title: Gulf Breeze Man Sentenced To 48 Months in Federal Prison For Attempted Enticement of a Minor

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Brock A. Westrom, 36, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark E. Walker to 48 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Sexual predators, like this defendant, are relentless in their pursuit of children online, who they intend to sexually exploit and victimize, but our state and federal law enforcement partners are unified in their commitment to identify and stop those sick individuals before they can harm our kids. My office will continue to back up the outstanding investigative work of our law enforcement partners with aggressive prosecutions to keep these sexual deviants behind bars and away from our communities.” Evidence at trial demonstrated that in July 2024, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement partners, conducted an undercover operation, directed at finding people who were soliciting minors online for sex. On July 19, 2024, the defendant began talking with someone he believed was a fifteen-year-old child. He told the purported child the sexual acts he wanted the child to perform, the price he was willing to pay for those sexual acts, and then arranged a meeting location. The defendant traveled to meet the purported child at the agreed upon location, and he was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived. Electronic evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant confirmed the defendant had, in fact, talked to the person he believed was a child and traveled to meet them. After serving his term of imprisonment, Westrom will have to register as a sexual offender and be subject to five years of supervised release. “If you think you can use the internet to target a child and walk away without consequences, you're making the biggest mistake of your life,” said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford. “We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will work with our state and federal partners to ensure you face every consequence the law allows. Let this sentence serve as a warning: if you come to Bay County looking to exploit a child, you won't find a victim, you'll find deputies waiting to put you in handcuffs.” “This predator’s vile efforts to exploit and target a child for sexual purposes are reprehensible and will not be tolerated in our community,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI is unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and holding predators fully accountable for their actions. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who seek to harm minors face the full force of justice.” “Individuals who travel to exploit children will find no safe haven here,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate these crimes and stop children from being exploited. If you travel to our community to target minors know that we will find you.” This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Eric W. Welch. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Fort Totten, ND, Man Sentenced to Serve 15 Years for Assaults and Voluntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced today that Kolby Jae McKay, also known as Kolby Woods, age 34, from Fort Totten, North Dakota, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, to serve 15 years in federal prison. McKay previously pleaded guilty to charges of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation, and Voluntary Manslaughter. McKay’s guilty pleas were entered on April 2, 2026, in two separate cases. McKay pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation related to an incident on March 13, 2024. McKay became upset with a woman, identified in the case as “Jane Doe,” with whom he was in a dating relationship. McKay grabbed a knife and held it to Jane Doe’s neck. Jane Doe pushed the knife away and McKay strangled Jane Doe by placing his hands tightly around Jane Doe’s neck until she almost lost consciousness. McKay also pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter as a result of an incident a few weeks after the domestic assault. McKay killed Monte Ray Herman Sr. on April 3, 2024, following a physical fight during which McKay placed his forearm around the neck of Herman. Both incidents occurred on the Spirit Lake Reservation. According to court documents, McKay fled after killing Herman and was at large for several days, prompting the Spirit Lake Tribal Council to issue a community curfew and offer a reward for information leading to McKay’s whereabouts. “The Department of Justice is always committed to ensuring violent crimes in Indian country are investigated thoroughly and prosecuted aggressively,” said United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase. “The career prosecutors in this office have worked with our law enforcement partners to increase prosecution of domestic violence involving nonfatal strangulation. This is because strangulation is an undeniable predictor of future lethal violence. Statistical evidence shows attackers who strangle are 75 percent more likely to kill. The more times an attacker strangles, the more likely the attacker is to kill the victim. Our office remains committed to working with our Tribal, federal, and local law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable, protect victims, and make Tribal communities safer.” “The scope of this defendant's violent conduct is appalling,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “After engaging in an extremely serious episode of domestic violence, Kolby McKay killed a man in response to an argument. Today's significant sentence is a reflection of the FBI's continuing commitment to enhancing public safety on tribal lands. The people of Spirit Lake are safer today because of the work done by this investigative team. It is this team's hope that today's sentence offers a sense of justice and closure to the surviving victim and the families of both victims.” This case was investigated the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Benson, Eddy, Ramsey and Nelson County Sheriff’s Departments, North Dakota Highway Patrol, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Lake Region Narcotics Task Force, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Schmidt Dahl and Lori Conroy. # # # # # #


title: Jury finds Lame Deer man guilty of assault and attempted witness tampering

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BILLINGS – A Lame Deer man who assaulted a woman with a metal bar as she and her companion walked in front of his house last fall was found guilty by a federal jury today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Following a three-day trial, Seth Anthony Basler, 41, was found guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of attempted witness tampering. Basler faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Nov. 24, 2026. Basler was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Basler assaulted a woman as she and her companion walked by his house on the way to pick up their children after school on Sept. 17, 2025. The women were walking with their dog, and as they passed Basler’s yard, they stopped to pet one of Basler’s dogs that had come over to where they were walking. Basler yelled from his house at the women to get away from his dogs and, as the women responded, he charged at one of them with a metal bar in his hands. He struck the woman on the head, cutting her scalp, and then struck her on the back when she fell to the ground. At some point he dropped the bar and began to punch her. The woman said she lost consciousness for a moment and then, as she came to, crawled over to Basler to grab his legs as he attacked her companion. The two managed to get away from Basler, who said he was defending himself and his dogs from the two women when they came onto his property. Shortly after the assault, the two women returned to retrieve their phone, which had fallen to the ground during the attack. When they tried, Basler’s wife, who was now in the yard, refused to let them pick it up. The woman who had initially been struck by Basler was hit by him again, this time on the arm, when she tried to grab the phone from the ground. When police arrived, the woman was taken to Lame Deer Clinic with injuries to her head, back and arm; Basler was arrested. While in jail, Basler called his wife multiple times and told her to exaggerate the severity of her injuries from the confrontation and to falsely state that she was outside when the fight began. He also told his wife to falsely say she was attacked by the woman he had struck with the bar and to say that he then intervened in an effort to protect his wife. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Yerger and Julia Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the BIA.


title: Eddington Man Convicted of Making Online Threats

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: An Eddington man was found guilty on July 21, 2026, of three counts of transmitting interstate threatening communications and one count of threatening Vice President Kamala Harris, following a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Bangor. He was found not guilty of one additional count of transmitting an interstate threat. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Thadius Wind , 52, made posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, threatening to kill Jewish people, Vice President Kamala Harris, Maine law enforcement officers, and Elon Musk. The FBI identified Wind as the author of the posts and executed a search warrant at his Eddington residence in March of 2025, where they found numerous swords. The investigation and evidence at trial showed that Wind held strong animosity towards the individuals and groups he threatened. On each count, Wind faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office. ###


title: Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads To Nigerian National Charged with Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, age 45, of Frisco, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Udugba and others orchestrated overlapping romance and business email compromise schemes. As part of the scheme, Udugba and others utilized social media and dating websites to meet and establish purported romantic relationships with persons in multiple states. Those persons were groomed and ultimately used by Udugba and others as money mules to receive and cash fraudulently obtained checks. To obtain the checks, members of the conspiracy sent emails from “spoofed” addresses in Nigeria, claiming to be representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The spoofed emails directed that FWS grant funds be used to pay fabricated invoices, which falsely represented that the money mules were contractors and consultants of FWS who had performed work on grant-eligible projects. As a result of the fraudulent emails and invoices, FWS’s grant administrator issued payments in excess of $300,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Department of Interior Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Department of Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General (OIG) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Cumberland County Man Indicted For Distribution, Receipt, And Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jesse White, age 48, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the complaint alleges that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received reports via their CyberTipline on June 19, 2026, which were flagged as child pornography and White was identified as the producer of such files. On July 21, 2026, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at White’s residence and seized multiple computers and hard drives and conducted a preliminary on-site review of the devices. It is alleged that one hard drive contained numerous files containing images of child pornography depicting minors between the estimated ages of seven to 15 years old engaged in sexually explicit activity. It is further alleged that in a separate drive, agents found approximately 100 files depicting child pornography. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Complaint is 30 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: Georgia Men Guilty in New York State Film Tax Credit Fraud Scheme

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – Two Southwest Georgia men who used online tax preparation software to file state of New York tax returns falsely claiming film industry credits for people who never worked in New York or in film and television are facing several decades in prison for their crimes. “We are committed to protecting taxpayers by ensuring that tax credits designed to create and maintain jobs are used lawfully,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “The Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division remains focused on combating fraud. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to prevent financial crimes and uphold the public’s trust.” "Financial fraud is far from a victimless crime. Schemes like this divert public resources, exploit stolen identities, and erode confidence in programs designed to benefit legitimate businesses and workers," said Thomas Clark, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. "The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate those who believe they can profit through deception and hold them accountable for their actions." “Let this serve as a warning to any taxpayers considering lining their pockets for personal gain. The defendants repeatedly submitted fraudulent tax records attempting to steal funds that drive New York State’s creative economy,” said Amanda Hiller, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner. “I commend the dedicated work of our NYS Tax Investigators and thank United States Attorney Keyes and his office for their partnership and diligent efforts in bringing tax criminals to justice.” Ryan Rugg, 28, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on July 22. Rugg faces a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Rugg’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29 at 3:00 p.m. in Albany. Co-defendant, Joshua Jordan, 37, of Tifton, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on March 26. Jordan faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud and a maximum of two years in prison to be served consecutively and a $250,000 fine for aggravated identity theft. In addition, Jordan faces up to five years of supervised release. Jordan’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3 at 3:00 p.m. in Albany. U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a New York State Department of Taxation and Finance investigator began looking into a potential fraud scheme on June 24, 2023, involving the submission of 22 New York State tax documents by 18 Georgia residents. The returns were flagged for several factors, including out-of-state residency, first-time filer status, and other indicators of fraud. A deep review of these records revealed that Jordan and Rugg committed a tax scheme to obtain fraudulent New York state tax refunds by falsely claiming film production and post-production tax credits. Investigators discovered that Jordan created an account in February 2023 with a tax preparation software company called Online Taxes, based in Missouri, which provides federal and state online tax preparation and electronic filing for individual taxpayers. Jordan and Rugg admitted to filing, or helping others file, New York film tax credits for individuals who had never worked in New York and had not produced or incurred any cost producing film or television shows in New York. For example, Jordan admitted to filing a fraudulent tax return for S.B. on April 18, 2023, using the Online Taxes software. The preparation and submission of this document required Jordan to give S.B.’s Social Security number and other identifying information on the required forms without lawful authority to do so. On May 4, 2023, Jordan called the New York tax department line, pretending to be S.B. and requesting information on his fraudulent tax return. The fraudulent return filed on S.B.’s behalf yielded a return of $49,772 paid out by the state of New York. In total, Jordan and Rugg fraudulently obtained or attempted to obtain more than $550,000 as part of this conspiracy. 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. The FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Three Plead Guilty to Illegal Reentry by a Previously Deported Alien

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Today, Alexander Nolasco-Hernandez (41, Honduras), Ruben Marcos-Santiago (30, Mexico), and Celedonio Plancarte-Perez (38, Mexico) pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Each faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Nolasco-Hernandez was previously removed from the United States to Honduras two times. Marcos-Santigo was previously removed from the United States to Mexico three times. Plancarte-Perez was previously removed from the United States to Mexico two times. All three were encountered voluntarily present in the Middle District of Florida in June 2026. These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). They are being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jerry M. Harre. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Johan Smith Pavon Mejia (43, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. He faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Mejia’s sentencing hearing is set for October 15, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the plea agreement, in April 2025, Mejia communicated online with an undercover detective from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and arranged to meet a fictitious minor to engage in sexual activity. Mejia traveled to an agreed upon location to meet the “minor” and arrived with items requested by the undercover detective, including candy, iced tea, and money to pay for the arranged sexual acts. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Orlando Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: Tampa, FL – Kimberly Williams (44, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Williams, co-conspirator Kenneth Blair, and others conspired to create and execute a mortgage fraud scheme directed at financial institutions. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers obtained mortgage loans from financial institutions, Williams created fictitious and fraudulent paystubs that falsely indicated that the borrowers worked at particular companies for certain periods of time and earned income that they did not in exchange for payments from Blair. The fraudulent mortgage loans were subsequently purchased and guaranteed by government-sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the Federal Housing Administration. 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. This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years for Cyberstalking and Possession of Ammunition

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Mario Jerome Bentley (44, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday to four years and three months in federal prison for cyberstalking and possessing ammunition as convicted felon. The court also ordered Bentley to forfeit the ammunition and have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the victims. Bentley pleaded guilty in April 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, beginning in April 2023, Bentley harassed, intimidated, and caused emotional distress to two former Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) by calling one AUSA’s direct line hundreds of times and by leaving threatening voicemails. In September 2023, Bentley’s home was searched by law enforcement. Agents recovered four boxes of ammunition, containing 25 cartridges per box. Bentley is a previously convicted felon, and therefore, not permitted to possess firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Charges  in Connection With Filipino Child-Sex Trafficking Ring

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man pled guilty in federal court, today, to charges connected to purchasing livestreams of Filipino children engaging in sexual activity. Philip Andrew Turner, 47, of Linthicum Heights, pled guilty to coercion and enticement. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); and Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County. According to his guilty plea, from November 2017, through March 2018, Turner used Skype to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce minor victims, living in the Philippines, to engage in sexual activity. Turner communicated with a known Filipino trafficker who sold the minors, and directed them, as they live-streamed their sexual activity in exchange for monetary payment. Law enforcement later recovered Turner’s chats with the Filipino trafficker from the platform’s server. Turner facilitated approximately 110 Skype calls and exchanged approximately 40 media files with the trafficker. The files included images of Filipino children for Turner to select who he wanted to engage in live-stream sexual activity along with several child sexual abuse material (CSAM) images of Filipino children. Turner used online electronic financial transactions to pay for the live-streamed child sexual abuse shows. Records show between 2017 and 2025, Turner completed 437 successful payments, totaling more than $29,000 to traffickers in the Philippines. On October 28, 2025, law enforcement executed a federal warrant at Turner’s Anne Arundel County residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered a laptop, which was opened to Turner’s Skype account. A forensic analysis revealed that Turner had just downloaded a trove of CSAM using the Tor network between October 11 and October 21. The CSAM collection included more than 600 images. Turner faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for coercion and enticement. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. Know2Protect is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. Know2Protect’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent, combat and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit Know2Protect’s YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on DHS’ main channel. Additional resources are available at Know2Protect.gov , Instagram , Facebook and X , formerly known as Twitter. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the MSP, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Massachusetts Woman Charged with Wire Fraud in Connection with $10 Million Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Massachusetts woman has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Springfield, Mass., in connection with her alleged execution of an approximately $10 million Ponzi scheme involving over 200 victims. Barbara A. Hirshfield, 83, of Lexington, Mass. was charged with five counts of wire fraud. Hirshfield will make an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield at a later date. According to the charging documents, Hirshfield owned and operated Ideal Financial Services, Inc. (Ideal) in West Springfield, Mass., as well as Ideal Financial Holdings (Ideal Holdings). Ideal purported to operate a motor vehicle and small loan business and raised money from investors by selling promissory notes that guaranteed investors high rates of returns. It is alleged that investors were led to believe that their money would be used to fund Ideal’s lending business and that the returns on their investments would be generated from borrowers’ loan payments. In 2012, the Massachusetts Division of Banks (MDB) became concerned about Ideal’s finances and required Ideal to cease soliciting and accepting outside investment funds to finance its business. Nonetheless, it is alleged that Hirshfield did not disclose to investors that the MDB had required Ideal to cease fundraising. Instead, Hirshfield allegedly continued to raise outside funds through the sale of promissory notes. In 2014, after MDB remained concerned about Ideal’s finances, the MDB revoked Ideal’s licenses to issue motor vehicle and small loans – effectively preventing the company from continuing the lending business, its primary source of revenue. Nonetheless, Hirshfield allegedly did not disclose to investors that the MDB had revoked Ideal’s licenses, nor did she disclose that Ideal was no longer generating revenue by issuing loans. Instead, Hirshfield allegedly continued to solicit investments through the sale of promissory notes. According to the charging documents, by at least 2019, Ideal was generating little to no revenue from lending and instead relied almost entirely on money raised from new investments. Rather than disclosing the company’s financial condition, Hirshfield allegedly continued marketing promissory notes. It is alleged that Hirshfield used money obtained from new investments to make interest and principal payments owed to earlier investors, operating Ideal as a Ponzi scheme. Hirshfield allegedly continued operating the Ponzi scheme until approximately June 2025, when she was no longer able to make interest payments or repay the principal owed on outstanding promissory notes. In late 2024, Ideal allegedly failed to make promised interest payments to investors. Rather than disclose the company’s true financial condition, Hirshfield allegedly blamed payment delays on banking issues, fraud, data breaches and stolen or lost checks, while continuing to solicit additional investments through emails offering increasingly high rates of return. The alleged scheme resulted in losses of approximately $10,930,940 to approximately 204 victims. More than 25 victims allegedly suffered substantial financial hardship as a result of the fraud. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Securities Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Longmeadow Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Massive Commercial Loan Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Longmeadow man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for defrauding commercial lenders out of more than $18 million over a four-year period. Together with his co-conspirator, they provided false and fraudulent rent rolls and forged lease agreements for numerous properties located in Springfield, Mass.; East Longmeadow, Mass.; and Enfield, Conn. Louis R. Masaschi, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Masaschi was also ordered to pay $18,203,030 in restitution. In April 2025 , Masaschi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to committed wire fraud; two counts of wire fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. In June 2025, Norman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In April 2023 , Masaschi and his wife and co-conspirator Jeanette Norman were indicted by a federal grand jury. Masaschi and Norman were partners in dozens of limited liability companies, including LL Realty Developers, LLC, through which they owned primarily commercial and some residential property in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. Masaschi and Norman conspired with each other, and others, to fraudulently obtain loans for their companies from financial institutions and commercial lenders by providing materially false, fictitious and fraudulent financial information – including false rent rolls and forged lease agreements. After receiving the loans, Masaschi and Norman defaulted on the loans, causing substantial losses to the financial institutions and commercial lenders, including two community credit unions, and leaving the buildings vacant. Between May 2016 and November 2018, Masaschi and Norman fraudulently obtained or sought to obtain approximately $60,123,000 in loans and caused a total loss of $18,203,030. Norman pleaded guilty in September 2025 and is next scheduled to appear in court on Aug.11, 2026. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Caroline Merck of the Springfield Office are prosecuting the case.


title: Boston Man Charged in Connection with Jail Assault

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man has been charged with allegedly attacking a fellow inmate at the Norfolk County Correctional Center. Javon Sylvester Coleman, a/k/a “J-Dott,” 22, of Boston was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to kill or cause bodily injury to a witness, victim or informant with intent to retaliate against such person for providing information to law enforcement. According to the charging documents, Coleman and others discussed the victim’s perceived status as an informant on a recorded jail call moments before the attack. Coleman allegedly boasted that he was about to “up that rank,” meaning increase his status within the jail by committing an act of violence. Coleman and his co-conspirators allegedly discussed different ways they could harm the victim (to whom they referred using the movie references “Ratatouille” and “Stuart Little”), such as finding a mousetrap and putting it on the victim’s tongue. Surveillance video showed Coleman approach the victim from behind as the victim was seated watching television. Coleman allegedly punched the unsuspecting victim repeatedly from behind and knocked him to the ground. Coleman then got on top of the victim and allegedly strangled the victim with his hands around the victim’s neck, while calling him a “rat” and a “snitch.” The assault continued until corrections officers intervened and pulled Coleman off the victim. The charge of conspiracy to kill or cause bodily injury to a witness, victim or informant with intent to retaliate provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Indian National Arrested in Hawaii for Role in Gold Bar Elder Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced today that Harsh Fojalal Shah, 25, an Indian national, was arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 20, 2026, and charged by criminal complaint for his alleged role in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud targeting elderly victims. According to the criminal complaint, Shah acted as a courier in a “gold bar purchase” fraud scheme that exploited fear and secrecy to coerce an elderly victim, identified in the complaint as “Jane Doe,” into turning over her life savings. The conspirators impersonated U.S. Marshals, claimed Doe’s identity had been compromised, and directed her to liquidate her savings and purchase gold as a supposed protective measure. Doe ultimately handed over nine gold bars valued at more than $137,000 and was further pressured to liquidate her retirement account for an additional $429,000 before law enforcement intervened. Investigators later conducted a controlled operation using prop gold. On July 20, 2026, Shah arrived at a meeting location in Kaneohe, provided Doe with a one‑dollar bill as a confirmation “password,” and accepted a box he believed contained ten gold bars. Following the meeting, Shah was observed conducting evasive driving maneuvers throughout Honolulu before being arrested. During a post‑arrest interview, Shah admitted to conducting approximately ten similar pickups from older adults over the past several months. “The alleged gold bar scheme here underscores a growing national trend in which sophisticated organized criminal networks prey upon vulnerable older Americans using lies, deceit, false impersonation, high‑pressure tactics, and isolation to steal their life savings,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “This case highlights both the courage of an elderly victim who came forward and the commitment of federal and local law enforcement to aggressively pursue the predators who seek to defraud victims of their life savings.” “HSI is committed to taking down the criminal groups that target vulnerable people in our community. By working closely with our federal and local partners, we’re targeting these scammers and making sure that anyone who steals from our kupuna is held accountable,” said CJ Ammons, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge. “This investigation demonstrates that those who exploit and victimize our community will be relentlessly pursued,” said Lieutenant Kawananakoa Saul, District 4 Burglary/Theft Detail I Misdemeanor Follow-Up Detail. “The Honolulu Police Department remains committed to protecting our residents through proactive investigations and coordinated law enforcement efforts.” “The Hawaii Attorney General’s Investigation Division is committed to protecting our residents from criminals who use technology to impersonate law enforcement officers,” said Tom Alipio, Chief of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General Investigations Division. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, and city partners to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.” The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii urges older adults and their families to take steps to protect themselves from fraud. Never trust unexpected calls, texts, or emails claiming your accounts are compromised or demanding secrecy—legitimate government agencies will never ask you to purchase gold or other precious metals, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to safeguard your identity. Always verify suspicious communications by contacting the agency or company directly using an official phone number, and discuss unusual financial requests with trusted family members or friends. Do not click unsolicited pop-ups on your computer, links sent via texts, or links and attachments embedded in emails from unknown or spoofed senders, and do not call unknown telephone numbers shown in pop-ups, texts, or emails. Do not download software at the request of unknown individuals or let unknown individuals have access to your computer. Anyone who believes they may be the victim of a scam should immediately report it to local or federal law enforcement. If convicted, Shah faces up to 20 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000, plus a term of supervised release. The charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department and the Hawaii Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohammad Khatib is prosecuting the case.


title: Ozaukee Country Club Agrees to Pay $750,000 to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations regarding Paycheck Protection Program Loan

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced a settlement with Ozaukee Country Club, whereby the club has paid $750,000.00 to settle claims that it improperly obtained a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), administered by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The PPP loan program, enacted in March 2020, provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible small businesses and nonprofits to receive loans guaranteed by the federal government and, if the borrower spent the funds on qualified expenses, the federal government would repay the loan on the borrower’s behalf. Congress directed the SBA to guarantee PPP loans “under the same terms, conditions, and processes” as ordinary small business loans administered by the agency. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(B). With respect to loan eligibility, Congress expressly endorsed the SBA’s regulation explaining which entities would be ineligible for loans. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(37)(A)(iv)(III)(aa). For decades, this regulation has explained that “[p]rivate clubs and businesses which limit the number of memberships for reasons other than capacity” are not eligible for loans through the SBA. 13 C.F.R. § 120.110(i). Ozaukee Country Club operates a private country club in Mequon, Wisconsin, which is open only to its members. To become a member of Ozaukee Country Club, nominees must be sponsored by current members, undergo various background-check procedures, and be approved by the club’s board of directors. Thus, according to the government, at the time Ozaukee Country Club applied for a PPP loan and for loan forgiveness, the club limited its membership for reasons other than capacity and was ineligible to participate in the PPP. “Although our criminal division receives most of the high-profile attention, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also has an outstanding civil division,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “I am very proud of the excellent work our civil division did on this case and countless others to protect the interests of the United States and its citizens.” “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. Assistant United States Attorney Aaron R. Wegrzyn represented the government in connection with this matter, in coordination with Kandace Zelaya in the SBA’s Office of Litigation and Office of General Counsel. While the settlement resolves the government’s allegations against Ozaukee Country Club with respect to its PPP loan, the club does not admit liability and no court has made any determination as to liability. In addition, on April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Coeur d’Alene Physician Sentenced to 40 Months Imprisonment and $1.25 Million in Restitution for Involvement in Fraudulent Telemedicine Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – On July 8, 2026, Chief District Court Judge Stanely A. Bastian sentenced defendant Dr. David Antonio Becerril of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, age 70, to a 40-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison for his role in a nationwide telemarketing conspiracy to defraud Medicare. Dr. Becerril was convicted after a jury trial in September 2025 of 16 felony counts including Conspiracy to commit Health Care Fraud, Conspiracy to commit Wire Fraud, and multiple counts of Health Care Fraud, Wire Fraud, and False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters. Judge Bastian also ordered Dr. Becerril to pay restitution in the full amount he defrauded from Medicare, $1,250, 667.19, and ordered forfeiture in the form of a money judgment of $37,340, the amount which Dr. Becerril directly profited from the fraudulent scheme. At trial, in September 2025, the United States presented evidence that between February 2018 and September 2019, Dr. Becerril, a licensed Washington physician, participated in a scheme and conspiracy to obtain millions of dollars by falsely billing Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests and durable medical equipment, including back, knee, shoulder, and ankle braces. The evidence at trial showed that while contracting with the fraudulent telemedicine and telemarketing company Real Time Physicians, LLC, (“Real Time”) Dr. Becerril signed false and fraudulent orders for genetic tests and braces for elderly Medicare beneficiaries that Dr. Becerril had never seen, spoken to, heard of, or had any contact with whatsoever, and which included deceased patients as well as elderly patients who had no limbs for the braces they were prescribed by Dr. Becerril. Dr. Becerril reviewed the Real Time prescriptions for, on average, 26 seconds before signing them and falsely attesting to their medical necessity. Real Time paid Dr. Becerril $20 for each phony prescription he falsely certified to be used to fraudulently bill Medicare. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Bastian remarked that while working for Real Time, Dr. Becerril performed no legitimate medical work and did not exercise any independent medical judgment. Doctors, like lawyers and judges, Judge Bastian pointed out, are trained to protect and maintain their licenses, protect their clients, and protect the system in which they operate, and Dr. Becerril failed to do that by essentially selling his medical license through his signature. Judge Bastian further agreed with the United States that through and even after trial, Dr. Becerril has been “steadfastly unapologetic” for his actions. “Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of Dr. Becerril’s long‑running scheme to defraud the taxpayer-funded Medicare program, which is designed to provide medically necessary care to patients, not enrich fraudster physicians,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Pacific Regional Office. “As Judge Bastian noted, Dr. Becerril’s conduct amounted to selling his medical license ‘for $20 a signature,’ demonstrating his limitless greed and a callous disregard for his patients and taxpayers. HHS‑OIG is proud of the relentless, collaborative work that brought this case to a successful conclusion. Working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, HHS-OIG will continue to aggressively investigate health care fraud allegations to protect federal health care programs and the millions of Americans who rely on them.” “This sentence shows our office’s commitment to vigorously prosecute Medicare fraudsters and to hold them to account especially those who, like Dr. Becerril, violated their oaths and medical ethics for a buck at the expense of the taxpayer and the endangerment of the elderly and disabled,” said First Assistant United States Attorney, Pete Serrano. “We are very proud of our continued partnership with HHS-OIG in ensuring that those who defraud our public health programs have to deal with the very real consequences of their fraudulent actions.” The case was investigated by Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney R. Pratten and Tyler Tornabene and Health Care Fraud Contractor Echo D. Fatsis. 1:23-CR-02029-SAB Verdict Press Release can be found here.


title: Richmond felon sentenced to prison for illegally possessing firearms and mail theft

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and mail theft. According to court documents, from at least July through August 2025, Quavon William Smith, 40, used an arrow key to break into several blue collection boxes in Richmond and Henrico. Arrow keys are used by United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers to access authorized mail receptacles. Smith was not employed by USPS and was not authorized to possess or use an arrow key. During many of the break-ins, after taking mail out of the collection box, Smith would put a different packet of mail back into the box. On Aug. 29, 2025, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) received an access alert and notified Henrico County Police (HCPD). USPIS and HCPD proceeded to the Lakeside Post Office where Smith had used the arrow key to access a collection box and moved mail from the box to his vehicle. Smith was in possession of stolen mail, including several high-value checks, as well as two loaded handguns. In 2009, Smith was convicted in the Chesterfield County Circuit Court of distribution of cocaine. As a convicted felon, Smith cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. USPIS investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-167.


title: Arlington man sentenced to nine years in prison for downloading child sexual abuse material

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, Patrick Wanamaker, 35, viewed, downloaded, and possessed images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On Oct. 1, 2025, federal authorities searched Wanamaker’s residence and recovered nine electronic devices, eight of which belonged to Wanamaker. On Wanamaker’s cellphone and laptop, investigators identified 81 CSAM images, which he had downloaded between December 2015 and October 2023. A forensic analysis also revealed that Wanamaker had emailed himself Mega links containing CSAM. The Mega links exclusively contained CSAM images and videos, including depictions of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. In total, the links included 279 images and 777 videos. Wanamaker accessed these links at various times between January 2022 and October 2023. The FBI Washington Field Office's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Minghella prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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-53.


title: Tyler meth dealer sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Tyler man has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Patrick Dewayne Foreman, 61, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 21, 2026. According to information presented in court, on two separate occasions, Foreman was stopped in Smith County for traffic violations and during both stops was found in possession of drugs. In total, officers recovered over 323 grams of methamphetamine; 3.32 grams of cocaine, marijuana, $9,524 in cash, and drug trafficking paraphernalia such as digital scales and unused syringes. 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 Homeland Security Investigations, Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Tyler Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Smith County drug trafficker sentenced to federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Tyler drug trafficker has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Delbert Dan Borens, Jr., 49, also known as Preacher, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 21, 2026. According to information presented in court, from April to June of 2025, Borens and his co-conspirators sold a total of 564.3 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Longview. On June 17, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Borens’ residence, during which they located and seized 1,115.51grams of methamphetamine, a firearm, drug distribution paraphernalia such as digital scales, a money counter, and plastic bags, and a total of $12,927 in cash. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Gregg County Sheriff’s Office; and Longview Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Illegal alien and Smith County man sentenced to federal prison for operating a meth lab in the Eastern District of Texas

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

body_text: TYLER, Texas – An illegal alien and a Smith County man have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Daniel Garibay-Barriga, 39, an illegal alien from Mexico, and Craig Allen Wallace, 50, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On July 21, 2026, Garibay-Barriga was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. Wallace was sentenced to 165 months on the same day. According to information presented in court, on January 28, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Wallace’s residence on FM 724 in Tyler following a drug trafficking investigation. During the search, investigators located two outbuildings containing numerous items of paraphernalia consistent with a clandestine methamphetamine conversion lab, including heating sources, chemicals such as volatile solvents, filtering items such as mesh screens, and large storage containers. In addition, investigators seized 44.71 liters of liquid containing methamphetamine in various stages of the conversion process and 9.57 kilograms of crystallized methamphetamine ready for distribution. Officers also discovered an RV on the property that was being used as a makeshift drugstore stocked with methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and numerous THC products. Inside the residence, investigators located nine firearms. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Gregg County Sheriff’s Office; and Smith County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Gregg County man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for armed robbery of a Longview gun store

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Longview man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for committing a robbery and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Kip Semauah Hurt, 26, pleaded guilty to a Hobbs Act robbery and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 21, 2026. According to information presented in court, on August 1, 2024, a Longview gun store was robbed resulting in the theft of 31 firearms. Many of the firearms were recovered by local law enforcement agencies such as the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshall Police Department, and the Longview Police Department. It was determined that one of the recovered firearms had been used in the shooting of a Longview Police officer. “Our priority was securing justice for the Longview community and the victims of this robbery, whose business empowered law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We have a duty to relentlessly prosecute anyone who threatens innocent lives in East Texas, and today’s success is a direct result of the exceptional collaboration of our law enforcement partners.” “ATF is proud to stand alongside our local, state, and federal partners in bringing this offender to justice. This case highlights the cascade effects when criminals obtain firearms. Through strong collaboration and determined investigative work, we were able to hold a violent offender accountable and make our communities safer. We will continue to prioritize cases like this to disrupt criminal activity and protect the public.” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner. “This type of organized criminal behavior will not be tolerated in Longview and the surrounding area,” said Longview Police Chief Anthony Boone. “Local law enforcement in Gregg County will continue working together and will utilize every available state and federal resource to combat crime. We are thankful for the partnership and support of the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office.” 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 . This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Longview Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Farahnak. ###


title: Repeat Fraudster Sentenced to 69 Months for Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Charles E. Poole III, 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 69 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and victim restitution of more than $1 million by United States District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl for orchestrating a sprawling identity theft and bank fraud scheme. Judge Schmehl imposed this term of imprisonment to run consecutive to the 32-to-64-year sentence the defendant is currently serving for an unrelated attempted murder conviction in Delaware County. The defendant was charged by indictment in June of 2023 and pleaded guilty last September to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit identification document fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, two counts of bank fraud, and two counts of access device fraud. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from about February 2018 through February 2020, Poole orchestrated a scheme by which he and his co-schemers acquired stolen personally identifiable information and other means of identification, including names, credit card information, dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses, and credit histories, of persons located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, including elderly individuals, all without the victims’ knowledge and consent. Poole then recruited a number of co-schemer “runners” who, at Poole’s direction, and posing as the victims, would enter banks, lenders, and local businesses to obtain loans, apply for credit, and purchase merchandise in the victims’ names, without their knowledge. Court records show that Poole began this scheme while on supervised release from a prior federal conviction for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. In total, Poole caused over $100,000 of actual losses to more than a dozen businesses and financial institutions. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Newcomer and John Iannacone.


title: Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Domonesha Owens, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty this afternoon before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to conspiracy to launder a monetary instrument. The defendant was charged by indictment in December of last year, arising from her role as a money mule who laundered more than $1 million in proceeds from fraud schemes targeting government entities. As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in approximately August 2020, Owens and others conspired to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions involving interstate and foreign commerce, knowing that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of unlawful activity, and which, in fact, involved the proceeds of wire fraud. As part of the conspiracy, Owens and others caused bank accounts to be opened in the names of businesses, with Owens and others using these business bank accounts to launder fraud proceeds, conducting multiple financial transactions intended to disguise the nature and location of the proceeds, conceal the true ownership and control of the proceeds, and disguise the source of the funds. In return for helping launder these funds, Owens would be permitted to retain a portion of the fraud proceeds. Specifically, the defendant helped launder the proceeds of business email compromise (“BEC”) schemes targeting multiple local governments, that included Government Entity 1, which the conspirators caused to electronically transfer approximately $352,779 into an account controlled by Owens; Government Entity 2, which the conspirators caused to electronically transfer approximately $486,740 into an account controlled by Owens; and Government Entity 3, which the conspirators caused to electronically transfer approximately $155,210 into an account controlled by Owens. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison and a $2,000,270.94 fine. This case was investigated by the FBI and the United States Secret Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys S. Chandler Harris and Nancy Potts.


title: Enforcer for Brooklyn-Based “Bully Gang” Sentenced to 52 Years in Prison

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Franklin Gillespie was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 52 years’ imprisonment for multiple crimes related to his high-ranking membership of the Bully Gang, a violent street gang based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Among other serious crimes, Gillespie committed two murders, including the murder of a potential witness, as well as two armed robberies, while on supervised release for multiple federal firearms convictions. Gillespie was one of four Bully Gang leaders and managers who were convicted after a 13-week trial in 2024, in a case that resulted in the arrest and conviction of 53 defendants. Gillespie’s co-defendants at trial—Moeleek Harrell, Derrick Ayers, and Anthony Kennedy—were sentenced to 60 years’ imprisonment in April 2026, 59 years’ imprisonment in June 2026, and 41 years’ imprisonment in May 2026, respectively. The trial defendants were convicted variously of racketeering, murder conspiracies, assaults, firearms offenses, drug trafficking offenses, and money laundering conspiracies. In connection with the racketeering conviction, a jury found several racketeering acts proven, including murder, murder conspiracy, robbery, bribery, drug trafficking conspiracy, and money laundering. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Nadia I. Shihata, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the sentence. “Franklin Gillespie was one of the most violent members of an extraordinarily violent street gang and our Brooklyn community is rid of him thanks to today’s sentence,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This important prosecution demonstrates our Office’s commitment to seeking justice for Gillespie’s many victims and their families, and ensures that our communities will be protected in the future from the leaders of this violent criminal organization.” Mr. Nocella thanked the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Maine and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency for their assistance during this investigation and prosecution. “This sentence holds accountable a senior gang member whose actions brought violence, fear, and tragedy to our communities. From orchestrating violent criminal activity to committing multiple murders, armed robberies, the defendant demonstrated a complete disregard for human life and the rule of law. ATF/ NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force remains committed to working alongside the NYPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle violent criminal organizations, ensuring those who terrorize our neighborhoods are brought to justice,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo. “For years, the Bully Gang waged a campaign of violence and terror in Brooklyn, committing murders, shootings, armed robberies, and drug trafficking,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Thanks to the tireless work of NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners, Franklin Gillespie and the other top members of this ruthless gang will never walk free on our streets again. This case is yet another example of the NYPD’s precision policing strategy at work – going after the gangs and the guns to make our communities safer.” “This sprawling investigation and today’s outcome have made the people of Brooklyn and beyond safer. With this sentence, Franklin Gillespie, one of four high-ranking gang leaders responsible for terrorizing neighborhoods by instilling fear, trafficking drugs, and committing murder, has been held accountable for his devastating conduct,” stated DOI Commissioner Shihata. “While this sentence cannot bring his victims back to their loved ones or undo the devastation his crimes have caused—it sends a clear message that those who endanger our communities will be brought to justice. I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the ATF’s New York Division and the NYPD for their partnership on this significant investigation.” As proven during trial and set forth in court documents, the Bully Gang was a violent criminal organization whose members committed murders, including the murder of a potential law enforcement witness; regularly shot at gang rivals in public streets; burned down a home with people inside; committed armed robberies with an arsenal of weapons trafficked from out of state; and engaged in multiple sprawling narcotics trafficking schemes. Gillespie was the gang’s violent enforcer who targeted the gang’s enemies and committed multiple murders. Gillespie’s three co-defendants at trial also played critical roles in the gang: Harrell was a founder and leader who directed the gang’s crimes; Ayers ran the gang’s extensive Maine drug trafficking organization and committed numerous violent crimes for the gang, including murder; and Kennedy was a trusted member of the gang who participated in the murders carried out by Gillespie and the gang’s drug trafficking. Crimes of Violence Gillespie committed numerous acts of violence on behalf of the Bully Gang. Over four days in April 2020, Gillespie, with the assistance of Kennedy, murdered two people. First, Gillespie murdered Paul Hoilett in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Before the murder, Gillespie surveilled and followed Hoilett as Hoilett walked down the sidewalk. Gillespie then shot Hoilett in the back of the head at point-blank range. On the day of the murder, Kennedy drove Gillespie from New Jersey to Brooklyn, where Gillespie met Mike Hawley. Hawley then drove Gillespie directly to the murder. Four days later, Gillespie and Kennedy murdered Hawley in Far Rockaway, Queens. After Gillespie and Kennedy came to believe that law enforcement was looking for Hawley, they targeted Hawley to prevent him from speaking to law enforcement authorities about Hoilett’s murder. Kennedy drove Gillespie to and from Queens to commit this murder, while Gillespie arranged a meeting with Hawley in Queens under false pretenses. As with the murder of Hoilett, Gillespie shot Hawley multiple times, also at point-blank range. Gillespie and Kennedy took many steps to hide their involvement in this murder from law enforcement authorities, including removing the license plate and inspection sticker from the getaway car used in the murder. In addition to these two murders, Gillespie committed many other violent crimes. In August 2020, Gillespie and other Bully Gang members and associates committed two gunpoint robberies on consecutive days in Manhattan. After the robberies, Gillespie and his co-conspirators made social media posts flaunting the proceeds of the robberies and bragging about their crimes. One week later, Gillespie was found with three guns, including the two guns used in these robberies. Gillespie’s violence was part of a larger pattern of violence among members of the Bully Gang. For example, in a shooting on October 1, 2017, Harrell, Ayers, and other gang members targeted a victim who the gang believed was responsible for the death of one of the Bully Gang’s founders. During this shooting, their intended target and an innocent bystander were shot. Separately, Harrell, Ayers, and other gang members targeted their rival “Stukes Crew” in numerous acts of violence over several years. These acts of violence included Ayers’s murder of Jonathan Jackson, a Stukes Crew associate, in March 2018. Harrell, Ayers, and other Bully Gang members also planned and participated in three additional shootings in Crown Heights targeting the Stukes Crew. One of these shootings resulted in a car crash that injured multiple people. Notably, Gillespie is not alleged to have committed these 2017 and 2018 shootings because, from March 2016 through August 2019, he was in federal prison in connection with his second federal gun conviction. At the time of the murders and other conduct of which he was convicted in this case, Gillespie was on federal supervised release in connection with the federal firearms convictions. Drug Trafficking While still on federal supervised release, Gillespie also played an important role in the Bully Gang’s drug trafficking operation in Maine. As part of this scheme, the Bully Gang and its associates transported large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl, from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where they sold the drugs out of stash houses throughout the state. For months, Gillespie recruited and directed subordinates who sold and transported drugs, managed the gang’s stash houses, traveled to Maine in connection with the scheme, and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit from the drug sales. All of Gillespie’s co-defendants at trial were also involved in the Maine drug trafficking scheme, including Ayers, who ran the day-to-day operations of the scheme for many years. Other members and associates of the gang, including Harrell and Kennedy, ran a separate drug smuggling scheme at jail facilities on Rikers Island. In connection with this scheme, Harrell, Kennedy, and their co-conspirators arranged for comic books and other papers soaked in synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2,” to be delivered to Rikers where the drugs were sold to inmates at a substantial profit. * * * * * The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow, Lindsey R. Oken, Joy Lurinsky, Victor Zapana, and Stephen H. Petraeus, and former Assistant United States Attorneys Drew Rolle and Michael J. Castiglione, were in charge of the prosecution, with significant assistance from Legal Administrative Specialist Samantha Ward, Intelligence Analyst Eungee Hwang, and Law Enforcement Coordinator Specialist Herbert Martin, among others. The Defendants: DERRICK AYERS (also known as “Dee” and “Mel”) Age: 39 Rahway, New Jersey (Sentenced to 59 years’ imprisonment on June 18, 2026) FRANKLIN GILLESPIE (also known as “Spazz” and “Frankie Gino”) Age: 35 Newark, New Jersey (Sentenced to 52 years’ imprisonment on July 22, 2026) MOELEEK HARRELL (also known as “Moe Money”) Age: 36 Brooklyn, New York (Sentenced to 60 years’ imprisonment on April 30, 2026) ANTHONY KENNEDY (also known as “Biggie”) Age: 40 Queens, New York (Sentenced to 41 years’ imprisonment on May 12, 2026) E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 11-CR-371 (BMC), 16-CR-252 (BMC), 20-CR-239 (S-8) (BMC), 20-CR-240 (BMC), 25-CR-229 (BMC) E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 20-CR-239 (S-8) (BMC) and 20-CR-240 (BMC)


title: Wilmington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Porn

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. - A federal judge sentenced Tony Michael Crisco, 35, to 50 years in federal prison for Production and Distribution of Child Pornography. On January 29, 2026, Crisco pleaded guilty to the charges. “This sick individual will no longer be able to harm those who cannot protect themselves. He preyed on vulnerable children by abusing and manipulating them to produce explicit content for his own gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyles. “This spider will now spin his web stuck behind cold steel bars.” On May 23, 2023, Crisco’s mother contacted law enforcement in Citrus County, Florida after an individual alerted her of an online video showing him raping a 2-year-old child. After his mother alerted law enforcement, they quickly contacted authorities in Wilmington where Crisco lived. “This lengthy federal prison sentence makes one thing clear: anyone who exploits children will be found, prosecuted, and removed from society for a very long time. The FBI will relentlessly pursue predators and ensure they face the maximum consequences for harming a child,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. Law enforcement officials from the FBI, Wilmington Police Department, and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department immediately jumped into the investigation, executing a warrant on Crisco’s residence and digital devices. The search revealed numerous images and videos of him sexually abusing a toddler. He also communicated with a 14-year-old female teenager online after meeting her through friends. Crisco began grooming the teenager to send him sexually explicit photos and videos, eventually meeting and engaging in sexual intercourse. Crisco then distributed the images and videos she produced of this crime to others online. During the investigation, over 1,000 images and 348 videos of child pornography and sexual abuse material, investigators discovered. "Today's guilty plea is the result of a thorough investigation and the unwavering commitment of the men and women dedicated to protecting children in our community. Cases involving the production and possession of child sexual abuse material are among the most disturbing crimes we investigate, and we remain steadfast in our mission to identify offenders, hold them accountable, and seek justice for every victim. This case is a testament to the strength of our partnerships. The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office is grateful for the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Attorney's Office, the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office, the Wilmington Police Department, New Hanover County Child Protective Services, the Carousel Center, and Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Each of these agencies plays a vital role in ensuring child victims receive the protection, care, advocacy, and resources they deserve while helping bring offenders to justice. The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office remains unwavering in its commitment to aggressively investigating crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. We will continue working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to pursue those who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community and ensure they are held fully accountable for their actions. Protecting children will continue to be one of our highest priorities." Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The FBI, Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-00097-D.


title: Charlotte Man Sentenced for Selling Guns and Fentanyl Connected to the Death of a Cary Man

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Kenneth Mark Rosado, age 40, to 15 years in federal prison for selling guns and fentanyl that led to the fentanyl overdose death of a 21-year-old Cary man. On October 21, 2025, Rosado pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Between 2023 and 2024, he sold 57 guns, knowing those weapons would end up in the hands of criminals on the streets. On November 20, 2024, he was federally charged in Charlotte with trafficking guns. A judge released him and placed him into a drug treatment center while that case was pending. On April 7, 2026, Rosado pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license after his firearms case was transferred from the WDNC to the EDNC. “The arrest and prosecution of this drug and gun dealing thug should give people of Eastern North Carolina a sense of relief,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will not tolerate despicable bottom-feeders who push poison and guns into our communities. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.” In January 2025, while in the treatment center awaiting trial, Rosado met and befriended a 21-year-old Cary man. Through their relationship, he indicated to the Cary man that he provides drugs. Rosado then absconded, fleeing to Charlotte where he met the 21-year-old victim in a hotel room. He sold fentanyl to the victim, who returned to Cary, used the fentanyl, and died. The victim’s parents discovered his dead body in his bedroom in the family room the following day. Despite the fatal episode, Rosado continued selling drugs without remorse. Undercover officers subsequently carried out a controlled purchase of fentanyl from him, during which he admitted to routinely acquiring dealer‑level quantities of the drug. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Cary Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department investigated this case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-63-M and 5:26-CR-1-M.


title: Three Sentenced for Stealing Drugs from Missouri, Kansas Pharmacies

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Three men from Texas have been sentenced for stealing tens of thousands of pain pills and other controlled substances from three pharmacies in Missouri and Kansas last year. Anthony Ray Venwright, 33, and Jonathan Fore, 30, were sentenced Wednesday to 120 months and 87 months in prison, respectively. Erik Dewayne Lyons Jr., 21, was sentenced last week to 46 months in prison. All three were ordered to pay restitution of $62,708. The three men traveled from the Houston, Texas area to Lee’s Summit, Missouri on July 29, 2025. The next day, Lyons waited in a Toyota RAV4 nearby while Venwright and Fore broke into a pharmacy and stole drugs. They then broke into a pharmacy in Overland Park, Kansas. The following day, they broke into a Maryland Heights pharmacy. Maryland Heights police identified the RAV4 and learned that it was in Arkansas. After the Arkansas State Police stopped the RAV4 and another vehicle, investigators found two trash bags containing the drugs that the men had stolen from the third pharmacy and evidence linking them to all the burglaries. The men admitted stealing a total of 25,610 doses of pain pills and other controlled substances. All three men pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substance and entering a pharmacy with the intent to steal controlled substances. The case was investigated by the Maryland Heights Police Department, the Arkansas State Police, the Clark County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Department, the Lee’s Summit Police Department and the Overland Park (Kansas) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Trying to Have Sexual Contact with Jefferson County Teen

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County on Wednesday admitted being caught trying to have sexual contact with a Jefferson County 14-year-old in 2025. Tay’vion K. Like, 25, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted communicating with the teen via Snapchat in July of 2025. Like requested sexual contact with the victim, even after she told him that she was 14. He claimed he was 17. Like then told her that he wanted to come to her house to engage in sexual activity. She told him not to come, and that she would call police. When she discovered that he was outside her house on July 15, 2025, she tried to get him to leave and then told her father. Her father called the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies caught Like near the victim’s home. Like also admitted communicating with other underage girls on Snapchat. Sentencing is set for October 22. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking on Eve of Trial

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Memphis on Tuesday admitted prostituting a teen in St. Louis. Mack Mitchell, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of sex trafficking of a minor. Mitchell admitted meeting the victim on Tag, a social media app, when she was about 14 years old. They corresponded for several years. On Feb. 23, 2024, the victim, who knew Mitchell had recently traveled from Memphis to St. Louis, contacted him and asked her to pick him up from foster care. Within 30 minutes after finding out her location, Mitchell had an Uber pick her up and deliver her to a gas station in south St. Louis. He picked her up and took her to a casino hotel, where an associate took photos of her and posted them online. The victim engaged in commercial sex acts at the casino hotel, gave the money to Mitchell’s associate, who gave the money to Mitchell. Mitchell’s trial was scheduled to start Wednesday. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21. The charge carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. The St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dianna Edwards and Michael Hayes are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Maplewood Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison After Being Caught Again with Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a Maplewood sex offender to 15 years in prison after he was caught again with child sexual abuse material. Judge Divine also sentenced Michael R. Throm, now 46, to an additional 18 months for violating his supervised release from a prior case. Throm was convicted of possession and receipt of child pornography in 2014 and sentenced to 65 months in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. On June 9, 2025, Throm’s probation officer visited his apartment and spotted two unauthorized smart phones. Both phones contained child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and evidence that Throm tried to text CSAM to his downstairs neighbor, another sex offender on supervised release. Throm pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt of child pornography. The U.S. Probation Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .