title: Mankato Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Alex James Wall, 39, of Mankato, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Wall’s change of plea hearing was before U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank on August 18, 2026. Wall will be facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. According to court documents, between April 14, 2023, and March 6, 2025, Wall attempted to entice and coerce a 14-to-15-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. “There is no higher priority for my office than to protect vulnerable children. Today’s guilty plea is an important step towards justice for the child victims and their families,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Alex Wall, a registered sex offender, again sexually abused and exploited a child and recorded that abuse for his own purposes,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Any child sexual abuse is abhorrent, but offenses committed by repeat offenders are particularly deserving of the significant consequences for these crimes under federal law. This investigation demonstrates that the FBI and our partners are dedicated to finding justice for child victims and their affected families.” This case was the result of an investigation by the Mankato Department of Public Safety, FBI, with assistance from other law enforcement partners. Assistant United States Attorney David M. Classen is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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 .


title: Lakeville Man is 23rd Defendant to be Sentenced in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Abdinasir Mahamed Abshir, 34, of Lakeville, Minnesota, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for his role in a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Abshir is the 23rd defendant to be sentenced in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. The sentence also reflects Abshir’s effort to tamper with a cooperating trial witness on February 18, 2025. During the trial of his co-defendants in United States v. Aimee Bock and Salim Said , Abshir obstructed justice when he approached a cooperating witness prior to his scheduled testimony. Abshir was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on August 18, 2026. Abshir previously pleaded guilty on March 7, 2025. “Today’s sentence makes clear that justice is not for sale, and those who try to buy their way out of accountability will not succeed. Our office is committed to protecting American taxpayer funds,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “The sentence imposed on Abdinasir Abshir reflects accountability not only for his role in a massive fraud scheme, but also for his deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity of the judicial process,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Witness tampering is an attack on the foundation of our justice system because it seeks to obstruct the truth and interfere with the fair administration of justice. Today’s sentence makes clear that such conduct carries serious consequences. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting witnesses, safeguarding the integrity of our courts, and ensuring that those who commit fraud are held fully accountable.” “Abshir and his co-conspirators stole from a program meant to feed children while families were struggling, then tried to use money to corrupt the justice system,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office. “Justice isn’t for sale, and IRS Criminal Investigation will hold accountable those who think their money puts them beyond its reach.” “Mr. Abshir’s guilty plea reflects the outstanding investigative teamwork by the Postal Inspection Service and our federal law enforcement partners,” said Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division Bryan Musgrove. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to holding white-collar criminals accountable for abusing the U.S. mail to facilitate fraudulent schemes.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline and Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case. Note: Previous press releases on Abshir’s guilty plea ( March 7, 2025 ) and indictment ( September 20, 2022 ) linked here.


title: Massachusetts Woman Sentenced To 24 Months In Prison For Trafficking In Stolen Human Remains

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Katrina Maclean, age 47, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was sentenced on August 18, 2026, to 24 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for interstate transportation of stolen property. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Maclean admitted to her role in a nationwide network of individuals who bought and sold human remains, including remains stolen from Harvard Medical School. Other individuals were indicted with Maclean on charges of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen property as part of the same investigation. From 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education before their scheduled cremations. Lodge at times transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, Joshua Taylor, and others, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media websites. At times, Cedric Lodge allowed Maclean and Taylor to enter the morgue at Harvard Medical School and examine cadavers. On some occasions, Taylor transported stolen remains back to Pennsylvania. On other occasions, the Lodges shipped stolen remains to Taylor and others out of state. Maclean and Taylor sold the stolen remains for profit, including to Jeremy Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Jeremy Pauley also purchased stolen human remains from Candace Chapman Scott, who stole remains from her employer, a Little Rock, Arkansas mortuary and crematorium. Scott stole parts of cadavers she was supposed to have cremated, many of which had been donated to and used for research and educational purposes by an area medical school, as well as the corpses of two stillborn babies who were supposed to be cremated and returned as cremains to their families. Scott sold the stolen remains to Pauley and shipped them to him. Seven other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas and were sentenced to imprisonment in related cases, including Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, Cedric and Denise Lodge, Angelo Pereyra and Candace Chapman Scott. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison; Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months in prison; Ensanian was sentenced to 6 months in prison; Denise and Cedric Lodge were sentenced to 96 months and 12 months in prison respectively; and Joshua Taylor was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the East Pennsboro Township Police Department, and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Luzerne County Man Sentenced To 15 Years For Drug Trafficking And Firearms Violations

body_text: SCRANTON - United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Fernandito Arroyo, age 28, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 18, 2026, to 180 months’ imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for distribution of cocaine and fentanyl and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on multiple occasions between July 18, 2024 and November 19, 2024, Arroyo sold controlled substances to a confidential informant in Wilkes-Barre. On November 19, 2024, Arroyo sold a firearm and ammunition to an individual who could not legally possess a firearm and provided that individual with cocaine. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. # # #


title: ID Logistics US, Inc. Agrees To Pay $2.36 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to a Paycheck Protection Program Loan

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that ID Logistics US, Inc. (IDUSA) has agreed to pay $2,362,360 to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for which it was not eligible. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was a federal law enacted in or about March 2020 designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). PPP loans were guaranteed by the SBA and, if the loan proceeds were used for eligible expenses, the SBA would forgive the loan balance and accrued interest. To obtain a PPP loan, a qualifying business had to submit a PPP loan application to an authorized lender. The PPP loan application required the business, through its authorized representative, to acknowledge the PPP rules and make certain affirmative certifications that the applicant was eligible to obtain a PPP loan. Whether an applicant qualified as a small business was determined, in part, by assessing the number of employees of the business, including any domestic and foreign affiliates. IDUSA is a subsidiary of ID Logistics Group SA, a French company founded in 2001 that has, in addition to IDUSA, at least fifteen other affiliated companies around the world. According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, IDUSA submitted an application for a PPP loan certifying that, together with its affiliates, it had fewer than 500 employees, when, with affiliate entities counted, it had more than 500 employees and was therefore not eligible for the PPP loan. Once IDUSA was made aware of the investigation, they fully cooperated with the United States to resolve the matter. “The SBA is committed to rooting out every dollar of PPP fraud,” said Wendell Davis, SBA General Counsel. “Alongside the US Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the agency will aggressively pursue bad actors to hold them accountable and recover pandemic relief funds improperly obtained from the program.” This settlement resolves a lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permits a private party to file a complaint on behalf of the United States and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. This qui tam is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. ID Logistics US, Inc. No. 3:25-CV-00387 (M.D.P.A.). The whistleblower will receive $236,236 of the settlement amount. The investigation and resolution of this matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Haken and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. # # #


title: Honduran National Sentenced to Two Years for Immigration Crimes

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Yelson Zachary Matamoros Quinonez (32, Honduras) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Matamoros Quinonez pleaded guilty on May 11, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, in 2019, Matamoros Quinonez, a citizen of Honduras, was arrested and later convicted of aggravated battery. After serving his sentence, he was deported from the United States to Honduras in 2021. In 2026, he was found voluntarily back in the United States. Matamoros Quinonez had not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Abigail King.


title: Former Senior NIAID Official Pleads Guilty to Charges Connected to Concealing Federal Records During COVID-19 Pandemic

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee pled guilty in federal court, today, to a conspiracy charge stemming from a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and the Federal Records Act in connection with communications about coronavirus research grants. David M. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States. Morens served as a senior advisor in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). According to his guilty plea, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, Co-Conspirator 2, and others conspired during the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the United States after NIH terminated Co-Conspirator 1’s grant. NIH terminated the grant, Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence , based on allegations that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China. NIAID awarded the grant to Company 1 and Co-Conspirator 1, who made a subaward to the WIV. Following the termination, Morens and Co-Conspirator 2 pledged to help Co-Conspirator 1 restore the termination of the bat coronavirus grant and counter the narrative that COVID-19 leaked from a lab. In anticipation that their communications would be requested through FOIA Requests, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, and Co-Conspirator 2 agreed in writing to intentionally hide their communications from public view by corresponding using Morens’s personal Gmail account, rather than his official NIH email account. The co-conspirators used Morens’s personal Gmail account to exchange non-public NIH information; correspond about their efforts to influence NIH to fund Company 1; exchange edits to drafts of letters addressed to NIH leadership for Company 1 and Co-Conspirator 1; and “back-channel” information to Senior NIAID Official 1. According to court documents, each of these matters fell within Morens’s role as senior advisor and constituted federal records that needed to be created, maintained, and exchanged on government systems. Additionally, as admitted to in his guilty plea, Morens and Co-Conspirator 1 conspired to pay illegal gratuities. Co-Conspirator 1 gifted Morens wine for his “behind-the-scenes shenanigans,” and arranged for its delivery to Morens’s Maryland residence. Morens then allegedly identified an official act that he could perform to “deserve” the gift, which was to author a scientific commentary in a prominent medical journal advocating that COVID-19 had natural origins. Co-Conspirator 1 suggested he would provide Morens with additional things of value, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington, D.C. Morens is facing up to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Bijon A. Mostoufi who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Baltimore Felon Sentenced for Drug-Trafficking and Firearm Possession Charges

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with drug-trafficking and firearm charges, stemming from a local drug-trafficking investigation. U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher sentenced Alonzo Plenty, 35, to 11 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Plenty also agreed that this offense violated the conditions of his previous federal supervised release, stemming from a prior possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person conviction. 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), Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). According to evidence presented at trial, on March 5, 2024, law-enforcement agents observed Plenty walking near the 800 block of Pontiac Avenue displaying characteristics of an armed person. When he noticed law-enforcement agents observing him, Plenty fled on foot down an alley. Law-enforcement agents exited their vehicle and pursued Plenty. While in pursuit, law-enforcement agents saw Plenty discard a firearm. Law enforcement then recovered the firearm and continued pursuing Plenty. After law enforcement caught up with Plenty, the agents arrested him. Upon Plenty’s arrest, agents recovered 32 individual baggies of cocaine base, 26 gelcaps of containing a counterfeit controlled substance, two cell phones, and $3,255. The recovered firearm was reported stolen from a BPD officer in 2006. Law enforcement took Plenty to the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center for booking. During a routine strip search, Plenty attempted to flee from the facility. During the unsuccessful escape attempt, Plenty discarded a clear plastic bag into a holding cell that he removed from his underwear. DPSCS officers recovered the bag, which contained 50 buprenorphine strips, commonly referred to as Suboxone, a schedule III controlled substance. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane Kozik who is prosecuting this federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Two Massachusetts Men Indicted for Armed Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two Massachusetts men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with two armed bank robberies that occurred on April 28, 2026. Steven Harris, 34, and Angel Gonzalez, 26, have been indicted with two counts of armed bank robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery. The defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint in May 2026. Harris remains in federal custody and Gonzalez is in state custody in connection with unrelated proceedings According to the charging documents, Harris and Gonzalez participated in the armed robberies of a Santander Bank branch in Roxbury, Mass. and a TD Bank branch in Roslindale, Mass., on April 28, 2026. It is alleged that Gonzalez brandished a firearm during both robberies. During the first robbery, at the Santander Bank, Gonzalez allegedly dragged a bank employee from her office to the teller window, threatening to shoot her and held her at gunpoint: At the TD Bank location, Gonzalez allegedly entered the bank wielding the same firearm, with his index finger on the trigger of the firearm. Once inside, Gonzalez’s partner, Harris, allegedly moved multiple employees from their offices to the main area of the bank. It is further alleged that Gonzalez, while brandishing the firearm, threatened to shoot the bank employees if they did not comply with his and Harris’s directives. Gonzalez then allegedly took approximately $3,000 from a teller drawer, and the suspects left in a getaway vehicle. The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and 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 Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A South Carolina man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court Boston to a sex trafficking conspiracy that victimized two minors and one adult. The adult victim was trafficked throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island and South Carolina. The defendant kept all the profits for his own financial gain. Alexander Smalls, 27, of Beaufort County, S.C. pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; sex trafficking of a minor; and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Dec. 9, 2026. In June 2024 , Smalls was indicted along with five co-conspirators. Smalls had been in custody on state charges in South Carolina since March 2023. After being taken into custody and while incarcerated on state charges, Smalls continued to participate in the trafficking of one of the victims in this case. “Alexander Smalls took extraordinary steps to target and exploit a vulnerable victim and continued to do so from jail, after he was taken into state custody on a separate offense. His ruthless predilection to exploit others for his own financial gain is simply heartless and reprehensible,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “My office stands strong in its determination to protect our community from sex traffickers.” “This defendant used deplorable means to compel the victim to perform commercial sex acts for the financial benefit of himself and his codefendants,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conduct was cruel and predatory in multiple ways, which included physical beatings and threatening to separate her from her child. This partnership between the Criminal Division and the District of Massachusetts will ensure that those who victimize people through human trafficking in Massachusetts will be investigated and prosecuted.” “Smalls and his associates brutally trafficked women, using every cruel and inhumane tool they could to coerce them into commercial sex for their financial benefit. This case shows the insidious tactics traffickers use, slowly gaining the trust of their victims before brutally betraying them,” said Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “With cases like this, we choose to focus not solely on the cruelty of the perpetrators, but also on the resilience of the survivors. We hope this plea brings a measure of justice and sense of closure to those Smalls victimized as they continue to heal.” Between January and August 2023, Smalls conspired with Christy Parker and others in a scheme to coerce one adult victim to engage in commercial sex in Massachusetts and surrounding states for their exclusive financial gain. In early 2023, Parker reached out to the victim, her childhood friend, and told her that she (Parker) needed a place to live. After moving in with the victim, Parker and her boyfriend, Smalls, coerced the victim to quit her job and begin engaging in commercial sex for their financial benefit. Smalls and Parker forced the victim to sign a “profit sharing contact,” which required the victim to “remain loyal and humble and stay focused.” Parker inflicted physical violence on the victim while Smalls threatened to shoot her or have family members, other co-defendants charged in the indictment, come and harm her. Smalls also threatened to have authorities take the victim’s minor child away. Even after Smalls was taken into custody on unrelated charges in March 2023, he continued to traffic the victim from jail. Smalls encouraged Parker to sell the victim, telling her that he needed them to make at least one thousand dollars a night. Smalls told Parker to post the victim every two hours. Smalls would also speak directly to the victim, telling her that would send someone to “beat” her, put her “through the floor” “slap her” and have her child taken from her if she did not participate in the conspiracy. Smalls’ commissary records show that he received proceeds from the commercial sex enterprise while in prison. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison, no less than five years of supervised release and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking of a minor provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, no less than five years of supervised release and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $ 250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, no less than five years of supervised release and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Foley, AAG Duva and HSI Acting SAC Grimming made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Somerset Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley-Cunniffe, Chief of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit, and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Owner of Two Restaurants to Plead Guilty to Employment Tax Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – The owner and operator of two Massachusetts restaurants has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to paying employees in cash over the course of seven years without withholding and paying federal employment taxes. Marios Michalakis, 44, of Westwood, Mass., was charged with six counts of failing to collect, report and pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). A plea hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 8, 2026. According to court documents, from at least January 2016 through December 2022, Michalakis ran two restaurants, Amelia’s, located in Stoughton, Mass. and Sofia Italian Steakhouse, located in West Roxbury, Mass. Michalakis is charged with paying employees in cash “under-the-table,” that is, failing to withhold income taxes and Social Security and Medicare taxes from employee wages and failing to pay more than $580,000 in employee and employer taxes owed to the IRS and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. The charge of failing to collect and pay over taxes provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. 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 Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Frauds Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Anthony Saint Jean, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Nov. 19, 2026. Saint Jean was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025 . Between March 17, 2024, and Aug. 20, 2024, Saint Jean knowingly distributed online videos depicting CSAM. In addition, Saint Jean possessed CSAM, some of which depicted the abuse of minor victims younger than 12 years old. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department; the Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 .


title: Former U.S. Marine from Massachusetts Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A former U.S. Marine from Everett, Mass. has been arrested and charged for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Carlos Fernando Alvarenga Portillo, 29, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. Portillo was arrested on Aug. 5, 2026 and was later released on conditions following a detention hearing. According to the charging documents, Portillo was identified as an individual who had – as early as January 2022 – knowingly possessed files online that depicted CSAM. A forensic examination of a Samsung Galaxy device seized from Portillo’s residence on July 15, 2026 allegedly revealed over 200 media files that depicted CSAM, including the abuse of victims between approximately four and 11 years old. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to 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 Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Everett Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Boston Woman Sentenced for Role in Bank Fraud Ring

body_text: BOSTON – A Massachusetts woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her role in a scheme to defraud a bank in Massachusetts. Trinity Antonetty, 25, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick to time served (approximately one day in prison) and two years of supervised release, with the first 60 days to be served in home detention. Antonetty was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $56,000. In March 2026 , Antonetty pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Between July and October 2024, Antonetty opened a business bank account and allowed Phalentz Vernot to deposit fraudulently obtained cashier’s checks into the account. Antonetty used funds from one of the checks Vernot deposited into her account to purchase a cashier’s check payable to a shell company Vernot controlled. When the bank froze another of the checks Vernot deposited into Antonetty’s account for suspected fraud, Antonetty called the bank and falsely claimed that she operated a high-end car dealer and that the funds were related to a luxury car. In July 2025 , Vernot and five other men were charged as part of a related investigation into a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud banks in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Vernot pleaded guilty in December 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21, 2026. Two of Vernot’s co-defendants, Victor Kolawole and Keith Wainaina, have also pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 13, 2026 and Nov. 10, 2026, respectively. Two additional individuals, William Shaw and Rosemary Parks, were charged for their alleged roles in the scheme in January 2026 . Parks pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11, 2026. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Haven Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Connecticut State Police, the Glocester (RI) Police Department, the Sutton Police Department, the Concord (MA) Police Department, the Dracut Police Department, the Westwood Police Department and the Abington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Lewiston Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – Wyatt Samuel Parris, 20, of Lewiston, Idaho, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. According to court records, in the fall of 2024, law enforcement received a CyberTip flagging a social media account for transmitting suspected child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). Investigators determined that the account belonged to Parris, who was living in Lewiston, Idaho. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Parris’s Lewiston residence. On Parris’s phone, they found numerous videos and photos depicting CSAM. They also found several conversations between Parris and others wherein Parris discussed wanting to see and participate in the violent sexual abuse of young children. United States District Judge David C. Nye ordered that Parris be placed on supervised release for ten years following completion of his prison sentence. Parris will be required to register as a sex offender because of this conviction. U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Lewiston Police Department, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“ICAC”), the Moscow Police Department, the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted this 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Tri-Cities Man Found Guilty of Large-Scale Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Richland, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on August 13, 2026, a jury found David Mendoza Ayala, 30, guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke presided over the trial and set sentencing for November 12, 2026. Mendoza Ayala faces a sentence of at least 10 years, and up to life, in prison followed by no less than 5 years, and up to life of supervised release. According to court documents Mendoza Ayala was a long-standing investigative target of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force. He had been suspected of being involved in large-scare drug trafficking for many years. Mendoza-Ayala learned that law enforcement was closing in and as a result, went into hiding. Although hiding, Mendoza Ayala continued his drug trafficking, utilizing other people’s names and addresses to avoid detection. Following months of tireless surveillance and evidence collection, investigators obtained search warrants for Mendoza Ayala’s apartment, two garage units, multiple luxury vehicles, and four storage units. During the searches, investigators located in excess of 50,000 fentanyl pills, substantial amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, approximately $10,000 in drug cash proceeds, and over a dozen firearms to include AR style rifles. All told, investigators seized 13 vehicles associated with the Defendant and his illicit conduct. During trial, evidence was also presented that inside Mendoza Ayala’s apartment, two small children were located – mere feet away from fentanyl laced pills scattered throughout the carpet and apartment. “For years, David Mendoza Ayala, engaged in large scale drug trafficking, pushing poison into our community,” stated Serrano. “While Mendoza Ayala was able to escape consequences by hiding and fleeing from law enforcement, this case serves as proof that my office, along with our partners in federal and local law enforcement, never give up. Through their tireless efforts and investigation, Mendoza Ayala was arrested and a jury convicted him for his conduct. Those who, like this Defendant, make a profit off the lives our citizens, will be tirelessly pursued and brought to justice.” “Mr. Mendoza Ayala showed a complete disregard for human life by having deadly fentanyl pills in the apartment, some of which were scattered on the carpet, within reach of two young children,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Along with more than 50,000 fentanyl pills, investigators seized luxury vehicles, and more than a dozen firearms. Through Fentanyl Free America, DEA is relentlessly targeting those who put our communities at risk, disrupting the fentanyl supply chain, and holding traffickers accountable.” “This case is a great example of why the partnership between the DEA, and the Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force is so important. Teamwork has been a pillar of success for Detectives working diligently to combat those attempting to traffic drugs to our region,” added Isaac Merkl, the Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force Commander. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Tri-Cities Resident Office and the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Pang. 4:24-CR-06011-MKD


title: Stevens County Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on August 19, 2026, Richard Timothy Kalesnick, age 41, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for Possession of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice also imposed a life term of supervised release to follow the prison term, as well as imposing a $3,000 special assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA). Assessments under the AVAA are paid into a fund from which child pornography victims can obtain restitution at a later date. According to court documents, Kalesnick pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography between April 1, 2024, and November 19, 2024. Kalesnick was previously convicted of two counts of First Degree Child Molestation in 2013, for his molestation of two minor females, both under the age of 10. Initially sentenced to 12 months in custody, Kalesnick was later released, ordered to attend sex offender treatment, and subject to supervision by the Washington State Department of Correction. Violations of that supervision led to a second prison term that ended in 2019. Over the next several years, even with court-ordered treatment, Kalesnick regularly fantasized about minor females, rape, and violence. He committed several violations of the conditions of his supervision, including viewing and possessing child pornography. “Protecting the children, the most vulnerable, in our community is the most important work done by our office. We will continually protect our children from monsters, like Kalesnick, who offend and reoffend and perpetuate fear and harm within our community,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano. “This sentence is the result of a strong partnership between federal and local authorities, where everyone involved recognized that Kalesnick is a significant threat. This federal and state team worked together to remove Kalesnick from the streets.” “The Stevens County Prosecutors Office is deeply grateful for the hard work that the U.S. Attorney’s Office put in to securing a conviction for this offender, said Stevens County Prosecuting Attorney Erika George. “Kalesnick’s arrest was the result of collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, and we are all greatly served by a sentence that removes a clear danger to children from our community for a substantial period of time.” “Protecting children and holding those who prey upon them accountable remains one of the Stevens County Sheriff's Office's highest priorities,” said Stevens County Sheriff Brad Manke. “Despite the demands on our agency and limited resources, our deputies and detectives serving as cross-designated task force officers with Homeland Security Investigations demonstrated exceptional dedication and investigative work throughout this case. We will continue working to protect our children and communities.” “Kalesnick chose to disregard every chance at reform, ultimately posing a persistent threat to public safety,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “By securing this sentence, we have successfully removed a predatory threat from our streets. I am proud of the collaborative effort between HSI and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office in this case, and we will continue our work to protect the most vulnerable in our society.” 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick. 2:25-cr-00192-TOR


title: Previously convicted sex offender sentenced to life in prison for sexually exploiting two minors

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Gum Spring man was sentenced today to life plus ten years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), possession of CSAM, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission by a registered sex offender of a felony offense involving a minor. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Richard Scott Tyson, 57, was convicted in 2002 of rape involving a child, for which he was sentenced to 99 years in prison with 86 years suspended. Between 2021 and 2023, Tyson sexually exploited two minor victims. Tyson met the first victim, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), in 2021 and developed a relationship with MV1 and his family members. Tyson soon began taking MV1 on trips and paying for items such as video games, clothing, or activities on his behalf. MV1 then began staying overnight and on weekends at Tyson’s house. During a trip with MV1 to a trampoline park, MV1 met and befriended Tyson’s second victim, identified as Minor Victim 2 (MV2). Tyson communicated with both victims through Snapchat. MV2 joined Tyson and MV1 during activities and trips to hotels, resorts, and amusement parks, for which Tyson paid. During these activities and trips, as well as at Tyson’s home, Tyson engaged in sexual relations with MV2 and took pictures of both minor victims while they were nude or mostly undressed and posed in sexualized positions in exchange for money. Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Bradford W. Nunnally, Powhatan County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. The Goochland County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea M. Gibbons and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-3.


title: City Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for South Philly Gunpoint Carjacking

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Nyeem Williamson, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 85 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro for a March 2024 armed carjacking. The defendant and co-conspirator Khala Hardy, 24, also of Philadelphia, were charged by indictment in October 2024 with conspiracy to commit a carjacking, carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Williamson pleaded guilty this March. Hardy pleaded guilty in July 2025 and was sentenced in May to more than seven years in prison. As detailed in court filings and statements, on the night of March 15, 2024, Williamson and Hardy targeted a female driver (“Victim 1”) who was dropping off a friend in South Philadelphia. Hardy approached on the driver’s side of the vehicle, opened the driver door, pointed a gun at Victim 1, and directed her to “get out and give me your keys.” Victim 1 exited her Toyota RAV4 and the two carjackers fled in the vehicle, with Hardy driving. Shortly after the carjacking, Hardy instructed Williamson on how to disable the Toyota’s GPS system and cameras to avoid detection by law enforcement, as documented in their group chat messages. Three days after the carjacking, on March 18, 2024, Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) officers on patrol in West Philadelphia observed the carjacked Toyota RAV4 driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Police activated their lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle sped off before coming to a stop on a pedestrian sidewalk in the area of 400 North Hobart Street. PPD officers identified the defendant as the driver of the stolen vehicle and arrested him that night. PPD detectives processed the vehicle and recovered a loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol and the defendant’s cell phone. This case was investigated by the PPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced For Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Adan Cruz-Castillo, a/k/a Adan Cruz-Castillo, a/k/a Adan Cruz, a/k/a Adam Cruz, 33, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Checotah Police Department. On July 29, 2026, Cruz-Castillo pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 18, 2026, Cruz-Castillo, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 23, 2022, and January 12, 2018. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Knutson represented the United States.


title: Nash County Career Offender Draws 15‑Year Federal Prison Sentence

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Trimaine Rshad Williams, age 35, to 15 and half years in federal prison for Interference with Commerce by Robbery. On February 20, 2026, Williams pleaded guilty in federal court. Williams’s five prior robbery convictions resulted in his sentencing as a Career Offender. “Williams is exactly the kind of repeat offender who keeps terrorizing hard-working honest people of Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Even after five prior convictions, he spent an entire day hitting one store after another, scaring employees and terrifying customers who were just trying to work and live their lives the honest way. Thanks to great work of law enforcement, the people of Nash County won’t have to deal with Williams’s chaos any longer. Steal, gets steel.” On March 20, 2024, Williams carried out a crime spree that targeted at least five convenience stores and gas stations in Rocky Mount. At one location, he pressed a hard object against a clerk’s back and threatened to shoot him. Although the clerk discovered Williams was not armed and escorted him out, Williams lingered nearby and accepted food the clerk offered after he claimed he was down on his luck. Despite this act of compassion, Williams continued his crime spree throughout the day and night. At 6:30 a.m., Williams entered the Speedway store in Rocky Mount, ordered everyone to the ground, and stole about $200 while clutching his waistband as if he had a gun. Five hours later, he entered a gas station on Wesleyan Boulevard, told the clerks he was armed, stole roughly $300, and fled. His crime spree escalated that evening when he entered a nearby Dollar General, climbed over the counter, demanded cash, and threatened to kill the clerk. Shortly thereafter, Willaims entered his final store, the Bi‑Rite Market in Sharpsburg, demanded money, and once again grabbed his jacket as if he had a weapon before fleeing with the cash. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office apprehended Williams later that day, ending his community-wide crime spree. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. This case was investigated by Sharpsburg Police Department, Rocky Mount Police Department, and Nash County Sheriff’s Office. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-330.


title: New Orleans Felon Sentenced on Federal Drug and Firearm Charges

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YUAN BUGGAGE (“BUGGAGE”) , age 25, was sentenced on August 13, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 117 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $400 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to four counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession with intent to distribute Tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, in March and April of 2025, BUGGAGE posted pictures of himself on Instagram advertising the sale ofTapentadol pills in the Calliope Projects, including posing with a picture of a Glock firearm. Later in April of 2025, officers obtained and executed a search warrant for a known residence of BUGGAGE and found distributable amounts of Tapentadol and marijuana, as well as firearms. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell, IV of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. * * *


title: Cabot Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern


title: Wilmington Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Possession of Two Firearms as a Felon

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. (August 14, 2026) – A Wilmington man pleaded guilty on August 14, 2026 to illegally possessing two firearms as a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall accepted the plea. According to court documents, Randy Wright, 44, was caught with distribution quantities of marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl during a vehicle stop in October 2024. A subsequent search of his apartment revealed a tight crawlspace adjacent to Wright’s bedroom, inside of which investigators found additional fentanyl, a loaded Springfield XD9 9mm semi-automatic handgun, and a loaded Taurus PT945 .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Wright admitted to possessing both firearms in furtherance of his drug-trafficking activities. He committed this offense after previously sustaining multiple drug-related felony convictions in the State of Delaware. “Randy Wright is an admitted drug dealer with a concerning criminal history who introduced deadly drugs to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “Drug traffickers who arm themselves present an even greater danger. Together with ATF and the Wilmington Police Department, my office will continue to do its part to stop armed drug traffickers from harming the people of Delaware.” "On a daily basis, our police officers work to remove illegal guns and drugs from our city streets, and our strong partnerships with the ATF and the United States Attorney's Office help to ensure that dangerous offenders are held accountable," said Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos. "We hope that this case, and the federal prison sentence that will follow for this offender, will continue to send the message that gun and drug crimes will not be tolerated." Wright pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a prohibited person. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-4-JLH.


title: Maryland Man Arrested for Illicit Sexual Conduct with 12-Year-Old Delaware Resident

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – A Maryland man was arrested on August 11, 2026, on charges of coercion and enticement of a minor and for traveling to Delaware to engage in illicit sexual conduct. As alleged in court documents, Majdi Jones, 22, communicated with a 12-year-old victim over Snapchat, exchanged nude photographs with the victim, and arranged to meet for sex. Through those communications, Jones learned the victim was a minor, lied about his own age, and nevertheless arranged to meet the victim in a Delaware park in the early hours of the morning. Jones drove from Maryland into Delaware, picked up the victim near her house, drove her to the park, and engaged in sexual conduct alleged to constitute rape in the fourth degree under Delaware law. Investigators found a used condom in the back seat of the car in which Jones raped his victim. Jones is charged with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), and one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b). If convicted, Jones faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace made the announcement. The FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency and the New Castle County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan C. Williamson and Claudia L. Pare are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 26-mj-423. The charges contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Robbery Spree Defendant Sentenced to 180 Months for Series of BB Gun Holdups Targeting Service Workers

body_text: WASHINGTON – Mark Thomas Moore, 35, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison in connection with a string of armed robberies that targeted service workers at businesses and a U.S. Post Office in the District, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Mark Moore targeted hardworking employees who were simply doing their jobs. He threatened them at gunpoint, leaving many with lasting trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s sentence ensures that Moore will be held accountable for his actions and will not be able to harm anyone in our community for a long time.” Moore was convicted Nov. 6, 2025, following a bench trial before Judge Amit P. Mehta, of two counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), of one count of armed robbery while armed, of one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and of one count of armed postal robbery. In addition to the 180-month prison sentence, Judge Mehta ordered Moore to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 180 months. According to court papers, in the fall of 2022, Moore armed himself with a BB gun to rob service workers at business in the District and Arlington, Virginia. On Oct. 26, 2022, Moore entered a McDonald’s restaurant on the 1500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE, where he lurked for about 15 minutes before following a female employee into a restroom. There, he held the worker at gunpoint. The employee had recently immigrated into the U.S. and spoke no English. She attempted to use a translation app on her phone to communicate with Moore. Moore took her phone and forced her through the restaurant to the cash register where he ordered another employee to fill a bag with money before fleeing. On Nov. 9, 2022, Moore entered a 7-Eleven on the 1500 block of Independence Ave. SE. He pointed his BB gun at an employee and demanded cash. When the employee attempted to conceal some of the money, Moore threatened him with the gun. On Nov. 28, 2022, Moore was armed when he entered the U.S. Postal Service facility on the 600 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE. As employees fled in fear, Moore stood over one who had fallen while trying to escape. He pointed the weapon at her threatened her as she pleaded for her life. He then forced a third employee to the register at gunpoint before fleeing the post office on a distinctive green bicycle. On Nov. 28, 2022, Moore also robbed a CVS in Arlington, Virginia. During the robbery, Moore took a bank note containing a GPS tracker. He fled on the same distinctive green bicycle. Law enforcement later located Moore and recovered a BB gun consistent with the weapon seen in the surveillance footage from the three District robberies. Investigators also recovered clothes recovered from his girlfriend’s apartment, along with DNA and fingerprints, that further linked him to the offenses. This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Arlington County Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caelainn Carney and Jared English. BB gun seized from Moore at the time of his arrest. Surveillance photos show Moore holding his gun during the robberies of the four establishments. 23cr256 Follow us on X , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Massachusetts Resident Sentenced in Attempt to Assassinate Cabinet Member Nominee at the U.S. Capitol

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ryan Michael English, 26, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 73 months in prison in connection with an attempt to assassinate then-cabinet member nominee Scott Bessent with Molotov cocktails fashioned from bottles of vodka, and for carrying a folding knife onto the Grounds of the Capitol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “My office will not tolerate attempts to intimidate or harm public officials that strike at the heart of our democratic process and are antithetical to the values we all depend on,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The defendant is now a convicted felon and is headed where he belongs: prison.” English, aka “Raleigh Jane English,” pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras to one count of unlawful receipt, possession, and/or transfer of a firearm and one count of carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive, or incendiary device on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. In addition to the 73-month prison term, Judge Contreras ordered English to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 121 months. According to court documents, at about 3:12 p.m., on Jan. 27, 2025, English approached a U.S. Capitol Police Officer near the South Door of the Capitol Building and stated “I’d like to turn myself in.” English further admitted to possessing a knife and two “Molotov Cocktails.” Officers searched English and recovered a folding knife, as well as two improvised incendiary devices from his jacket pockets. Each device was constructed of a 50-milliliter bottle of Absolut vodka with a grey strip of cloth affixed to its top. The cloth had been soaked with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Police recovered a green lighter from another pocket. During the search, English confessed to being at the Capitol to kill a cabinet member nominee whose confirmation vote was scheduled that day before the U.S. Senate. Police recovered a note to a roommate in English’s pocket that said, in part, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters…Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying.” English admitted to traveling to the District of Columbia with the intention of killing a government official or burning down a think-tank based in Washington, D.C. In a search of English’s car, which English had parked on the 900 block of Independence Ave., SE, police recovered a 750-milliliter bottle of 100 proof vodka and a grey sweatshirt with fabric cut from the sleeves. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Chief Michael G. Sullivan of the U.S. Capitol Police. This case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan, who is detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the United States Capitol Police, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf. 25cr134 Contact USADC.Media@usdoj.gov Follow us on X , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: D.C. Woman Found Guilty in Fatal Stabbing

body_text: WASHINGTON – Vanessa Bonaparte, 34, of Washington D.C., was found guilty yesterday in D.C. Superior Court on charges related to the fatal stabbing of Dwayne Boyd on June 22, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Bonaparte was found guilty of one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz scheduled sentencing for November 13, 2026. According to the government’s evidence, on June 22, 2024, officers were called to 3517 East Capitol Street SE, after reports of an argument in the building. Officers observed the defendant and an additional individual leaving the scene, after which they found the victim unresponsive in the rear bedroom. The government’s evidence established that the defendant stabbed the victim after forcing her way into the apartment where the decedent was living. When the victim followed the defendant to the kitchen to get her to leave the apartment, she stabbed him twice in the chest with two knives, killing him. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Clarke and Gregory Evans. 2024 CF1 006167


title: Arrest Warrants Issued for Six Current and Former MPD Members of the Fifth District for Overtime Fraud

body_text: WASHINGTON – On August 18, 2026, a judge of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia signed arrest warrants for current and former MPD members Peter Sheldon, Frantz Fulcher, Thomas Krmenec, Bernadette Richardson, Dorrie Smith Cleere, and Johnnie Dyer. The warrants issued will lead to arrests on charges for fraudulently claiming overtime and for hours not worked during the calendar year 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Every day, we rely on law enforcement to uphold the public’s trust. These MPD members betrayed that trust by scheming to collect unearned, undeserved income, costing the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They will be held accountable, and my office remains focused on rooting out fraud and protecting the American taxpayer.” Upon their arrests, Sheldon, Krmenec, Richardson, Cleere, Dyer, and Fulcher will be charged with first-degree fraud, first-degree theft, forgery, and uttering. According to the evidence, during the calendar year 2024, multiple MPD employees in the Fifth District submitted false claims for overtime hours or regular tour duty hours they did not work. The evidence shows these employees manipulated official records, forged supervisory approvals, and/or claimed compensation while engaged in secondary employment. Specifically, the false submissions and total amounts are: The investigation relied upon numerous independent data sources, including Body-Worn Camera footage, radio and GPS records, cell site location data, cellular toll records, license plate reader data, annual leave records, travel records, email records, network data, access logs, personnel files, and overtime documentation submitted through MPD’s Timesheet Manager Application (TMA) system. Collectively, these records demonstrated repeated and deliberate falsification of overtime submissions, and in some instances regular time submissions. The investigation identified several recurring methods used to unlawfully obtain overtime compensation. These methods included: Claiming overtime while physically outside of the District of Columbia, including during domestic and international travel. Claiming overtime while on annual leave. Forging supervisory signatures on overtime authorization forms. Using administrative positions to facilitate fraudulent overtime processing and approvals. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Morris on detail from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Waterbury Man Charged with Fentanyl Distribution and Gun Possession Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that TREVON SEYMORE, 32, of Waterbury, has been charged by indictment with fentanyl distribution and firearm possession offenses. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in March and April 2026, members of the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force made controlled purchases of fentanyl from Seymore and an associate. On July 22, 2026, investigators executed search warrants at multiple locations, including a residence on Wolcott Street in Bristol where Seymore was staying, and his vehicle. A search of Seymore’s vehicle revealed approximately 2,090 wax paper folds containing fentanyl, and a loaded .40 caliber Glock 22 pistol with an obliterated serial number. Seymore was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 22, 2026. On August 4, 2026, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Seymore with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years. Seymore appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He is released on a $150,000 bond pending trial. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The NHDO Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police, and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Lembo and Nathan Guevremont.


title: Ute Mountain Ute “Medicine Man” Sentenced To Life In Prison After Multiple Sex Assault Convictions

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lyndreth Hemp Wall, 60, a member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted on 15 counts of sexual abuse in Indian Country and abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. Wall’s crimes involved five victims, including a minor. According to the facts established at trial, Wall held himself out as a traditional Native American healer, sometimes referred to as a “medicine man.” Wall was elected to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council in 2020 and is a former school board member in Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1. Over the course of at least the past dozen years, Wall sexually exploited multiple women on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation under the guise of spiritual treatment. Wall created an elaborate ruse by using traditional elements of Ute healing to trick his victims into believing his actions were part of a healing ceremony. During his “ceremonies,” Wall isolated victims alone and touched them sexually for his own gratification. Wall told multiple victims that, if they told anyone about his sexual touching, the healing would not work. Over the course of trial, the jury heard from the five women who alleged that Wall had committed sexual abuse in Towaoc, Colorado. The jury returned guilty verdicts for abuse of all five women charged in the indictment. The jury also heard from a sixth woman who alleged Wall had sexually assaulted her in Alamosa and Lone Tree in 2020 and 2021 under a rule of evidence that permits evidence of other sexual assaults. “Claiming you are a spiritual healer and then using that position of power to sexually abuse people who come to you for help is an abhorrent crime,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “The Department of Justice will work relentlessly to take predators out of our tribal communities and put them behind bars.” “Female tribal members came to this defendant for spiritual healing. They trusted him to help them in the ways of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, of which he was a leader. Instead of helping them, he took advantage of them, a sickening betrayal that has lasting implications for the survivors of his sexual assaults,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate sexual assaults on tribal lands to identify and remove perpetrators like this one, who now faces the consequence of his treachery.” Wall also faces two separate allegations of sexual assault in Colorado state court. The charges in those pending cases are only allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing. The FBI Office in Durango, Colorado, handled the investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Towaoc, Colorado. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Josh Player and Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution. Case Number: 1:24-cr-00003-GPG-JMC


title: Former Durango Middle School Teacher Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison After Pleading Guilty To Production Of Child Pornography, Coercion And Enticement Charges

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Benjamin Smith, 30, of Durango, was sentenced to forty years in federal prison, and a lifetime of supervision after pleading guilty to a count of production of child pornography, committed against 36 victims; a count of coercion and enticement of minors, committed against 11 minors; and a count of attempted coercion and enticement of minors, committed against eight minors. In total, the defendant admitted to victimizing 37 adolescent boys in the Durango area. According to the plea agreement and facts established at sentencing, Smith, a former teacher at Escalante Middle School in Durango, posed as a 16-year-old female named “Kristin” on the social media service SnapChat under the username “MTNCHICK69.” So disguised, he reached out to adolescent boys in the Durango area, engaged them in conversation, and sent them naked photos of a young girl. He asked his targets to reciprocate, often directing them to take specific pictures of their bodies. In total, Smith was charged with producing child pornography in this manner with 36 victims. Smith also used the guise to attempt to lure the targeted adolescents into in-person sexual encounters. Smith used a disguise, props, and a structured protocol to convince the targeted adolescents that they were engaging in sexual acts with “Kristin.” Smith engaged in sexual acts with 11 adolescents; and took a substantial step to engage in sexual acts with eight other minors. Several of his victims were as young as 13-years-old; one was 12 years old. Several of the targeted adolescents had previously had Smith as a teacher at Escalante Middle School. “Those who prey on children have no place in a civil society, and I am personally grateful that this abomination is off the streets and will no longer be able to hurt our young people,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will aggressively target people who choose to commit crimes against children in Colorado, and we will make them face justice.” “Let this sentence send an unmistakable warning: predators who lurk online to manipulate, exploit and coerce children into producing sexually explicit material will be hunted down, exposed, prosecuted and held accountable to the maximum extent of the law,” said Homeland Security Investigations Denver, Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen. “HSI and our partners will be aggressively relentless in pursuing child predators. It is the mandate of the American people that we will not back down, we will not look away, and we will not stop until those who prey on children are brought to justice.” “Benjamin Smith’s sentencing illustrates the FBI’s commitment to protecting our most vulnerable citizens, our children,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “The FBI will continue to work diligently with the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute sexual predators and those who victimize children in our communities.” “Protecting children is one of our most fundamental responsibilities. In this case, investigators used technology lawfully, responsibly, and effectively to identify a prolific sex offender and stop him from victimizing more children,” said Brice Current, Durango Police Chief. “To those who prey on children: you should never assume that a screen, an app, or a false identity will keep you hidden. We will use every lawful tool available to find you, expose your actions, and hold you accountable." United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Durango Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffery K. Graves and Alecia Riewerts. Case No. 1:24-cr-00305-GPG-JMC


title: Fountain Hills Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud Schemes, Agrees to Pay Restitution to Victims

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jeremie Andrew Sowerby, 48, of Fountain Hills, Arizona, pleaded guilty earlier this month to Wire Fraud and admitted to scamming hundreds of victims through a series of investment fraud schemes spanning from 2017 through 2023. Sowerby’s plea resolves charges filed against him in three separate criminal cases. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2026, before United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich. As part of his plea, Sowerby admitted to defrauding approximately 400 victims from 2017 through 2018 in a cryptocurrency investment scheme under the guise of three entities: Now Mining, VIP Mining, and Millennium Technologies. Sowerby represented himself as a multi-level marketing promoter and defrauded victims of at least $7.5 million. Sowerby was indicted for this scheme alongside a co-defendant, Luis Ortega, against whom the charges are still pending. Sowerby also admitted to defrauding at least 150 victims through Dumanis Global Technologies from 2018 through 2019. Sowerby convinced victims to buy cryptocurrency mining machines, along with their monthly storage and power costs, but the machines did not actually exist. Victims of the Dunamis scheme suffered several million dollars in losses. Finally, Sowerby admitted to engaging in a scheme called Justice Capital from 2021 through 2023, which was marketed as a hedge fund offered only to high-income earners. Justice Capital allegedly traded using a “bot” algorithm. Through Justice Capital, Sowerby admitted to defrauding an individual out of $207,000. A conviction for Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Sowerby agreed to pay restitution of up to $30 million to victims of his schemes involving the following companies: Now Mining, VIP Mining, Millennium Technologies, Dunamis Global Technologies, SOFTEK, LLC, Justice Capital, Stealth Capital, FX Primary, Phoenix Ultra, Limitless Trading, Block Mint, Block X (BLKX), Digital Mint, 888 Management, Kannabiz Koin (KK), Kannabiz Monkeez, My Blockchain Life, My Block X, and We Sell Miners. Law enforcement is continuing to work to identify all of the victims related to these schemes. If you have not already spoken to the FBI related to this matter, and you believe you are a victim of any of the entities listed above, Sowerby, or Ortega, please fill out the questionnaire at this link . The FBI’s Phoenix Division and IRS-Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Short, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBERS: CR-23-01586-PHX-SMB CR-23-01321-PHX-SMB CR-23-01757-PHX-SMB RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-138_Sowerby # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Prolific Chinese Money Launderer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Laundering Drug Trafficking Proceeds Following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Chinese national was sentenced today in the Western District of North Carolina by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez to 15 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $25 million for his role in a Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO) that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico. “Chinese money laundering networks have become a key enabler to the Mexican cartels,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The organization eliminated by this prosecution alone laundered more than $90 million in less than two years. This emerging and enormous threat to the United States has only become more complex. As part of our mission to totally eliminate cartels, the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will investigate and prosecute all facets of cartel activity, including those groups that launder and return the money to them so that they can traffic more poison in our country and throughout the world.” “We are working hard to attack cartels on all fronts,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina. “That means attacking the money laundering networks that fuel the cartels and hide their money, making it harder to prosecute them. This is an important step in eliminating cartels — a key priority in my office.” “Today’s sentence reinforces an important principle, criminal organizations cannot operate without access to their profits,” said Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “Those who knowingly assist in concealing and legitimizing drug trafficking proceeds become an integral part of the criminal enterprise. This case demonstrates the continued commitment of the Homeland Security Task Force and our law enforcement partners to attacking these organizations at every level and holding accountable those who facilitate their operations.” According to court documents, Jianfei Lu, 31, of China, was a prolific courier of the CMLO. He collected drug trafficking proceeds from U.S.-based drug traffickers and deposited the money, using both real and fake identities, into shell company bank accounts registered by other members of the CMLO. As a courier, Lu personally picked up and deposited more than $20 million of illicit bulk cash. Lu also served as a manager for the CMLO: he coordinated directly with U.S.-based drug traffickers and dispatched other couriers to conduct bulk cash pickups and deposits. In addition, Lu procured fake driver’s licenses for the couriers, which were used to deposit illicit funds at major U.S. banks. Approximately $670,000 of U.S. currency and 12 firearms seized from a drug trafficking organization that used the CMLO for money laundering services. In July 2025, Lu pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and two counts of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. In connection to his guilty plea, Lu admitted that he had actual knowledge and involvement in laundering between $25 million and $65 million in illicit funds, and that he knew the laundered funds included drug trafficking proceeds. The DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Mingda Hang, Jayce Born, and Kenneth Kaplan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Miller and Seth Johnson for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case. MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations. MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of 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.