{"metadata":{"responseInfo":{"status":200},"resultset":{"count":"273057","pagesize":"20","page":0},"executionTime":0.93641090393066406},"results":[{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHONOLULU \u2013 United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Sean Sakaida, 44, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. \u0026nbsp;He was arrested and taken into custody on September 24, 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the complaint, Sakaida, a former coach of the girls\u2019 wrestling team at Moanalua High School, frequently communicated with a minor victim using the messaging application WhatsApp between 2025 and 2026. \u0026nbsp;In these communications, Sakaida received multiple sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf convicted, Sakaida faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, plus a term of supervised release.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. \u0026nbsp;In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FBI is investigating the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpecial Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner is prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe FBI\u2019s Honolulu Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims of Sean Sakaida. \u0026nbsp;If you and\/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by Sean Sakaida or have information relevant to this investigation, please fill out this short form: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.fbi.gov\/victims\/SakaidaVictims\/view\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/forms.fbi.gov\/victims\/SakaidaVictims\/view\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIf you know of someone else who has possibly been victimized by Sean Sakaida, please encourage them to complete the form themselves.\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\u0027 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\u003EJustice.gov\/PSC\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T23:40:10-04:00\u0022\u003E1790394010\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"c3abd7d2-9ac8-4999-8c4c-3649a3c0bd3c","name":"USAO - Hawaii"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T23:32:41-04:00\u0022\u003E1790393561\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EHONOLULU \u2013 United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Sean Sakaida, 44, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Oahu Girls\u2019 Wrestling Coach Charged with  Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography","topic":[{"uuid":"24d5ff01-2591-4b4a-9d78-66db50247093","name":"Project Safe Childhood"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-hi\/pr\/oahu-girls-wrestling-coach-charged-receipt-and-possession-child-pornography","uuid":"cb1c31fc-e14e-4224-8053-c3e5b396a652"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 Geovany Andr\u00e9s Rojas, alias \u201cAra\u00f1a\u201d, ciudadano colombiano, presunto narcoterrorista de alto nivel y prol\u00edfico traficante de coca\u00edna,\u0026nbsp;fue extraditado hoy de Colombia a Estados Unidos.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEsta ma\u00f1ana, Rojas fue entregado a funcionarios estadounidenses bajo un fuerte dispositivo de seguridad en una base a\u00e9rea de la Polic\u00eda Nacional de Colombia en Bogot\u00e1, con la presencia del presidente colombiano, Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas lleg\u00f3 a un lugar no revelado en San Diego a las 4:30 p.m. flanqueado por agentes de la DEA y del FBI.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--embedded entity-image-1462936\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\/arana_arrival_1.jpg?itok=ZVDKQtYO\u0022 width=\u00221080\u0022 height=\u0022608\u0022 alt=\u0022Arana arrives in San Diego\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFotograf\u00eda de Rojas (centro), flanqueado por agentes de las fuerzas del orden tras su extradici\u00f3n de Colombia a Estados Unidos. De izquierda a derecha, sin contar a los agentes uniformados: Kristopher Jarvis, agregado judicial del Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos en Bogot\u00e1; Adam Gordon, fiscal federal de EE. UU. para el Distrito Sur de California; James Nunnallee, agente especial a cargo de la DEA en San Diego; \u201cAra\u00f1a\u201d; Jacob Galvan, agente especial adjunto a cargo de la DEA en San Diego; Jagdeep Khangura, agente especial adjunto a cargo del FBI en San Diego; y Kevin Murphy, agente especial interino a cargo de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) en San Diego.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEl 7 de marzo de 2025, un gran jurado federal del Distrito Sur de California emiti\u00f3 una imputaci\u00f3n sustitutiva de dos cargos contra Rojas, cuyo alias es \u201cla Ara\u00f1a\u201d, por conspiraci\u00f3n internacional para distribuir coca\u00edna y por narcoterrorismo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELas autoridades colombianas detuvieron a Rojas el 12 de febrero de 2025 en virtud de una notificaci\u00f3n roja de la INTERPOL basada en delitos relacionados con estupefacientes. La Corte Suprema de Justicia de Colombia aprob\u00f3 por unanimidad la extradici\u00f3n de Rojas en octubre de 2025. El presidente colombiano Gustavo Petro suspendi\u00f3 la extradici\u00f3n de Rojas posteriormente ese mismo a\u00f1o, mientras este participaba en una nueva ronda de conversaciones de paz entre grupos armados y el Gobierno colombiano. El 26 de agosto de 2026, el presidente colombiano Abelardo de la Espriella orden\u00f3 que la extradici\u00f3n de Rojas prosiguiera.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cColombia y el Departamento de Justicia est\u00e1n realizando una barrida a fondo contra los narcoterroristas, comenzando por la Ara\u00f1a\u201d, dijo el Fiscal Federal de EE. UU. para el Distrito Sur de California, Adam Gordon. \u201cAntes de que el presidente De la Espriella asumiera el cargo, los grupos criminales armados en Colombia casi duplicaron su tama\u00f1o. Su coca\u00edna alimentaba a los c\u00e1rteles mexicanos que inyectan veneno en nuestras comunidades. Con la extradici\u00f3n de la Ara\u00f1a cae la telara\u00f1a que se extiende desde las monta\u00f1as del Putumayo hasta las plazas de Tijuana que los c\u00e1rteles se disputan brutalmente\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLa extradici\u00f3n de hoy demuestra lo que Estados Unidos y Colombia podemos lograr cuando trabajamos juntos para desmantelar las redes criminales que trafican con drogas letales, corrompen instituciones y amenazan a nuestras comunidades\u201d, afirm\u00f3 el administrador de la DEA, Terry Cole. \u201cGeovany Andr\u00e9s Rojas enfrenta cargos de narcoterrorismo y tr\u00e1fico de drogas por presuntamente haber orquestado cargamentos de varias toneladas de coca\u00edna con destino a Estados Unidos. Su extradici\u00f3n demuestra que ni las fronteras, ni la influencia criminal, ni los esfuerzos por ocultar actividades il\u00edcitas impedir\u00e1n que la DEA y nuestros aliados lleven ante la justicia a importantes narcotraficantes transnacionales\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLa extradici\u00f3n de Rojas debe enviar un claro mensaje a los l\u00edderes de los c\u00e1rteles: el FBI y nuestros aliados del HSTF seguimos luchando sin tregua para desmantelar las organizaciones de narcotr\u00e1fico que facilitan el flujo de drogas letales hacia nuestras comunidades\u201d, declar\u00f3 el agente especial a cargo Mark Remily, de la Oficina Local del FBI en San Diego. \u201cLa Oficina del FBI en San Diego seguir\u00e1 trabajando estrechamente con nuestros aliados de las fuerzas del orden nacionales e internacionales para eliminar a los c\u00e1rteles criminales, hacer que sus l\u00edderes rindan cuentas y proteger al pueblo estadounidense\u201d.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEn los a\u00f1os anteriores a su detenci\u00f3n, Rojas fue portavoz y l\u00edder de Comandos de la Frontera, una organizaci\u00f3n paramilitar con unos 1,000 miembros que opera en el suroeste de Colombia. Rojas se presentaba como un l\u00edder de alto rango de Comandos de la Frontera y posaba con armas y combatientes fuertemente armados en publicaciones de redes sociales y en entrevistas con medios de comunicaci\u00f3n en nombre del grupo terrorista.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEn declaraciones p\u00fablicas, Rojas describi\u00f3 a Comandos de la Frontera como parte de la Segunda Marquetalia, una organizaci\u00f3n integrada por excombatientes de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) que retomaron las armas y volvieron a combatir tras el acuerdo de paz de 2016 entre Colombia y las FARC. El propio Rojas fue miembro de las FARC y firm\u00f3 el Acuerdo de Paz de 2016 antes de rechazar la paz y convertirse en l\u00edder guerrillero. El 1 de diciembre de 2021, el secretario de Estado de Estados Unidos design\u00f3 a la Segunda Marquetalia como Organizaci\u00f3n Terrorista Extranjera (FTO).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELos cargos por tr\u00e1fico de drogas y narcoterrorismo contra Rojas surgieron de una investigaci\u00f3n prolongada del Grupo de Trabajo de Seguridad Nacional (HSTF), que revel\u00f3 que Comandos de la Frontera, bajo el liderazgo de Rojas, se lucraba del cultivo y la producci\u00f3n de coca\u00edna en el suroeste de Colombia y manten\u00eda el control de su territorio mediante las armas y la violencia. La zona es una de las principales regiones productoras de coca\u00edna de Colombia y tiene una influencia considerable en la cadena mundial de suministro de coca\u00edna.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESe prev\u00e9 que Rojas comparezca por primera vez en el tribunal federal el 28 de septiembre de 2026, a las 2 p. m., ante el juez federal adjunto Steve B. Chu.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEl agregado judicial del Departamento de Justicia en Bogot\u00e1, Kristopher Jarvis, y el abogado litigante Aaron York, de la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales, hicieron posible la detenci\u00f3n y la extradici\u00f3n de Rojas. El Servicio de Marshals de EE. UU. brind\u00f3 una asistencia significativa para garantizar que el traspaso de la custodia se realizara de manera segura y sin contratiempos, y para trasladar a Rojas a Estados Unidos.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELos cargos y alegatos contenidos en una imputaci\u00f3n o denuncia penal son solo acusaciones, y a la persona imputada se le considera inocente a menos y hasta que se pruebe su culpabilidad.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003EIMPUTADO\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; N\u00famero de caso 25CR442H\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\u003EGeovany Andr\u00e9s Rojas, alias \u201cAra\u00f1a\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Edad: 45\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; Colombia\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003ERESUMEN DE LOS CARGOS\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConspiraci\u00f3n internacional para distribuir coca\u00edna \u2013 T\u00edtulo 21 del C\u00f3digo de los Estados Unidos (U.S.C.), secciones 959, 960 y 963\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPena m\u00e1xima: m\u00ednimo obligatorio de 10 a\u00f1os y hasta cadena perpetua\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENarcoterrorismo \u2013 T\u00edtulo 21 del C\u00f3digo de los Estados Unidos (U.S.C.), secciones 960a y 841\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPena m\u00e1xima: m\u00ednimo obligatorio de 20 a\u00f1os y hasta cadena perpetua\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003EAGENCIAS INVESTIGADORAS\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdministraci\u00f3n para el Control de Drogas (DEA)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBur\u00f3 Federal de Investigaciones (FBI)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEste caso fue investigado y perseguido penalmente por el Grupo de Trabajo de Seguridad Nacional de California (HSTF) como parte de la iniciativa de los HSTF establecida mediante la Orden Ejecutiva 14159, Protegiendo al Pueblo Estadounidense Contra una Invasi\u00f3n (Protecting the American People Against Invasion). El HSTF es una alianza que abarca a todo el gobierno dedicada a eliminar los c\u00e1rteles criminales, las pandillas extranjeras, las organizaciones criminales transnacionales y las redes de tr\u00e1fico y trata de personas que operan en Estados Unidos y en el extranjero. Mediante una colaboraci\u00f3n interinstitucional hist\u00f3rica, el HSTF dirige todo el poder\u00edo de las autoridades del orden p\u00fablico de Estados Unidos hacia la identificaci\u00f3n, investigaci\u00f3n y persecuci\u00f3n penal de todo el espectro de delitos cometidos por estas organizaciones, que por mucho tiempo han alimentado la violencia y la inestabilidad dentro de nuestras fronteras. Al realizar este trabajo, el HSTF pone especial \u00e9nfasis en investigar y perseguir penalmente a quienes participan en la trata de ni\u00f1os u otros delitos que involucran a ni\u00f1os. Adem\u00e1s, el HSTF utiliza todas las herramientas disponibles para perseguir penalmente y expulsar de Estados Unidos a los delincuentes extranjeros m\u00e1s violentos.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T20:58:56-04:00\u0022\u003E1790384336\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"fdad26ae-a50e-41f0-90c6-0e0f10c69b9c","name":"USAO - California, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T20:54:47-04:00\u0022\u003E1790384087\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":[{"file":{"id":"1462936","resource":"file","uuid":"44cdd649-71c1-4da3-83f7-2332cea83137"},"alt":"Arana arrives in San Diego","title":""}],"number":"CAS26-0925-Arana","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 Geovany Andr\u00e9s Rojas, alias \u201cAra\u00f1a\u201d, ciudadano colombiano, presunto narcoterrorista de alto nivel y prol\u00edfico traficante de coca\u00edna,\u0026nbsp;fue extraditado hoy de Colombia a Estados Unidos. Esta ma\u00f1ana, Rojas fue entregado a funcionarios estadounidenses bajo un fuerte dispositivo de seguridad en una base a\u00e9rea de la Polic\u00eda Nacional de Colombia en Bogot\u00e1, con la presencia del presidente colombiano, Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas lleg\u00f3 a un lugar no revelado en San Diego a las 4:30 p.m. flanqueado por agentes de la DEA y del FBI.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Presunto l\u00edder narcoterrorista \u201cla Ara\u00f1a\u201d extraditado de Colombia como parte de una investigaci\u00f3n del Grupo de Trabajo de Seguridad Nacional","topic":[{"uuid":"e5d71962-dc22-418a-a5dc-74ddabe72a8f","name":"Homeland Security Task Force"},{"uuid":"68eea121-fc07-4c11-80e2-587b140b79b1","name":"Drug Trafficking"}],"url":"","uuid":"ca56d784-9c1c-4376-bc7e-e22e2e021d1f"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 Geovany Andres Rojas, aka \u201cAra\u00f1a,\u201d a Colombian national and alleged high-level narco-terrorist and prolific cocaine trafficker, was extradited from Colombia to the United States today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERojas was \u200bhanded over to U.S. officials this morning under heavy security at a Colombian National Police air base in Bogot\u00e1. The sendoff was attended by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas arrived at an undisclosed location in San Diego at 4:30 p.m. PST, flanked by DEA and FBI agents.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--embedded entity-image-1462931\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\/arana_arrival_0.jpg?itok=-exbBO-1\u0022 width=\u00221080\u0022 height=\u0022608\u0022 alt=\u0022Arana arrives in San Diego\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPhoto of Rojas (center) flanked by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States. Left to right, excluding uniformed agents: U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s Judicial Attach\u00e9 in Bogot\u00e1, Kristopher Jarvis; U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, Southern District of California; San Diego DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee; Ara\u00f1a; DEA San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jacob Galvan; FBI San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jagdeep Khangura;\u0026nbsp; Acting Special Agent in Charge HSI San Diego Kevin Murphy\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn March 7, 2025, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Rojas, whose alias translates to \u201cSpider,\u201d with International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Narco-Terrorism.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColombian authorities apprehended Rojas on February 12, 2025,\u0026nbsp;pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice based on narcotics-related offenses. The Supreme Court of Colombia unanimously approved Rojas\u2019s extradition in October 2025. Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended Rojas\u2019 extradition later that year, while Rojas participated in a new round of peace talks between armed groups and the Colombian government. On August 26, 2026, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered that Rojas\u2019 extradition should proceed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cColombia and the Department of Justice are making a clean sweep of narcoterrorists, starting with\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Ara\u00f1a,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. \u201cBefore President de la Espriella, armed criminal groups in Colombia roughly doubled in size. Their cocaine fueled the Mexican cartels pumping poison into our communities. The Ara\u00f1a extradition sweeps away a web that starts in the mountains of Putumayo and ends in the brutal, cartel contested plazas of Tijuana.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cToday\u2019s extradition demonstrates what the United States and Colombia can accomplish when we work together to dismantle the criminal networks that traffic deadly drugs, corrupt institutions, and threaten our communities,\u201d said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. \u201cGeovany Andres Rojas faces narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges for allegedly orchestrating multi-ton cocaine shipments bound for the United States. His extradition shows that borders, criminal influence, and efforts to conceal illegal activity will not prevent DEA and our partners from bringing major transnational traffickers to justice.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRojas\u2019 extradition should send a clear message to cartel leaders: the FBI and our HSTF partners remain relentless in our fight to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that facilitate the flow of deadly drugs into our communities,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. \u201cFBI San Diego will continue working closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to eliminate criminal cartels, hold their leaders accountable, and protect the American people.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the years leading up to Rojas\u2019 arrest, he served as the spokesman and leader of Comandos de la Frontera, a paramilitary organization with an estimated 1,000 members operating in southwestern Colombia. Rojas identified himself as a high-level leader of Comandos de la Frontera, posing with weapons and heavily armed fighters in appearances on social media and in interviews with news organizations on behalf of the terrorist group.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn public statements, Rojas described Comandos de la Frontera as part of the Segunda Marquetalia, an organization of former Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) combatants who rearmed and returned to fighting following Colombia\u2019s 2016 peace accord with FARC. Rojas himself was a member of the FARC who signed the 2016 Peace Agreement before rejecting peace and becoming a guerilla leader. The United States Secretary of State designated Segunda Marquetalia a foreign terrorist organization on December 1, 2021.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges against Rojas stemmed from a long-term Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation which revealed that Comandos de la Frontera, under Rojas\u2019 leadership, profited from the cultivation and production of cocaine in southwestern Colombia, maintaining control of its territory using weapons and violence. The area is one of Colombia\u2019s top cocaine producing regions, with significant influence over the cocaine supply chain worldwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERojas is expected to make his initial court appearance at 2 p.m. on September 28, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Justice Department\u2019s Judicial Attach\u00e9 in Bogot\u00e1, Kristopher Jarvis, and Office of International Affairs Trial Attorney Aaron York, secured the arrest and extradition of Rojas. The U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in ensuring a smooth and safe transfer of custody and transporting Rojas back to the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.\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; Case Number 25cr442H\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\u003EGeovany Andres Rojas, aka Ara\u00f1a\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Age: 45\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; Colombia\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003ESUMMARY OF CHARGES\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInternational Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine \u2013 Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, and 963\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENarco-Terrorism \u2013 Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 960a and 841\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years and up to life in prison\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003EINVESTIGATING AGENCIES\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrug Enforcement Administration\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFederal Bureau of Investigation\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of\u0026nbsp;the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T20:53:54-04:00\u0022\u003E1790384034\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"fdad26ae-a50e-41f0-90c6-0e0f10c69b9c","name":"USAO - California, Southern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T20:47:54-04:00\u0022\u003E1790383674\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":[{"file":{"id":"1462931","resource":"file","uuid":"51337911-53ea-41a9-8b20-8fd9c36eed0c"},"alt":"Arana arrives in San Diego","title":""}],"number":"CAS26-0925-Arana","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESAN DIEGO \u2013 Geovany Andres Rojas, aka \u201cAra\u00f1a,\u201d a Colombian national and alleged high-level narco-terrorist and prolific cocaine trafficker, was extradited from Colombia to the United States today. Rojas was \u200bhanded over to U.S. officials this morning under heavy security at a Colombian National Police air base in Bogot\u00e1. The sendoff was attended by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas arrived at an undisclosed location in San Diego at 4:30 p.m. PST, flanked by DEA and FBI agents.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Alleged Narco-Terrorist Leader \u201cAra\u00f1a\u201d Extradited from Colombia as Part of Homeland Security Task Force Investigation","topic":[{"uuid":"e5d71962-dc22-418a-a5dc-74ddabe72a8f","name":"Homeland Security Task Force"},{"uuid":"68eea121-fc07-4c11-80e2-587b140b79b1","name":"Drug Trafficking"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdca\/pr\/alleged-narco-terrorist-leader-arana-extradited-colombia-part-homeland-security-task","uuid":"0bdec8ff-a32e-4ba3-a32a-8f5a16e4a42f"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EURBANA, Ill. \u2013On September 24, 2026, a federal jury returned two guilty verdicts against Jermaine Turner, 27, of Chicago, for Assaulting a Correctional Officer with a Dangerous Weapon. Sentencing for Turner has been scheduled for January 25, 2027, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring one day of testimony, the government presented evidence that, on November 20, 2023, Turner was being held by the United States Marshals Service at the Jerome Combs Detention Center in Kankakee, Illinois, pending a federal trial. While detained, Turner assaulted two correctional officers with a wooden broom handle. After being told he would be disciplined for entering another detainee\u2019s cell without permission, Turner picked up a broom and hit a correctional officer on the back of the head, causing a large hematoma. Turner then refused orders from another correctional officer to drop the broom, approached the officer, and attempted to hit him on the head. The officer blocked the blow with his forearm, and correctional officers disarmed and restrained Turner.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETurner remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETurner faces statutory penalties of up to twenty years of imprisonment, up to three of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on each of the two counts of conviction.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ETurner is currently serving a 120-month sentence of imprisonment for Armed Bank Robbery in the Northern District of Illinois.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at trial.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T19:43:53-04:00\u0022\u003E1790379833\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"9ec8bc96-afdf-4903-98ae-9bd20e63cac3","name":"USAO - Illinois, Central"},{"uuid":"f157cfe4-d5d0-4d1a-89c7-48047a07005f","name":"USAO - Illinois, Northern"},{"uuid":"66526b85-ba4d-468f-bac6-17184c418e1a","name":"U.S. Marshals Service"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T19:41:58-04:00\u0022\u003E1790379718\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EURBANA, Ill. \u2013On September 24, 2026, a federal jury returned two guilty verdicts against Jermaine Turner, 27, of Chicago, for Assaulting a Correctional Officer with a Dangerous Weapon.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Federal Detainee Convicted of Assaulting Kankakee County Correctional Officers","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-cdil\/pr\/federal-detainee-convicted-assaulting-kankakee-county-correctional-officers","uuid":"5678a6d2-97a7-4401-a7a3-2943105dfb6e"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EOAKLAND - Zane Ishmael Covington was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. \u0026nbsp;U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar handed down the sentence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECovington, a 54-year-old Brentwood resident, was charged by complaint on September 29, 2025, and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on October 30, 2025, for these charges. \u0026nbsp;Covington pleaded guilty on June 5, 2026, to all counts charged in the federal indictment. \u0026nbsp;According to the plea agreement, Covington admitted to producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct in May 2021 and February 2022, involving two minor victims, both of whom were under 5 years old and to whom he held a position of trust.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, Covington received child pornography involving a minor younger than 10 years old in August 2025, and, beginning from an unknown date continuing through October 1, 2025, Covington possessed hundreds of videos and images of child pornography involving prepubescent minors and toddlers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnited States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan made the announcement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the prison term, Judge Jon S. Tigar also sentenced the defendant to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered a $400 special assessment, forfeiture of electronic devices, and restitution in an amount to be determined on November 20, 2026. \u0026nbsp;Covington remains in federal custody.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant U.S. Attorney Kelly I. Volkar is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessie Chelsea, Amala James, Andy Ding, and Yenni Weinberg. \u0026nbsp;The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the HSI San Francisco, the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Humboldt County Sheriff\u2019s Office.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T19:32:21-04:00\u0022\u003E1790379141\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"9562bf08-d474-4f10-a607-87ba645cee03","name":"USAO - California, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T19:31:30-04:00\u0022\u003E1790379090\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EOAKLAND - Zane Ishmael Covington was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for production, receipt, and possession of child pornography\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"54-Year-Old Brentwood Man Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Producing Child Pornography","topic":"","url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndca\/pr\/54-year-old-brentwood-man-sentenced-25-years-prison-producing-child-pornography","uuid":"4031427a-44dd-46e2-9926-5de877031a99"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Bernard J. Keller, 28, of Lakeview, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction under New York law relating to possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn August 2022, Keller was convicted of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child in New York State Court and sentenced to serve 10 years\u2019 probation. In May 2025, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at his residence after he distributed child pornography to other individuals using the Kik application. During the search, Keller\u2019s cellular telephone was seized and found to contain approximately 96 images and 248 videos of child pornography. Some of the child pornography involved a prepubescent minor, the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler, and depictions of violence against children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and Hamburg Police, under the direction of Chief Peter Dienes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESentencing will be scheduled at a later date before Judge Sinatra.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T19:06:40-04:00\u0022\u003E1790377600\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"73ee331b-c9db-4f9c-90d8-d22026560563","name":"USAO - New York, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T19:00:44-04:00\u0022\u003E1790377244\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Bernard J. Keller, 28, of Lakeview, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction under New York law relating to possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Lakeview sex offender pleads guilty to new child pornography charge","topic":[{"uuid":"24d5ff01-2591-4b4a-9d78-66db50247093","name":"Project Safe Childhood"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdny\/pr\/lakeview-sex-offender-pleads-guilty-new-child-pornography-charge","uuid":"0fa86d34-294e-4fcf-bed8-98925e926327"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECHEYENNE, Wyo. \u003Cstrong\u003ELaura Marie Means\u003C\/strong\u003E, 46, of Jackson, Wyoming, was sentenced Tuesday to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for orchestrating a massive, multiyear wire fraud and tax evasion scheme that defrauded her former employer of nearly $1.5 million.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson also ordered Means to pay $355,875.32 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and $1,484,104.80 in restitution to her former employer. Means, who was released on a $20,000 unsecured bond following her initial appearance, has been ordered to self-surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on Dec. 2.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, Means was hired in late 2015 as the bookkeeper for a prominent Jackson family business that owned several local lodging and hospitality properties. In her role, Means maintained sole control over employee payroll, bank accounts, and tax reporting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fraudulent activity began in February 2019, shortly after Means relocated from Wyoming to Hawaii. Although her employer permitted her to retain her position remotely on the condition that she travel back to Jackson once a month, Means instead used her remote status to execute a sophisticated embezzlement scheme that continued through September 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLaura Means abused her position as bookkeeper to siphon money from her employer\u0027s business to line her own pockets. Her scheme impacted the business and was devastating to the victims who considered her part of their family,\u201d said FBI Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo execute and conceal the multiyear theft, Means altered QuickBooks accounting entries by routing unauthorized transfers into her personal bank accounts under the guise of standard business expenses such as \u0022supplies\u0022 or \u0022invoices.\u0022 She also utilized a separate, unapproved bank account to divert corporate funds and issued herself unauthorized payments, including duplicate salary payments and unearned bonuses. Because Means managed these financial transactions electronically while living in Hawaii, the fraudulent transfers traveled through interstate wire communications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMeans abused her position of trust to steal more than a million dollars from a family-owned business and then compounded that betrayal by concealing the stolen income and filing false tax returns,\u201d said Todd Wacaser, Special Agent in Charge, Phoenix Field Office. \u201cIRS Criminal Investigation will continue to follow the money and hold accountable those who steal from their employers and attempt to hide their crimes from the tax system.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe federal prosecution moved rapidly following the formal filing of a criminal information and the issuance of a summons on June 22, 2026. Means waived indictment and entered a guilty plea to Count One (Wire Fraud) and Count Two (Filing a False Tax Return) of the Information during a court hearing in Cheyenne on July 16, 2026, leading to Tuesday\u0027s sentencing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing Tuesday\u0027s sentencing, U.S. Attorney Darin Smith issued a stark warning to future fraudsters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Wyoming is a state built on honesty, grit, and respect for the law,\u0022 Smith said. \u0022People like Means who think they can treat fraud as a business model have no place here. Our federal prosecutors do not blink, they do not slow down, and they will absolutely dismantle your operation.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-CI and Teton County Sheriff\u2019s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Vierbuchen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECase No. 2:26-cr-00072-ABJ\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the United States Attorney\u0027s Office\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe United States Attorney\u0027s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Justice\u0027s National Fraud Enforcement Division investigates and prosecutes those who commit fraud against the American people. The Fraud Division fulfills its mission by using advanced data-driven investigative techniques; coordinating with agencies responsible for administering taxpayer-funded programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification and investigation of fraud; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The division works every day to protect the financial integrity of the United States of America, ensure the vibrancy of the American economy and seek justice for victims of fraud.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn March 16, 2026, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14395, establishing the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. This sweeping, whole-of-government initiative is designed to orchestrate an aggressive national strategy to dismantle fraud, enforce strict individual eligibility verification and protect hard-earned American tax dollars from systemic exploitation across federal and state-administered benefit networks.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T18:41:31-04:00\u0022\u003E1790376091\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"a618801c-2b1e-4ce0-b47e-4db0bce55ac2","name":"Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section"},{"uuid":"9caf0e5b-d69e-49a3-8223-cb8d28ed7e89","name":"Criminal Investigative Division (FBI)"},{"uuid":"d50b78df-a13b-4519-9b32-00aae6e21409","name":"National Fraud Enforcement Division"},{"uuid":"d9b7193e-06fe-42e9-aaef-0b6fe19104d3","name":"USAO - Wyoming"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T18:34:26-04:00\u0022\u003E1790375666\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"26-046","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ECHEYENNE, Wyo. \u003Cstrong\u003ELaura Marie Means\u003C\/strong\u003E, 46, of Jackson, Wyoming, was sentenced Tuesday to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for orchestrating a massive, multiyear wire fraud and tax evasion scheme that defrauded her former employer of nearly $1.5 million.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Former Jackson Hole bookkeeper sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for $1.48 million embezzlement and tax fraud scheme","topic":[{"uuid":"32b4d47b-2142-420c-9aae-28f7bf2c86d4","name":"Fraud"},{"uuid":"77a2d846-a826-49db-a31a-c5db747e9ad3","name":"Financial Fraud"},{"uuid":"4affbb9a-7e65-46c2-acc4-c22ad80d8561","name":"Tax"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wy\/pr\/former-jackson-hole-bookkeeper-sentenced-nearly-four-years-federal-prison-148-million","uuid":"243ca5c3-4287-4cba-97f0-65f95d114fb9"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECONCORD \u2013 Manchester property management company Greenview Associates L.P. along with two other defendants have entered into a Settlement Agreement with the United States that resolves allegations that the company and one of its employees violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a complaint filed on January 8, 2025, the United States alleged that the defendants\u2014Greenview Associates L.P., Palmer Asset Management, LLC, and John Martin\u2014violated the Fair Housing Act by retaliating against a tenant at one of the defendants\u2019 properties. The complaint alleged that the defendants attempted to evict the tenant in late 2023 because he had filed a discrimination claim against them with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Settlement Agreement resolves the claims in the United States\u2019 complaint. The defendants have agreed to pay the tenant $20,000 and provide credits for certain rents owed, ensure FHA compliance policies are in place at all of their properties, and provide FHA training to all employees.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FHA prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Justice Department\u2019s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1- 833-591-0291 or\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/civilrights.justice.gov\/report\/\u0022\u003Esubmit a report online\u003C\/a\u003E, or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo from the District of New Hampshire and the Department of Justice\u2019s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T17:36:32-04:00\u0022\u003E1790372192\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"c3a0801f-a565-480b-93fa-8ef735eb82cc","name":"USAO - New Hampshire"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T17:34:52-04:00\u0022\u003E1790372092\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Manchester Property Management Company Enters Settlement Agreement with the United States to Resolve Allegations That It Violated the Fair Housing Act ","topic":[{"uuid":"5a17032d-9330-48a0-9570-5ecd44ba5626","name":"Fair Housing"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-nh\/pr\/manchester-property-management-company-enters-settlement-agreement-united-states-resolve","uuid":"5b5c9edc-db27-4167-a4b5-9df1035b9c38"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDALLAS \u2014 United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that on Sept. 23, a federal grand jury indicted a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and his associate Adeniyi Akeem Somoye based on allegations outlined below.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndtx\/pr\/federal-authorities-charge-ex-uscis-official-and-associate-sweeping-corruption-scheme\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Epress release\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E issued Friday, Sept. 4 alleges the following:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul type=\u0022disc\u0022\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e4953f5f9b793f69fe27a8cf71aa75ccc\u0022\u003EA federal criminal complaint filed Aug. 31 charged the duo with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities as public officials.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e466fc56223df77096513b4337b178e83\u0022\u003EFederal agents arrested Ganiyu and Somoye on Sept. 2.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ef2f5b1fb9c0bebd9430117114db7c64b\u0022\u003EAccording to the complaint, from December 2019 through March 2026, Ganiyu used his official position to approve immigration applications\u2014I\u2011130: Petition for Alien Relative; I\u2011485: Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status; I\u2011751: Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence; and N\u2011400: Application for Naturalization\u2014in exchange for money.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ec1e5a1c50f49208d833cd3539c9f4da7\u0022\u003EInvestigators allege he bypassed required interviews, supervisory reviews, jurisdictional limits, background checks, and USCIS processing protocols.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e2a98354a72b452236cd6ae000c62722f\u0022\u003EGaniyu and Somoye collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants, many of which corresponded to approvals issued by Ganiyu.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e9d5872c70fc13d65916ef5cbd4ac2bc0\u0022\u003EThe scheme involved extensive thousands of WhatsApp messages and calls between the defendants and applicants.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The indictment makes clear that Ganiyu gravely betrayed his oath as a public servant, and that he and Somoye knowingly violated federal law. Their actions, as alleged, corrupted the integrity of our immigration system and jeopardized national security by letting individuals evade essential vetting requirements. These charges underscore that my office will relentlessly pursue anyone who abuses public trust for personal gain.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUSCIS Office of Investigations, DHS Office of Inspector General and the FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham from the Fraud section is prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E###\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T17:29:46-04:00\u0022\u003E1790371786\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"8df05d6d-6610-4258-9c93-cf09539e3683","name":"USAO - Texas, Northern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T17:23:53-04:00\u0022\u003E1790371433\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EUnited States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that on Sept. 23, a federal grand jury indicted a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and his associate Adeniyi Akeem Somoye based on allegations outlined below.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Federal grand jury returns indictment against ex USCIS official and associate for scheme involving unlawful approval and expedited processing of immigration applications","topic":[{"uuid":"99088e6f-b391-49fb-a07e-9ff953350ded","name":"Immigration"},{"uuid":"351fcc4e-1f5b-4490-b848-db30da15059a","name":"Public Corruption"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndtx\/pr\/federal-grand-jury-returns-indictment-against-ex-uscis-official-and-associate-scheme","uuid":"d812a5c3-ab05-4f4f-9bcd-0cb82366b293"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPHOENIX, Ariz. \u2013 During the week of enforcement operations from Sep. 19 through Sep. 25, 2026, the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 379 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 155 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 191 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 28 cases against 32 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol Agent (BPA).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecent matters of interest include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Gilda Sabas Martinez.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003EOn Sep. 23, 2026, Gilda Martinez, a United States citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On Sep. 22, 2026, a Pinal County Sheriff Deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle that Martinez was driving. In addition to Martinez, the Deputy observed one minor passenger. The Deputy observed indicators of alien smuggling during the stop and contacted Border Patrol to investigate further. BPAs arrived and determined that the minor passenger was a Mexican citizen unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3363]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Percy Anthony Kisto.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003EOn Sep. 23, 2026, Percy Kisto, a United States citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On Sep. 22, 2026, BPAs assigned to a checkpoint on State Route 85 observed a GMC Acadia make a U-turn as it was approaching the checkpoint. BPAs conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and located the driver, Kisto, and four passengers inside. Three of the passengers, including a minor, were determined to be citizens of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States. BPAs searched Kisto\u2019s backpack and recovered a firearm. Kisto was prohibited from possessing the firearm as he has a 2015 conviction for Transportation of an Illegal Alien, a felony offense. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3364]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUnited States v. Ivan Rojas-Menera.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003EOn Sep. 22, 2026, Ivan Rojas-Menera was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chavez-Flores had been previously removed from the United States in April 2019 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Transport a Dangerous Drug for Sale, a felony offense, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County.\u0026nbsp; Rojas-Menera was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison in that case.\u0026nbsp;[Case Number: 26-MJ-3346]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA criminal complaint 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\u003ERELEASE NUMBER:\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;2026-166_September 25, 2026 Immigration Enforcement\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 \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao\/az\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao\/az\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\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\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T17:18:04-04:00\u0022\u003E1790371084\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"d139d6e1-c7f0-481e-8385-3a94932f1a53","name":"USAO - Arizona"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T17:03:17-04:00\u0022\u003E1790370197\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"2026-166_September 25, 2026 Immigration Enforcement","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EPHOENIX, Ariz. \u2013 During the week of enforcement operations from Sep. 19 through Sep. 25, 2026, the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 379 individuals.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"District of Arizona Charges 379 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week","topic":[{"uuid":"99088e6f-b391-49fb-a07e-9ff953350ded","name":"Immigration"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-az\/pr\/district-arizona-charges-379-individuals-immigration-related-criminal-conduct-week","uuid":"33ec2fa2-c283-4966-a013-dcc088c3b8b2"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMINNEAPOLIS \u2013 United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Courtney John Barrett Sr., 56, of Red Lake, had his initial appearance hearing today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby. The defendant was indicted on two counts of sexual abuse of a minor on September 22, 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the indictment, Barrett knowingly engaged and attempted to engage in a sexual act with a minor victim on at least two occasions from on or about June 2023 to February 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case was the result of an investigation by the FBI and Red Lake Police Department.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant United States Attorney Dana Joseph is prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAn indictment 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","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-26T18:38:18-04:00\u0022\u003E1790462298\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"4c239363-a40c-4bc6-a17f-dabc265ead6d","name":"USAO - Minnesota"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:52:20-04:00\u0022\u003E1790369540\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Red Lake Man Indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor","topic":[{"uuid":"c99924c1-10c0-48c8-94b6-191166edda32","name":"Indian Country Law and Justice"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mn\/pr\/red-lake-man-indicted-sexual-abuse-minor","uuid":"0eaaddb2-b638-44f4-ae44-f590658a0a3d"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBANGOR, Maine:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;An Alabama man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to engaging in a hoax to detonate a bomb at an airport.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court records, on February 13 and 14, 2025, an individual threatened to detonate a bomb at the Bangor International Airport (\u201cBIA\u201d) in text messages to American Airlines (\u201cAA\u201d) employees and calls to the BIA switchboard. FBI investigators traced the texts and calls to \u003Cstrong\u003ERobert Tyler Wicks\u003C\/strong\u003E, 25, in Alabama. When investigators interviewed Wicks, he admitted that he made the bomb threats. He further admitted that he had used a mobile app that allowed the user to communicate from a personal cellular telephone using a different telephone number. A subsequent forensic review of Wicks\u2019s cellular telephones revealed multiple calls to the BIA on February 13 and 14, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the investigation, the FBI determined that Wicks was in an online relationship with an AA employee working at the BIA. As a result of this relationship, Wicks was able to obtain contact information for other AA employees. In addition, through video chat, Wicks was able to observe law enforcement and AA employee activity while he was making his bomb threats.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWicks faces up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Bangor Police Department, the Army National Guard, the Huntsville, Alabama, Police Department, and the Decatur, Alabama, Police Department.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E###\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:42:08-04:00\u0022\u003E1790368928\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"7eb5d47c-fc6f-4914-9897-1dcc1e477646","name":"USAO - Maine"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:38:50-04:00\u0022\u003E1790368730\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EWicks faces up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Airport Bomb Threat Hoax","topic":[{"uuid":"0c13cf63-9881-4ccd-8a83-aacd3b987edf","name":"Domestic Terrorism"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-me\/pr\/alabama-man-pleads-guilty-airport-bomb-threat-hoax","uuid":"f356c23a-2ac2-4736-a85f-db61d0d71409"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2013\u0026nbsp;On September 24, 2026,\u0026nbsp;Lake Ethan Roberts, 26,\u0026nbsp;entered a plea of guilty to\u0026nbsp; an indictment that charged him with one count of possession of unregistered destructive devices in violation of U.S. law.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn May 28, 2026, an initial complaint was filed against Roberts, alleging that he was a member of a group that called themselves the \u201cRed Legs.\u201d\u0026nbsp; The Red Legs group has been active since at least November 2023.\u0026nbsp; Red Legs members frequently communicated with each other using a Signal private chat group.\u0026nbsp; Signal is a private messaging application that emphasizes privacy and security through end-to-end encryption.\u0026nbsp; In their private Signal chat group, Red Legs members have engaged in discussions regarding the plans to engage in acts of violence directed towards government entities and property, particularly the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (\u201cICE\u201d), the National Guard, and other opposing political groups.\u0026nbsp;Some of Roberts\u2019s communications to the group included the following messages:\u0026nbsp; \u201cWe need to plan decisive action against ice and dhs;\u201d \u201cWhat are the chances we could get away with using drones to drop incendiary\u2019s [sic] to demolish key infrastructure;\u201d \u201cI like the idea of using drones carrying cocktails to demolish key structures\u2026Frozen water areas [this is an apparent reference to ICE structures];\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u201cAfter we build our ranks and adequately arm ourselves, we can look into escalation;\u201d \u201cIf ice moves to kc, thoughts on an armed response.\u201d\u0026nbsp; As part of their preparations for armed conflict with the federal government, Red Legs members also periodically trained by shooting firearms at a local firearm range.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the complaint, on May 14, 2026, Roberts and another Red Legs member met with an undercover law enforcement officer in Richmond, Mo.\u0026nbsp; Roberts had brought with him two devices that were wrapped in duct tape and had an apparent fuse.\u0026nbsp; Roberts referred to the devices as \u201calcohol shooters filled with black powder surrounded with steel BBs.\u201d Roberts brought the devices to detonate them to test how they worked.\u0026nbsp; Roberts detonated both devices in a rock quarry area.\u0026nbsp; The FBI Laboratory Explosives Unit provided an opinion that the two devices constituted improvised explosive devices (\u201cIEDs\u201d). According to an explosive expert\u2019s opinion, IEDs, also called homemade bombs, generally consist of an explosive main charge, method of initiation, and sometimes a container and\/or enhancements. These devices were described as small liquor bottles containing the low explosive black powder with a cannon fuse being utilized as the method of initiation. Properly assembled, the described IEDs would be capable of causing property damage, injury, and\/or death. Investigators conducted an inquiry of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Firearms Act Branch and determined that Roberts had not registered any destructive devices as required by the National Firearms Act of 1934.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder federal statutes, Roberts is subject to a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for his\u0026nbsp;charge of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys James Donnelly and Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division\u2019s Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u0026nbsp;with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:40:16-04:00\u0022\u003E1790368816\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"ad71fc95-287d-47f8-b7bc-bdb68e73159c","name":"USAO - Missouri, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:32:58-04:00\u0022\u003E1790368378\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ELake Ethan Roberts, 26,\u0026nbsp;Kansas City, Mo., entered a plea of guilty to\u0026nbsp;one count of possession of unregistered destructive devices\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Kansas City Man Pled Guilty Unlawfully Possessing an Unregistered Destructive Devices","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdmo\/pr\/kansas-city-man-pled-guilty-unlawfully-possessing-unregistered-destructive-devices","uuid":"c91a1ef7-72a7-4a3f-b379-49eccdac4f61"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EALEXANDRIA, Va. \u2013 An Annandale man pled guilty today to impersonating a federal officer and possessing imitation federal law enforcement credentials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to court documents, on Nov. 5, 2024, the date of the 2024 federal general elections, Alex Chieu Nguyen, 44, traveled to Timber Lane Elementary School, which was a polling site in Falls Church. Nguyen arrived in a black SUV wearing dark sunglasses, a blue zip-up sweatshirt emblazoned with the FBI logo, and a fraudulent badge. In a holster, Nguyen was carrying an air pistol resembling a Glock handgun. Nguyen approached election officials and greeters and falsely informed them that he was assigned to the FBI\u2019s \u201cElection Security.\u201d Nguyen has never been an employee of the FBI and was not authorized to possess or use a badge or credential identifying him as a federal law enforcement officer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ENguyen returned later and entered the building where active polling was taking place. When the polling site\u2019s chief election official asked to see Nguyen\u2019s credentials, Nguyen presented his fake FBI badge and a fraudulent credential identifying him as a special agent of the FBI. Nguyen again left the school, but was arrested later that day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ENguyen is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2027. He faces up to three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ETheophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office\u0027s Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAssistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan and Robert McManigal are prosecuting the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ERelated court documents and information are located on the website of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.vaed.uscourts.gov\u0022\u003EDistrict Court\u003C\/a\u003E for the Eastern District of Virginia or on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pcl.uscourts.gov\u0022\u003EPACER\u003C\/a\u003E by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-147.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:25:50-04:00\u0022\u003E1790367950\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"dca09ceb-4978-4466-9c30-ce9f5ada2f0a","name":"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"},{"uuid":"7e997054-52a5-485c-82a1-1a0e161abc4e","name":"USAO - Virginia, Eastern"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:25:42-04:00\u0022\u003E1790367942\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EAlex Chieu Nguyen, 44, of Annandale, pled guilty to impersonating an FBI agent at a voting site.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Annandale man pleads guilty to impersonating an FBI agent at a voting site","topic":[{"uuid":"6a5fd78e-8f57-437e-929a-a371cbe733a0","name":"Voting and Elections"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edva\/pr\/annandale-man-pleads-guilty-impersonating-fbi-agent-voting-site","uuid":"5ebfa6a5-a31b-45c1-b15c-3e4ac85403fc"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMADISON, WIS. \u2013 Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dushaun Mims, 40, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in prison\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Mims pleaded guilty to this charge on June 18, 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn May 6, 2025, Fitchburg and Madison Police Department officers were investigating a fatal stabbing incident that occurred at a bar in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. The investigation led them to Mims\u2019s residence in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, where the stabbing suspect was located. After the suspect was arrested, officers executed a search warrant at the residence to look for evidence connected to the stabbing. During the search, officers found a black Colt Defense 5.56mm AR style rifle in the bathroom and three loaded AR magazines and 498 grams of counterfeit pills, some of which tested positive for para-flurofentanyl and fentanyl, in Mims\u2019s bedroom. Mims\u2019s DNA was found on the charging handle and backstrap of the AR style rifle and on the outside of one of the drug baggies. Mims is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of numerous prior felony convictions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn imposing a sentence, Judge Conley weighed an \u201cegregious\u201d crime \u2013 possessing a firearm and fentanyl \u2013 along with aggravating factors like Mims\u2019s serious prior record, including a history of domestic violence, which he called a \u201ctheme of his adult life,\u201d against his severe medical issues and addictions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe charge against Mims was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg and Madison Police Departments and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Remington and Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFederal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department 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.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProject Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice\u2019s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys\u2019 offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:24:49-04:00\u0022\u003E1790367889\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"09a924bc-9cee-4351-b52d-e1c0801de0ce","name":"USAO - Wisconsin, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:19:13-04:00\u0022\u003E1790367553\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Sun Prairie Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms","topic":[{"uuid":"22aab3d6-17bc-40e1-ba47-aacd1ebcb261","name":"Operation Take Back America"},{"uuid":"68fd7404-ffa3-406d-a98c-0a9fd0b95784","name":"Project Safe Neighborhoods"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdwi\/pr\/sun-prairie-man-sentenced-6-years-illegally-possessing-firearms","uuid":"f7404b9c-5ef4-4668-8de5-6c431682cc62"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESeattle \u2014 Cameron John Wagenius, 22, a former Army soldier who was most recently stationed in Texas, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $294,978 in restitution for conspiring to hack into telecommunications companies\u2019 databases, access sensitive records, and extort the companies by threatening to release the stolen data unless ransoms were paid. In November 2024, Wagenius made two online posts that disclosed stolen confidential non-content call detail records belonging to a government official and family members of another former official and threatened to release additional confidential records unless paid a ransom. The text of one of these online posts suggested that Wagenius was motivated by a desire to retaliate for the then-recent arrest of another cybercriminal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCameron Wagenius spent more than a year and a half betraying the trust placed in him as an active duty soldier by carrying out a sweeping cybercrime campaign,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department\u2019s Criminal Division. \u201cHe targeted U.S. and foreign telecommunications companies, compromised the sensitive data of countless people, and even sought to traffic stolen information to a foreign intelligence service. His actions reflect an alarming disregard for the security of the public and the United States. Today\u2019s sentence demonstrates the Department of Justice\u2019s commitment to protecting privacy and security.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMr. Wagenius engaged in a long spree of criminal conduct attempting to blackmail hacking victims for more than $1 million. He has repeatedly shown disregard for the privacy and security of others, the rules of the military, and the law,\u201d said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. \u201cHis hacking schemes were not only aimed at getting rich, he was also motivated by a desire to achieve status within criminal hacking communities. This sentence must impose real consequences to deter him, and hopefully other would-be hackers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe FBI and its law enforcement partners moved quickly to identify, locate, and arrest Cameron Wagenius, who abused the trust that came with his military service to break into the networks of U.S. telecommunications companies, steal the private records of Americans, and extort victims for profit,\u201d said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI Cyber Division. \u201cToday\u2019s sentence of 70 months holds him accountable for those choices. The FBI, working alongside our partners at the Department of Defense (also known as the Department of War) Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and the Army identified and arrested him within weeks of his public extortion threats. The FBI will continue to pursue cybercriminals wherever they are, until they face justice in a U.S. courtroom.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSpending more than a year stealing confidential data and then threatening to expose it, Mr. Wagenius attempted to extort multiple organizations for a combined total of more than $1 million,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle field office. \u201cIt is especially shocking that a member of our armed forces, sworn to defend Americans and their Constitutional rights, would engage in such a violation of privacy. The FBI takes the theft of data seriously and will investigate, identify, and impose consequences on those who steal data or assist in trafficking and sharing it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cToday\u2019s sentencing underscores the relentless efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute cybercriminals targeting the Department of Defense, the defense industrial base, and American public,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Cyber Field Office. \u201cThis success is a result of our collaborative partnerships with federal law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Washington, and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section \u2014 sending a clear signal to cybercriminals that their actions will come at a cost.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to court documents, between April 2023 and Dec. 18, 2024, Wagenius used online accounts associated with the nickname \u201ckiberphant0m\u201d and conspired with others to defraud at least 10 victim organizations by obtaining login credentials for the organizations\u2019 protected computer networks. Wagenius and his conspirators obtained these credentials using a hacking tool that Wagenius helped develop called SSH Brute, among other means. They used Telegram group chats to transfer stolen credentials and discuss gaining unauthorized access to victim companies\u2019 networks. This activity happened while Wagenius was on active duty with the U.S. Army.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter data was stolen, Wagenius and his conspirators extorted the victim organizations both privately and in public forums. The extortion attempts included threats to post the stolen data on cybercrime forums such as BreachForums and XSS.is. In other instances, conspirators offered to sell stolen data for thousands of dollars via posts on these forums. They successfully sold at least some of this stolen data and also used stolen data to perpetuate other frauds, including SIM-swapping. In total, Wagenius and his co-conspirators attempted to extort at least $1 million from victim data owners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWagenius \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/urldefense.us\/v3\/__https:\/links-1.govdelivery.com\/CL0\/https:*2F*2Fwww.justice.gov*2Fopa*2Fpr*2Fformer-us-soldier-pleads-guilty-hacking-and-extortion-scheme-involving-telecommunications*3Futm_medium=email*26utm_source=govdelivery\/1\/010001a0da1993cb-b9b9001a-2f29-444c-96c4-7c96495d4bce-000000\/HTHAS1EFLg-2Rer6yHGBUx2u75HhN1ULTLqEdCeTs2c=452__;JSUlJSUlJQ!!KDHJTnLT9htas3gmAhw!Z7IFplfdQgnpkpRoLJIgXxtur3xDs_OuOaFlV0pW7q6La8VIOjs_tzXO23DBQH9qsNupzYohjk6JHu2ZcJrhW7N96HWRAY-V7j7rFy_3LQp7$\u0022\u003Epleaded\u003C\/a\u003E guilty in the Western District of Washington to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, extortion in relation to computer fraud, and aggravated identity theft on July 15, 2025, and he pleaded guilty in a separate case also in the Western District of Washington to two counts of unlawful transfer of confidential phone records information in connection with this conspiracy on March 5, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt today\u2019s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King addressed the defendant saying, \u201cYour actions show a shocking disregard for the safety and security of the United States\u2026 You took these actions motivated by greed and a desire for notoriety.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FBI and investigated the case. The U.S. Army\u2019s Criminal Investigative Division, the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Western District of Texas, and the National Security Cyber Section provided valuable assistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant U.S. Attorney Sok Tea Jiang for the Western District of Washington prosecuted the case along with Senior Counsel Louisa Becker and Trial Attorney George Brown of the Justice Department\u2019s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:21:10-04:00\u0022\u003E1790367670\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"b2f637ac-6743-4ff2-95ed-b078f601ea82","name":"USAO - Washington, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:18:37-04:00\u0022\u003E1790367517\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003ESeattle \u2014 Cameron John Wagenius, 22, a former Army soldier who was most recently stationed in Texas, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $294,978 in restitution for conspiring to hack into telecommunications companies\u2019 databases, access sensitive records, and extort the companies by threatening to release the stolen data unless ransoms were paid.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Former U.S. Soldier Sentenced for Hacking and Extortion Scheme That Exposed Sensitive Data of U.S. Government Official ","topic":[{"uuid":"4fa4c741-0265-444e-a954-076c97457ea1","name":"Cybercrime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdwa\/pr\/former-us-soldier-sentenced-hacking-and-extortion-scheme-exposed-sensitive-data-us","uuid":"ace7def0-9a97-4a9c-b5c4-35044a46378f"},{"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\u003EWASHINGTON \u2013 Deondre Rogers,\u0026nbsp;20, and Hanif Brown,20, both of Washington, D.C.,\u0026nbsp;were sentenced today to\u0026nbsp;17 years and 14 years in prison, respectively, for\u0026nbsp;their roles in\u0026nbsp;anarmed carjacking and\u0026nbsp;robbery\u0026nbsp;spree committed in\u0026nbsp;2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u202f\u202f\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt 17-years-old in 2023, these defendants went on a crime spree\u2014stealing cars, jewelry, and other personal possessions from their victims, with complete disregard for the people they harmed, and then callously showing off their stolen property on social media,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Pirro. \u201cThis sentence sends a clear message: those who terrorize our community with violence and firearms will be held fully accountable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth Rogers and Brown pleaded guilty\u0026nbsp;on August 3,\u0026nbsp;2026, to one count each of carjacking, armed robbery, robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of carrying a pistol without a license.\u0026nbsp;The defendants were originally charged in an 87-count\u0026nbsp;indictment.Brown was 17 years\u0026nbsp;old\u0026nbsp;at the time of the offenses, while Rogers\u0026nbsp;turned 17\u0026nbsp;in April 2023\u0026nbsp;during the crime spree; both defendants were charged as adults\u0026nbsp;pursuant to Title 16.\u0026nbsp;The government\u0026nbsp;sought a\u0026nbsp;17-year prison sentence\u0026nbsp;for each defendant.\u202fSuperior Court Judge Jason Park\u0026nbsp;imposed the\u0026nbsp;requested\u0026nbsp;sentence\u0026nbsp;on Rogers but sentenced\u0026nbsp;Brown\u0026nbsp;to 14 years\u0026nbsp;pursuant to\u0026nbsp;the Youth Rehabilitation Act, citing\u0026nbsp;Brown\u2019s lack of criminal history and expressed remorse.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the government\u2019s evidence, on\u0026nbsp;the afternoon of\u0026nbsp;April 7, 2023, Rogers and Brown rear-ended a white Jeep inside the Third Street Tunnel while driving a stolen Mercedes sedan. The defendants exited the Mercedes sedan, pointed\u0026nbsp;firearms at the\u0026nbsp;Jeep\u2019s\u0026nbsp;two occupants,\u0026nbsp;and demanded that they exit the vehicle.\u0026nbsp;After the victims complied, the defendants entered the Jeep and drove away.\u202f\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the early morning hours of April 16, 2023, Rogers and Brown robbed another victim at gunpoint in the 1600 block of 5th Street NW.\u0026nbsp;As the victim was walking with a friend, the defendants pulled\u0026nbsp;up\u0026nbsp;alongside them in a white Chevrolet sedan, and one of the defendants\u0026nbsp;got out. Hepointed\u0026nbsp;a firearm\u0026nbsp;at the victim and demanded his keys and cell phone, as the second defendant remained seated in the Chevrolet sedan.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The victim\u0026nbsp;handed over his vehicle keys and cell phone. The defendants drove away in the Chevrolet sedan and the victim\u2019s vehicle.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the early morning hours of\u0026nbsp;May 4, 2023, the defendants robbed two victims at gunpoint in the 1400 block of U Street NW.\u0026nbsp;Rogers and Brown\u0026nbsp;exited a white sedan, carrying handguns, and demanded the victims\u2019 property. The defendants took two necklaces, an iPhone, a Louis Vuitton belt, a rose\/white gold Audemars\u0026nbsp;Piquet watch valued at approximately $40,000, and a gold and silver Rolex valued at approximately $7,000.\u202f\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the night of the robbery and in the days that followed, Rogers\u0026nbsp;and Brown\u0026nbsp;appeared in\u0026nbsp;multiple\u0026nbsp;videos, photographs, and\u0026nbsp;a music video posted to\u0026nbsp;social media\u0026nbsp;that showed them wearing the stolen\u0026nbsp;watches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who\u0026nbsp;investigated\u0026nbsp;the case from\u0026nbsp;the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf and Brian Hanley, who prosecuted the case.\u202f\u202f\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u202f2025 CF3 003623; 2023 CF3 004265\u202f\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:21:11-04:00\u0022\u003E1790367671\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"74477cbc-f238-43ba-9479-f99f4788f858","name":"USAO - District of Columbia"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:05:39-04:00\u0022\u003E1790366739\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EDeondre Rogers,\u0026nbsp;20, and Hanif Brown,20, both of Washington, D.C.,\u0026nbsp;were sentenced today to\u0026nbsp;17 years and 14 years in prison, respectively, for\u0026nbsp;their roles in\u0026nbsp;anarmed carjacking and\u0026nbsp;robbery\u0026nbsp;spree committed in\u0026nbsp;2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Two Men Sentenced to Prison for 2023 Armed Crime Spree","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-dc\/pr\/two-men-sentenced-prison-2023-armed-crime-spree","uuid":"41fef7a7-eadd-4cbc-ba47-326fb937e833"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003ELAKE CHARLES \u2013 On September 24, 2026, United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr., sentenced \u003Cstrong\u003ELeeroy Sidney Hymel, III\u003C\/strong\u003E, 40, of Denham Springs, to 135 months in federal prison for Receipt of Child Pornography after his June 30, 2026, guilty plea.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cMr. Hymel\u2019s sentencing is yet another reminder to parents that predators can unfortunately turn up anywhere, including even our softball fields,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. \u201cNo prison term can undo the harm Mr. Hymel has caused, but this investigation, prosecution, and resulting sentence send a clear message to those who would prey upon our children: we will find you, we will charge you, and you will be looking at a lengthy prison sentence.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EAccording to court documents, Hymel was a softball umpire for a tournament for players 16 and under. Beginning around May 20, 2024, Hymel began to send lewd and lascivious pictures and videos of himself engaging in sexual acts to a minor female player. Records show Hymel enticed the victim to reciprocate and send similar explicit pictures and videos of herself through social media applications. \u0026nbsp;\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\u003EHomeland Security Investigations and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff\u2019s Office investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Richmond Stelly with assistance from Legal Assistant Kimberly Blanchard. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003EThis case was prosecuted 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. \u0026nbsp;Led by the U.S. Attorneys\u0027 Offices and the Criminal Division\u0027s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Learn more \u0026nbsp;at \u0026nbsp;https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/psc\/about-project-safe-childhood.\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 www.justice.gov\/usao-wdla.\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 25-CR-00102.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022text-align-justify\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECONTACT:\u003Cbr\u003EPublic Affairs: Cara.Alexander@usdoj.gov\u003Cbr\u003EUnited States Attorney\u2019s Office: www.justice.gov\/usao-wdla\u003Cbr\u003EX: @USAO_WDLA\u003Cbr\u003EFacebook: USAO_WDLA\u003Cbr\u003E(337) 262-6704\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T16:03:12-04:00\u0022\u003E1790366592\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"b7134f95-28b2-4b7e-95c9-a49fa5dfd6e2","name":"USAO - Louisiana, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T15:58:16-04:00\u0022\u003E1790366296\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"","title":"Denham Springs Softball Umpire Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography","topic":[{"uuid":"24d5ff01-2591-4b4a-9d78-66db50247093","name":"Project Safe Childhood"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdla\/pr\/denham-springs-softball-umpire-sentenced-over-11-years-federal-prison-receiving-child","uuid":"1bd52055-80ca-4cfb-8b2b-22858689a25d"},{"attachment":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2013 A Barnhart, Mo. man pleaded guilty to\u0026nbsp;destroying property at a Telsa dealership in Kansas City, Mo. and to unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKevin Harkins, 28, entered a guilty plea today\u0026nbsp;in federal court to one count of malicious destruction of property related to arson and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device.\u0026nbsp;Harkins was initially charged by complaint on Sept. 12, 2025.\u0026nbsp;According to court documents, on Feb. 13, 2025, at approximately 9:25 p.m., Kansas City, Missouri Police officers were dispatched in the vicinity of the Kansas City Tesla Center to investigate reports of the sounds of gunshots. At the same time, Kansas City Fire Department officials were also dispatched to the same location due to a reported fire. Police and Fire Department personnel discovered that a Telsa Cybertruck had sustained fire damage and had been shot with a firearm approximately nine times.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOfficers observed what appeared to be a flammable fluid on the vehicle, broken glass, a charred cloth, propane hand torch, and a cigarette lighter on the ground.\u0026nbsp; Officers also noticed that a nearby Tesla Model Y vehicle had approximately seven bullet holes located on the hood. Officers also discovered an unbroken suspected incendiary device with a cloth wick sticking out of the bottle and having an odor of suspected gasoline.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPolice recovered the unbroken suspected incendiary device, also known as a Molotov cocktail. Investigators also discovered that a second Telsa Cybertruck was damaged by a bullet that was an apparent ricochet from one of the rounds that was aimed at the first Cybertruck.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Cybertruck that was damaged by fire had a sale price of $81,985.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder federal statutes, Harkins is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years maximum in federal prison without parole for his\u0026nbsp;charge of malicious destruction of property related to arson. Harkins is subject to 10 years maximum in federal prison without parole for his charge of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division\u2019s Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office-Kansas City, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri.\u003C\/p\u003E","changed":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T15:53:19-04:00\u0022\u003E1790365999\u003C\/time\u003E\n","component":[{"uuid":"ad71fc95-287d-47f8-b7bc-bdb68e73159c","name":"USAO - Missouri, Western"}],"created":"\u003Ctime datetime=\u00222026-09-25T15:51:44-04:00\u0022\u003E1790365904\u003C\/time\u003E\n","date":"1790337600","image":"","number":"","teaser":"\u003Cp\u003EKevin Harkins, 28, Barnhart, Mo. pleaded guilty to\u0026nbsp;destroying property at a Telsa dealership in Kansas City, Mo. and to unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","title":"Barnhart, Mo. Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Tesla Arson","topic":[{"uuid":"a898e23f-25bb-4b59-a0db-23aae529cd38","name":"Violent Crime"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-wdmo\/pr\/barnhart-mo-man-pleads-guilty-charges-connection-tesla-arson","uuid":"2b1452b6-685a-43e2-82f6-0180c8eea993"}]}