title: Sixteen Illegal Aliens Convicted of  Immigration Offenses in June

body_text: Pensacola and Tallahassee – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that 16 illegal aliens were convicted of federal immigration crimes in the month of June. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens deserve to know that our federal government is committed to securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute criminal illegal aliens who think they can lie, cheat, and steal their way into our country.” According to court records, 16 previously indicted illegal aliens were convicted of federal offenses in the Northern District of Florida in the month of May. Fifteen of the criminal aliens were convicted of illegal reentry by a removed alien, including: Abraham Flores Tercero, 48, of Nicaragua, who was previously removed in July 2009, was encountered in Leon County on October 22, 2025. Dualder Velasquez-Granados, 28, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in May 2018, was encountered in Santa Rosa County on March 14, 2026. Alcides Miguel Martinez-Martinez, 42, of Honduras, who was previously removed in February 2009 and February 2015, was encountered in Okaloosa County on March 21, 2026. Miguel Ico Martinez, 29, of Mexico, who was previously removed twice in January 2024 and once in February 2024, was encountered in Okaloosa County on March 21, 2026. Jose Ricardo Hernandez-Perez, 23, of Mexico, who was previously removed in April 2022, was encountered in Escambia County on March 28, 2026. Rene Alberto Guerra-Vega, 42, of El Salvador, who was previously removed in October 2012, was encountered in Leon County on March 29, 2026. Gabriel Garcia Hernandez, 41, of Mexico, who was previously removed in February 2024, was encountered in Okaloosa County on April 1, 2026. Dania Chaver-Pereira, 31, of Honduras, who was previously removed in March 2017, July 2017 and February 2019, was encountered in Okaloosa County on April 4, 2026. Wily Antonio Escobar-Canterelo, 29, of Honduras, who was previously removed in April 2016 and December 2016, was encountered in Okaloosa County on April 8, 2026. Moises Siquic-Tiul, 39, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in September 2015 and July 2017, was encountered in Walton County on April 13, 2026. Jose Mendez Pena, 35, of Mexico, who was previously removed in August 2009, was encountered in Escambia County on April 14, 2026. Esteban Hernandez-Muniz, 53, of Mexico, who was previously removed in May 2019, was encountered in Santa Rosa County on April 28, 2026. Juan Molina-Hernandez, 36, of Honduras, who was previously removed in July 2023, was encountered in Okaloosa County on May 2, 2026. Iran Gomez-Aguilera, 43, of Mexico, who was previously removed in October 2019, was encountered in Okaloosa County on May 4, 2026. Juan Contreras-Vilches, 47, of Mexico, who was previously removed in May 2017, July 2017, January 2018, July 2018 and January 2019, was encountered in Okaloosa County on May 7, 2026. One illegal alien was also convicted of voting by aliens: Jacqueline Wallace, 54, of Jamaica. The cases involved investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with the assistance of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Gulf Breeze Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas S.P. Geeker, Brooke Lindsay, Jessica S. Etherton, Jeffrey M. Tharp, Michelle Spaven, Joseph A. Ravelo, and Eric Welch prosecuted the cases. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Panama City Felon Indicted for Federal Firearms Offenses

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

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Stephen Miles Bishop, 30, of Panama City, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a short-barreled rifle. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Bishop appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 8:30 am, before District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee, Florida. The defendant faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment on each possession of a firearm count. He faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of a short-barreled rifle. The case was jointly investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Three-Time Federal Defendant Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Isaiah Ke’Juan Merritt, 27, of Talladega, Alabama, to 120 months in prison. In February, Merritt pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. “My office will pursue repeat federal offenders as often as it takes to keep them out of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our dedicated law enforcement partners and prosecutors, we have removed this defendant once again from our community.” “HSI remains steadfast in our mission to protect our communities from repeat offenders who fuel the cycle of drug abuse and violence,” said Ellen Johnson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI in Georgia and Alabama. “This case highlights the impact of strong partnerships among law enforcement partners to continue to pursue those who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods and ensure they are brought to justice.” According to the plea agreement, on April 16, 2024, deputies with United States Marshals Service (USMS) were conducting surveillance in Talladega, Alabama, as part of their efforts to locate Merritt. Merritt had been convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in November 2018 and had been sentenced to 65 months in prison followed by 120 months of supervised release. While serving the last portion of his custodial sentence at a halfway house, Merritt escaped. For this conduct, he was indicted and convicted of escaping from custody. He was sentenced in November 2022, to 16 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. Because Merritt failed to report and was unresponsive to his probation officer, the Court issued warrants for his arrest, which led to the USMS looking for him on April 16, 2024. USMS deputies and Task Force Officers observed Merritt getting into the passenger side of a vehicle at the Brentwood Apartment complex located in Talladega, Alabama. Deputies followed the car to A&E Auto Sales in Talladega. Once the vehicle came to a stop, a Deputy U.S. Marshal approached the vehicle to detain Merritt. As Merritt exited the vehicle the Deputy Marshal observed two plastic bags containing methamphetamine on the passenger side floorboard beneath where Merritt had been sitting. Homeland Security Investigations and the Talladega Drug Task Force investigated the case, along with the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.


title: Missoula man sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MISSOULA – A Missoula man who was a local supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Brandon Gregory Genet, 30, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided. The government alleged in court documents that Genet was distributing methamphetamine in Missoula, supplying at least one dealer. The case began on Dec. 10, 2025, when law enforcement used an informant to set up a buy from a suspected meth dealer at Franklin Park in Missoula. The suspect arrived in a vehicle driven by Genet, who sped away from the park when he spotted law enforcement. A tip to law enforcement the next day revealed that Genet was the suspect’s supplier and that he kept his stash in a safe at his home. Officers obtained a warrant and searched Genet’s safe, where they found approximately 96 grams of suspected fentanyl pills and 165 grams of methamphetamine. The DEA lab confirmed the substances were a fentanyl analog and methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI's Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and DEA conducted the investigation.


title: Indiana man pleads guilty to sex trafficking underage Montana girl

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – An Indiana man who traveled to Montana to have sex with a minor, and had explicit images of her on his phone, admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Brandon Cole Stoliby, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and one count of transportation of child pornography. On the first charge, Stoliby faces 30 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, a $5,000 special assessment, and an additional $100 special assessment. On the second charge, Stoliby faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, a $35,000 special assessment, a $5,000 special assessment, and an additional $100 special assessment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided at the change of plea and sentencing was set for Nov. 3, 2026. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Malloy will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Stoliby remained in custody pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that Stoliby met a 15-year-old Montana girl through Snapchat, exchanged sexually explicit messages and photos with her, and then traveled from Indiana to Missoula with his wife and children to pick up the girl and take her back to his home in Indiana. The incident began in March 2025 when Stoliby and the girl met over Snapchat. She presented herself as 18 and Stoliby quickly showed sexual interest in her, sending her explicit messages and persuading her to send him explicit images. Those images were later found on Stoliby’s phone when he was eventually arrested in Montana. By April 2025, the two had made plans for Stoliby to travel to Montana to pick her up and move her back to Indiana. While traveling with his family, Stoliby and the girl made plans for her to sell explicit images of herself to help cover the costs of the trip and the move. He arrived in Missoula County on April 6, 2025, picked the girl up from her home and took her to Butte, where the two engaged in sexual intercourse. From there, they headed to Rapid City, South Dakota, where they were located by law enforcement and the girl was removed from Stoliby’s custody. Authorities also told Stoliby that the girl was 15. After contact with law enforcement, Stoliby again met up with the girl a day later and they resumed their trip to Indiana. This time, the girl’s guardians texted the girl and demanded she return. Stoliby drove back to Montana and stayed the night in Billings, where he and his wife attempted to engage the girl in sexual activity. The next day they returned the girl to her guardians, who traveled back to Missoula County with her. However, Stolibly returned to Missoula County to pick her up again that night, without the knowledge of her guardians. They again left for Indiana but were stopped this time in Powder River County. The girl was once again returned to her guardians. Stoliby was later arrested and admitted in interviews with law enforcement to exchanging sexually explicit images with the girl, engaging in a sexual relationship with her, and keeping explicit photos she had sent him. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney is prosecuting the case. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. 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 .


title: Honduran woman sentenced for transporting a Mexican national illegally in the U.S.

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A woman from Honduras who was found guilty of illegally reentering the country and transporting a Mexican national was sentenced today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Yolanda Ernestina Soto-Antunez, 41, was found guilty by a federal jury in June 2026 of being in the county illegally and transporting someone in the country illegally. Soto-Antunez was sentenced to time served (126 days) and remanded to the custody and control of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Soto-Antunez was illegally transporting a Mexican national in the U.S. and that she had illegally reentered the country in 2016. A Phillips County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over Soto-Antunez on March 6, 2026, on Highway 2 near Malta for speeding. The deputy eventually requested translation help from two U.S. Border Patrol agents after he struggled to understand Soto-Antunez’s broken English. Law enforcement learned Soto-Antunez was in the county illegally from Honduras and the passenger in her car was in the country illegally from Mexico. Through the course of their investigation, agents found $18,000 in a duffle bag that belonged to her passenger. He told agents he was traveling to Washington to borrow an additional $12,000 from a cousin for a total of $30,000 to pay for his sister to be transported illegally into the U.S. Agents also learned Soto-Antunez had been previously deported from the U.S. in June 2012 and had reentered the country illegally in August 2016. 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 U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Phillip’s County Sheriff’s Office.


title: 2 Mexican nationals sentenced for reentering the country and using forged documents

body_text: GREAT FALLS – Two men from Mexico who reentered the country illegally using forged documents were sentenced today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Isaias Martinez Araiza, 48, who pleaded guilty in May 2026, was sentenced to time served (78 days) on one count of possessing a fraudulent immigration document and one count of illegal reentry. Omar Alfaro Aguilar, 41, who pleaded guilty in May 2026, was sentenced to time served (78 days) on one count of possessing a fraudulent immigration document and one count of illegal reentry. Both defendants were remanded to the custody and control of Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that Martinez and Alfaro, who had previously been deported, had returned to the United States and applied for access to the Montana Air National Guard base in Great Falls with forged immigration documents as part of a construction crew. Black Eagle Construction in April 2026 had submitted paperwork to allow access for four men to work a construction site on the base. In verifying the paperwork, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations found inconsistencies in Martinez’s and Alfaro’s immigration documents, including forged lawful permanent residence cards. Additionally, a background check on Martinez found a felony drug possession conviction in Texas from 2003, a misdemeanor DUI conviction from 2005 and a misdemeanor driving without a valid license from 2006. In 2017 he was deported from Brownsville, Texas, for being in the country illegally. A background check on Alfaro found that he had been deported in 2005 and 2018 from Freer, Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Fugitive Charged with Rape of a Child Returned from Guatemala  to Face Charges

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: NASHVILLE – Federal agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation working with federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and in collaboration with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) recently returned Domingo Sunun to the United States to face state sexual assault charges including two counts of child rape and one count of aggravated rape, United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek announced today. “Holding offenders accountable for offenses against children is among the highest priorities of this office and the Department of Justice,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “When federal law enforcement and local partners work together with one goal, there is nowhere a fugitive can run that will be beyond the reach of the law.” “Let this be a message to those who seek to victimize our youth: no matter where you run or where you hide, law enforcement will hunt you down and hold you accountable for your crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “There is no place in our community for those who prey on children, and we will do everything we can to not only seek justice for the victims, but to prevent additional child exploitation crimes. I commend FBI Nashville’s Violent Crimes Squad and our partners for their steadfast commitment to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.” “Our Youth Services detectives are committed to seeking justice for innocent children against whom unthinkable acts have allegedly been committed,” said Metro Police Chief John Drake. “That can happen now that Domingo Sunun has been returned to Nashville from Guatemala. This is not the first time our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI have assisted in bringing a fugitive accused of serious crimes back to our city from another country. I am grateful to all for the years of work on this case.” According to court documents, MNPD officers went to a residence on Gwynnwood Drive in Nashville in September 2021 to investigate allegations that Sunun had sexually assaulted his three nieces who were eight, ten, and twelve years old at the time. According to the victim statements, the sexual assaults occurred over a period of nearly three-and-a-half years. According to court documents, Sunun’s family members told investigators that Sunun abruptly packed all his belongings and left his Nashville residence after the initial police report was filed. State arrest warrants were obtained for Sunun charging him with aggravated rape and two counts of rape of a child. MNPD investigators then determined that Sunun had likely fled to Guatemala to avoid apprehension and prosecution. In March 2022, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained an arrest warrant for the federal offense of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution and began working with international law enforcement partners to apprehend Sunun and return him to the United States. In December 2025, Sunun was apprehended in Guatemala and in March 2026, his extradition to the United States was granted by the government of Guatemala. Upon his return to the United States, Sunun was transferred to state custody to face the child sexual abuse charges lodged against him in Davidson County General Sessions Court. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked to obtain cooperation from the government of Guatemala to enable Sunun’s return to the United States. The Davidson County District Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting Sunun on the sexual abuse indictment. Assistant District Attorney Jeff George is the lead prosecutor on the sexual assault case and Administrative Assistant Ashley Mondelli assisted in the extradition of Sunun from Guatemala to the United States. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a 7-Year-Old Child

body_text: NASHVILLE – Bobby Lequan Council, 39, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty yesterday to sexually exploiting a 7-year-old child, possessing child sexual abuse material depicting a prepubescent minor, failing to register as a sex offender, and committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. Because Council has a prior federal conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 90 years. "Protecting children from sexual predators remains one of our highest priorities," said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. "This defendant's repeated exploitation of children and disregard for sex offender registration requirements warrant the substantial penalties Congress has prescribed. We commend the Goodlettsville Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals, for their swift and thorough investigations." According to court documents, on April 16, 2025, detectives with the Goodlettsville Police Department responded to a residence in Goodlettsville after a woman reported discovering sexually explicit videos of a 7-year-old minor on an iPhone Council was using. “Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting children from those who seek to exploit them,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting. “This case highlights the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders, especially those who repeatedly disregard the law, are held accountable and that vulnerable victims receive justice.” Detectives obtained a state search warrant for the phone. A forensic examination recovered three sexually explicit videos of the prepubescent minor, all created on January 16, 2025. After waiving his Miranda rights, Council admitted to detectives that he had sexually abused the minor and recorded the abuse using the phone. At the time he created the videos, Council was a registered sex offender based on a 2012 federal conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor. As a Tier III sex offender, Council was required to report in person every three months for life and to update his registration whenever he established or changed a residence. In February 2025, Council registered a Nashville motel as his primary address but checked out four days later. Investigators determined that Council had, in fact, been residing at a Goodlettsville residence since at least December 2024, but never updated his sex offender registration to reflect that address. Council pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Eli J. Richardson to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, second offense; one count of possession of child sexual abuse material depicting a prepubescent minor, second offense; one count of failure to register as a sex offender; and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. The sexual exploitation offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 50 years. The child sexual abuse material possession offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years. The failure-to-register offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The offense of committing a felony involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender carries a mandatory 10-year sentence that must run consecutively to the sentence imposed for the sexual exploitation offense. Council also faces a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, restitution, and mandatory special assessments. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16. U.S. District Court Judge Eli J. Richardson will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Goodlettsville Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Carlin Hess are prosecuting the case. # # # # #


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Minor to Produce CSAM

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man pled guilty in federal court to child sex abuse crimes. Luis Esteban Borunda, 67, of Essex, is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a minor, and distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 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); Special Agent in Charge Jacob Cameron, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) – Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Hanna Porterfield, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) – Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to his guilty plea, Borunda engaged in sex acts, which he recorded, with a 15-year-old minor. Beginning in at least July 2023 through August 2023, Borunda used Snapchat and text messages to communicate with Minor Victim 1, who he ultimately met during a trip to California. While on the trip, Borunda engaged in sex acts with the victim. Borunda used his cell phone to cause the production of a sexually explicit video of Minor Victim 1. Additionally, in August 2023, Borunda messaged a law enforcement officer posing as a minor female. Borunda continued communicating with law enforcement until August 30, 2023, when authorities arrested him after he followed through with plans to meet with who he thought was an underage female for sex. Law enforcement also discovered that Borunda owned devices on which he stored CSAM. Borunda faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. 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, 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 Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse ; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, MSP, Army CID, and NCIS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: West Bridgewater Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A West Bridgewater man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy and firearm charges, following a series of arrests targeting gangs in the Brockton and Randolph areas. Lue Andrade, a/k/a “Poncho,” 30, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Oct. 1, 2026. In February 2026 , federal complaints were unsealed against seven defendants charged with drug and firearm crimes. Andrade was arrested on Dec. 17, 2025, after authorities executed search warrants at numerous residences and stash houses associated with the Brockton-based Harvard Street Gang and their Randolph-based affiliates. Two of the places searched were Andrade’s residence in West Bridgewater and his stash house in Brockton. In his residence, two handguns, ammunition, multiple pounds of marijuana and packaging materials were seized. The stash location was a second-floor apartment that was set up as drug repackaging workshop. The apartment contained dozens of pounds of marijuana, some of which was discovered in hidden compartments within the walls. In the basement, two rifles, a pistol, an extended magazine and various ammunition were also seized. Andrade was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior state conviction for drug dealing from 2016. The drug conspiracy to which Andrade pleaded guilty went back to March 2023, when authorities executed search warrants at Andrade’s then-residence in Bridgewater and a different stash apartment in Brockton. In that stash location, a backpack containing hundreds of grams of fentanyl and cocaine was recovered. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for at least three years and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years 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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Division; the Abington, Acushnet, Ashland, Boston, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Chelsea, East Bridgewater, Medford, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Stoughton, Taunton and West Bridgewater Police Departments; Plymouth and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments; Massachusetts Department of Correction; and the Plymouth, Norfolk and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. 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 remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Woodbridge fentanyl dealer sentenced to seven years in prison after buyer’s fatal overdose

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge woman was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, on Aug. 31, 2021, Qiana Shanal Murry, 28, received a text message requesting 10 fentanyl pills. Murry arranged a price and a time to meet, then traveled and distributed the pills to the buyer. In the early morning hours of Sept. 1, 2021, a family member found the buyer unconscious in a bathroom. The family member called 911 and attempted CPR, but the victim was later pronounced dead on scene. Investigators found blue powder consistent with crushed fentanyl pills near the body. They also located 15 green Xanax pills in the victim’s bedroom and another Xanax pill at the edge of the victim’s closet. Lab testing confirmed the 15 Xanax pills contained clonazolam and the other Xanax pill contained diazepam, both of which are types of benzodiazepine. On Oct. 21, 2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Medical Examiner determined that that the victim’s cause of death was mixed drug intoxication, specifically due to fentanyl and clonazolam. The amount of fentanyl in the victim’s system was approximately three times the amount typically considered fatal. Murry, along with Eric Stokes , typically sold fentanyl pills out of an establishment in Dumfries. Stokes, of Woodbridge, was sentenced on April 9, 2024, to 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of another victim. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter 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. 1:26-cr-11.


title: Stafford woman pleads guilty to embezzling over $1.5M from her employer

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford woman pled guilty today to wire fraud for using her position to embezzle funds from a company where she was employed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). According to court documents, Cindy Zurawski Babbitt, 57, was the CFO of an audio visual and information technology company in Lorton. As the CFO, Babbitt had access and control of the company’s bank accounts, including a business checking account. From December 2018 through December 2022, Babbitt used fraudulent checks, payroll, and wire transfers to embezzle $1,561,841.30 from the company. Babbit issued at least 44 checks totaling $82,117 that were drawn on the company’s checking account, made payable to her and her husband, signed by Babbitt as the authorized representative of the company, and deposited by Babbitt into her own bank account. Babbitt fraudulently initiated and approved 49 reimbursements totaling $142,401 through payroll to herself. Babbitt fraudulently caused at least 428 wire transfers totaling $1,337,323.30 from the company’s business checking account to her personal bank account. None of these transactions were made for any legitimate business expenses. Babbitt used the fraud proceeds for purchases at retail stores such as Tiffany & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, Versace, Burberry, Balmain, Cartier, and Louis Vuitton. Babbitt is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Mumma is prosecuting 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. 1:26-cr-39.


title: Smith County methamphetamine dealer receives lengthy federal prison sentence for drug trafficking violation in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Tyler drug dealer has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Charles Ray Griffith, Jr., 36, also known as Root, 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 6, 2026. According to information presented in court, Griffith was detained while driving vehicles on two separate occasions in July and September 2024, resulting in the discovery of a total of 140.30 grams of methamphetamine. During one attempted traffic stop, Griffith fled recklessly at a high rate of speed on a motorcycle through residential neighborhoods, disregarding stop signs and traffic signals and driving on the wrong side of the road before crashing in the yard of a private residence, where he was apprehended. 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 FBI; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Smith County Sheriff’s Office; and Tyler Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Michigan man sentenced to federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas for firearms trafficking conspiracy

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Michigan man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Caleb Timothy Fox, 34, pleaded guilty to attempt or conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking and was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 6, 2026. According to information presented in court, on March 10, 2025, Fox enlisted another individual, commonly referred to as a “straw purchaser,” to unlawfully purchase six firearms on his behalf at a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) gun shop in Tyler. After the firearms purchase was delayed, Fox admitted to federal agents that he knew, as a non-resident of Texas, that he was unable to legally purchase the firearms in Texas. Fox also admitted that he intended to illegally transport the firearms out of the United States to Oaxaca, Mexico, where he had arranged to sell them to others. Further investigation led to cell phone texts that corroborated the plan, including an offer to exchange the firearms for drugs. A search of Fox’s vehicle led to the discovery of another firearm as well as various illegal drugs, including cocaine base and fentanyl. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Former Department of Defense Employee Pleads Guilty to Laundering Millions of Dollars for Overseas Scammers

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Samuel D. Marcus, 33, of Oreland, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky yesterday to one count of concealment money laundering. The defendant was charged by indictment in February, arising from his role as a money mule for a group of Nigeria-based scammers, in which he received, concealed, and laundered millions of dollars in fraud proceeds. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, after falling victim to a romance fraud scheme in late 2022 and early 2023, Marcus then knowingly served as a money mule for the same group of fraudsters that initially victimized him. From approximately July 2023 to December 2025, while employed as a Logistics Specialist with the U.S. Department of Defense, Marcus was in direct and regular contact with this group of Nigeria-based fraudsters, who operated under the aliases “Rachel Jude” and “Ned McMurray,” among others. These fraudsters engaged in a variety of wire fraud schemes that targeted victims based in the United States, including romance fraud, cyber fraud, tax fraud, financing fraud, and business email compromise schemes, to which victims lost millions of dollars. The fraudsters employed a network of money mules in the United States to help launder the fraud proceeds, and instructed victims to transfer funds to financial accounts opened and operated by various money mules, including Marcus. At the direction of fraudsters, Marcus and other money mules conducted a series of rapid financial transactions to convert fraud victim funds deposited into their accounts into cryptocurrency and to move those funds into foreign accounts. Marcus personally deposited and transferred millions of dollars of fraudulently obtained money into and through his personal and business accounts, while fully aware that “Rachel Jude” and “Ned McMurray” were scammers who carried out sophisticated fraud schemes. Marcus also affirmatively misled and lied to his financial institutions and law enforcement officers about the laundered funds, to include sending fraudulent invoices to make the transactions appear legitimate. In fact, Marcus continued to work as a money mule for the fraudsters after being informed by FBI agents that the money passing through his accounts had been stolen from other people and that his monetary transfers were consistent with money laundering. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samuel S. Dalke.


title: Long Island MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 42 Years in Prison for His Role in Two 2016 Murders in Nassau County

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Kevin Cuevas Del Cid, also known as “Creeper,” “Malcriado,” “Sombra,” “Vinky” and “Dabura,” a member of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 42 years’ imprisonment for his role in the May 21, 2016 murder of Kerin Pineda and the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo, both of whom were killed in Freeport, New York, as well as a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Del Cid had previously pleaded guilty to these crimes in July 2025. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the sentence. “Today, the defendant faces justice for his role in the brutal murder of two innocent victims, young men who were targeted and tortured by the MS-13 street gang,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This defendant used social media to lure Kerin Pineda to his death, and this callous disregard for human life has now been met with a just punishment thanks to the work of our Office.” “Today's sentencing marks an important step in holding violent MS-13 gang members accountable for the harm they inflict on innocent civilians. Kevin Cuevas Del Cid, an alleged MS-13 gang member, is facing punishment for the abhorrent crimes he committed. Rest assured that the FBI with its partners will continue to dismantle the MS-13 gang presence in New York and across the United States,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Gang activity will never be tolerated here in Nassau County. The County Executive and I will dedicate any resources necessary to combat criminal behavior. Our department worked aggressively to investigate these cases with our partners in the FBI and US attorneys’ office. Today’s sentencing demonstrates our commitment to holding the defendant accountable for these murders," stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder. According to court filings and statements by the defendant at the guilty plea proceeding, the defendant participated in the murder of 20-year-old Kerin Pineda, who was killed because of his suspected membership in the 18th Street gang. Specifically, in May 2016, Del Cid and other MS-13 members devised a plan where Del Cid created a fake Facebook profile of a young female to communicate with Pineda and lure him out to be killed. On May 21, 2016, Pineda went to a secluded wooded area near the Merrick-Freeport border believing that he was meeting the young female he had been communicating with on Facebook, who was, in fact, Del Cid. When Pineda arrived, he was surrounded and violently attacked by Del Cid and the other MS-13 members, each of whom took turns hacking and slashing him with the machetes. Pineda’s body was then buried in a hole that had been dug in the ground the day before, in anticipation of the murder. Del Cid is the first of six participants in the Pineda murder, all of whom have pleaded guilty, to be sentenced for that crime. Del Cid also pleaded guilty to the murder of 15-year-old Javier Castillo, who, like Pineda, was killed because the MS-13 suspected him of being a member of the 18th Street gang. On October 10, 2016, members of the Sailors clique in Brentwood convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to go with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana. Del Cid and the other MS-13 members took Castillo to an isolated marsh area along the water in Cow Meadow Park in Freeport, where they attacked and killed him, taking turns hacking him with a machete. Thereafter, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in October 2017. More than a half dozen MS-13 members have been charged and pleaded guilty in connection with the Castillo murder. Del Cid, who was 16 years-old at the time of the Pineda and Castillo murders, initially was charged by a juvenile information filed under seal on May 20, 2020. The government subsequently filed a motion to transfer Del Cid to adult status for prosecution, and an evidentiary hearing was held on June 3, 2022. On July 6, 2022, United States Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco, sitting by designation, issued a Memorandum and Order granting the government’s motion, and ordering Del Cid be prosecuted as an adult. Today’s sentencing is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 75 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, NCPD, Suffolk County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at eradicating transnational criminal organizations, combating violent crime, and restoring the rule of law. This prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kerry Ucci and Automated Litigation Specialist Michael Compitello. The Defendant : KEVIN CUEVAS DEL CID (also known as “Creeper,” “Malcriado,” “Sombra,” “Vinky” and “Dabura”) Age: 26 Freeport, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-251 (S-1) (JMA)


title: Jamaican National Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Sweepstakes Fraud Scheme Targeting the Elderly

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Adrian Lawrence, also known as “Mastermind,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 66 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud elderly United States citizens. In addition to the prison term, Lawrence was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5.4 million. Lawrence was arrested in Jamaica, and was extradited to the United States . He pleaded guilty in December 2023. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), and Joel D. Weaver, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Southeast Field Division (TIGTA), announced the sentence. “Today’s sentence punishes Lawrence for targeting dozens of vulnerable senior citizens, who were manipulated into believing they had won an official sweepstakes prize, in order to line his pockets with their hard-earned savings,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “It will always be a priority of our Office to aggressively investigate elder fraud and hold responsible those who shamefully exploit our seniors for personal gain.” "Adrian Lawrence defrauded at least 50 elderly victims of more than $5.4 million through manipulation and deceit. May today's sentencing highlight the FBI's commitment to holding accountable those who exploit vulnerable Americans out of greed," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Individuals who financially and emotionally exploit the elderly need to be held accountable. The United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting the public and collaborating with other law enforcement agencies in combating schemes that target vulnerable victims. We encourage all USPS customers to be cautious, speak to loved ones about financial scams, and report any suspicious activities to law enforcement” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Larco-Ward. “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration takes all investigations into Internal Revenue Service impersonation scams targeting elderly United States citizens seriously," stated TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Weaver. “We would like to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office for prosecuting such egregious acts in this case." As set forth in court filings and on the record at sentencing, for more than six and a half years—between October 2013 and April 2020—Lawrence and his co-conspirators located in Jamaica and elsewhere outside the United States, carried out a scheme to defraud elderly U.S. citizens (the Victims). They used the telephone and email to falsely inform the Victims that they had won sweepstakes contests that were sponsored by Publishers Clearing House. Lawrence and his co-conspirators instructed the Victims that to facilitate the release of their purported prize money, the Victims first needed to wire money, mail checks, or send cash to bank accounts controlled by Lawrence to cover the purported taxes and fees. The Victims were led to believe that once these funds were wired or otherwise received by the defendant and others, their prizes would be released to them. In reality, Lawrence knew that the Victims had won no sweepstakes prizes and owed no fees. At least 50 victims, whose average age was approximately 82 years old, sent more than $5.6 million to Lawrence and his co-conspirators. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin McTague is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : ADRIAN LAWRENCE (also known as “Mastermind”) Age: 34 Kingston, Jamaica E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-159 (JMA)


title: Employee of Securities Filing Agent Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Insider Trading

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Justin Chen was sentenced by United States District Judge Orelia E. Merchant to 27 months in prison for insider trading conspiracy. Chen was previously employed at an EDGAR filing company and was responsible for reviewing draft securities filings before they were filed on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s EDGAR filing system. Chen misused material non-public information taken from his employer to trade in the securities of 13 publicly traded companies, making at least $2.38 million in profits. In addition to the custodial sentence, Judge Merchant ordered Chen to forfeit $1,828,442.00 in ill-gotten gains and pay $115,437.19 in restitution. A co-defendant, Jun Zhen, pleaded guilty in October 2025 for his role in the insider trading conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “Chen abused his position with his employer and misappropriated material non-public information to make millions,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This sentence sends the message to the public that we are watching and will aggressively prosecute those who exploit their access to private information for personal gain and undermine the integrity of economic markets.” Mr. Nocella thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for their significant assistance in the prosecution. "Justin Chen leveraged his employee access to earn over two million dollars through trades made with non-public information of more than a dozen companies. The FBI continues to hold accountable those who attempt to establish an unfair financial advantage by undermining the integrity of our securities market," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. As detailed in court filings and on the record statements, Chen was employed as an assistant manager at a company identified as “EDGAR Filer 1.” EDGAR Filer 1 is a filing agent that assists issuers of securities with submitting required disclosures to the SEC and the investing public through the SEC’s EDGAR filing system. Through his employment at EDGAR Filer 1, Chen had advance access to upcoming SEC filings for EDGAR Filer 1’s clients. These filings routinely included significant, market-moving information—material non-public information, including Form 8-K announcements about upcoming mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, asset sales, and quarterly earnings reports. As a part of his employment, Chen and his co-defendant Zhen, were responsible for reviewing draft securities filings and providing those filings to other EDGAR Filer 1 employees who would convert the filings to the format used by the SEC’s EDGAR filing system. Chen and Zhen used their advanced knowledge of upcoming securities filings, which would disclose material non-public information about, for example, partnerships, mergers, and planned acquisitions, to trade in 13 NASDAQ-listed companies, making a total profit of at least $2.38 million. For instance, in the afternoon and evening on May 20, 2025, Chen and Zhen purchased approximately 186,275 shares of SigmaTron International, Inc. (ticker: SGMA), an Illinois-based provider of electronic manufacturing services. The next morning, on May 21, 2025, SGMA announced that it had entered into a merger agreement whereby SGMA would be acquired by Transom Capital Group, LLC at a 134% price premium over SGMA’s closing price per share on May 20, 2025. Following the announcement SGMA shares opened for trading on May 21, 2025 up approximately 127% from their closing price on May 20, 2025. Chen and Zhen sold all their shares in SGMA approximately a half-hour after the announcement, making a total profit of approximately $290,005. Chen engaged in similar trading, sometimes within minutes of material announcements, in Ondas Holdings, Inc. (ticker: ONDS); Purple Innovation, Inc. (ticker: PRPL); Signing Day Sports, Inc. (ticker: SGN); Triller Group, Inc. (ticker: ILLR); ARB OIT Group Limited (ticker: ARBB); Asset Entities Inc. (ticker ASST); Rumble Inc. (ticker: RUM); Gryphon Digital Mining Inc. (ticker GRYP); New GenIVF Group Limited (ticker NIVF); Getty Images Holding (ticker: GETY); and Polyrizon Ltd. (ticker: PLRZ). The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nick M. Axelrod and Sara K. Winik are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Brendan King of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section who is handling forfeiture matters. The Defendant : JUSTIN CHEN (also known as “Jia Wei Chen”) Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York Co-Defendant Awaiting Sentencing : JUN ZHEN Age: 30 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-303 (OEM)


title: Gun-Toting Drug Dealer Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Kevin Tyrone Eure, 37, to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to sell and selling cocaine and crack and possessing guns as a convicted felon and while selling crack. Kevin Tyrone Eure, AKA “Boo Dro,” dealt drugs in the Craven County area. Law enforcement confirmed this by covertly purchasing cocaine and crack from him. They followed up by executing a search warrant at his home in Grifton. Investigators found crack packaging materials, digital scales, and vacuum sealed bags, that he used to package his drugs for sale. Investigators also located a bullet proof vest, over 37 pounds of ammunition, and 12 guns of various sizes throughout his home. He hid the guns in random spots around his home, including in the slot of a toaster and a Draco inside a dryer. When interviewed, Eure admitted to selling cocaine and crack for the past eight years throughout eastern North Carolina. “Selling crack and cocaine is illegal. Stashing a bunch of guns in your house while slinging drugs makes the crime that much worse.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “It’s really easy to avoid this type of trouble: don’t sell drugs; don’t have guns if you are a felon. I hope he learns his lesson and doesn’t commit any more crimes when he eventually gets out of prison. He will have a long time to reconsider these bad choices. Drugs kill. Prison awaits. Do right.” W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ATF, the North Carolina SBI, the Craven County Sherrif’s Office, and the New Bern Police Department 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. 4:24-CR-00007-FL.


title: Florida Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years for Multi-State Drug Operation

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Kerby Pata, 40, of Miramar Florida, to over 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 11 pounds of cocaine and conspiracy to possess with the intent to sell more than 50 grams of meth. In August 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and DEA, along with multiple state law enforcement agencies including the Nash County Sheriff’s Office and the Nashville Police Department, learned Pata had sold pounds and pounds of cocaine throughout multiple states, including Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Pata shipped drugs from the west coast to the east coast and then up and down the eastern seaboard. As part of his scheme, Pata utilized numerous drug couriers, often referred to as “drug mules”, to transport and sell his product. “Drug thugs like Pata can’t hide in Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will continue to leverage law enforcement partnerships and federal resources through the Homeland Security Task Force to clear the streets of deadly illegal drugs and the greedy criminals who profit from destroying our homes, families, and communities.” In April 2022, the Virginia State Police caught Pata, with more than six pounds of cocaine in his car. The Virginia court released Pata pending trial. Six months later, Pata and Stacey Phillipe flew to California where they purchased more than 13 pounds of cocaine. Phillipe then drove a rental car with Pata’s cocaine from California towards North Carolina. Fortunately, the Arkansas State Police stopped Phillipe on the way. Pata continued using his drug mules unabated. Simoneka Neal drove eight pounds of Pata’s cocaine in February 2023. Officers attempted to stop Neal, but she recklessly sped off, eventually crashing. Officers searched her car and found the cocaine. In February 2023, Pata was arrested in Florida on federal charges, but the Florida court released him pending trial. He immediately returned to his criminal ways, selling drugs again. In September 2025, Pata mailed more than ¾ of a pound of methamphetamine to Aaron Barner in Virginia from Florida. Pata told Barner to deliver the meth to an individual in Nash County, North Carolina. Law enforcement conducted surveillance, observed Barner’s drug transaction, and arrested him. Pata had previously served time in a federal prison for Aggravated Identity Theft in 2012. Neal received 60 months and Barnes received 24 months in federal prison for their roles in Pata’s drug distribution organization. “This investigation is another example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together toward a common mission. Partnerships make our communities safer and send a clear message to drug traffickers: there is no jurisdictional boundary that will protect you from our unified law enforcement efforts.” said Nashville Police Department Chief, Caleb Shockley. “This case is a testament to what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together toward a common goal, said Nash County Sheriff, Keith Stone. “Let this serve as a clear message to those who choose to traffic dangerous narcotics: there is nowhere to hide. We will continue working together across jurisdictions and agencies to relentlessly disrupt the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities because the safety of our citizens remains our highest priority. I am grateful for the dedication, professionalism, and tireless efforts of every investigator, agent, prosecutor, and officer involved in this investigation. Together, we are making our communities safer and sending a strong message that criminal activity will not be tolerated in Nash County." “This sentence sends a strong message that individuals who traffic kilogram quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into our communities will be held accountable,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Working alongside our local law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate, prosecute, and dismantle those who threaten the safety and well-being of our communities.” This prosecution is part of Operation Bandit 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. W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the sentencing before U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. This investigation came from partnerships between DEA, HSI, Nash County Sherriff’s Office and Nashville Police Department. 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-00278-FL.


title: St. Louis Area Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Conspiracy that Led to Overdose of Two Teens

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Tuesday sentenced a man who was involved in a drug conspiracy that caused one fatal and one nonfatal overdose to 200 months in prison. Haeder Jameel, 23, was also ordered to pay $51,005 in restitution to the parents of the teen who died. Jameel was one of three men charged in the case. He and Zaki Salman, 23, pleaded guilty to one of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. Jameel also pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute MDMA and fentanyl. Salman pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl with a serious bodily injury resulting. Aeman Ali, 23, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the maintaining of a drug-involved premises. According to the plea agreements, Salman rented a home in the 4400 block of Ohio Street in St. Louis that was used for selling drugs from August 20, 2022, through Dec. 14, 2022. Salman and Jameel bought drugs in California. Salman advertised the drugs on social media and would “direct” the sale of the drugs. The men sold real Percocet pain pills and fake pills that contained fentanyl. When Salman was not at the home, Jameel or Ali would handle the transactions. Salman delivered drugs to a minor on Sept. 18, 2022, who thought she was buying Percocet. The minor overdosed but was saved by multiple doses of Narcan. Salman and Jameel also admitted that the fentanyl purchased by a 16-year-old male at the Ohio Street residence on Nov. 19, 2022, resulted in his overdose death. Before his death, the teen exchanged messages with the conspirators regarding the purchase of Xanax or Percocet. When law enforcement officers conducted a court-approved search of the home on Dec. 14, 2022, they found cocaine, MDMA, fentanyl, amphetamine and prescription pills. Jameel answered the door with a loaded .45-caliber handgun that he left on the kitchen table when he ran for the back door. The 16-year-old victim was remembered by his mother at Tuesday’s hearing for his many good qualities, including his humility and intelligence. “He lived his life as if every person mattered,” she said. “One decision, made by two different minors, resulted in a life cut short and another impaired by overdose,” Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “Now, families are left to mourn the consequences of those decisions, while Haeder Jameel faces years in federal prison. This is a tragic and grim reminder of the potentially deadly impact of fentanyl. Don’t trust your eyes to determine if a pill is an actual prescription medication or counterfeit. Prescription pills should only be purchased through a licensed pharmacist; anything less puts your life in jeopardy.” “Today’s sentencing is a warning that those who endanger our communities and tear families apart by distributing fentanyl and other dangerous drugs—especially to vulnerable individuals—will be held accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations St. Louis Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gregory Paris. “Homeland Security Investigations remains vigilant and steadfast in working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect the St. Louis area from the devastating impact of opioid abuse.” Salman, of Hazelwood, was sentenced June 9 to 20 years in prison and was ordered to pay the same amount of restitution. Ali, of St. Louis, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Florissant Police Department, the O’Fallon, Missouri Police Department and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.


title: Cape Girardeau County Man Admits Meth Possession, Sale

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – A Cape Girardeau County man who led investigators to two pounds of methamphetamine in 2025 on Tuesday admitted possessing and selling the drug. Billy R. Davis, 66, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his plea, he admitted that during a court-approved search of his home on Feb. 27, 2025, investigators found 43 baggies of meth weighing about 104.6 grams, drug paraphernalia, two rifles and two shotguns. Davis told investigators that he used about 1.5 grams of meth per week and had been selling it to Russell S. Jackman for the last 12 to 18 months. He then led investigators to his next delivery – 952 grams of meth. Investigators were alerted to Davis’ home when someone working on behalf of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office tried to buy two ounces of meth from Jackman at Jackman’s home. Jackman did not have the meth on hand and traveled to Davis’ nearby home to resupply. Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15. The charge is punishable by 10 years to life in prison. Jackman, 66, pleaded guilty in September to distribution of methamphetamine and is currently serving a 90-month prison sentence. The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.


title: Saint Charles Parish Man Indicted for Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – On July 2, 2026, DANZELL WASHINGTON (“WASHINGTON”) , age 34, of St. Charles Parish, was indicted on two counts charging him with distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B) and (b)(1)(C), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, on August 14, 2025, WASHINGTON distributed a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and on February 3, 2026, WASHINGTON distributed approximately 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in St. Charles Parish. If convicted of Count One, WASHINGTON faces a minimum term of 20 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. If convicted of Count Two, WASHINGTON faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to 40 years of imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000,000, at least four (4) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ERSEL HUNT (“HUNT”) , age 34, pleaded guilty on July 2, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to a four-count indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, the aforementioned narcotics and firearms charges relate to two separate incidents, as follows. On May 6, 2025, Louisiana State Police (LSP) troopers attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by HUNT . HUNT refused to stop and a pursuit ensued. After crashing the vehicle, HUNT was arrested and found in possession of a pistol, marijuana, methamphetamine, a digital scale, clear plastic bags, gloves, and a ski mask. After further investigation, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at HUNT ’s residence located on Allen Street in New Orleans, where they recovered a handgun and an AK47 rifle. HUNT will be sentenced on September 10, 2026, and faces the following penalties: Count 1—charging possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances —carries a penalty of up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Count 2—charging the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime—carries a penalty of at least five years up to life that must run consecutively to all other terms of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Counts 3 and 4—charging being a felon in possession of a firearm—carries a penalty of up to fifteen years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Liz Privitera of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: D.C. Felon with Two Prior Firearms Convictions Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Loaded Ghost Gun

body_text: WASHINGTON — Rhondell Williams, 39, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 14 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded ghost gun while intoxicated on a residential road in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Williams pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2025, before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to three firearms counts: unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a prohibited weapon. In addition to the 14-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 28-month prison term. According to court documents, on April 4, 2025, about 6:15 p.m., officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Violent Crime Suppression Division observed Williams walking on Pomeroy Road SE carrying an open bottle of tequila. Officers approached and attempted to detain him for possessing an open container of alcohol. After Williams resisted, officers removed a cross-body satchel from Williams. Inside the bag was a loaded 9mm semi-automatic ghost gun, privately manufactured, bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. The ghost gun was loaded with five rounds of 9mm ammunition in a Glock magazine. While in custody, Williams tested positive for amphetamines. Williams has two prior felony convictions for illegally possessing firearms, in 2007 and 2017. He repeatedly failed to comply with the terms of court-ordered supervision in each case. This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand. Body-worn-camera photo depicts a police officer reaching for Williams’ bag in which a 9mm semi-automatic ghost gun (below) was found. 25cr112 Follow us on X , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Two Pueblo Men Indicted On Bank Robbery Charges

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Mario Lucero, 49, Pueblo, and Esai Maestas Torres, 24, Pueblo, were each indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of bank robbery, three counts of using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, three counts of carjacking, and one count each of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. According to the indictment, on March 27, 2026, Lucero and Maestas Torres used firearms to rob a U.S. Bank on Bonforte Boulevard in Pueblo. The indictment alleges that the men then used those firearms to commit several carjackings across the city including stealing a Chevrolet Bolt, an Audi Q5, and a Nissan Rogue. Neither of the suspects are allowed to possess firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by the Violent Crime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Case Number: 1:26-cr-00129-SKC


title: Rantoul Man Charged with Making Threatening Interstate Communication

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury today indicted Kevin Baskis, 37, of Rantoul, Illinois, on two counts of allegedly making threatening interstate communications. The indictment alleges that on June 29 and 30, 2026, Baskis made interstate phone calls from Rantoul to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, threatening to injure U.S. military personnel and their families. Baskis was arrested on July 1, 2026, and remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long today ordered that he be detained pending trial. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for each of the charged counts are a maximum five years of imprisonment; maximum $250,000 fine; maximum three years of supervised release; and a mandatory $100 special assessment. Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and Rantoul Police Department. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene Miller is representing the government in the prosecution. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.