Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Spokane, Washington – Upon the expiration of his 120-day appointment as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Pete Serrano has accepted the Attorney General’s appointments as Special Attorney to the Attorney General and as First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington and will act with all the authority conferred by those appointments.

“I appreciate the opportunity to continue serving my community as a member of the Department of Justice,” Mr. Serrano said. “I am honored to continue working with the excellent team we have at the United States Attorney’s Office here in Eastern Washington, and I look forward to doing everything I can to continue keeping this community safe and strong.”

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Juan De La Cruz Mejia Castro, 33, of El Salvador, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully in the United States. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Outstanding work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, to capture this criminal alien and prevent him from continuing to threaten the safety of our communities. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from the criminal aliens who have violated our immigration laws and threatened the safety of our communities, and my office will continue to deliver on that promise with successful prosecutions.”

Court documents reflect that Mejia Castro admitted to drinking alcohol in his truck before firing two rounds from a 9-millimeter pistol. Mejia Castro claimed to have heard a noise in his yard and fired the gun in an attempt to scare off a suspected animal. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office found two spent shell casings at the scene, as well as a small amount of marijuana possessed by Mejia Castro.

Mejia Castro faces up to fifteen years in prison followed by removal from the United States.

The case was a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Brooke DiSalvo is prosecuting the case.

Mejia Castro’s sentencing is scheduled for March 10, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

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.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dr. Jonathan S. Clark, D.O., of Poteau, Oklahoma, has agreed to pay $105,000.00 to settle allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act.

The United States alleged that Dr. Clark ordered controlled substances outside the course of professional practice, stored and dispensed controlled substances at an unregistered location, and failed to maintain records containing the dates that substances were received and dispensed as required under the Controlled Substances Act.

The settlement was the result of a Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion investigation that determined the misuse and improper storage of controlled substances, and the failure to maintain a complete and accurate record of the controlled substances.

“The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tulsa Residence Office, works tirelessly to ensure doctors in our communities operate in a manner that is in the public’s best interest. When this standard is violated, those doctors will be held accountable, as is the case with Dr. Jonathan Clark,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker, who oversees operations in Oklahoma.  “We hope this stands as a reminder of the DEA’s commitment to prevent, detect, investigate and hold accountable those doctors who choose to violate the Controlled Substances Act.”

“I commend the DEA Diversion Unit for their relentless efforts to ensure physician compliance to the law,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “Communities pay a high price when physicians violate laws governing dangerous and addictive substances. Through settlements like this one, the U.S. Attorney’s Office can reduce the risks to patient safety and public health posed by breaches of the Controlled Substance Act.”

If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community, please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA online Tip Line at Submit a Tip | DEA.gov.  Concerns about prescription drug abuse or diversion can be reported to the DEA through this link: RX Abuse Online Reporting | USDOJ.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua M. Mitts represented the matter for the United States.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty today to trafficking more than half a dozen firearms, including AM-15 rifles.

Joao Victor Da Silva Soares, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for April 1, 2026. Da Silva Soares was charged by criminal complaint in January 2025 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025.

Between August and September 2024, Da Silva Soares supplied firearms for sale in Eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, on Aug. 26, 2024, Da Silva Soares delivered two AM-15 rifles and sold them for $6,000 in a parking lot in Malden. On Sept. 11, 2024, Da Silva Soares participated in another sale involving a total of five firearms (consisting of rifles, pistols and a shotgun) outside a residence in Milford.

The charges of conspiracy and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Malden and Milford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Jocelyn E. Strauber, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Patricia Tarasca, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANTHONY TEPEDINO—the founder, chief executive officer (“CEO”), and owner of a telecommunications construction and engineering company (the “Construction Company”) based in New Jersey—with commercial bribery, fraud, and witness tampering offenses.  TEPEDINO was arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.

“As alleged, Anthony Tepedino turned a major construction company into his personal cash machine, stealing from companies that serve New Yorkers, bribing insiders, and lying to banks to keep the scheme alive,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Fraud and corruption hurt real people in this city, and we will hold accountable any executive who abuses the trust placed in them.”

“Anthony Tepedino allegedly stole millions of dollars from his own company by fabricating fake businesses, invoices, and even a story to conceal his misconduct,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia.  “Rather than serve the best interest of his company, Tepedino allegedly abused his rank as CEO and founder to mislead trusted customers and steer their money into his private accounts.  The FBI will continue to investigate those who exploit their authoritative position to defraud others for personal profits.”

“As alleged, this defendant engaged in various fraud schemes, stealing millions of dollars from a company he founded and controlled through the use of shell companies and fake documents, and using some of those stolen funds to make commercial bribe payments to a co-conspirator in exchange for steering new contracts, also worth millions, to his company,” said DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber.  “I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our federal law enforcement partners for their work on this important investigation.”

“The FDIC-OIG is pleased to join our law enforcement colleagues in announcing this indictment,” said FDIC-OIG Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca.  “The charges reflected in this indictment reinforce the FDIC-OIG’s commitment to investigating allegations of fraud, bribery, and other crimes, as we seek to preserve the integrity of our Nation’s financial system.”

“The allegations against Tepedino paint a rainbow of fraud and criminal acts over more than half a decade,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr.  “Bribery, bank fraud, and stealing from his own company are on the list of ways he’s alleged to have funded his life of luxury.  IRS-CI continues to partner in investigations and use its financial expertise to subject alleged conduct like Tepedino’s to justice.”

As alleged in the Indictment:[1]

From at least in or about 2018 through in or about 2024, TEPEDINO—the CEO, founder, and sole shareholder of the Construction Company—engaged in a series of schemes to defraud the Construction Company’s largest customer (the “Victim Company”), its largest creditor (the “Victim Bank”), and the Construction Company itself.  To carry out these schemes, TEPEDINO and others formed shell companies, created fake invoices, and looted the Construction Company of more than $5 million. TEPEDINO then used some of those proceeds to bribe an employee of the Victim Company and to make millions of dollars in payments to himself, his relatives, and to his creditors.

The Construction Company was in operation for over a decade and eventually grew to earn up to hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually and to employ more than 500 people.  TEPEDINO abused his position as the head of the Construction Company to steal from the company, fund a lavish lifestyle, and commit commercial bribery, bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. 

Beginning in or about 2018, TEPEDINO and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) submitted false invoices to the Construction Company to generate fraudulent payments to a non-operational shell company (“Shell Company-1”) controlled by CC-1. To conceal their scheme, TEPEDINO and CC-1 falsely claimed Shell Company-1 was owned by a third party (“Individual-1”) and had CC-1 impersonate Individual-1 when communicating with the Construction Company on behalf of Shell Company-1.  This scheme continued until at least in or about September 2024, by which time TEPEDINO and CC-1 had stolen at least $5 million from the Construction Company. 

From in or about 2020 through in or about September 2024, TEPEDINO used some of the money he stole from the Construction Company to fund more than $1 million in commercial bribe payments to a second co-conspirator (“CC-2”), who was a senior manager at the Victim Company.  These bribe payments were made in exchange for CC-2 steering new contracts worth millions of dollars to the Construction Company, assigning work to the Construction Company, and approving invoices submitted by the Construction Company.  In total, the Victim Company paid the Construction Company more than $300 million during the approximately four years that Tepedino was bribing CC-2.

While defrauding the Construction Company and bribing CC-2, TEPEDINO also committed bank fraud.  From in or about late 2021 through early 2022, TEPEDINO sought more than $18 million in commercial credit from the Victim Bank on behalf of the Construction Company.  As part of this credit application, TEPEDINO made and caused to be made false statements and omissions regarding the Construction Company’s relationship with Shell Company-1 and his dealings with CC-2. 

Finally, to conceal his offense conduct from law enforcement, in or about September 2024 and thereafter, TEPEDINO attempted to engage in witness tampering by seeking to cause CC-1 and CC-2 to adopt false exculpatory narratives to explain their criminal conduct.

*               *                *

TEPEDINO, 61, of Manalapan, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison; one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and one count of witness tampering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. 

The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, DOI, FDIC-OIG, IRS-CI, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DALLAS, TX – Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission hosted its fourth hearing to discuss religious liberty issues in the Military, including the perspectives of servicemembers, chaplains, and veterans, as well as state and local religious liberty issues. The hearing’s objectives included understanding the history of religious liberty in military, recognizing present threats to servicemembers’ religious liberty, and identifying opportunities to strengthen religious liberty in the military.

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.

“Our servicemembers are heroes. They deserve this designation for many reasons, but perhaps the foremost is that they are entrusted with life and death  matters,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “For this reason, religious liberty and military service have a unique connection. The American military has, from beginning, shown that readiness and religious liberty strengthen each other. Under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, this Department of Justice is providing unprecedented support for religious liberty and expression. Our goal is simple: to restore religious liberty to its rightful place as a fundamental pillar for generations to come.” 

“Yesterday, the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty held a hearing in Dallas, focusing on our military. Our history is clear: since 1775, our country has encouraged religious liberty in the military, distributing millions of Bibles to soldiers and honoring their religious beliefs and practices,” said Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Chairman of the Religious Liberty Commission. “In 2012, the Obama administration, followed by the Biden administration, stripped the military of any religious right. They punished soldiers who stood up for their faith and ran many good men and women out of military service. President Trump believes in our soldiers and their religious liberty rights. Our Commission will make numerous recommendations to the President to restore all the religious liberties Obama and Biden took from our troops.”

The witnesses and presenters included:

Dave Barton: Founder and President of WallBuilders, religious and political activist

Barton is the Founder of WallBuilders, and the author of numerous best-selling books. He is a sought-after speaker, bringing the truth of America’s history to churches, civic and military groups, schools and universities, and community events around the country, drawing his knowledge from his massive library of original writings from the Founding Era. Barton is also a frequent guest on a number of national media programs and is a co-host on The WallBuilders Show.

Brandon H. Wheeler: Senior Advisor to the Marine Corps Commandant

Wheeler is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran with a political science degree from the Virginia Military Institute and a global strategist who’s worked in 100+ countries. Wheeler served in Operation Unified Protector, Operation Enduring Freedom, and was the commander of the elite Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Company. Wheeler spoke in his personal, rather than official, capacity.

Capt. Sukhbir Singh Toor, USMC, Ret.: Advocate for Sikh servicemembers

Capt. Toor served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps for eleven years, with a medical retirement in 2025. During his time in the Marines, Capt. Toor advocated for religious accommodations to allow servicemembers of the Sikh faith to both serve and maintain their articles of faith.

Blake Martin: U.S. Navy Seal Veteran  

Martin served honorably for seventeen years as a United States Navy SEAL. His religious convictions led him to decline the COVID vaccine. As a result, on the brink of receiving full pension and retirement, he was forced to separate without benefits or recognition for his years of service, rather than betray his faith convictions.

Kenny and Tammie Vaughan: Founders of Shields of Strength

Vaughan spent much of his career serving the military by creating inspirational religious dog tags for servicemembers, providing hope and comfort in the most difficult circumstances. He has spoken at the Pentagon and has received recognition from President George W. Bush for his work supporting servicemembers in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2011, the Department of Defense under President Obama tightened licensing requirements for the dog tags because of their religious nature and effectively banned their distribution.

Harish Rao: Army Officer, Advocate for Hindu servicemembers  

Rao joined the U.S. Army in 2015. During his basic training, through the advocacy of a chaplain, Rao received religious accommodations allowing him to both serve and practice his Hindu faith. Rao is now an Army officer and pursuing studies to enter the Chaplain Corps to provide spiritual support to Hindu and other servicemembers of faith.

Mike Berry: Executive Director of External Affairs and Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute

Berry is a United States Marine, with seven years of active duty service and current service in the Marine Corps Reserves. Berry is also an attorney, working most recently as General Counsel to Sen. Ted Cruz. He has dedicated his career to defending the United States and the Constitution and has frequently represented servicemembers to protect their religious liberty.

Rabbi Sanford L. Dresin, Chaplain (Col.), USA Ret.: VP of Aleph Military and Endorser for U.S. Military, VA, and Secret Service Chaplains

Rabbi Dresin served for over 26 years as an active duty Army Chaplain, retiring with the rank of Colonel. His military assignments included Vietnam, Korea, 7th Medical Command, Europe, and the Pentagon.

Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Doug Carver, USA, Ret.: 22nd Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Army

Chaplain Maj. Gen. Carver is a retired American Army officer with nearly four decades of service on behalf of our country. An advocate for the religious liberty of service members, veterans, and their families, he oversees the professional and pastoral support to 3,900 Southern Baptist Chaplains who minister in various institutional settings in the United States and around the world. At the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003, he served as the senior military chaplain in the combat theater of operations.

Amy Vitale: Attorney, Director of Government Affairs at Becket

Vitale, an attorney, served as Legislative Counsel to several Members of Congress where she advocated for religious freedom with a particular focus on the military and chaplaincy.

Msgr. Anthony Frontiero, S.T.D.: Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA

Msgr. Frontiero has been a priest for more than thirty years and holds numerous advanced degrees in theology and divinity, including a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), in Rome.

Pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress: Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church

Jeffress is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, a Fox News contributor, and the host of the daily radio and television program, Pathway to Victory. He is also an author of nearly 30 books and a prominent evangelical Christian ally.

Dr. Ben Lovvorn: Senior Executive Pastor of First Baptist Church

Lovvorn serves as Senior Executive Pastor of First Baptist Church and President of First Dallas Media, which owns and operates KCBI, one of the most listened to Christian radio stations in the country. He has served in full-time ministry for more than a decade and is passionate about building the church of Jesus Christ and equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.

Chaplain Dr. Andrew Fox: Former Austin Fire Department Chaplain

Fox created the chaplaincy program at the Austin Fire Department and served as the lead chaplain in a volunteer capacity for eight years. His role was terminated after he expressed his Christian beliefs in a private forum.

Phyllis Morris: Resident of Sweetwater, TX, and religious liberty advocate

Morris successfully advocated for religious liberty in her town by educating herself on First Amendment protections and clarifying to local officials and detractors that religious expression is not only permissible but protected. The result of her efforts is a beautiful nativity near the Sweetwater courthouse. Her efforts were recognized by Becket in a 2024 award for demonstrating an “enduring spirit of hope, perseverance, and joy…during the Christmas and Hanukkah season.”

Watch the hearing HERE.

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

Gulfport, MS – A Venezuelan national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to steal funds from multiple Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) in Jackson County, Mississippi.

According to records and information presented to the Court, Favian David Aparicio-Linares, 19, was arrested in Jackson County, Mississippi on November 9, 2025, after concerned citizens alerted the Pascagoula Police to two suspicious individuals near a Bank on Market Street in Pascagoula. When officers arrived on scene, Aparicio-Linares and the other individual fled. But Aparico-Linares was apprehended.  In addition to apprehending Aparicio-Linares, officers also recovered multiple electronic devices from the vehicle in which Aparicio-Linares and the other suspect fled.

Examinations of these devices demonstrated that Aparicio-Linares and the other suspect traveled from out of state to Mississippi to steal funds from ATMs.  Law enforcement agents were also able to determine that Aparicio-Linares and the other suspect were going to use malware to force the ATMs to dispense he funds contained within each machine.     

The Defendant will be sentenced on April 28, 2026.   He faces a maximum of 5 years imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI, with the assistance of the Pascagoula Police Department, are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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 Neighborhood (PSN).

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Two Cordele, Georgia, men were sentenced today for their participation in a scheme to defraud the Georgia Department of Labor (GaDOL) out of millions of dollars in benefits meant to assist unemployed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malcolm Jeffrey, 34, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $16,958,372 in restitution. Gerard Towns, 34, was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay $365,066 in restitution.

“The defendants orchestrated an egregious scheme to steal $17 million of unemployment insurance payouts using stolen identities,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants exploited a government program designed to alleviate economic hardship to line their own pockets. The sentencings today demonstrate that the Criminal Division will hold accountable fraudsters who steal from the public fisc.”

“Malcolm Jeffrey, Gerard Towns, and their co-conspirators participated in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme that targeted the Georgia Department of Labor,” said Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Southeast Region. “The conspirators submitted fraudulent UI claims using the stolen identities of identity theft victims to obtain debit cards loaded with UI benefits. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to exploit these vital U.S. Department of Labor programs.”

“Exploiting pandemic relief programs meant to help Americans at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for personal enrichment is unconscionable,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., of The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). “DHS-OIG will continue to prioritize pandemic-related fraud investigations and work with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice.”

“Today’s sentencings emphasize our dedication and commitment to holding individuals accountable who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain, “said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “As proven in this case, our criminal investigators along with our law enforcement partners will work together and diligently pursue anyone who attempts to exploit programs created to help legitimate people and businesses affected by the global pandemic.”  

“IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are continuing finding and holding accountable criminals who defrauded COVID-19 programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office. “With the passage and signing of bills in 2022 establishing 10-year statute of limitations for those who defrauded the COVID-19 programs, I want to put those who stole from the taxpayers on notice that it is only a matter of time before IRS-CI special agents and our law enforcement partners uncover their crimes and bring them to justice.”

Jeffrey and Towns are the last of 12 defendants sentenced in connection with Operation Cordele Partial, one of the largest domestic unemployment insurance (UI) fraud investigations in the history of the DOL. Operation Cordele Partial uncovered multiple massive schemes based in central Georgia that defrauded the GaDOL of over $45 million and involved over 20 states unemployment insurance programs.

According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from March 2020 through November 2022, Jeffrey, Towns, and their co-conspirators caused more than 2,500 fraudulent UI claims to be filed with the GaDOL, resulting in at least $17 million in stolen benefits.

To execute these schemes, the defendants and their co-conspirators created fictitious employers and fabricated lists of purported employees using personally identifiable information (PII) from thousands of identity theft victims and filed fraudulent UI claims on the GaDOL website. The co-conspirators obtained PII for use in the scheme from a variety of sources, including by paying an employee of an Atlanta-area health care and hospital network to unlawfully obtain patients’ PII from the hospital’s databases, and by purchasing PII from other sources over the internet. Using victims’ PII, the co-conspirators caused the stolen UI funds to be disbursed via prepaid debit cards mailed to various locations in Georgia.

In June 2025, Towns pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. In August 2025, Jeffrey was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

DOL-OIG, DHS-OIG, IRS-CI, USPS-OIG, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Lyndie Freeman, Siji Moore, and Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TULSA, Okla. – A Skiatook man’s indictment is unsealed after being charged with ten counts related to threatening federal law enforcement officers.

Logan Christopher Murfin, 26, is charged with five counts of Threatening to Assault and Murder Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate; and five counts of Interstate Communication with a Threat to Injure.

According to court documents, Murfin knowingly posted several threatening and intimidating statements on social media advocating for the assault and murder of federal agents. He stated that federal agents need to be gunned down, shot, and executed. Further, Murfin encouraged people to stay armed and to kill agents when seen because the agents don’t deserve to live.

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict against ANTHONY WALLACE for kidnapping a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sex, transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in illegal sex, and possession and production of child pornography.  WALLACE was convicted following a week-long jury trial before U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil.

“Anthony Wallace used lies, threats, and violence to sexually abuse a 15-year-old minor victim over the course of a month, ultimately bringing the victim to the Bronx where he forced her to stay with him in a barricaded apartment,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “The victim eventually was able to escape and alert law enforcement, and I commend her for her bravery.  Our Office remains unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and ensuring that those who harm them face the full weight of the justice system.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial:

In March 2024, WALLACE met a 15-year-old girl (the “Minor Victim”) in Binghamton, New York.  Over the next four weeks, WALLACE subjected the Minor Victim to escalating physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.  At first, WALLACE kept the Minor Victim against her will in an apartment in Binghamton.  There, WALLACE assaulted the Minor Victim and forced her to disguise her appearance by dyeing her hair and wearing a mask.  WALLACE also gave the Minor Victim a steady stream of drugs, including methamphetamine and marijuana.  While in Binghamton, WALLACE created child pornography of the Minor Victim, which he kept on his cellphone.

On April 1, 2024, WALLACE transported the Minor Victim from Binghamton, New York, across state lines, ultimately bringing her to the Bronx, New York, where he kept her in a barricaded apartment.  While in the Bronx, WALLACE continued to physically assault the Minor Victim and forcibly raped her.

On April 4, 2024, the Minor Victim escaped through the window of the Bronx apartment while WALLACE was sleeping.  The Minor Victim immediately called 911 and was eventually returned home to her parents.

*                *                *

WALLACE, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of kidnapping a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sex, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in illegal sex, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  WALLACE is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2026.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the New York City Police Department.  He also thanked the Broome County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariana L. Bloom, Remy Grosbard, Joseph H. Rosenberg, and Alexandra N. Rothman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Samantha Roberts and Benjamin Coolman.