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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment, charging Arsham Rashidi Dizajgan, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, with six counts of transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a threat to injure another person. Law enforcement arrested Dizajgan today in Gainesville.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley, FBI – Jacksonville Field Office; Police Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD); and Chief of Police Nelson Moya, Gainesville Police Department (GPD).

“Threats to the safety and security of American citizens will not be tolerated, particularly when such threats adopt the language and tactics of violent extremists and foreign terrorist organizations,” Hayes said.  “We will investigate and prosecute such violations to the fullest extent of the law.” 

“The FBI takes all threats seriously and will investigate each and every potential threat brought to our attention,” Paul said. “Swift collaboration between the FBI’s Baltimore and Jacksonville Field Offices, as well as the Anne Arundel County and Gainesville Police Departments, led to this arrest. We continue to encourage the public to report any concerning messages to law enforcement.”

“This arrest reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities,” Carley said. “When an individual uses social media to issue violent threats and signals support for a foreign terrorist organization, the FBI will hold that individual accountable. We take these threats seriously and will move quickly to ensure online rhetoric does not turn into real-world harm.”

As alleged in the indictment, in widely disseminated propaganda videos, Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, uses upside-down red triangles to mark targets just before they are attacked.  Beginning in about September 2024, and continuing through March 2025 — while living in Arnold, Maryland — Dizajgan used the social media platform TikTok to post photographs and videos of Americans with upside-down red triangles over their heads, along with threatening comments.  During the same time frame, Dizajgan also used his TikTok account to post photographs, videos, and comments condemning Americans and non-Muslims and celebrating violence against them.

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

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, and GPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman who is prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

This release was published following the 43-day government shutdown during which the Indictment occurred.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.

The one-count Indictment named James W. McKissick III, 32, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about August 29, 2025, McKissick possessed a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in Jackson, Tennessee recently returned an indictment charging a McKenzie, Tennessee man with multiple federal child sexual exploitation offenses.  United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the return of the indictment today.

According to the indictment, John A. Bell, 59, is charged with 14 counts of using and employing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct and a single count of possessing a cell phone that contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including visual depictions involving a prepubescent minor who had not attained 12 years of age engaging in such conduct.  The indictment concerns Bell’s alleged acts against six minors and ranges in time from the fall of 2021 until October 2025.  

This case is pending before United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen in Jackson.  Bell is facing a 15-year mandatory-minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on each of the production counts and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession count. 

There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is being investigated by Special Agent Eric McCraw, FBI Nashville Division, Jackson Resident Agency, and Lt. David Andrews with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.  If anyone has any additional information regarding this case or any matter involving the abuse of minor children, please contact the FBI Nashville Division (615-232-7500) or the Henry County Sheriff’s Office (731-642-1672).

Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.

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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

Source: United States Department of Justice

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 at 10 am EST [NEW DATE]. 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. 

Please contact DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov with any further questions or concerns. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Two Connecticut dental providers have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments to resolve allegations of violations of the federal and state False Claims Acts.  The settlements stem from a larger investigation into fraudulent activity by health care providers who submit kickback-tainted claims to the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CTMAP”) for services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred by third-party “patient recruiting” companies.

It is alleged that, in violation of their CTMAP provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, DENT PLUS FAMILY DENTISTRY, PLLC, a now dissolved dental practice based in Stamford, L&M FAMILY DENTISTRY, LLC, a now dissolved dental practice based in New Haven, and their owners, IVAN MAKAR, DDS and OLEG LOSIN, DDS, submitted claims to the CTMAP, which includes the state’s Medicaid program, related to dental services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred to the businesses by a third-party patient recruiting company.  Dent Plus Family Dentistry and L&M Family Dentistry paid a patient recruiter for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the recruiter referred to the practices.  With each submitted claim, Dent Plus Family Dentistry, L&M Family Dentistry, and their owners impliedly certified that the conditions of receiving payment were met, including, but not limited to, that they did not pay kickbacks or violate any terms or provisions of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (“CTDHP”) provider manual concerning the submitted claim.

The CTDHP provider manual, which is an addendum to both the CTMAP provider agreement and the CTMAP provider manual, expressly prohibits per-patient compensation for individuals referred to CMAP providers.

To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, Makar and Losin paid $714,446.27 to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct occurring from January 1, 2019, through September 6, 2020.

In entering into the civil settlement agreement, the providers and their practices did not admit liability.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Thidemann and Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.

People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ABERDEEN – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025.

Chico Baker, age 24, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Baker was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024.  He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025.

Between December 10, 2023, and January 20, 2024, Baker had sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl without her consent and engaged in sexual contact with two 15-year-old girls.  The conduct occurred in rural McLaughlin, South Dakota, in the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. 

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

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

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

Baker was immediately returned to the South Dakota State Penitentiary, where he is serving an eight year sentence for Reckless Burning (Aiding and Abetting). He will be remanded to federal custody following the completion of that sentence. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.  The sentencing took place on October 31, 2025.

Channing Little Whiteman, 39, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Little Whiteman was indicted on six counts of assault by a federal grand jury in March 2025.  He pleaded guilty on July 16, 2025.  Little Whiteman pleaded guilty to two of the assaults, occurring on different days.

On May 13, 2024, Little Whiteman and his girlfriend were drinking when an argument ensued in which Little Whiteman accused her of cheating on him.  Law enforcement was dispatched to their residence.  Little Whiteman assaulted the victim with a bat and a cigarette resulting in a fractured leg and a cigarette burn to the victims’ thigh.

On November 5, 2024, Little Whiteman and his girlfriend were drinking when an argument ensued.  Little Whiteman again accused his girlfriend of cheating on him.  Little Whiteman grabbed a metal chair and struck the victim in the face with the chair, causing her orbital bone and maxillary sinus to fracture.  The victim suffered a large laceration under her eye and was unable to see until the swelling decreased as her eye was nearly swollen shut.  At the time the victim was injured she was seven months pregnant.

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

Little Whiteman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, were sentenced last week in connection with the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.  

Advoque Safeguard LLC was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to one year of probation. The company was also ordered to pay a fine of $700,000. Jason Azevedo, 34, of Cedar Creek, Texas and Andrew Stack, 53, of Santa Cruz, Calif. were each sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. Paul Shrater, 52, of Simi Valley, Calif. was sentenced to six months’ probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000.

In October of 2024, Advoque Safeguard pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead. Azevedo, Shrater and Stack pleaded guilty to one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce.

A second company, JDM Supply LLC (JDM), and two individuals, Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha, also pleaded guilty and were sentenced in April 2025 to one year of probation. Each were also ordered to pay a $9,500 fine. Jason Colantuoni also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging and in July 2025 was sentenced to time-served and a fine of $3,000.

In the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, ASG and JDM conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. One hospital accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by ASG and sold to the hospital by JDM. The hospital did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to ASG. ASG and JDM misled the hospital into believing that the ASG masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not. In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the ASG masks that had been shipped to the hospital and all 10 ASG masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency and thus fell under the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.  

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PORTLAND, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally reentering the U.S. after a prior removal.

According to court records, on October 22, 2025, Juan Mendez-Morales, 43, was stopped by police for speeding. When a United States Border Patrol Agent arrived, Mendez-Morales admitted that he was a citizen of Mexico and had no immigration documents allowing him to be in the United States. Mendez-Morales was previously removed from the U.S. in October 2013 pursuant to an order from an immigration judge.

Mendez-Morales faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The United States Border Patrol investigated the case.

Operation Take Back America: 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.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TULSA, Okla. – A Salina man was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography and being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Michael Allen Dean, 40, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Dean will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Hill further ordered Dean to pay $45,000 in restitution. That money goes directly to the victims identified in the child sexual abuse material that Dean possessed.

In May 2023, a social media application reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children that child sexual abuse material was uploaded. The investigation revealed that the IP address and phone number associated with the social media account were linked to Dean. Based on the cybertip, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Dean’s home and cellphone.

When agents searched Dean’s home, they found several rounds of ammunition. After searching Dean’s cellphone, agents found more than 424 videos and 213 images of minor children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Court documents show that some of the minors were under 12 years old, including material that showed toddlers and infants being sexually abused.

According to court documents, Dean was convicted in 2011 in state court for possessing child pornography. He was sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence and spent 60 days in jail.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is the nation’s centralized reporting system for suspected child sexual exploitation. Because of the growth of technology, Child Sexual Abuse Material images and videos can be found in any online realm, causing the children who were initially sexually abused to be revictimized, over and over, with each share.

NCMEC reports that its CyberTipline has received more than 195 million reports related to Child Sexual Abuse Material, commonly referred to as CSAM. NCMEC’s Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed more than 425 million images and videos and identified more than 30,000 victims. 

Dean will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

Homeland Security Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee National Marshal Service assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright prosecuted the case.

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