Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon is facing federal weapons charges following four separate shooting incidents on the Navajo Nation over a 14-month period.

According to court documents, between July 2024 and September 2025, Cisco Whitehorse, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was involved in four separate shooting incidents on the Navajo Nation. First, in July 2024, Whitehorse shot at John Doe 1 from his car as the victim drove by, hitting him three times. John Doe 1 did not report the shooting at the time because he hoped that Whitehorse would leave him alone. When questioned later, Whitehorse admitted to shooting at John Doe 1.

In August 2024, Whitehorse allegedly shot at John Doe 2 from his house as the victim was driving by. When questioned later, Whitehorse denied shooting John Doe 2, however, law enforcement officers located multiple spent shell casings in his driveway.

In August 2025, Whitehorse allegedly again opened fire from his house on a vehicle John Doe 1 was driving. Fortunately, no one was struck.

Finally, in September 2025, Whitehorse fired several shots from his vehicle in the area of a local government building before fleeing at a high rate of speed.

On October 24, 2025, the FBI executed a search warrant at Whitehorse‘s residence. During the search, three firearms and ammunition were located. As a previously convicted felon, Whitehorse is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Whitehorse is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Whitehorse faces 15 years in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This press release was posted November 14, after the end of the federal government shutdown.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAN DIEGO – Dr. Karim Arabi was sentenced in federal court on October 28, 2025, to 48 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a massive $180 million scheme targeting his then-employer, Qualcomm.

Chief U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant also ordered Dr. Arabi to forfeit more than $45 million plus properties in Canada and Norway, and to pay $100,894,711.12 in restitution to Qualcomm. During the hearing, Chief Judge Bashant characterized Dr. Arabi’s conduct as “breathtaking in its dishonesty.”

Dr. Arabi was convicted of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a four-week jury trial in April 2025. According to evidence presented at trial, while working as a Vice President of Qualcomm’s Research and Development Department, Dr. Arabi committed fraud by developing valuable microchip technology, marketing the technology through a company, Abreezio, which he created to conceal his involvement, and then selling the company and its technology to Qualcomm for $180 million. In reality, Qualcomm would not have paid a dime for the technology had it known of Dr. Arabi’s involvement because, as part of his employment with Qualcomm, Dr. Arabi had agreed that virtually all technology he invented while working at Qualcomm belonged to his employer.

The trial evidence showed that Dr. Arabi and his accomplices created a host of lies and false documents to deceive Qualcomm about Abreezio’s origins. Dr. Arabi himself created two fake email accounts to impersonate his sister to make it appear that she was actively participating in Abreezio and to hide his own involvement. His accomplices repeatedly called him by his sister’s name in their communications to obscure his role. Dr. Arabi even created a fake resume for his sister, embellishing her background to make it more plausible that a graduate student could have invented the technology behind a $180 million company.

Qualcomm actually paid over $150 million to the coconspirators and others before discovering the fraud. According to evidence presented at trial, after the deal closed and Qualcomm unwittingly paid almost $92 million to Dr. Arabi’s sister, the campaign of concealment continued: Dr. Arabi invested the money in Canadian and Norwegian real estate while hiding his involvement, funneled funds back to his U.S. companies via intermediary shells, and received steady installments of laundered fraud proceeds until the month before his arrest in this case. Altogether, Dr. Arabi’s siblings bought 15 pieces of luxury real estate with the proceeds of his fraud.  The forfeiture order entered as part of Dr. Arabi’s sentencing reflects the disgorgement of these ill-gotten gains from Dr. Arabi. Even when Qualcomm filed a civil suit against Dr. Arabi, his sister, and Abreezio’s CEO, the deception did not end. Dr. Arabi and his sister answered requests from Qualcomm about the origins of Abreezio’s technology by producing a falsified research notebook that, as shown during trial, was created years after the fact. And Dr. Arabi himself directed one of his accomplices to delete emails when he learned he was being investigated.

“The defendant’s conduct was a staggering betrayal of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “He spent years scheming, lying, and hiding his deception so he could secretly enrich himself at his employer’s expense. His complex and devious fraud cost the company more than $150 million. This sentence—four years in prison and massive restitution and forfeiture—reflects the seriousness of his crimes and sends an unmistakable message: corporate criminals who abuse their positions out of greed will face justice.”

“Karim Arabi conspired to profit from technology he knew he had no lawful right to claim, betraying his then-employer,” said Mark Dargis Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Corporate fraud hurts more than individual companies and their shareholders—it also damages the trust of entire communities. FBI San Diego is proud to have worked with our law enforcement partners at the IRS and U.S. Marshals Service to conduct a thorough investigation ensuring Arabi was held accountable for this elaborate scheme.”

“This case underscores the importance of corporate integrity and the serious consequences of betraying that trust. Mr. Arabi’s actions were not only deceptive but deeply calculated, involving layers of misrepresentation and concealment,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “The sentence sends a clear message, no matter how sophisticated the scheme, those who defraud and manipulate for personal gain will be held accountable.”

The sentencing took place on October 28, 2025. This press release was delayed due to the lapse in appropriations.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Pilchak, Janaki G. Chopra and Eric R. Olah.

DEFENDANT                                 Case Number 22-CR-1152-BAS                                      

Karim Arabi                                        Age: 59                                   Oceanside, CA

CHARGES

Wire Fraud Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349

Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; $1 million fine or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction

Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343

Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; $1 million fine

Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)

Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; $500,000 fine or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation

United States Marshals Service

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Ex-Felon Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Bribe ICE Officer

 

CONCORD – A native of the Dominican Republic who was facing deportation pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe a law enforcement officer to secure his release from custody, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.

On November 5, 2025, Marlon Aramis Suazo-Santos, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to bribe a public official.  According to the charging documents and statements made in court, U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement (“ICE”) personnel transported Suazo-Santos from Berlin to Manchester on July 18, 2025.  Suazo-Santos was completing a term of incarceration resulting from a 2020 federal conviction and was subject to removal to the Dominican Republic.  While he was being transported to ICE’s Manchester facility, Suazo-Santos offered $100,000 to the ICE officer in exchange for his release.  The ICE officer promptly reported the bribe offer to other Homeland Security personnel, and the transport vehicle was equipped with an electronic audio recording device.  That same day, while the same ICE officer transported Suazo-Santos to a local detention facility, Suazo-Santos made additional inculpatory statements regarding the bribe to secure his release which were recorded.

Suazo-Santos remained in ICE custody until he was arrested on a criminal complaint on August 15.  A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment on September 3, 2025.  Suazo-Santos remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending his sentencing.

The charges carry a maximum possible sentence of 15 years imprisonment. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.  The Court scheduled sentencing in this matter for February 11, 2026.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations within the United States Department of Homeland Security.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was arrested after attempting to sell 10,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent.

According to court documents, in September 2025, an undercover agent from the Isleta Police Department began communicating with Daron Andrey Holmes, Jr., 35, of Arizona, via Facebook regarding the purchase of 10,000 fentanyl pills. Holmes and the agent agreed to meet at the Isleta Resort and casino on the Isleta Pueblo on the evening of October 29, 2025, to effectuate the sale. When Holmes arrived, he was arrested by a team of agents and officers from the Isleta Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, U.S. Marshal Service, New Mexico State Police and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office.

After Holmes was taken into custody, Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office K9 Zara performed an open-air sniff of Holmes’ vehicle and alerted to the presence of the odor of narcotics. Agents and officers conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle. Inside they located a large amount of U.S. currency and approximately 4,102 grams of fentanyl pills.

U.S. currency and fentanyl seized from Holmes’ vehicle

Holmes is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Holmes faces up to life in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Shawn Stallo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.

The Homeland Security Investigations El Paso investigated this case with assistance from Isleta Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, U.S. Marshal Service, New Mexico State Police and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This press release was posted November 14, after the end of the federal government shutdown

Source: United States Department of Justice

With the new fiscal year underway, OIP’s Compliance Team is quickly preparing to jump into the FY25 reporting season.  Back on September 30, OIP announced the anticipated deadlines for agency report submissions for Fiscal Year 2025. Today, we are updating those deadlines for the 2025 Annual FOIA Reports and 2026 Chief FOIA Officer Reports.

Agencies are required to submit their Fiscal Year 2025 Annual FOIA Reports using the FOIA.gov Annual Report Tool.  OIP has also updated the Department of Justice Annual FOIA Report Handbook, a key resource that agencies should consult when compiling their Annual FOIA Reports.  Agency personnel responsible for completing their agency’s report are encouraged to attend OIP’s Annual FOIA Report Refresher Training on Thursday, November 20, 2025 [NEW DATE]. An updated Webex link will be emailed and made available on our blog mid-next week. If you have attended this training in previous years and feel confident to begin your submissions without attending this year’s session, we encourage you to begin the reporting process as soon as possible.

Agencies should take note of the following deadlines, which are also summarized in Agency Reporting Obligations At-A-Glance, to ensure that they can satisfy all FOIA reporting obligations in the upcoming year:

FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL FOIA REPORT

December 12, 2025 [NEW DATE]– Agencies are required to submit their Fiscal Year 2025 Annual FOIA Report to OIP for review and clearance through FOIA.gov.

No later than March 1, 2026 – Agencies are required to post the final human readable and NIEM-XML versions of their Fiscal Year 2025 Annual FOIA Report on their websites.

FISCAL YEAR 2026 QUARTERLY FOIA REPORTS

January 30, 2026 – Quarter 1 data is required to be posted.
April 24, 2026 – Quarter 2 data is required to be posted.
July 31, 2026 – Quarter 3 data is required to be posted.
October 30, 2026 – Quarter 4 data is required to be posted.

For guidance on the requirements for completing the Quarterly Reports, please see OIP’s guidance on quarterly reporting (updated October 2021).

2026 CHIEF FOIA OFFICER REPORTS

January 30, 2026 [NEW DATE] – Deadline for agencies receiving 100 or more requests in Fiscal Year 2024 to submit their 2026 Chief FOIA Officer Reports to OIP for review and clearance.

February 6, 2026 – Deadline for agencies receiving fewer than 100 requests in Fiscal Year 2024 that choose to report to submit their Chief FOIA Officer Reports to OIP.

March 16, 2026 – Agencies are required to post their 2026 Chief FOIA Officer Reports online.

If you have any questions regarding any of the deadlines noted above or the requirements for any of the reports, please contact OIP’s FOIA Compliance Team at (202) 514-3642 (FOIA).  We are aware that this is a very short timeline, but there are statutory deadlines that we are doing our best to still meet this cycle while being a month behind. We will do our best to help in every way possible and be available to you as we dive into this reporting season. You can also find all of these reporting deadlines on the Reports page of OIP’s website.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

NOTE: This press release is about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown and is now available after the return to normal operations.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a nine-count indictment charging four Beaufort-area defendants with sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking conspiracy, coercion and enticement, and child sexual abuse material offenses:

• Jaquan Duvall Barnes, 30, of Port Royal, was charged with human trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, distribution and receipt of child sexual abuse material, and coercion and enticement of a minor.
• William James Youmans 35, of Beaufort, was charged with human trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, distribution and receipt of child sexual abuse material, and coercion and enticement of a minor.
• Guy Frank Talley, 28, of Beaufort, was charged with coercion and enticement of a minor.
• Alban Bryan, 64, of Saint Helena Island, was charged with sex trafficking of a minor, distribution and receipt of child sexual abuse material, and coercion and enticement of a minor. 

According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, a minor female victim had particular vulnerabilities—including drug dependance and status as a runaway—which were known to one or more of the defendants. 

Between December 2023 and January 2024, Bryan recruited, enticed, harbored, coerced, and trafficked a minor victim, knowing her status as a runaway, and obtained sex acts from the minor in exchange for drugs and housing.  It is further alleged that Bryan received and distributed child sexual abuse material depicting the minor victim. At a detention hearing, evidence was presented that Bryan, who had a familial relationship with the minor, also produced child sexual abuse material of the minor.  

Between January 2024 and March 2024, Barnes, Youmans, and Talley coerced and enticed the minor victim to engage in sex acts that violate federal and state law. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Barnes and Youmans trafficked the minor victim into the commercial sex trade in exchange for drugs, housing, and money, all while knowing the victim was a minor. Barnes and Youmans are accused of working together to exploit the minor, including by obtaining child sexual abuse material and compromising photographs of the minor, advertising her on the internet for commercial sex, communicating with customers to arrange commercial sex acts, transporting the minor to hotels, supplying the minor with illegal narcotics, and confiscating proceeds from the commercial sex scheme. Talley facilitated the exploitation by advertising the minor on the internet for commercial sex. The indictment further alleges that Youmans and Bryan received and distributed child sexual abuse material depicting the minor victim.

Each defendant faces a mandatory 10 years and up to life in federal prison. The defendants also face a lifetime supervision by the federal court system following any term of imprisonment, sex offender registration, and mandatory restitution payable to victims.

Barnes, Talley, Youmans were arraigned in federal court on Oct. 9 and were all ordered detained.  Bryan was ordered detained by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker pending trial after a contested detention hearing on Oct. 16.  U.S. District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks will preside over the case.

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

The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), with assistance from the Hardeeville Police Department, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Highway Patrol, and Jacksonville (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy F. Bower and Elliott B. Daniels are prosecuting the case. 

All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

###

* The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man today on charges of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of internal revenue laws and failing to file income tax returns.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Omini Tete Riman, 60, earned income as an information technology specialist and landlord. Riman filed false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Forms 1040 for tax years 2013 and 2014, resulting in tax refunds of $213,577 for 2013 and $186,468 for 2014, to which he was not entitled. Riman then corruptly attempted to impede efforts by the IRS to recoup the money from those refunds.

In 2016, after notifying Riman about his outstanding tax liabilities, the IRS attempted to recover the funds from him. However, Riman took numerous steps to frustrate the IRS’s collection efforts. For example, he transferred his property to a trust to hide it from the IRS; opened bank accounts in the trust’s name and directed that his income be deposited into that bank account; directed his tenant to ignore IRS notices about him and claimed that they were a “scam;” and submitted false documents to the IRS claiming that the IRS collections officer handling his case had personally received over $600,000 from Riman, which, if accepted by the IRS, would have jeopardized the IRS officer’s job and increased his personal tax liability.

As Riman was attempting to impede IRS collection efforts, he stopped filing tax returns, failing to file returns for tax years 2018 through 2023, despite earning wage and rental income of over $854,000 during that period.

Riman faces up to nine years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Andrew McKay, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Daniel Lipkowitz and Zachary Cobb are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-99.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 15 years of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his convictions of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.

United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Alonzo Henry Griffin Jr., 24, on September 26, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, on November 13, 2024, following the execution of a federal search warrant at Griffin’s residence, law enforcement recovered over 1,200 bricks of fentanyl, crack cocaine, two stolen and loaded semi-automatic pistols, and an AR-style semi-automatic rifle. Law enforcement also seized $4,500 in U.S. currency from the residence along with drug trafficking paraphernalia. With prior felony convictions that include a state drug trafficking offense and aggravated assault, Griffin is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

The Pennsylvania State Police Drug Law Enforcement Division Southwest Strike Force Unit and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Griffin.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today provided an update on increased federal prosecutions and strategies implemented to combat violent crime in Chicago and the surrounding area.  This announcement comes after the government just reopened following the longest government shutdown in U.S. history as well as the largest ever enforcement surge in the Northern District of Illinois—commonly referred to as “Operation Midway Blitz”—a U.S. immigration enforcement operation launched by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

This is a joint statement made with the other Department of Justice law enforcement components, namely, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).

“Combatting the epidemic of gun crime and violence is a national priority for this Department of Justice, and it is a top priority of mine as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “It is for that reason that I have invested substantial resources into our Violent Crimes Section while demonstrating with action that we will strongly support our law enforcement partners and accept their most significant cases for federal prosecution.  The results are not only a deepening of relationships with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, but also a dramatic increase in our prosecutions and high-impact matters,” U.S. Attorney Boutros continued.

For example, this year, federal firearm indictments under the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”) program are up 292% in the Northern District of Illinois compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025).  The number of defendants charged in PSN firearm indictments is up 287% compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025).  The PSN program is an evidence-based program that focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders while bringing together a broad spectrum of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  One such problem is violence in Chicago’s downtown neighborhoods and public rail system.  As such, in June of this year, U.S. Attorney Boutros announced an expansion of PSN to include the economic centers in downtown Chicago and the entire rail system operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, including all train lines operating in every neighborhood from every part of the city.  The expansion implemented the program in parts of three Chicago Police districts in downtown financial zones that represent the economic engines of the city and region, as well as on the CTA trains that bring residents and visitors to those areas from every neighborhood of Chicago and from the city’s two international airports.  The expansion by U.S. Attorney Boutros represented the first time anywhere in the country that the PSN program was deployed on mass transit and the first time in Chicago that the city’s downtown economic corridors were given the federal PSN designation.

In addition, firearm investigations in Chicago have been substantially bolstered by a game-changing resource from ATF—the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago.  The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois.  Every single gun case in the Northern District of Illinois is processed through ATF’s CGIC on a daily basis. This swift and thorough review and intake process is made possible because the CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes, and especially gun crimes.

The increase in federal firearm indictments corresponds to increased prosecutions as well as other high-impact cases across the various federal programs.  Overall, federal criminal indictments in all program areas in the Northern District of Illinois in 2025 are up 45% (366 versus 252) compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025).  The number of defendants charged in all program areas in 2025 is up 52% (494 versus 325) compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025).

“A fundamental duty of our Office is to tackle crimes across the various federal program areas that we service,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “That applies to narco-terrorism and terrorism cases, drug and gun trafficking organizations, public corruption, organized crime, money laundering, child-exploitation and human trafficking cases, cybercrimes, assaults on Postal Employees and other federal officers and personnel, as well as program fraud, healthcare fraud, and otherwise.  We are committed to investigating and prosecuting federal criminal cases on behalf of all of our law enforcement partners to disrupt the cycle of ongoing crime in Chicago.”

The increased prosecutions are part of a turnaround that is occurring under U.S. Attorney Boutros, who inherited an Office that was down some 50 prosecutors.  The Criminal Division had also dipped below 90 criminal prosecutors for the first time in decades.  “The impressive results we have been able to achieve in 2025 as an Office have been accomplished with far fewer prosecutors and resources than the Office has experienced in decades,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “This is also true for the caseloads we are handling in our Civil Division.  I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors in the Civil Division who are handling a heavy docket that is only growing heavier with fewer resources. After an extended government shutdown and many months of a hiring freeze, I am energized by the fact that we are hiring several dozens of new Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Criminal and Civil Divisions in the coming months.  Many of our new hires will come with significant experience, including decades of federal and/or state prosecutorial experience from across the country and locally and will be able to hit the ground running,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “I am very much looking forward to onboarding our new tough-on-crime prosecutors who will contribute mightily to the Office in the critically important work we do every day.  I am very optimistic about our Office’s future, especially as we add to our already talented roster of attorneys and staff who work diligently every day to make our communities better.”

“Through the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago (CGIC) partnership, we have made a significant impact on reducing violent crime in Chicago,” said Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the ATF Chicago Field Division.  “One of the key changes has been increased federal prosecutions under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Boutros, who has been instrumental in ensuring that violent offenders are swiftly brought to justice.  ATF will remain focused on its top priority: tackling violent crime and taking drivers of violence off our streets.”

“The FBI works to ensure that the threat of violent crime does not endanger the livelihood or safety of the hardworking people in this great city,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office.  “Thanks to the outstanding collaboration within the network of law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods, our communities are safer and more well-resourced than ever.  The FBI remains committed to developing proactive solutions and holding accountable anyone who seeks to compromise the safety of those who live in or visit Chicago.”

“The DEA Chicago Field Division will continue leveraging all resources at our disposal to combat drug-related violent crime,” said Shane R. Catone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division.  “Disrupting and dismantling violent drug trafficking organizations and their supply chains is crucial to keeping Americans safe. Alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, the DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue accountability of violent drug traffickers inflicting harm upon our communities throughout Illinois.”

“Criminal violence of any kind—including assaults and attacks on federal agents and other government personnel—are unacceptable,” said LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois.  “The U.S. Marshals Service will investigate and seek to hold accountable people who break the law with violence.  U.S. Attorney Boutros has been a strong and reliable partner in our efforts, and we look forward to continuing to closely work with him and his team.”

“Criminal violence of any kind—including assaults and attacks on federal agents and other government personnel—are unacceptable,” said LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois.  “The U.S. Marshals Service will investigate and seek to hold accountable people who break the law with violence.  U.S. Attorney Boutros has been a strong and reliable partner in our efforts, and we look forward to continuing to closely work with him and his team.”

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Denzel Ingram (28, Tampa) to six years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Ingram to forfeit the firearms used in the commission of the offense. Ingram pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025.

According to court records, an officer with the Tampa Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle Ingram was driving for a traffic violation. Ingram parked the vehicle in front of a nearby residence and went inside, refusing the officer’s commands to stop. Ingram ultimately fled from the residence and was arrested at a later date. Two loaded handguns were recovered from the driver’s side floorboard where Ingram had been seated. Prior to the offense, Ingram had been convicted of multiple felonies including a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2013. As a convicted felon, Ingram is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.

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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.