title: Elementary School Teacher Arrested on Child Pornography Charge

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Eric Sanville, 39, of Norwood, Pennsylvania, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography. Sanville is an elementary school teacher in the North Penn School District. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth L. Toplin and will be detained in federal custody pending indictment and trial. The criminal complaint alleges that Sanville used a messaging app to entice two minors, both eight-year-old girls, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of those acts. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, with assistance from the Delaware County District Attorney's Office Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Harrell and Angela Monaco. The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Okmulgee Resident Sentenced For Possessing A Firearm In Furtherance Of A Drug Trafficking Crime

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Jason Rice, age 65, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okmulgee Police Department. On November 4, 2025, Rice pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 18, 2025, law enforcement discovered Rice in possession of a .38 Special caliber revolver as well as quantities of fentanyl, marijuana, and methamphetamine, which Rice possessed with the intent to distribute. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Rice will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.


title: Okmulgee County Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Riccole Ladale Dixson, age 39, of Dewar, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Probation Office. On October 7, 2025, Dixson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 22, 2025, Dixson knowingly possessed 30 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Dixson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.


title: Summer Camp Settles Claim That it Violated the Americans with Disabilities Act

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today a Settlement Agreement with Point O’ Pines Corporation to resolve allegations that its residential summer camp, Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls, located in Brant Lake, New York, violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) by failing to offer a reasonable accommodation to a minor with a disability. The settlement will ensure equal access for campers with disabilities at Point O’Pines Camp for Girls under Title III of the ADA. “Today’s settlement ensures that campers with disabilities will be reasonably accommodated so that they have the same opportunity to enjoy and participate in Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls as other campers. Our Office will continue to enforce the ADA and its protections against discrimination for people with disabilities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by the parents of a camper, a minor with Type 1 diabetes, to whom Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls failed to provide a reasonable accommodation for the summers of 2023 and 2024. The camper complained that Point O’Pines discharged her before the end of camp season because she has a disability. Under the terms of the settlement, Point O’ Pines Corporation has agreed to take appropriate steps to ensure evaluation of campers with disabilities on a case-by-case basis and make reasonable accommodations for them. Additionally, Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls will provide all of its employees and staff training regarding ADA compliance, and will identify and train relevant employees and staff on the specific disabilities of incoming campers. Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in the “services, programs, or activities of a public entity.” Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls is a place of public accommodation. To comply with Title III, public entities such as Point O’ Pines must ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls. This includes making “reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the public entity can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.” The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Point O’Pines. This matter has been handled by Chief of Civil Rights Megan Freismuth, Assistant United States Attorney Anjna Kapoor, former Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Silverman, and Senior Auditor/Investigator Tisha Waite. camp_settlement_press_release.pdf


title: California Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Flooding North Carolina with Deadly Poison

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Raul Ramirez, 44, to 15 years in federal prison for supplying hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to Raleigh drug dealers. On September 15, 2025, Ramirez, also known as “Ralph,” pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. “Cartels and out‑of‑state criminals have remorselessly flooded Eastern North Carolina with poison for far too long. They piped hundreds of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills directly into our backyards and schools, destroying families and ruining lives. For what? A few measly bucks. Not under my watch. Law and order wins every time. We caught this high‑level bad hombre, exposed his network, and secured a 15‑year federal prison sentence. If you bring death and destruction to Eastern North Carolina, we will track you down, lock you up, and ensure you pay a very heavy price,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. A multi‑agency investigation that began in January 2022 revealed that Ramirez supplied hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to a Raleigh‑based drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing 77 pounds of pressed fentanyl pills. DTO members routinely flew to California to buy fentanyl pills from Ramirez, and then shipped them back to North Carolina. Investigators used controlled purchases, search warrants, interstate package seizures, electronic surveillance, and cooperator interviews to unravel the operation. Even though authorities arrested several dealers possessing thousands of fentanyl pills repeatedly during the investigation, Ramirez kept shamelessly selling pills right up until his arrest. “Thanks to a collaborative effort, a cross-country network bringing deadly drugs into our communities has been wiped out,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “We greatly improve the safety of our communities when careless and dangerous drug traffickers are caught and put out of business for good.” Ellis Boyle U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced the sentence after the Honorable U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III issued it. ATF, the Raleigh Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service collaborated on the multi‑year investigation. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-200-D.


title: New Orleans Lawyer Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that TANZANIKA RUFFIN , age 48, of New Orleans, pled guilty to the indictment pending against her for wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343. According to court documents, RUFFIN was an attorney with a law office in New Orleans. RUFFIN was retained to represent Client 1 in a criminal case in Orleans Parish in August 2025. RUFFIN falsely informed Client 1 and Client 1’s parents that a police officer had suffered various harms as a result of Client 1’s actions. RUFFIN told Client 1’s family that the District Attorney’s Office required Client 1 to pay $250,000 in restitution. As a result, Client 1’s parents sent RUFFIN $250,000 towards a “settlement” with the police officer. RUFFIN then spent all of the money on personal and unauthorized expenses. In truth and in fact, neither the District Attorney’s Office nor the police officer had requested any funds from Client 1. “Today, Tanzanika Ruffin admitted her criminal conduct and pled guilty to wire fraud, admitting that she breached her legal and ethical obligations as an attorney by defrauding her client of $250k,” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. “As a licensed attorney, the defendant had a duty to protect her clients and uphold the law. Instead, she chose to exploit that position of trust for her own financial gain. This guilty plea is the proper result for the victims who were harmed by the defendant’s scheme. This outcome sends an unmistakable message to the community-the rules apply to everyone. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud, regardless of the defendant’s title, stature in the community, or professional standing.” RUFFIN faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A mandatory $100 special assessment fee is also applicable. United States District Judge Anna St. John set sentencing for December 3, 2026. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney David I. Courcelle, Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana L. Wright of the Financial Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Transnational Criminal Enterprise Investigated and Indicted for Fraud-Related Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, KY- The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Louisville brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify, investigate, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. By working as one team and combining the strengths and resources of multiple agencies, HSTF Louisville can more effectively combat complex crimes including drug and weapons trafficking, fraud and money laundering, and human trafficking and smuggling. As part of an ongoing investigation into a transnational criminal enterprise, FBI Louisville Special Agents obtained a federal indictment charging multiple individuals located throughout the United States with fraud-related offenses. Today, HSTF Louisville, in coordination with FBI New York, Newark and Baltimore, and HSI Newark alongside New York Police Department, New York State Police, Port Authority of New York, New Jersey Police Department, New Jersey State Police, and Elizabeth (New Jersey) Police Department, carried out a coordinated enforcement operation resulting in the arrests of multiple individuals charged in the investigation. Due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation, the identity of the indicted defendants is temporarily being withheld. “This coordinated operation reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared commitment to protecting communities across the United States. By bringing together federal, state, and local agencies, the Homeland Security Task Force Louisville is able to more effectively identify and disrupt the transnational criminal networks that jeopardize public safety,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We are grateful for the dedication and cooperation of all our partners as we work together to advance this investigation and uphold the rule of law.” “HSTF Louisville’s investigation illustrates the importance of federal, state, and local agencies partnering together to tackle and crush criminal activity with global implications. The HSTF leverages multiple law enforcement agencies and their resources,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “In matters crossing international borders and impacting multiple states, our partnerships are critical and show the significant impact our law enforcement actions have for the American people.” 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. — END —


title: Kentucky Medical Biller Indicted for Healthcare Fraud and Money Laundering Charges

body_text: LEXINGTON, KY- A Kentucky medical biller and owner of AA’s Medical Coding and Billing Services, LLC., Jacqueline Sanders, age 60, from Louisville, Ky., was indicted for one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 25 counts of health care fraud, and four counts of money laundering. According to the indictment, Sanders recruited individuals unfamiliar with Medicaid requirements to open behavioral health service entities, handled their credentialing and enrollment with Kentucky Medicaid, and then directed the submission of fraudulent Medicaid claims across ten behavioral health providers. Sanders allegedly billed for services that were never provided—including claims submitted for incarcerated, hospitalized, or deceased Medicaid members. The indictment further alleges Sanders used National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) of licensed professionals without authorization to submit thousands of fraudulent claims, fabricated assessments and treatment plans, and billed Medicaid for excessive hours of treatment regardless of medical need or documentation. Between 2020 and 2026, Sanders and her co‑conspirators allegedly caused Medicaid to pay tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent reimbursements. The indictment alleges Sanders personally received more than $3.6 million in payments from the fraudulent billing operations and used the proceeds to purchase luxury goods, vehicles, jewelry, travel, plastic surgery, and real estate. “The indictment alleges an astonishing level of fraud: fabricated assessments, nonexistent treatment, unauthorized use of licensed providers’ identities, causing millions of dollars in false claims to be submitted for services that were never performed,” Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Medicaid exists to support Kentucky’s most vulnerable residents, and this scheme exploited that mission at every turn. Our office will continue to hold accountable anyone who abuses taxpayer‑funded programs for personal gain.” "The charges should send a clear message to anyone looking to enrich themselves at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens: don't,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “Public resources exist for the public good, and the FBI will do everything in its power to ensure those resources go to those legally entitled to them." “This criminal defrauded a system intended to care for some of the most vulnerable Kentuckians,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. “Those who steal from the program will face consequences, and we will continue working with our partners like U.S. Attorney Parman to protect Medicaid for those it serves.” Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the indictment. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Linsey Hogg are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. Sanders appeared for her initial appearance on August 26. Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Stanislaus County Man Defrauds Victims out of at Least $2.7 Million in Forex Market Investment Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Eshaq M. Nawabi, 27, of Salida, charging him with wire fraud for a scheme to defraud investors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between October 2019 and February 2022, Nawabi convinced victims that he was a successful trader in the foreign currency exchange or “forex” market. These victims gave Nawabi thousands of dollars to invest in forex, and their monthly statements showed that they were making a large profit every month. However, Nawabi lied to the victims and fabricated the monthly statements. Instead of investing the money, Nawabi spent it on himself and to keep his fraud scheme going. He leased luxury vehicles including multiple Lamborghinis, a Ferrari, a McLaren, and others. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case. The FBI is seeking additional victims in this case. If you believe you may be a victim of Nawabi or his scheme under companies “Nawabi Enterprises” or “Hyperion Consulting Inc.,” please visit: fbi.gov/NawabiVictims . If convicted, Nawabi faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Sussex County Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Transporting a 12-Year-Old for Criminal Sexual Activity

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – Miles Clark, 23, of Sussex County, was sentenced on August 27, 2026, to 12 years in prison for transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika imposed the sentence. According to court documents, Clark, then 21, met the 12-year-old victim on Snapchat, exchanged sexually explicit messages describing sexual acts he intended to commit with the victim, and sent her sexually explicit videos of himself. About a week later, Clark drove nearly 200 miles to Pennsylvania, picked up the victim from a church near her home, and transported her across state lines to his residence in Delaware, where he sexually abused her. Clark knew the victim was a minor. “This defendant deliberately took a child across state lines to abuse her,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “The sexual exploitation of children causes unthinkable harm, and I am grateful for our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners’ tireless work to keep our community safe from people who prey on children.” “Miles Clark is a dangerous and depraved predator who used a popular app to target, groom, and abuse an innocent child. Assuredly, our community is safer today with him behind bars where he can no longer harm our children,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “I commend the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force and Delaware State Police for their commitment to protecting children and relentlessly pursuing those who exploit them.” Upon his release from prison, Clark will serve eight years of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender. The FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case with assistance from the Delaware State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Claudia L. Pare and Kevin B. Smith prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-cr-3-MN. ###


title: Behavioral Health Worker Pleads Guilty to Billing D.C. Medicaid for Therapy Sessions That Never Happened

body_text: WASHINGTON – Said Nassor, 46, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme to bill D.C. Medicaid for mental health services that were never provided or were grossly inflated, causing a loss to Medicaid exceeding $250,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Nassor pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to court documents, Nassor was employed beginning in August 2022 as a Community Support Worker at a D.C. Medicaid provider authorized to deliver mental health rehabilitative services to youth and adolescent beneficiaries. From approximately January 2022 through at least February 2025, Nassor conspired with company employees along with other community support workers, to submit false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to D.C. Medicaid. According to court documents, Nassor and other community support workers were directed by company employees to bill the maximum number of units allowed for each consumer regardless of medical necessity or whether the services were performed. Community support workers were instructed to bill a full hour for every telehealth encounter no matter how long the call actually lasted, and were trained to shave a few minutes off each claim, for example billing 54 minutes instead of 60, to make the calls appear more realistic. Workers were also directed to bill three hours, and later one hour, for diagnostic assessments regardless of how much time was spent with the consumer. From July 27, 2022, through June 23, 2023, Nassor documented over 701 hours of telehealth services across six patients when, according to call records, he only actually spent roughly 172 minutes with them on the telephone. On October 21, 2024, Nassor created and billed for three telehealth encounters to an undercover FBI employee who posed as a patient. None of the telehealth encounters took place. Investigators determined that Nassor’s participation in the conspiracy resulted in a loss to Medicaid of over $250,000. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. 26cr86


title: Anaheim Woman Pleads Guilty to Submitting More Than $2.2 Million in Fraudulent Hospice Care Claims to Medicare

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An Orange County woman pleaded guilty today to submitting more than $2.2 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services for beneficiaries who were not terminally ill, on which Medicare paid her company more than $2.1 million. Lynn Galbraith, 60, of Anaheim, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. According to her plea agreement, Galbraith was the co-owner and operator of the Garden Grove-based Azure Hospice Care Inc. from September 2019 to July 2022, after which time she became the company’s sole owner until February 2024. During this time, she knowingly and willfully submitted and caused the submission to Medicare for reimbursement of hospice services for beneficiaries who did not have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness ran its normal course. In submitting the false claims to Medicare, Galbraith either knew the beneficiaries did not qualify for hospice or knew that they did not have sufficient medical records supporting a diagnosis and prognosis that qualified them for hospice benefits. She did not routinely coordinate with the beneficiaries’ primary care physicians about their purported conditions or terminal prognoses. Galbraith knew and intended that Medicare would rely on her false representations that the patients were eligible for hospice services, and that the false representation would cause Medicare to send payment to Azure Hospice Care for the claimed services. For example, in October 2022, Galbraith submitted a claim to Medicare for $6,600 for reimbursement of hospice services provided to a beneficiary, knowing that there was insufficient medical record documentation to establish Medicare hospice eligibility for this beneficiary. In total, Galbraith submitted a total of approximately $2,266,694 in false claims to Medicare on behalf of Azure Hospice Care. Of this total, Medicare ultimately paid approximately $2,140,606 to Azure. United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a December 3 sentencing hearing, at which time Galbraith will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) is investigating this matter. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Assistant United States Attorney Rosalind Wang of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Juan Jose Castillo, 28, of Lubbock, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of Coercion and Enticement. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2026, before Chief United States District Court Judge Jennifer G. Zipps. According to the plea agreement, Castillo admitted that between Feb. 2024 and Oct. 2024, he communicated with a minor victim in Arizona and enticed the victim to engage in sexual activity with him. Castillo further admitted that between Oct. 18–21, 2024, he traveled to Arizona with the intent to engage in that conduct. During the trip, Castillo engaged in sexual activity with the victim. A conviction for Coercion and Enticement carries maximum penalties of life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and lifetime supervised release. 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. Attorney’s 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 www.justice.gov/psc . Homeland Security Investigations – Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Alessandra C. Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01804-TUC-JGZ RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-147_J. Castillo # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Firearms Trafficker and Sicario Leader Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison

number: 2026-146_Garcia Martinez

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jorge Adan Garcia Martinez, 21, of Roll, Arizona, was sentenced on Aug. 25, 2026, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 130 months in prison. Garcia Martinez previously pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Receipt of Firearms for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime. Between April 2023 and November 4, 2024, Juan Carlos Yanez Molina, 27, of Somerton, Arizona, Jonathan Daniel Hernandez Noriega, 25, of San Luis, Arizona, Jose Guadalupe Cota Garcia, 25, of Mexico, and Roani Hernandez Jr., 27, of Bullhead City, Arizona, straw purchased firearms from federal firearms licensees in the Yuma area for Garcia Martinez. On June 21, 2024, Garcia Martinez coordinated the delivery of five pistols and magazines to Carlos Eduardo Diaz-Barba, 21, of San Luis, Arizona. Diaz-Barba then tried to smuggle the pistols and magazines into Mexico at the port of entry in San Luis, Arizona on Garcia Martinez’s behalf. The investigation revealed that the firearms were destined for Los Salazares, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Electronic evidence showed that Garcia Martinez was also the leader of Fuerzas Especiales Jackson, a group of sicarios operating in San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. The group carried out kidnappings, torture, and murders. Garcia Martinez was arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, after law enforcement discovered his plan to retaliate against a rival group for an attack in San Luis, Sonora, that killed and injured members of his group. Garcia Martinez’s arrest disrupted a firearms trafficking cell operating in the Yuma area, and dismantled a group of sicarios operating in San Luis, Sonora. Yanez Molina, Hernandez Noriega, Cota Garcia, and Hernandez Jr. were all previously convicted of Material False Statements During the Acquisition of Firearms. Yanez Molina was sentenced to 18 months in prison, Hernandez Noriega was sentenced to 36 months in prison, Cota Garcia was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and Hernandez was sentenced to 8 months in prison. Diaz-Barba pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Receipt of Firearms for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 31, 2026, before United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa. Homeland Security Investigations Yuma led the investigation, in collaboration with the El Centro Field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, with assistance from the FBI Phoenix Division’s Yuma office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - San Luis Port of Entry, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Phoenix Field Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Sector. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria R. Gutierrez, Brandon M. Brown, and Benjamin S. Goldberg, handled this prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-01820-01-PHX -DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-146_Garcia Martinez # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Two Anchorage men sentenced to decades in prison for roles in Homeland Security Task Force drug trafficking conspiracy case

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Two Anchorage men were sentenced over the past two months to decades in prison for their roles in a local drug trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents, from March 2024 to March 2025, Aaron Washington, 60, led a drug trafficking organization involving James Barber, 44, and multiple other people who conspired to import drugs, mainly fentanyl, from the Lower 48 and distribute the drugs in Alaska. Washington used co-conspirator drug suppliers located in Arizona and Washington state. Washington arranged for the drugs to be transported back to Alaska either in his checked baggage, in his co-defendants' checked baggage or via mail shipment. Phone data revealed that Washington communicated with co-conspirators at length to arrange for the pick-up, purchase, shipment and distribution of drugs. Barber, who worked as a paralegal, used his professional skills to provide legal advice to Washington on facilitating the drug trafficking organization. Evidence presented during Barber’s trial showed that between November 2024 and March 2025, Barber regularly went to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to pick up luggage containing one to two kilograms of fentanyl on behalf of the drug trafficking conspiracy. On one occasion, Washington flew from Anchorage to Phoenix on Nov. 14, 2024, to purchase fentanyl from a codefendant. Washington flew back to Anchorage on Nov. 18. Surveillance video showed Washington bypassing the luggage carousel and heading for the taxi line, while Barber picked up a checked suitcase and left separately. On another occasion later that month, Washington again flew to Phoenix and returned with two kilograms of fentanyl purchased from a co-conspirator. Law enforcement seized the fentanyl pursuant to a search warrant at the airport. Texts between Washington and Barber indicated that Barber was planning to pick up the luggage at the airport but failed to do so. Washington took the empty bag and took a taxi home. Law enforcement recorded at least seven other trips with similar circumstances to both November incidents and connected roughly 20 kilograms of fentanyl, 70 grams of heroin, 165 grams of methamphetamine and 10 grams of cocaine to the drug trafficking conspiracy. Barber was convicted by a federal jury in April 2026 and sentenced today to 27 years in prison and will spend 20 years on supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence. Washington pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in February 2026 and was sentenced on July 15, 2026, to 25 years in prison and will serve 10 years on supervised release upon the completion of his prison sentence. “Mr. Washington and Mr. Barber acted with arrogance, gambling with Alaskans’ lives—and in Barber’s case, using his paralegal experience to circumvent the law and expand a drug trafficking network in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “It is this kind of disregard for the law and for human life that fuels substance abuse nationwide. My office is committed to disrupting that pipeline here in Alaska. This isn’t just a warning; it is a promise that we will work relentlessly to find anyone pumping poison into our communities and hold them accountable.” “These sentences follow a thorough investigation that led to multiple arrests, significant drug seizures, and the complete dismantlement of a multi-state drug trafficking organization operated and advanced by Mr. Washington and Mr. Barber,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively target violent offenders and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that fuel violence and addiction in our communities, while holding drug traffickers accountable for their crimes.” All other co-defendants in this case have pleaded guilty and have either received their sentence or are awaiting sentencing. The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, and from the Mat-Su High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) team. Additional assistance was provided by the Airport HIDTA team and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley, Mac Caille Petursson and Alana Weber 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. HSTF Region One comprises agents and officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – Seattle; the United States Attorney’s Office(s) for the Districts of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP – Office of Field Operations; CBP – Air & Marine Operations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska. ###


title: Weaponization Working Group Releases Report on 2023 FBI Richmond Field Office Memo That Targeted Non-Mainstream Catholics

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group issued a report detailing how, under the previous Administration, the FBI’s Richmond Field Office associated beliefs held by many Catholics with domestic extremism and investigated two priests as a result. The report focuses on the production and circulation of an internal assessment known as the “Richmond Domain Perspective.” This assessment documented the purported rise of domestic extremism among those who hold conservative beliefs associated with a wide variety of Catholics. It also documented the investigation into two priests and the FBI’s surveillance of one of them. On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14147 to eliminate the political weaponization of federal agencies. To many Americans, the Richmond Domain Perspective came to embody the misuse and weaponization of government power. After reviewing a substantial volume of internal emails, assessments, and investigative records, the Working Group concludes that the Biden FBI engaged in improper and unjustified law enforcement and intelligence activity, including: Agents made extensive inquiries into two priests and monitored their travel and communications. The FBI ultimately found no link to criminal activity or violent extremism. The FBI relied on biased and unverified materials, including Southern Poverty Law Center publications and foreign intelligence materials, without assessing their credibility. Internal reviews later concluded that the product improperly conflated religious doctrine with violent extremism and ignored First Amendment concerns. The FBI’s leadership took minimal corrective action after the Richmond Domain Perspective. Despite headquarters acknowledging the Perspective’s flaws, employees involved received positive performance reviews, and Richmond leadership openly defended their work. Staff continued refining the Perspective even after it was removed from FBI systems. The FBI’s actions in 2023 were wrong. The Trump Administration, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel are committed to addressing these abuses and preventing their recurrence. Executive Order 14147 directed the department to identify and remedy prior weaponization within the federal government. Pursuant to that authority, DOJ has removed key FBI personnel responsible for the Richmond Domain Perspective. To prepare this report, the Department reviewed over 1,800 pages of internal records. Attorney General Blanche has granted a limited waiver of privileged materials to allow the public to review the underlying documents. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate a weaponized bureaucracy that chills First Amendment activity,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The individuals who developed the Richmond Domain Perspective are no longer with the Department, and our Working Group’s efforts to investigate weaponization under the previous Administration will continue.” “Weaponization will never be tolerated at this FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Even while those who developed the unacceptable Richmond Catholic memo under the previous administration have been held accountable, releasing information to the public about what occurred under the prior regime is an important part of the process. I want to thank the Weaponization Working Group for their partnership as well as Attorney General Todd Blanche for his leadership addressing these abuses and making sure they never happen again.” “The weaponization of our Government undermines our Democracy and reduces the People’s trust in our Nation’s institutions that are designed to serve and protect them,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “The Richmond Memo was a clear abuse of power, targeting conservative and religious beliefs disfavored by agents of Government who lacked necessary oversight. No more. Under Attorney General Blanche’s leadership this Department will have zero tolerance for weaponization.” The Justice Department remains committed to enforcing federal law in a manner consistent with the Constitution and its duty to protect the civil rights of all Americans. Individuals with additional concerns about similar conduct are encouraged to come forward; the Department will evaluate such matters without fear or favor. Read the report here .


title: Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Alien Smuggling and Providing Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization

body_text: Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty today to multiple charges including alien smuggling and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). “The defendants smuggled methamphetamine and aliens into the United States for financial gain, then doubled down to make more money by conspiring to export AK-47 style weapons and .50 caliber rifles to Mexico for CJNG, a terrorist organization that has destroyed lives and caused death in our great country,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant’s conduct directly threatened the national security of the United States and the well-being of American citizens.” “The Trump Administration’s designation of CJNG as foreign terrorist organization, along with 19 other cartels and transnational criminal organizations, gives us another powerful tool in our fight against those who place their profits over the lives and wellbeing of others,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The conviction of Navarro Sanchez for providing support to a foreign terrorist organization is one of many to come as we continue to hit these FTOs where they are most vulnerable — their pocketbooks. I am very proud of our Assistant U.S. Attorneys and our law enforcement partners with the Homeland Security Task Force for their work in making this conviction possible.” “This is but two more guilty pleas added in DEA’s long and sustained efforts against CJNG and its supporters,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert “Eric” Castañeda of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) El Paso Division. “Charges now carry more weight under CJNG’s designation as a foreign terrorist organization. Anyone seeking to profit from the deaths of Americans, no matter their level of involvement, will be brought to justice.” According to court documents, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 40, of Mexico, conspired with others to provide material support to CJNG by trafficking firearms from the United States to Mexico, for the express purpose of delivering those firearms to members of the CJNG. Navarro Sanchez knew CJNG engaged in terrorist activities, including hostage taking, committing assassinations, and using explosives, firearms, and weapons in support of these activities. Navarro Sanchez also admitted that she contracted with alien smugglers to illegally bring individuals from Mexico into the United States. At least one of these individuals managed some of Navarro Sanchez’s stash houses in El Paso, Texas where Navarro Sanchez would warehouse firearms and narcotics. In early August 2023, Navarro Sanchez negotiated a deal to purchase twenty AK-47 style weapons and two .50 caliber rifles from undercover agents. The firearms were intended to be placed in the possession of individuals who would unlawfully smuggle those firearms to Mexico where those firearms would then be used in furtherance of trafficking methamphetamine and other narcotics from Mexico into the United States. Coconspirator Gustavo Castro-Medina, 29, of Mexico, also acknowledged that these firearms were intended to be unlawfully exported from the United States into Mexico in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Castro-Medina served as an intermediary to facilitate the interstate and foreign transfer of $3,000 in U.S. currency via wire to an undercover agent to purchase these firearms for subsequent unlawful transport. The $3,000 was a downpayment on the purchase price of $66,000 in U.S. currency. On Aug. 21, 2023, two co-conspirators of Navarro Sanchez and Castro-Medina arrived at a designated meeting point in El Paso to tender the remaining payment of $63,000 in cash and take possession of the firearms. Once the cash was exchanged, the undercover agents turned over possession of the firearms to the co-conspirators. These co-conspirators were then arrested by waiting agents. In addition, Castro-Medina also admitted that he was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol in November 2020 driving a Nissan Sentra in Sierra Blanca, Texas. During a secondary inspection of the vehicle, Border Patrol Agents found several tape-wrapped bundles covered in transmission fluid located beneath a non-factory trap door. The bundle tested positive for the properties of crystal methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine was 36.36 kilograms. Navarro Sanchez, Castro-Medina, and their co-conspirators were indicted in April 2025. The Government of Mexico, pursuant to its National Security Law, subsequently transferred Navarro Sanchez and Castro-Medina to the United States. Navarro Sanchez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking, one count of conspiracy to bring aliens, and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Navarro Sanchez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Castro-Medina pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Castro-Medina faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF Legal Attachés in Mexico City and Mexico’s Fiscalía General de la República Organized Crime Unit (FGR-FEMDO) provided substantial assistance. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force also provided assistance with the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance. Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian Hanna and Gregory McDonald for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 482 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 433 U.S. convictions; and more than 369 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: Mexican Fentanyl Manufacturer Pleads Guilty to International Drug Trafficking Offenses

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Mexican national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl for importation into the United States, and conspiracy to distribute listed chemicals for the unlawful importation of a controlled substance. “For years, Ojeda Elenes manufactured and imported enormous quantities of fentanyl often using precursor chemicals obtained from China, which contributed to the opioid epidemic poisoning our communities,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case sends a clear message: no matter where they operate, those who manufacture and then traffic deadly drugs into our country will be relentlessly pursued, prosecuted, and brought to justice. To protect the American people, the Criminal Division will continue to use every available tool to dismantle the transnational criminal organizations responsible for this devastation that has occurred in our country.” “Ojeda Elenes architected the poisoning of Americans by manufacturing fentanyl on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Associate Chief of Operations Brian Clark, of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Pacific Southwest Region 5. “He obtained precursor chemicals from China, produced fentanyl in a Mexican lab, and fueled addiction from coast to coast, harming our communities. The DEA and HSTF partners will continue to strike at the heart of drug trafficking networks that threaten the safety and wellbeing of the American people.” “Fentanyl manufacturers like Ojeda Elenes leave death and devastation in communities across the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston. “This guilty plea sends a clear message to those who manufacture and traffic fentanyl into the United States, HSI and our law enforcement partners will find you and bring you to justice. HSI remains committed to dismantling the transnational criminal organizations responsible for importing this deadly drug into our country.” According to court documents, Hernan Geovani Ojeda Elenes, 48, of Culiacan, Mexico, manufactured large amounts of fentanyl that he then imported into the United States over a course of several years. The documents allege that from at least 2019 to 2024, Ojeda Elenes, worked with his father and co-defendant, Hernan Domingo Ojeda Lopez, and others, to operate a drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico. Ojeda Elenes admitted that he procured large amounts of fentanyl precursor chemicals, such as 4-Piperidone and N-Phenylpiperidin-4-amine, by purchasing them from Chinese companies and shipping them to his lab in Mexico. Ojeda Elenes used these chemicals to manufacture fentanyl which he and others subsequently imported into the United States for further distribution and sale. Over the course of the conspiracy, Ojeda Elenes was ultimately responsible for the creation and distribution of several metric tons of fentanyl. The plea was accepted by District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ojada Elenes faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. DEA and HSI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance to Ojeda Elenes’ January 2026 transfer from Mexico to the United States pursuant to Mexico’s National Security law. The Department of Justice thanks the Government of Mexico for its assistance in securing Ojeda Elenes’ presence in the United States for prosecution. Trial Attorneys Erik Cervantes and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations. MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Cockfighting

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a 2022 cockfighting operation in which he brought gaffs from Massachusetts to Rhode Island for animal fighting. Jose Rivera, 70, was sentenced to two years of probation, a $200 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Rivera previously pleaded guilty on April 13 to violating the Animal Welfare Act in connection with his role in a 2022 cockfighting operation. As part of his plea, Rivera admitted that he traveled from Massachusetts to Rhode Island to participate in cockfights and that he brought with him gaffs or other sharp instruments that he had purchased and which were designed or intended to be attached to the leg of a rooster in a fight against another rooster. Rivera further admitted that he was aware that the cockfights he traveled to participate in were for sport, wagering, and entertainment. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda for the District of Rhode Island made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation, and the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Rhode Island State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division, Providence, Woonsocket, and Attleboro Police Departments. The matter was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Gary Donner and Assistant Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John McAdams for the District of Rhode Island.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Offenses

body_text: A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. According to court documents, Brandon Sartor, 33, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, between December 2024 and April 2025, used physical violence, threats, sexual assault, and the withholding of drugs to compel two women to engage in repeated commercial sex acts in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. Sartor initially recruited each victim by falsely promising to help them make money. Sartor then compelled each victim to have sex with as many as 10 men each day in exchange for money he seized for his benefit. He also subjected each victim to violent physical beatings, including punching and hitting them, and threatened to harm or kill them or their families. Additionally, Sartor compelled one of the victims by giving and withholding drugs in such a way that caused her to fear experiencing opioid withdrawal sickness if she did not comply with his demands. “Brandon Sartor used violence and fear to compel the two victims to have sex with dozens of men for his monetary gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His use of violence and threats to terrorize and control vulnerable victims speaks to the depravity of his conduct and the need to hold him accountable for trafficking them. The Criminal Division will continue to stand up for these and other victims of human trafficking.” “This defendant treated human beings as commodities — brutalizing and exploiting vulnerable women for his own profit,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That conduct is reprehensible. Those who traffic and profit from the suffering of others will be pursued relentlessly and held accountable.” “The defendant forced these two women into sex trafficking through repeated violence and sexual abuse that no one deserves to be victimized with,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The dedicated work of the FBI, the Anne Arundel County Police Department and DOJ prosecutors ensured Sartor pled guilty and was brought to justice.” Sartor is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also faces a maximum penalty of lifetime supervised release and mandatory restitution to be paid to the victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. FBI Miami and the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Leader Of Dominican-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Extradited from Colombia to United States to Face Charges as Part of Homeland Security Task Force Initiative

body_text: The leader of a Dominican Republic-based international cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization was extradited from Colombia to the United States yesterday to face drug trafficking charges filed in two separate indictments in the Districts of Puerto Rico and New Jersey as well as money laundering charges in the District of New Jersey. The prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. Erick Randhiel Mosquea Polanco, also known as “Ramon” and “E,” 45, made his initial appearance in Puerto Rico today. He will make an initial appearance in New Jersey at a later date. Mosquea Polanco was identified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Regional Priority Organizational Target (RPOT). Photo of Mosquea Polanco (left of center) surrounded by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States. “During the Homeland Security Task Force investigation against this leader of a Dominican based drug trafficking organization extradited from Colombia, law enforcement seized millions of dollars worth of cocaine and narcotics proceeds from his drug trafficking organization,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Numerous other members of the organization have already been convicted. Under this administration, federal law enforcement has the tools to find these high-profile drug lords and dismantle their organizations anywhere in the world, because we have President Trump as a leader who unified a permanent interagency task force across all 52 U.S. states and territories.” “The defendant is alleged to have been the leader of an international drug trafficking organization based in the Dominican Republic that distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine in the United States and laundered millions of dollars of narcotics proceeds,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “After the defendant fled the Dominican Republic using false documents, we and our domestic and international law enforcement partners did not rest until he was located in Colombia and extradited to face charges in New Jersey and Puerto Rico. As this prosecution shows, my Office will continue to take the fight to drug cartels, both here and abroad.” “This extradition is another important step in our fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. This prosecution demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, and the cooperation of international authorities to work together to bring drug traffickers to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez Carbó for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to maximize our multi-agency efforts to disrupt and dismantle international drug cartels that smuggle drugs into Puerto Rico and the continental United States.” “Mosquea Polanco ran a cocaine trafficking network that stretched across Colombia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Now he will answer for his alleged crimes in the United States,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “This extradition underscores the reach of our partnerships and our resolve to bring drug traffickers to U.S courts, no matter where they operate.” Photo of Mosquea Polanco (center) surrounded by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States. Charges in Puerto Rico Mosquea Polanco was arrested in Colombia on December 2024 at the request of the United States and extradited to Puerto Rico on Aug. 26. According to the indictment filed in Puerto Rico in October 2016, Mosquea Polanco and other coconspirators began no later than January 2013 to import and attempt to import cocaine into the United States. Mosquea Polanco also is charged with three counts of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In a separate indictment filed in Puerto Rico June 2022, Mosquea Polanco is charged with four counts of conspiracy to distribute for purpose of unlawful importation of cocaine from places outside of the United States, including the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia, and importation of cocaine. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is leading the investigation on the 2016 charges and the DEA’s Caribbean Division is leading the investigation of the 2022 charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille García for the District of Puerto Rico is prosecuting the cases in Puerto Rico. Charges in New Jersey In a three-count superseding indictment in the District of New Jersey, Mosquea Polanco is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute five kilograms of more of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Mosquea-Polanco was the leader of a Dominican Republic-based international drug trafficking organization that distributed more than a thousand kilograms of cocaine in New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere from January 2020 through September 2023. In addition, Mosquea-Polanco coordinated the laundering of millions of dollars of cocaine proceeds to the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. During the investigation, law enforcement seized dozens of kilograms of cocaine and more than $6 million in narcotics proceeds from Mosquea’s drug trafficking organization. Numerous other members of the drug trafficking organization have already been convicted, including the recent conviction at trial of Samuel Alectus, also known as “Capet,” 37, on July 16. The DEA — including the Newark Field Office as well as in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico — led the investigation with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marko Pesce and Christopher Fell for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case in New Jersey. If convicted of the drug trafficking counts, Mosquea Polanco faces, for each count, a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $10 million. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Marshals Service, Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, and the Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest of Mosquea-Polanco and his extradition to the United States. Colombian officials and the Colombian National Police also provided assistance. These prosecutions are part of the 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. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Finds George Washington University Medical School Discriminates Based on Race in Admissions

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today its finding that the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services (GW Med) intentionally discriminated based on race in granting and denying admission to its 2024 and 2025 incoming classes. GW Med’s discriminatory conduct violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard ( SFFA ), which banned race discrimination in higher education. “GW Med’s admissions practices reveal an intent to prioritize racial diversity over merit, which is unlawful and poses legitimate public health consequences for the patients its future doctors will serve,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The law is simple — admissions officers can no longer discriminate based on race in the name of diversity.” The Department’s investigation found that after SFFA , George Washington University issued university-wide admissions guidance stating that no preference or favorable assessment could be given based on racial or ethnic identity “that is self-reported and collected on the check-box data sections” of application forms. Under this direction, GW Med used other sources to discover an applicant’s race. GW Med’s application included essay questions that were designed to elicit information about an applicant’s race or ethnicity. And admissions officers used this information to select applicants for interviews. As a result of GW Med’s admissions practices, black applicants had a significantly higher probability of being selected for an interview, and received disproportionately higher interview scores, than comparable Asian applicants. With respect to standardized test scores, GW Med’s admitted black students scored significantly lower on the MCAT than white or Asian applicants in 2024 and 2025. GW Med regularly denied admission to white and Asian applicants in favor of lower credentialed black and Hispanic applicants. Medical schools receive substantial federal financial assistance and are subject to federal non-discrimination laws. The Department will continue to investigate their compliance with Title VI and SFFA ’s prohibition on race-conscious admissions. Where a violation has been found, the Department is engaging in settlement negotiations to ensure the school’s admissions practices are brought into compliance. If those efforts fail, the Department will file suit.


title: Former U.S. Government Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Classified Information to Foreign Government

body_text: Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 29, of Alexandria, Virginia, a former IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), pleaded guilty yesterday to transmission of national defense information to a foreign government. “U.S. government employees entrusted with our nation’s secrets must always protect our nation’s security, not cavalierly toss aside this responsibility out of disagreement, selfishness or greed,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Laatsch faces serious consequences for violating his position of trust. This case shows that if you unlawfully disclose national defense information, we will find you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent the law allows.” “Laatsch’s animus toward the U.S. government gave him no license to betray the oath he took to the Constitution of the United States nor the duty he had to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our Nation,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Unlawfully disclosing national defense information to a foreign government is a serious crime, not a form of principled dissent.” “Political disagreement is not a justification for jeopardizing the security of the United States and the lives of those who protect it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one is entitled to break the law or violate the public trust, no matter their motivations, and this office will aggressively prosecute those who recklessly and illegally compromise national security.” “By his own admission, Laatsch betrayed his oath by offering classified information to a foreign government, the very thing he was supposed to prevent as an employee of DIA’s Insider Threat Division,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those entrusted with our nation’s most sensitive information must not exploit their access for personal gain - in this case offering to sell American secrets to buy foreign citizenship. The FBI and our partners will continue to hold accountable all those who betray the trust of the American people.” According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he worked with the Insider Threat Division and held a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI learned that Laatsch offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Soon thereafter, Laatsch began communicating with an individual who he thought was affiliated with that foreign government but was actually an FBI agent. In late April 2025, Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly took the information from his workspace. After those three days, Laatsch deposited the classified information on a thumb drive at a public park in northern Virginia for the foreign government to retrieve. The FBI retrieved the drive, which contained multiple typed documents, each containing information up to the Secret or Top Secret level. It also contained a message from Laatsch, in which he indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access. After receiving confirmation that the drive had been received, Laatsch communicated that he was interested in “citizenship” to the foreign country. Laatsch also stated that, though he was “not opposed to other compensation,” from a financial standpoint, he did not need “material compensation.” A week later, in mid-May 2025, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that the agent was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, 2025, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation and took the classified information away from his workstation hidden in his clothing. On May 29, 2025, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where he again transmitted multiple classified documents. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents. Laatsch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Global Counterespionage Unit and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation. Trial Attorney Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia 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. 1:25-cr-156.


title: The Department of Justice Files Complaints Against Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington Challenging State Laws that Provide In-State Tuition to Illegal Aliens

component: Civil Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice filed lawsuits against four states that seek to undermine federal law by placing aliens over citizens in clear defiance of Congress’s commands. The Department filed complaints against Arizona , New Mexico , Oregon , and Washington , challenging state laws that provide in-state tuition and financial assistance for illegal aliens. These laws unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced tuition rates or scholarships, create incentives for illegal immigration, and reward illegal aliens with benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for, all in direct conflict with federal law. “Over 30 years ago, Congress made clear that States cannot put illegal aliens before our Nation’s own citizens,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “By granting illegal aliens in-state tuition, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, and Arizona are pushing citizens to the side and ignoring federal law. No more. As of today, we have now sued 21 states who we allege were thwarting Congress’s clear prohibition on placing aliens over citizens. Our efforts will not cease until President Trump’s promise is fulfilled: illegal aliens will not receive benefits denied to American citizens.” “This is a simple matter of federal law: colleges cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country.” In the complaints, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington laws and regulations that require colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain in-state residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Additionally, the complaint seeks to enjoin Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington from enforcing their state laws and regulations that afford financial assistance and scholarships to illegal aliens. The Arizona complaint, in particular, cites a report from Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, which estimated that more than 3,600 illegal aliens per year could qualify for in-state tuition under Arizona’s law in the years to come. The same report includes data from Arizona public universities and colleges showing that in the Fall 2025 semester, at least 720 illegal aliens had received in-state tuition, including 432 at Arizona State University. Given the roughly $24,000 difference in resident versus out of state tuition rates at Arizona State, our complaint alleges that just last year, illegal aliens received roughly $10.5 million in reduced tuition at ASU alone. Today’s four lawsuits bring the Department’s total to 21 lawsuits that challenge in-state tuition for illegal aliens. Under the leadership of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Department’s efforts have already delivered wins for the American people, as five similar lawsuits in Texas , Kentucky , Oklahoma , and Nebraska , and Illinois have resulted favorable orders permanently enjoining and declaring unconstitutional analogous laws that gave reduced tuition to illegal aliens, including an order from the Fifth Circuit . Lawsuits against other states that similarly put illegal aliens ahead of U.S. citizens are pending across the across the country in Minnesota , Virginia , California , New Jersey , Kansas , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , Maryland , Colorado , New York , Connecticut , and Vermont .