Former Army Civilian Employee Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Children

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A California man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing two minors while he was employed by the Armed Forces outside of the United States. According to court documents, Thelmo Meneses Santos, Jr., 60, of Merced, sexually abused two minor children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing both of the minor victims when they were 11 years old. Santos sexually abused the two minors in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both minor children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents. After his arrest, Santos attempted to unlawfully influence one of his victims to falsely recant her report of sexual abuse.

In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California; and Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office made the announcement.

The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI investigated this case.

Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice an 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual Activity

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Jacksonville, Florida – Noel Daniel Simonca (48, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Jordan Emery Pratt to 14 years in federal prison for using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Simonca pleaded guilty on October 28, 2025. He was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Larchmont Woman Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Federal Prison for Her Role in Hospice and Diagnostic Testing Fraud that Conned Medicare

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A woman from the Larchmont area of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 35 months in federal prison for defrauding Medicare out of more than $14 million by submitting fraudulent claims for hospice care and diagnostic testing services that were either unnecessary or not provided at all.

Castle Rock Woman Sentenced For Defrauding Victims In Romance Scams

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lori Ann Kimball, 52, Castle Rock, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison and ordered to pay $3,112,990.13 in restitution after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

MACON, Ga. – A Mexican national and member of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was involved in a major methamphetamine and cocaine distribution organization out of Monroe, Georgia, and discussed his frustration with no longer receiving “busloads” of illegal drugs and preparing for a visit by the son of Sinaloa’s leader was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in prison for his crime resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation led by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.

Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Fraudulently Obtain Visas for Alien ‘Victims’ of Staged Crimes

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Jose Luis Morales Salgado, 37, Mexican national residing in Kansas City, Mo., has pleaded guilty for role in a conspiracy to stage numerous armed robberies so that the purported victims of these crimes, who were illegal aliens in the United States, could use their status as crime victims to fraudulently obtain visas. 

United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda Announces Leadership Team

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda today announced the appointment of Dulce Donovan to First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. A veteran federal prosecutor, Ms. Donovan will serve as the office’s second-in-command and oversee day-to-day operations, including criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, and administrative functions across the district.

De Smet Man and Woman Each Sentenced to Terms in Federal Prison and Home Confinement for Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over $600,000 in Employment Tax

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a De Smet, South Dakota, man and woman convicted of Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over Employment Tax and Aiding and Abetting.  The sentencing took place on March 18, 2026. 

Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing, Accessing, and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Images and Videos

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Fort Myers, Florida – John James Adducci (41, Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 12 years in federal prison for possessing, accessing with intent to view, and receiving images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Adducci pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025. Adducci was also sentenced to a life term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.