{"metadata":{"responseInfo":{"status":200},"resultset":{"count":"461","pagesize":"50","page":0},"executionTime":0.87973880767822266},"results":[{"attachment":[{"file":{"id":"1464931","resource":"file","uuid":"00f1e7a7-67b3-4dd0-b77a-2e674e51800f"},"alt":"Image of Charisma and Darlene Vidal sitting in a room ","title":""}],"body":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022align-center entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--s04 entity-image-1464931\u0022\u003E\n  \n      \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field__item img_wrp\u0022\u003E  \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/d04\/public\/2026-10\/vidal_mom_and_daughter_0.jpg?itok=3HTAc63c\u0022 width=\u0022400\u0022 height=\u0022225\u0022 alt=\u0022Image of Charisma and Darlene Vidal sitting in a room \u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2013 A federal jury has convicted a Lubbock woman of transporting an illegal alien through South Texas, while her mother previously pleaded guilty to the same offense.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe jury deliberated for approximately two hours before returning the guilty verdict against Charisma Vidal, 22, following a two\u2011day trial. Her mother, Darlene Vidal, 45, pleaded guilty prior to trial.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn June 30, Darlene Vidal drove a Dodge Caravan to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint with Charisma Vidal was the passenger.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt trial, the jury heard that during initial inspection, authorities noticed blankets covering the third-row seats and discovered an illegal alien concealed beneath them. Authorities determined he was a Mexican citizen without lawful immigration status in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETestimony revealed the women picked up the illegal alien from a house near McAllen earlier that day before stopping for gas and continuing toward the checkpoint. Before arriving, he hid beneath blankets in the back seat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe defense attempted to convince the jury that Charisma Vidal believed her mother had picked up the illegal alien as part of her rideshare work and that she did not know he was unlawfully present in the United States.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the jury saw cellphone evidence indicating he had paid Darlene Vidal for the trip and heard that the mother and daughter had traveled from Lubbock, spent the night in their van, and remained in McAllen for less than a day. The jury rejected the defense and found Charisma Vidal guilty as charged.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for Jan. 20, 2027. At that time, the Charisma Vidal faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. She was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECustoms and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Young Min Burkett and Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-10-08T09:41:00-04:00\u0022\u003E1791466860\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"9df3ecc7-70b1-4129-a052-089bce8b2ba2","name":"USAO - Texas, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-10-08T09:12:34-04:00\u0022\u003E1791465154\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1791460800","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EA federal jury has convicted a Lubbock woman of transporting an illegal alien through South Texas, while her mother previously pleaded guilty to the same offense\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother and daughter guilty of transporting illegal alien through South Texas","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdtx\/pr\/mother-and-daughter-guilty-transporting-illegal-alien-through-south-texas","uuid":"ade4057e-f5a1-401d-bd11-53eb7d6ed604"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EWASHINGTON -- Today, the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the results of a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in the Social Security Administration (SSA)\u2019s benefits programs, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EBetween Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, the Fraud Division and U.S. Attorneys in 11 districts, along with the assistance of the SSA Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), brought charges against 17 defendants who are allegedly responsible for more than $1.3 million in intended loss to the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Social Security Administration\u2019s benefits programs are meant to safeguard America\u2019s elderly and most vulnerable \u2014 not to bankroll fraudsters,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division. \u201cEvery dollar stolen is a dollar taken from a retiree\u2019s medicine, meals, or housing. These cases represent just a fraction of the fraud we are aggressively pursuing every day. The egregious facts uncovered in these cases underscore why our mission to combat fraud \u2014 large or small \u2014 is vital to protecting public trust and ensuring justice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cPresident Trump and Vice President Vance have given the federal government an unprecedented mandate \u2014 and the tools and resources to back it up \u2014 to find fraud wherever it exists and root it out,\u201d said Commissioner Frank Bisignano of the Social Security Administration. \u201cAt Social Security, we are putting that mandate into action. Working hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice, we are aggressively pursuing fraud, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and protecting Social Security.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cFraud involving Social Security\u2019s retirement and disability programs will not be tolerated. Thanks to OIG\u2019s partnership with the Department of Justice, those targeting taxpayer dollars and jeopardizing our most vulnerable populations will be held accountable,\u201d said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant at SSA OIG. \u201cThese cases demonstrate the value of focusing resources to identify and prosecuting fraud schemes to ensure taxpayers dollars are paid only to those who are rightfully entitled.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENotable Cases (Intended Loss Figures):\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003EU.S. v. Eva Bratcher\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E (Indictment) \u2013 $21,402 \u2013 Northern District of Illinois\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/u\u003E \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EBratcher allegedly concealed her mother\u2019s body in a deep freezer in her garage for two years. During those two years, Bratcher assumed her mother\u2019s identity, collected her mother\u2019s SSA benefits, and used her mother\u2019s SNAP benefits. The defendant also allegedly used an alternative Social Security Number to steal additional SNAP benefits to which she was not entitled.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges\u003C\/strong\u003E: 18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S. Code \u00a7 408 (Fraud, Misrepresentation, or misuse of Social Security Benefits)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E10 years; 5 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Gardner-Erickson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani for the Northern District of Illinois. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Tomlinson for Northern District of Illinois. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003EU.S. v. David Darling\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E (Indictment) \u2013 $ 109,746 \u2013\u0026nbsp;Northern District of New York\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EDarling had control of his deceased brother\u2019s ATM card and began withdrawing money the day after death. SSA was unaware of the death and continued to pay into the account. Darling continued his scheme for a total of $109,746 in stolen social security benefits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E18 U.S. Code \u00a7 1029 (Access Device Fraud); 18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property); 18 U.S. Code \u00a7 1028A (Aggravated Identify Theft)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E15 years; 10 years; 2-year mandatory minimum in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arne Soldwedel for the Northern District of New York. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Clark for the Northern District of New York. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003EU.S. v. Debra Reed\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E (Indictment) \u2013 $ 59,070 \u2013 Western District of Pennsylvania\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EOn Nov. 23, 2020, Debra Reed\u2019s father died. Between Nov. 24, 2020, and Oct. 26, 2023, the Social Security Administration continued to pay social security retirement payments to the father\u2019s account, and Reed either personally stole the money or caused her daughter to take the money and transfer it to her directly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E10 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna for the Western District of Pennsylvania. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003EU.S. v. Laura Whisenant\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E \u2013 $ 121, 980 \u2013 Eastern District of Michigan (Complaint)\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ELaura Whisenant served as a representative payee for her elderly, mentally disabled uncle.\u0026nbsp; For seven years, she stole and misused nearly $121 K of her uncle\u2019s SSA benefits \u2014 all while he lived in squalor, in a house without running water, electricity, or heat.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E42 U.S.C. \u00a7 408(a)(5)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E5 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003EU.S. v. Keshaune Pace also known as Keshaune Jenkins \u2013 Southeast Michigan (Complaint)\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EKeshaune Pace served as representative payee for her minor son, who was a recipient of SSI benefits due to disability. In order to maintain the receipt of her son\u2019s benefits after he left her custody, she lied to the SSA about her son\u2019s living arrangements, going so far as to have another person impersonate her son during an SSA-initiated review. Pace stole and misused $30,000 of the benefits paid on behalf of her son; $6,000 of those benefits should have been used for her son\u2019s needs and were not, $24,000 should have been paid to no one at all.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S.C. \u00a7 1383a(a)(4) (Social Security Representative Payee Fraud)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u003C\/strong\u003E 10 years; 5 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAdditional Charges During SSA Surge:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e77c822c1b032b8fb367778b5a47c92c1\u0022\u003EUnited States v. Tammy Phillips - $65,000 \u2013 Western District of Pennsylvania\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e9a7e11ec9accfd52e28239279813e8a0\u0022\u003EUnited States v. Israel Gonzalez - $139,952 \u2013 Western District of North Carolina\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e8a1b4f21d85c938a6201a5eed10f4778\u0022\u003EUnited States vs. John Zaccaria - $143,685 \u2013 District of Rhode Island\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ef69464d99a4226ac75a78ecec6304725\u0022\u003EUnited States v. Sherry Freude - $100,845 \u2013 Southern District of Texas\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022efa04152c0813c03bda78e173f67428d8\u0022\u003EUnited States v. Lisa Martinez\u0026nbsp;- $50,501 \u2013 Western District of Texas\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e6f49f748c69cf3be67134541350703fd\u0022\u003EUnited States v. Stacey L. Stoudermire - $31,237 \u2013 Northern District of Ohio\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3d50deeec5865a92a133c158c9de3e61\u0022\u003EUnited States vs. Ruthie M. Lewis - $33,131 \u2013 Northern District of Ohio\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e13ce2572533a8d64a009ab58db5afa1b\u0022\u003EUnited States vs. Lizbeth A. Reinhard - $170,166 \u2013 Northern District of Ohio\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e01fcdec05915b27c31f3e7412248642b\u0022\u003EUnited States vs. Carrie Miller - $50,658 \u2013 District of Idaho\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e6b1eebf361d8c86152a1667d2c7a19d8\u0022\u003EUnited States vs. Calandra Davis - $53,234 \u2013 Northern District of Indiana\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3b911dece0ef57f3de4c563f453253e7\u0022\u003EUnited States v. Tammy Hopkins - $98,879 \u2013 Eastern District of Michigan\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e4ddea82c202c7c3b705faf31ed1a1930\u0022\u003EUnited States v. Darlette Williams - $46,844 \u2013 Eastern District of Michigan\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EU.S. Attorney Partners: District of Idaho, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of New York, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, Western District of North Carolina, Western District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Texas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EOn 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\u2019s work to combat fraud supports President Trump\u2019s 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.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-29T16:14:18-04:00\u0022\u003E1790712858\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"d50b78df-a13b-4519-9b32-00aae6e21409","name":"National Fraud Enforcement Division"},{"uuid":"f157cfe4-d5d0-4d1a-89c7-48047a07005f","name":"USAO - Illinois, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-29T16:11:38-04:00\u0022\u003E1790712698\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790683200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"DOJ\u2019s Fraud Division Uncovers $1.34M in Stolen Social Security Benefits in One-Month Takedown, Including Illinois Fraudster Who Allegedly Hid Deceased Mother in Garage Freezer","topic":[{"uuid":"32b4d47b-2142-420c-9aae-28f7bf2c86d4","name":"Fraud"},{"uuid":"49a56700-51fc-458e-8f05-a423079c287b","name":"Benefit Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndil\/pr\/dojs-fraud-division-uncovers-134m-stolen-social-security-benefits-one-month-takedown","uuid":"25c5727d-5832-4106-a07a-dfb7759a65c2"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETULSA, Okla. \u2013 A Collinsville man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for coercing a preteen into sexually explicit acts, and the child\u2019s mother received more than 17 years for knowingly failing to protect her children and allowing the abuser continued access to her home and family, announced U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese sentences reflect the serious harm these defendants inflicted on vulnerable children and the grave breach of trust involved,\u201d said United States Attorney Christopher J. Nassar. \u201cOur office will continue to pursue those who exploit children and those who knowingly allow that exploitation, and we remain grateful to our law enforcement partners for their diligent work in bringing these offenders to justice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Jesse Lane Mitchell, 36, for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor after he admitted persuading a 10- to 12-year-old child known to him to engage in sexually explicit activity. Mitchell will serve 360 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and must register as a sex offender upon release.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn August 2024, Collinsville Police responded to a call involving a 12-year-old with multiple red marks on their neck that appeared to be hickeys from an adult male. Officers learned that Mitchell fled the home when he knew police had been contacted and that he had been living with and caring for his girlfriend\u2019s three minor children. At the time, the mother was incarcerated on unrelated charges, leaving Mitchell as the only adult residing in the home with the children. Law enforcement reviewed messages across multiple social media platforms and found alarming communications between Mitchell and the child.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe investigation revealed that Mitchell groomed and coerced the child into sexually explicit acts. Investigators also found that the child\u2019s mother, Jacklyn Paige Roberts, was aware of the abuse and allowed Mitchell continued access to all three children by permitting him to live in the home, even after learning he was sexually abusing her preteen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn her plea agreement, Roberts, 34, admitted she knew Mitchell was sexually abusing her child and failed to protect her children from ongoing harm. She pleaded guilty to Child Neglect in Indian Country and received a sentence of 210 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERoberts, a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, and Mitchell have remained in custody since 2024. They do not have access to the minor children and will be transferred to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHomeland Security Investigations and the Collinsville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-29T10:25:08-04:00\u0022\u003E1790691908\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"55929f4b-7f27-4550-a43e-46621532d901","name":"USAO - Oklahoma, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-29T10:24:32-04:00\u0022\u003E1790691872\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790596800","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ETULSA, Okla. \u2013 A Collinsville man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for coercing a preteen into sexually explicit acts, and the child\u2019s mother received more than 17 years for knowingly failing to protect her children and allowing the abuser continued access to her home and family, announced U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Collinsville Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of Preteen; Mother Imprisoned for Allowing Access to Children","topic":[{"uuid":"24d5ff01-2591-4b4a-9d78-66db50247093","name":"Project Safe Childhood"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndok\/pr\/collinsville-man-sentenced-sexual-abuse-preteen-mother-imprisoned-allowing-access","uuid":"1d4c73cb-17ec-4871-aa16-9edf4621baa1"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EToday, the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the results of a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in the Social Security Administration (SSA)\u2019s benefits programs, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBetween Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, the Fraud Division and U.S. Attorneys in 11 districts, along with the assistance of the SSA Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), brought charges against 17 defendants who are allegedly responsible for more than $1.3 million in intended loss to the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Social Security Administration\u2019s benefits programs are meant to safeguard America\u2019s elderly and most vulnerable \u2014 not to bankroll fraudsters,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division. \u201cEvery dollar stolen is a dollar taken from a retiree\u2019s medicine, meals, or housing. These cases represent just a fraction of the fraud we are aggressively pursuing every day. The egregious facts uncovered in these cases underscore why our mission to combat fraud \u2014 large or small \u2014 is vital to protecting public trust and ensuring justice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPresident Trump and Vice President Vance have given the federal government an unprecedented mandate \u2014 and the tools and resources to back it up \u2014 to find fraud wherever it exists and root it out,\u201d said Commissioner Frank Bisignano of the Social Security Administration. \u201cAt Social Security, we are putting that mandate into action. Working hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice, we are aggressively pursuing fraud, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and protecting Social Security.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFraud involving Social Security\u2019s retirement and disability programs will not be tolerated. Thanks to OIG\u2019s partnership with the Department of Justice, those targeting taxpayer dollars and jeopardizing our most vulnerable populations will be held accountable,\u201d said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant at SSA OIG. \u201cThese cases demonstrate the value of focusing resources to identify and prosecuting fraud schemes to ensure taxpayers dollars are paid only to those who are rightfully entitled.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENotable Cases (Intended Loss Figures):\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003ES. v. Eva Bratcher\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E (Indictment) \u2013 $21,402 \u2013 Northern District of Illinois\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/u\u003E \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBratcher allegedly concealed her mother\u2019s body in a deep freezer in her garage for two years. During those two years, Bratcher assumed her mother\u2019s identity, collected her mother\u2019s SSA benefits, and used her mother\u2019s SNAP benefits. The defendant also allegedly used an alternative Social Security Number to steal additional SNAP benefits to which she was not entitled.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges\u003C\/strong\u003E: 18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S. Code \u00a7 408 (Fraud, Misrepresentation, or misuse of Social Security Benefits)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E10 years; 5 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Gardner-Erickson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani for the Northern District of Illinois. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Tomlinson for Northern District of Illinois. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003ES. v. David Darling\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E (Indictment) \u2013 $ 109,746 \u2013\u0026nbsp;Northern District of New York\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDarling had control of his deceased brother\u2019s ATM card and began withdrawing money the day after death. SSA was unaware of the death and continued to pay into the account. Darling continued his scheme for a total of $109,746 in stolen social security benefits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E18 U.S. Code \u00a7 1029 (Access Device Fraud); 18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property); 18 U.S. Code \u00a7 1028A (Aggravated Identify Theft)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E15 years; 10 years; 2-year mandatory minimum in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arne Soldwedel for the Northern District of New York. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Clark for the Northern District of New York. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003ES. v. Debra Reed\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E (Indictment) \u2013 $ 59,070 \u2013 Western District of Pennsylvania\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Nov. 23, 2020, Debra Reed\u2019s father died. Between Nov. 24, 2020, and Oct. 26, 2023, the Social Security Administration continued to pay social security retirement payments to the father\u2019s account, and Reed either personally stole the money or caused her daughter to take the money and transfer it to her directly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E10 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna for the Western District of Pennsylvania. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003EUnited States v. Laura Whisenant\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cu\u003E \u2013 $ 121, 980 \u2013 Eastern District of Michigan (Complaint)\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaura Whisenant served as a representative payee for her elderly, mentally disabled uncle.\u0026nbsp; For seven years, she stole and misused nearly $121 K of her uncle\u2019s SSA benefits \u2014 all while he lived in squalor, in a house without running water, electricity, or heat.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E42 U.S.C. \u00a7 408(a)(5)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E5 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cu\u003EUnited States v. Keshaune Pace also known as Keshaune Jenkins \u2013 Southeast Michigan (Complaint)\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKeshaune Pace served as representative payee for her minor son, who was a recipient of SSI benefits due to disability. In order to maintain the receipt of her son\u2019s benefits after he left her custody, she lied to the SSA about her son\u2019s living arrangements, going so far as to have another person impersonate her son during an SSA-initiated review. Pace stole and misused $30,000 of the benefits paid on behalf of her son; $6,000 of those benefits should have been used for her son\u2019s needs and were not, $24,000 should have been paid to no one at all.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharges:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E18 U.S. Code \u00a7 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S.C. \u00a7 1383a(a)(4) (Social Security Representative Payee Fraud)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximum Penalties:\u003C\/strong\u003E 10 years; 5 years in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditional Charges During SSA Surge:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e77c822c1b032b8fb367778b5a47c92c1\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Tammy Phillips\u003C\/em\u003E - $65,000 \u2013 Western District of Pennsylvania\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e9a7e11ec9accfd52e28239279813e8a0\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Israel Gonzalez\u003C\/em\u003E - $139,952 \u2013 Western District of North Carolina\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e8a1b4f21d85c938a6201a5eed10f4778\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States vs. John Zaccaria\u003C\/em\u003E - $143,685 \u2013 District of Rhode Island\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ef69464d99a4226ac75a78ecec6304725\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Sherry Freude\u003C\/em\u003E - $100,845 \u2013 Southern District of Texas\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022efa04152c0813c03bda78e173f67428d8\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Lisa Martinez\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E- $50,501 \u2013 Western District of Texas\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e6f49f748c69cf3be67134541350703fd\u0022\u003EU\u003Cem\u003Enited States v. Stacey L. Stoudermire\u003C\/em\u003E - $31,237 \u2013 Northern District of Ohio\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3d50deeec5865a92a133c158c9de3e61\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States vs. Ruthie M. Lewis\u003C\/em\u003E - $33,131 \u2013 Northern District of Ohio\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e13ce2572533a8d64a009ab58db5afa1b\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States vs. Lizbeth A. Reinhard\u003C\/em\u003E - $170,166 \u2013 Northern District of Ohio\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e01fcdec05915b27c31f3e7412248642b\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States vs. Carrie Miller\u003C\/em\u003E - $50,658 \u2013 District of Idaho\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e6b1eebf361d8c86152a1667d2c7a19d8\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States vs. Calandra Davis\u003C\/em\u003E - $53,234 \u2013 Northern District of Indiana\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3b911dece0ef57f3de4c563f453253e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Tammy Hopkins\u003C\/em\u003E - $98,879 \u2013 Eastern District of Michigan\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e4ddea82c202c7c3b705faf31ed1a1930\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Darlette Williams\u003C\/em\u003E - $46,844 \u2013 Eastern District of Michigan\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Attorney Partners: District of Idaho, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of New York, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, Western District of North Carolina, Western District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Texas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn 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\u2019s work to combat fraud supports President Trump\u2019s 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.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-30T14:51:04-04:00\u0022\u003E1790794264\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"d50b78df-a13b-4519-9b32-00aae6e21409","name":"National Fraud Enforcement Division"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-29T09:39:23-04:00\u0022\u003E1790689163\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790683200","image":"","number":"26-1112","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EToday, the Justice Department\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the results of a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in the Social Security Administration (SSA)\u2019s benefits programs, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"DOJ\u2019s Fraud Division Uncovers $1.34M in Stolen Social Security Benefits in One Month Takedown, Including Fraudster Who Allegedly Hid Deceased Mother in Garage Freezer ","topic":[{"uuid":"32b4d47b-2142-420c-9aae-28f7bf2c86d4","name":"Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/dojs-fraud-division-uncovers-134m-stolen-social-security-benefits-one-month-takedown","uuid":"5e583d9a-d960-4667-9a74-173f283336be"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN ANGELO, Texas \u2014 United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that Rassian Nateray Comer, 21, from Louisiana, was sentenced to life in federal prison for his role in a fatal alien smuggling conspiracy that claimed the lives of a grandmother, her 7-year-old granddaughter and two illegally present Mexican nationals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis case lays bare a heartbreaking human tragedy \u2014 a grandmother, a 7-year-old child and two Mexican nationals were all killed because of Mr. Comer\u2019s criminal and depraved actions,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. \u201cThese were innocent lives, stolen in an instant by an alien smuggler whose criminal actions showed complete disregard for everyone on the road.\u0026nbsp; No sentence can restore what was lost, but it does send a clear message: when criminals gamble with human lives, we will respond with the full weight of the federal government to ensure victims receive justice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cComer\u2019s reckless actions turned a human-smuggling run into an unimaginable tragedy that took the lives of four people, including a grandmother and her young granddaughter,\u201d said Homeland Security Investigations Dallas acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Judy Pardo. \u201cHe showed a callous disregard for the lives of the people he transported, the law enforcement officers pursuing him, and the innocent family sharing the road that night. This sentence holds him accountable for that devastating choice. HSI will continue to work with our partners to pursue the smuggling networks that profit from human lives and leave tragedy in their wake.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court records, on March 13, 2023, Comer was transporting 11 illegal aliens when he fled from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. During the chase, he drove eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 and ultimately ran a red light in Ozona, Texas, colliding with a red pickup truck carrying the grandmother and her 7-year-old granddaughter. Both were killed at the scene. Two of the illegal aliens in Comer\u2019s vehicle, identified as R.S. and I.C.G., also died as a result of injuries sustained in the collision, while the remaining nine suffered serious injuries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--embedded entity-image-1462886\u0022\u003E\n  \n      \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field__item img_wrp\u0022\u003E  \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/banner\/public\/2026-09\/comer_red_truck.png?itok=vYd19KPR\u0022 width=\u0022956\u0022 height=\u0022539\u0022 alt=\u0022Mangled red after crashed that killed a 71 year old grandmother and her 7 year old granddaughter\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003Cem\u003EMangled red pickup truck the grandmother was driving and the granddaughter was riding in at scene of the crash\u003C\/em\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--embedded entity-image-1462901\u0022\u003E\n  \n      \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field__item img_wrp\u0022\u003E  \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/banner\/public\/2026-09\/comer_silver_truck.png?itok=eTzxGwKu\u0022 width=\u00221268\u0022 height=\u0022653\u0022 alt=\u0022Defendant Comer\u0027s mangled truck after crash where he killed 4 people\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003Cem\u003E2021 Silver Ram 1500 truck Comer was driving at scene of the crash\u003C\/em\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFurther highlighting the defendant\u2019s recklessness, at one point during the pursuit, Comer streamed the chase on Facebook Live, showing police lights in his rearview mirror and a speedometer reading 105 mph as voices in Spanish were heard in the background.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--embedded entity-image-1462906\u0022\u003E\n  \n      \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field__item img_wrp\u0022\u003E  \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/banner\/public\/2026-09\/comer_screenshots.png?itok=hjLMQg0o\u0022 width=\u0022788\u0022 height=\u0022340\u0022 alt=\u0022Comer fb live streaming the high speed chase with police behind him and a speedometer showing speeds exceeding 100 mph.\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003Cem\u003EScreenshots of police chase and speedometer from Comer\u0027s Facebook Live video\u003C\/em\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EComer admitted that this was his fourth smuggling trip for an organization operated by a relative. He coordinated pickup locations through WhatsApp and on that day retrieved 11 migrants in Sheffield, Texas. Comer admitted that the 11 migrants had entered, come to, or remained in the United States in violation of the law. He also admitted he knew that the 11 aliens were in the U.S. in violation of the law and when he transported, moved, or attempted to transport or move them within the U.S., he did so with intent to further each alien\u2019s unlawful presence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA Springfield XD9 9mm handgun was found under the brake pedal of Comer\u2019s vehicle. Comer acknowledged possessing the weapon, admitting he believed that it was stolen. The firearm had traveled in interstate and foreign commerce prior to Comer\u2019s possession.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn June 18, Comer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, 11 counts of transportation of an illegal alien resulting in death and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. Today, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix imposed the Life sentence for Counts One through Twelve and 5 years of supervised release. Comer was also sentenced to 120 months for Count Thirteen to run concurrently with each other and 3 years supervised release, plus a $1,300 special assessment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVICTIM STATEMENT\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe want to thank U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould of the Northern District of Texas and his staff for the immediate and decisive action he and his office took to move this matter forward for us. A unique and special thank you goes out to Jeff Haag, West Texas Branch Chief for the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office in the Northern District of Texas. Mr. Haag is a diligent force and means what he says. He built trust with our family by continuously keeping us informed and following through on his commitment at each step.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThank you!\u201d to all the Texas teams and investigators for the extraordinary dedication, compassion, and determination you have shown throughout this tragic journey.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are no words that can adequately express the unbearable impact of losing Mom and Emilia.\u0026nbsp; The killing of Mom and Emilia is immeasurable.\u0026nbsp; Losing our seven-year-old daughter, granddaughter and niece, Emilia Brooke Tambunga and Mom Coke, left us only with fierce commitment and determination to enact sweeping change and to hold this animal accountable. Losing Mom, wife, and Grandma Maria \u201cCoke\u201d Tambunga has left us untethered. Losing Emilia Brooke left us fractured with a gaping wound.\u0026nbsp; Nothing can undo what this animal did, but it does affirm something important: their lives mattered, their deaths mattered, and what was done to them could not simply go unanswered.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday is not about closure\u2014because a loss of this magnitude does not simply close.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis Texas team stood up as our voices\u2014their voices, Mom\u2019s and Emi\u2019s\u2014and they carried the facts into the courtroom and pursued justice. For that, we will always be grateful.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThank you for standing with the victims, for standing with their families, and for seeing this case through to this moment. Your work has mattered more than words can say.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith deepest gratitude and respect,\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEmilio Tambunga, Father \u0026amp; Husband\u003Cbr\u003EElisa Tambunga, Mother and Daughter\u003Cbr\u003EGin \u0026amp; Tim Jespersen, Daughter, Aunt \u0026amp; Uncle\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHomeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Crockett County Sheriff\u2019s Office, the Texas Border Prosecution Unit, and the 112th Judicial District Attorney\u2019s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag, West Texas Branch Chief, prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E###\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:42:05-04:00\u0022\u003E1790368925\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"8df05d6d-6610-4258-9c93-cf09539e3683","name":"USAO - Texas, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:06:07-04:00\u0022\u003E1790366767\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EUnited States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that Rassian Nateray Comer, 21, from Louisiana, was sentenced to life in federal prison for his role in a fatal alien smuggling conspiracy that claimed the lives of a grandmother, her 7-year-old granddaughter and two illegally present Mexican nationals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Alien smuggler who caused death of grandmother, child and two Mexican nationals during smuggling run sentenced to life in federal prison","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndtx\/pr\/alien-smuggler-who-caused-death-grandmother-child-and-two-mexican-nationals-during","uuid":"49162daf-c11f-463f-8612-ff0320dd39ba"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETUCSON, Ariz. \u2013 Earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Ruffin Alford III, 48, of Tucson, Arizona, for Theft of Government Money. Alford is scheduled to appear in federal court on Sep. 25.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe indictment alleges that between October 2020 and August 2025, Alford III retained $104,013 in Social Security benefits issued to his deceased mother\u2019s bank account.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA conviction for Theft of Government Money carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESocial Security Administration\u2019s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey Marasco and Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECASE NUMBER:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; 26-CR-04592-TUC-RCC\u003Cbr\u003ERELEASE NUMBER:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; 2026-159_Alford\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E# # #\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003EFor more information on the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office, District of Arizona, visit\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao\/az\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao\/az\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFollow the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/USAO_AZ\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E@USAO_AZ\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E for the latest news.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-16T15:12:01-04:00\u0022\u003E1789585921\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"d139d6e1-c7f0-481e-8385-3a94932f1a53","name":"USAO - Arizona"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-16T15:05:56-04:00\u0022\u003E1789585556\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1789560000","image":"","number":"2026-159_Alford","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ETUCSON, Ariz. \u2013 Earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Ruffin Alford III, 48, of Tucson, Arizona, for Theft of Government Money. Alford is scheduled to appear in federal court on Sep. 25.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Tucson Man Charged with Theft of Deceased Mother\u0026#039;s Social Security Benefits","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-az\/pr\/tucson-man-charged-theft-deceased-mothers-social-security-benefits","uuid":"48f22fde-3930-4ddf-bd78-f82da276a9d5"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWASHINGTON \u2013 Davon Willis, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison, in D.C. Superior Court for charges related to strangling his pregnant girlfriend in August 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWillis was found guilty of one count attempted strangulation and one count of simple assault on June 23, 2026. The Honorable Carmen McLean ordered Willis to the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the government\u2019s evidence, on August 4, 2025, Willis and his pregnant girlfriend were having a verbal argument, when the defendant put his hands around his pregnant girlfriend\u2019s neck after pushing her on to the bed. The defendant did this in front of his own mother, who ultimately called the police. Unfortunately, this was not a unique incident \u2013 the defendant had strangled the victim just a few months prior, which went unreported until a later date.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWillis was arrested on August 5, 2025, and has been in custody since.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Fultz, who prosecuted the case.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E2025 FD3 009005\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-04T14:01:35-04:00\u0022\u003E1788544895\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-04T13:59:02-04:00\u0022\u003E1788544742\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1788523200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EDavon Willis, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison, in D.C. Superior Court for charges related to strangling his pregnant girlfriend in August 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"D.C. Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Strangling His Pregnant Girlfriend in Front of His Mother ","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/pr\/dc-man-sentenced-two-years-prison-strangling-his-pregnant-girlfriend-front-his-mother","uuid":"db6bc51f-7f3e-4dbf-8581-39af7bcf0c91"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ELAFAYETTE \u2013 On August 6, 2026, United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr., sentenced \u003Cstrong\u003ERaylin Richard\u003C\/strong\u003E, 46, of Rayne, to 46 months in federal prison for Interstate Communication with Threat to Injure, to run consecutive to a 17-year sentence he is currently serving.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cToday\u2019s age of social media, text messaging, and other forms of instant communication present a danger in the form of predators like this defendant using those means to terrorize and re-traumatize their victims, and this Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting that conduct alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners,\u201d said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. \u201cToday\u2019s sentence reflects the seriousness of this defendant\u2019s conduct\u2014a convicted sex offender terrorizing his former victims\u2014and the fact that our community simply will not tolerate it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to court documents, \u003Cstrong\u003ERichard\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eis currently serving a 17-year sentence for a prior child\u2011exploitation offense that involved secretly filming a 12-year-old girl, the daughter of his former romantic partner. After that conviction, the former partner secured a lifetime protective order against \u003Cstrong\u003ERichard\u003C\/strong\u003E and moved with her family to another state.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EWhile housed at Oakdale Federal Correctional Institution in Louisiana, \u003Cstrong\u003ERichard\u003C\/strong\u003E used a contraband cellphone to send threatening social\u2011media messages to the woman, which included threatening statements and photos of her new residence. A forensic review of the seized cellphone confirmed \u003Cstrong\u003ERichard\u2019s\u003C\/strong\u003E access to the accounts used to send the threats. Investigators also found messages between \u003Cstrong\u003ERichard\u003C\/strong\u003E and a former cellmate which proved \u003Cstrong\u003ERichard\u2019s\u003C\/strong\u003E anger toward the victim, and which corroborated his involvement in the hostile communications. In the messages, \u003Cstrong\u003ERichard\u003C\/strong\u003E threatened bodily harm to the woman if she ever reported him to the police again.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EU.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThis case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, personnel at Oakdale Federal Correctional Institution, and law enforcement officials in the state where the victim moved. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott Cade Cassidy and Myers P. Namie, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EYou may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdla\u0022\u003Ewww.justice.gov\/usao-wdla\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ERelated 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, under Case Number 2:25-cr-00318.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPublic Affairs\u003Cbr\u003EUnited States Attorney\u2019s Office\u003Cbr\u003EWestern District of Louisiana\u003Cbr\u003EUSALAW-News@usdoj.gov\u003Cbr\u003Ewww.justice.gov\/usao-wdla\u003Cbr\u003ETwitter @USAO_WDLA\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-08-10T11:03:23-04:00\u0022\u003E1786374203\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"b7134f95-28b2-4b7e-95c9-a49fa5dfd6e2","name":"USAO - Louisiana, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-08-10T10:53:28-04:00\u0022\u003E1786373608\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1786363200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Rayne Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Interstate Threats Targeting Mother of Minor He Previously Exploited ","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdla\/pr\/rayne-man-sentenced-46-months-prison-interstate-threats-targeting-mother-minor-he","uuid":"1515f99a-ed65-4962-9859-6d75469408d5"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EALBUQUERQUE\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013\u0026nbsp;A mother and son from Zuni have been charged in federal court for their alleged roles in an assault in which two victims were stabbed and one suffered life-threatening injuries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, on June 14, 2026, at a residence on the Zuni Pueblo, \u003Cstrong\u003EZachary Booqua\u003C\/strong\u003E, 18, and his mother, \u003Cstrong\u003EKayla Marie Concho\u003C\/strong\u003E, 36, both enrolled members of the Zuni Pueblo Indian Tribe, allegedly assaulted Jane Doe and John Doe while the group was drinking alcohol. Following an argument, \u003Cstrong\u003EBooqua\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eknocked John Doe unconscious and began punching him in the face. When Jane Doe attempted to pull \u003Cstrong\u003EBooqua\u003C\/strong\u003E off, both \u003Cstrong\u003EBooqua\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EConcho\u003C\/strong\u003E began punching Jane Doe in the face as well. \u003Cstrong\u003EBooqua\u003C\/strong\u003E then stabbed John Doe.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBooqua\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EConcho \u003C\/strong\u003Eare both charged with\u0026nbsp;assault with a dangerous weapon and\u0026nbsp;assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the current charges,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBooqua\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EConcho\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eeachface up to 20 years in prison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFirst Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the\u0026nbsp;Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-07-27T15:13:27-04:00\u0022\u003E1785179607\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"c20534dd-eed9-4241-aab0-6c85656d760f","name":"USAO - New Mexico"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-07-27T15:12:30-04:00\u0022\u003E1785179550\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1785153600","image":"","number":"26-215","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZachary Booqua \u003C\/strong\u003Eand his mother \u003Cstrong\u003EKayla Marie Concho\u003C\/strong\u003E have been charged in federal court for their alleged roles in an assault in which two victims were stabbed and one suffered life-threatening injuries.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother and Son Charged in Stabbing That Left Victim Critically Injured","topic":[{"uuid":"c99924c1-10c0-48c8-94b6-191166edda32","name":"Indian Country Law and Justice"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-nm\/pr\/mother-and-son-charged-stabbing-left-victim-critically-injured","uuid":"7a704c69-c67b-4f11-a072-db562f428619"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETampa, Florida \u2013 Taqiy Lewis (29,\u0026nbsp;Lakeland) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Kathryn Mizelle to 30 years in federal prison. On March 2, 2026, Lewis pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon in connection with a shooting. United States Attorney Gregory Kehoe made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, on December 24, 2020, 70-year-old M.C. was outside her Lakeland home with her family, including young children. At approximately 5:30 p.m., Lewis and others engaged in a shootout outside of M.C.\u2019s residence. M.C. was struck twice and killed. Three others, including a 13-year-old, were also shot and wounded outside the residence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo years later, on February 9, 2023, during an unrelated investigation, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and officers from the Lakeland Police Department recovered a\u0026nbsp;Kahr CM9 9mm pistol while executing a search warrant in Lakeland. Forensic testing using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (\u201cNIBIN\u201d) confirmed that this firearm was the one used to kill M.C. Further investigation revealed that six casings collected from the crime scene, two spent projectiles recovered from the residence, and a bullet recovered from M.C.\u2019s body were all fired by Lewis and the Kahr CM9 pistol he had possessed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the time of the shooting, Lewis was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Subsequent evidence revealed that after the shooting, Lewis obtained a fake alibi and had the jacket and sandals he used during the commission of the shooting burned in a barrel. Lewis remains under investigation by state law enforcement for causing M.C.\u2019s death.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was investigated by both the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lakeland Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney\u0026nbsp;Diego F. Novaes.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-07-06T10:00:25-04:00\u0022\u003E1783346425\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"544d3323-77d6-4482-917e-ff6c9b4a2fae","name":"USAO - Florida, Middle"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-07-06T09:58:04-04:00\u0022\u003E1783346284\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1783339200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ETampa, Florida \u2013 Taqiy Lewis (29,\u0026nbsp;Lakeland) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Kathryn Mizelle to 30 years in federal prison. On March 2, 2026, Lewis pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon in connection with a shooting. United States Attorney Gregory Kehoe made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Lakeland Man Who Fired Bullets That Killed 70-Year-Old-Grandmother and Injured Three Others Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison ","topic":[{"uuid":"fefd28ee-ccc0-4f66-a585-8a61b66ed5c8","name":"Firearms Offenses"},{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mdfl\/pr\/lakeland-man-who-fired-bullets-killed-70-year-old-grandmother-and-injured-three-others","uuid":"b52ef2c9-62fb-409a-9087-109bf0817d89"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETera Marie Campbell, 47, of Maitland, Florida, and her daughter, Tayler Ann Krauss, 27, of McDavid, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECampbell was sentenced to 36 months\u2019 imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, while Krauss received two years of home confinement. The court ordered both women to pay $735,717.63 in restitution to Wyoming Medicaid for losses related to the conspiracy. The judge also ordered Campbell to pay $135,890.91 to the military\u0027s Tricare program, specifying that Krauss is co-responsible for up to $71,509.44 of the Tricare total. Separately, Campbell was sentenced in January for related frauds in North Dakota, where she received a three-year suspended sentence, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to repay an additional $225,000 to North Dakota\u2019s Medicaid program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, Campbell, was the owner of The Olive Branch, LLC, a behavioral health clinic that offered services for children with autism in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Minot, North Dakota. The charges accused Campbell of using the clinic to orchestrate a multi-year Medicaid fraud scheme that included fraudulent Medicaid claims for uncertified care, claims upcoded to a higher-paying service, and bills for services that did not occur. This included dates when the clinic was closed and while Campbell was out of the country on vacation. Investigators alleged Krauss worked as a medical biller and assisted with service documentation for the clinic from December 2020 through October 2022. The investigation found the clinic relied extensively on untrained employees, falsified certification and supervision records, and submitted fraudulent claims despite knowing the services did not meet Medicaid requirements. The pair was indicted on May 21, 2025, and pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin sentenced Krauss on June 29 and Campbell on June 30 in Cheyenne.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case is the result of a joint investigation between the Wyoming Attorney General\u0027s Office\u0027s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Kirchefer prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMedicaid fraud steals taxpayer dollars from programs that millions of Americans depend on and undermines care for vulnerable patients,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. \u201cI am committed to holding accountable those who exploit these programs for personal gain. Working alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute healthcare fraud to protect public resources and preserve the integrity of our nation\u0027s healthcare system.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis prosecution represents a successful partnership between state and federal law enforcement agencies to combat fraud,\u201d said Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz as he praised the work of his office\u0027s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Wyoming Attorney General\u2019s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes fraud and related crimes committed by Wyoming Medicaid providers. The unit also investigates and prosecutes instances of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation by Medicaid providers and in Medicaid-funded settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuspected fraud against Medicaid or Medicare can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) and the agency\u2019s website \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oig.hhs.gov\/fraud\/report-fraud\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/oig.hhs.gov\/fraud\/report-fraud\/\u003C\/a\u003E. Wyoming residents can call the Wyoming Medicaid Fraud Control Unit toll free at 1-800-378-0345, or visit their website at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ag.wyo.gov\/medicaid-fraud-control-unit\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/ag.wyo.gov\/medicaid-fraud-control-unit\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECase No. 25-CR-00091\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-07-02T17:03:10-04:00\u0022\u003E1783026190\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"d9b7193e-06fe-42e9-aaef-0b6fe19104d3","name":"USAO - Wyoming"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-07-02T16:49:37-04:00\u0022\u003E1783025377\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1782993600","image":"","number":"26-029","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ETera Marie Campbell, 47, of Maitland, Florida, and her daughter, Tayler Ann Krauss, 27, of McDavid, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"No one is above the law\u2014Florida mother-daughter duo sentenced and ordered to pay over $800k for fraud scheme","topic":[{"uuid":"cce5d791-6b0b-462d-9a42-768179164d43","name":"Healthcare Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wy\/pr\/no-one-above-law-florida-mother-daughter-duo-sentenced-and-ordered-pay-over-800k-fraud","uuid":"bf58da1d-00f3-4209-a1e5-70a37c342580"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFRESNO, Calif. \u2014 On Monday, U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston sentenced Fresno residents Rosa Ventura, 36, to 20 years and Claudia Gonzales, 39, to 17 years in prison for conspiring to kidnap a woman and her nine-year-old daughter while unlawfully withholding the woman\u2019s five-month-old baby, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, the adult victim was a young mother of a nine-year-old daughter living in Mexico who met Rosa Ventura\u2019s brother and later became pregnant with his child. Before she gave birth, Ventura arranged for the mother and her daughter to come to the United States despite lacking legal status.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter settling in Fresno, the mother gave birth to a second daughter. On May 8, 2024, she reported her boyfriend to police for domestic violence, and he was arrested. His arrest angered his family, especially Ventura, who blamed the mother and devised a plan to kidnap her and take her to Mexico.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn May 9, Ventura told the mother she needed help raising money for Ventura\u2019s brother in jail. The mother agreed and left her five\u2011month\u2011old baby with a relative. Ventura drove the mother and her older daughter to her home where they waited. While waiting, Ventura contacted her friend and co-defendant Claudia Gonzales to come and help her carry out her plan. Gonzales hid in the trunk of Ventura\u2019s car to wait for the next phase of the plan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen, instead of taking the mother to retrieve the baby, Ventura drove the mother and daughter to an open field where Gonzales emerged from the trunk and moved to the front and sat with the victims. Ventura then drove south. During the drive, Ventura threatened the mother and warned her she might never see her baby again. At a gas station around 3 a.m., the victims attempted to flee, but Gonzales and Ventura forcibly restrained them. Gonzales used a taser on the mother. Ventura confiscated their phones before driving across the border to Tijuana.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAround 4 a.m., Ventura abandoned the mother and her daughter at a bus stop in Tijuana with no means to return. When the mother asked about her infant, Ventura said it depended on what happened in her brother\u2019s case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile in Mexico for the next seven months, the mother sought help from lawyers, law enforcement, and Ventura to recover her baby. In December 2024, U.S. law enforcement brought the mother and daughter back to the United States and arrested Ventura and Gonzalez. The baby was reunited with her mother that day in Fresno.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Jan. 21, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Ventura and Gonzales with three kidnapping counts, including conspiracy to kidnap a minor. On Feb. 23, 2026, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnapping involving a minor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHomeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-24T13:01:55-04:00\u0022\u003E1782320515\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"783bd771-c8bc-425a-b381-bc7942bfd7e0","name":"USAO - California, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-24T12:54:09-04:00\u0022\u003E1782320049\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1782302400","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EFresno residents Rosa Ventura, 36, and Claudia Gonzales, 39, were sentenced to 20 years and 17 years respectively for conspiring to kidnap a woman and her nine-year-old daughter while unlawfully withholding the woman\u2019s five-month-old baby.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Two Fresno Women Sentenced to 20 and 17 Years in Prison for Kidnapping a Mother and Child and Withholding Her Infant for Seven Months ","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edca\/pr\/two-fresno-women-sentenced-20-and-17-years-prison-kidnapping-mother-and-child-and","uuid":"842a47a7-7bb3-4c9c-8699-c9e0800a79d7"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 A federal grand jury indictment charges a mother and daughter with conspiring to defraud Medicare by billing millions of dollars for wound care services while the mother\u2014the licensed nurse practitioner listed as the provider\u2014was serving time in federal prison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe charges are part of the Department of Justice\u2019s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the indictment, Blanca Estela Cardenas, a San Diego nurse practitioner and owner of Mobile Care Medical Providers, LLC and B\u0026amp;R Wound Care, Inc., and her daughter, Raquel Pasillas, allegedly carried out a scheme to bill Medicare for mobile medical services between April and October 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProsecutors allege that during that time, Cardenas was incarcerated, serving a federal sentence for an unrelated bulk cash smuggling conviction and was therefore unable to personally provide care or supervise medical services as required under Medicare regulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite her incarceration, the indictment alleges, the businesses continued submitting claims to Medicare under Cardenas\u2019 National Provider Identifier (NPI), falsely representing that she was the rendering provider for the services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to prosecutors, Pasillas\u2014who held operational leadership roles at the businesses but had no medical license or certification\u2014personally provided medical services to Medicare beneficiaries, including wound care and the application of costly skin substitute allografts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the six-month period, the defendants allegedly submitted approximately $9.5 million in claims to Medicare and received approximately $5.5 million in reimbursements.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe indictment further alleges the pair diverted fraud proceeds for personal use, including more than $4.7 million in cash withdrawals, deposits into their personal bank accounts, and rent payments for Cardenas\u2019 residence while she remained in custody.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEvery dollar stolen through health care fraud is a dollar taken from patient care,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThose who commit health care fraud cause real harm because they drain critical resources from programs meant to support some of our most vulnerable community members,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI\u2019s San Diego Field Office. \u201cSchemes like this undermine trust in our health care system and drive up costs for everyone. Working closely with HHS OIG and the Justice Department, the FBI will continue to pursue those who exploit federally funded programs and ensure they face the consequences of their actions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon 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. Today\u2019s takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 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\u2019s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor\u2019s offices to corporate boardrooms.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday\u2019s coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3f525ccd919f25de7b19aabc60c74ebe\u0022\u003EActions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e9a275d052f37c882dd60869264dd8616\u0022\u003E48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (\u201cHHS-OIG\u201d) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e4bede06e368f61b74881ba797be9f177\u0022\u003ECivil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e9e7e091b65557f10b06cff189c61be20\u0022\u003E928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and\/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit\u2019s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys\u2019 Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General\u2019s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDescriptions of each case involved in today\u2019s enforcement action are available on the Department\u2019s website \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/justice.gov\/criminal\/criminal-fraud\/health-care-fraud-unit\/2026-national-hcf-case-summaries\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case in the Southern District of California is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blanca Quintero.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003EDEFENDANTS\u003C\/u\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Case Number 26cr2236\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBlanca Estela Cardenas\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Age: 55\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Chula Vista, CA\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERaquel Pasillas\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Age: 33\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Chula Vista, CA\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003ESUMMARY OF CHARGES\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud \u2013 Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1349\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaximum penalty: Ten years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greater\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHealth Care Fraud \u2013 Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1347\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaximum penalty: Ten years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greater\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003EINVESTIGATING AGENCIES\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFBI\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E*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.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (\u0027Fraud Division\u0027). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department\u2019s work to combat fraud supports President Trump\u2019s 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.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-23T17:07:45-04:00\u0022\u003E1782248865\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"fdad26ae-a50e-41f0-90c6-0e0f10c69b9c","name":"USAO - California, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-23T17:03:09-04:00\u0022\u003E1782248589\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1782216000","image":"","number":"CAS26-0623-Cardenas","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 A federal grand jury indictment charges a mother and daughter with conspiring to defraud Medicare by billing millions of dollars for wound care services while the mother\u2014the licensed nurse practitioner listed as the provider\u2014was serving time in federal prison. The charges are part of the Department of Justice\u2019s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother-Daughter Duo Charged in $9.5 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme; Part of National Healthcare Fraud Takedown","topic":[{"uuid":"cce5d791-6b0b-462d-9a42-768179164d43","name":"Healthcare Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdca\/pr\/mother-daughter-duo-charged-95-million-medicare-fraud-scheme-part-national-healthcare","uuid":"314f6fd3-8b45-46c1-bd49-22003e825a25"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; WASHINGTON \u2013 Valencia Duke, 25, of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged Wednesday with first-degree felony murder and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children for the January 18 death of her thirteen-month-old daughter and near death of her thirteen-month-old son in Southeast, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Duke made her\u0026nbsp;initial\u0026nbsp;appearance June 4 before Superior Court Judge Heidi Hermann. Judge Hermann found probable cause that Duke committed the offenses and ordered her to be held without bond pending trial.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; According to court documents, between January 14 and January 18, 2026, Duke left her two thirteen-month-old children alone in her residence.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;On January 18, 2026, officers responded to the 4700 block of Southern Avenue Southeast and\u0026nbsp;located\u0026nbsp;the female child deceased and decomposing and the male child dehydrated and malnourished. The male child was transported to the hospital where he stayed for several days. An autopsy was done on the female child where it was\u0026nbsp;determined\u0026nbsp;that her cause of death was dehydration.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; This case is being investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma McArthur.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ECharges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-30T11:01:43-04:00\u0022\u003E1782831703\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-05T11:05:49-04:00\u0022\u003E1780671949\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1780574400","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EValencia Duke, 25, of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged Wednesday with first-degree felony murder and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children for the January 18 death of her thirteen-month-old daughter and near death of her thirteen-month-old son in Southeast, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother in 13-Month-Old\u2019s Death Arrested and Charged ","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/pr\/mother-13-month-olds-death-arrested-and-charged","uuid":"0e9db318-e2d3-47ad-b6bb-6d95b2c0c69c"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2013 A federal jury has convicted two family members from the Rio Grande Valley of transporting an illegal alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe jury deliberated for two hours before returning guilty verdicts against Enedelia Garcia, 55, Weslaco, and Ashley Garcia, 37, Brownsville, following a two-day trial.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the evening of July 22, 2025, Enedelia Garcia drove to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Kingsville with her daughter in the backseat and another passenger in the front seat. During an immigration inspection, law enforcement noticed nervous behavior from that passenger who was also unable to produce identification.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAuthorities determined he was an illegal alien with no authorization to be in the country.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt trial, he testified he was smuggled into the United States and was expecting the pair to take him to Houston.\u0026nbsp;The jury also heard that Ashley Garcia was texting a friend at the time of the smuggling event and said \u201cnot to ask\u201d about her trip to Houston.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe defense attempted to convince the jury that they were deceived into believing the illegal alien was a U.S citizen. They did not believe those claims and found them both guilty as charged.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos presided over the trial and set sentencing for Sept. 1, at which time the mother and daughter both face up to 10 years in federal prison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBorder Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Lamont is prosecuting the case.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-03T14:21:52-04:00\u0022\u003E1780510912\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"9df3ecc7-70b1-4129-a052-089bce8b2ba2","name":"USAO - Texas, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-06-03T14:18:59-04:00\u0022\u003E1780510739\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1780488000","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EA federal jury has convicted two family members from the Rio Grande Valley of transporting an illegal alien\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother and daughter guilty of human smuggling","topic":[{"uuid":"22aab3d6-17bc-40e1-ba47-aacd1ebcb261","name":"Operation Take Back America"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdtx\/pr\/mother-and-daughter-guilty-human-smuggling","uuid":"6a6b972b-4d3a-4196-ba78-7fcaa26f28f7"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWASHINGTON \u2013 Tywan Morris, 30, of\u0026nbsp;the District of Columbia, was\u0026nbsp;sentenced today to\u0026nbsp;20\u0026nbsp;years in prison\u0026nbsp;in the 2021 murder of a woman at a Southeast gas station, announced\u0026nbsp;U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA Superior Court jury found Morris guilty on Nov.\u0026nbsp;12, 2025,\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;one\u0026nbsp;count of\u0026nbsp;second-degree murder while armed.\u0026nbsp;In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, the Honorable\u0026nbsp;Michael Ryan\u0026nbsp;ordered Morris to serve five years of supervised release.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the government\u2019s evidence, at 5:03 p.m. on Oct.\u0026nbsp;17, 2021, Danielle Stuckey, 27, and her 12-year-old child walked through the BP gas station at 2801 Alabama Avenue SE to a nearby bus stop.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA short time\u0026nbsp;later, Morris pulled into the gas station with his girlfriend and child and parked. While Morris was pumping gas, the victim approached him,\u0026nbsp;and a brief argument ensued between the victim, Morris, and Morris\u2019s girlfriend.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the victim walking back to the bus stop, Morris retrieved a knife with brass knuckles attached. Initially, Morris gave the knife to his girlfriend. The girlfriend\u0026nbsp;attempted\u0026nbsp;to stab the victim. Morris then retrieved the knife and charged at the victim. The victim\u0026nbsp;attempted\u0026nbsp;to back away, but Morris pursued her. He tripped her to the ground and kicked her in the head. While the victim was on the ground, Morris stabbed her in the left thigh transecting her femoral artery and vein and killing her. Morris then fled the scene with his girlfriend.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMorris was arrested the same day. He\u0026nbsp;has been in custody since\u0026nbsp;November\u0026nbsp;2023.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was\u0026nbsp;Interim\u0026nbsp;Chief\u0026nbsp;Jeffery Carroll\u0026nbsp;of the Metropolitan Police Department.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn announcing the\u0026nbsp;sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and\u0026nbsp;Interim\u0026nbsp;Chief\u0026nbsp;Carroll\u0026nbsp;commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department\u2019s Homicide Branch. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S.\u0026nbsp;Attorneys Ariel Dean and Daniel Bromwich who prosecuted the case.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E2021 CF1 005953, 2023 CF2 008570\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E##\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollow us on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/USAO_DC\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETwitter\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/usao_dc\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstagram\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@usao_dc\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EYouTube\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eor at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-05-22T14:08:38-04:00\u0022\u003E1779473318\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-05-22T14:06:36-04:00\u0022\u003E1779473196\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1779451200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ETywan Morris, 30, of\u0026nbsp;the District of Columbia, was\u0026nbsp;sentenced today to\u0026nbsp;20\u0026nbsp;years in prison\u0026nbsp;in the 2021 murder of a woman at a Southeast gas station, announced\u0026nbsp;U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"D.C. Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for the 2021 Stabbing Death of a Mother at Southeast Gas Station","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/pr\/dc-man-sentenced-20-years-prison-2021-stabbing-death-mother-southeast-gas-station","uuid":"32bd0980-4132-4acd-b55a-a26e4005eb34"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMemphis, TN\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013\u0026nbsp;On May 8, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced \u003Cstrong\u003ELakita Carroll\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003E46\u003C\/strong\u003E, to three and a half years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud.\u0026nbsp;On April 15, 2026, Judge Parker sentenced Carroll\u0027s son, \u003Cstrong\u003EMarshun Lewis, 25\u003C\/strong\u003E, to 42 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers in August 2023 and October, November, and December of 2024 in the Western District of Tennessee. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentences today. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to information presented in court, Lewis conducted a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers as a masked gunman for the purpose of obtaining keys to unlock blue collection mailboxes throughout the city of Memphis. He used the keys to steal checks and money orders from the mail for use in committing bank fraud. He then altered the payee information on the checks and money orders for deposit into third party accounts for withdrawal. Investigators located his vehicle on surveillance video at the scene of the robberies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPostal Inspectors served a search warrant at his home and located stolen mail and the keychain for one of the stolen keys. Text messages located on his phone linked him to each of the robberies and several co-conspirators in the bank fraud scheme. Inspectors determined the total amount of stolen checks and money orders exceeded $940,000.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECarroll assisted Lewis by depositing stolen checks and money orders in her bank account. Carroll pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter a four-day trial, Lewis was convicted as charged of four counts of robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of possession of stolen mail. There is no parole in the federal system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, \u0022In order to break the cycle of violent crime in Memphis, we must break the generational lifestyles of lawlessness. This mother\u2019s greed led to her son\u2019s extreme violence, and their brazen selfishness has landed them both in federal prison. Their family business driven by a culture of criminality is over.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety of our employees,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said Atlanta Division Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins.\u0026nbsp;\u201cMake no mistake.\u0026nbsp;We will use every resource available when our postal carriers are robbed. Postal carriers are an integral part of our communities, and the Inspection Service is committed to ensuring their safety, protecting the sanctity of the U.S. Mail, and safeguarding the public\u2019s trust in the Postal Service by holding those that commit violent crimes and theft accountable for their actions.\u0026nbsp;We extend our appreciation to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support in this case.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and William Bateman prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States government.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFor more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov\u0022\u003EUSATNW.Media@usdoj.gov\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E. Follow the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/links-2.govdelivery.com\/CL0\/https:%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps:%252F%252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps:%25252F%25252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%25252FCL0%25252Fhttps:%2525252F%2525252Fprotect2.fireeye.com%2525252Fv1%2525252Furl%2525253Fk=6a656c3c-0fd589bc-6a6248d9-74fe486959fc-b5d32ecbf6df240e%25252526q=1%25252526e=db9f0c69-2032-453d-b2e1-88c34afbf4f6%25252526u=https%252525253A%252525252F%252525252Fvmm0dj30.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me%252525252FL0%252525252Fhttps%252525253A%25252525252F%25252525252Fprotect2.fireeye.com%25252525252Fv1%25252525252Furl%25252525253Fk%252525253De49fac50-81d3c502-e49888b5-74fe4867716e-747353e4f77b35a3%252525252526q%252525253D1%252525252526e%252525253Dc5e977da-3a17-4452-b758-c54a80d7c3b3%252525252526u%252525253Dhttps%2525252525253A%2525252525252F%2525252525252Fvmm0dj30.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me%2525252525252FL0%2525252525252Fhttps%2525252525253A%252525252525252F%252525252525252Fwww.facebook.com%252525252525252FWDTNNews%2525252525252F1%2525252525252F0101018fe9877755-3686c8c1-cf42-4051-9d22-d5718c98db73-000000%2525252525252FAVVEUoPnrhA39-if8RA3yJNS4Pg%2525252525253D378%252525252F1%252525252F01010191ecb1a43b-9dd66593-3f1d-4631-8da5-e2decd63d38b-000000%252525252FyUTXykMbsLDZCC4cqx9lS8dSr68%252525253D392%25252F1%25252F0101019d737cb8ab-6801495d-1ec3-44d1-b27e-ab077cf4e0f6-000000%25252F889LwZ86p8wS7LR0VH1xnSSXilveZ8bdxhUyWvjTd6k=452%252F1%252F0101019ddfd80a7f-c09e597d-a99c-42da-8b5b-403132bac564-000000%252FeshT57t8X6IFRSxQzW0bjgSO2ohT5hCWvCYS8wojLVE=452%2F1%2F0101019e1e27d87d-85816d01-ab2b-4ea0-a3bd-9cea38f9efdb-000000%2F_QfZ0jFrBJyye94_jpRP0w65h9sYAhb08LnCrMOBoAU=452\/1\/0101019e273d8811-be43a957-a6b6-4bbc-b776-6063b902a37a-000000\/yPZnyLZbRrGri1Y-5HIulv9AuxC9Mf1TkZRQqSwr7Fc=452\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eon Facebook\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E or\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/links-2.govdelivery.com\/CL0\/https:%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps:%252F%252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps:%25252F%25252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%25252FCL0%25252Fhttps:%2525252F%2525252Fprotect2.fireeye.com%2525252Fv1%2525252Furl%2525253Fk=3581fb6d-50311eed-3586df88-74fe486959fc-249498234d88f98f%25252526q=1%25252526e=db9f0c69-2032-453d-b2e1-88c34afbf4f6%25252526u=https%252525253A%252525252F%252525252Fvmm0dj30.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me%252525252FL0%252525252Fhttps%252525253A%25252525252F%25252525252Fprotect2.fireeye.com%25252525252Fv1%25252525252Furl%25252525253Fk%252525253D8157d7f0-e41bbea2-8150f315-74fe4867716e-7b00ccf8c840b964%252525252526q%252525253D1%252525252526e%252525253Dc5e977da-3a17-4452-b758-c54a80d7c3b3%252525252526u%252525253Dhttps%2525252525253A%2525252525252F%2525252525252Fvmm0dj30.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me%2525252525252FL0%2525252525252Fhttps%2525252525253A%252525252525252F%252525252525252Fprotect2.fireeye.com%252525252525252Fv1%252525252525252Furl%252525252525253Fk%2525252525253D1ccf5694-7982ef19-1cc87271-74fe48680e18-429ea4c66a6734da%2525252525252526q%2525252525253D1%2525252525252526e%2525252525253D160013ce-d024-44a4-8061-4f5534e7d3ee%2525252525252526u%2525252525253Dhttps%25252525252525253A%25252525252525252F%25252525252525252Ftwitter.com%25252525252525252FWDTNNews%2525252525252F1%2525252525252F0101018fe9877755-3686c8c1-cf42-4051-9d22-d5718c98db73-000000%2525252525252FtRVW2vBUFFQus4BuXiqwXeJeIU0%2525252525253D378%252525252F1%252525252F01010191ecb1a43b-9dd66593-3f1d-4631-8da5-e2decd63d38b-000000%252525252F30V2dXD079xI56TRn9oeLeAyAKY%252525253D392%25252F1%25252F0101019d737cb8ab-6801495d-1ec3-44d1-b27e-ab077cf4e0f6-000000%25252FvVR0UZ9qJlPe-vMjNnD-yDd3n2INZw57lxlrQdWiZBA=452%252F1%252F0101019ddfd80a7f-c09e597d-a99c-42da-8b5b-403132bac564-000000%252Fsh36kUs0Vprpm2jm-OWq41-CNGAoozCguxSDe16W814=452%2F1%2F0101019e1e27d87d-85816d01-ab2b-4ea0-a3bd-9cea38f9efdb-000000%2Fw2-7ZO4AUc9ZaZxoLkOQQWjRQVPdO7d7EhN34fm9Nzg=452\/1\/0101019e273d8811-be43a957-a6b6-4bbc-b776-6063b902a37a-000000\/o2ZfFRIBkneTJ0srSyZHh7X0EPuYMrettRW17n2quco=452\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eon X\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-05-14T15:07:34-04:00\u0022\u003E1778785654\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"09ab4078-eaac-4d82-8ebf-cf84fb74f272","name":"USAO - Tennessee, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-05-14T12:16:53-04:00\u0022\u003E1778775413\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1778760000","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMemphis, TN\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013\u0026nbsp;On May 8, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced \u003Cstrong\u003ELakita Carroll\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003E46\u003C\/strong\u003E, to three and a half years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud.\u0026nbsp;On April 15, 2026, Judge Parker sentenced Carroll\u0027s son, \u003Cstrong\u003EMarshun Lewis, 25\u003C\/strong\u003E, to 42 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers in August 2023 and October, November, and December of 2024 in the Western District of Tennessee. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentences today. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to information presented in court, Lewis conducted a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers as a masked gunman...\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Memphis Man and His Mother Sentenced to Prison for Armed Robberies of U.S. Postal Carriers and Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud ","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdtn\/pr\/memphis-man-and-his-mother-sentenced-prison-armed-robberies-us-postal-carriers-and","uuid":"e8b873b4-2c02-410b-9def-be1b87ee98c1"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ESAIPAN, CNMI\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u2013 SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that on May 6, 2026, the Honorable Ramona V. Manglona sentenced a mother and her daughter in the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands for their roles in a procurement fraud and money laundering scheme targeting the CNMI Public School System (PSS), a recipient of Federal grant money.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClarissa Adlawan\u003C\/strong\u003E, age 55, a lawful permanent resident of the United States originally from the Philippines, was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment for one count of Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 371, and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1956(h). The Court also ordered her to serve three years of supervised release and complete 100 hours of community service.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGiselle Butalid\u003C\/strong\u003E, age 34, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from the Republic of the Philippines and a resident of Saipan, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for one count of Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 371, and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1956(h). The Court also imposed three years of supervised release and ordered her to complete 100 hours of community service.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe Court further ordered that the defendants were jointly and severally liable for restitution in the amount of $548,788 and that two properties they owned in the Philippines were subject to forfeiture.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe conspiracy involved theft from a state entity receiving more than $10,000 per year in federal funding, a violation of 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 666(a)(1)(A) when charged individually.\u0026nbsp; PSS was such an entity.\u0026nbsp; Butalid worked for PSS and had access to its procurement process.\u0026nbsp;She used that position to betray the trust of those responsible for educating the CNMI\u2019s children, depriving those children of desperately needed resources while enriching herself and her mother.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe prosecution commended the defendants\u2019 early acceptance of responsibility and expressions of remorse but argued Adlawan had failed to provide information about a nine room house she had built in the Philippines.\u0026nbsp; Evidence established that Adlawan used PSS\u2019s stolen money for the house\u2019s construction.\u0026nbsp; Adlawan\u2019s plea agreement required her to provide information and help the Government acquire the property so it could be liquidated and the proceeds applied toward restitution.\u0026nbsp; The Court agreed and denied Adlawan the benefit of accepting responsibility.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to court documents, from October 2021 through August 2022, Butalid and Adlawan used their company, One Legacy LLC, to sell educational material while concealing the conflict of interest from PSS.\u0026nbsp; Investigators then determined that Butalid forged documents to conceal that several of procurements were in fact \u201cghost\u201d purchases.\u0026nbsp;The defendants simply pocketed payments for materials that PSS never ordered.\u0026nbsp; Upon receiving funds, the defendants frequently traveled to the Philippines, staying in luxury hotels, withdrawing large amounts of cash, and building the aforementioned house.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EExamples cited in Court documents include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EPayments of $50,000 and $52,500 to One Legacy for online learning materials that were never procured. Shortly after the payments, Butalid and Adlawan flew to the Philippines and withdrew approximately $10,000 in cash from ATMs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EA $113,020 payment for another fraudulent purchase, followed by cash withdrawals totaling roughly $65,000 before another overseas trip.\u0026nbsp; This final payment came shortly after PSS confronted Butalid about her connection to the companies. She resigned but remained long enough to commit this one last act of fraud, according to prosecutors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cThe defendants\u2019 conduct went beyond defrauding government agencies,\u201d stated United States Attorney Anderson.\u0026nbsp; \u201cUltimately, children were deprived of educational resources and opportunities to learn.\u0026nbsp; Any sense of justice required terms of imprisonment.\u0026nbsp; We will continue to seek accountability through the repatriation of any foreign assets held by these defendants.\u0026nbsp; Our interagency partners did outstanding work in investigating this complex financial crime to combat the fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer funds.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cCases like this one clearly demonstrate the destructiveness of greed: funds that would have otherwise been used for the benefit of our communities\u2019 children instead went to finance the dream house of a fraudster,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. \u201cDefrauding the government may seem harmless, but as this case so clearly shows, these crimes have direct, severe, and negative impacts on our community. Today\u2019s sentencings are a continued reminder that justice will be served on those who choose their greed above all else.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cThis sentencing represents the culmination of a significant effort by a dedicated team of exceptional investigators. I am particularly proud that U.S. federal agencies conducted this investigation in partnership with the CNMI Office of the Public Auditor,\u201d said David A. House, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Interior Inspector General, Program Fraud Unit.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThis collaboration underscores the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to ensuring that funds intended for the schoolchildren of the CNMI are used appropriately, and that anyone who misuses those funds is held fully accountable, regardless of their location.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cThe defendants\u2019 actions represent a profound betrayal of the students, teachers, and community who relied on them for honest public service,\u201d said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. \u201cThese individuals exploited that trust for their own enrichment. Today\u2019s outcome demonstrates that those who choose greed over their commitment to serve the community will be brought to justice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cWe value the strong working relationship between the Office of the Public Auditor and our federal counterparts, \u201csaid the CNMI Office of the Public Auditor. \u201cThe success in this case demonstrates what can be accomplished through coordinated oversight, teamwork, and a shared commitment to protecting public resources and ensuring accountability.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe investigation was conducted by IRS\u2013Criminal Investigation, Office of the Inspector General - Department of Interior, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Office of the Public Auditor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric S. O\u2019Malley for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EOn April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/links-1.govdelivery.com\/CL0\/https:%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov%2Fopa%2Fpr%2Facting-attorney-general-todd-blanche-issues-memorandum-creation-national-fraud-enforcement%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery\/1\/0100019d6f561d1d-a5ad8fc3-ccfc-4d37-a8ed-74c502eb85f7-000000\/A2U2pje7Dt4kaktsXKR0iVP6KdVv_JEyhgUt6xciTn0=452\u0022\u003ENational Fraud Enforcement Division\u003C\/a\u003E. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. \u0026nbsp;Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump\u2019s 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.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-05-07T20:48:22-04:00\u0022\u003E1778201302\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"e99b9547-7d65-42c6-9404-68fab0db9543","name":"Office of the Attorney General"},{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"9662639e-b9a0-44da-8b87-c3f1562b616b","name":"Office of Public Affairs"},{"uuid":"62ddfbf9-51d3-44a9-ac88-489162361045","name":"U.S. Attorneys (USAO)"},{"uuid":"a43f12a3-4ba8-480b-b7c6-53967aa7380d","name":"USAO - Guam \u0026 Northern Mariana Islands"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-05-07T01:42:29-04:00\u0022\u003E1778132549\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1778155200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Mother and Daughter Sentenced to Federal Prison For Defrauding the CNMI Public School System","topic":[{"uuid":"32b4d47b-2142-420c-9aae-28f7bf2c86d4","name":"Fraud"},{"uuid":"77a2d846-a826-49db-a31a-c5db747e9ad3","name":"Financial Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-gu\/pr\/mother-and-daughter-sentenced-federal-prison-defrauding-cnmi-public-school-system","uuid":"f3c393c9-3a19-4723-9393-7aef80018fe8"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EMIAMI \u2013 During National Crime Victims\u2019 Rights Week, a mother and son made their initial appearances in federal court on Friday to face an indictment charging them with fraud and identity theft offenses involving an elderly victim that spanned years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to court records, Natacha Maria Lezcano, also known as Maria Margarita Lezcano, 63, of Miami, became a live-in caregiver for the victim in 2020. She later obtained permission from the victim for her husband and son, Daniel Romero, 33, also of Miami, to move into the residence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cThis indictment alleges a cruel betrayal of trust,\u201d said U.S. Attorney\u0026nbsp;Jason A. Reding Qui\u00f1ones for the Southern District of Florida. \u201cAccording to the charges, the victim, an elderly woman, opened her home to these defendants and, in return, they exploited her age, her trust, and her identity for financial gain. During National Crime Victims\u2019 Rights Week, this case serves as a reminder that financial exploitation of the elderly can be every bit as devastating as violent crime. Our Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who target vulnerable victims. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EBeginning in 2020 and continuing through 2023, Romero is alleged to have used the victim\u2019s personal identifying information to open fraudulent credit cards, make unauthorized purchases, and transfer funds for his personal benefit. The conduct involved submitting false credit applications, impersonating the victim in communications with financial institutions, and initiating unauthorized electronic transfers from the victim\u2019s bank accounts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ELezcano is alleged to have known about the fraud and failed to report it to authorities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ERomero is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Lezcano is charged with misprison of a felony. If convicted, Romero faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and bank fraud counts, up to 10 years for access device fraud, and a mandatory consecutive term of at least two years for aggravated identity theft.\u0026nbsp; Lezcano faces up to three years in prison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EU.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Qui\u00f1ones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EUSSS Miami is investigating the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAssistant U.S. Attorney Adam Love is prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn indictment\/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ERelated court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sdfl.uscourts.gov\u0022\u003Ewww.sdfl.uscourts.gov\u003C\/a\u003E or at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov\u003C\/a\u003E, under case number 26-cr-20139.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-27T18:30:39-04:00\u0022\u003E1777329039\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"7134133d-a27a-4c2c-8c45-cdc1da8e9c1a","name":"USAO - Florida, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-27T18:28:57-04:00\u0022\u003E1777328937\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1777291200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EDuring National Crime Victims\u2019 Rights Week, a mother and son made their initial appearances in federal court on Friday to face an indictment charging them with fraud and identity theft offenses involving an elderly victim that spanned years.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Miami Mother and Son Face Federal Fraud and Identity Theft Charges Involving Elderly Victim","topic":[{"uuid":"75e37872-11ad-4299-8469-4254fbc1597e","name":"Elder Justice"},{"uuid":"2f8f7cfb-134b-4afd-965d-91dc2604a56f","name":"Identity Theft"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdfl\/pr\/miami-mother-and-son-face-federal-fraud-and-identity-theft-charges-involving-elderly","uuid":"0981639b-e3b8-4b1e-aca3-6163190af60b"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFRESNO, Calif. \u2014 Shana Gaviola, 39, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour to three years in prison for interstate violation of a protection order for causing her estranged teenage son to be taken against his will and transported from California to Missouri, U.S.\u0026nbsp;Attorney Eric Grant announced.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Dec. 9, 2025, following a five-day trial, a federal jury found Gaviola guilty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents and testimony at trial, in 2020, Gaviola\u2019s then-16-year-old son began living apart from Gaviola with another family. He petitioned for emancipation from Gaviola and obtained a domestic violence protection order against Gaviola from the Fresno County Superior Court. The order prohibited Gaviola from harassing, blocking the movements of, or contacting her son in any way, including directly or indirectly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the protection order, Gaviola made plans for her son to be forcibly transported from California to Missouri. On Aug. 21, 2021, individuals acting on behalf of Gaviola abducted the minor from an ice-skating rink in Fresno, handcuffed him, and forced him into a car. He remained in handcuffs for more than 24 hours while they drove to Stockton, Missouri. He was then held at a youth facility until his father was able to free him.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Fresno Police Department and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegr\u00eda and Heiko P. Coppola prosecuted the case. Assistance was provided by the U.S.\u0026nbsp;Attorney\u2019s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the Eastern District of Missouri.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-27T14:32:33-04:00\u0022\u003E1777314753\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"783bd771-c8bc-425a-b381-bc7942bfd7e0","name":"USAO - California, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-27T14:30:24-04:00\u0022\u003E1777314624\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1777291200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EShana Gaviola, 39, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour to three years in prison for interstate violation of a protection order for causing her estranged teenage son to be taken against his will and transported from California to Missouri.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Interstate Violation of Protective Order Regarding Her Estranged Teenage Son","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edca\/pr\/mother-sentenced-3-years-prison-interstate-violation-protective-order-regarding-her","uuid":"d10bda2a-4806-4875-b7a4-b0f5ab532a03"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELAREDO, Texas \u2013 An illegal alien who resided in Austin has been charged for her role in a failed attempt to smuggle an 8-year-old child into the United States by a stranger, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMexican national Nanzy Rodriguez-Sanchez has made her initial appearance in Laredo federal court and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing May 7.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECo-conspirators Jesus Luciano, 34, Austin, and Mexican national Maribel Jaimes-Hernandez, 27, were previously charged for their roles in the scheme.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe charges allege all three participated in a scheme to smuggle Rodriguez-Sanchez\u2019s minor child into the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Oct. 2, 2025, Luciano allegedly attempted to bring the minor into the country by bus in exchange for $5,000. Luciano was a stranger to the child, according to the allegations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe complaint alleges he provided a birth certificate and claimed the child as his own, but authorities later determined the document belonged to another child.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJaimes-Hernandez had allegedly provided the birth certificate in exchange for $1,000 to facilitate the smuggling attempt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf convicted, Rodriguez-Sanchez and Jaimes-Hernandez face up to 10 years in federal prison for their respective roles as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuciano previously pleaded guilty and could also receive up to 10 years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImmigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel A. Cardenas Jr. is prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA criminal complaint or indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-24T21:01:13-04:00\u0022\u003E1777078873\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"9df3ecc7-70b1-4129-a052-089bce8b2ba2","name":"USAO - Texas, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-24T20:58:45-04:00\u0022\u003E1777078725\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1777032000","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EAn illegal alien who resided in Austin has been charged for her role in a failed attempt to smuggle an 8-year-old child into the United States by a stranger\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother arrested in failed smuggling attempt of minor","topic":[{"uuid":"22aab3d6-17bc-40e1-ba47-aacd1ebcb261","name":"Operation Take Back America"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdtx\/pr\/mother-arrested-failed-smuggling-attempt-minor","uuid":"4d286d2b-40ed-4119-aff8-7f59b7b649ff"},{"attachment":[{"file":{"id":"1437151","resource":"file","uuid":"1de8258a-b5aa-4a7b-b6fe-1db584c18912"},"description":"","display":"1"}],"body":"\u003Cp\u003ESALT LAKE CITY, Utah \u2013 Two Utah persons are in federal custody and charged in a federal criminal complaint of International Parental Kidnapping. The pair is accused of allegedly skipping out on a planned camping trip to Canada with a shared custody child and instead took the 10-year-old to Havana, Cuba, without the biological mother\u2019s knowledge or court approval.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERose Inessa-Ethington aka Eri Ethington, 42, and Blue Inessa-Ethington, aka Carly Ann Crosby, 32, both of Cache County, Utah, were deported from Cuba on Monday with the assistance of the FBI. Upon landing in the United States, the two defendants appeared in court for an arraignment in Richmond, Virginia, and will be transported to the District of Utah at a later date for the remainder of their court case at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, on March 28, 2026, a 10-year-old child was supposed to be traveling by car to Calgary in Alberta, Canada, for a planned camping trip with the minor victim\u2019s biological father Rose Inessa-Ethington, Rose\u2019s partner Blue and Blue\u2019s 3-year-old child. But the group never arrived at their hotel in Calgary or the campground they planned to stay at from March 29 \u2013 April 2, 2026. As alleged, the group had not been heard from since March 28, 2026, when the 10-year-old told the biological mother via telephone they arrived in Canada. The biological mother shares custody of the 10-year-old with Rose, her former spouse. On April 3, 2026, the child was supposed to be returned to the biological mother after the camping trip to Calgary, according to the court ordered custody agreement, which did not occur.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, on March 29, 2026, the group crossed the U.S. Canada Border and took a flight from Vancouver, Canada to Mexico City, Mexico. On April 1, 2026, the group took another flight from Merida, Mexico to Havana, Cuba. Mexican immigration authorities confirmed their arrival and departures utilizing their U.S. Passports. As alleged in court documents, interviews with the 10-year-old\u2019s family provided significant concerns for the minor\u2019s well-being, as the child was born male, however, identified as a female child, which family members largely believed to be due to manipulation by Rose. Concerns existed that the child was transported to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery prior to puberty. On April 13, 2026, a Utah State Court ordered the 10-year-old to be returned to the child\u2019s mother immediately and granted the mother exclusive custody of the child. On April 16, 2026, Cuban law enforcement located the group in Cuba.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are grateful to law enforcement for working swiftly to return the child to the biological mother,\u201d said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur priority in every parental kidnapping case is the safety and well-being of the child,\u0022 said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. \u0022This case reflects the strength of partnerships in locating victims, supporting reunification, and ensuring accountability.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. The U.S. Department of State\u2019s Diplomatic Security Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations in Havana played a key role in recovering the minor victim safely, along with the FBI\u0027s Mexico City Law Enforcement Attache Office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis 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\u2019 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 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/psc\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.justice.gov\/psc\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAttachments:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-document media--document--embedded entity-document-1437151\u0022\u003E\n  \n                                      \u003Cdiv\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field-formatter--media-entity-download-download-link field_media_file\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/usao-ut\/media\/1437151\/dl?inline\u0022 type=\u0022application\/pdf; length=158185\u0022 title=\u0022ethington_et_al_complaint.pdf\u0022 class=\u0022file file--mime-application-pdf file--application-pdf\u0022\u003Eethington_et_al_complaint.pdf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n                      \u003C\/div\u003E\n                    \n  \u003C\/div\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-21T21:33:19-04:00\u0022\u003E1776821599\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"e6b05612-a636-4a2b-80bd-dffad09c4d08","name":"USAO - Utah"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-21T21:17:19-04:00\u0022\u003E1776820639\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1776772800","image":"","number":"26-44","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESALT LAKE CITY, Utah \u2013 Two Utah persons are in federal custody and charged in a federal criminal complaint of International Parental Kidnapping. The pair is accused of allegedly skipping out on a planned camping trip to Canada with a shared custody child and instead took the 10-year-old to Havana, Cuba, without the biological mother\u2019s knowledge or court approval.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Utah 10-Year-old Reunited with Biological Mother After Transgender Parent and Partner Allegedly Kidnapped Child to Cuba","topic":[{"uuid":"24d5ff01-2591-4b4a-9d78-66db50247093","name":"Project Safe Childhood"},{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ut\/pr\/utah-10-year-old-reunited-biological-mother-after-transgender-parent-and-partner","uuid":"0ce7bdfa-2e02-4a0e-9677-2f74a78e83fa"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA Pocatello, Idaho man was sentenced to 36 months\u2019 imprisonment with three years of supervised release for involuntary manslaughter. The court ordered the defendant to pay $48,765.76 in restitution for funeral costs and medical bills.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents,\u0026nbsp;on November 8, 2024, a head-on collision occurred near Ethete, Wyoming, on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Damion Loneman Jr., 21, was driving southbound on the Blue-Sky Highway and attempting to pass another vehicle when he entered the northbound lane and collided with a vehicle driven by a man who was traveling with his pregnant fianc\u00e9e, and their young child.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe crash, caused by the defendant\u2019s unsafe passing and speeding, resulted in severe injuries. The woman was critically injured and later died along with her unborn child. The young child suffered a serious head injury, and the father sustained a fractured ankle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWitnesses confirmed the dangerous passing maneuver. Investigators found no vehicle defects and attributed the crash to human error. The defendant admitted to drinking before driving, and blood tests indicated his BAC at the time of the crash was likely between 0.085 and 0.15.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis was a senseless crime resulting in the loss of life of a beloved fianc\u00e9e and mother and her unborn child. Let this be a reminder that drinking and driving impairs safe operation of a vehicle, reducing reaction time and coordination, leading to a much higher risk of fatal accidents, said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. \u201cThe physical and emotional pain the victims endured is unimaginable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELoneman was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2026. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the crime. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on April 2 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00107\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-06T18:13:23-04:00\u0022\u003E1775513603\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"d9b7193e-06fe-42e9-aaef-0b6fe19104d3","name":"USAO - Wyoming"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-04-06T18:10:10-04:00\u0022\u003E1775513410\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1775476800","image":"","number":"26-017","teaser":"","title":"Man sentenced for involuntary manslaughter in a DUI crash that killed a mother and her unborn child","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wy\/pr\/man-sentenced-involuntary-manslaughter-dui-crash-killed-mother-and-her-unborn-child","uuid":"9161bb18-2284-489f-a1dd-72031eae67d7"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 A federal jury today convicted a mother and daughter from Melbourne, Florida, of multiple counts of health care fraud, payment of illegal kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit those offenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mother, Cindy Justice, was the owner and president of PureScience Rx, a pharmacy located in Poway. The daughter, Ashleigh Davis, was the operations manager at PureScience Rx and was a licensed pharmacy technician.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing an 11-day trial, a jury convicted the defendants of orchestrating a Medicare fraud scheme involving illegal kickbacks and medically unnecessary prescription drugs, largely tied to purported \u201cfootbath\u201d treatments. Evidence showed the defendants paid marketers illegal commissions based on Medicare reimbursements in exchange for prescriptions generated through telehealth encounters that never involved legitimate medical examinations. The kickbacks were concealed through sham contracts and fabricated invoices falsely portraying the payments as hourly compensation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrial evidence further established that telemarketing call centers targeted Medicare beneficiaries and secured agreement to receive expensive medications regardless of medical need. Many prescriptions were fraudulently issued using the stolen identities of nurse practitioners. The defendants then billed Medicare as though the prescriptions were medically necessary and based on proper evaluations. Expert testimony confirmed, however, the drugs\u2014particularly those ordered to be used in footbaths\u2014were not FDA-approved or supported by recognized medical compendia for such use. Medicare ultimately paid more than $4.9 million on the fraudulent claims.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMedicare exists to care for patients\u2014not to bankroll sham prescriptions and kickback schemes disguised as medical treatment,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe FBI prioritizes Medicare fraud and meticulously investigates anyone trying to scam the United States Government and its taxpayers,\u201d said TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. \u201cToday\u2019s conviction is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of FBI San Diego\u2019s healthcare fraud team and our law enforcement partners at HHS-OIG to holding fraudsters accountable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2026.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blanca Quintero and George Manahan of the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office in the Southern District of California.\u0026nbsp; Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Chu contributed significantly to the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003EDEFENDANT\u003C\/u\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Case Number 24cr01229-LL\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECindy Justice\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Age: 70\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Melbourne, Florida\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAshleigh Davis\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Age: 41\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Melbourne, Florida\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003ESUMMARY OF CHARGES\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Pay Unlawful Remuneration\u2014Title 18, U.S.C. Section 371\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHealth Care Fraud\u2014Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1347\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine (Conspiracy to Commit Health Care\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPayment of Unlawful Remuneration \u2013 Title 42, U.S.C. Section 1320-7d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaximum penalty: Four years in prison and $250,000 fine (Payment of Unlawful Remuneration)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003EINVESTIGATING AGENCIES\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFederal Bureau of Investigation\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-26T19:54:47-04:00\u0022\u003E1774569287\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"fdad26ae-a50e-41f0-90c6-0e0f10c69b9c","name":"USAO - California, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-26T19:34:56-04:00\u0022\u003E1774568096\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1774526400","image":"","number":"CAS26-0326-Justice","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 A federal jury today convicted a mother and daughter from Melbourne, Florida, of multiple counts of health care fraud, payment of illegal kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit those offenses. The mother, Cindy Justice, was the owner and president of PureScience Rx, a pharmacy located in Poway. The daughter, Ashleigh Davis, was the operations manager at PureScience Rx and was a licensed pharmacy technician.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Federal Jury Finds Mother and Daughter Guilty of Medicare Fraud Scheme and Payment of Illegal Kickbacks","topic":[{"uuid":"cce5d791-6b0b-462d-9a42-768179164d43","name":"Healthcare Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdca\/pr\/federal-jury-finds-mother-and-daughter-guilty-medicare-fraud-scheme-and-payment","uuid":"bc96e270-0d4c-4f3a-800e-bd53723a6726"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETampa, Florida \u2013Taqiy Lewis (27, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon in connection with a shooting. Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory Kehoe made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, on December 24, 2020, 70-year-old M.C. was outside her Lakeland home with her family, including young children. At approximately 5:30 p.m., Lewis and others engaged in a shootout just outside M.C.\u2019s residence. M.C. was struck twice and killed. 13-year-old A.L. was also shot and wounded. More than two years later, on February 9, 2023, during an unrelated investigation, ATF agents and officers from the Lakeland Police Department recovered a\u0026nbsp;Kahr CM9 9mm pistol while executing a search warrant. Forensic testing using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (\u201cNIBIN\u201d) confirmed that this firearm was the one used to kill M.C. and injure A.L. Further investigation revealed that six casings collected from the crime scene, two spent projectiles recovered from a home, and a bullet recovered from M.C.\u2019s body were all fired by Lewis and the Kahr CM9 pistol he possessed. At the time of the shooting, Lewis was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lakeland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney\u0026nbsp;Diego F. Novaes.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-16T16:15:06-04:00\u0022\u003E1773692106\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"544d3323-77d6-4482-917e-ff6c9b4a2fae","name":"USAO - Florida, Middle"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-16T16:13:43-04:00\u0022\u003E1773692023\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1773662400","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ETampa, Florida \u2013Taqiy Lewis (27, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon in connection with a shooting. Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory Kehoe made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Lakeland Man Who Fired Bullets That Killed 70-Year-Old-Grandmother and Injured 13-Year-Old Girl in 2020 Christmas Eve Shootout Pleads Guilty  ","topic":[{"uuid":"68fd7404-ffa3-406d-a98c-0a9fd0b95784","name":"Project Safe Neighborhoods"},{"uuid":"fefd28ee-ccc0-4f66-a585-8a61b66ed5c8","name":"Firearms Offenses"},{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mdfl\/pr\/lakeland-man-who-fired-bullets-killed-70-year-old-grandmother-and-injured-13-year-old","uuid":"3030b0be-ffe2-48bc-b09c-b786b4960eb5"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA Lubbock woman was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining, forging, and cashing Texas Medicaid checks payable to a former health worker for her quadriplegic son, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EJudy Terecia Sanchez, 60, was sentenced to 204 months\u2019 imprisonment on February 19, 2026, by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, after Sanchez pled guilty in July last year to one count of bank fraud. Judge Hendrix also ordered Sanchez to pay restitution of $227,377 to Texas Health and Human Services.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThe defendant inflicted unimaginable suffering on her son by fraudulently pretending he received the care he needed and deserved,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. \u0026nbsp;\u201cJustice in the form of this lengthy prison sentence is deserved for the defendant\u2019s callous exploitation of her son\u2019s tragic condition for her own gain.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThis sentencing was the culmination of a tremendous team effort, and I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office, the FBI and the Texas Office of Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their hard work and dedication in seeing that justice was served,\u201d said Texas HHS Inspector General Raymond Winter, whose agency initiated the investigation. \u201cThis case was about something much more troubling than fraud; it was about a severely disabled young man who was deprived of services paid for by taxpayers. Ms. Sanchez received more than $200,000 under false pretenses\u2014monies intended to provide professional help for her own quadriplegic son to perform basic functions that most of us take for granted. Instead, her son went without for more than six years while she stole taxpayer dollars and lied about it. I hope today\u2019s sentencing serves as a potent reminder that Texans will not tolerate this behavior and that the pursuit of justice will be relentless.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECourt records reflect that Sanchez\u2019s son suffered a debilitating injury that left him severely disabled, bed-ridden, blind, non-verbal, non-mobile, and breathing via a tracheostomy. \u0026nbsp;These disabilities made him wholly dependent on others for all of his needs and qualified him for home health care through the Texas Medicaid program. \u0026nbsp;In 2015, Sanchez selected a certified nurse aide to assist with her son\u2019s bathing, toileting, repositioning in bed, hygiene care, and restorative activities. \u0026nbsp;According to court documents, the nurse aide resigned after approximately two weeks, but Sanchez did not replace her with another aide to provide her son\u2019s care. \u0026nbsp;Instead, for the next six years, Sanchez falsified time sheets as if the nurse aide was still caring for her son and submitted the time sheets to Medicaid for payment. \u0026nbsp;Sanchez directed Medicaid to mail the checks \u2013 each of which were payable to the nurse aide\u2014to a post office box controlled by Sanchez. \u0026nbsp;Sanchez then forged and cashed the checks.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAccording to information presented at sentencing, Sanchez\u2019s fraud was discovered when her son was found in an extreme state of neglect and misery toward the end of his life after Sanchez left him unattended. During the investigation, an EMS worker stated that, in her nine-year career, she had never seen a living person in such a state. \u0026nbsp;When imposing the 17-year sentence, Judge Hendrix observed that Sanchez\u2019s fraud had prevented qualified Medicaid care for her son and noted details about his condition, involving pus-filled bed sores and a severe maggot infestation covering his body.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe Office of the Texas Attorney General\u2019s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s Dallas Field Office\u2014Lubbock Resident Agency, and Texas Health and Human Services conducted the investigation. \u0026nbsp;Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-04T15:44:07-05:00\u0022\u003E1772657047\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"8df05d6d-6610-4258-9c93-cf09539e3683","name":"USAO - Texas, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-04T15:40:42-05:00\u0022\u003E1772656842\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1772625600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EA Lubbock woman was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining, forging, and cashing Texas Medicaid checks payable to a former health worker for her quadriplegic son.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Fraud Scheme Involving Quadriplegic Son","topic":[{"uuid":"77a2d846-a826-49db-a31a-c5db747e9ad3","name":"Financial Fraud"},{"uuid":"cce5d791-6b0b-462d-9a42-768179164d43","name":"Healthcare Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndtx\/pr\/mother-sentenced-17-years-federal-prison-fraud-scheme-involving-quadriplegic-son","uuid":"e81f872b-7be1-4a76-8c31-1c456fd18db1"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELAS VEGAS\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 A Las Vegas woman and her son pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns with the IRS and diverting portions of the resulting tax refunds to themselves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents and statements made in court, Iris Hondermann owned and operated a tax preparation business in Las Vegas. Her son Ivan Odiaga, also of Las Vegas, worked for the business. From approximately 2017 through 2021, Hondermann and Odiaga prepared tax returns for clients that included one or more false items, including business profits and losses, COVID-19 sick and family leave credits, and residential energy credits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBetween 2017 and 2021, Hondermann and Odiaga prepared false tax returns with the IRS seeking a total of more than $5 million in refunds that their clients were not entitled to receive. At times, Hondermann and Odiaga also diverted portions of client tax refunds without their clients\u2019 knowledge or consent. From 2017 through 2021, they diverted more than $1.1 million in false tax refunds to bank accounts one or both of them controlled.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFinally, Odiaga filed approximately 279 tax returns using the unique identifier of another tax preparer without permission, even though the IRS had issued multiple letters warning him against such misuse.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHondermann and Odiaga are scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2026. Both face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. They also face periods of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFirst Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory for the IRS Criminal Investigation\u0027s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Stuart A. Wexler of the Criminal Division\u2019s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-02T16:35:57-05:00\u0022\u003E1772487357\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"bd643fbf-78ab-4335-ab1f-7951cebe0761","name":"USAO - Nevada"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-03-02T15:28:11-05:00\u0022\u003E1772483291\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1772452800","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELAS VEGAS\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 A Las Vegas woman and her son pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns with the IRS and diverting portions of the resulting tax refunds to themselves.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother And Son Plead Guilty To $5 Million Tax Conspiracy","topic":[{"uuid":"4affbb9a-7e65-46c2-acc4-c22ad80d8561","name":"Tax"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-nv\/pr\/mother-and-son-plead-guilty-5-million-tax-conspiracy","uuid":"c269aa31-1bfd-42e7-88c7-49182db90f57"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA man who possessed six firearms, three of which came from his grandmother, was sentenced on February 19, 2026, to one year in federal prison. Jonathan Michael Clark, age 32, from Monticello, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 3, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a prohibited person.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInformation from sentencing showed that Clark applied for a weapons permit in 2018, and a sheriff\u2019s office informed him that he was prohibited from possessing guns.\u0026nbsp; In June 2024, while officers were in Clark\u2019s residence to arrest him on a warrant, an officer saw ammunition.\u0026nbsp; Officers subsequently searched Clark\u2019s home and found six guns.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The investigation showed that the source for at least three of the guns, two of which she purchased, was Clark\u2019s grandmother.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClark was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.\u0026nbsp; Clark was sentenced to 12 months and one day\u2019s imprisonment.\u0026nbsp; He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.\u0026nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system. Clark was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence,\u0026nbsp;and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff\u2019s Office.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECourt file information at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ecf.iand.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/login.pl\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/ecf.iand.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/login.pl\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case file number is 24-CR-2056.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollow us on X @USAO_NDIA.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-25T16:52:50-05:00\u0022\u003E1772056370\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"17ec88ed-fde4-42ba-b13e-3189e751678a","name":"USAO - Iowa, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-25T16:51:11-05:00\u0022\u003E1772056271\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1772020800","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Monticello Man Who Had Grandmother Buy Firearms for Him Sentenced to Federal Prison","topic":[{"uuid":"68fd7404-ffa3-406d-a98c-0a9fd0b95784","name":"Project Safe Neighborhoods"},{"uuid":"fefd28ee-ccc0-4f66-a585-8a61b66ed5c8","name":"Firearms Offenses"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndia\/pr\/monticello-man-who-had-grandmother-buy-firearms-him-sentenced-federal-prison","uuid":"25cbb3b7-d9c8-4837-aa20-356a85607e4f"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELOS ANGELES\u003C\/em\u003E \u2013 A South Bay man and former congressional candidate was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for embezzling approximately $250,000 from his political campaign through a fraudulent scheme involving his mother and friend, pocketing more than $100,000 in cash and using the money on personal expenses such as Las Vegas trips and to defend himself against criminal stalking charges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOmar Navarro, 37, of Torrance, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who ordered Navarro immediately remanded into federal custody. A restitution hearing will be scheduled at a later date.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENavarro pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of wire fraud.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENavarro unsuccessfully campaigned in the four election cycles from 2016 to 2022 to represent south Los Angeles County residents in California\u2019s 43rd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, from July 2017 to February 2021, Navarro defrauded his campaign committee, Omar Navarro for Congress, by illicitly funneling campaign cash to himself. Navarro understood that federal law required his campaign to make regular, public disclosures about the receipt and disbursement of any funds raised or spent on its behalf.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a congressional candidate, Navarro knew and understood that campaign funds raised by him and others for his campaign were restricted to supporting his election efforts and could not be used for his own personal use or enjoyment. Nevertheless, Navarro conspired with his co-defendants \u2013 his mother, Dora Asghari, 61, of Torrance, and his friend, Zacharias Diamantides-Abel, 37, of Long Beach \u2013 to convert campaign donations to personal use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom 2018 to 2020, Navarro\u2019s campaign received more than $1 million in contributions from donors across the United States who supported his election to Congress. To use these funds for personal use and to fund his lavish lifestyle, Navarro illegally transferred campaign checks to himself by sending payments to Asghari and Abel \u2013 purportedly for campaign work. Asghari and Abel then sent that money \u2013 minus their cut \u2013 back to Navarro.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo further the scheme, Navarro represented on those checks, and later lied via disclosures to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that Abel, Asghari, and others \u2013 not Navarro \u2013 had received payment from the campaign for their services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, in November 2019, Navarro wrote a $2,500 campaign check to his mother for little or no work that she performed for the campaign, knowing she would funnel a substantial amount of that money back to him for his personal use. Asghari cashed the check, which caused the transmission of an interstate wire communication. She then provided most of that money back to Navarro, who took the money and made three cash deposits totaling $2,340 in his personal bank account.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENavarro also wrote thousands of dollars\u2019 worth of checks to Brava Consulting, a company that his mother owned and operated, purporting to be in payment for campaign work, but which instead the bulk of which was funneled back to him for personal expenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese expenses included trips to Las Vegas, Nintendo Switch video games, a private investigator and personal criminal defense lawyers. Navarro admitted in his plea agreement to spending at least $12,822 in campaign money on legal fees to defend his criminal stalking case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENavarro did not report to the FEC or his campaign donors that these payments were for personal expenses. Instead, he caused other people to file on his behalf false reports with the FEC representing that the payments were for campaign expenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn total, Navarro\u2019s scheme deprived the campaign and its donors of approximately $268,932 in campaign funds, according to prosecutors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAsghari pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of making false statements for lying to the FBI in September 2020 when she said she never received any money from her son\u2019s congressional campaign and that she never provided her son any money she from the campaign checks she accepted as the owner of Brava Consulting. She will face up to five years in federal prison at her April 13 sentencing hearing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAbel pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of conspiracy and awaits sentencing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The California Fair Political Practices Commission provided assistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant United States Attorneys Frances S. Lewis of the General Crimes Section, Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Juan M. Rodriguez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-23T19:50:02-05:00\u0022\u003E1771894202\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"ab636464-816a-4a67-967e-00eb15e40ff3","name":"USAO - California, Central"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-23T19:47:52-05:00\u0022\u003E1771894072\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1771848000","image":"","number":"26-030","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EA South Bay man and former congressional candidate was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for embezzling approximately $250,000 from his political campaign through a fraudulent scheme involving his mother and friend, pocketing more than $100,000 in cash and using the money on personal expenses such as Las Vegas trips and to defend himself against criminal stalking charges.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Four-Time Congressional Candidate Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Funneling Campaign Money to Himself via His Mother and Friend","topic":[{"uuid":"77a2d846-a826-49db-a31a-c5db747e9ad3","name":"Financial Fraud"},{"uuid":"351fcc4e-1f5b-4490-b848-db30da15059a","name":"Public Corruption"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-cdca\/pr\/four-time-congressional-candidate-sentenced-4-years-federal-prison-funneling-campaign","uuid":"ce1c726a-9afa-4435-a52a-4b89af631b4d"},{"attachment":[{"file":{"id":"1428546","resource":"file","uuid":"f4b1957e-257b-4bc9-bd80-6d8c46382699"},"description":"","display":"1"},{"file":{"id":"1428551","resource":"file","uuid":"adc6d219-6706-4ec9-8f9b-70feaa8ec6b0"},"description":"","display":"1"},{"file":{"id":"1428556","resource":"file","uuid":"52e1077e-c48b-43a3-baa6-accc5e8889fa"},"description":"","display":"1"}],"body":"\u003Cp\u003EClaudia Gonzales, 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to kidnapping involving a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, on May 8, 2024, a woman reported her boyfriend after a domestic violence incident, which resulted in his arrest. In retaliation for calling the police, the boyfriend\u2019s sister, Rosa Ventura, 35, of Fresno, persuaded the woman to place her 5-month-old daughter in the care of another sister. Ventura, with Gonzales hiding in the back of the SUV, then drove the woman and her 9-year-old daughter to an unknown field outside Fresno.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the field, Gonzales emerged from the SUV\u2019s rear cargo area and sat in the front seat. Throughout the night, Ventura and Gonzales continued to drive the mother and child against their will toward the Mexican border. At one point, they stopped at a gas station where the mother and child attempted to flee. Gonzales chased the 9\u2011year-old girl and forced her back into the car. Gonzales and Ventura then caught the mother and used a stun gun to physically force her back into the car. When Gonzales and Ventura arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, they dropped mother and daughter at an unknown bus station in an effort to prevent the mother from testifying in the domestic violence case where she was a victim.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 5-month-old daughter was kept in Fresno out of the victim\u2019s custody from May 8, 2024, until November 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHomeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Gonzales faces a statutory minimum of 20 years to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVentura is set for trial on April 23, 2026. If convicted, she faces a statutory minimum penalty of 20 years to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; Ventura is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-document media--document--embedded entity-document-1428551\u0022\u003E\n  \n                                      \u003Cdiv\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field-formatter--media-entity-download-download-link field_media_file\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/usao-edca\/media\/1428551\/dl?inline\u0022 type=\u0022application\/pdf; length=882842\u0022 title=\u0022gonzales_indictment.pdf\u0022 class=\u0022file file--mime-application-pdf file--application-pdf\u0022\u003Egonzales_indictment.pdf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n                      \u003C\/div\u003E\n                    \n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-document media--document--embedded entity-document-1428556\u0022\u003E\n  \n                                      \u003Cdiv\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field-formatter--media-entity-download-download-link field_media_file\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/usao-edca\/media\/1428556\/dl?inline\u0022 type=\u0022application\/pdf; length=5273391\u0022 title=\u0022gonzales_plea_agreement.pdf\u0022 class=\u0022file file--mime-application-pdf file--application-pdf\u0022\u003Egonzales_plea_agreement.pdf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n                      \u003C\/div\u003E\n                    \n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-document media--document--embedded entity-document-1428556\u0022\u003E\n  \n                                      \u003Cdiv\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field-formatter--media-entity-download-download-link field_media_file\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/usao-edca\/media\/1428556\/dl?inline\u0022 type=\u0022application\/pdf; length=5273391\u0022 title=\u0022gonzales_plea_agreement.pdf\u0022 class=\u0022file file--mime-application-pdf file--application-pdf\u0022\u003Egonzales_plea_agreement.pdf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n                      \u003C\/div\u003E\n                    \n  \u003C\/div\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-23T13:08:02-05:00\u0022\u003E1771870082\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"783bd771-c8bc-425a-b381-bc7942bfd7e0","name":"USAO - California, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-23T13:01:13-05:00\u0022\u003E1771869673\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1771848000","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EClaudia Gonzales, 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to kidnapping involving a minor.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Fresno Woman Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping a Mother and Child, and Transporting Them from Fresno to Mexico Against Their Will","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edca\/pr\/fresno-woman-pleads-guilty-kidnapping-mother-and-child-and-transporting-them-fresno","uuid":"d9fe9f58-f248-47be-923b-6bf4e9da1587"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; WASHINGTON \u2013 Seth Emmanuel Andrews, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court for strangling his mother, Hazel Evans, to death in Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; On November 26, 2025, a D.C. Superior Court jury convicted Andrews on one count of second-degree murder. Today, Judge J. Michael Ryan sentenced Andrews to 26 years in prison, the maximum recommended sentence under the D.C. Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, followed by five years of supervised release.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The evidence at trial proved that on July 16, 2020, Andrews killed Evans by strangling her while she was inside of her bedroom at her home at 10 35\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E Street, SE, Washington, D.C. The defendant was arrested on August 20, 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Coronado and Marybeth Manfreda, who prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E2020 CF1 006522\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-13T15:20:08-05:00\u0022\u003E1771014008\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-13T15:17:45-05:00\u0022\u003E1771013865\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1770984000","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESeth Emmanuel Andrews, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court for strangling his mother, Hazel Evans, to death in Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"38-Year-Old Man Who Murdered his Mother Sentenced to  26 Years in Prison","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/pr\/38-year-old-man-who-murdered-his-mother-sentenced-26-years-prison","uuid":"19feabc2-6e14-4a46-84f3-9e6f70b05568"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFort Myers, FL \u2013 Miranda Lee Pryor (39, Orange Park) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge\u0026nbsp;Sheri Polster Chappell to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for her role in a May 2025 armed carjacking in Lehigh Acres. Pryor pleaded guilty on October 29, 2025, to carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Her co-defendant, Rebecca Lea Stacey (36, West Palm Beach) was previously sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison in connection with the same case. United States Attorney\u0026nbsp;Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court records,\u0026nbsp;on the afternoon of May 11, 2025, Stacey and Pryor carjacked a man waiting in his vehicle outside a store in Lehigh Acres. During the carjacking, Pryor brandished a firearm as the pair stole the victim\u2019s vehicle and sped away from the scene. Later that afternoon, after law enforcement located the vehicle on I-75, Stacey (driving the vehicle) led police on a high-speed chase on the interstate through Collier County, eventually losing control and crashing the vehicle.\u0026nbsp; Stacey and Pryor were quickly apprehended by law enforcement following the accident. During the chase, Pryor (the front-seat passenger) tossed the firearm used in the carjacking out the window of the stolen car, which was later recovered on the side of the highway.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff\u2019s Office, the Collier County Sheriff\u2019s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon Eth and Kevin Huguelet.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-11T10:54:56-05:00\u0022\u003E1770825296\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"544d3323-77d6-4482-917e-ff6c9b4a2fae","name":"USAO - Florida, Middle"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-11T10:52:59-05:00\u0022\u003E1770825179\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1770811200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EFort Myers, FL \u2013 Miranda Lee Pryor (39, Orange Park) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge\u0026nbsp;Sheri Polster Chappell to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for her role in a May 2025 armed carjacking in Lehigh Acres. Pryor pleaded guilty on October 29, 2025, to carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Her co-defendant, Rebecca Lea Stacey (36, West Palm Beach) was previously sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison in connection with the same case. United States Attorney\u0026nbsp;Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother\u2019s Day Carjackers Sentenced to Federal Prison","topic":[{"uuid":"68fd7404-ffa3-406d-a98c-0a9fd0b95784","name":"Project Safe Neighborhoods"},{"uuid":"fefd28ee-ccc0-4f66-a585-8a61b66ed5c8","name":"Firearms Offenses"},{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mdfl\/pr\/mothers-day-carjackers-sentenced-federal-prison","uuid":"11d2f487-73e3-421d-a0a4-92a36ab1bdcf"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJawana Washington, 45, of Clovis, was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd for aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm as well as disposing of a firearm to a felon, U.S.\u0026nbsp;Attorney Eric Grant announced.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Sept. 3, 2025, Jawana Washington was convicted following a one-day trial. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Jawana Washington knowingly provided her son, Taylor Washington\u2014a documented gang member and convicted felon\u2014her firearm. On March 25, 2022, she agreed to lend him her firearm, cautioning him not to do anything \u201ccrazy,\u201d to use his own ammunition, and not to get her sent to jail. Minutes later, agents observed Taylor Washington arrive at his mother\u2019s apartment complex, meet with her, and leave in a vehicle. During a subsequent traffic stop, officers recovered a Springfield Armory XD-9 handgun, registered to Jawana Washington, from the car\u2019s center console. After the stop, Jawana Washington exchanged messages with others in which she acknowledged that Taylor Washington had her firearm and urged deletion of incriminating text messages.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Fresno Police Department; the Fresno-area Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC); the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit; the California Department of Justice Human Trafficking \/ Sexual Predator Apprehension Team; the California Highway Patrol; the Fresno County Sheriff\u2019s Office; the Kings County Sheriff\u2019s Office; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Fresno County District Attorney\u2019s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-10T12:19:07-05:00\u0022\u003E1770743947\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"783bd771-c8bc-425a-b381-bc7942bfd7e0","name":"USAO - California, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-10T12:00:21-05:00\u0022\u003E1770742821\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1770724800","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EJawana Washington, 45, of Clovis, was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd for aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm as well as disposing of a firearm to a felon.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Clovis Mother Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Arming Her Son, a Felon and Gang Member","topic":[{"uuid":"22aab3d6-17bc-40e1-ba47-aacd1ebcb261","name":"Operation Take Back America"},{"uuid":"fefd28ee-ccc0-4f66-a585-8a61b66ed5c8","name":"Firearms Offenses"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edca\/pr\/clovis-mother-sentenced-18-months-prison-arming-her-son-felon-and-gang-member","uuid":"15a1081a-0c28-46c3-823f-a9a3664c7f7c"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA woman who purchased three firearms for her fourteen-year-old grandson was sentenced on February 4, 2026, to five years of probation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVirginia Prescott, age 64, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the sentence after a July 29, 2025, guilty plea to false statement during purchase of firearm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInformation from a plea agreement and sentencing proceedings showed that Prescott bought three handguns from a licensed firearms dealer in Cedar Falls between March and August 2024.\u0026nbsp; Prescott lied on forms during these purchases, claiming that she was the actual buyer of the guns.\u0026nbsp; The guns were for Prescott\u2019s fourteen-year-old grandson, who was not old enough to purchase or possess firearms.\u0026nbsp; All three guns were recovered by law enforcement officers in connection with criminal activity.\u0026nbsp; One gun was linked by ballistics testing to a shots-fired incident that occurred in Waterloo on August 3, 2024.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn October 1, 2024, law enforcement agents searched Prescott\u2019s home.\u0026nbsp; She reported that her grandson, who lived in the same household, had threatened to destroy her property and kill her dog if she did not buy a gun for him.\u0026nbsp; Prescott\u2019s grandson was on state probation when she bought guns for him.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrescott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.\u0026nbsp; Prescott was sentenced to five years of federal probation.\u0026nbsp; The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff\u2019s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence,\u0026nbsp;and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives\u2019 (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.atf.gov\/firearms\/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.atf.gov\/firearms\/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECourt file information at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ecf.iand.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/login.pl\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/ecf.iand.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/login.pl\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case file number is 25-CR-2042.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollow us on X @USAO_NDIA.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-06T17:33:26-05:00\u0022\u003E1770417206\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"17ec88ed-fde4-42ba-b13e-3189e751678a","name":"USAO - Iowa, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-06T17:32:13-05:00\u0022\u003E1770417133\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1770379200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Grandmother Who Bought Firearms for Juvenile Grandson Sentenced in Federal Court","topic":[{"uuid":"68fd7404-ffa3-406d-a98c-0a9fd0b95784","name":"Project Safe Neighborhoods"},{"uuid":"fefd28ee-ccc0-4f66-a585-8a61b66ed5c8","name":"Firearms Offenses"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndia\/pr\/grandmother-who-bought-firearms-juvenile-grandson-sentenced-federal-court","uuid":"e076430c-0527-4813-b2a2-e72f4e4f8656"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; LITTLE ROCK\u2014April Adams will spend 20 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; On April 2, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Adams, 62, and her daughter, Amber Church, 38, both of Hensley. Both women were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. In addition to the 20-year federal sentence for the fentanyl conspiracy, Judge Moody sentenced Adams to 20 years in federal prison for her conviction for distribution of methamphetamine. Both federal sentences will be served concurrently. Judge Moody sentenced Adams to serve three years\u2019 supervised release following the completion of her federal sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The evidence presented at trial showed that on April 16, 2023, law enforcement officers from the Saline County Sheriff\u2019s Office were dispatched to a residence on Crab Apple Circle in reference to multiple overdoses. Once law enforcement officers arrived, they located four individuals who overdosed. After medical personnel administered Narcan, three individuals survived, but one individual died at the scene.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; During the trial, two witnesses who survived overdoses testified that after arriving at the residence on Crab Apple Circle, Adams offered methamphetamine, to the witnesses, Church, and the victim who died. After smoking the methamphetamine, Church asked Adams if she could provide to the group what Church said was the \u201ccocaine\u201d that Adams had in her room. Church then got the substance from Adams\u2019 room and provided it to the group, using some herself. The substance was in fact fentanyl.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Nearly immediately after ingesting the fentanyl the four individuals who used the drug began passing out, including Church. Adams, who did not use the substance that caused the other four individuals to overdose, waited approximately 45 minutes before notifying anyone about the overdoses, and then called a friend rather than emergency services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Little Rock comprises agents and officers from Saline County Sheriff\u2019s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The investigation was conducted by the Saline County Sheriff\u2019s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Edward Walker and Jordan Crews prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E# # #\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003EAdditional information about the office of the\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003EUnited States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/edar\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.justice.gov\/edar\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003EX (formerly known as Twitter\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-02T17:06:50-05:00\u0022\u003E1770070010\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"3973fee0-1efe-4973-9b02-afcea9c261ff","name":"USAO - Arkansas, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-02-02T17:01:33-05:00\u0022\u003E1770069693\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1770033600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EApril Adams will spend 20 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Hensley Mother Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison After Being Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death","topic":[{"uuid":"68eea121-fc07-4c11-80e2-587b140b79b1","name":"Drug Trafficking"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edar\/pr\/hensley-mother-sentenced-20-years-federal-prison-after-being-convicted-conspiracy","uuid":"172c0514-d35e-4591-943c-6ba0ac8ce36a"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022align-center entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--s02 entity-image-1425796\u0022\u003E\n  \n      \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022field__item img_wrp\u0022\u003E  \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/d02\/public\/2026-01\/melvin_mug_shot_0.png?itok=g6sHJeZ8\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022265\u0022 alt=\u0022Cynthia Denise Melvin\u0022 title=\u0022Cynthia Denise Melvin\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EA federal judge sentenced a Fayetteville grandmother, Cynthia Denise Melvin, age 60, to five years in federal prison for wire fraud stealing over $5 million from federal student aid for community colleges all around North Carolina.\u0026nbsp; She pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.\u0026nbsp; The federal judge also ordered Melvin to pay back $3,641,473 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cWe have seen dishonest thieves stealing taxpayer dollars all over the country, including right here in Eastern North Carolina. In her federal student aid fraud scheme, this grandmother stole the most money ever prosecuted in North Carolina,\u201d said U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle. \u201cWe will find and prosecute criminals who steal tax dollars from benefit programs intended to help students who need it to pursue education. She should have been taking care of her grandkids, setting an example of how to be a good person. Instead, now she will spend half a decade in federal prison apart from them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019m proud of the work of OIG special agents and our law enforcement colleagues for shutting down yet another student aid fraud ring and holding Ms. Melvin accountable for her criminal actions,\u201d said Andrew Balceniuk, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General\u2019s Eastern Regional Office. \u201cThe Office of Inspector General is committed to stopping student aid fraud rings, and we will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who participates in them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2016 and 2023, Inmate Melvin organized, led, and conspired with approximately 80 \u201cstraw students\u201d to fraudulently apply for federal student aid at multiple community colleges in North Carolina, including Wake Tech, Cape Fear Community College, and Fayetteville Tech.\u0026nbsp; Federal investigators from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (OIG), estimate that the scheme resulted in over $5 million in financial aid awards and more than $3.5 million disbursed.\u0026nbsp; This scheme is the largest of its kind ever prosecuted in the State of North Carolina.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EFederal Student Aid (FSA), part of the U.S. Department of Education, administers financial aid programs to assist qualified students in their pursuit of college level education.\u0026nbsp; FSA also develops, distributes, and processes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).\u0026nbsp; After a school applies a financial award to a student\u2019s tuition and fees, any remaining balance is refunded to the student for education-related expenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to the investigation, Inmate Melvin collected personal identifying information from straw students and submitted fraudulent applications at the targeted schools. Then, inmate Melvin faked the attendance at classes, completion of work, and interactions with the target schools when, in reality, inmate Melvin impersonated these straw students.\u0026nbsp; Inmate Melvin submitted FAFSA forms for the straw students through FSA\u2019s website and concealed her identity as the preparer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EDuring the execution of a federal search warrant at inmate Melvin\u2019s home, OIG investigators recovered evidence establishing the operation and mechanics of the scheme, including personal information and coursework for straw students, FSA account usernames and passwords, and bank account and routing numbers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EUnited States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief Judge Richard E. Myers, II. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General,\u0026nbsp;investigated the case.\u0026nbsp;Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EA copy of this press release is located on our\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ednc\u0022\u003Ewebsite\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nced.uscourts.gov\/\u0022\u003EU.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina\u003C\/a\u003E or on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ecf.nced.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/ShowIndex.pl\u0022\u003EPACER\u003C\/a\u003E by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-14-M.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-29T10:17:26-05:00\u0022\u003E1769699846\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"e677f388-f122-47ab-babc-c87013ef6c38","name":"Office of the Inspector General"},{"uuid":"d80e5ea7-90b3-4607-8495-a16ee5a2f772","name":"USAO - North Carolina, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-29T10:04:08-05:00\u0022\u003E1769699048\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1769688000","image":[{"file":{"id":"1425796","resource":"file","uuid":"c8ef84f0-90b6-4d24-91d0-1a5691f30ce5"},"alt":"Cynthia Denise Melvin","title":"Cynthia Denise Melvin"}],"number":"","teaser":"","title":"Fayetteville Grandmother Gets Five Year Federal Prison Sentence for Stealing Over $5 Million in Community College Scholarship Scam","topic":[{"uuid":"77a2d846-a826-49db-a31a-c5db747e9ad3","name":"Financial Fraud"},{"uuid":"2f8f7cfb-134b-4afd-965d-91dc2604a56f","name":"Identity Theft"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ednc\/pr\/fayetteville-grandmother-gets-five-year-federal-prison-sentence-stealing-over-5","uuid":"3af91498-a24f-4d4b-8296-93bf4f8901e9"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPORTLAND, Ore.\u2014 A grand jury in Oregon last Wednesday returned a superseding indictment charging a mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon, with 12-counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and forced labor. The indictment alleges that Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 67, and Yolandita Marie Andre, 31, coerced the labor and services of three victims, including a minor victim, to work for little or no pay in an adult foster care home. Valmont has separately been charged with confiscating the documents of the victims to compel their labor and services, along with engaging in healthcare fraud by participating in a conspiracy with Andre to request Medicaid \u201cexceptional payments\u201d for additional paid hours for employees while paying the victim employees little to nothing for their labor, lying about the victims\u2019 residence in the home, and falsifying a disability claim for herself that allowed Andre to be paid hourly for providing care to her as a Homecare Worker. Andre and Valmont have also been charged with making multiple false statements regarding healthcare fraud for the same behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, Valmont and Andre, the owners and operators of Velida\u2019s Home Care in Tigard, allegedly recruited the three victims to travel from Haiti to the United States to work with promises of a nice place to live, and steady and reliable work. Upon their arrival in September 2023, all three were compelled to work long, difficult hours for little to no pay at Velida\u2019s Home Care. Valmont took the victims\u2019 immigration paperwork and controlled practically every aspect of their daily living, which compelled them to work as caregivers in the home. The victims continued working under threats of serious harm until the minor victim disclosed their situation to a medical professional in the summer of 2024. At that point, the Oregon Department of Justice authorities commenced an investigation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the defendants allegedly requested and received payments from the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and Medicaid by falsely claiming they needed to pay additional and current employees for more hours for foster care residents with exceptional care needs. Instead of paying the three victims a proper hourly wage, the defendants instead kept the money they obtained from the ODHS and Medicare by paying them little or nothing. Finally, Andre also stated under penalty of perjury that she served as Valmont\u2019s caregiver and submitted claims purporting to be Valmont\u2019s caregiver during times when Andre was either not with Valmont or Valmont was working with others. Moreover, Valmont alleged she was disabled and required Andre\u2019s care while also holding herself out to ODHS as a purported caregiver herself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommitting forced labor and conspiracy to commit health care fraud are each punishable by a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison per count of conviction and force labor requires mandatory restitution. Making a false statement related to health care fraud is punishable by up to five years in federal prison per count of conviction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FBI investigated the case with assistance from Tigard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division\u2019s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/protect2.fireeye.com\/v1\/url?k=beef599f-e1741b6c-bee87d7a-000babdfec90-e920fe3593b5a736\u0026amp;q=1\u0026amp;e=6d72a061-03ec-4ef8-89f6-ae5d59fa0884\u0026amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.humantraffickinghotline.org%2F\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewww.humantraffickinghotline.org\u003C\/a\u003E. Information on the Justice Department\u2019s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/humantrafficking\u0022\u003Ewww.justice.gov\/humantrafficking\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn indictment is only an accusation of a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-26T18:28:52-05:00\u0022\u003E1769470132\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"3c38d032-2199-40bd-9062-4e5453cae5a5","name":"USAO - Oregon"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-26T18:26:54-05:00\u0022\u003E1769470014\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1769428800","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EA grand jury in Oregon last Wednesday returned a superseding indictment charging a mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon, with 12-counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and forced labor.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Oregon Mother and Daughter Facing New Charges Related to Forced Labor and Health Care Fraud","topic":[{"uuid":"6b68977d-e415-4bfb-b0c5-5fb180bebdf4","name":"Human Trafficking"},{"uuid":"cce5d791-6b0b-462d-9a42-768179164d43","name":"Healthcare Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-or\/pr\/oregon-mother-and-daughter-facing-new-charges-related-forced-labor-and-health-care-fraud","uuid":"fc59f7e1-4303-415c-9953-46675313a44e"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA grand jury in Oregon yesterday returned a superseding indictment charging a mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon, with 12-counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and forced labor. The indictment alleges that Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 67, and Yolandita Marie Andre, 31, coerced the labor and services of three victims, including a minor victim, to work for little or no pay in an adult foster care home. Valmont has separately been charged with confiscating the documents of the victims to compel their labor and services, along with engaging in healthcare fraud by participating in a conspiracy with Andre to request Medicaid \u201cexceptional payments\u201d for additional paid hours for employees while paying the victim employees little to nothing for their labor, lying about the victims\u2019 residence in the home, and falsifying a disability claim for herself that allowed Andre to be paid hourly for providing care to her as a Homecare Worker. Andre and Valmont have also been charged with making multiple false statements regarding healthcare fraud for the same behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, Valmont and Andre, the owners and operators of Velida\u2019s Home Care in Tigard, allegedly recruited the three victims to travel from Haiti to the United States to work with promises of a nice place to live, and steady and reliable work. Upon their arrival in September 2023, all three were compelled to work long, difficult hours for little to no pay at Velida\u2019s Home Care. Valmont took the victims\u2019 immigration paperwork and controlled practically every aspect of their daily living, which compelled them to work as caregivers in the home. The victims continued working under threats of serious harm until the minor victim disclosed their situation to a medical professional in the summer of 2024. At that point, the Oregon Department of Justice authorities commenced an investigation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the defendants allegedly requested and received payments from the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and Medicaid by falsely claiming they needed to pay additional and current employees for more hours for foster care residents with exceptional care needs. Instead of paying the three victims a proper hourly wage, the defendants instead kept the money they obtained from the ODHS and Medicare by paying them little or nothing. Finally, Andre also stated under penalty of perjury that she served as Valmont\u2019s caregiver and submitted claims purporting to be Valmont\u2019s caregiver during times when Andre was either not with Valmont or Valmont was working with others. Moreover, Valmont alleged she was disabled and required Andre\u2019s care while also holding herself out to ODHS as a purported caregiver herself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommitting forced labor and conspiracy to commit health care fraud are each punishable by a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison per count of conviction and force labor requires mandatory restitution. Making a false statement related to health care fraud is punishable by up to five years in federal prison per count of conviction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FBI investigated the case with assistance from Tigard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division\u2019s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.humantraffickinghotline.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewww.humantraffickinghotline.org\u003C\/a\u003E. Information on the Justice Department\u2019s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/humantrafficking\u0022\u003Ewww.justice.gov\/humantrafficking\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn indictment is only an accusation of a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-26T15:52:12-05:00\u0022\u003E1769460732\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"46370d9f-afee-4408-a29b-48812154bc0c","name":"Criminal Division"},{"uuid":"48a4c599-c2d1-4070-95dd-1f211453b3ad","name":"Criminal - Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section"},{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"3c38d032-2199-40bd-9062-4e5453cae5a5","name":"USAO - Oregon"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-26T15:49:16-05:00\u0022\u003E1769460556\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1769428800","image":"","number":"26-63","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003E- A grand jury in Oregon yesterday returned a superseding indictment charging a mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon, with 12-counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and forced labor.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Oregon Mother and Daughter Facing New Charges Related to Forced Labor and Health Care Fraud","topic":[{"uuid":"cce5d791-6b0b-462d-9a42-768179164d43","name":"Healthcare Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/oregon-mother-and-daughter-facing-new-charges-related-forced-labor-and-health-care-fraud","uuid":"4687ebb6-baba-4c68-ad24-78e1c873990a"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESALT LAKE CITY, Utah \u2013 Muna Abdi, 36, a Somali national living in Millcreek, Utah, was sentenced today to 12 months\u2019 probation and ordered to pay $25,638.61 in restitution. She was sentenced for impersonating her deceased mother in order to keep Social Security benefits flowing to her mother\u2019s account, even though her mother died in 2021 and was no longer entitled to Social Security benefits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, comes after Abdi pleaded guilty to conversion of government funds on September 29, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, from November 1, 2021, to about June 30, 2024, Abdi converted funds from the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) for her own benefit. The SSA, who was not aware of Abdi\u2019s mother\u2019s death, continued to disperse funds to her Social Security account, to which Abdi had access. For over three years, Abdi fraudulently withdrew at least $25,638.61 in government funds. She admitted to withdrawing the funds regularly through cash-back purchases and ATM withdrawals. She further admitted to impersonating her deceased mother in correspondences with the SSA and in person at the SSA field office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor years, Ms. Abdi stole funds intended for qualifying disabled and retired individuals,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. \u201cMy office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure justice is done when individuals defraud government programs putting critical benefit funds at risk.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMs. Abdi wrongfully converted her late mother\u2019s Supplemental Security Income payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for personal gain,\u201d said John McLeod, Special Agent-in-Charge of the SSA Office of the Inspector General, Cooperative Disability Investigations \u2013 Western Field Division. \u201cI commend the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office and our law enforcement partners for their collaboration in holding her accountable and reinforcing that Social Security fraud will not be tolerated.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit (SSA-CDIU) in Salt Lake City.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpecial Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko J. Jepson of the United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-06T20:51:36-05:00\u0022\u003E1767750696\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"e6b05612-a636-4a2b-80bd-dffad09c4d08","name":"USAO - Utah"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-01-06T20:49:07-05:00\u0022\u003E1767750547\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1767700800","image":"","number":"26-01","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESALT LAKE CITY, Utah \u2013 Muna Abdi, 36, a Somali national living in Millcreek, Utah, was sentenced today to 12 months\u2019 probation and ordered to pay $25,638.61 in restitution. She was sentenced for impersonating her deceased mother in order to keep Social Security benefits flowing to her mother\u2019s account, even though her mother died in 2021 and was no longer entitled to Social Security benefits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Somali National Sentenced After Impersonating Deceased Mother to Obtain Over $25,000 in Social Security Funds","topic":[{"uuid":"77a2d846-a826-49db-a31a-c5db747e9ad3","name":"Financial Fraud"},{"uuid":"e5f03be8-739e-438c-8fd4-913af5967747","name":"Securities, Commodities, \u0026 Investment Fraud"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ut\/pr\/somali-national-sentenced-after-impersonating-deceased-mother-obtain-over-25000-social","uuid":"34034ff9-ad34-4776-83db-787bec60fae2"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of\u0026nbsp;Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.\u0026nbsp; The sentencing took place on December 4, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrady James Claymore, 38, was sentenced to\u0026nbsp;two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClaymore was indicted for\u0026nbsp;Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in May 2025.\u0026nbsp; He pleaded guilty on September 16, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the evening of December 26, 2024, Claymore was drinking alcohol at his mother\u2019s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, in the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.\u0026nbsp; When his mother reproved him, Claymore became upset, placed his hands around her neck and squeezed.\u0026nbsp; After Claymore\u2019s brother punched him several times in the head, Claymore let go of his mother and lost his balance.\u0026nbsp; Both Claymore and his mother then tumbled down a short flight of steps.\u0026nbsp; Claymore\u2019s mother incurred a broken nose and fractured three teeth in the fall.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.\u0026nbsp;Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClaymore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-12-12T12:07:00-05:00\u0022\u003E1765559220\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"56f88d82-8607-40d7-8066-149221fe4178","name":"USAO - South Dakota"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-12-12T12:04:49-05:00\u0022\u003E1765559089\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1765540800","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EUnited States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of\u0026nbsp;Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.\u0026nbsp; The sentencing took place on December 4, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Assaulting His Mother","topic":[{"uuid":"c99924c1-10c0-48c8-94b6-191166edda32","name":"Indian Country Law and Justice"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sd\/pr\/mclaughlin-man-sentenced-2-years-federal-prison-assaulting-his-mother","uuid":"7ec820d9-71d8-494d-8f61-1462ad81ae1e"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a 5-day jury trial, Shana Gaviola, 38, formerly of Clovis, was found guilty of interstate violation of a protection order for causing her estranged teenage son to be taken against his will and transported from California to Missouri, U.S.\u0026nbsp;Attorney Eric Grant announced.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShana Gaviola paid individuals to kidnap her then-16-year-old son from an ice-skating rink in Fresno, California, drive him in handcuffs to Missouri, and forcibly restrain him there for a week\u2014all in express violation of a state-court domestic violence restraining order and ostensibly in the exercise of Gaviola\u2019s religious beliefs,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Grant. \u201cNo parent\u2014indeed, no person whatsoever\u2014has the right to subject a child to kidnapping and terror for that reason or any other reason. This office will continue to vigorously prosecute anyone who violates the basic rights and safety of minors in our district, especially in violation of lawful court orders.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are grateful for our strong partnership with the Fresno Police Department. Together, we uncovered the facts that ultimately led to today\u2019s verdict. Shana Gaviola manipulated others to help force her will upon her son. We are very proud of his resolve throughout this investigation and trial. He will rest easier knowing that justice has been served,\u201d said FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Duel Valentine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents and testimony at trial, in 2020, Gaviola\u2019s then-16-year-old son began living apart from Gaviola with another family. He petitioned for emancipation from Gaviola and obtained a domestic violence protection order against Gaviola from the Fresno County Superior Court. The order prohibited Gaviola from harassing, blocking the movements of, or contacting her son in any way, including directly or indirectly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the protection order, Gaviola made plans for her son to be forcibly transported from California to Missouri. On Aug. 21, 2021, individuals acting on behalf of Gaviola abducted the minor from an ice-skating rink in Fresno, handcuffed him, and forced him into a car. He remained in handcuffs for more than 24 hours while they drove to Stockton, Missouri. He was then held at a youth facility until his father was able to free him.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fresno Police Department and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegr\u00eda and Heiko P. Coppola are prosecuting the case. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the Eastern District of Missouri.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGaviola is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on April 27, 2026. Gaviola faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-12-09T19:37:30-05:00\u0022\u003E1765327050\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"783bd771-c8bc-425a-b381-bc7942bfd7e0","name":"USAO - California, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-12-09T19:34:06-05:00\u0022\u003E1765326846\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1765281600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a 5-day jury trial, Shana Gaviola, 38, formerly of Clovis, was found guilty of interstate violation of a protection order for causing her estranged teenage son to be taken against his will and transported from California to Missouri.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother Convicted for Interstate Violation of Protective Order Regarding Her Estranged Teenage Son","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edca\/pr\/mother-convicted-interstate-violation-protective-order-regarding-her-estranged-teenage","uuid":"417e60f9-ecc6-4186-a577-244fcc0a61b0"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA woman involved in a drug conspiracy in Waterloo, Iowa, was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to five years in federal prison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENicole Ann Fordyce, age 50, who lived in Waterloo, Iowa, at the time of her involvement in distributing marijuana, received the prison term after an April 16, 2025, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;From August 2022 through January 2024, Fordyce was involved in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of marijuana intended for further distribution in Waterloo.\u0026nbsp; Fordyce received marijuana in the mail from her son, Jonathan Reins, who was living in California.\u0026nbsp; Fordyce gave the marijuana to other people involved in distributing it throughout Waterloo.\u0026nbsp; During this time, Fordyce also deposited approximately $191,896 in drug proceeds into a bank account used by the people involved in distributing the marijuana.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFordyce was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.\u0026nbsp; Fordyce was sentenced to 60 months\u2019 imprisonment.\u0026nbsp; She must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term.\u0026nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFordyce is being held in the United States Marshal\u2019s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Butler County Sheriff\u2019s Office, Denver Iowa Police Department, Fullerton California Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECourt file information at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ecf.iand.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/login.pl\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/ecf.iand.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/login.pl\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case file number is 24-CR- 02050-002.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollow us on X @USAO_NDIA.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-12-04T15:46:21-05:00\u0022\u003E1764881181\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"17ec88ed-fde4-42ba-b13e-3189e751678a","name":"USAO - Iowa, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-12-04T15:44:53-05:00\u0022\u003E1764881093\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1764763200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Mother Involved in Marijuana Drug Conspiracy Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison","topic":[{"uuid":"68eea121-fc07-4c11-80e2-587b140b79b1","name":"Drug Trafficking"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndia\/pr\/mother-involved-marijuana-drug-conspiracy-sentenced-five-years-federal-prison","uuid":"b83ae589-48b8-4b40-aa93-0c197beb6475"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGAINESVILLE, FLORIDA\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Kanethia Tremeka Steele, 51, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Her son and codefendant, Kenneth Steele, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison for the same charge. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Attorney Heekin said: \u201cI applaud the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle this drug trafficking enterprise that had flooded our communities with deadly drugs. This is yet another successful prosecution by my office in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the drug traffickers who have peddled poison on our streets for far too long. Substantial prison time awaits these offenders and any others who try to traffic drugs in the Northern District of Florida.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECourt documents reflect that over a three-year period Kanethia Steele obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Arizona-based drug suppliers on behalf of drug traffickers operating in the counties of Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy. In addition to her packaging the methamphetamine, Steele enlisted the assistance of her son, Kenneth, to transport multi-kilogram shipments of methamphetamine secreted in luggage on commercial flights from Phoenix, Arizona to Orlando, Florida. At the direction of his mother, Kenneth Steele made three flights, transporting over 40 pounds of methamphetamine that was distributed in North Florida.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPutting this mother and son enterprise out of business will make communities safer,\u201d said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. \u201cThese illicit substances\u2014particularly methamphetamine\u2014have the ability to destroy families.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gilchrist County Sheriff\u2019s Office. The case was prosecuted by Former Assistant United States Attorney Corey Smith and Assistant United States Attorney Jason Coody.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case is part of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/dag\/media\/1393746\/dl?inline\u0022\u003EOperation Take Back America\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;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.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation\u2019s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.\u0026nbsp; To access public court documents online, please visit the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ecf.flnd.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/login.pl\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;website.\u0026nbsp;For more information about the United States Attorney\u2019s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao\/fln\/index.html\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao\/fln\/index.html\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-11-24T09:25:47-05:00\u0022\u003E1763994347\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"4f03e6af-f2cb-40c6-89c8-6871fdd8aa47","name":"Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)"},{"uuid":"0e679fa3-81a3-47b0-a005-518d5e92c4fe","name":"USAO - Florida, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-11-24T09:23:31-05:00\u0022\u003E1763994211\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1763985600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGAINESVILLE, FLORIDA\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Kanethia Tremeka Steele, 51, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Her son and codefendant, Kenneth Steele, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison for the same charge.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"MOTHER AND SON SENTENCED FOR CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE FROM ARIZONA TO FLORIDA","topic":[{"uuid":"22aab3d6-17bc-40e1-ba47-aacd1ebcb261","name":"Operation Take Back America"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndfl\/pr\/mother-and-son-sentenced-conspiracy-distribute-methamphetamine-arizona-florida","uuid":"0df11839-2c8e-40d7-9552-5de0d09cd725"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; WASHINGTON \u2013 Franklin Jovany Torres, 42, a convicted sex offender serving time in federal prison, was sentenced November 5 to an additional 16 months for vowing revenge and mailing death threats to the mother of a teenage boy who he had sexually abused, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Torres pleaded guilty August 27 before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of mailing threatening communications. The 16-months will be served consecutively to the earlier imposed 21-year prison term. Torres will be deported to El Salvador at the completion of the sentences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Joining in the announcement was FBI Special Agent in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; According to the plea agreement, on Mar. 11, 2015, following a jury trial, Torres was convicted in the District of producing child pornography, distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography, and first degree sexual abuse of a minor. For those crimes he was sentenced to 252 months in prison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; On July 2, 2015, Torres mailed a handwritten letter from a Federal Corrections Institute in South Carolina to the Northwest Washington D.C. home of the minor victim\u2019s mother.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The letter, written in Spanish, threatened, \u201cI\u2019m going to get out one day, and when that day comes is when you are going to shed tears of blood because that day I\u2019m going to get rid of your whole family \u2013 cousins, nephews and nieces, granmother, children \u2013 even the dog at your home I\u2019ll get rid of.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The boy victim\u2019s parents had allowed Torres to stay in their apartment after Torres lost his job and needed a place to stay. After Torres had lived with the family for several months, the victim\u2019s mother discovered a naked photo of a male child with his face obscured on the defendant\u2019s Facebook page. The boy in the photo turned out to be the victim. The photo was taken by Torres during an incident in which Torres had sexually abused the boy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The mother and her son reported the sexual abuse to the police several months later, after Torres moved out of their apartment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; This case was investigated by FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson of the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Columbia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E20cr268\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEditor\u0027s Note:\u003Cbr\u003EThis matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-11-14T07:55:36-05:00\u0022\u003E1763124936\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-11-05T14:48:08-05:00\u0022\u003E1762372088\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1763035200","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EFranklin Jovany Torres, 42, a convicted sex offender serving time in federal prison, was sentenced November 5 to an additional 16 months for vowing revenge and mailing death threats to the mother of a teenage boy who he had sexually abused, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Imprisoned Sex Offender Sentenced to 16 More Months for Threatening Vengance on Minor Victim\u2019s Mother","topic":[{"uuid":"24d5ff01-2591-4b4a-9d78-66db50247093","name":"Project Safe Childhood"},{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/pr\/imprisoned-sex-offender-sentenced-16-more-months-threatening-vengance-minor-victims","uuid":"fd025670-7883-4bec-94fe-e407bea48cf0"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; WASHINGTON \u2013 Faneisha Scott, 39, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced October 24, 2025, in D.C. Superior Court, to forty-one years in prison for the murder of her 16-month-old daughter, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Scott was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on June 11, 2025 of first-degree cruelty to children, first-degree felony murder with aggravating circumstances, and second-degree cruelty to children for the death of her 16-month-old daughter, Rhythm Fields, in March 2017.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;According to the government\u2019s evidence, at approximately 2:45 p.m., on March 21, 2017, Scott\u2019s friend, who is the child\u2019s godmother, went over to the defendant\u2019s home in the 5400 block of C Street, SE. While there, the friend\u2019s eight-year-old child asked to play with Rhythm. The defendant then found Rhythm in her playpen, unresponsive, and cold. The defendant went out and flagged down a mail carrier, who called 911 and followed the defendant back to the apartment and observed Rhythm on the couch, lifeless. The child\u2019s body was cold, stiff, and her eyes were fixed. While on the phone with 911, the mail carrier followed the operator\u2019s instructions when two other individuals entered the residence to administer CPR \u2013 one was an experienced former firefighter and knew that the child was dead immediately upon seeing her. First responders were surprised to learn that the defendant claimed to have no contact with the child since 9:00 a.m. that morning. The child was pronounced dead.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;On March 22, 2017, the D.C. Medical Examiner\u2019s Office performed an autopsy on Rhythm\u2019s remains and ruled on February 5, 2018 that the manner of death was homicide and the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The blunt force injuries included: (1) contusions and abrasions of the head, neck, torso, and extremities; (2) subdural hemorrhage; (3) cerebral edema, subarachnoid hemorrhage and acute hypoxia-ischemia; (4) retinal and optic nerve sheath hemorrhage; and (5) 23 bilateral rib fractures (there was evidence of both healing and new rib fractures).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Andrea Antonelli.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEditor\u0027s Note:\u003Cbr\u003EThis matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-11-13T16:35:31-05:00\u0022\u003E1763069731\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-10-24T16:11:54-04:00\u0022\u003E1761336714\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1763035200","image":"","number":"25-462","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EFaneisha Scott, 39, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced October 24, 2025, in D.C. Superior Court, to forty-one years in prison for the murder of her 16-month-old daughter, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother Sentenced To Forty-One Years Incarceration For Felony Murder Of Her 16-Month-Old Daughter","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/pr\/mother-sentenced-forty-one-years-incarceration-felony-murder-her-16-month-old-daughter","uuid":"1b5bc6e6-93bb-4612-8bc4-ac29d38a70b3"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN JUAN, Puerto Rico \u2013 A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Luz Maria Pe\u00f1a Lopez, 55, and her daughter, Tatiana Correa Pe\u00f1a, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, announced Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow.\u0026nbsp; Pe\u00f1a Lopez was also charged with document servitude, and Pe\u00f1a Lopez\u2019s husband, Enrique Gutierrez Rivera, 54, a municipal police officer in Carolina, Puerto Rico, was charged with misprision of a felony related to his knowledge, failure to report, and concealment of his co-defendants\u2019 misuse of the victim\u2019s Social Security benefits.\u0026nbsp; The three defendants were placed under arrest early this morning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the indictment, defendants Pe\u00f1a Lopez and Correa Pe\u00f1a used physical beatings, physical restraint, threats of violence, document servitude, isolation, denial of basic hygiene and medical care, and the provision of drugs and\/or unprescribed medication to force the victim\u2014an intellectually disabled adult woman\u2014to panhandle for money, engage in criminal and fraudulent activities for their financial benefit, and perform domestic labor in their shared residence.\u0026nbsp; Defendants Pe\u00f1a Lopez and Correa Pe\u00f1a also converted the victim\u2019s monthly Social Security disability benefits for their own personal use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Justice Department condemns the appalling abuse and forced labor inflicted on this disabled victim, as alleged in this indictment, and we are committed to ensuring the perpetrators face the full consequences of the law,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe indictment specifically notes that as part of their coercive scheme to compel the victim\u2019s labor, defendants Pe\u00f1a Lopez and Correa Pe\u00f1a threatened the victim with violence and death; physically beat the victim, sometimes using objects such as belts, broomsticks, and cables; restricted the victim\u2019s ability to leave the residence by forcing her to sleep in a space formerly used to house goats and roosters, at times locking her inside overnight; and used the victim\u2019s Social Security disability benefits for their own personal use, denying those funds to the victim for even basic hygiene items such as clothes, toothbrushes, deodorant, and sanitary pads.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe maximum penalty for the offense of forced labor is 20 years in federal prison.\u0026nbsp; The maximum penalty for misprision of a felony is three years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case is being investigated by the FBI.\u0026nbsp; It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Alverez and Trial Attorney Jessica Arco of the Civil Rights Division\u2019s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnyone who believes they may have relevant information to share about this case is asked to contact the FBI Field Office at 1-787-987-6500.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIf you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E###\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-10-22T10:27:24-04:00\u0022\u003E1761143244\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"da7df438-b3e4-4b73-9250-9974ae754efc","name":"Civil Rights Division"},{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-10-22T10:15:23-04:00\u0022\u003E1761142523\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1761134400","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN JUAN, Puerto Rico \u2013 A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Luz Maria Pe\u00f1a Lopez, 55, and her daughter, Tatiana Correa Pe\u00f1a, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, announced Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow.\u0026nbsp; Pe\u00f1a Lopez was also charged with document servitude, and Pe\u00f1a Lopez\u2019s husband, Enrique Gutierrez Rivera, 54, a municipal police officer in Carolina, Puerto Rico, was charged with misprision of a felony related to his knowledge, failure to report, and concealment of his co-defendants\u2019 misuse of the victim\u2019s Social Security benefits.\u0026nbsp; The three defendants were placed under arrest early this morning.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother and Daughter Charged with Forced Labor","topic":[{"uuid":"62c17bd6-c911-4dd2-bb4d-53b5e9880759","name":"Civil Rights"},{"uuid":"6b68977d-e415-4bfb-b0c5-5fb180bebdf4","name":"Human Trafficking"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-pr\/pr\/mother-and-daughter-charged-forced-labor","uuid":"cbb88e21-e234-4f4b-a35e-b50c6a4435e2"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EA federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Luz Maria Pe\u00f1a Lopez, 55, and her daughter, Tatiana Correa Pe\u00f1a, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, announced Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow.\u0026nbsp; Pe\u00f1a Lopez was also charged with document servitude, and Pe\u00f1a Lopez\u2019s husband, Enrique Gutierrez Rivera, 54, a municipal police officer in Carolina, Puerto Rico, was charged with misprision of a felony related to his knowledge, failure to report, and concealment of his co-defendants\u2019 misuse of the victim\u2019s Social Security benefits.\u0026nbsp; The three defendants were placed under arrest early this morning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to the indictment, defendants Pe\u00f1a Lopez and Correa Pe\u00f1a used physical beatings, physical restraint, threats of violence, document servitude, isolation, denial of basic hygiene and medical care, and the provision of drugs and\/or unprescribed medication to force the victim\u2014an intellectually disabled adult woman\u2014to panhandle for money, engage in criminal and fraudulent activities for their financial benefit, and perform domestic labor in their shared residence.\u0026nbsp; Defendants Pe\u00f1a Lopez and Correa Pe\u00f1a also converted the victim\u2019s monthly Social Security disability benefits for their own personal use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Justice Department condemns the appalling abuse and forced labor inflicted on this disabled victim, as alleged in this indictment, and we are committed to ensuring the perpetrators face the full consequences of the law,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe indictment specifically notes that as part of their coercive scheme to compel the victim\u2019s labor, defendants Pe\u00f1a Lopez and Correa Pe\u00f1a threatened the victim with violence and death; physically beat the victim, sometimes using objects such as belts, broomsticks, and cables; restricted the victim\u2019s ability to leave the residence by forcing her to sleep in a space formerly used to house goats and roosters, at times locking her inside overnight; and used the victim\u2019s Social Security disability benefits for their own personal use, denying those funds to the victim for even basic hygiene items such as clothes, toothbrushes, deodorant, and sanitary pads.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe maximum penalty for the offense of forced labor is 20 years in federal prison.\u0026nbsp; The maximum penalty for misprision of a felony is three years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThe case is being investigated by the FBI.\u0026nbsp; It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Alverez and Trial Attorney Jessica Arco of the Civil Rights Division\u2019s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAnyone who believes they may have relevant information to share about this case is asked to contact the FBI Field Office at 1-787-987-6500.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIf you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-10-21T18:17:28-04:00\u0022\u003E1761085048\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"da7df438-b3e4-4b73-9250-9974ae754efc","name":"Civil Rights Division"},{"uuid":"8d2ebf48-338b-4dce-af99-12ff73198db7","name":"Civil Rights - Criminal Section"},{"uuid":"0daedbc9-740c-437f-881b-4e602c8e78d7","name":"USAO - Puerto Rico"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-10-21T17:44:41-04:00\u0022\u003E1761083081\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1761048000","image":"","number":"25-1038","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EA federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Luz Maria Pe\u00f1a Lopez, 55, and her daughter, Tatiana Correa Pe\u00f1a, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, announced Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother and Daughter Charged with Forced Labor in the District of Puerto Rico","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/mother-and-daughter-charged-forced-labor-district-puerto-rico","uuid":"33ababfc-0024-4d6d-8d7c-78979dbe921a"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEileen Marie Hurley, 71, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison with one year of supervised release for transfer of a firearm to a prohibited person and for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on Oct. 1, 2025, in Cheyenne.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, in May 2022, the defendant\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Epurchased three handguns and matching ammunition for her son, William Lowery in Sheridan. She specifically filled out Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) forms wherein she swore that she was the actual purchaser of the handguns. The defendant\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ethen gave them to Lowery even though she knew he was legally prohibited from possessing them due to his prior felony and domestic violence convictions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Feb. 13, 2024, Sheridan Police Sergeant Nevada Krinkee encountered Lowery when he served Lowery with a trespass notice outside a rental home where Lowery had been evicted. When Sergeant Krinkee attempted to restrain him, Lowery pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Sergeant Krinkee several times in the presence of witnesses. Sergeant Krinkee sadly died from his injuries. Lowery was eventually shot and killed by law enforcement after a 30-hour standoff when he attempted to flee, armed with a rifle. Law enforcement found one of the pistols, purchased by the defendant, in the bathroom of the house where Lowery was barricaded. The other two handguns with ammunition purchased in 2022 by the defendant, were in Lowery\u2019s truck.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn an initial interview with the ATF and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the defendant claimed she did not have \u201cany idea where he [Lowery] got those guns.\u201d Text messages exchanged between the defendant and her son indicated that she was specifically buying the guns for him despite knowing that her son was a violent felon, repeat domestic violence perpetrator, and drug addict. The ATF and DCI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Hammer and Margaret Vierbuchen prosecuted the crime.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Attorney Darin Smith said, \u201cIf you buy a gun for a known violent prohibited person and they use that gun to commit a violent crime, you will be prosecuted. Although we cannot prevent all violent crime, this is the first line of defense in keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals who are a danger to our communities. We offer our support and condolences to the Krinkee family and the Sheridan Police Department. The government cannot obtain justice for the murder of Sgt. Krinkee, but others will now think twice before becoming a firearm straw-purchaser due to the precedent set in this case.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHaving first served our country in the U.S. Army and later his community as a sergeant with the Sheridan Police Department, Sergeant Nevada Krinkee truly exemplified what it means to \u201cprotect and serve,\u201d said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. \u201cTragically, his life was taken by a violent felon armed with a gun that was illegally purchased and transferred. Today\u2019s verdict cannot bring back the son, father, husband, and friend that so many love. But we hope it serves as a powerful reminder: straw purchasing is not just illegal, it\u2019s preventable and can have deadly consequences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Today\u2019s sentencing brings a mix of emotions for all of us. While it provides some accountability, it also reminds us of the deep pain caused by the loss of Sgt. Nevada Krinkee. Nothing can make our department or community whole again, but each step toward justice helps us continue healing and honoring Nevada\u2019s memory. We are extremely grateful to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Attorney\u0027s Office, who worked tirelessly to see this case through,\u201d said Chief of Police for the Sheridan Police Department Travis Koltiska.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was brought as a result 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department\u2019s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-10-01T16:46:02-04:00\u0022\u003E1759351562\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"5cb21482-8e9f-46ef-8cd9-40537b5ac9e0","name":"Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)"},{"uuid":"d9b7193e-06fe-42e9-aaef-0b6fe19104d3","name":"USAO - Wyoming"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-10-01T16:43:04-04:00\u0022\u003E1759351384\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1759320000","image":"","number":"25-050","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EEileen Marie Hurley, 71, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison with one year of supervised release for transfer of a firearm to a prohibited person and for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Mother of the man who killed Sheridan Police Sergeant Nevada Krinkee is sentenced","topic":[{"uuid":"22aab3d6-17bc-40e1-ba47-aacd1ebcb261","name":"Operation Take Back America"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wy\/pr\/mother-man-who-killed-sheridan-police-sergeant-nevada-krinkee-sentenced","uuid":"c1e00f7f-6909-491a-ae72-2226e1c14e81"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; WASHINGTON \u2013 Ricardo Botts, 36, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with a homicide that occurred in the early morning hours of September 21, 2025, in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Botts made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Heide Herrmann on September 23, 2025, where Judge Herrmann found probable cause that Botts committed the offense of second-degree murder while armed and ordered that Botts be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 7, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; According to court documents, Botts, attacked his 66-year-old mother in the living room of their shared home, stabbing her repeatedly in the head and face. She died within 36 hours. Immediately after the assault, Botts fled from the rear of the home as police officers arrived on scene. The Capital Area Regional Task Force found and arrested Botts in Chantilly, Virginia, on September 22, 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Bromwich.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-09-24T15:37:54-04:00\u0022\u003E1758742674\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-09-24T15:34:28-04:00\u0022\u003E1758742468\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1758715200","image":"","number":"25-442","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ERicardo Botts, 36, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with a homicide that occurred in the early morning hours of September 21, 2025, in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"D.C. Man Arrested for Murder of His Mother","topic":[{"uuid":"75e37872-11ad-4299-8469-4254fbc1597e","name":"Elder Justice"},{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-dc\/pr\/dc-man-arrested-murder-his-mother","uuid":"25dec491-8384-40e6-ab88-a8a6020fc3a5"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; LITTLE ROCK\u2014A drug-filled evening that ended with four overdoses, including one death, at a Saline County home has now resulted in a mother and daughter spending decades in federal prison. On Wednesday, a federal jury convicted the two women of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl that caused a death. The jury also convicted the mother, April Adams, of distribution of methamphetamine, and the daughter, Amber Church, of distribution of fentanyl. Following a three-day trial and after just over four hours of deliberation, the jury convicted both Church and Adams on all charges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; On April 2, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Adams, 62, and Church, 38, both of Hensley. Both women were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. Church was also charged with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and Adams was also charged with distribution of methamphetamine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The jury returned the verdict to United States District Court Judge James M. Moody, Jr., who will sentence Adams and Church at a later date. Adams and Church will remain in federal custody while they await sentencing. They both face a statutory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on the fentanyl charges related to the death. Adams also faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years on the methamphetamine charge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The evidence presented at trial showed that on April 16, 2023, law enforcement officers from the Saline County Sheriff\u2019s Office were dispatched to a residence on Crab Apple Circle in reference to multiple overdoses. Once law enforcement officers arrived, they located four individuals who overdosed. After medical personnel administered Narcan, three individuals survived, but one individual died at the scene.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; During the trial, two witnesses who survived overdoses testified that after arriving at the residence on Crab Apple Circle, Adams offered them methamphetamine, along with Church and the victim who died. After smoking the methamphetamine, Church asked Adams if she could provide to the group what Church said was the \u201ccocaine\u201d that Adams had in her room. Church then got the substance from Adams\u2019 room and provided it to the group, using some herself. The substance was in fact fentanyl.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Nearly immediately after ingesting the fentanyl the four individuals who used the drug began passing out, including Church. Adams, who did not use the substance that caused the other four individuals to overdose, waited approximately 45 minutes before notifying anyone about the overdoses, and then called a friend rather than emergency services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The drug offenses carry additional penalties of up to a $1,000,000.00 fine and at least three years of supervised release.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/OCDETF\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.justice.gov\/OCDETF\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; The investigation was conducted by the Saline County Sheriff\u2019s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Edward Walker and Jordan Crews prosecuted the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E# # #\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003EAdditional information about the office of the\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003EUnited States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/edar\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.justice.gov\/edar\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003EX (formerly known as Twitter):\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/USAO_EDAR\u0022\u003E\u003Cu\u003E@USAO_EDAR\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-09-11T17:12:31-04:00\u0022\u003E1757625151\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"3973fee0-1efe-4973-9b02-afcea9c261ff","name":"USAO - Arkansas, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222025-09-11T17:07:08-04:00\u0022\u003E1757624828\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1757592000","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Wednesday, a federal jury convicted the two women of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl that caused a death. The jury also convicted the mother, April Adams, of distribution of methamphetamine, and the daughter, Amber Church, of distribution of fentanyl.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Jury Convicts Hensley Mother and Daughter of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl That Caused Death, Face Minimum 20 Years in Prison","topic":[{"uuid":"68eea121-fc07-4c11-80e2-587b140b79b1","name":"Drug Trafficking"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edar\/pr\/jury-convicts-hensley-mother-and-daughter-conspiracy-distribute-fentanyl-caused-death","uuid":"18b7d843-6966-4d86-b8a2-4237cee597d9"}]}