Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Event
Date:
Virtual Event
Agencies are required to post their FY25 Annual FOIA Reports on their websites and notify OIP of their publication by March 1st, 2026.
Updated September 30, 2025
Topic
FOIA
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Jason Sanders, age 44, of Pryor, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Sanders with knowingly possessing two semi-automatic pistols and 96 rounds of ammunition on May 5, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sanders will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched an investigation into the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) to determine whether the University has denied equal treatment of individuals based on race or national origin, in violation of Title IV and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Publicly-funded universities are barred from discriminating based on race, national origin, or religion,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice is fiercely committed to holding institutions of higher learning accountable and ensuring that every student receives equal access to the opportunity and education to which they are legally entitled.”
The compliance review investigation will examine whether UNLV, a recipient of federal financial assistance, has engaged in discriminatory practices based on race, color, or national origin against its students. The investigation will be conducted pursuant to Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which authorizes the Department to address certain equal protection violations in public colleges, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits a recipient of federal funds from discriminating based on such protected characteristics. Institutions of higher education that are governed by Title IV and Title VI must protect students’ unfettered access to the school’s educational environment and opportunities, free from discrimination. The investigation will focus on the University’s response to antisemitism on campus.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Defendant was also found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
LITTLE ROCK—A Little Rock man was convicted by a federal jury on conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the guilty verdict which was handed down recently.
Spencer Walker, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a superseding indictment on August 5, 2025, and charged with the three counts he took to trial. The four-day jury trial was held before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. The jury deliberated less than 45 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on all three counts for which Walker had been indicted.
The evidence at trial revealed that in September 2022, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) intercepted two packages, each containing five pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers performed a controlled delivery of those packages to Walker’s address. After the controlled delivery, they were able to secure a search warrant for Walker’s residence. During a search of Walker’s residence, law enforcement officers located an additional unopened package that was found to contain 10 pounds of methamphetamine; in his bedroom they located a shotgun with a 25-round drum magazine.
Law enforcement officers continued their investigation into the owner of the residence, tracing his location for a period of time. They noted that the owner frequented a house in Bryant, Arkansas. Law enforcement officers then discovered that an additional three packages addressed to the Bryant residence containing 10 pounds of methamphetamine each, had been previously intercepted. In January of 2023, law enforcement officers intercepted another package going to the Bryant residence that contained 10 pounds of methamphetamine. It was through the interception by USPIS of those parcels, as well as several witness statements and photo identification, that law enforcement officers were able to identify Walker as the intended recipient of all the packages containing methamphetamine.
Walker faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the DEA. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katie Hinojosa.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission held its third hearing to discuss religious liberty issues in education from the perspectives of teachers and coaches, as well as religious liberty issues in school funding and educational choice, including testimony from school leaders, families, and experts impacted by religious liberty issues in school funding. The hearing’s objective was to understand the historic landscape of religious liberty in the educational setting, recognize present threats to religious liberty in education, and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in this context for the future.
The hearing opened with a special panel on violence against people and communities of faith. The panel included testimony from friends of Charlie Kirk, who spoke of his commitment to faith and free speech and advocacy for religious liberty.
“Charlie Kirk was an American hero whose love for God, country, and family guided every step of his life,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our Religious Liberty Commission will continue to uphold his legacy of advocating for religious liberty, particularly at our educational institutions that too often seek to suppress free speech.”
“Physical violence and murder are the ultimate deprivations of religious liberty. We have seen a tragic rise in such violence targeted at communities and individuals of faith, including our friend Charlie Kirk,” said Commission Chairman Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. “This behavior is un-American and threatens every state in the nation. The Department of Justice Religious Liberty Commission stands with the Trump Administration in condemning it, finding the root cause of this violence, and doing everything possible to end it. We will not rest until we do.”
The hearing continued with scheduled programming on religious liberty issues in education, hearing from teachers, coaches, clergy, and other faith leaders on the grave challenges facing people and institutions of faith.
Chairman Patrick added: “In our hearing, we had heartbreaking testimony from great teachers and coaches who were bullied and threatened by the education system to choose between keeping their faith or keeping their jobs. Even after winning at the Supreme Court, the hateful attacks on them by the schools continued. No American should have to endure the grief and pain of being targeted by religious discrimination. Our Commissioners left with renewed conviction in the urgent need to restore First Amendment protections for our public and private schools and their staff.”
Panel on Violence against Faith Communities
Dr. Hutz Hertzberg: Chief Education Officer, Turning Point Education
Hutz Hertzberg has served as the Chief Education Officer for Turning Point Education since July 2022 and previously served as President of Christian Heritage Academy in Northfield, Illinois. Hutz’s organizational leadership experience includes serving as President of Christian Union, Director of the Orchard Network, and Executive Pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago. Hutz has also served for two decades in higher education administrative and faculty positions, including at Trinity International University, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Wheaton College, Judson University and the College of DuPage. Hutz is a licensed and ordained minister who served as a Chaplain in the United States Naval Reserve and continues to give leadership to the Protestant Chaplaincy at Chicago O’Hare and Midway Airports.
Eric Metaxas: Religious Liberty Commission Member
Writer, speaker, and radio host, Eric Metaxas has written dozens of books, including the national bestseller, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer was so beloved by readers that it was made into a major motion picture. Metaxas has testified before Congress on the global rise of anti-Semitism and been awarded the Canterbury Medal by the Becket Fund for Religious Freedom.
Pastor Jentezen Franklin: Religious Liberty Commission Advisory Board Member
Pastor Jentezen Franklin is the Senior Pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-campus church based in Gainesville, Georgia. He has written multiple books including the bestseller, Fasting: Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God.
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Larry Arnn: President, Hillsdale College
Dr. Arnn is the 12th president of Hillsdale College, where he is also a professor of politics and history. Dr. Arnn is on the board of directors of The Heritage Foundation, the Henry Salvatori Center of Claremont McKenna College, the Philadelphia Society, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and the Claremont Institute.
Panel II: Teacher and Coach Perspectives
Coach Joe Kennedy: Former Bremerton High School (BHS) Football Coach
School officials at BHS suspended—and later fired—football coach Joe Kennedy because he prayed a brief, quiet prayer after football games. A lawsuit was filed against the school district, arguing that banning coaches from quietly praying, just because they can be seen by the public, is wrong and violates the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit sided with the school district. The case eventually landed in the U.S. Supreme Court. In January 2022, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and has since ruled in favor of Coach Joe.
Monica Gill: History Teacher at Loudoun County High School
Monica took a stand against her school district’s secret gender transition policy – Policy 8040 – that required teachers to lie to parents about their child’s identity and force them to use pronouns requested by students, even if it meant denying their religious beliefs. ADF filed suit, and in December 2021, the school board agreed to a permanent injunction prohibiting retaliation against teachers who opposed the policy. In December 2023, the school board changed its position on the policy, and in July 2025, the Loudoun County Circuit Court officially recognized the change, allowing teachers to avoid using pronouns that violate their religious beliefs.
Marisol Arroyo-Castro: Connecticut Public School Teacher
While teaching in the New Britain School District, Marisol placed a crucifix by her desk along with other personal items, such as student artwork and a church calendar. In December 2024, school leadership abruptly told Marisol to remove the crucifix or be charged with insubordination. Marisol was later suspended without pay, placed on administrative leave, and involuntarily transferred to a non-teaching position for objecting. Attorneys have intervened on Marisol’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
Keisha Russell: Former special education teacher, constitutional lawyer with First Liberty Institute
Keisha Toni Russell is a constitutional lawyer with First Liberty Institute in Texas, a non-profit law firm that specializes in religious liberty litigation. Keisha graduated from Emory University School of Law and was a 2017 Emory University Graduating Woman of Excellence. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Keisha was a special education teacher in an elementary school in Atlanta, Georgia.
Panel III: Protecting the Religious Identity and Autonomy of Faith-Based Schools
Rabbi David Zwiebel: Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, RLC Advisory Board member
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel is the Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, an American organization that represents Orthodox Jews. In 2020, he helped organize one of the largest gatherings of Orthodox Jews in U.S. history.
Fr. Robert Sirico: Pastor Emeritus, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Parish
To preserve its Catholic identity, Sacred Heart requires students, parents, and teachers to sign a doctrine upholding catholic principles regarding marriage and sexuality. In 2024, Sacred Heart Academy joined parents in suing the state of Michigan in federal court demanding a reprieve from the state’s sweeping “anti-discrimination” law, after lawmakers amended the state’s Civil Rights Act to cover sexual orientation and gender identity without a general religious exemption.
Dr. Todd J. Williams: President, Cairn University
Cairn University, a small, private, Christian school in southeastern Pennsylvania, made a strategic institutional decision to eliminate its School of Social Work and all related degrees and programs due to multiple factors, including declining enrollment, revenue disparities, and issues related to the program’s accrediting body, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) deemed incompatible with the school’s religious and theological commitments. Following Cairn’s decision, CSWE posted a press release on its website and social-media platforms publicly criticizing the university.
John Bursch: Former Michigan Solicitor General, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom
John Bursch is senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy with Alliance Defending Freedom. Bursch has argued 13 U.S. Supreme Court cases and three dozen state supreme court cases, and he has successfully litigated six matters with at least $1 billion at stake. A recent study concluded that among all frequent Supreme Court advocates who did not work for the federal government, he had the 3rd highest success rate for persuading justices to adopt his legal position. Bursch served as solicitor general for the state of Michigan from 2011-2013.
Panel IV: Faith-Based Schools and the State
Carroll Conley: Former Headmaster of Bangor Christian Schools, Executive Director of the Christian Civil League of Maine
In June 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that Maine cannot prevent parents from using the state’s publicly funded tuition assistance program to send kids to private religious schools. The case, Carson v. Makin, was brought by two families in rural Maine who did not have access to public schools. Maine banned parents from using the money to send their kids to schools that provide religious education. The families successfully challenged that rule, alleging it violated both the religion clauses and equal protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution.
Laura Wolk Slavis: Speaking on behalf of Chaya and Yoni Loffman
Chaya and Yoni Loffman were forced to discontinue speech therapy for their son because of requirements under California’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that prohibit funding from being used at religious private schools. Now, the Loffmans and other religious Jewish parents of students with disabilities are plaintiffs in a lawsuit, Loffman v. California Department of Education.
Jason Bedrick: Research Fellow in the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, Author, Adjunct Scholar with the Cato Institute
Bedrick is a Research Fellow in the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, where he focuses on policies that promote education freedom and choice, religious liberty, classical education, and restoring the primary role of families in education. His research on education policy has been published by numerous national and state-level think tanks and media publications.
Prof. Nicole Stelle Garnett: Professor of Law and Associate Dean for External Engagement at University of Notre Dame
Garnett’s teaching and research focuses on education law and policy, religious liberty, and topics related to property law. Garnett received her B.A. with distinction in Political Science from Stanford University and her J.D. from Yale Law School. After law school, she clerked for the Honorable Morris S. Arnold of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States. Before joining the law school faculty in 1999, she worked for two years as a staff attorney at the Institute for Justice, a non-profit public-interest law firm in Washington, D.C., where she helped to defend the constitutionality of the nation’s first private-school-choice programs.
Closing Remarks:
Dr. Francis Beckwith: Professor of Philosophy and Church-State studies at Baylor University, RLC Advisory Board member
Dr. Beckwith teaches and publishes in the areas of religion, jurisprudence, politics, and ethics. A graduate of Fordham University (Ph.D. and M.A. in philosophy) and the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis (Master of Juridical Studies), he has published over 100 academic articles, book chapters, reviews, and reference entries.
Watch the hearing HERE.
The next hearing will be held in Dallas, Texas on November 17, and will consider religious liberty in the U.S. Military. Members of the public can learn more about registration at https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission/upcoming-hearings.
The Religious Liberty Commission was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14291 and is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, increasing awareness of and celebrating America’s peaceful religious pluralism, highlighting current threats to religious liberty, and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
RENO – A Winnemucca man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Miranda M. Du to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for transporting a 15-year-old girl from Colorado to Nevada, and having sexual contact with her, after meeting each other on a social media application.
According to court documents, from December 31, 2024, to January 2, 2025, Tyler Monson communicated via Snapchat with a 15-year-old victim who lived in Littleton, Colorado. During the conversation, Monson told the victim that he was 16 years old and lived in Colorado. Monson and the victim exchanged nude photos, and he sent the victim $2,000 via Venmo. They agreed to meet in person. Monson traveled from Nevada to Colorado for the purpose of sexual activity with the victim. While traveling back to Nevada with the victim, Monson sexually assaulted the victim multiple times.
Monson pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance provided by the Winnemucca Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Rachow 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ALFREDO RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ (“RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ”), age 55, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty on September 16, 2025, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ‘ 1326(a). Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter scheduled the sentencing for November 13, 2025.
According to court records, RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ reentered the United States sometime prior to April 1, 2025, after having been previously removed on or about February 5, 2024.
RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced yesterday to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and selling firearms without a license
ANGEL BARRERA-ESTEVES, 27, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possessing a firearm with the serial number removed and one count of selling firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Barrera-Esteves to 108 months in prison.
Barrera-Esteves admitted that in 2022, he illegally possessed a semi-automatic handgun that he defaced and later sold. Barrera-Esteves further admitted that between 2021 and 2022, he sold seven firearms, manufactured or obtained by him, without a federal firearms dealer’s license. Several of those firearms were obtained illegally through his mother, JESSICA BARRERA, who purchased the firearms and transferred them to Barrera-Esteves. Once received, Barrera-Esteves removed the serial numbers and sold the firearms to people he knew could not possess firearms or would use the firearms for illegal purposes. Barrera-Esteves also sold ammunition that he illegally obtained through his mother, as well as a Glock auto-sear.
Jessica Barrera, 56, of Rockford, was sentenced last month to nearly three years in federal prison for her involvement.
Barrera-Esteves’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of ATF’s Chicago Field Division. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza L. Tomlinson.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 30, 2025, Christopher Boisvert of Swanzey, New Hampshire was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 74 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
On June 10, 2025, Boisvert pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery and stipulated to the commission of a second bank robbery and an attempted robbery of a marijuana dispensary, all committed on August 26, 2024. Boisvert’s conspirator, Meghan Cox, 40, of Laconia, New Hampshire, pled guilty on June 12, 2025 to her role in conspiring to rob the marijuana dispensary. Cox is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2025.
According to court records, starting at around 2:00 p.m. on August 26, 2024, Boisvert and Cox attempted to rob a marijuana dispensary then Boisvert went on to successfully rob TD Bank in Bellows Falls and Brattleboro Savings & Loan in Brattleboro. Throughout the spree, Boisvert was masked, appeared to be armed, and obtained $7,500 by threatening bank tellers and their families with violence. After the Brattleboro robbery, Boisvert led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through back roads of Vermont before abandoning his truck in a business parking lot. Upon returning to their home in New Hampshire, Boisvert and Cox called law enforcement and falsely reported the truck stolen and claimed to be hiking all afternoon. Prior to this offense, Boisvert had multiple arrests and convictions for armed robberies from 2012 through 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police, the Brattleboro Police Department, the Bellows Falls Police Department, the Keene (New Hampshire) Police Department, the Swanzey (New Hampshire) Police Department, the Cheshire County (New Hampshire) Sheriff’s Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Athol (Massachusetts) Police Department, and the Winchendon (Massachusetts) Police Department.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Ophardt and Dana Hill. Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon represents Christopher Boisvert and Meghan Cox is represented by Richard C. Bothfeld, Esq.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Hattiesburg, MS – A Canton woman pleaded guilty last week to stealing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits intended for low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford nutritious food.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nya Irving, also known as Nya Carter, 25, unlawfully acquired and used SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits in October and November 2023. Irving was a Customer Service Representative for Conduent from September 26, 2022, to November 20, 2023.Irving used her position to access and obtain SNAP and TANF benefits belonging to recipients throughout the United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, and Tennessee without authorization.
Irving also provided EBT card data to her friend, Velton Taylor Williams, Jr., who was sentenced last week to five years’ probation for his role in the scheme. Irving and Williams used the stolen SNAP and TANF benefits for their personal gain. Irving obtained $41,587.87 in SNAP and $975.19 in TANF benefits without authorization. TANF benefits are intended for low-income families with children under the age of 18.
Irving pleaded guilty to Food Stamp Fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Deuchler of the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
The United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.