title: Criminal Illegal Alien from Honduras, Previously Deported 7 Times, Sent to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Osman Antonio Guerrero-Torres, 47, of Honduras, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry into the United States. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Americans deserve to live in a country with secure borders and a government willing to enforce our laws to keep them safe. Fortunately, President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche are committed to fulfilling both of those promises to our citizens, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these brazen violators of our nation’s immigration laws to keep our communities safe.” Court documents reflect that the defendant, a citizen of Honduras, was removed from the United States on seven prior occasions. The defendant has one prior conviction for illegal reentry into the United States. Additionally, the defendant was previously convicted of Vehicular Assault, where an officer conducted a traffic stop, and the defendant tried to flee, and almost struck an officer. The defendant was also previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing a peace officer, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, and possession of cocaine. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA JOINS DOJ FRAUD DIVISION, SBA, AND SBA OIG IN SURGE TAKEDOWN EXCEEDING $245 MILLION IN COVID-ERA LOAN FRAUD

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: The Middle District of Louisiana announced multiple charges and guilty pleas as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) targeting fraud on the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers. U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall stated, “Millions of taxpayer dollars have been wrongfully obtained through fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Our office is committed to finding those who have scammed the system, and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent possible.” In the Middle District of Louisiana, seventeen (17) defendants have been prosecuted as part of this takedown for PPP-related fraud involving approximately $5 million in alleged intended or actual losses. Charges Announced Jovan Renee Darbonne : Jovan Renee Darbonne, age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged on August 31, 2026, in a Bill of Information with one count of making false statements to a financial institution and has indicated her intent to waive indictment and plead guilty. According to the charging document, Darbonne allegedly submitted fictitious 2020 IRS Form 941s on behalf of LA Educational Fund, LLC to a bank in support of a Paycheck Protection Program loan application, despite knowing the forms were fraudulent and had never been filed with the IRS. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Vick is prosecuting the case. Brelle Ford and Rydell Banks, Jr. : Brelle Ford, age 34, of Geismar, Louisiana, and Rydell Banks, Jr., age 28, of Geismar, Louisiana, were indicted on August 26, 2026, on charges arising from an alleged multi-year scheme to fraudulently obtain federal emergency relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and FEMA disaster assistance. According to the indictment, Ford and Banks allegedly conspired to submit false applications and supporting documents for pandemic and Hurricane Ida relief, including fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications in the names of multiple businesses, fictitious leases and receipts, and FEMA claims falsely asserting property damage. The indictment further alleges that the defendants used interstate wires to obtain FEMA deposits and made false statements to federally insured financial institutions in connection with second‑draw PPP loan applications. Ford is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and making a false statement to a bank, while Banks is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, and making a false statement to a bank. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth E. White is prosecuting the case. Michelle Jackson and Ryachenelle L. Morris : Michelle W. Jackson, age 52, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, and Ryachanelle L. Morris, age 29, of Vacherie, Louisiana, were indicted on August 12, 2026, for their alleged roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID‑19 pandemic relief and unemployment insurance benefits. According to the indictment, Jackson and Morris purportedly conspired with others to submit false PPP, EIDL, and unemployment applications using fabricated tax records, falsified payroll information, and misrepresentations about employment history and business operations, enabling them to gain or attempt to gain control of more than $289,000 in federal relief funds. Jackson is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud, and Morris is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The indictment further alleges that Jackson used interstate wires to deposit PPP funds into bank accounts she controlled and that both defendants used the fraudulently obtained funds for personal expenses, including food, shopping, travel, and vehicle rentals. Assistant United States Attorney John B. Casey is prosecuting the case. Cedrick Kelly : Cedrick Kelly, age 45, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was indicted on August 12, 2026, on one count of wire fraud for allegedly obtaining a $20,833 Paycheck Protection Program loan through a fraudulent application submitted in April 2021. According to the indictment, Kelly purportedly falsely overstated his business income and provided a fictitious 2019 Schedule C tax form to support his claim, despite knowing the information was untrue. Based on these misrepresentations, an SBA‑approved lender wired the PPP loan proceeds to Kelly’s bank account in the Middle District of Louisiana, funds that he was not entitled to receive. Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, who also serves as District Fraud Counsel, is prosecuting the case. Elton R. Kelly : Elton R. Kelly, age 46, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was indicted on August 12, 2026, on one count of wire fraud for allegedly submitting a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan application in May 2021. According to the indictment, Kelly purportedly overstated his business income, misrepresented his criminal history, and submitted a fictitious 2019 Schedule C tax form falsely claiming more than $99,000 in gross receipts. Based on these misrepresentations, an SBA‑approved lender wired $20,732 in PPP funds to Kelly’s bank account in the Middle District of Louisiana, money he was not entitled to receive. Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, who also serves as District Fraud Counsel, is prosecuting the case. Chris Plant, Jr. : On June 17, 2026, Chris Plant, Jr., age 39, of White Castle, Louisiana, a local preacher, was indicted for wire fraud and for making a false statement to a bank. As set forth in the indictment, Plant allegedly devised a scheme to defraud a financial institution by filing false and fraudulent applications for PPP funds. In furtherance of the scheme, Plant allegedly submitted fraudulent and misleading documents, including fictitious 2019 and 2020 Schedule C tax forms, which falsely represented Plant’s gross receipts, expenses, and net profits for applicant businesses. Based on Plant’s purportedly false representations and fraudulent supporting materials, the financial institution approved and funded four PPP loans for a total amount of $77,081. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth E. White is prosecuting the case. Marvin Richardson : Marvin Richardson, age 29, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was indicted on August 20, 2026, on two counts of wire fraud for allegedly obtaining more than $28,000 in fraudulent pandemic‑relief funds through the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to the indictment, Richardson submitted multiple false applications between July 2020 and May 2021, falsely overstating business revenues, employee counts, and income, and providing fabricated tax documents to support his claims. Based on these misrepresentations, Richardson received an $8,000 EIDL advance and a $20,832 PPP loan, which were transmitted to his bank account in the Middle District of Louisiana. Assistant United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, who also serves as the District Fraud Counsel, is prosecuting the case. Guilty Pleas and Sentences Announced Keerria Anderson : On August 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Keerria Anderson, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to two years of supervised release after Anderson pled guilty to wire fraud. Anderson worked for the U.S. Postal Service between March 2016 and at least October 2022. Between July 2020 and at least October 2021, Anderson devised a scheme to defraud the United States, through the SBA and two financial institutions, by submitting applications for an EIDL and two PPP loans that contained false representations and documentation regarding her purported businesses and gross revenues and income. As part of her sentence, Judge Jackson also ordered Anderson to pay $50,962.00 as restitution to the SBA. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Thornhill prosecuted the case. Lashae M. Bell and Johntrell Jamar White : On July 9 and July 28, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Lashae M. Bell, age 33, of Gonzales, Louisiana, and Johntrell Jamar White, age 32, of Simmesport, Louisiana, to 30 months and 27 months in federal prison, respectively, after each pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in a scheme to defraud multiple COVID‑19 pandemic relief programs. Bell and White submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance applications in their own names and in the names of others to numerous state workforce agencies and to Puerto Rico, and Bell also obtained Paycheck Protection Program funds through false statements. Judge Jackson ordered Bell to pay $851,241 in restitution and imposed a forfeiture money judgment of $164,891. The court also ordered White to pay $830,409 in restitution with a forfeiture money judgment of $135,300. According to their plea agreements, the defendants’ fraudulent claims caused state workforce agencies and the SBA to disburse hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal pandemic relief funds to which they were not entitled. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth E. White prosecuted the case. Daysha Blount : Daysha Renee Blount, age 34, of Gonzales, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 13, 2026, to one count of wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining more than $83,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loan proceeds. According to court documents, Blount submitted four PPP loan applications in 2021—three in her own name and one on behalf of a company—using fabricated tax forms and altered bank records to falsely claim significant business income. She later submitted forgiveness applications containing additional false statements, resulting in all four loans being forgiven. Blount is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Vick is prosecuting the case. Makyro Ferguson, Maletica Ferguson, and Vanshion Byrd : Maletica V. Ferguson, age 49; Vanshion J. Byrd, age 51; and Makyro V. Ferguson, age 26, all of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud following their February 11, 2026 indictment for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and unemployment insurance programs. According to court documents, the defendants and their co‑conspirators submitted numerous false applications supported by fabricated tax forms, altered bank records, and other fraudulent information, causing the disbursement of significant federal relief funds to which they were not entitled. Maletica Ferguson and Vanshion Byrd entered their guilty pleas on July 7, 2026, and Makyro Ferguson pled guilty on July 21, 2026. All three defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson on December 3, 2026. Assistant United States Attorney John B. Casey is prosecuting the case. Lonell Taylor : Lonell Taylor, 32, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced on June 30, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to five months in federal prison and ordered to pay $126,985.16 in restitution after pleading guilty to wire fraud and fraud to obtain federal employees’ compensation. According to her plea agreement, Taylor was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service who falsely claimed for years that she had no outside income while receiving workers’ compensation benefits, despite actively operating two businesses and earning income. Taylor also devised a scheme to obtain pandemic-related Paycheck Protection Program funds by submitting multiple fraudulent loan applications supported by fabricated tax documents, ultimately receiving more than $40,000 in SBA-backed PPP loans that she used for personal expenses. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Thornhill prosecuted the case. U.S. Attorney Wall praised the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, for their investigations in these matters. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Washington DC Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A Washington, DC, felon received a federal-prison term for firearm-possession charges. Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Kevin Darnell Ayers, 44, to 66 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Jarod J. Towers, Hyattsville Police Department (HPD). According to court documents, on December 5, 2024, security personnel discovered a loaded handgun in Ayers’s bag as he went through security at the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County. Law enforcement subsequently learned that Ayers was at the courthouse to attend his own trial for domestic-related charges. The handgun contained approximately six rounds of ammunition. Ayers’s previous felony convictions prohibited him from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Additionally, Ayers was on supervised release for an assault conviction, along with pretrial release for his pending state charges, at the time he possessed the handgun. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and HPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle A. Li and Kenneth S. Clark who prosecuted this federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Illegal Alien Who Ran Drug Trafficking Operation Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Roxbury, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking and conspiring to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine. Bryan Moises Frias Sanchez, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 136 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In January 2026, Frias Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and cocaine, aiding and abetting; and distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, aiding and abetting. He was indicted in April 2025, along with Jean Carlos Frias Polanco and Rafael Vargas Cabrera. Frias Sanchez was the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy operating out of Roxbury, Mass. Between July 2024 and January 2025, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine from Frias Sanchez and his drug trafficking organization. For each of the controlled purchases, Frias Sanchez arranged the transaction, but for some of the deals he sent one of his associates to deliver the drugs, including co-defendants Frias Polanco and allegedly Vargas Cabrera. During a number of those transactions, Frias Sanchez offered to sell firearms in addition to the controlled substances. In total, Frias Sanchez is responsible for distributing approximately 2.6 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 70 grams of fentanyl and over 800 grams of cocaine. Frias Polanco pleaded guilty and was sentenced on May 8, 2026 to 19 months in prison. Co-defendant Vargas Cabrera is scheduled to plead guilty on Sept. 28, 2026. 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 Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Homeland Security and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and Brad Rocheville of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Holliston Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Children

body_text: BOSTON – A Holliston, Mass. man was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with sexually exploiting a minor. Wilson Fabian Mizhirumbay Granda, 23, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children. Granda is currently in Rhode Island state custody on an unrelated criminal case and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Between August and September 2023, Granda is alleged to have coerced a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Granda has prior state convictions in Hampshire Country Superior Court for rape of a child and enticing a child under 16, for which he was sentenced in May 2024 to four years and one day in state prison to be followed by five years of probation. Currently, Granda also has pending charges in Norfolk County for rape of child with force, rape of child and enticing a child under 16 related to another minor. The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and 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 Holliston, Scituate (R.I.), Amherst, Westminster, Medway, Worcester, Millis and UMass Lowell Police Departments; and the Middlesex County, Hampshire County, Northwestern County, Norfolk County and Worcester County District Attorney’s Offices. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Tobin and Jessica L. Soto of the Criminal Division. 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 . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Boston Man Sentenced for Distributing Counterfeit Meth-Laced Pills

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced on Sept. 8, 2026 in federal court in Boston for felony narcotics charges. Michael Lagasse, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to time-served (approximately 10 months) followed by three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 40 months in prison. In July 2024, Lagasse pleaded guilty to six counts of distribution of methamphetamine. On six occasions, between January and July 2021, Lagasse sold counterfeit Adderall pills to an undercover law enforcement officer. The pills were illegally manufactured and laced with methamphetamine. Combined, Lagasse sold approximately 2400 pills with a net weight of roughly 800 grams. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Kansas inmate sentenced to federal prison for attempted drug smuggling

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN.– A Kansas inmate was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for his part in conspiring to smuggle methamphetamine into a state prison. According to court documents, Tommie Baggett, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In February 2024, while an inmate at Hutchinson Correctional Facility, Baggett took part in a conspiracy to throw a package of methamphetamine over the prison wall. He worked with another inmate to flag a location in the yard to show co-defendant, Jermel Fleming, 33, of Lawrence where to make the drop. While Fleming was outside the prison, Baggett gave him instructions over the phone. Baggett used a prison phone system which recorded the call. Fleming threw the package over the prison wall but at the wrong location, and corrections staff intercepted it. Laboratory results showed the package to contain 247.94 grams of pure methamphetamine. “Being in prison wasn’t enough to stop Mr. Baggett from committing further crimes," said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The drugs Mr. Baggett wanted tossed into the prison yard didn’t land where he expected. However, his actions will land him in federal prison when he’s done with his state prison sentence.” Fleming was sentenced to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case. ###


title: Pocatello Man Sentenced To 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Michael Joseph Pena, 28, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. According to court records, Pena sold methamphetamine and fentanyl on multiple occasions throughout the summer and fall of 2025. When questioned by investigators, Pena admitted to distributing illegal drugs in Pocatello. Two co-defendants, William Hoover and Brandon Hoover, were indicted in the same case with Pena. William Hoover pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on November 23, 2026. Brandon Hoover is scheduled for an initial appearance on the indictment on October 5, 2026. U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Pena to serve 5 years of supervised release following his 10-year prison sentence. Pena pleaded guilty to the charge on June 23, 2026. U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of Drug Enforcement Administration and Idaho State Police, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe H. McLane prosecuted the case. This investigation was supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Idaho State Police, along with the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Pocatello Police Department, and Chubbuck Police Department make up the HIDTA BADGES Task Force that investigated the case. ###


title: Former Middleton Police Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 10, 2026, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Myles S. Schumaker (age 26), to 60 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for Attempted Transportation of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(1) and 2252A(b)(1). According to court documents and arguments presented in court, in November 2025, Schumaker, who was at that time a City of Middleton, Wisconsin, police officer and Marine reservist, used the internet to communicate with a minor located in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. The communications were sexual in nature and resulted in Schumaker traveling to a park and ride lot to meet the minor victim. He then proceeded to sexually assault the child in his vehicle. He continued to communicate with the minor and requested sexually explicit images and videos from the child, which would have constituted child sexual abuse material (child pornography). Judge Griesbach described the defendant’s crime as a serious criminal offense. He noted that the defendant’s actions were particularly alarming given his position in law enforcement. He cited a need to deter Schumaker and others from engaging in similar criminal behavior in the future. Judge Griesbach determined that a sentence of 5 years of imprisonment was an appropriate sentence. Following his release from federal prison, Schumaker will spend 5 years on supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law. This case was investigated by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. 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 U.S. Department of Justice. 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.projectsafechildhood.gov. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero Steven.caballero@usdoj.gov Follow us on X


title: Former Falls Church youth minister indicted for sexual abuse of children

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former youth minister for a Northern Virginia church was arrested and made an initial appearance in court yesterday on charges of enticement of minors for illegal sexual activity and traveling with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity with minors. According to court documents, Jeffrey Turner Taylor, 66, now of Milford, Ohio, served as a youth minister at The Falls Church from 1990 to 2002. Taylor allegedly sexually groomed multiple boys under the guise of spiritual guidance. His alleged grooming behaviors included sexual horseplay, probing inquiries into the sexual secrets and habits of boys, and detailed revelations about his own sexual experiences. On multiple occasions, Taylor traveled with the alleged intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct by taking boys with him to ministry events in another state or country. On several occasions, Taylor allegedly engaged or attempted to engage in sexual molestation of multiple boys. According to court documents, Taylor served as a youth minister at two other churches in Atlanta, where he allegedly groomed and sexually abused a boy in his ministry there. Of the conduct known to investigators, Taylor’s alleged sexual grooming and abuse spanned from at least 1990 until 2008. Anyone with information not yet provided to this investigation or who may have been a victim of Jeffrey Taylor is encouraged to contact the FBI Washington Field Office at this link . Taylor is scheduled for arraignment in the Eastern District of Virginia on Sept. 24. If convicted, Taylor faces up to 105 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, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa K. Strobbe is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio provided substantial assistance with this 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 . Court documents may be obtained through PACER for the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, under Case Nos. 1:26-mj-750 and 1:26-mj-737.


title: Northampton County Man Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison for Possession of Unregistered Firearms

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Hayden Laubach, 36, of Bath, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for unlawfully possessing multiple guns. The defendant was charged by information in April of this year and pleaded guilty in May to one count of possession of nonregistered firearms. As detailed in court filings and statements, on September 19, 2025, Bushkill Township police officers conducted a vehicle stop of Laubach for an expired registration and suspended license. A search of the defendant’s Toyota 4Runner ensued and resulted in the seizure of ammunition, to include 9mm, .223 caliber, and shotgun shells, loaded AR-15 magazines, two privately made firearms, a short-barreled shotgun, an AR-style short-barreled rifle, and a silencer. The defendant has no current or approved applications on file permitting him to possess the unregistered firearms and silencer. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bushkill Township Police Department, with assistance from the Bethlehem Police Department Bomb Squad, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Dimmig.


title: High-Ranking MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 60 Years’ Imprisonment for Racketeering, Seven Murders, Multiple Attempted Murders, Arson, and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Jairo Saenz, also known as “Funny,” a high-ranking member of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 60 years’ in prison for racketeering, including predicate racketeering acts relating to his participation in seven murders, namely, the January 28, 2016 murder of Michael Johnson; the April 29, 2016 murder of Oscar Acosta; the September 13, 2016 murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens; the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo; the October 13, 2016 murder of Dewann Stacks; and the January 30, 2017 murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla. Saenz’s sentence also reflected his participation in three attempted murders, arson, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses and a conspiracy to kill Marcus Bohannon, who was murdered on September 5, 2016 by other members of the MS-13. Saenz pleaded guilty to these crimes on January 14, 2025 . Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence. “Jairo Saenz and his brother Alexi were at the forefront of a violent reign of terror and bloodshed that plagued communities across Long Island for years,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “They will both spend decades in prison, effectively life sentences, for their unspeakable crimes. Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold the MS-13 and its members accountable for their horrific crimes. I hope that today’s sentence brings some measure of closure to the surviving victims and the families of the fallen victims who, after these many years, continue to suffer unimaginable grief over the loss of their loved ones.” “The MS-13 gang members’ reign of brutality — marked by murders, attempted murders, arson, and firearms offenses — can no longer inflict harm on our communities. The FBI's Safe Streets Task Force will continue pursuing MS-13’s leadership at every level until every community is free from their violence and intimidation,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. "Saenz was essentially a serial killer, having played a role in seven murders and three attempted murders," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. "His horrific crimes brought national attention to the bloodshed caused by MS-13. While no amount of prison time can bring these victims back, we hope this sentence brings some measure of justice and solace to their families. We will continue to dedicate the resources necessary to ensure gang violence never takes hold in our communities.” According to court filings and statements made during the guilty plea and sentencing proceedings, Jairo Saenz was a high-ranking member of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 – one of the more powerful, violent and well-established cliques on the East Coast of the United States. At the time of his crimes, he was second in command to his brother, Alexi Saenz, who pleaded guilty to the same crimes on July 10, 2024, and who was sentenced on July 2, 2025 principally to 68 years’ imprisonment . Jairo Saenz committed the following crimes to maintain and increase his membership and status within the gang, and to further the mission of the MS-13: January 28, 2016 Murder of Michael Johnson On January 28, 2016, Alexi Saenz and other MS-13 members and associates were at the Jocorena Deli in Brentwood, where they saw 29-year-old Michael Johnson, and claimed to recognize him as a member of the rival Bloods street gang. At that point, Johnson was marked as their “food” – a reference to their intention to kill him. After receiving the requisite approval from the New York leader of the Sailors clique to commit this murder, Alexi Saenz contacted Jairo Saenz and several other MS-13 members, informed them of the plan to kill Johnson and instructed them to bring weapons, including a machete and a baseball bat, to a wooded area in Brentwood. Alexi Saenz then lured Johnson to that secluded meeting location under the guise of smoking marijuana. The MS-13 members and associates, including Jairo Saenz, ambushed Johnson from behind – striking Johnson with the baseball bat, stabbing him with a knife and taking turns hacking him with the machete. They fled after hearing police sirens in the area. Johnson was reported missing by family members. Less than one week after his murder, on February 2, 2016, members of the SCPD responded to a 911 call about a body found in the woods by a passerby and recovered Johnson’s body. An autopsy determined Johnson’s cause of death to be sharp and blunt force injuries. April 29, 2016 Murder of Oscar Acosta In early 2016, Alexi Saenz, Jairo Saenz and their fellow Sailors clique members decided to “green light,” or approve, the murder of 19-year-old Oscar Acosta because they suspected that he was associating with the rival 18th Street gang after previously aligning himself with the MS-13. The New York Sailors clique leader assigned roles as to which members would take the lead in planning and carrying out the murder. On April 29, 2016, MS-13 members met Acosta in a wooded area near an elementary school in Brentwood where he had been lured under the guise of smoking marijuana. They brutally beat Acosta with tree limbs, knocking him unconscious. They bound Acosta’s hands and feet, wrapped an article of clothing around his mouth to prevent him from making noise and summoned other MS-13 members, including Alexi Saenz and Jairo Saenz, who arrived together. The MS-13 members loaded Acosta into the trunk of the Saenz brothers’ car, and drove to a more secluded area in Brentwood near the abandoned Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital. At the direction of Alexi Saenz, the MS-13 members removed Acosta, who was still alive, from the trunk and carried him deeper into the woods where they took turns hacking him to death with a machete. The murder was supervised by the Saenz brothers. The MS-13 members then buried Acosta’s body in a shallow grave. Acosta’s body was discovered by law enforcement nearly five months later, on September 16, 2016, during a search for another MS-13 victim. His cause of death was homicidal violence, including sharp and blunt force injuries to his head and torso. July 18, 2016 Attempted Murders of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 On July 18, 2016, during a Sailors clique meeting at the Saenz brothers’ house in Central Islip, Alexi Saenz instructed the group to hunt for rival gang members who had been disrespectful to the MS-13, to attack and kill them. Later that evening, Jairo Saenz and other members of the MS-13, who were driving around Brentwood armed with firearms and a machete, spotted a group of men on Apple Street. Believing these men to be members of a rival gang, three MS-13 members got out of the car driven by Jairo Saenz and attacked the group, firing rounds from two different guns, and then using a machete to hack at one of the men who had fallen to the ground. Two individuals were injured as a result of this attack. John Doe #1 was struck with a bullet, but survived. John Doe #2 was attacked with a machete, and was permanently disfigured. August 10, 2016 Attempted Murders of Suspected Rival Gang Members In 2016, members of the MS-13 were engaged in a series of disputes with members of the Goon Squad, a rival gang in Brentwood. On August 10, 2016, Alexi Saenz and another MS-13 member drove through the neighborhood around Lukens Avenue in Brentwood, and spotted several men who they believed were members of the Goon Squad. They then rallied other members of the Sailors clique, including Jairo Saenz, to come kill the rivals. The MS-13 members divided into two vehicles and drove towards the house where the suspected Goon Squad members had been spotted. The Saenz brothers’ car kept watch for the police, while two other MS-13 members, each armed with a gun, approached the group of suspected rivals and fired numerous shots in their direction. No one was hit, although a stray bullet entered a neighbor’s house and struck the headboard of a bed in which the neighbor was sleeping. September 5, 2016 Murder of Marcus Bohannon On September 4, 2016, after a Sailors clique meeting at the Saenz brothers’ house in Central Islip, Jairo Saenz, Alexi Saenz and other MS-13 members went out hunting for rival gang members to kill. The MS-13 members separated into several cars and drove around Central Islip and Brentwood, until Alexi Saenz’s group spotted 27-year old Marcus Bohannon walking along Lowell Avenue in Central Islip in the early morning hours of September 5. Suspecting that Bohannon was a member of the rival Bloods gang, two MS-13 members, carrying firearms, got out of the vehicle, approached him and started shooting. Bohannon was struck nine times, including in his head, neck, and chest, and died from his wounds. September 12, 2016 Arson During the summer of 2016, Sailors clique members of the MS-13 regularly had altercations with local gang members based in a neighborhood on Freeman Avenue in Brentwood. On September 12, 2016, the MS-13 members retaliated by setting fire to a car parked in the driveway of one of the houses in that rival gang neighborhood. Alexi Saenz directed other gang members to purchase gasoline and carry out the arson, while he drove around watching for police. Jairo Saenz drove the other MS-13 gang members to that house, where they poured gasoline on a car parked in the driveway, and set it on fire. The car exploded and set another parked car on fire. September 13, 2016 Murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens On September 13, 2016, Sailors clique members brutally murdered 15-year-old Nisa Mickens and 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas, both students at Brentwood High School. In the months leading up to the murders, Cuevas was involved in a series of disputes with members and associates of the MS-13. Approximately one week before the murders, these disputes escalated when Cuevas and several friends were involved in an altercation with MS-13 members at Brentwood High School. After that incident, the MS-13 members vowed to seek revenge against Cuevas. On the evening of September 13, 2016, the Saenz brothers and other members of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 were driving in separate cars around Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill. One group of MS-13 members spotted Cuevas and Mickens walking down residential Stahley Street. Recognizing Cuevas, they called the Saenz brothers and were granted permission to kill the girls. Several MS-13 members then chased down and attacked both Cuevas and Mickens, wielding baseball bats and a machete, striking each of the girls numerous times in their heads and bodies, while the Saenz brothers’ car drove around watching for police. After the murders, the group retreated to the Saenz brothers’ home in Central Islip, where they changed clothes and hid the weapons. Mickens, whose body was discovered later that evening on Stahley Street, not far from Cuevas’s home, sustained significant sharp force trauma to her face and blunt force trauma to her head. Cuevas, whose body was discovered the following day behind a house adjacent to where Mickens’s body was found, sustained significant blunt force trauma to her head and body and multiple lacerations. October 10, 2016 Murder of Javier Castillo In October 2016, the MS-13 targeted 15-year-old Javier Castillo because he was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang, one of MS-13’s principal rivals. On October 10, 2016, Jairo Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to drive with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana. Once there, they met Alexi Saenz and other Sailors clique members. The group then lured Castillo to an isolated marsh area in Cow Meadow Park, where they attacked him, taking turns hacking him to death with a machete. Afterwards, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in late October 2017. Castillo was determined to have suffered multiple sharp force injuries to his head, neck, torso and extremities. October 13, 2016 Murder of Dewann Stacks On the evening of October 13, 2016, the Saenz brothers and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 were driving around Central Islip and Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill. That night, they spotted 34-year-old Dewann Stacks and, believing him to be a rival gang member, Alexi Saenz authorized his murder. While Alexi Saenz drove around watching for police presence, Jairo Saenz drove three MS-13 members, armed with two machetes and a baseball bat, to attack Stacks. The three armed MS-13 members got out of the car, and beat and hacked Stacks to death on American Boulevard, a residential street in Brentwood. Stacks sustained severe sharp and blunt force trauma to his face and head, leaving his body nearly unrecognizable. January 30, 2017 Murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla On the morning of January 30, 2017, Alexi Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 spotted 29-year-old Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla inside El Campesino Deli in Central Islip. Alvarado-Bonilla was wearing a football jersey bearing the number “18,” which led the MS-13 to conclude that he was a member of a rival gang, and they plotted to kill him. After Alvarado-Bonilla was observed in the deli, Jairo Saenz drove MS-13 members to get a mask and another vehicle, both of which would be used when committing the murder. Alexi Saenz provided the clique’s 9-millimeter handgun for use in the murder. At approximately 10:30 a.m., a masked MS-13 member entered the deli, approached Alvarado-Bonilla from behind, and shot him multiple times, killing him. One of the bullets pierced through Alvarado-Bonilla’s head and struck the chest of a female employee of the deli, who was standing directly in front of him. The deli employee survived the gunshot wound. Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy From approximately April 2016 through March 2017, to finance the illegal operations of the Sailors clique, the Saenz brothers obtained wholesale quantities of cocaine and marijuana, which they distributed to other Sailors clique members and associates for street-level sales in Brentwood and its surrounding areas. After the sales, the profits were turned over to the Saenz brothers, for use in, among other things, purchasing firearms for use by clique members, wiring money to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador and buying additional narcotics for further distribution. * * * * Today’s sentencing is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent transnational criminal organization. The MS-13 is comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America, with a leadership base in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, but with thousands of members all over the world. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted of racketeering and other felonies in the Eastern District of New York, including charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 80 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at eradicating transnational criminal organizations, combating violent crime and restoring the rule of law. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kerryanne Ucci and Automated Litigation Specialist Michael Compitello. The Defendant : JAIRO SAENZ (also known as “Funny”) Age: 30 El Divisadero, Morazán, El Salvador; and Central Islip, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-403 (S-8) (GRB)


title: Ice Trafficker Receives Frosty 14 Year Federal Prison Sentence

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C.– A federal judge sentenced Lara Joy Ezell, 42, to over 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth and distribution of 50 grams or more of meth. Ezell pleaded guilty to the charges on June 10, 2026. “After numerous state court convictions this repeat offender should have learned her lesson, but instead she returned to her criminal drug pushing ways,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle . “Let me be clear, if you peddle poison for profit in EDNC we will catch you and we will send you to federal prison. Eastern North Carolina will be safer for it. Drugs kill. Prison awaits. Do right.” In April 2025, ATF and the Dunn Police Department opened an investigation into Ezell’s drug‑trafficking activities. During the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted multiple controlled purchases of meth from Ezell. They also determined that between June 2024 and April 2025, Ezell possessed and distributed approximately 1.3 pounds of Ice, also known as crystal meth. Ezell has several North Carolina state convictions, including driving while impaired, possession of drug paraphernalia, larceny and financial fraud, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, and larceny. “This investigation demonstrates the importance of strong partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “By working together, we were able to disrupt the flow of methamphetamine and bring this defendant to justice. His federal prison sentence is a direct result of those collaborative efforts.” “The Dunn Police Department is committed to working side-by-side with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure that these investigations do not stop at the city limits or with a single arrest,” said Dunn Police Chief Lynn Gay. “We will follow the evidence wherever it may lead and pursue those responsible at every level. If you choose to sell poison in Dunn, you should know that we are coming after you.” Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF and the Dunn Police Department collaborated on this 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. 5:25CR00253M-001.


title: Organizer in $36 million transnational scheme to defraud more than 400 elderly and vulnerable Americans pleads guilty to money laundering conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Juliet Mora, 42, residing in Nicaragua formerly of Hayward, California, pleaded guilty Sept. 14 to conspiracy to commit money laundering involving a $36 million fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today. According to court documents, Mora was part of a sophisticated transnational fraud organization operating out of the United States and several countries in Latin America responsible for stealing more than $36 million from more than 400 American victims, mostly the elderly. The fraudsters pretended to be attorneys who reached out to elderly timeshare owners and fraud victims with the promise that the victims were entitled to restitution and payments. Believing they were talking to real attorneys, the victims signed fake representation agreements and bogus non-disclosure agreements, then paid fees to the fraudsters. The victims were directed to send checks and wire transfers to shell companies controlled by U.S.-based co-conspirators. The organization used a complicated web of U.S.-based members who created shell companies and bank accounts to launder victim money. The members evaded financial institutions’ anti-money laundering procedures by misrepresenting to financial institutions the true purpose and nature of their activities. Members intentionally and fraudulently misrepresented the true nature of the transactions to conceal their actions. Mora became involved in the fraud scheme in August 2021. Throughout the scheme, she maintained shell companies and received more than $1,569,826 in victim funds. Investigators traced $2,749,649 in stolen victim funds directly to accounts controlled by Mora. Mora lied to banks to conceal the true nature and origin of the funds. She would open and reopen bank accounts closed for suspicious activity, and on several occasions she would directly deposit victim funds into her shell company’s bank account. Mora eventually moved to Nicaragua where she became an organizer within the fraud scheme. There, she communicated with the US-based co-conspirators, directed them to receive and send victim funds, open shell companies, and prepare legal documents to help perpetrate the fraud. She also used fake emails of fake paralegals to communicate directly with victims. Mora was arrested on a second superseding indictment after arriving in Boston Logan International Airport from Panama City, Panama in December 2025. In October 2025, investigators arrested 15 US-based defendants across four states and seized more than $2.1 million in victims funds. Several defendants, however, fled to Mexico and other Central American countries. Recently several of these defendants have been arrested and returned to the United States. In July 2025, local Nicaraguan authorities, in coordination with Department of State Diplomatic Services arrested one of the main subjects of this investigation, Marlon Solis Bonilla. He was transferred to United States custody and escorted by FBI Agents from Managua, Nicaragua to Houston, Texas. Additionally, in August 2026, Mexican authorities arrested defendants Julian Jauregui, Sergio Jauregui, and Eduardo Navarro in Guadalajara, Mexico. This apprehension operation was facilitated by FBI Legat Mexico City in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service and Secretaría de Seguridad del Estado de Jalisco. All three detained individuals were transported to Mexico Immigration (INM) where they were processed for deportation and subsequently removed to the United States. Three defendants are still at large. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Bakersfield Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Truckee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case. Mora is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 14, 2026. Mora faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, or twice the amount laundered whichever is greater. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Former Bullard High School teacher pleads guilty to child exploitation offenses

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Ray Anthony Waller, 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and sending obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between November 2024 and February 2025, Waller communicated with a minor by sending text, voice, and iMessages enticing the minor create and transmit to Waller images of CSAM. During this time Waller was a teacher at Bullard High School. Waller sent obscene images of himself to the victim and convinced the victim to reciprocate with images of the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation, specifically the Fresno Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case. Waller is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on Dec. 14, 2026. Waller faces a prison term of between 15-30 years and a potential $250,000 fine for the child exploitation charge. For receipt of child sexual abuse images, he faces a prison term of between 5-20 years and a potential $250,000 fine. For transmitting obscene material to a minor, he faces a prison term of up to 10 years and a potential $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: University of Hawaii Agrees to Resolve Allegations    of Insufficient Oversight of AmeriCorps Grants

body_text: WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced yesterday that it reached a civil settlement agreement with the Hawaii Commission for National and Community Service (“HCNCS”) and the University of Hawaii (the “University”) whereby the University will pay $499,950 to resolve allegations that HCNCS and the University violated the False Claims Act by making false certifications to AmeriCorps that the agency’s grant and sub-grant funds were used for authorized purposes and in compliance with grant and sub-grant terms. “AmeriCorps grant funds are designated to help enrich and strengthen people’s lives, but instead were misappropriated under the University of Hawaii’s watch,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “By requiring the University to pay half a million dollars, this settlement underscores a clear message: institutions that receive federal grant money have a responsibility to ensure proper oversight and to report the use of those funds honestly and accurately.” The Office’s investigation of HCNCS and University oversight of AmeriCorps grant and sub-grant funds arose from previous criminal prosecutions by this Office. In October 2021, a former Executive Director of HCNCS, Stacy Higa, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of AmeriCorps grant funds, which he used in part on personal expenses. In addition, Hanalei Aipoalani, Program Director for Olelo Community Media, an AmeriCorps subgrantee, pleaded guilty in March 2021 to embezzling AmeriCorps program funds. In April 2021, Aipoalani’s wife, Angelita Aipoalani, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to embezzle. AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General also found evidence of the improper use of AmeriCorps funds by another HCNCS subgrantee. During the period in which AmeriCorps grant and sub-grant funds were being misappropriated, the University submitted semi-annual Federal Financial Reports to AmeriCorps certifying the grant and sub-grant funds were used for authorized purposes and in compliance with grant and sub-grant terms. The United States contends that those certifications were knowingly false as a consequence of the HCNCS and the University conducting inadequate oversight and supervision. AmeriCorps is a federally funded network of national service programs that address critical community needs, such as increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, preparing for disasters, and more. “The egregious crimes committed by Aipoalanis and Higa could have been mitigated by the University with proper oversight of AmeriCorps programs and HCNCS staff,” said Michael Pritchard, Official Performing the Duties of the Inspector General. “This settlement demonstrates that when an organization accepts AmeriCorps grant funding, it has the responsibility to have the people, policies, and procedures in place to ensure that funding is spent appropriately. We appreciate the USAO-DC's partnership in protecting the integrity of national service.” The settlement built on the previous work of the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General, the FBI Honolulu Field Office, and criminal prosecutors of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The resolution of this Office’s False Claims Act investigation resulted from the work of Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy J. Hurley. The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. uh_and_hcncs_settlement_agreement_-_fully_executed_9-11-26.pdf


title: Twice Deported Peruvian National Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering U.S.

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CESAR RUBEN YLLESCAS, 52, a citizen of Peru, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 1995 and 2015, Yllescas was arrested, convicted, and sentenced multiple times in Connecticut Superior Court and Chicopee, Massachusetts District Court for narcotics offenses, threatening, assault, failure to appear in court, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle. In June 2016, Yllescas was deported to Peru. He subsequently reentered the U.S., was convicted in federal court of unlawful reentry and, in December 2019, was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment . In May 2020, Yllescas was again deported to Peru. Yllescas again illegally reentered the U.S. and, on March 20, 2026, he was arrested by the West Springfield, Massachusetts Police Department for motor vehicle-related charges and on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court in 2015 for a violation of probation. After Yllescas was released on bond on those state charges, he was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on March 23, 2026, in West Springfield. Yllescas has been detained since his arrest. On June 23, 2026, he pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry of a removed alien. This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Michael S. Deel. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: OnlyFans Content Creator Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that SEATHRA ZMEENA ORR, 39, of Stamford, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to tax evasion. According to court documents and statements made in court, Orr worked as a content creator, creating and placing photographic and video content on the internet, including through the paid subscription website OnlyFans. For the 2019 through 2022 tax years, Orr earned more than $3 million in income from posting content on OnlyFans, and OnlyFans issued Orr Forms 1099 that reported non-employee compensation in the amounts of $164,669.96, $801,395, $1,339,900, and $822,400, respectively. However, Orr willfully failed to pay any taxes for those years, failed to file tax returns, and willfully evaded payment of her taxes by using multiple business names, applying for and receiving 12 Employee Identification Numbers (EINs) for these “businesses,” opening 11 “business” bank accounts and eight “personal” bank accounts, and moving money between those accounts without a legitimate business purpose. She also purchased and used cashier’s checks, and used her business bank accounts, to make at least $1.3 million in personal expenditures, including paying rent for her apartment, purchasing luxury vehicles, and buying more than $110,000 in jewelry. “Many content creators are earning significant income through a variety of online platforms, but it is without question that we all have still have a legal obligation to pay required taxes,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “This prosecution should serve as a warning that no matter how or where you earn your money, you are not absolved from paying taxes on it. Any attempt to intentionally hide earnings and evade the payment of taxes will lead to serious criminal consequences.” “Today’s guilty plea should send a strong message to all content creators, pay your fair share of taxes or we will find you and ensure that you are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Demeo.” Advances in technology have allowed anyone the opportunity to become an overnight sensation and potential millionaire, but all content creators must remember that all income is taxable income. Paying taxes is the responsibility of every American, no matter what they choose to do for work. When you don’t pay your taxes, you hurt every single American citizen by reducing available funds for schools, road repairs, and social welfare programs.” Tax evasion carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. The government has calculated that Orr owes more than $1.1 million in restitution to the IRS, and Orr has agreed to pay at least $476,970 in restitution. A final restitution order will be determined by the court. Orr is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.


title: Downtown L.A. Residents Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging Possession of More Than 42 Kilograms of Fentanyl, Small Alligator in Stash House

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A man and woman living in a luxury downtown Los Angeles apartment that law enforcement believes was a stash house have been arrested for allegedly possessing more than 42 kilograms of fentanyl, more than seven kilograms of cocaine, firearms, drug-making materials, and a small alligator, the Justice Department announced today. Marvin Angelito, 27, and Susan Gonzalez, 26, were arrested on September 10 and are charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Both defendants made their initial appearances on Monday in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. United States Magistrate Judge Karen L. Stevenson ordered Angelito detained and ordered Gonzalez released on $15,000 bond. Angelito’s arraignment is scheduled for October 2, and Gonzalez’s arraignment is scheduled for October 9. No pleas were taken on Monday. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the apartment was a known drug trafficking location. On September 10, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Angelito and Gonzalez’s apartment. The search resulted in the seizure of approximately 42.6 kilograms (93.9 pounds) of fentanyl pills and powder, approximately one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of heroin, 7.2 kilograms (15.9 pounds) of cocaine, laboratory equipment such as beakers, mixers, stirrers, and torches, and a hydraulic press. Law enforcement also seized an AR-15 rifle with ammunition located in a hallway closet, a gold-plated Desert Eagle .50-caliber pistol with ammunition located on the kitchen counter, a police radio, and a small alligator, which U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents seized. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. FBI New Haven Homeland Security Task Force, FBI Los Angeles Regional Narcotics Suppression Program, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating this matter. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Lloyd Masson of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Twelve Individuals Charged in $10M Home Daycare Fraud Schemes

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: Twelve individuals are facing federal fraud charges after an investigation revealed that more than $10 million intended to help low-income families pay for childcare was instead funneled to bogus daycare providers. In a coordinated takedown early Thursday morning, more than 250 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested all 12 defendants and executed 12 search warrants at homes in San Diego purported to be used as daycare facilities. The defendants are naturalized U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents originally from Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. “These charges underscore a simple truth: anyone who steals from programs meant to support children will face swift and uncompromising accountability,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Fraud against these programs is an attack on vulnerable families, and law enforcement will continue to dismantle schemes that exploit them. I want to thank the prosecutors and agents in the Southern District of California whose relentless work exposed this scheme and ensured that those responsible are being held accountable.” “Today is a bad day for home daycare fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “These are the first charges alleging this type of fraud since the formation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. These fraudsters may have criminally gamed the system before. But today, the game is over.” “Programs that help families access childcare are intended to support children and working parents, not to enrich fraudsters,” said Assistant Director Michael Krol of Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI is proud to stand with our federal, state, and local partners to identify and disrupt schemes that steal taxpayer-funded benefits from the communities they are meant to serve. These arrests reflect our commitment to protecting public programs, safeguarding children, and holding accountable those who exploit systems designed to help vulnerable families.” “Today’s takedown exposes a sprawling fraud scheme that siphoned more than $10 million from programs designed to help low-income families who depend on subsidized childcare,” said Chief Jarod Koopman of IRS Criminal Investigations. “By following the money, IRS Criminal Investigation uncovered patterns of deceit that revealed twelve ghost daycare operations billing for children who were never present. This was not a victimless crime. It deprived working parents of critical support and eroded trust in programs meant to protect the most vulnerable in our communities. We remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding federal funds and ensuring that those who exploit public programs for personal gain are held fully accountable.” “Shameless attempts to steal taxpayer‑funded childcare funds for personal gain endanger support for some of our nation’s most vulnerable children,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to pursue these schemes relentlessly to protect these funds and the families who depend on them.” The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides federal funding to California to help low-income families pay for childcare. In San Diego County, the County of San Diego, Child Development Associates (CDA), and the YMCA administer childcare subsidy programs. When CDA or the YMCA determines that a family qualifies for subsidized childcare, the organizations pay the eligible childcare provider directly after the provider submits required monthly attendance records documenting the care provided. The records must be signed by both the provider and parent under penalty of perjury and include the dates and times children are in care. California law also requires licensed childcare providers to be present and ensure that children are supervised at all times, except for limited temporary absences when a qualified substitute is present. While the 12 federal complaints are unrelated, the scheme was essentially the same: Defendants obtained a California license to operate a home childcare facility and registered with Child Development Associates (CDA) and the YMCA to provide subsidized childcare to eligible families. To receive government-funded payments, the defendants were required to submit monthly attendance records accurately documenting the dates and times they provided care to each child. Instead, the defendants knowingly submitted false attendance records claiming they provided childcare on dates and at times when they did not. They also falsely certified, under penalty of perjury, that the information was true and correct. CDA and the YMCA relied on those fraudulent records and issued payments with federal funds intended to pay for childcare actually provided to low-income families. Locations of Executed Search Warrants in Daycare Fraud Investigation The complaints describe how surveillance recordings of the defendants’ licensed facilities conflicted with what the defendants claimed in their attendance records. For example, Abdulrahman Ayman Alawad submitted attendance records claiming to have provided childcare to 23 children in March 2026 and 25 children April 2026, and that he provided childcare every day of those two months. But surveillance recordings covering 57 days of those months showed children entering or exiting Mr. Alawad’s facility on just one day — coincidentally, the day a state inspector showed up for an unannounced inspection, when children and Mr. Alawad himself arrived at the facility after the inspector arrived. Additionally, Mr. Alawad and several other defendants submitted attendance records claiming to have provided childcare at their homes when border crossing records shows they were not even in the United States. For example, according to a complaint charging Turkiya Mamdouh Alawad, border crossing records show that she departed the United States on or about on Jan. 1, 2024, and returned to the United States around Jan. 30, 2024. Despite not being in the United States, Alawad submitted attendance records to CDA and YMCA for the month of January 2024 and afterwards received eight direct deposits from CDA and YMCA that totaled $14,970.00 in February 2024. This daycare scam is lucrative, the complaints indicate. Each defendant brought in between $538,000 and $1.2 million during various time periods that range from months to years. According to the complaints, Mr. Alawad received over $300,000 in payments from San Diego County, CDA, and YMCA in 2025 alone, and several defendants have each received over $1 million in payments in the course of their respective schemes. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah for the Southern District of California, with prior assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Oleksandra Johnson for the Southern District of California, Trial Attorney Sarah Fix (Antitrust Division), and Senior Counsel Siddarth Dadhich (National Fraud Enforcement Division). DEFENDANTS 1. Fosiya Mohamoud; (Country of Origin: Somalia) 26-mj-05074; Age: 50; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA 2. Abdulrahman Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05174; Age: 25; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA 3. Zetun Abdi; (Country of Origin: Somalia); 26-mj-05184; Age: 43; City of Residence: San Diego, CA 4. Ikramullah Mohmmand (Country of Origin: Afghanistan); 26-mj-05185; Age: 25; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA 5. Khetam Haouash; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05187; Age: 37; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA 6. Khatera Hashimi; (Country of Origin: Afghanistan); 26-mj-05188; Age: 39; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA 7. Mariam Khamis; (Country of Origin: Sudan); 26-mj-05189; Age: 42; City of Residence: San Diego, CA 8. Mohamad Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05190; Age: 29; City of Residence: San Diego, CA 9. Mazin Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05191; Age: 22; City of Residence: San Diego, CA 10. Turkiya Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05194; Age: 63; City of Residence: San Diego, CA 11. Zaryab Daudzai; (Country of Origin: Afghanistan); 26-mj-05195; Age: 25; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA 12. Cezar Yaqoob ; (Country of Origin: Iraq); 26-mj-05215; Age: 36; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine *Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine *While defendants are charged with wire fraud, not all are charged with money laundering. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations IRS-Criminal Investigation Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General This investigation 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Announces Settlement Ending Discrimination Against Jewish Students at Lincoln Memorial University

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: This week the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights entered a voluntary settlement agreement with Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) to end discrimination against its Jewish students. The settlement agreement resolves the joint investigation conducted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. “Students of all ethnic and religious backgrounds — including Jewish students — should receive the same treatment at our nation’s universities,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As its Jewish students prepare this week to observe Yom Kippur, we commend Lincoln Memorial University for its swift action addressing the Department’s concerns regarding discrimination and unequal treatment.” “HHS’ Office for Civil Rights is committed to eliminating antisemitism and religious discrimination—a commitment we underscored earlier this month by issuing guidance on discrimination rooted in antisemitism to entities that receive HHS funding,” said Director Paula M. Stannard of the HHS Office for Civil Rights. “Our nation’s future healthcare professionals should be able to pursue their training without compromising their faith or their civil rights. Through our joint action with the Department of Justice, Lincoln Memorial University is ending practices that penalized Jewish students and will establish clear protections for religious accommodations moving forward.” The joint investigation revealed that during the 2025-26 school year, LMU’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) denied requests by Jewish students to reschedule classes, exams, and other academic assignments so they could celebrate or observe their religious holidays, but granted requests by non-Jewish students who sought the same accommodations. In January 2026 — after Jewish students challenged LMU-DCOM’s double standard — DCOM adopted a policy that it would not accommodate any religious observance requests, but would permit excused absences for “professional student leadership obligations” and other non-religious reasons. In February 2026, DOJ and HHS opened their joint investigation. Under the settlement agreement, LMU-DCOM will revise its absence policy to allow excused absences for religious reasons on the same basis as non-religious reasons. When an excused absence is approved, the student will not suffer any penalties because of the absence. LMU-DCOM will also educate students, administrators, professors, faculty, and staff regarding the revised absence policy. Finally, LMU will reverse all penalties previously imposed on Jewish students who were wrongly denied religious accommodations during the 2025-26 school year. Because of LMU’s cooperation, LMU will remain eligible for federal funding. The Civil Rights Division will close the investigation once LMU has completed its commitments under the settlement agreement. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov .


title: Former Church Elder in Alaska Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Dwight Chris John, 74, a former church elder in Ketchikan, Alaska, pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting a minor under the age of 12. “Dwight Chris John repeatedly exploited a vulnerable child in Mexico and engaged in the exploitation of children online in Alaska,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. “Yesterday’s guilty plea is an important step toward justice for these children. We will hold U.S. citizens accountable wherever they exploit children.” “Demonstrated by his reprehensible pattern of conduct involving online child exploitation, Mr. John posed a significant threat to children in Alaska and abroad,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Protecting children is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue and hold accountable anyone who exploits our most vulnerable.” According to court documents, in May 2024, John’s relatives contacted the Ketchikan Police Department after they found a USB drive containing what they thought was CSAM. At the time of discovery, John was serving a sentence in an Alaska state prison for sexually abusing a minor. A law enforcement officer reviewed the photos on the USB drive and found numerous sexually explicit images of a young girl known to John through an institution located in Mexico. Law enforcement officers searched John’s cell phones and laptop computer, where they discovered dozens of sexually explicit photos of the minor victim and over 1,000 images of CSAM depicting prepubescent minors, including infants and toddlers. John admitted to producing sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim during his trips to Mexico in 2018 and 2019. John was charged through Operation Relentless Justice in late 2025, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 16 and faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Juneau Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Ketchikan Police Department, as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 .