title: Co-Founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia Sentenced to Life in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $15 Billion in Drug Trafficking Profits

body_text: Ismael Zambada Garcia also known as El Mayo, 76, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced today to life in prison and ordered to pay $15 billion in forfeiture for his role as the principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise - the Sinaloa Cartel (the Cartel), one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world - and for his involvement in racketeering. "Today, narco-trafficker El Mayo was sentenced to life in prison, marking the end of his reign over the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and deadly drug cartels in history. He will never again inflict carnage, corrupt public officials, or traffic deadly drugs into our communities that ruin Americans and their families," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "El Mayo's conviction is historic, and it reflects the Justice Department's commitment to the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations that threaten American lives. To those who remain: we will find you, we will prosecute you, and you, too, will face substantial time in prison." "Ismael Zambada Garcia spent nearly four decades poisoning American communities to make billions of dollars in profit and ordering the murders of anyone who stood in his way. Today, that chapter closes for good," said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. "He will spend the rest of his life in a U.S. prison, exactly where he belongs. This sentence was made possible by the tireless bilateral cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement, who refused to let El Mayo's years of evading justice become a permanent state of affairs. We hope that today's sentence brings some measure of justice to the countless victims of the Sinaloa Cartel's narcotics trafficking and violence." "Ismael `El Mayo' Zambada Garcia spent nearly four decades leading a cartel that poisoned American communities, corrupted public officials, and used murder and terror to protect its power," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. "Today's life sentence ensures that his reign of violence is over for good. This result reflects years of determined work by prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida, who helped build and carry this case alongside our partners in Brooklyn, Texas, the Criminal Division, and federal law enforcement. No cartel leader is beyond the reach of American justice, and the Southern District of Florida will stay in the fight until the job is finished." "The sentencing of Zambada Garcia to life in federal prison is a landmark moment in the fight against transnational criminal organizations," said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. "This Administration has made the total elimination of cartels a national priority because Mexican drug cartels are a multifaceted threat to the American way of life. Today's sentencing is yet another example of our commitment to accomplishing that goal. The Western District of Texas is literally on the front lines of that fight, and our AUSAs and support staff will continue to wake up every day and do the next right thing on behalf of the American people just as they did in this case and so many cases like it." "Today's sentencing sends a clear message to every cartel, every foreign terrorist leader: No matter how powerful you become or how long you evade justice, DEA will not stop pursuing you," said Administrator Terrance C. "Terry" Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). "For decades, Ismael `El Mayo' Zambada García helped lead the Sinaloa Cartel - now designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization - fueling violence, corrupting public institutions, and trafficking fentanyl into the United States, where it has become a weapon of mass destruction that has claimed countless American lives. This outcome reflects the unwavering determination of DEA and our law enforcement partners, who never stopped pursuing this case. Justice does not have an expiration date, and neither does our resolve. We will continue targeting the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel and every criminal organization that threatens the American people." "Today, the United States closes the book on one of the most violent and destructive criminal figures of our time - the most prolific drug trafficker in modern history: Ismael `El Mayo' Zambada Garcia," said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). "For nearly two decades, HSI special agents and investigators interviewed countless witnesses, dissected every shred of evidence, and devoted themselves, through sleepless nights and early mornings, to making certain that 'El Mayo' and his co-conspirators would face justice on behalf of Sinaloa's victims. Through the Homeland Security Task Force framework, HSI fused its global investigative reach, financial expertise, and border authorities with the invaluable capabilities of the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, and our Department of Justice counterparts. With this sentencing, HSI, together with our invaluable HSTF partners, has taken one of the world's most dangerous criminals off the map permanently." “From its inception, the Sinaloa Cartel has proven to be one of the most significant drug trafficking organizations in the world. The cartel plagued communities across our country with corruption, the influx of narcotics, violence, and terror,” said Acting Assistant Director John R. Dozier Jr of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We are proud of our contributions and thank our partners for their efforts which led to today’s sentencing, which will force one of the Cartel’s co-founders to spend the rest of their life behind bars. We will continue to leverage everything at our disposal to protect the American people and dismantle the drug trafficking organizations causing them harm.” "El Mayo's sentencing is a testament to the dedication of dozens of law enforcement officers and attorneys who labored over this case for decades," said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Tyler of the FBI Washington Field Office. "It's also a victory for every American family who has lost a loved one to a drug overdose and every Mexican community that has lived in fear of cartel violence. In the wake of this sentencing, the FBI and our partners vow to continue to pour our collective resources into dismantling the cartel - bringing every faction leader, plaza boss, and assassin to justice." Today's sentencing is the result of a joint prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and Southern District of Florida (SDFL) and the Criminal Division's Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF). Zambada Garcia was previously charged by indictments filed in the Eastern District of New York (the EDNY/SDFL/MNF indictment), the Western District of Texas (WDTX), the District of Columbia, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of California, and the Central District of California. The EDNY/SDFL/MNF indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise from January 1989 through January 2024. The WDTX Indictment charged Zambada Garcia with, among other things, RICO conspiracy for his participation in money laundering, murder, and drug conspiracies, and violations of state law for murder and kidnapping for conduct between Jan. 1, 2000, and April 11, 2012. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Zambada Garcia agreed to the transfer of the WDTX indictment for plea and sentencing in the Eastern District of New York with the EDNY/SDFL/MNF indictment. Zambada Garcia then pleaded guilty to being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charge. Zambada Garcia's rise to power began with the Cartel's inception and ended with his arrest in July 2024. Previously known as the Mexican Federation, the Cartel is a drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, that since approximately the late 1980s has imported lethal quantities of narcotics - including, among others, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl - into the United States and laundered billions of dollars in drug proceeds back to Mexico. The Cartel's operations initially focused on cocaine distribution based on cooperative arrangements and close coordination with South American sources of supply and distribution networks. This changed in the 2000s when the Colombians, seeing increased law enforcement activity, started to abandon their U.S. distribution businesses in favor of permitting Mexican traffickers to invest in cocaine shipments at wholesale prices, which those Mexican traffickers would then distribute in the United States. As a result, Mexican traffickers and the Cartel began to take a more integral role in moving cocaine from Colombia into and throughout the United States. Under Zambada Garcia's leadership, the Cartel also recently branched out into the production and trafficking of fentanyl, including by purchasing fentanyl precursor chemicals from Chinese companies and producing many thousands of kilograms of fentanyl in laboratories both in rural areas and major cities in Mexico for distribution in the United States. The Cartel's distribution networks also have supported money laundering efforts that have delivered billions of dollars in illegal profits generated from drug sales in the United States back to the Cartel. Increased profits allowed the Cartel's operations to grow a large-scale narcotics transportation network involving the use of land, air, and sea transportation assets, which eventually led to the Cartel shipping multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, and finally into the United States. Zambada Garcia has devoted his efforts over decades to growing, increasing, and enhancing the power of the Cartel, and to growing his individual power and position in the Cartel after his partner El Chapo was captured in 2016. Under Zambada Garcia's leadership, the Cartel regularly used brutal violence, intimidation, and murder to silence potential witnesses and dissuade law enforcement from performing its duties. Zambada Garcia has operated with impunity at the highest levels of the Mexican drug trafficking world while being assured of his continued success and safety from arrest through his payment of bribes to Mexican government officials and law enforcement officers. He controlled those corrupt officials and officers who protected his workers and drug shipments as his drugs were transported across Mexico and into the United States. Numerous witnesses have testified, including at the trials of El Chapo and corrupt former Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna, that corruption at all levels was necessary to allow the Zambada Garcia's criminal enterprise to function so effectively at such a large scale: from local police officers who escorted the drugs through Mexico, to corrupt officials who informed the Cartel of military actions, thwarted capture operations, and consulted with the Cartel about proceedings and investigations against it. The DEA, HSI, and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Kirk Handrich of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit (NDDU) are leading the prosecution for the Criminal Division's Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, along with the Eastern District of New York's International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section as part of the work of EDNY's Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force and the Southern District of Florida's International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Robert M. Pollack, Adam Amir, Lauren A. Bowman, and Rebecca M. Urquiola are leading the prosecution for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Goldbarg and Monique Botero are leading the prosecution for the Southern District of Florida. The U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Northern District of Illinois, Central District of California, and Southern District of California provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Franco and Kyle Myers are leading the prosecution for the Western District of Texas. 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 NDDU investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: Brooklyn Adult Daycare Owner Sentenced to 57 Months for Medicaid Fraud Scheme

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: A Brooklyn man surrendered to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons today to begin serving 57 months in prison in connection with his leadership of a $3.2 million Medicaid fraud and illegal kickback scheme at his social adult daycare (SADC) center. The defendant was also ordered to pay almost $3.2 million in restitution and to forfeit $1.5 million in fraud proceeds. According to court documents, Eric Zhu, 29, of Brooklyn, New York, owned Prime Life Adult Day Care LLC (Prime Life). From approximately 2020 through 2025, Medicaid recipients were paid illegal cash kickbacks and bribes in exchange for enrolling with Prime Life. Between 2020 and 2025, Prime Life fraudulently billed Medicaid approximately $3.2 million for SADC services that these Medicaid recipients never received. Medicaid paid approximately $3.2 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. Zhu used multiple business entities to launder the fraud proceeds and generate the cash used to pay kickbacks and bribes to the Medicaid recipients, some of which was recovered during a search of Prime Life, as shown below. “Eric Zhu exploited vulnerable Medicaid recipients by paying them illegal cash bribes to enroll in his adult day care program, then fraudulently billed Medicaid $3.2 million for services that were never actually provided,” said Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This scheme stole millions from American taxpayers and undermined a program meant to help those in need. Today’s surrender to federal authorities shows we are holding Zhu and other fraudsters like him accountable. The Department of Justice will continue to vigorously prosecute individuals who defraud public health programs.” Cash kickbacks paid in exchange for SADC services not provided. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. for the Eastern District of New York; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York; and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), made the announcement. HHS-OIG, HSI New York, and NYPD investigated the case. Acting Assistant Chief Patrick J. Campbell and Trial Attorney Leonid Sandlar of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Seattle real estate investor sentenced to 20 months in prison for $4.7 million tax evasion scheme

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 70-year-old Seattle real estate owner was sentenced late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 months in prison for six counts of tax evasion and six counts of filing false tax returns, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Steven T. Loo was convicted following a nine-day jury trial in June and July 2025 . The jury found that Loo failed to report income of more than $4.7 million. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King imposed a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release to follow the prison term. “Mr. Loo made a sustained, willful decision to evade taxes. The only thing that explains that is greed,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “A man who amasses $43 million in wealth can afford to pay his taxes -- just like the 85% of us who pay our taxes fully and on time.” “While many small business owners strive for financial security, Mr. Loo spent years deliberately evading taxes to increase his personal wealth,” said Carrie Nordyke, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “This outcome ensures he is held accountable and required to meet his tax obligations.” According to records in the case and testimony at trial, Loo had an ownership interest in, and operated, multiple commercial real estate properties, in western Washington and California. Loo hired property management companies to manage the properties. Loo had the property management companies send profits from the properties to two bank accounts in the name of shell companies he controlled. Loo spent this money for his benefit and that of his family and friends, and also re-invested funds in various businesses he controlled. However, Loo did not declare that income -- over $4.7 million -- on his tax returns. Loo used shell companies and repeated transfers of funds to conceal the income from the IRS. At trial, the government presented evidence detailing the eight properties operated by Loo via various limited liability companies (LLCs). The income from the LLCs was funneled into bank accounts associated with two specific inactive entities that were established in Washington in 1999. Loo did not report this income to the IRS. Loo failed to inform his tax return preparer of these funds that were income from his properties. In fact, when his tax returns over a twenty-year period are viewed in totality, Loo claimed he owed no tax at all and claimed a net refund from the IRS. Prosecutors asked for a 51-month sentence saying Loo’s motivation was simple: greed. “Loo is living the American dream yet believes he has no obligation to pay the taxes that support our nation. Loo was not content with merely failing to report his income. Instead, he contrived a plan to hide his wealth from the IRS using shell companies and money-routing schemes. When Loo’s luck ran out and an IRS criminal investigator knocked on his door, he continued his deception by trotting out a fairy tale about using imaginary losses to offset his income.” In addition to the prison sentence and $250,000 fine, Judge King ordered Loo to pay prosecution expenses of about $5,300. Loo has already paid back taxes to the IRS of $1,603,686. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Dion and Sean Waite for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Regina Jeon of the Department of Justice Criminal Division.


title: Former Rhode Island resident sentenced to 15 years in prison for massive international drug smuggling attempt

body_text: Seattle –A 69-year-old former resident of Rhode Island, Texas, and Chicago, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle for three federal felonies connected to his 2021 scheme to smuggle duffle bags full of drugs across the strait bordering Washington State and Canada via watercraft, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. John Michael Sherwood was convicted in April 2026 following a six-day trial of Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. At the sentencing hearing Judge Richard A. Jones said, “What you did came across as a mad man desperate for money, willing to do anything. At the end of the day what you were doing would cause tremendous harm to thousands of individuals.” “The eight large duffel bags of methamphetamine found on the beach near Port Angeles are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this defendant’s drug smuggling,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Evidence uncovered in the case show he made multiple drug runs to the Washington/British Columbia border to connect with his coconspirator in Canada. Over five decades he racked up five federal felonies. This 15-year sentence is the result of his persistent and entrenched criminal behavior.” “A family’s shocking discovery of drugs at the beach exemplified the brazenness of Mr. Sherwood’s multiple plans to smuggle huge quantities of drugs into Canada, part of a career of criminality spanning state lines, international borders, and several decades,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “He was involved in money laundering, perjury, and plotting against cooperating defendants in a series of attempts to cover up his crimes. The FBI and our many federal, state, local, and international law enforcement partners are committed to holding subjects accountable and will continue to do so, especially those who are not deterred by the criminal justice system.” At the trial, testimony and evidence revealed that Sherwood had brought approximately 300 pounds of methamphetamine and close to a kilogram of fentanyl powder up to the Olympic Peninsula from southern California. He was attempting to use a jet ski and inflatable raft to get the drugs across the Strait to his contact on the coast of Vancouver Island. But the smuggling attempts failed. Describing the role Sherwood and his coconspirators played in the drug trade, Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi told the jurors, they were the transporters. “They are the FedEx or the UPS of the drug trafficking crew,” Lombardi said in closing arguments. On April 7, 2021, a family on a beach near Port Angeles, Washington found a partially submerged duffel bag on the beach. The family alerted law enforcement who found more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine inside the bag, as well as two pounds of fentanyl powder. Close in time, a different beachcomber discovered a partially submerged and deflated Zodiac-style raft on the beach and noted a U-Haul van coming and going from the beach area. Just days later, on April 11, 2021, a different beach walker reported another find – seven more duffel bags stashed under a bridge just up from the beach. These bags contained 252 pounds of methamphetamine. The estimated wholesale value of the drugs in Canada was about $1.5 million. The FBI was able to trace the duffel bags to Walmart and pinpointed the sale. Sherwood used his debit card to purchase the bags and was caught on surveillance making the purchases. Other evidence such as U-Haul rental records, motel registration, and storage locker records linked Sherwood to the smuggling attempt. Phone records revealed his communication with a coconspirator in Canada about the attempt to smuggle the drugs into Canada via the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This is the second time a jury has convicted Sherwood for these crimes. Following the first trial and conviction, the case team learned of and disclosed alleged misconduct on the part of a government witness, and the matter was set for a new trial in front of a different judge. The conviction is the result of an extensive investigation by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol and the Border Patrol Air and Marine Unit, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) including the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and the Sequim Police Department. The Kootenai County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office, the Montana Highway Patrol and the Livingston Montana Police Department also assisted with the investigation. 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. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vince Lombardi and Sean H. Waite.


title: Former Fall City, Washington, resident sentenced to nine years in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse

body_text: Seattle – A 27-year-old former resident of Fall City, Washington was sentenced July 16, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Seattle to nine years in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Paydan Georgy Bussey was charged federally in May 2025 following a CyberTip from the Kik platform that a had shared child sexual abuse images with another Kik user. By that time, Bussey had already been arrested in Utah for sexual assault of a child and also faces child sexual abuse charges in King County from 2024. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead placed Bussey on lifetime supervised release following his prison term. Judge Whitehead said, “A lengthy sentence is warranted to protect the public.” According to records filed in the case, as a juvenile, Bussey was convicted of child molestation of a minor under the age of 12 and was required to register as a sex offender until 2017 when he became an adult and no longer was required to register. As part of his sentence, he underwent sex offender treatment. In February 2024, Bussey was arrested by King County Sheriff Deputies for rape of a child. That charge remains pending. In October 2024, Bussey was booked into Utah County Jail for sodomy of a child. That charge also remains pending. In September 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received the CyberTip from Kik that 15 images that appeared to be child sex abuse material had been shared by a user. Law enforcement sought legal process to identify the user account and received the address information in December 2024. The Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer recognized the address from the King County investigation into child sexual abuse. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Bussey’s electronic devices and determined his laptop contained images of child sexual abuse. In asking for a 9-year prison sentence Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Harmon wrote to the court, “Mr. Bussey’s conduct in this case is particularly troubling in light of his prior convictions and that he had successfully completed treatment. This is now his second sex offense, which demonstrates his inability to conform his conduct to the law. The recommendation is appropriate in light of all the facts of this case when taken in light of his personal characteristics.” The case was investigated by the King County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a Senior King County Deputy Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute child exploitation crimes in federal court.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Adds 234 New Immigration Cases in Western District of Texas This Week

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 234 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 10 through July 16, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes, thefts, and multiple prior removals. Among the new cases, two illegal aliens were arrested as the result of a stash house disruption in El Paso on July 13. A criminal complaint alleges U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station observed Jorge Lucero-Banda , an illegal alien from Mexico, and Diogenes Silva-Orozco , an illegal alien from Nicaragua, depart and later return to an apartment that had been under investigation for alien smuggling activities. A search of Silva-Orozco’s cell phone allegedly revealed numerous videos and photos depicting illegal aliens inside a separate residence where agents later encountered 14 illegal aliens. The complaint alleges Lucero-Banda served as a caretaker at the stash house as was paid $1,000 per week. Lucero-Banda and Silva-Orozco are charged with bringing in and harboring aliens. Jorge Camacho-Olivas , an illegal alien from Mexico who has been previously deported eight times, allegedly attempted to enter the U.S. on Tuesday by eluding inspection from U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that the day after his most recent removal, CBP officers observed Camacho-Olivas moving on foot alongside a truck that was driving up to an inspection booth. He was then detained. Camacho-Olivas has a 15-year history of multiple illegal re-entry convictions and one conviction for alien smuggling. Antonio Gomez-Raygoza , also an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested after he allegedly presented a copy of his Mexican Voters Registration Card to a CBP officer at the Paso Del Norte POE and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. A system query on his name revealed Gomez-Raygoza has been removed from the U.S. six times and has been convicted for illegal re-entry, auto theft and first-degree burglary. An Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding and discovered the driver, Lester Josue Hernandez Flores , was an illegal alien from Honduras who has been previously removed from the U.S. six times. Hernandez was arrested and turned over to ICE custody. During an inventory search of Hernandez’s vehicle prior to impoundment, ACSO allegedly discovered a .45 caliber handgun with a magazine containing one round. Hernandez is now charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and, if convicted, faces up to 10 years in federal prison with a maximum $250,000 fine. Alfonso Landin Garcia , an illegal alien from Mexico, was transferred into ICE custody from the Bexar County Jail where he had been booked for evading arrest. Landin has three DUI convictions on his record and is now charged with illegal re-entry. Also an illegal alien from Mexico, Efrain Dominguez Arenas aka Juan Hernandez Ramirez was transferred into ICE custody from the Bastrop County Jail. Dominguez has been removed from the U.S. six times and has three DWI convictions. German Alejandro Contreras-Enamorado , an illegal alien from Honduras, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Contreras-Enamorado has been deported three times and was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in November 2020. Illegal alien from Cuba, Yorman Reyes-Marin aka Mikel Rodriguez Masaguer, was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Reyes-Marin was deported for the first time in October 2025 yet has a lengthy criminal record that includes multiple assault convictions, including one aggravated assault conviction, along with disorderly conduct and trespassing. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Tennessee Woman Charged with Preparing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a Memphis woman with preparing false tax returns for others and willfully failing to file her own tax returns. According to the indictment, between 2021 and 2024, Lynette Hogue prepared and filed with the IRS false and fraudulent income tax returns for clients of the tax preparation business where she worked. These tax returns allegedly contained false and fraudulent items, which generated refunds the clients were not entitled to receive. According to the indictment, Hogue willfully failed to file her own tax returns for these same years, even though she earned substantial income from her tax return preparation business and was required to file by law. Hogue is charged with 29 counts of willfully aiding and assisting the preparation and presentation of false tax returns and four counts of willfully failing to file a tax return. If convicted, she faces up to three years in prison for each false return count and one year in prison for each count of failing to file a tax return. Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement. Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd III and Matthew C. Hicks of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. ### CRM 26-806 If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.


title: Jury Convicts Springfield Man of  Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was convicted by a federal jury for possessing distributive amounts of methamphetamine on three separate occasions. Jeremy Whitcher, 45, was found guilty of three incidents of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Whitcher represented himself throughout the trial. On March 17, 2023, Whitcher was the subject of a traffic stop in Jasper County, Mo., where law enforcement located 106 grams of pure methamphetamine under his seat in the vehicle. In October 2024, investigators with the Department of Homeland Security and the Louisville, Ky., Metropolitan Police Department intercepted a parcel containing approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine that was sent from Los Angeles, Calif., to Springfield, Mo. Investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Whitcher as the individual who shipped the parcel based on surveillance footage and conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel to the address included on the parcel, which was Whitcher’s mother. Whitcher’s mother told investigators that Whitcher informed her he was going to ship a parcel to her address. On Dec. 23, 2024, Whitcher was again the subject of a traffic stop in Jasper County, Mo., where a Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator located 29 grams of pure methamphetamine in a bag belonging to Whitcher. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., returned three guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton, ending a trial that began on July 14, 2026. Under federal statutes, Whitcher is subject to a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Lucas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jasper County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office, Louisville, Kentucky, Metropolitan Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Two Colombian Nationals Extradited from Colombia to West Michigan to Face Cocaine Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that two Colombian nationals made their initial appearance in a federal court in Grand Rapids on Friday after they were extradited to the United States on Thursday. According to the indictment, from November 2024 through June 24, 2025, Carlos Andres Rueda Ipia, also known as “Indio,” and Manuel Augusto Munoz Orozco, also known as “Gordo,” conspired with each other and other individuals to distribute and import five kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, and on March 13, 2025, distributed five kilograms or more of cocaine in Colombia, having reasonable cause to believe that the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States. “We worked with our international law enforcement partners to extradite these two men to face justice here because we want to send this message: if you send drugs into our community, we will come for you no matter where you are,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey. “I look forward to proving the guilt of these two defendants before a West Michigan jury.” If convicted, Rueda Ipia and Munoz Orozco face a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison. “Let this be a warning, if you choose to traffic cocaine into the United States, you should expect to be hunted down, arrested, and brought into an American courtroom—no matter where you try to hide,” said DEA Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. “The DEA will relentlessly pursue transnational drug traffickers, dismantle their criminal enterprises, and ensure they face the full weight of the American justice system.” “Drug trafficking on this scale crosses jurisdictions and international borders, and working with our federal and international partners is necessary to hold those responsible accountable,” said Kent County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Bryan Muir. “Having a KCSO detective assigned to the DEA Task Force gives us a direct role in these investigations, improves information sharing, and helps keep dangerous drugs out of West Michigan.” The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case, with domestic assistance from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Grand Rapids Police Department, and the Michigan State Police, as well as international assistance from DEA’s Offices in Bogota (Colombia) and Vienna (Austria), the Colombian National Police, the Austrian Bundeskriminalamt, and the Austrian Landeskriminalamt. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá and Office of International Affairs worked with the government of Colombia to secure the arrest and extradition of the defendants from Colombia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan McGraw is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historical 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. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: New York Woman Indicted for Bribing Federal Official at ICE Detention Center to Release Immigration Detainees

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAFAYETTE – On July 15, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Diana Kutateladze , 37, of Brooklyn, New York, with three counts of bribery of a Louisiana public official, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(1). Kutateladze faces up to 15 years in federal prison on each count. According to court documents, on January 11, 2024, January 16, 2024, and May 28, 2024, Kutateladze allegedly offered money and other valuable items—including tequila, a $100 gift card, and $3,000 in online payments—to a public official in the Western District of Louisiana to influence his official acts. It is alleged that those offered bribes were made to influence the public official to disregard federal immigration laws and recommend the release of immigration detainees. The public official who received these bribes reported them to his supervisors, which resulted in this investigation. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Bordelon and LaDonte Murphy, with assistance from Legal Assistants Tanya Broussard and Christy Angelle. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 1:26-cr-00273-o1. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: Stash house operator convicted in smuggling for ransom scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 26-year-old Bacliff resident has been convicted of kidnapping and hostage taking as well as harboring an illegal alien and conspiracy to do so. The federal jury deliberated for about two hours before returning the guilty verdict against Cameron Jake Tucker following a three-day trial. The investigation began May 14, 2025, after authorities responded to reports of an illegal alien who had escaped a Houston stash house, without shoes, money, a cellphone, and identification, alleging he had been held against his will. At trial, the jury heard how Tucker assaulted the illegal alien with a revolver after his family could not pay additional smuggling fees, then confined him in a bedroom closet. The victim later escaped through a second-story window and led authorities to the stash house. Tucker attempted to flee by running out the back door and climbing over a fence, but authorities soon apprehended him. A search of the residence revealed four firearms, including the revolver. The defense attempted to convince the jury that the victim fabricated the events in an attempt to obtain immigration benefits, despite the fact that the victim did not receive any immigration benefits and was removed to Mexico. The jury did not believe these claims and found Tucker guilty as charged. U.S. District Judge David Hittner presided over trial and set sentencing for Oct. 15. At that time, Tucker faces up to life imprisonment in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Tucker has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Hostetter and Jay Hileman are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Final Guatemalan national extradited to U.S. admits to role in 2021 alien smuggling mass casualty event in Chiapas, Mexico

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – The last foreign national has pleaded guilty to smuggling charges related to the crash of a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. All six indicted have now admitted to their roles in a conspiracy to bring illegal aliens from Guatemala into the United States. Tomas Quino Canil, 38, Guatemala, acknowledged he conspired with other smugglers to transport illegal aliens, both adults and unaccompanied minors, from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States. Quino Canil and others recruited Guatemalan nationals, collected payments, and arranged transportation by foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor-trailers. Illegal aliens paid thousands of dollars to the conspirators to be smuggled into the United States. In some cases, the smugglers provided scripted language to unaccompanied minors for their use if U.S. immigration authorities apprehended them. During the conspiracy, on Dec. 9, 2021, Quino Canil and others arranged for more than approximately 150 aliens to board a tractor-trailer traveling through Mexico. The vehicle crashed north of the Guatemala-Mexico border near Tuxtla Guiterrez, Chiapas, Mexico, killing multiple people and seriously injuring others. “With Quino Canil's guilty plea, every member of this smuggling conspiracy has now been held accountable for one of the deadliest human smuggling tragedies in recent memory,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “These criminals packed more than 150 illegal aliens into a trailer like they were cargo. Fifty people then died at the hands of these foreign criminals. My office will continue hunting down anyone who profits from this trade in human suffering, no matter where they hide or how long it takes to bring them to American justice.” “Sadly, this preventable tragedy occurred because of these criminals’ callous disregard for the safety of men, women, and children, and our immigration laws, which resulted in serious injury and death in Chiapas, Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants exploited vulnerable people and created an atmosphere with deadly consequences, all for money. These events will be investigated and prosecuted with the full resources of the Criminal Division.” “This case stands as a stark reminder of the extreme dangers and devastating consequences caused by those who treat human lives as mere commodities,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. “The callous actions of these smugglers resulted in unimaginable loss and suffering for dozens of families. HSI will relentlessly pursue those who orchestrate and profit from such horrific crimes. The successful outcome of this case would not have been possible without the outstanding collaboration of our domestic and international law enforcement partners, whose dedication and expertise were critical in bringing these criminals to justice and protecting the most vulnerable from exploitation.” Quino Canil pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien into the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injury, and resulting in death. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has set sentencing for Oct. 6. At that time, he faces up to life in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Agapito Jorge Ventura, 34, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, 26, Daniel Zavala Ramos, 42, Josefa Quino Canil de Zavala, 44, and Alberto Macario Chitic, 33, all of Guatemala, previously pleaded guilty to the same charges. Canil De Zavala, Macario Chitic, Zavala Ramos, Zavala Quino and Quino Canil were extradited from Guatemala in 2025 to face charges. U.S. authorities arrested Ventura at his residence in Cleveland in December 2024. HSI’s Washington, D.C., Field Office conducted the investigation in partnership with HSI Guatemala and HSI Mexico. Valuable assistance was provided by HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; HSI Houston; HSI Laredo; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force; U.S. Border Patrol; Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas; and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions. Guatemalan prosecutors from the Office of Public Ministry and Mexican prosecutors from the Republic of Mexico’s Federal Prosecutions Office, with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Lou Castillo and Jennifer Day are prosecuting the case along with Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall. The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha, the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking cartels and transnational criminal organizations commit. A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s HRSP Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 419 U.S. convictions; and more than 363 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Border enforcement efforts result in nearly 200 more cases filed in the Southern District of Texas

body_text: HOUSTON – Another 199 people have been charged, including 175 illegal aliens, in 194 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from July 10-16. A total of 146 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 17 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes, and more. In addition, 28 people have been charged with human smuggling which includes 12 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and firearms charges. One of the cases includes Pablo Ramirez-Mata, a Mexican illegal alien that law enforcement allegedly discovered unlawfully in the country near Roma. The criminal complaint against him alleges he has a prior conviction for online solicitation of a minor, and authorities had just removed him April 26. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. In addition to the new cases, Saifullah Al-Mamun made his initial appearance in Laredo federal court following his extradition from Brazil. The Bangladeshi national allegedly participated in an international human smuggling conspiracy that facilitated the movement of illegal aliens through South and Central America and Mexico into the United States for financial gain. Also announced was the conviction of Jose Luis Reyes-Martinez , a previously removed illegal alien from Mexico who pleaded guilty to robbery, carjacking, brandishing a firearm, and illegal reentry. He robbed a Houston supermarket before breaking into a nearby residence, holding a family hostage at gunpoint for several hours, sexually assaulting a woman, and stealing the family’s vehicle. Authorities had previously removed Reyes-Martinez from the United States in 2012 before later discovering him illegally in Houston. Two more illegal aliens were sentenced for illegal reentry after unlawfully returning to the United States. Nelson Alberto Fajardo , a Honduran illegal alien, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after the court heard evidence of his criminal history, including convictions for burglary, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a firearm, and shooting his girlfriend’s estranged husband. Mexican illegal alien Juan Francisco Juarez-Rodriguez received a 57-month-term of imprisonment after repeatedly returning to the United States following his first removal in 1999 and accumulating convictions for offenses including burglary, drug charges, carrying a concealed weapon, battery, and another previous illegal reentry. The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: TWO CIVIL COMPLAINTS FILED IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI AS PART OF NATIONAL HEALTH CARE FRAUD TAKEDOWN

component: Department of Justice

body_text: United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi announces the filing of two civil enforcement actions against four defendants seeking civil and monetary penalties for their violations of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention Control Action of 1970 (“Controlled Substances Act” or “CSA”). The two civil complaints filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. “These cases demonstrate that we will hold accountable those who exploit the rules implemented to protect against the diversion of opioids,” said U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger. “Our office is committed to working with state and federal law enforcement partners to prosecute those who contribute to prescription drug abuse and health care fraud.” The charges announced by U.S. Attorney Kruger are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: charges in 56 federal districts and involving 45 U.S. states and territories, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a $1.2 billion telemedicine scheme. Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; seize over $182 million in cash, houses, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and provide full spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms. The Southern District of Mississippi, in particular, worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate and pursue these cases filed during the Takedown: According to the filed civil complaint, defendant Clint’s Pharmacy, formerly owned and operated by defendant Clint Bane, located in Brookhaven, Mississippi, could not account for 11,853 controlled substance pills following on-site regulatory inspections. Each unaccounted pill constitutes a CSA recordkeeping violation. The United States alleges two claims: (1) refusal to comply with CSA record-keeping requirements, which carries a penalty of up to $19,246 for each violation and (2) unlawful dispensing of a controlled substance, which carries a penalty of up to $82,950 for each violation. This case is being handled by James E. Graves, III of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. The United States alleges in a second complaint, that defendant Rommel Asagwara, age 42, of Kansas City, Missouri, and owner of Lemmor Holdings, LLC d/b/a Dream Weight Clinic, negligently dispensed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice. As alleged in the complaint, Asagwara, while operating Dream Weight Clinic, failed to keep controlled substances at the registered location and failed to maintain adequate records and inventory of over 433,000 controlled substances. The United States is seeking over $8 billion for each of the 433,000 unaccounted for pills and other CSA violations. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha Middleton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s National Health Care Fraud Takedown are available on the Department’s website here . An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: THIRD GEORGIA MAN SENTENCED FOR PHARMACY BURGLARY AND POSSESION OF STOLEN FIREARMS

body_text: Gulfport, MS – On July 16, 2026, a Riverdale, Georgia man was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for his role in a pharmacy burglary and possession of stolen firearms. According to documents and information presented to the court, Brian Garland, 35, and his two co-defendants, Glenn McDowell and Octavious Franklin, traveled from Georgia to Biloxi, Mississippi, where two of them broke into a pharmacy and stole multiple types of controlled substances, while the third acted as the getaway driver. In addition, they stole several firearms from the pharmacy before traveling back to Georgia. Garland and his co-defendants were ultimately identified by law enforcement because in addition to the controlled substances and firearms, the defendants stole an old wallet belonging to the pharmacy owner. While on their way back to Georgia, Garland and his co-defendants attempted to use the pharmacy owner’s bank/credit cards to purchase gas at a gas station in Alabama. But, the cards did not work. Instead, they used one of Garland’s debit cards and then discarded the pharmacy owner’s wallet. A good Samaritan found the pharmacy owner’s wallet, contacted the pharmacy owner, and made sure the wallet was returned to him. Within the wallet, the pharmacy owner found Garland’s debit card. Surveillance footage from the gas station allowed law enforcement to identify Garland and his co-defendants. The footage also tied them to the pharmacy burglary based on their clothing. Finally, law enforcement officers were able to obtain electronic evidence from multiple cell phones that tied all of the defendants to the offenses. McDowell was previously sentenced to 169 months imprisonment. Franklin was also sentenced to 169 months imprisonment. All the Defendants were also ordered to pay over $80,000.00 in restitution to the victims of the offense. U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge, John Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Biloxi Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to SNAP Benefits Fraud

body_text: Hattiesburg, MS – A Jackson man pleaded guilty on July 15 th in federal court to stealing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits intended for low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford nutritious food. According to court documents and statements made in court, Aljordan Cannon, 28, unlawfully acquired and used $16,968.72 in SNAP benefits from August 12, 2023, to November 19, 2023. Cannon obtained the benefits from his girlfriend, Jarane Bines, who was at the relevant time a Customer Service Representative for Conduent. Conduent plays a key role in EBT processing by partnering directly with state governments to manage the distribution of benefits such as SNAP. Bines used her position with Conduent to access and obtain SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits belonging to recipients throughout the United States without authorization. SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federally funded, national benefit program to help qualifying low- and middle-income families buy food, thus reducing hunger. TANF benefits are intended for low-income families with children under the age of 18. Cannon pleaded guilty to Food Stamp Fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Bines pleaded guilty to Food Stamp Fraud on January 23, 2026, and was sentenced on April 30, 2026, to four years’ probation with 120 days home detention with electronic monitoring. Bines was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $39,208.53. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and United States Department of Agriculture Inspector General John Walk made the announcement. The United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Granite City Man Sentenced to 175 Months for Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Assault

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Granite City man to 175 months of federal imprisonment after he admitted to driving a minor across state lines and committing criminal sexual assault. Jeremy Wallace, 39, formerly of Granite City, pleaded guilty in June to one count of Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. According to court documents, Wallace admitted that in April 2022 he drove to Missouri to pick up the minor victim. Wallace then drove the victim to his residence in Granite City and sexually assaulted the minor victim. At the time of the assault, the victim was 16 years old. Following imprisonment, Wallace will serve 5 years on supervised release. “Thirty-nine-year-old men who sexually assault underage girls should expect to face the full weight of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. Wallace is currently charged with two criminal cases in Madison County, Illinois for charges involving firearms and criminal sexual assault. The district court ordered Wallace’s 175-month federal sentence to run concurrently with any term of imprisonment imposed in Wallace’s pending criminal sexual assault case, and consecutively with any term of imprisonment imposed in Wallace’s pending firearms case. Indictments are merely formal charges against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. Granite City Police Department led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Reppert prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Collinsville Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation in Nepal

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Collinsville man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in Nepal. According to court documents, Kenneth Joseph Coombs, 58, traveled from the United States to Nepal in August 2016 and sexually abused eight different children while staying at a hotel in that country between August and September of that year. Coombs used a combination of force, involuntary intoxication, and payments to the children to commit the sex acts. Coombs also took photos of some of the children engaged in the sexually explicit conduct he directed. Those photos were recovered from his electronic devices by law enforcement. At the time Coombs committed these offenses, he was required to register as a sex offender based on having a qualifying prior sex offense conviction in the state of Missouri. Upon his return to the United States from Nepal, Coombs was arrested by U.S. law enforcement in September 2025. He has been held in custody since that time. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft of the Southern District of Illinois and Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley of the FBI Springfield Field Office made the announcement. “Our prosecutors and agents literally travelled across the globe to find witnesses and hunt down this child predator because no one who harms children can escape American justice,” said United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. FBI Springfield is investigating the case and received substantial assistance from the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal, U.S. Embassy Nepal, FBI LEGAT Qatar, FBI LEGAT India, FBI Chicago, Collinsville Police Department, Customs and Border Protection O’Hare International Airport, Kathmandu District Attorney’s Office, and the Nepali NGO Naya Paila. “Coombs’ conduct was predatory, deliberate, and devastating, and today’s guilty plea brings long‑overdue accountability for the children he harmed. Cases like this demand an unflinching response, and that is exactly what this investigation brought," said FBI Springfield Field Office’s Special Agent in Charge, Ryan Presley. “When a child is targeted, whether here or on the other side of the world, the FBI will push every boundary, work every lead, and coordinate with any partner necessary to ensure the offender is brought before the justice system. I want to recognize the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal and our federal partners, whose commitment and cooperation were indispensable throughout this case. Their work, combined with the dedication of our agents, underscores a simple truth: those who exploit children will be pursued until the job is done.” Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly S. Arshi for the Southern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28 at 1:30 PM in the East St. Louis Courthouse. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Des Moines Woman Sent to Federal Prison for Submitting Fraudulent Unemployment Claims

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines woman was sentenced on July 16, 2026 to 12 months and 1 day in prison and ordered to pay nearly $30,000 in restitution for wire fraud. According to public court documents, from March 2020 to December 2020, Victoria Tomeatre Green, 29, used her position as a contract employee of Iowa Workforce Development to fraudulently obtain $29,459.03 in unemployment benefits. Green submitted 25 false benefit claims under her name, and another 27 false benefit claims improperly using the means of identification of another. After completing her term of imprisonment, Green will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Green was also ordered to pay $29,459.03 in restitution. “By exploiting the identities of innocent individuals, Green brazenly stole funds intended to support unemployed American workers. Her guilty plea and sentencing reaffirm our unwavering commitment to pursuing fraud and holding every bad actor accountable,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “If you attempt to defraud the system—whether by stealing identities or abusing public trust—we will track you down and ensure you face the full consequences.” United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Lubben.


title: Des Moines Man Convicted of Wire Fraud

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal jury in Des Moines convicted a Des Moines man yesterday for 11 counts of wire fraud, following a four-day trial. According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Martin James Tirrell, 65, ran a scheme to defraud multiple individuals between February 2024 and January 2025. Tirrell’s scheme involved obtaining money from individuals that he claimed would be used to buy tickets to high-demand sports and concert events and resold at a profit. Instead, Tirrell used most of the funds for gambling and personal expenses, repaying loans, and paying other investors for earlier payments. In total, investors provided Tirrell several million dollars and the victim investors sustained a combined loss exceeding $1.5 million. Tirrell was on federal supervised release for a 2019 mail fraud conviction. Tirrell was released from his 41-month prison sentence in January 2023. A date for sentencing has not yet been set. Tirrell faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Kerndt and Joseph Lubben prosecuted the case.


title: Significant federal prison sentences handed down for drug- and firearm-related charges

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

body_text: SAVANNAH, Georgia: Three Savannah men have been sentenced to prison following firearm- and drug-related plea agreements. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include: Lafayette Wright Jr. , 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 190 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin. Court documents and testimony show that in June 2024, Wright attempted to mail a package through the U.S. Postal Service which contained 1,988 grams of heroin. U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted the package in transit from Phoenix to Port Wentworth, Georgia. During the investigation, fingerprints were discovered within the package and still-photo images identified Wright as the individual who mailed the package. Aquille Omar Johnson , 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and a $1,200 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. In March 2024, Savannah Police attempted to execute a search warrant of Johnson’s residence along with an arrest warrant for Johnson when he fled and attempted to discard a Glock .40 caliber pistol. The search warrant resulted in the discovery of another firearm, a Bonito 12-gauge shotgun along with multiple rounds of ammunition, as well as 448 grams of cocaine in the defendant’s room at his residence. James Adkins , 28, of Savannah, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and a $1,200 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In July 2025, Savannah Police responded to a shoplifting call at a Savannah-area Kroger supermarket and approached the defendant as the person matching the description provided by witnesses. Adkins attempted to flee and during the foot pursuit discarded a Ruger 9 mm pistol before surrendering to law enforcement officers. There is no parole in the federal system. Under federal law, it is prohibited for previously convicted felons to possess firearms or ammunition. “These sentences demonstrate the commitment this office and our law enforcement partners take to safeguard our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Drugs and guns are a threat to neighborhoods far and wide; and those who endanger the public will face significant consequences for their crimes.” The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Savannah Police Department assisted in the investigation of these cases. These cases were prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson, John P. Harper III, Ryan E. Bondura, L. Alexander Hamner, and Makeia R. Jonese.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 111 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 111 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On July 11, Saul Castro Valenzuela was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Castro Valenzuela was the captain of a white sport fishing vessel that was transporting 21 undocumented aliens. The vessel was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard as it entered Mission Bay. Sixteen of the passengers had previously been ordered removed from the United States and were arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. On July 12, Salvador Lopez Chee, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 131 pounds of cocaine in the walls of his Ford F-150 truck when he applied for entry into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On July 15, Hector Bejerano-Bejerano (aka Bejarano-Bejarano), a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents encountered the defendant 2.5 miles north of the border and 5 miles west of the Tecate Port of Entry. Bejerano-Bejerano has three prior felony immigration convictions. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for 28-Year Identity Theft Scheme

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Marco Antonio Lopez Gutierrez, an illegal alien residing in Lancaster, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for a decades-long aggravated identity fraud scheme. The defendant’s crimes involved an elaborate and extensive identity theft scheme that spanned approximately 28 years while living in three separate states. Gutierrez used the victim’s Puerto Rican birth certificate and social security number to obtain a U.S. Passport, multiple state drivers licenses, credit cards and even an FHA loan all under the victim’s information. In the mid-1990s the defendant was convicted of fraud, larceny, and assault and served time in a North Carolina state prison under the victim’s identity. Gutierrez’s victim estimated that he spent thousands of hours contacting banks, law enforcement, and creditors before Gutierrez’s arrest trying to clear his name and establish that he was a victim and not a debtor. Gutierrez’s scheme negatively affected his victim’s ability to borrow from financial institutions, prevented his victim from obtaining a state driver’s license, because one was already issued in his name, and Gutierrez caused his victim, a United States citizen, to be questioned by law enforcement on at least two occasions after Gutierrez falsely reported to the police that Gutierrez was the identity theft victim and that the victim had stolen his identity. After Gutierrez was arrested on federal charges, he lied to the presiding United States Magistrate, and the United States Probation Office, about his identity, so that he could obtain appointed counsel at the taxpayer’s expense under the victim’s identity. U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Gutierrez to 48 months’ imprisonment. The Court also ordered Gutierrez to pay $79,010.44 in restitution to the victim of his crimes. Following his incarceration, he will be deported. The case was investigated by the U.S. Diplomatic Security Services and the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry B. McTigue prosecuted the case. ###


title: Federal Jury Convicts Duncan Credit Repair Operator for Wire Fraud and Credit Card Fraud

body_text: SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Joseph F. Wallace, 51, of Duncan, has been convicted by a federal jury following four days of trial. Wallace was found guilty on nine counts of wire fraud and one count of credit card fraud. Evidence introduced at trial showed that Wallace marketed himself as “a self-made serial entrepreneur leading multiple business entities and living the American Dream in Upstate, South Carolina.” He owned and operated YMA Financial through which he offered various services such as credit repair, business planning, and establishment of business credit. Beginning in late 2022, Wallace overextended himself in his pursuit of other business endeavors and he needed substantial infusions of cash to pay back previous clients. This precarious financial situation led Wallace to make misrepresentations to new clients and to withhold material information. Wallace would direct clients to obtain various credit cards in aid of establishing the clients’ business credit. To ensure the clients qualified for the new cards, Wallace often directed them to provide false information to the credit card companies. The clients followed the instructions without questioning him because of his claimed expertise and involvement in community organizations. Wallace would then obtain large cash advances on the new credit cards and the clients’ existing credit cards. (Some of the advances were made with the clients’ permission, others were not.) Wallace explained to clients that he would pay off the newly acquired balances within 30 days. By paying off the advances promptly, Wallace told clients that this would demonstrate to creditors the clients’ trustworthiness and thus boost their credit scores and borrowing potential. However, when the credit card bills came due, Wallace did not pay the balances in full as he had promised. Often Wallace would pay the minimum due or nothing at all. He provided the victims with multiple excuses. The victims later learned that Wallace had used the credit card advances to pay other debts or to make purchases for other businesses. In total, Wallace stole more than $971,051.44 from the affected clients. “Fraud is not a victimless crime,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “It undermines trust, devastates families, and steals from hardworking people who have done nothing wrong. Our office is committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who exploit others for financial gain. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and protect our communities from these serious crimes.” Wallace faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. U.S. District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr. presided over the trial and will sentence Wallace after receiving and reviewed a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to More than 16 years in Federal Prison for Drug Distribution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Johnny Lee Dickerson, 45, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal drug trafficking offense involving methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. According to the facts presented in court, the Columbia Police Department and long with the DEA, launched an investigation identifying Dickerson as a supplier of multiple controlled substances in Columbia and Lexington County. Between February and June 2024, Dickerson sold approximately 453.6 grams of methamphetamine to confidential informants and undercover officers. At the sentencing hearing, Dickerson was held responsible for approximately 3,906 grams of cocaine, 56.7 grams of crack cocaine, 453.6 grams of methamphetamine, and 43 grams of marijuana. Dickerson has prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute within proximity of a school, criminal domestic violence, and distribution of crack cocaine. Based on his prior controlled substance convictions, he was designated a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Dickerson to 200 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, City of Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.


title: Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling and Selling Misbranded Erectile Dysfunction and Prescription Drugs

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Henderson, Nevada, man pleaded guilty today to smuggling misbranded prescription drugs containing sildenafil and tadalafil into the United States from India and selling them to stores in Nevada and elsewhere. According to court documents and statements made in court, David Ralph Webber owned and operated Passion Plus Enterprises Inc. and Whole Science Health. He was not a registered pharmaceutical manufacturer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nor was he licensed to administer prescription drugs or to be a wholesaler of prescription drugs. Webber admitted that from at least 2018 to present he used his companies to import hundreds of thousands of misbranded prescription drug capsules and tablets containing sildenafil, sildenafil citrate, and tadalafil — the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis — into the United States. The prescription drugs were manufactured in India at facilities that were not registered with the FDA. To evade customs detection and enforcement, Webber falsely declared that the wire transfers to the manufacturers were for business management consultancy services. He paid a packaging company to falsely label the capsules “Ride,” “Kinky Kong,” “Stif,” “TBone,” and “Kinky Pink”; to list false ingredients; and to falsely claim that the drugs were “100% Natural” and did not require a prescription. Webber then sold the misbranded prescription drugs to smoke shops, convenience stores, and adult novelty stores in Nevada and elsewhere throughout the southwestern United States. He also sold them online to consumers through a website he operated. In total, he made more than $1.9 million in revenue from his sales of misbranded prescription drugs. Webber pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with one count of introduction of a misbranded drug into interstate commerce and one count of mail fraud. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 19, 2026, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. He faces the maximum statutory penalty of 23 years in custody. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Phoenix Division made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FDA and USPIS. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Kimberly Frayn are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Santa Fe Woman Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Prison for Embezzling from Her Employer

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Fe woman was sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Santa Fe electrical company. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, from approximately May 2017 through April 2020, Charity Felch , 48, embezzled at least $385,930 from her employer, Rodeo Electrical Services, by fraudulently paying herself and her husband, using company funds for personal expenses, and concealing the theft through fraudulent financial transactions. Felch also engaged in bank fraud by tendering fraudulent checks and committed aggravated identity theft and access device fraud by using another person's identifying information and financial accounts without authorization. Felch exploited a position of trust granted by the owner of Rodeo Electrical Services, who had provided her employment and housing. The scheme nearly drove the company into financial ruin, delayed the victim's retirement plans, and caused significant financial, emotional, and physical hardship. After pleading guilty to five counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of access device fraud, Felch continued to engage in deceptive conduct while on pretrial release. Court records show she repeatedly provided false information about her employment to Pretrial Services, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Court. A federal judge found her testimony regarding her employment history not credible and concluded that she had provided false information to supervising officers over an extended period. Felch was sentenced to 111 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $385,930.19 in restitution to the victim. In imposing the 111-month sentence, which was at the top of the advisory guideline range, the Court cited the seriousness of Felch 's conduct and the need to deter others from committing similar fraud offenses. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Office Fred J. Federici prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office brought a separate civil forfeiture action on April 15, 2022, seeking to forfeit assets seized in November 2021. Litigation in the civil proceedings is ongoing.