Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Sidney Rogers, 35, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison in connection with the unlawful possession of a ghost gun while fleeing police on an all-terrain vehicle through a busy Southeast Washington neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
WILMINGTON, Del. – On May 19, 2026, U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace presented the District’s Freedom 250 Hometown Hero award to Officers First Class Christopher Hewlett, Nathan Jupiter, and Jay Scerbo of the New Castle County Police Department. Officer Scerbo’s award was presented in his absence. Members of the New Castle County Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office were present for the ceremony.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
The United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that $18.25 million in back pay has been processed for U.S. workers as part of a previously announced settlement with Apple, Inc. (“Apple”).
The Department opened an investigation into Apple in 2019 under the first Trump administration, as part of the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative (“Initiative”). After finding that Apple’s hiring and recruitment practices deterred U.S. workers from applying to positions, the Department settled the matter in 2023 for $18.25 million in back pay to compensate qualifying U.S. workers and $6.75 million in civil penalties.
“The Civil Rights Division will keep fighting for U.S. workers and will hold companies accountable for favoring temporary visa holders for American jobs,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate Apple’s cooperation to ensure that this settlement was fully implemented.”
The claims administration process for this resolution involved a thorough and individualized assessment of thousands of potential claimants, including a review of each U.S. worker’s lost income to determine exact back-pay amounts for each qualifying U.S. worker. The Department’s oversight over this complex process ensured exhaustion of the entire back-pay fund and that Apple compensated qualifying U.S. workers harmed by its past practices.
In addition to monetary relief, the settlement also required Apple to give U.S. workers greater opportunities to apply for positions advertised as part of Permanent Labor Certification (“PERM”) recruitment. These changes included requiring Apple to post PERM positions on its external job website, accept electronic applications, and train its employees on the anti-discrimination requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”).
Since the January 2025 relaunch of the Initiative, the Department has obtained eleven settlements to enforce the INA’s prohibition on citizenship status discrimination against companies that illegally discriminate against U.S. workers in favor of those with temporary employment visas. For information about additional settlements under the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, visit IER’s website.
The public can call IER’s free hotline at 1-800-255-7688 for workers or at 1-800-255-8155 for employers (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired) for informal assistance between 9am and 5pm Eastern Time, Monday – Friday; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email IER@usdoj.gov; or visit www.justice.gov/ier.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
CINCINNATI – Federal authorities are warning citizens of a scammer or group of scammers—potentially outside of the United States—contacting American citizens around the country, posing as prosecutors or other federal law enforcement officials and attempting to defraud people of money.
Source: United States Department of Justice
An Ohio man was sentenced today to 71 months in prison and four years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to dog fighting and drug distribution charges.
As part of his plea, Joel Brown, of Columbus, Ohio, admitted to keeping 11 pit bull-type dogs for fighting purposes in Franklin County, Ohio. He also admitted to possessing at least 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in the community.
“Dog fighting is a crime, and it is often, as in this case, linked with other crimes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Communities are harmed when this kind of activity occurs. We’re grateful to the community members who called attention to the derelict condition of the dogs in Brown’s possession, which led to today’s sentencing. We are also grateful for the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, ATF, and others who investigated and prosecuted this case.”
“Brown’s actions were cruel and illegal, endangering both the dogs that he trained to fight and the people of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “That he was a repeat drug dealer who possessed a firearm while engaging in such inhumane treatment of animals only further demonstrates that a significant sentence in federal prison is needed to protect the community from his criminal conduct.”
According to court documents, law enforcement first investigated a property owned by Brown following a complaint to Columbus Humane about the condition of the dogs being housed by Brown. Dogs being kept for use in animal fights are often kept outdoors on heavy chains close to other dogs, but far enough apart to prevent them from touching. The heavy chains force the dogs to build muscles. The dogs’ proximity encourages aggression because they are near each other but unable to interact naturally.
Eventually, 12 dogs were recovered from Brown’s property, many of which showed scarring and other signs of dog fighting. In addition, treadmills, veterinary medicine, and other equipment commonly used by dog fighters were located in the residence. Law enforcement also recovered 53.48 grams of methamphetamine, a shotgun and ammunition, and various items associated with drug distribution.
Brown had previously been sentenced to 108 months in prison on drug and gun charges as part of a multi-defendant prosecution involving the notorious Columbus street gang, the Short North Posse.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Columbus Division of Police, and Columbus Humane investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Kevin W. Kelley for the Southern District of Ohio and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Tampa, Florida – Demontrae Fagan (36, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 33 years and 9 months in federal prison for sex trafficking. Fagan pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Tampa, Florida – Lee Hughes (46, Pinellas Park) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 20 years in federal prison for attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, and receipt and possession of child sex abuse material. Hughes pleaded guilty on January 30, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Tampa, Florida – Ahli Fields (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Fields faces a minimum penalty of seven years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Jacksonville, Florida –A federal jury has found Frederick Karl Hildenbrand (56, Cocoa) guilty of nine counts of producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and two counts of possessing CSAM. Hildenbrand faces a minimum of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each production count, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each possession count. The maximum penalty for the possession counts was enhanced due to the jury’s finding that the material depicted young children. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Prince George’s County, Maryland, man learned his fate in federal court in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud conspiracy. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Terry Chen, 26, to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with submitting fraudulent CARES Act UI claims.