Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Tallahassee, Florida – Christopher Adams Jr., 34, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of synthetic cathinone with intent to distribute, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury indicted a former daycare worker in connection with child sexual abuse crimes. Simone Unadrea Avery, 23, of Baltimore, is charged with one count of sexually exploiting a child and two counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the swearing in of 77 immigration judges and 5 temporary immigration judges – the largest class of new adjudicators in EOIR’s history, growing the total immigration judge corps to nearly 700. EOIR has hired 153 permanent immigration judges this fiscal year, the most in any single year in the agency’s history.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and EOIR Director Daren K. Margolin delivered remarks, and Chief Immigration Judge Teresa L. Riley administered the oath of office during an investiture, which was held May 20, 2026, at the Department of Justice’s Great Hall in Washington, D.C.
“The Trump administration is committed to reestablishing an immigration judge corps that is dedicated to restoring the rule to the law in our nation’s immigration system,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Today, we are onboarding the largest immigration judge class in agency history. This could only happen thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership and commitment to securing our borders. I also applaud EOIR’s leadership team for helping facilitate these hiring efforts and recruiting highly qualified and talented personnel in record time.”
After a competitive application process, the Acting Attorney General appointed Lucas I. Abbott, Shawn J. Abraham, Matthew N. Andrasko, Lauren M. Black, Christopher W. Bragg, Bradley R. Burke, André Carman, Brent Carr, Steven S. Chase, Kamra Sellers Craig, Jerome M. Day, Deborah D. Dictson, Richard J. Douglas, Meredith Duff, Bradly P. Duvall, Robert G. Eastman, Megan H. Eyes, Peter C. Faerber, Omar J. Famada, Terexa Fan, Thomas B. Fighter, Kenneth Flesch, Christopher R. Ford, Mary Foster, Kathryn E. Frames, Johanna Gaymer, Taylor A. Gillespie, James K. Glober, David J. Green, Jared L. Grimmer, Michael J. Gross, Benedict “Ben” S. Gullo, Damona Taef Hakiman, Shannon R. Holderfield, Richard S. Holloway, Kimberly B. Jeter, Graciela M. Jiron, Frank A. Jury II, Denise Kallas, Nadeem R. Kasam, Jean M. Kilker, Clayton M. Lawrence, Kerri N. Lechtrecker, Adrien Lee-Lo, Kieth E. Lipiec, Joseph Martinez, Robert A. McBride, Zachary McFarland, John E. Moriarty, Craig A. Newell Jr., Michael Matthew Osterberg, Robert G. Palmer, Jonathan Daniel Pelletier, Bayleigh J. Pettigrew, Anthony A. Picione, Jaime Poarch, Keira A. Poellet, Bill Radin, James M. Rice, Phoebe D. Riner, Jeremy A. Rovinsky, Sarah Sawwan, Thomas J. Shusted Jr., Paul Edmond Stephan, Rhonda M. Tucker, Amy Sigmon Walker, Natalie Walker, Matthew C. Wallace, Patricia Walter, Eric Wang, Wayne J. Warf, Thomas C. Weisert, Jennifer S. Wells, Nicole I. Wells, Devin A. Winklosky, Daniel J. Wright, and Maureen H. Zumwalt to their new positions as immigration judges, and Casey S. Caton, Paul J. Hornick, Kiley R. Hyatt, Jared J. Monaco, and Lisa M. Strader to their new positions as temporary immigration judges.
Reducing the immigration court backlog remains one of the highest priorities for the agency. Since January 20, 2025, EOIR has completed more than 1.08 million cases and has reduced its pending caseload in immigration courts by more than 447,000 cases, bringing the pending caseload down from approximately 4 million to under 3.53 million, the sharpest decrease in caseload in EOIR’s history.
All EOIR immigration judges, including temporary immigration judges, undergo the same robust training program. Biographical information with their qualifications and court assignments for each new judge can be found on EOIR’s webpage.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A Florida resident made his initial appearance in Newark Federal Court yesterday after he was arrested last week in Miami, Florida on charges that he used and affixed a fraudulently made Department of Justice seal on correspondence that he mailed to a luxury car company with corporate offices in New Jersey, while falsely representing that he was a federal prosecutor.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Felony Murder, Assault With Intent to Commit Arson, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Arson. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the settlement of a lawsuit against ROCKLAND COUNTY (“ROCKLAND COUNTY”), which will result in the completion of 36 units of affordable rental housing within the County over the next five years.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Three Florida men were sentenced Tuesday to prison for their participation in a scheme to defraud Medicare and launder more than $2.2 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendants owned and operated two fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) companies: Braces and Orthotics LLC, located in the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stone Oak Durable Medical Equipment LLC, located in the Southern District of Florida. Between January 2022 and February 2023, the fraudulent DME companies submitted approximately $6.9 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. The conspiracy involved illegal kickbacks and bribes paid to an offshore marketing company exchange for the referral of beneficiaries and fraudulent doctors’ orders. The three men conspired to launder the proceeds of their fraud through a series of shell companies under their control or the control of their associates — ultimately laundering more than $2.2 million in illicit funds for their own benefit and the benefit of their co-conspirators.
In December 2025, Scamarone, Mendez, and Vazquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. At sentencing, Scamarone and Mendez were ordered to pay $2,217,840.35 in forfeiture and $3,016,324.20 in restitution. Vazquez was ordered to pay $1,723,773.18 in forfeiture and $2,249,392.09 in restitution.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott Lampert for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles for the FBI Miami Office; and Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito for the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, and DOL-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Claire Horrell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Pogozelski for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A 41-year-old citizen of Cuba living in the Southern District of Texas, is set to make his initial appearance in Houston on multiple charges for allegedly using threats, violence, and other coercive means to compel four Cuban nationals to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial gain.
According to court documents, Michel Cedeno-Castillo used false promises of lucrative employment in the United States to entice four victims to travel from Cuba to Texas. After the victims arrived in the United States, Cedeno-Castillo allegedly transported the victims within the Southern District of Texas knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that they had entered the United States in violation of the law. He then allegedly used threats of violence, physical abuse, and other coercive means to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex acts for his monetary benefit.
“The defendant has been indicted for luring vulnerable women from Cuba to the United States with promises of financial stability only to force them to have sex with men for money for his monetary gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Michel Cedeno-Castillo will now face these human trafficking charges. No matter where it originates, the Criminal Division will pursue sex traffickers who target and exploit vulnerable victims.”
“Cedeno-Castillo allegedly lured women with lies and forced them into prostitution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck for the Southern District of Texas. “Any human trafficker who tries to flee the United States should know that we will work with our international partners, pursue every legal avenue, and wait as long as it takes to bring them to justice. The Southern District of Texas does not give up.”
“The successful apprehension and extradition of this alleged sex trafficker sends a powerful message of deterrence to transnational criminal organizations across the globe that are involved in human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Field Office. “HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to eradicate this modern-day form of slavery from society and will bring every resource we have to bear to track you down and hold you to account for your alleged crimes.”
Cedeno-Castillo is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, importing an alien for immoral purposes, conspiracy to transport an alien in the United States for financial gain, transporting for purposes of prostitution, extortion, and cyberstalking. If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and up to life in prison.
The HSI Houston Field Office is investigating the case. The U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Investigative Strike Team provided valuable assistance.
Acting Deputy Chief Leah Branch of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekua Assabill for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Panama to secure the arrest and extradition from Panama of Cedeno-Castillo.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This investigation is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Houston comprises agents and officers from ICE HSI; FBI; DEA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. 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
SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann sentenced a Bryant, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Second Degree Murder, Commission of a Crime of Violence While Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, Robbery, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.