Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – A Sanostee man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for a violent assault that left a woman seriously injured.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, between December 2 and December 3, 2023, Nathan Mescale, 36, assaulted Jane Doe and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.

Upon his release from prison, Mescale will be subject to three years of supervised release.

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 Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin prosecuted the case. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marcel Kamill Mickles, 49, of Pensacola, was indicted by a federal grand jury this week on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.

Mickles appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on September 23, 2025, in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for November 3, 2025, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

If convicted, Mickles faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the drug trafficking crime and up to 15 years for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a consecutive five-year term with a maximum of life imprisonment.

The case was a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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 Neighborhood (PSN).

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 available 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

Aberdeen, MS – An Amory, Mississippi man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, William Hadley Maddox, 24, was sending child pornography to a minor over an Internet application. Maddox was also receiving images of the minor engaged in sexually explicit activity.

Senior Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Maddox to the statutory maximum of 240 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Maddox will be required to register as a sex offender anywhere he resides, is employed, or is enrolled as a student.

“The defendant in this case has learned the valuable lesson that there is absolutely zero tolerance in this district for the sexual exploitation of any minor,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner.  “The cooperation between Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook’s office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation was exemplary and their determination to protect children is evident in their actions.”

“Due to the extreme nature of this case, I truly feel like a child’s life was saved by the quick response and partnership between our local investigators, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” stated Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook. “We are thankful to be part of a team of people who are as passionate as we are about protecting our most vulnerable citizens, our children.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative 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 (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.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging the following 15 individuals with conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine into and around southern Connecticut:

DAMIEN HAZEL, 26, of Bridgeport
YANISHKA ARROYO-RIVERA, a.k.a. “Nani,” 22, of Bridgeport
NICHOLAS VEGA, a.k.a. “Nick,” 25, of Ansonia
OMAR VIERA, a.k.a. “O,” 32, of Waterbury
JONATHAN MEJIA, a.k.a. “Big Head,” 27, of Kentucky, formerly of Hamden
NESTOR ROSADO, a.k.a. “Joey,” 27, of Bridgeport
VICTOR FRANCISCO BONILLA, a.k.a. “Mostro,” 34, of Bridgeport
KELVIN OLIVO, 34, of Naugatuck
BRENJINELLIE GONZALEZ, a.k.a. “Brenji,” 24, of New Haven
ROBERTO DEJESUS, a.k.a. “Pedro Ramirez” and “Tito,” 50, of Bridgeport
DANIEL RUIZ, a.k.a. “Jumbo,” 38, of Bridgeport
JAFFAR ALI, 32, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Trumbull
DAVON WARNER, a.k.a. “DaeDae,” 25, of New Haven
MADISON CRUZ, a.k.a. “Maddie,” 23, of Shelton
JASZAE VAZQUEZ, 26, of Derby

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force investigation determined that Hazel headed a narcotics trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in southern Connecticut.  Hazel and others traveled to the Bronx, New York, to acquire kilogram quantities of fentanyl and deliver narcotics proceeds, and to Puerto Rico to acquire cocaine and ship it through the U.S. Mail to various addresses in Connecticut.  During the investigation, the FBI Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service seized several packages containing a total of at least 16 kilograms of cocaine, and identified several more that likely contained narcotics. 

Hazel and 13 of his alleged co-conspirators were arrested on criminal complaints on September 10, 2025, and DeJesus was arrested on September 12, 2025.  In association with the arrests, investigators seized two firearms and assorted ammunition from a residence shared by Hazel and Arroyo-Rivera, ammunition and suspected narcotics from DeJesus, and suspected narcotics from Vega, Ali, and Warner.

“As alleged, this organization trafficked a significant amount of fentanyl and cocaine into our state, and I thank the members of FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, with the assistance of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, who shut down this drug importation and distribution network,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan.  “The scourge of illegal narcotics continues to ruin lives in Connecticut, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to targeting and prosecuting those who are profiting from it.”

“This indictment demonstrates FBI New Haven’s top priority of crushing violent crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien.  “Along with our federal and local partners, we are committed to removing dangerous drugs, like fentanyl and cocaine, from the streets of Connecticut.  The FBI will continue to bring the full breadth of our resources to the table to support our partners and keep our neighborhoods safe.”

The indictment charges each defendant with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.  If convicted of the charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, Hazel, Arroyo-Rivera, Vega, Viera, Mejia, Rosado, Bonilla, Olivo, and Gonzalez, face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and DeJesus, Ruiz, Ali, Warner, Cruz, and Vazquez face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.

Hazel, DeJesus, Vega, Mejia, Bonilla, Ruiz, and Ali are currently detained, and the remaining eight defendants are released pending trial.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Trumbull, Hartford, Fairfield, Shelton, Ansonia, Derby, Greenwich, Stamford, New Haven, Waterbury, and Louisville (Ky.) Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Kenneth L. Gresham.

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 Neighborhood (PSN).

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Daniel Balan, 46, of Bacau, Romania, pleaded guilty in federal court to five counts of bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of possessing 15 or more access devices, in connection with an ATM “skimming” scheme. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This offender exploited numerous innocent victims for his own financial gain, but thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners he will enjoy an extended stay behind bars. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to vindicate the victims exploited by these offenses and hold the fraudsters accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Court documents reflect that beginning on January 28, 2025, the defendant placed “skimming” devices and cameras on multiple ATMs in the Tallahassee, Florida area. The devices and cameras were used to capture customer account and access device information. Then, between February 8 and 9, 2025, the defendant used the stolen information to fraudulently obtain $56,340 in customer funds. At the time of arrest, law enforcement found 28 gift cards in the defendant’s pocket that had been encoded with stolen account information and labeled with a corresponding PIN.

Balan faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release on each bank fraud count, up to ten years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release on the possession of 15 or more access devices count, and a consecutive two years’ imprisonment and one-year of supervised release on each aggravated identity theft count when he is sentenced.

The case involved a joint investigation by the U.S. Customers and Immigration Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Eric W. Welch.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker.

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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

            WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia announced on September 23, 2025, that it has reached civil settlement agreements with six different non-profit organizations to resolve allegations that the organizations violated the False Claims Act when they applied for and received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES Act”) was created to provide emergency financial support to Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in potentially forgivable loans to small businesses and other entities struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the pandemic, but the Act also contained important limitations on loan eligibility. For example, the CARES Act permitted certain nonprofit organizations to obtain PPP loans, but organizations organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code were never eligible for such loans. Similarly, Congress prohibited from “second draw” PPP loans those entities primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including those entities organized for research or for engaging in public policy advocacy or political strategy or publicly referring to themselves as “think tanks.” The non-profit organizations that entered settled agreements with our Office were alleged to have falsely certified their eligibility for the PPP loans. 

            “You don’t steal money from the federal government, especially when that money should be going to more deserving individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            “The favorable settlements are the product of enhanced efforts by the Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel, working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other Federal law enforcement agencies to investigate and recover monies improperly obtained from the Paycheck Protection Program, as well as penalties,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.

            Our Office has entered into settlement agreements with the following organizations.

            Armenian National Committee of America Inc. (the “Committee”) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that represents the views of Armenian-Americans on various public policy matters. In April 2020, the Committee applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $92,340.91, and the Committee later sought and received forgiveness of that loan. The Committee has agreed to pay $184,681.82 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible.

            Center for Immigration Studies (the “Center”) is a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that describes itself as a think tank devoted to the research of U.S. immigration policy. In April 2021, the Center applied for a “second draw” PPP loan in the amount of $366,160 and subsequently received forgiveness of that loan. The Center has agreed to pay $401,299.15 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible.

            Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired, Inc. (“DACOR”) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization of foreign affairs professionals that describes itself as fostering a public understanding of international affairs and diplomacy. In April 2020, DACOR applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $203,032, and the organization later sought and received forgiveness of that loan. DACOR has agreed to pay $355,306. to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining this loan for which it was not eligible.

            National Organization for Women (“NOW”) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that calls itself the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States. In April 2020, NOW applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $90,339, and the organization later sought and received forgiveness of that loan. NOW has agreed to pay $180,678 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining this loan for which it was not eligible.

            National Women’s Political Caucus Inc. (“NWPC”) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that represents itself as dedicated to recruiting and supporting women candidates for elected and appointed office. NWPC applied for two PPP loans, one for $9,582 in April 2020, and one for $7,895 around January 2021. NWPC subsequently applied for and received forgiveness of those loans.  NWPC has agreed to pay $34,954 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining loans for which it was not eligible.

            Third Way is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that calls itself a national think tank and advocacy organization for certain public policies. In April 2020, Third Way applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $974,771, and the organization later sought and received forgiveness of that loan.  Third Way has agreed to pay $1,949,542 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining this loan for which it was not eligible.

            The civil settlements resulted from investigations by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy C. Hurley. The United States Attorney further wishes to commend Attorney Caitlin J. Kelly of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the General Counsel for her assistance in the investigations.  

            Tips and complaint regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 17, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Jan Robert Ayala De Jesús, a 27-year-old man from Humacao, Puerto Rico, with criminal charges related to child exploitation, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Today, FBI special agents arrested Ayala De Jesús.

According to court documents, on or about December 18, 2024, defendant Jan Robert Ayala De Jesús knowingly transported a 13-year-old female minor with the intent that the minor engage in sexual activity, for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense under the laws of the United States of America and Puerto Rico, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a).

“Our dedicated team of prosecutors, victim witness specialists, and support personnel will continue to work with our equally-dedicated law enforcement partners to combat child exploitation and to bring these offenders to justice,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “This type of exploitation of children has no place in civilized society.”

“Protecting children from exploitation is one of the FBI’s most urgent priorities,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Our work does not end with this arrest. We remain focused on identifying every victim and making sure every predator faces the full weight of the justice system.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. 

If convicted for the charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tips and information assist the FBI and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute crimes. Citizens with information about child exploitation crimes or any other federal crime are asked to contact the FBI San Juan Field Office at 787-987-6500, or to submit tips through the FBI’s internet complaint portal at Tips.FBI.gov.

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

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Quincey Oneil Jackson and Quinton Oneil Jackson, both 41, of Columbia, were each sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more.

Evidence presented to the court showed that beginning in 2020 through July 2024, the brothers engaged in a large-scale drug trafficking operation to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. On April 12, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at the home that the Jackson brothers shared and seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, marijuana, and a firearm.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced both brothers to 188 months’ imprisonment each to be followed by a term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Columbia Police Department, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.  

###

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BOSTON – A Honduran national unlawfully residing in Waltham, Mass. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Samuel Cruz Alvarado, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to time served (three and a half months). The defendant is now subject to deportation proceedings. In August 2025, Cruz Alvarado pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Cruz Alvarado was arrested on May 5, 2025 and indicted by a federal grand in June 2025.

Cruz Alvarado was previously deported from the United States two times, the last time on Nov. 26, 2012. Sometime after his November 2012 removal, Cruz Alvarado illegally reentered the United States without permission.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

            WASHINGTON — Yelake Meseretu, 41, a former vendor whose company supplied goods to the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury for his role in a conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud that involved illegal kickbacks that Meseretu paid to two DCPS officials, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Following a four-and-a-half-day trial, the jury deliberated eight hours before finding Meseretu guilty of one count of conspiracy to violate federal law, one count of bribery, and one count of honest services wire fraud.

            U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for Feb. 6, 2026. Meseretu faces up to 15 years in prison.

            Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas.

            According to evidence presented at trial, Meseretu, owned U.S. Office Solutions, a local office goods and janitorial supply company that did millions of dollars per year in business with DCPS. Over the course of at least five years, Meseretu paid bribes and kickbacks to two DCPS procurement officials. In exchange, the two DCPS officials steered lucrative business and contracts to Meseretu’s company.

            As part of the scheme, Meseretu also agreed to defraud DCPS by delivering significantly fewer quantities of supplies on certain orders submitted by DCPS. In coordination with his two DCPS insiders, Meseretu generated falsified paperwork for supply orders that inflated the number of goods on certain orders. Meseretu’s business shorted the orders by delivering a lesser amount of goods than the amount listed on these orders. Based on false certifications made by or with the knowledge of the DCPS officials, DCPS paid Meseretu the full amount of the orders as if the deliveries had been completed in full. Meseretu split the overpayment with the DCPS officials by paying them cash kickbacks.

            In addition to Garnett’s conviction following a jury trial, Patricia Bailey, a former administrative officer for DCPS’s Cardozo Education Campus, pleaded guilty on Oct. 12, 2023, to one count of bribery for her participation in the scheme.

            Sentencing is pending for each of the three defendants who have pleaded guilty.    

            This case was investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and John Borchert of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.

Garnett and Meseretu: 24cr281

Bailey: 23cr336