeralda Soriano, 48, a.k.a. “Esmeralda Aguilar” and “Esmeralda Silva,” of Santa Ana, is charged with two counts of illegal trafficking in SNAP benefits. Soriano’s arraignment is scheduled for August 13 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. She is free on $5,000 bond. According to an indictment that a federal grand jury returned on Wednesday and other court documents, Soriano Produce is a low-volume fruits-and-vegetables mobile food truck operating in Santa Ana and, in March 2023, was authorized as an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)-SNAP retailer. The business has one point-of-sale device that is used to complete EBT-SNAP transactions. Its lack of scanners coupled with consistent high-dollar transactions and rapid back-to-back transactions are indicators of possible fraud. Law enforcement identified similar SNAP-authorized fruits-and-vegetables businesses between April 2025 and April 2026 that were within a 20-mile radius from Soriano Produce and determined that Soriano’s business was the largest SNAP-authorized redeemer with a total store volume of approximately $640,924, more than six times its nearest competitor, and an average purchase amount of $151.41. Compared to large grocery stores within a five-mile radius during this same period, Soriano Produce was also the highest redeeming store of SNAP benefits, despite having more than 9,700 fewer transactions than the closest store. Further, Soriano Produce had the highest average transaction amount. Law enforcement also discovered numerous excessively large EBT-SNAP transactions at Soriano Produce for a store of its type, with a dozen reaching or exceeding $1,000, far surpassing the California average of $17.72 for a fruits-and-vegetables store. If convicted, Soriano would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count. In a separate case, a federal grand jury on July 31 indicted Jesse Cervantes-Gomez, 30, a.k.a. “Ventura,” of Fontana, on three counts of illegal trafficking in SNAP benefits. Cervantes-Gomez was arrested on July 2 for exchanging SNAP benefits for cash at Escamex, a downtown Los Angeles-based store. His arraignment is scheduled for August 11 in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. He is free on $5,000 bond and, if convicted, would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General are investigating these matters with assistance from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Jones of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.


title: Calabasas Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Running ‘DoorDash for Drugs’ Service that Led to Two Fatal Fentanyl OD’s

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Calabasas man was sentenced today to 324 months in federal prison for running what prosecutors called a “DoorDash for drugs” service that delivered illicit narcotics to buyers in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and resulted in two fatal fentanyl overdoses. Erick Oved Estrada, 37, a.k.a. “Franco Sanchez” and “Eric Freddy Hook,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who also ordered him to pay $43,145 in restitution. Estrada, who has been in federal custody since November 2023, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. According to court documents, from May 2019 to March 2023, Estrada obtained narcotics, including cocaine and purported oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. Estrada and his accomplices then provided these drugs to a network of drug delivery drivers for further distribution to customers or other drug distributors. The delivery drivers then directly provided the drugs to customers or distributors and collected payment. On June 8, 2022, Estrada sold 25 fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills to co-defendant Arian Alani, 37, a Danish national living in Burbank, and a delivery driver. The following day, Alani sold some of these pills to the victim, identified in the indictment as “C.N.,” who ingested them and died of a drug overdose. Two days later, Alani confronted Estrada via text message and wrote, “my boy just died yesterday” – a reference to C.N. – and that Estrada “[s]houldn’t be selling [expletive] with fentanyl.” In March 2023, Estrada knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl to a victim – identified in court documents as “S.M.” The victim earlier had texted someone to purchase two Xanax pills and two oxycodone pills for $80. On the evening of March 8, 2023, Estrada’s driver, on Estrada’s behalf, provided to S.M. the purported Xanax pills and oxycodone pills, which contained fentanyl. S.M. then returned home, where she ingested the fentanyl she received from Estrada’s drug delivery service, which caused her to suffer a fatal drug overdose. Alani pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and is scheduled for sentencing on December 2 and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The DEA Overdose Justice Task Force, the Simi Valley Police Department, the Burbank Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provided assistance. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. 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. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy K. Beecher of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and Nicholas G. Purcell of the Major Crimes Section prosecuted this case.


title: Ajo Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Sexual Contact with a Minor

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Eric Garcia, 31, of Tucson, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 19 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Garcia previously pleaded guilty to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child. The investigation revealed that on an unknown date between November 11, 2014, and November 11, 2016, Garcia, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, had sexual contact with a child under the age of 12 on the Tohono O’odham Nation near Hickiwan, Arizona. The Tohono O’odham Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-5231-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-133_Garcia # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Philadelphia Man Indicted on Civil Rights Charge in Connection with July Arson at Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Vincent Lang, 60, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with one count of malicious damage by means of fire to a building used in interstate commerce and one count of damage to religious real property, in connection with an arson fire last month at a city mosque. The defendant has been detained in federal custody since his July 16 arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant. The indictment alleges that, in the early hours of July 5, Lang maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire, the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center, located on the 1400 block of Tyson Avenue. The indictment further alleges that Lang carried out the act because of the religious character of that property, that is, because it was a mosque. “Setting fire to a house of worship is an appalling act,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will vigorously protect Americans’ right to be free from intimidation and violence while practicing their religion.” “We will not let anyone attack a place of faith,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “This case demonstrates our resolve to protect our core constitutional liberty of religion. It also exemplifies the swift and decisive response that results for anyone who attempts to disturb the faith of another.” “There is no place for acts of violence in our city, especially those motivated by bias,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “The FBI is grateful for the valued partnerships we share with law enforcement and public safety agencies across Philadelphia. Together, we remain committed to pursuing those who threaten the safety and wellbeing of those we are charged to protect.” “We thank the city, state, and federal agencies that helped us in this important public safety case,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Houses of worship fire investigations are an ATF priority that we tackle with all our considerable arson investigation resources.” “An attack on a house of worship is an attack on the fundamental right of every person to practice their faith safely and without fear,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “The additional civil rights charge reflects the seriousness of what is alleged in this case and sends a clear message that acts intended to threaten or intimidate a religious community will be met with the full force of our collective law enforcement response. I am grateful to our investigators and our federal, state and local partners for their continued work to ensure accountability and protect every community in our city.” If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Philadelphia Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office Special Investigations Unit and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz and J. Jeanette Kang for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Finds Duke Law School Discriminates Based on Race in Admissions

body_text: The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today investigative findings that Duke University School of Law (Duke Law) intentionally discriminated based on race in granting and denying admission to its 2023, 2024, and 2025 incoming classes. Duke Law’s discriminatory conduct violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard ( SFFA ), which banned race discrimination in higher education. “Duke Law School doesn’t get a free pass to discriminate against white and Asian students simply because it thinks it has good intentions,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Using ‘diversity’ essay questions to identify preferred races for admission is still illegal discrimination based on race, and this Department is committed to eliminating it everywhere we find it, including in our nation’s law schools.” The Department’s investigation found that post- SFFA , Duke Law emphasized racial diversity in admissions and engaged in a deliberate effort to preserve race-based outcomes for its incoming classes. Duke Law revised its Mission Statement to express its goal to “help build and sustain a dynamic legal profession that embodies a commitment” to a number of stated values, such as equal justice, public service, and a “diversity of perspective and experience.” Duke Law’s application included short answer essay questions, which allowed candidates to discuss how they would further Duke Law’s mission. Admissions reviewers were then instructed to “tag” responses to these short answer questions. To capture answers related to “diversity of perspective and experience” reviewers used the “Diversity/Services” tag. Reviewers were also instructed to use tags to capture specific applicant characteristics that are commonly correlated with race, such as being a Pell grant recipient. Thus, while Duke Law’s published policies assert that admissions reviewers did not see racial demographic data, Duke Law directed its admissions staff to highlight applicant information that could be used to advance Duke Law’s racial diversity goals. As a result, a black or Hispanic applicant has a substantially higher likelihood of admission to Duke Law than a white or Asian applicant with the same academic credentials. When qualifications are not similar, the result is starker: in 2024 and 2025, the median LSAT scores of rejected white and Asian applicants exceeded the median LSAT scores of admitted black applicants. As recipients of federal financial assistance, law schools are subject to federal non-discrimination laws. The Department will continue to monitor and ensure their compliance with Title VI and SFFA ’s prohibition on race-conscious admissions. Where a violation has been found, the Department will engage in settlement negotiations to ensure the school’s admissions practices are brought into compliance. If those efforts fail, the Department will file suit. Note : Read the Department’s Findings Letter here .


title: Justice Department Files Complaint to Stop Nevada Firm from Manufacturing and Selling Adulterated and Misbranded Dental Products

component: Civil Division

body_text: The United States filed a complaint today seeking to permanently enjoin a Nevada-based medical device manufacturer from manufacturing and selling adulterated and misbranded products. In a civil complaint for permanent injunction filed on Aug. 6, the United States alleges that Gregory S. Steiner and Roslynn L. Steiner (the Steiners), and their company, Steiner Biotechnology LLC., violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by failing to comply with current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) and Quality System (QS) requirements and by selling or holding for sale dental products, including synthetic bone grafting materials and dental cement, that are adulterated. Some of the Steiners’ devices are also adulterated and misbranded for failing to submit premarket applications or adequate premarket notices for their devices. “Today’s action reflects the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding patients and maintaining accountability within the medical device industry,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When medical device manufacturers fail to meet their obligations under federal law, we will take appropriate steps to ensure patient safety.” “Patients deserve confidence that the medical devices they rely on are safe and effective, said Michelle Tarver, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The FDA is committed to holding manufacturers accountable when they fail to meet federal requirements and will continue working to safeguard patients and protect the public health.” The complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, alleges FDA investigators inspected Steiner Biotechnology’s facility at least four times from 2018 to 2025 and observed repeated violations of CGMP and QS requirements, such as failing to: establish and maintain adequate procedures to control the design of the device; adequately validate processes according to established procedures; establish and maintain adequate procedures for validating the device design, including risk analysis; establish and maintain procedures to adequately control environmental conditions; adequately maintain and implement procedures to fully investigate the cause of nonconformities relating to product, processes, and the quality system; identify the action(s) needed to correct and prevent recurrence of nonconforming product and other quality problems; verify or validate the corrective and preventive action to ensure that such action is effective and does not adversely affect the finished device; and to submit relevant information on identified quality problems, as well as corrective and preventive actions, for management review. FDA also repeatedly warned the Steiners that their company was distributing Class III medical devices for which they do not have an approved premarket application, a cleared premarket notification submission, or an effective investigational device exemption. Despite numerous warnings from FDA over the past seven years and the Steiners’ repeated promises, the Steiners continue to violate the FDCA. According to the complaint, Steiner Biotechnology’s dental products are sold throughout the country. The government’s lawsuit seeks injunctive relief requiring the Steiners to implement sanitation and process improvements and to comply with the FDCA’s requirements before manufacturing or distributing any additional dental products. Trial Attorney Kyu Yun Kim of the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch is handling the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia T. Tomova for the District of Nevada, and Associate Chief Counsel Leah A. Edelman in FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel. Additional information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch . The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.


title: Four Managers and Supervisors of Illinois Mine Indicted for Failing to Evacuate Miners During Underground Fire, Conspiracy to Obstruct Investigators, and Falsifying Records

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Ronald Dale Koontz, 69, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Demitrios George Macropoulos, 38, of Buckeye, Arizona, Randy L. Nowland, 67, of Waltonville, Illinois, and Cory Taylor Humphrey, 37, of Prospect, Kentucky, have been charged with multiple crimes related to an underground fire that occurred in the MC#1 Mine in Franklin County, Illinois, in August 2021. The indictment returned Tuesday charges Koontz, Macropoulos, Nowland, and Humphrey with conspiring to defraud the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) by concealing the fire and other hazards at the mine and taking steps to interfere with MSHA’s investigation of the fire and administration of safety-related orders in the aftermath of the fire. The Indictment charges the defendants with keeping miners underground and continuing to mine coal for all or portions of three shifts while unsuccessfully fighting a fire. The defendants are charged with failing to evacuate the mine and notify MSHA as required by mandatory safety standards under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act (the Mine Act). Nowland and Humphrey are also charged under the Mine Act with falsification of records required to document mine hazards. Koontz and Macropoulos are charged with obstruction of an MSHA proceeding for entering the mine in violation of an MSHA safety order withdrawing miners from the mine. Koontz is further charged with obstruction for directing another supervisor to delete a record reflecting a telephone call he made. A fifth conspirator and former mine manager, Brandon Timothy Parsons, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud MSHA on Aug. 28, 2025 in a related criminal proceeding filed in August 2025. “As Congress has long recognized, a strong, productive coal industry depends on miners who feel safe and trust that their leaders are not putting them at unnecessary risk,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division. “Supporting MSHA’s work to protect coal miners is an important part of ENRD’s mission.” “When people in positions of authority conceal deadly conditions and then cover up their actions, they put lives at risk and prevent federal authorities from doing the job the law requires them to do. That kind of obstruction is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois. “These charges hold accountable those who chose to protect the company’s financial interests over the safety of the people they are obligated to protect.” As alleged in the Indictment, in August 2021, Koontz was the general manager of a company that provided oversight and services to the corporate operator of the MC#1 Mine. Macropoulos was the mine superintendent of the MC#1 Mine and Nowland and Humphrey were shift mine managers. On or about the afternoon of Aug. 13, 2021, an underground fire was ignited while mine personnel used cutting torches to cut collapsed steel beams in the mine. According to the Indictment, when the fire could not be extinguished within 10 minutes, rather than implementing the approved Mine Emergency Evacuation and Firefighting Plan, the defendants, and their co-conspirator Parsons, allegedly agreed that they would not evacuate miners or notify MSHA. Instead, the defendants are alleged to have directed coal mining to continue during ad hoc firefighting efforts through the morning of Aug. 14. Nowland and Humphrey are charged with signing records of required mine examinations, falsely certifying that no hazardous conditions existed in the mine. On August 14th, Parsons tried to conceal the existence of the fire from those not already aware of it by evacuating the mine of hourly employees on the false pretense that a belt used to carry coal from underground to the surface was broken. Members of the conspiracy, including Koontz, Macropoulos, and Parsons, are alleged to have then gone underground to continue their attempts to fight the fire. Later that morning, MSHA received an anonymous tip about the fire and, by that afternoon, ordered that the mine be evacuated after inspectors confirmed the existence of the fire. Despite the evacuation order, over the next several days, it is alleged that conspirators re-entered the mine in violation of MSHA’s order on two occasions to assess the fire and manipulate the conditions underground to fool underground gas detectors so that MSHA would allow mining to resume. When MSHA began collecting portable gas detectors worn by miners during the fire as part of its investigation, a member of the conspiracy allegedly encouraged another co-conspirator to get rid of the portable gas detector he had worn. That co-conspirator concealed his portable gas detector away from the mine. If convicted, the defendants each face possible incarceration. If found guilty, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, Special Agent in Charge of the DOL-OIG Great Lakes Region Megan Howell, Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley of the FBI Springfield Field Office made the announcement. The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and FBI investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Lana N. Pettus of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin F. Burke for the Southern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Banker Convicted for Scheme to Bribe Ghanaian Officials

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Today, a federal jury convicted a dual U.S.-Ghanaian citizen for his role in a scheme to bribe Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a multi-million-dollar power plant in Ghana. “We live in a global economy that American companies must be able to compete in fairly,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This defendant corrupted that fair competition. He abused his position at a world-renowned American investment bank by helping bribe Ghanaian officials, so he and his co-conspirators, including senior executives at a Turkish company, could make money. Today’s conviction makes clear that criminals who undermine our country’s interests by corrupting foreign governments and cutting off fair competition will face the full force of the Department of Justice.” “Today’s verdict marks another significant victory in this Office’s longstanding commitment to rooting out corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “The defendant abused his access to high-level foreign government officials and his platform as an investment banker at a prestigious American firm to greedily line his own pockets.” “Engaging in bribery damages the reputation of businesses and destroys fair competitions,” said Acting Assistant Director Matthew B. Floyd of FBI’s Criminal Division. “Berko intentionally lied to his company to continue his scheme. The FBI will not tolerate dishonesty or corruption from anyone who wishes to disturb the business market.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Asante Kwako Berko, 52, conspired to pay more than $1 million in bribes to multiple Ghanaian government officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant estimated to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Beginning in December 2014, Berko, a former Executive Director in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs, was responsible for securing and managing a deal between Aksa Enerji, a Turkish energy company and client of Goldman Sachs, and the Republic of Ghana, for the construction and financing of a power plant in Ghana amidst a national energy crisis in the country. During the scheme, Berko and his co-conspirators paid and conspired to pay bribes to individuals at numerous levels of the Ghanaian government to ensure that the Turkish Energy company won its bid to build and operate the power plant. In April 2015, Berko and the conspirators discussed paying $1 million to the Minister of Power who was responsible for securing key approvals enabling the project to progress. Bribes were also paid to five Ghanaian officials during an all-expenses-paid trip to Turkey to view equipment for the power plant, during which the officials each received $5,000. After the power plant deal was ratified by the Ghanaian parliament in July 2015, Berko and his co-conspirators emailed about their bribe payments at length. The evidence further detailed tens of thousands of dollars in bribes that Berko had personally paid and for which he was still owed. To conceal the scheme from Goldman Sachs and others, Berko lied to Goldman’s compliance team that was responsible for vetting the deal and he used his personal, non-official-business email account when talking about the bribes. Berko and his co-conspirators also concealed and laundered the bribe payments using shell companies, sham invoices, nominee account holders and cash withdrawals. Payments in furtherance of the bribery scheme were laundered through U.S. and foreign bank accounts, including several in Berko’s name. Goldman ultimately withdrew from the deal due to corruption concerns. The jury convicted Berko of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), violating the FCPA, and money laundering conspiracy. Sentencing is set for Nov. 10. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Law Enforcement Attaché in Accra worked with the International Cooperation Unit of the Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana, and Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor, to provide significant assistance to this prosecution. The UK’s National Extradition Unit, the Crown Prosecution Service of England and Wales, the U.S. Embassy in London, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendant. Assistant Chief Katherine Raut of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Senior Trial Attorney Katherine Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Weigel, Nick M. Axelrod, and Tara McGrath for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to $14M Fraudulent Check Scheme

body_text: A Florida man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for using fraudulent, unauthorized checks to steal money from victims’ bank accounts. According to court documents, Eri Guzman Ortiz, 69, formerly of Miami-Dade County, created and deposited about $14 million in fraudulent checks into the bank accounts of sham companies in the United States. The fraudulent checks were used to steal victims’ money by transferring it from the victims’ bank accounts to the bank accounts of the sham companies without the victims’ authorization. Guzman Ortiz’s client in Canada sent him lists of thousands of people and businesses who had purportedly made purchases from sham companies and had purportedly agreed for their bank accounts to be debited by the sham companies. Guzman Ortiz used these lists to create fraudulent checks and deposit them into bank accounts for sham companies, knowing that these people and businesses had not made purchases from the sham companies and had not authorized debits from their bank accounts. Guzman Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group; and Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Chicago Region made the announcement. USPIS and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Anna Forgie of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida is handling forfeiture.


title: Consumer Bankruptcy Firm Waives $90K in Fees After USTP Inquiry Reveals Lapses in Diligence

component: U.S. Trustee Program

body_text: A consumer law firm agreed to waive more than $90,000 in fees after an investigation by the Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) revealed that the firm filed a series of bankruptcy cases with false financial information. On July 22, the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois entered an order memorializing the agreement between the USTP and the Semrad Law Firm, also known as DebtStoppers. The agreement follows an investigation by the USTP’s Chicago office that found Semrad failed to exercise due diligence before filing 31 cases on behalf of consumer debtors whose sworn bankruptcy documents contained financial information that was materially inconsistent with the debtors’ federal tax returns. Bankruptcy law requires debtors’ attorneys to exercise independent diligence and care in ensuring that the information in their clients’ bankruptcy documents have evidentiary support. But Semrad failed to review the debtors’ tax returns or tax transcripts before filing these cases. If it had, the firm would have discovered that the debtors had claimed significantly higher earnings and higher withholdings to generate sizeable refunds from their tax returns. “Semrad cannot justify its fees for its lax approach to preparing these 31 cases,” said Acting U.S. Trustee Adam Brief of Region 11, which includes the Northern District of Illinois. “The firm failed its clients and the courts by allowing the spread of false information. The USTP will continue to aggressively pursue consumer debtors’ attorneys who fail to fulfill their basic obligations.” Under the agreement, Semrad must return more than $26,000 to the debtors and notify them that nothing more is due under their fee agreements, for a total value of more than $90,000. Additionally, two of the firm’s attorneys must complete at least three hours of continuing legal education on professional responsibility in bankruptcy. The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 82 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust .