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 Pierre, South Dakota man and woman in a case charging Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A Massachusetts man was sentenced in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a 2022 cockfighting operation in which he brought roosters from Massachusetts to Rhode Island for animal fighting.
Luis Castillo, 38, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. Dubose for the District of Rhode Island to two years of probation.
Castillo previously pleaded guilty on Jan. 21 to violating the Animal Welfare Act in connection with his role in a 2022 cockfighting operation. As part of his plea, Castillo admitted that he travelled from Massachusetts to Rhode Island with roosters to participate in cockfighting for, sport, wagering, and entertainment.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda for the District of Rhode Island made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation, and Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Rhode Island State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division, Providence, Woonsocket, and Attleboro Police Departments.
The matter was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Gary Donner and Assistant Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John McAdams for the District of Rhode Island.
Source: United States Department of Justice
The Justice Department, together with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced today the filing of a complaint against Cixi Miaojie Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd., and Changsha Jiayi Tianzhuo Trading Co. Ltd. of China, seeking mandatory recall relief for consumers under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) for Defendants’ manufacture and sale of allegedly imminently hazardous immersion water heaters.
“The Department of Justice will not allow dangerous products manufactured in China or elsewhere to flow to American consumers and expose unwitting families to the risk of serious injury or death,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This complaint seeks the urgent recall of these products in order to protect American consumers from imminent danger.”
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting Americans from hazardous products, including deadly products made in China and imported into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Working with the CPSC, we will hold accountable those who put hazardous products in the hands of American consumers.”
“When dangerous products threaten American families, the Commission will not hesitate to use every authority Congress has entrusted to us,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “Today’s action is the Commission’s first use of its Section 12 imminent hazard authority since 1987, underscoring our commitment to making full use of the tools Congress provided to protect consumers. I want to thank the Department of Justice for its outstanding partnership in this effort. Our collaboration has never been stronger, and together we are ensuring that those who place imminently hazardous products into the U.S. marketplace are held accountable.”
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Defendants manufactured and sold immersion water heaters to consumers in the United States under the label “Lakkzoom” and that Defendants’ immersion water heaters are imminently hazardous consumer products because the immersion heaters can overheat and catch fire within minutes when energized and either completely or partially out of water. The complaint further alleges that the CPSC received 235 fire-related reports, investigated several of those incidents involving Defendants’ immersion water heaters and that the CPSC’s testing of the heaters showed that they could catch fire within minutes in certain circumstances.
The CPSA authorizes lawsuits to be brought against manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to require a recall of consumer products that present an imminent and unreasonable risk of death, serious illness, or severe personal injury.
The United States is represented in this action by Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson and Trial Attorney Jordan A. Ryan Rinear from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Tepe for the District of Columbia, with the assistance of Michael Rogal, Joseph Kessler, Renee McCune and Alex Dennis of the CPSC.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government would be required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Source: United States Department of Justice
The Justice Department, together with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced today the filing of a complaint against Cixi Miaojie Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd., and Changsha Jiayi Tianzhuo Trading Co. Ltd. of China, seeking mandatory recall relief for consumers under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) for Defendants’ manufacture and sale of allegedly imminently hazardous immersion water heaters.
“The Department of Justice will not allow dangerous products manufactured in China or elsewhere to flow to American consumers and expose unwitting families to the risk of serious injury or death,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This complaint seeks the urgent recall of these products in order to protect American consumers from imminent danger.”
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting Americans from hazardous products, including deadly products made in China and imported into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Working with the CPSC, we will hold accountable those who put hazardous products in the hands of American consumers.”
“When dangerous products threaten American families, the Commission will not hesitate to use every authority Congress has entrusted to us,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “Today’s action is the Commission’s first use of its Section 12 imminent hazard authority since 1987, underscoring our commitment to making full use of the tools Congress provided to protect consumers. I want to thank the Department of Justice for its outstanding partnership in this effort. Our collaboration has never been stronger, and together we are ensuring that those who place imminently hazardous products into the U.S. marketplace are held accountable.”
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Defendants manufactured and sold immersion water heaters to consumers in the United States under the label “Lakkzoom” and that Defendants’ immersion water heaters are imminently hazardous consumer products because the immersion heaters can overheat and catch fire within minutes when energized and either completely or partially out of water. The complaint further alleges that the CPSC received 235 fire-related reports, investigated several of those incidents involving Defendants’ immersion water heaters and that the CPSC’s testing of the heaters showed that they could catch fire within minutes in certain circumstances.
The CPSA authorizes lawsuits to be brought against manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to require a recall of consumer products that present an imminent and unreasonable risk of death, serious illness, or severe personal injury.
The United States is represented in this action by Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson and Trial Attorney Jordan A. Ryan Rinear from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Tepe for the District of Columbia, with the assistance of Michael Rogal, Joseph Kessler, Renee McCune and Alex Dennis of the CPSC.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government would be required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Derick Lee Myron, 46, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to life in prison, plus 40 years. On April 29, 2024, Myron, an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe, shot and killed an unarmed victim and shot and seriously injured two others on the Navajo Nation.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Tampa, Florida – Johan Smith Pavon Mejia (43, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. He faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Mejia’s sentencing hearing is set for October 15, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Tampa, Florida – Mario Jerome Bentley (44, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday to four years and three months in federal prison for cyberstalking and possessing ammunition as convicted felon. The court also ordered Bentley to forfeit the ammunition and have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the victims. Bentley pleaded guilty in April 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Defendant dispensed 300,000+ pills to patients with no medical need at 10x the price
A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted a Florida licensed pharmacist and pharmacy owner yesterday for her role in dispensing over 300,000 oxycodone 30mg pills to pharmacy patrons who had no medical need for the drug.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Olushola Yusuf, 60, of Tampa, dispensed oxycodone to nearly all her pharmacy customers. Yusuf charged customers approximately 10 times the typical cost of the drug and required payment from them in cash. In total, Yusuf dispensed at least 335,351 pills of oxycodone 30mg during the conspiracy. Oxycodone 30mg is the maximum strength available of the drug and is both sought after and potentially dangerous due to its potency. It is typically prescribed to seriously ill patients, such as those suffering from chronic cancer pain or traumatic injuries.
“The defendant abused the public trust by using her pharmacies to unlawfully distribute deadly opioids,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This conviction sends an unmistakable message: whether you deal drugs on a street corner or from behind a pharmacy counter, the Fraud Division will hold you fully accountable under the law.”
“By distributing dangerous and highly addictive narcotics, the defendant demonstrated a clear disregard for their community and endangered countless residents who should have been able to trust their pharmacist,” said FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia. “The opioid epidemic continues to plague our nation, which is why the FBI, along with our partners, will continue to hold the criminals poisoning our communities with these drugs accountable.”
Yusuf owned and operated two pharmacies, Boots LLC d/b/a Striderite (Boots) in Margate, Florida, and Chans Pharmacy Plus, Inc. (Chans) in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Yusuf distributed oxycodone 30mg pills through these pharmacies. Customers drove long distances across the state of Florida to have Yusuf fill prescriptions that they could not get filled at any other pharmacy. Some customers paid as much as $1,000 a month in cash to Yusuf for the drugs. And some customers were drug dealers, who picked up oxycodone pills purportedly on behalf of dozens of patients at a time who were not present. According to witnesses at trial, Yusuf kept the doors to her pharmacies locked during business hours, directing employees only to open the door for certain identified customers. Yusuf continued to dispense the oxycodone in this way even after repeated warnings from her employees and the DEA about the dangers of her pharmacy operations.
Cash paid to Yusuf for oxycodone 30mg
“Olushola Yusuf did not simply ignore red flags. She built her business around them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “She knowingly flooded South Florida communities with more than 335,000 high-dose oxycodone pills, even after her employees and the DEA warned her about the dangers of her conduct. Yusuf charged extraordinary cash prices, served drug dealers and customers who traveled long distances, and put profit ahead of patients, public safety, and her responsibilities as a pharmacist. Yesterday, a federal jury held her accountable.”
“Pharmacists occupy a position of public trust and serve as a critical safeguard against the diversion of controlled substances,” said DEA Chief of Operations Matthew W. Allen. “By dispensing hundreds of thousands of oxycodone pills to virtually anyone willing to pay inflated cash prices, the defendant abandoned that responsibility, exploited addiction, and endangered lives for personal profit. This conviction reinforces DEA’s commitment to the American people: no one is above the law when they violate the public’s trust and contribute to the unlawful distribution of dangerous drugs.”
“The defendant bought patient data and used it to generate sham medical orders, targeting seniors and people with disabilities for exploitation. This scheme sought to drain millions from federal health care programs meant to support Americans in need,” said Miranda L. Bennett, Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “This verdict makes clear that HHS OIG and our law enforcement partners will hold accountable anyone who tries to defraud these programs or prey on the people they serve.”
The jury convicted Yusuf of conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and five counts of illegal drug distribution. Yusuf’s co-defendant, Saman Gimenez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and is scheduled to be sentenced in October of this year. Yusuf faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A sentencing hearing will occur on October 14, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG, FBI, VA-OIG, and DCIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Angela Benoit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting 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 Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force 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 since 2007. 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
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”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, and Regional Director of the U.S. Federal Protective Service (“FPS”), Robert D. Sooter, announced charges against ANDREW ARRABACA after he set a fire outside of 26 Federal Plaza, sending flames and smoke up the outside of the building.
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 Fort Thompson man convicted of Using and Carrying a Firearm During and Relation to a Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on July 20, 2026.