title: Naturalized U.S. Citizen Indicted for Lying to Obtain U.S. Citizenship After Committing Felonies

body_text: RENO – A Reno man who was a naturalized U.S. citizen made his initial appearance in court today for allegedly lying about his prior criminal acts to obtain U.S. citizenship. “The integrity of our nation's lawful immigration system relies entirely on honesty and transparency,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “When individuals lie about a violent or fraudulent criminal history to secure the privileges of American citizenship, they violate federal law and disrespect the millions of immigrants who follow the legal process correctly. We will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who use deceit to obtain these sacred rights." "Lying on a citizenship application is a serious crime. Under the Trump administration, if you cheat to get U.S. citizenship, expect the consequences,” said USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow. "U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is working closely with the Department of Justice to identify, denaturalize, and hold accountable those who unlawfully obtain U.S. citizenship." According to court documents and statements made in court, Kevin Jesus King committed sexual assault in July 2017 and March 2018. In both instances, King forcibly penetrated his victims and used threats of physical harm to force his victims to perform sexual acts. As alleged, on January 23, 2018, Kevin Jesus King submitted an Application for Naturalization to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that failed to disclose the July 2017 sexual assault and falsely denied having ever committed a criminal offense for which he was not arrested. On June 4, 2018, when King was interviewed under oath by a USCIS officer, he failed to disclose the July 2017 sexual assault, as well as the March 2018 sexual assault that had occurred just a few months earlier, and he again falsely denied having ever committed a criminal offense for which he was not arrested. Eleven days later, he obtained U.S. citizenship by naturalization. On July 25, 2024, King admitted to the July 2017 and March 2018 sexual assaults when he pleaded guilty to violating N.R.S. 200.366.2B in Nevada state court. King, also known as “Kevin Jesus Lopez Vargas,” “Kevin Lopez-Vargas,” Kevin Lopez,” and “Kevin Vagas,” was charged with one count of naturalization fraud. The maximum statutory penalty is 10 years in prison. A jury trial has been scheduled for November 3, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du. USCIS investigated the case. The District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Illegal Alien With Five Deportations and Multiple Felony Convictions Charged for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Guatemalan national, who has felony convictions for battery with a deadly weapon causing substantial bodily harm out of Washoe, Nevada, false statement to a federal officer out of the Southern District of California, and has two felony convictions for illegal reentry, made his initial court appearance today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country. “Repeat criminal offenders who treat our nation's borders as a revolving door will face the full weight of federal prosecution,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Under Title 8 of the United States Code, unlawful reentry after a previous deportation—particularly following aggravated felony convictions—constitutes a federal felony carrying substantial prison time under federal sentencing guidelines.” Milton Daniel Lopez-Bonilla is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 16, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah. According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Rodriguez-Betanco is a citizen and national of Guatemala who was previously deported five times: October 5, 1998, February 6, 1999, May 12, 2004, February 5, 2008, and July 10, 2020, and reentered the United States illegally. On August 16, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took Lopez-Bonilla into custody after he was arrested in Reno, Nevada, on a prostitution-related charge. This will be Lopez-Bonilla’s third prosecution for illegal reentry into the United States. If convicted, Lopez-Bonilla faces the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated these cases; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted these cases. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form . 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. A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Zachary Babitz Sentenced to Life in Prison for Armed Robbery and Carjacking Crime Spree That Ended in Fatal Shooting

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

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Zachary Babitz was sentenced to life plus 26 years in federal prison for a series of armed robberies and carjackings across New Mexico in 2024, including the fatal shooting of an 83-year-old Santa Fe man during a carjacking. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, between July 30 and August 10, 2024, Babitz , 40, committed a series of armed robberies, carjackings and a fatal shooting across Bernalillo, Santa Fe and Doña Ana counties. Babitz ’s crime spree began on July 30, 2024, when he entered an AutoZone in Albuquerque armed with a handgun, demanded money from an employee and stole approximately $345. The following day, he robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Albuquerque by presenting a demand note and indicating he was armed, obtaining approximately $3,300. On August 3, Babitz robbed a Jersey Mike’s restaurant at gunpoint, taking cash from the register and forcing an employee to open a safe where additional money was stolen. On August 6, 2024, Babitz committed a carjacking in Santa Fe County during which he confronted 83-year-old John Doe with a firearm. When Doe offered resistance, Babitz shot him, rifled through his pockets for the vehicle keys and left him in a parking lot. Doe later died from his injuries. Even after the killing, Babitz continued his violent crime spree. On August 9, he carried out another carjacking in Bernalillo County, knocking the victim unconscious. On August 10 in Las Cruces, Babitz and an accomplice robbed an Arby’s restaurant at gunpoint, stealing cash, and later that same day participated in another armed carjacking in which they forced a victim from a vehicle at gunpoint. While fleeing from law enforcement, Babitz crashed the stolen vehicle and was found hiding in a nearby dumpster. At the time of the offenses, Babitz was on state probation for six robberies committed in Albuquerque and had a lengthy history of violent felony convictions. His adult criminal record dates to 2004 and includes armed carjackings in Nevada and California, including an incident in which he fired a gun while attempting to steal a woman’s purse. After moving to New Mexico, he was convicted in 2018 for a series of six robberies committed over several weeks. Babitz was charged by federal indictment with 13 counts arising from the 2024 crime spree. On October 22, 2025, the United States filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty. On April 17, 2026, Babitz and the United States entered into a binding plea agreement calling for a sentence of life imprisonment. Babitz pleaded guilty to all 13 counts of the indictment, including two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of bank robbery, one count of carjacking resulting in death, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and causing death through the use and possession of a firearm, one count of carjacking, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting, two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting, one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, Santa Fe Police Department, Albuquerque Police Department and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case.


title: FBI Operation Tempest Targets Worst of the Worst in Rio Arriba County

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A coordinated, multi-agency law enforcement operation targeting the 10 most dangerous offenders identified by tribal and local law enforcement partners has resulted in federal charges against individuals accused of violent crime, firearms offenses and narcotics trafficking in northern New Mexico. Operation Tempest, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, grew out of a September 2025 meeting convened by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison with federal, tribal and local law enforcement leaders. During the meeting, law enforcement leaders identified cartel-related activity and the violent offenders, firearms violations and drug trafficking associated with it as significant threats to communities in northern New Mexico. Those efforts became the foundation for Operation Tempest, through which federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners worked together to identify, investigate and pursue federal charges against the 10 offenders identified by participating agencies as among the most dangerous threats to public safety. “We cannot ask communities to simply accept the criminals who are causing the most harm as a fact of life. When our partners come to us with serious cases, they should know that we are going to take them seriously and use every avenue available to hold those responsible accountable. That is what we owe the communities we serve, and we are going to continue raising the standard for how we respond to the most serious threats to public safety.” "Every arrest made through this operation represents one more step towards a safer community. Today's success demonstrates what we can accomplish when law enforcement agencies work together for a common goal," said Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. "But this is not the end. We will continue to aggressively pursue this effort throughout communities across the state, working alongside our partners to locate criminals, hold them accountable, and bring them to justice." The individuals targeted in connection with the operation are: Paul H. Alejo – Alejo is charged in a federal indictment with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime and possessing the firearm in furtherance of that crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges Alejo previously was convicted of attempted aggravated assault upon a peace officer. Larry Martinez – Martinez pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition. Martinez previously was convicted of second-degree murder. Sentencing is scheduled for October 20, 2026. Jacob Martinez – Martinez is charged in a federal indictment with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, methamphetamine and fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of those drug-trafficking crimes; and being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. The indictment alleges Martinez previously was convicted of attempted trafficking of a controlled substance, two non-residential burglaries and receiving stolen property. Jerome Naranjo – Naranjo pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Naranjo previously was convicted of robbery, possession of a controlled substance and escape from a community custody program. Sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026. Gino Tapia – Tapia is charged in a federal indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges Tapia previously was convicted of commercial burglary and two separate felon-in-possession offenses. Andrew Madrid – Madrid is charged in a federal indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges Madrid previously was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, abuse of a child and aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer. Natasha Ninette DeCosta – DeCosta is charged in a federal indictment with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges DeCosta previously was convicted of attempted trafficking of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. Felix Anthony Lewis – Lewis is charged in a federal indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges Lewis previously was convicted of trafficking by possession with intent to distribute. Michael Mena – Mena is charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime and possessing the firearm in furtherance of that crime, and possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. The complaint alleges Mena previously was convicted of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance while armed, carrying a firearm in a public space and felon-in-possession offenses. Joe Gomez – Gomez pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of possession of a controlled substance and commercial burglary. Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2026. Operation Tempest Participating Agencies U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico FBI Albuquerque Field Office Homeland Security Investigations U.S. Marshals Service Bureau of Indian Affairs First Judicial District Attorney’s Office New Mexico State Police New Mexico National Guard Santa Fe Police Department Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office Taos County Sheriff’s Office Española Police Department Santa Clara Tribal Police Department Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo Police Department Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety Tesuque Pueblo Police Department Operation Tempest is the first in a series of coordinated enforcement efforts that will be conducted throughout New Mexico, each focused on identifying and targeting the most dangerous offenders driving violence in communities across the state. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated these cases. The cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.


title: Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: CONCORD –Felina Pimental, 24, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces. According to court documents and statements, in late 2023, law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) operating in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Investigators utilized cooperating witnesses and an undercover officer to conduct controlled purchases of narcotics from various DTO members. Typically, the transactions would be arranged through the DTO’s customer telephone, which was usually operated by the DTO leader, co-defendant Alexander Aguasvivas-Pena, or by someone at his direction, namely Pimental, where a customer would contact a DTO phone number to arrange a drug deal. Pimental was involved in multiple transactions. During the course of the conspiracy, the DTO trafficked over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and other drugs. The charging statute provides for a sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in federal prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $10,000,000. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2026. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force led the investigation with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Hampshire State Police, Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, and Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasir Sadat 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 New Hampshire comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS, DEA, ATF, USMS, and DSS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.


title: Grand jury indicts local man for threatening federal judges in Indiana

body_text: DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced, that on Aug. 26, a federal grand jury indicted Joseph Dale Lewis, 45, from Dallas, for threatening to kill multiple federal judges in Indiana. Lewis was charged by criminal complaint July 31 for threatening to assault, kidnap or murder federal officials with the intent to impede, intimidate, interfere with, or retaliate against such officials on account of the performance of their official duties. “Threats against federal judges and elected officials strike at the foundation of our republic, and will not be tolerated by this office,” said the U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This office is committed to standing up for our other branches of government, at both the state and federal level, so they can exercise their authorities under our constitution free from intimidation and violence.” “The FBI thoroughly investigates anyone who threatens the life of a federal judge or elected official,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We take these offenses seriously and ask the public to report threatening behavior to law enforcement.” According to the criminal complaint, an individual identifying himself as Joseph Dale Lewis allegedly called the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and stated, “Two of your (Federal) judges are going to die today, get the [expletive] out the building.” The caller’s number displayed the name Joseph Lewis. That same day, three federal judges in the Southern District of Indiana reportedly received an email from jdlewis275@gmail.com with the subject line “Trump was murdered.” The message referenced “ hitting Federal judges in Indiana with airstrikes … and the FBI in Indiana,” constituting a threat of violence against federal officials. The email was signed “Joseph Dale Lewis.” During an interview with the defendant’s mother, Laverne Barker, she allegedly confirmed Lewis’ telephone number, which was used to threaten two federal judges and also advised that his email address is jdlewis272@gmail.com, which closely resembles jdlewis275@gmail.com, the account used to send the threatening message to three federal judges. Lewis’ Initial Appearance hearing was set for Aug. 3, but it was re-calendared because the defendant had to be forcibly removed from the courtroom after making multiple outbursts directed at the judge. During the second attempt on Aug. 5, Lewis again disrupted the proceedings with outbursts and threats directed at the judge and United States Marshals Service officers present, leading to his forcible removal from the courtroom. If convicted, Lewis faces 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI and the United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Sterbcow from the Major Crimes section is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Tulsa Man Indicted for Sexual Assault and the FBI is Seeking to Identify Potential Victims

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was indicted on several counts related to sexually assaulting women and is now detained, pending trial. Deleon Milford Cooks, 24, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country ; two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country ; one count of Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence ; two counts of Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country ; and one count of Sexual Abuse without Consent in Indian Country. Court documents show that Cooks is indicted for knowingly forcing two victims to engage in sexual activity and placing them in fear of death, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping. He is accused of assaulting both victims with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Cooks also strangled both victims and engaged in a sexual act with one victim without her consent. The FBI is seeking to identify potential victims of Deleon Milford Cooks. The FBI believes he primarily targeted women from 2023 through 2026. If you were victimized by Deleon Milford Cooks or have information relevant to this investigation, please fill out the Seeking Information Questionnaire . The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 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 Felon Sentenced for Firearm Possession Part of Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

body_text: GREENVILLE, MS – The Homeland Security Task Force initiative led to the investigation, prosecution and sentencing of Walter Walton, 34, of Coahoma County, Mississippi. Honorable Debra M. Brown, Chief United States District Court Judge, sentenced Walton today to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, the defendant knowingly possessed a firearm after he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Defendant Walton pleaded guilty to these charges on an earlier date. A Taurus .357 caliber revolver was forfeited through a stipulated final order of forfeiture. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Coahoma County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service. This operation and conviction are 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 tin 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 Jackson comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ICE ERO, CBP, CBP OFO, CBP USBP, CBP AMO, CGIS, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS and with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking as Part of a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Investigation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Robert Lamons II, 33 years old, of Fort Wayne, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Lamons was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. “The Defendant will spend the next three decades behind bars for running a large, illicit distribution network of poisonous fentanyl throughout Northern Indiana for several years, recruiting others and using a minor for transportation and delivery. He coordinated the shipment of massive quantities of fentanyl pills from Arizona to Indiana. Lamons recruited others to help him transport these drug shipments on commercial airline flights, including a minor under the age of 18. After the shipments arrived, he used others to distribute his pills in northeastern Indiana. His reckless disregard for his fellow Hoosiers by profiting from unleashing this poison was despicable. Thanks to the partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, Indiana State Police, Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and Fort Wayne Police Department; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory; the Phoenix (Arizona) Police Department; the Glendale (Arizona) Police Department; the Allen County (Indiana) Prosecuting Attorney’s Office led by Michael McAlexander and NDIN AUSA’s Anthony W. Geller and Lesley J. Miller Lowery, the Defendant has been taken out of circulation and the community is safer,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred. “Thirty years in federal prison is a significant sentence, and it reflects the seriousness of what Robert Lamons did. He made the choice to put fentanyl on the streets in Indiana and people pay the price for that choice. Our message is simple: If you bring this poison into our communities, we will find you, and we will hold you accountable,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, Indiana State Police, Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and Fort Wayne Police Department. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory, the Phoenix (Arizona) Police Department, the Glendale (Arizona) Police Department, and the Allen County (Indiana) Prosecuting Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Lesley J. Miller Lowery. 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 Crossroads comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, USAINN, USAINS, DEA, ATF, IRS, USPIS, USMS, and ISP with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana


title: Former Schererville Insurance Agent Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Life Insurance Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: HAMMOND – Thomas J. Lemmen, 51 years old, of Schererville, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Lemmen was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,601,505.27 in restitution to the victims of the offense. According to documents in the case, Thomas Lemmen worked as a licensed independent insurance agent in the state of Indiana since 2012. Between 2020 and 2022, Lemmen used his position to operate a Ponzi-style fraud scheme that allowed him to profit by writing high volumes of fraudulent life insurance policies. On thousands of separate occasions, Lemmen wrote life insurance policies in the names of current, former, and prospective clients without their knowledge or consent. As part of the policy writing process, Lemmen unlawfully used sensitive information such as his victims’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and details about their family history. Lemmen also forged the digital signatures of the purported applicants on various legal documents, including medical records releases that caused the disclosure of the victims’ sensitive medical and pharmaceutical information to the insurance companies. Most of Lemmen’s identity theft victims were retirees and elderly residents of Northwest Indiana. Lemmen profited through the commission payments he received each time he wrote a new fraudulent policy. Lemmen also took sophisticated steps to make his fictitious insurance policies appear legitimate and avoid detection for over two and a half years. In all, Lemmen wrote more than 2,000 fraudulent life insurance policies in the names of hundreds of victims, receiving over $5 million in commissions to which he was not entitled. Lemmen used the proceeds to fund the continued operation of the scheme and for his own personal spending. Among other things, Lemmen spent significant sums on home furnishings and renovations, including on an outdoor pool at his home, and on frequent travel. In April 2023, the Indiana Department of Insurance took administrative action to prevent the renewal of Lemmen’s license to sell insurance in the state of Indiana. “Hundreds of people trusted Thomas Lemmen to write life insurance policies to protect themselves and their loved ones. But he betrayed that trust and fraudulently obtained millions of dollars to which he was not entitled. Thanks to the combined efforts of the FBI, the United States Bankruptcy Trustee for Region 10, and Assistant United States Attorney Zach Heater, the public can see that those who choose to commit fraud will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “Lemmen took advantage of his position and ripped off a lot of people - including seniors - just to line his own pockets. He took information people trusted him with and used it against them. These people thought they were protecting their families, and instead, he made them victims,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI and our partners are on it. We’re digging into these complicated fraud schemes, we’re following the money, and we’re going to chase these cases down. Criminals like Lemmen need to be held accountable.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the United States Bankruptcy Trustee for Region 10. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.


title: Repeat Child Sex Offender Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to  Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: William Collins, 44, from Stacyville, Iowa, pled guilty August 31, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids to receipt of child pornography. In 2008, Collins was convicted of possession of child pornography, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa and had previously served time in federal prison. At the plea hearing, Collins admitted that between January 2015, and September 2025, he received and attempted to receive visual depictions of child pornography. Evidence also showed that Collins possessed and attempted to possess visual depictions of child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. During a search warrant of Collins’ phone, law enforcement found 17 videos and 75 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) plus hundreds of images of child erotica. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children and toddlers. 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. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Collins remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Collins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by Mason City Police Department and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-2062. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

body_text: Raul Torres-Olivarez, 47, from Mexico, who was illegally residing in the United States pled guilty on August 19, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Evidence at the plea hearing, showed that on February 4, 2026, law enforcement had information that Torres-Olivarez was unlawfully in the United States and was residing in Sioux City, Iowa. Immigration officials observed an individual matching the description of Torres-Olivarez leaving a residence and entering a vehicle. Officers attempted to traffic stop the vehicle driven by Torres-Olivarez, but he failed to immediately stop. The officers were operating in unmarked vehicles, and Torres-Olivarez’s vehicle struck one of the unmarked law enforcement vehicles. After Torres-Olivarez’s vehicle stopped, he attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended. Torres-Olivarez was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on or about December 1, 2023. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Torres-Olivarez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Torres-Olivarez faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 26-4006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Convicted Bank Robber Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: A man who was previously convicted for a bank robbery was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison. Tony Spies, age 56, from Wyoming, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 29, 2026, guilty plea to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearing showed that in November 2025, Spies sold methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement on two separate occasions. On November 24, 2025, law enforcement officers stopped Spies car. Officers found methamphetamine and marijuana in the car. Spies was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Spies was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Spies is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Laboratory, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Muscatine County Drug Task Force, consisting of the Muscatine Police Department, Muscatine Conty Sheriff’s Office, and Cedar County Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 26-CR-00024. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Ammunition Crimes

body_text: A man who distributed heroin and fentanyl and who possessed ammunition as a felon was sentenced September 1, 2026, to twelve years in federal prison. Vincent Steven Calvin, age 66, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 11, 2026, guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Calvin was involved in the distribution of heroin and fentanyl in Cedar Rapids. On the evening of September 27 or the morning of September 28, 2020, a man ingested fentanyl that he had obtained from Calvin. He died from a fentanyl‑related overdose. On November 22, 2022, and January 3, 2023, law enforcement investigators purchased bought from Calvin. On January 10, 2023, officers searched Calvin’s apartment in Cedar Rapids and located multiple rounds of ammunition. Calvin was prohibited from possessing ammunition based on multiple prior felony convictions. Calvin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Calvin was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. Calvin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and theDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-39. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Illegal Alien Who Operated Large Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring from State Prison Sentenced to Federal Prison with Four Others

body_text: ATLANTA – Ismael Guerrero-Moya, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his role in coordinating the distribution of hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine from his Waycross, Georgia prison cell. Four other members of the trafficking ring previously were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. “This illegal alien, who was serving a 30-year sentence for methamphetamine trafficking, orchestrated large-scale drug dealing using a contraband phone in state prison and a network of meth cooks and drug traffickers beyond prison walls,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of seamless coordination of federal, state, and local authorities in the Homeland Security Task Force, Guerrero-Moya’s operation has been dismantled, and he is now headed to federal prison for 30 years without the possibility of parole.” “This case is a powerful example of what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local partners come together through the Homeland Security Task Force. Despite being incarcerated, this defendant continued coordinating the distribution of hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “HSTF partnerships allow us to connect investigative resources, disrupt sophisticated trafficking networks, and ensure that those who threaten our communities are brought to justice.” “Guerrero-Moya’s continued criminal activity from inside a state prison shows the persistent threat posed by transnational drug traffickers who exploit every opportunity to keep poisoning our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Using a contraband phone and outside criminal associates, he directed a methamphetamine trafficking network that moved hundreds of pounds of dangerous drugs. HSI and our federal, state, and local partners will continue to target and dismantle these organizations wherever they operate to protect public safety and hold offenders accountable.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2012, a Superior Court judge in Fayette County, Georgia sentenced Guerrero-Moya to 30 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during commission of a felony. While serving his sentence in state prison, Guerrero-Moya used a contraband cell phone to resume his drug trafficking operation, with the assistance of Michael Childers, who used an auto repair shop to conceal methamphetamine in vehicles. In addition, Salvador Bolanos Villalpando and Jose Jovani Toledo operated a methamphetamine conversion laboratory in Ellenwood, Georgia on behalf of Guerrero-Moya. The organization also included Kamal Hussein Espinosa, a multi-kilogram methamphetamine dealer, who purchased methamphetamine from Guerrero-Moya while on parole for a prior drug trafficking conviction. In March 2020, federal investigators, working with state partners, dismantled Guerrero-Moya’s drug network through a series of seizures and arrests, taking over 500 pounds of methamphetamine off the street, including 150 pounds of methamphetamine seized from a residence in Ellenwood, Georgia, and 30 pounds of methamphetamine recovered from a vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia. Yesterday, Ismael Guerrero-Moya, 51, of Dieciocho de Marzo, Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to 30 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Guerrero-Moya was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering on September 10, 2025, after he pleaded guilty. The following defendants were previously sentenced in this case: Salvador Bolanos Villalpando, 56, of Buenavista Tomatlán, Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to ten years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jose Jovani Toledo, 36, of Torrance, California, was sentenced to six years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Michael Childers, 51, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to seven years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Kamal Hussein Espinosa, 44, of Dallas, Georgia, was sentenced to fourteen years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance provided by Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Corrections, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant United States Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Matthew R. LaGrone, and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons, prosecuted 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. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Fort Walton Beach Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Crime

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Elliot Maurice Bell, 40, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Fentanyl. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This repeat offender’s days of flooding our streets with deadly drugs has come to an end thanks to the excellent investigative work of the Florida Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This lengthy sentence should put other criminals on notice: this office will aggressively prosecute anyone who peddles drugs in the Northern District of Florida, and we will seek maximum punishments of those offenders to keep our streets drug-free.” According to court records, on April 28, 2024, Bell fled from Florida Highway Patrol. Law enforcement performed a PIT maneuver on his vehicle and after the vehicle was stopped Bell was arrested. A search of the vehicle incident to his arrest revealed methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. “DEA and its law enforcement partners continue to bring drug traffickers in the Florida Pan Handle to justice,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “We won’t stop until our communities and streets are free from this criminal activity.” The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Tharp. 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Bozeman man sentenced to 4 years in prison for unlawfully carrying loaded handguns

body_text: BILLINGS – A Bozeman man who was unlawfully carrying two loaded handguns was sentenced today to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Jerron Micheal Mitchell-Fuller, 36, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to unlawfully possessing a firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that Mitchell-Fuller, who had been convicted of multiple felonies in the early 2010s, was found walking near I-90 in Bozeman carrying two loaded handguns. Earlier in the day, Mitchell-Fuller had taken the cell phone of a man in Bozeman, who reported the theft to police. Law enforcement tracked down Mitchell-Fuller and interviewed him. He said he had absconded from federal supervised release in Billings and admitted to knowing that he wasn’t allowed to own or carry firearms. Mitchell-Fuller was previously convicted for theft in Montana and Idaho, for escaping custody while in Cascade County, and for possessing meth with the intent to distribute in Billings. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF conducted the investigation.


title: York Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy And Firearms

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marco Laboy-Torres, age 47, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 1, 2026, to 144 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Laboy-Torres was sentenced for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy where over five kilograms of cocaine were delivered by mail from Puerto Rico and trafficked in York. Laboy-Torres also possessed a short-barreled firearm in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy. Laboy-Torres previously pled guilty for his role in the conspiracy. Robert Nelson, age 62, York, and Luis Valentin-Hernandez, age 50, York, are charged for their roles in the conspiracy. Both defendants are pending trial in November 2026. The case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case. 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life 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: Convicted Felon Indicted For Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury indicted a Baltimore man, today, for firearm crimes in connection with the FBI’s Summer Heat 2.0 initiative. Larry Arntay Thompson, Jr., 25, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS). As part of the FBI initiative, on July 29, 2026, law enforcement located and arrested Thompson on an outstanding warrant for first-degree assault and firearm charges. Officers then searched Thompson and discovered a concealed loaded handgun with a large-capacity magazine and 13 rounds of live ammunition. Upon further investigation, officers determined that the firearm was reported stolen in 2024. Thompson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. Thompson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI launched “Summer Heat” for the second year in a row, targeting violent crime on a nationwide scale. It launched this multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside federal, state, and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, the FBI seeks to aggressively restore safety in communities across the country. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI and USMS for their work in the operation, along with the Maryland State Police, for its valuable assistance. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Izant, 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: Sudbury Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for $7.8 Million Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Sudbury man, formerly of Hudson (Mass.), was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for carrying out a scheme to steal money from his two former employers, both medical practices. Adam Gentile, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Margaret R. Guzman to four years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. Gentile was also ordered to pay restitution to the two victims in the amounts of $3.8 million and $3.3 million, respectively, and was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $7.8 million. In March 2026 , Gentile pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud after being charged in December 2025. In or around 2014, Gentile was hired as an administrative assistant for a medical practice near Boston. He was promoted to the role of office manager shortly thereafter. In his capacity as office manager, Gentile processed payroll and oversaw other recordkeeping and administrative responsibilities for the practice. Beginning in or around 2015 and continuing through November 2020, Gentile embezzled more than $4.5 million from his employer by issuing himself extra paychecks, sometimes labeling the payments as “bonuses.” Gentile also paid off personal credit cards with the practice’s bank account. In 2021, Gentile was hired as an officer manager for a second medical practice, for which he similarly had sole responsibility for processing payroll. From in or around April 2021 through May 2024, Gentile executed a similar scheme in which he caused extra payroll payments to be issued to himself – sometimes recording these payments as “bonuses.” Gentile used the employer’s bank account to pay off his personal credit cards; purchase and upgrade his home in Hudson; and put toward a side business he ran while employed by the medical practice. Gentile embezzled more than $3.3 million from his second employer. 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Leominster Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown prosecuted the case.


title: Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal Agents and Threatening to Kill Them

body_text: BOSTON – A Malden, Mass. woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to assaulting federal agents who were engaging in lawful immigration enforcement and threatening to kill them. Bethany Abigail Terrill, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by simple assault. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16, 2026. Terrill was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2025 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2026. According to the charging documents , federal agents were supporting Immigration Enforcement and Removal Operations in effecting the administrative immigration arrest of individuals in Malden. The agents encountered Terrill outside of Malden Court for reasons unrelated to the agents’ activities. Terrill physically interjected herself into the middle of agents while they were effecting an arrest. Terrill was verbally abusive, attempted to physically interfere with the arrest and ultimately made threatening statements to kill the federal officers on scene. Specifically, Terrill approached the agents, screaming at and pushing through the agents to capture a video recording on her mobile telephone. Terrill began screaming, “ICE is here, ICE is here,” “You guys are monsters, this is insane,” “Sir, what’s your name, what’s your name,” “I can try to help you” and “I am an American civilian, I have a right to be here” as she continuously pushed into agents all while filming them. Agents, who were identifiable by their badges, agency placards and clothing, told Terrill to “back up” several times. Terrill repeatedly attempted to push past the agents and failed to comply with any commands. Agents notified Terrill that she could be arrested if she continued to fail to comply with their requests to give them space to safely effect the arrest. Terrill yelled, “Charlie Kirk died, and we love it… We’re coming for you, gonna kill you.” The incident was captured on agents’ body worn cameras and allegedly on Terrill’s mobile telephone. The charge of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by simple assault provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. 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 today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Colin T. Missett of the of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Bookkeeper pleads guilty to taking clients’ money but failing to pay taxes on their behalf

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas businesswoman pleaded guilty to defrauding customers of her bookkeeping company by taking their money but leaving their tax bills unpaid. According to court documents, Nicole Clem, 43, of Augusta pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of failure to pay employment taxes. Clem served as owner and operator of Bookkeeping N Beyond, which provided individual and business clients with accounting, tax preparation, and payroll services. Clem used Automated Clearing House (ACH) electronic transfers to withdraw funds from her clients’ bank accounts that were designated to pay their employment taxes or other taxes. Instead, Clem spent the money on personal expenses such as airline and concert tickets, hotels, restaurants, student loan payments, vehicle repairs, and essential oils. An investigation identified more than 20 clients with losses totaling more than $1 million. Clem was not accurately reporting her income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and failed to pay $35,222 in employment taxes for her own business from 2017 to 2023. Clem is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Micronesian Citizen Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Guam & Northern Mariana Islands

body_text: Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Kopich Chutaro a.k.a. Osama Chutaro, age 23, a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), was sentenced on August 27, 2026, in the District Court for Guam to serve six months and 21 days followed by transfer to immigration authorities for immediate deportation. Chutaro pled guilty to Attempted Reentry of Removed Alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1). The Court also ordered three years supervised release, and $100 special assessment fee. On February 9, 2026, Kopich Chutaro a.k.a. Osama Chutaro, arrived at the Guam International Airport from Chuuk State, FSM. During the immigration inspection, he presented an FSM passport bearing the name “Kempy Akachang” and sought admission into the United States under the Compact of Free Association. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers determined that Chutaro had a prior deportation for an aggravated felony and referred him to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for further review. HSI agents later confirmed that Chutaro had been deported from the United States on July 22, 2024, following a felony conviction on Guam. According to court records, he was convicted in December 2022 on two counts of theft by receiving and sentenced to five years of imprisonment, with all but 15 months suspended. An immigration judge later ordered Chutaro removed from the United States based on his aggravated felony conviction. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations - Guam and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosetta L. San Nicolas in the District of Guam. 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 Guam comprises agents and officers from ICE-HSI, FBI, ATF, CBP, CGIS, DCIS, DEA, IRS-CI, NCIS, USMS, USSS, USPIS, USCIS and local law enforcement with prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.


title: New York man sentenced to five years in prison for money laundering conspiracy

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering. According to court documents, Abu Khamza, 35, pled guilty in May 2026 to conspiring to launder into cryptocurrency over $572,000 in what he believed to be drug money in the belief that such cryptocurrency would be transmitted to mujahideen in Syria. Khamza believed that the funds were generated by the illicit sale of prescription drugs for which the pharmacy owner could sell legitimately for $8 but sell without a prescription for $500. Evidence introduced into Court showed that, besides laundering cash into crypto, Khamza also engaged in extortion, cargo theft, auto theft, pandemic relief fraud, and check fraud. Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael A. Burgwald, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, FBI New York and Philadelphia Field Offices, and New York County District Attorney's Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon D. Kromberg and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacques Rio Singer-Emery, a Trial Attorney for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, 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. 1:25-cr-287.


title: Jacksonville brothers charged with nitazene distribution

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two brothers from Jacksonville, Florida, were arrested on Aug. 28 on charges of conspiracy to distribute nitazenes, synthetic opioids similar to fentanyl but that can match or surpass fentanyl’s potency. According to court documents, Vladislav Chernyshov, 35, a naturalized U.S. Citizen, and Stanislav Chernyshov, 30, a Russian national illegally residing in Jacksonville, allegedly distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills on the darknet operating under the moniker “BarbaraWhite.” Laboratory analysis of the counterfeit pills sold in the conspiracy, which bore markings mimicking pharmaceutically manufactured oxycodone pills, found them to be laced with various nitazenes, including Protonitazene, Metonitazene, N-Pyrrolidino Etonitazene, and N-Pyrrolidino Isotonitazene. These pills were marketed on the darknet as being “fent free,” though the substances identified have been found to be potentially more potent than fentanyl. Law enforcement began its investigation following a fatal overdose in Arlington. If convicted, Vladislav and Stanislav Chernyshov face a maximum penalty of at least twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Detroit Division; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), made the announcement. The FBI’s Atlanta and Jacksonville Field Offices, the USPIS Fort Worth and Miami Divisions, and the Clay County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office provided substantial assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Catherine Rosenberg are 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-mj-336. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Aylett man sentenced to over five years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – An Aylett man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Shawn Travis Adams, 43, obtained thousands of CSAM files from a Russian website. Investigators searched Adams’ residence and seized several electronic devices, including a laptop computer and an external hard drive. The hard drive contained at least 16,489 digital files of CSAM. The 7,532 still images and 8,957 videos included depictions of infants and toddlers. Several images depicted the sexual bondage of children. Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood 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. 3:26-cr-35.


title: Smith County man arrested, charged with child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Tyler man has been charged with federal child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Dennis Smith, 66, was named in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2026, charging him with coercion and enticement, attempted production of child pornography with intent to transport to the United States, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Smith was arrested in Tyler on September 2, 2026, and will make an initial appearance in federal court on September 3, 2026. According to the indictment, on various dates in 2019 and 2022, Smith is alleged to have committed numerous offenses involving minor victims. If convicted, Smith faces life in federal prison. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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 . This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Richards and Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld are prosecuting the case. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Eastern District of Texas prosecutes multiple defendants as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigations in August 2026

body_text: PLANO, Texas – The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative was 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. In the Eastern District of Texas, three defendants were sentenced to a total of 386 months in federal prison during the month of August as part of the Homeland Security Task Force, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Additionally, another defendant was convicted by a jury of drug trafficking violations and faces life in federal prison at sentencing. On August 6, 2026, Jose Romero-Sanchez , 25, a Mexican national illegally living in Dallas, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for receiving multi-kilo quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico and storing them at his residence for further distribution. On August 25, 2026, a Dallas man was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Joshua Isaiah Castillo , 31, is responsible for trafficking large amounts of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and fentanyl powder in bulk form for redistribution. On August 27, 2026, Jose Guadalupe Lopez-Arana , 41, a Mexican national illegally living in Irving, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for laundering between $150,000 and $250,000 in drug proceeds. On August 27, 2026, 45-year-old Colombian, Nelson Javier Christancho Parada , was found guilty by a jury of two counts of federal drug trafficking violations. Christancho Parada used his skills as a machinist to manufacture water bag rolls with a false compartment in them. He and others filled the false void with kilograms of cocaine that were intended to be sent to the United States. The Colombia National Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and DEA were able to seize 1,207 kilograms of cocaine on November 22, 2019, on the island of San Andres, Colombia, that were sent in a cargo shipment. The cocaine was found in hidden voids in the containers that Christancho Parada manufactured. He faces life in federal prison at sentencing. “Christancho Parada’s verdict marks another significant step in our ongoing efforts to dismantle the transnational criminal networks that threaten the safety and security of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “This defendant exploited his technical skills to hide more than a metric ton of cocaine destined for the United States, but through the dedication of our Colombian partners and the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Task Force agencies, his scheme was uncovered and justice has been served. The Homeland Security Task Force represents a historic level of coordination among federal law enforcement, and this case demonstrates exactly why that partnership matters. We will continue to use every lawful tool at our disposal to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who traffic drugs, exploit vulnerable people, and endanger Americans. I am grateful for the outstanding work of our agents, officers, and prosecutors whose efforts made this outcome possible.” HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx .


title: Denton County felon sentenced to federal prison for firearms violation

body_text: PLANO, Texas –A Denton convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jamarez D Anthony McIntosh, 36, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on September 2, 2026. According to information presented in court, on November 13, 2023, McIntosh was stopped for a traffic violation. During the stop, the vehicle was searched and a bag containing a loaded 9mm handgun was located. Further investigation revealed McIntosh is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. 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 making 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 Denton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Smith. ##


title: Dallas man receives lengthy federal prison sentence as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jose Luis Gonzalez, Jr., 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on September 2, 2026. According to information presented in court, from 2021 through 2023, Gonzalez was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for distributing multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Mexico throughout the United States, including the Eastern District of Texas. Gonzalez is personally responsible for trafficking at least 50 kilograms of cocaine. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson. ###


title: Beaumont man receives 40 year federal prison sentence as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Darrell Joshua Bendy, 42, was convicted at trial of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 2, 2026. According to information presented in court, from December 2022 through November 2024, Bendy supplied kilogram quantities of methamphetamine to a drug trafficker in Beaumont. During the conspiracy, Bendy lived in, and conducted his drug trafficking activities from Houston. During the investigation, law enforcement authorities seized more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine and over $100,000 in cash. It is believed that between 20-30 kilograms of methamphetamine have been distributed as part of this drug trafficking conspiracy. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Houston comprises agents and officers from the FBI; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Houston (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas; Texas Department of Public Safety; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Beaumont Police Department; Port Neches Police Department; Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Vidor Police Department; and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan C. Lee and John B. Ross. ###


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 52 Months in Prison for His Role in Gunpoint Robbery of South Jersey Cell Phone Store

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tymair Harris, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 52 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Kai N. Scott for his role in planning and committing the armed robbery of a South Jersey cell phone store. The defendant was charged by indictment in April 2025 and pleaded guilty this March to conspiracy to commit a robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery). As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on November 28, 2022, he and his co-conspirators committed the armed robbery of a Verizon Wireless store on Route 73 in Voorhees, New Jersey. Harris used a firearm to force employees into the store’s back room where the safe was kept and held them there at gunpoint. Shortly thereafter, he and his co-conspirators fled the store with more than $61,000 worth of electronics. Later that evening, following an approximately nine-mile police chase from Voorhees to Philadelphia, the defendant was apprehended by officers with the Philadelphia Police Department. This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Violent Crimes Task Force and South Jersey Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan A. Farley and Lauren Stram.


title: Choctaw County Resident Pleads Guilty To Armed Assault

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Geoffrey Blac James, age 33, of Hugo, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on June 23, 2025, James assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, intending to do bodily harm. The crimes occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. James will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Executive of Indian Chemical Company Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Distributing and Smuggling Fentanyl Precursor Chemicals

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Bhavesh Lathiya was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 54 months in prison for his conviction of smuggling and distributing fentanyl precursor chemicals knowing they would be used to manufacture fentanyl. Lathiya was the leader and founder of Raxuter Chemicals, a company based in Surat, India, that illegally sold and smuggled more than 50 pounds of chemicals commonly used to manufacture fentanyl. As part of the case, the defendant was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $24,560. The defendant pleaded guilty in April 2026 and will be deported upon completion of his prison term. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Pete Gizas, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the sentence. “During a national crisis when hundreds of Americans were dying every day of fentanyl overdoses, Lathiya smuggled and distributed chemical ingredients, including those that were the building blocks for this deadly drug, without any regard for the harm that his conduct would cause,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “With today’s sentence, the message is loud and clear that our Office will hold precursor traffickers like the defendant accountable for their role in the fentanyl supply chain.” “Bhavesh Lathiya’s conduct placed him at the source of the fentanyl supply chain, where he knowingly moved the chemical building blocks of a lethal drug into the United States through deception, false labeling, and international shipments in a prosecution that breaks new ground against an India-based supplier. By feeding the market for fentanyl at its earliest stage, he turned chemical commerce into a direct threat to public safety, widening the reach of a drug that continues to inflict profound harm across our communities. This Homeland Security Task Force investigation, co-led by HSI New York, demonstrates our resolve to attack the fentanyl supply chain before the poison is manufactured, packaged, and sold to the public,” stated HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Gizas. As set forth in court filings, Lathiya supplied precursor chemicals to the United States and Mexico, among other places, despite knowing they would be used to manufacture fentanyl. He and his company also sent their chemical products to the United States and Mexico using international mail and package carriers. The chemicals distributed by the defendant included all the materials necessary to manufacture fentanyl via the most common pathways. To prevent detection and interception of chemical products at the borders, the defendant employed deceptive and fraudulent practices, such as mislabeling packages and falsifying customs forms. For example, on or about June 29, 2024, a package shipped by Raxuter Chemicals was delivered to an address in the Eastern District of New York. The package had a false manifest that listed its contents as Vitamin C. In truth, the contents were a List I chemical, 1-boc-4-piperidone, an unlawfully imported fentanyl precursor. On or about October 2, 2024 and October 15, 2024, Lathiya appeared on a video call to discuss sale of fentanyl precursor chemicals with an HSI undercover officer. After being told by the undercover officer that his “clients in Mexico were very happy with the quality of what you sent me” and with “the yield they got of the final product,” Lathiya agreed to sell 20 kilograms 1-boc-4-piperidone, which is a List I chemical used in fentanyl synthesis. Lathiya also proposed mislabeling the chemical as an antacid. The undercover officer replied and asked if it would be easier to ship the product to Mexico, stating “This is a very controversial product … Because like you said it’s banned and in Mexico I think it could be easier but there’s so much pressure on them because of fentanyl.” On or about November 23, 2024, Raxuter Chemicals and Lathiya shipped approximately 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone to the Eastern District of New York. The package was mislabeled as an antacid. Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including but not limited to the Sinaloa Cartel, have increasingly availed themselves of the fentanyl precursors developed and distributed by companies like the defendant’s, including in India and China. This sentence follows the Office’s pathbreaking indictments of three Chinese chemical companies and three employees in United States v. Anhui Rencheng Technology Co. (Rencheng) Ltd et al. and United States v. Hefei GSK Trade Co. Ltd, et al. , charging them with similar offenses, including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute a List I chemical, distribution of a List I chemical, and customs fraud conspiracy. 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 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. HSTF New York comprises agents and officers from gents and officers from HSI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the New York City Police Department; IRS Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and U.S. Secret Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir, William P. Campos, Chand Edwards-Balfour, and Katherine P. Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Cleon Thomas and Zoubida Bicane. The Defendant : BHAVESH RANCHHODBHAI LATHIYA (also known as “Bhavesh Patel,” “Bhavesh Bhai,” and “Bhavesh Lathia”) Age: 37 Surat, Gujarat, India E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-525 (S-2) (PKC)