Violent Extremist Group “764” Member Charged with Animal Crushing, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Cyberstalking, and Making Interstate Threats

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Tony Christopher Long, also known as Inactive, Inactivee0, and inactivecvx, 19, of Porterville, charging him with animal crushing (two counts), sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking, and transmitting an interstate threat.

“This defendant allegedly engaged in acts of extreme cruelty by exploiting a child, abusing animals, and threatening violence — his conduct reflects the depravity of ‘764,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These networks seek to terrorize and destabilize our communities by preying on the most vulnerable, and the Justice Department will stop at nothing to dismantle this network and bring offenders to justice.”

“The FBI has no tolerance for anyone who preys on children or other vulnerable members of society,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This defendant allegedly targeted juveniles, took part in animal crushing, and was part of a violent online network which seeks to sow chaos and destabilize our society. The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in such reprehensible and illegal activity.”

“This indictment charges a constellation of offenses related to the troubling emergence of NVEs like ‘764’ and related groups,” U.S. Attorney Grant stated. “My office will vigorously investigate and prosecute offenses committed by NVE groups, including those alleged to have been committed by Long against young and vulnerable victims.”

“Violent online networks of predators, such as 764, are exploiting digital platforms to coerce minors and vulnerable individuals into producing graphic content depicting animal abuse, self-harm, and child exploitation. The FBI will not stand by while these victims suffer. We are taking decisive action to dismantle these networks and bring the offenders to justice. Working together with educators, health care professionals, and families, we will protect those at risk and respond swiftly to suspected criminal activity,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.

According to court documents, Long was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVEs). NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse via chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with the goal of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.

The indictment alleges that in late 2024, Long purposely engaged in animal crushing, sexually exploited a juvenile victim living in Washington state, committed cyberstalking and made online threats against a juvenile victim living in Kern County.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Porterville Police Department and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

If convicted, Long faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison on each of the two counts charging animal crushing; a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for cyberstalking; and a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison for making an interstate threat. Each count of the indictment also carries a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 United States 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.justice.gov/psc.

The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, or groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.

Greenfield Man Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation Offenses

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

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

According to information presented in court, James Anthony Morris, 57, has been indicted with three 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 attempting to commit those acts, distributing and attempting to receive visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, attempting to entice and coerce a person who he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity for which any person could be charged with a crime, and possessing a cell phone that contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. 

This case is pending before United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen in Jackson.  If convicted on all counts, Morris is facing a sentence of up to life in prison.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is being investigated by members of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of the United States Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the District Attorney’s Office for the 27th Judicial District, the Martin Police Department, and the Greenfield Police Department. 

Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to contact TBI Special Agent Sarah Turner at TipsToTBI@tn.gov or 1-800-TBI-FIND.

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.

Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Caroline Parish are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

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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.

Member of Violent Extremist Network ‘764’ Charged with Animal Crushing, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Cyberstalking and Interstate Threats

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California has returned a six-count indictment against Tony Christopher Long, also known as Inactive, Inactivee0, and inactivecvx, 19, of Porterville, California, charging him with animal crushing (two counts), sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking, and transmitting an interstate threat. Long is currently in state custody on related charges.

“This defendant allegedly engaged in acts of extreme cruelty by exploiting a child, abusing animals, and threatening violence — his conduct reflects the depravity of ‘764,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These networks seek to terrorize and destabilize our communities by preying on the most vulnerable, and the Justice Department will stop at nothing to dismantle this network and bring offenders to justice.”

“The FBI has no tolerance for anyone who preys on children or other vulnerable members of society,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This defendant allegedly targeted juveniles, took part in animal crushing, and was part of a violent online network which seeks to sow chaos and destabilize our society. The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in such reprehensible and illegal activity.”

“This indictment charges a constellation of offenses related to the troubling emergence of NVEs like ‘764’ and related groups,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “My office will vigorously investigate and prosecute offenses committed by NVE groups, including those alleged to have been committed by Long against young and vulnerable victims,” he added.

According to court documents, Long was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVEs). NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse via chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with the goal of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.

The indictment, returned by the grand jury on Oct. 23, alleges that in late 2024, Long purposely engaged in animal crushing, sexually exploited a juvenile victim living in Washington state, and committed cyberstalking and made online threats against a juvenile victim living in Kern County, California.

If convicted, Long faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison on each of the two counts charging animal crushing; a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for cyberstalking; and a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison for making an interstate threat. Each count of the indictment also carries a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Porterville Police Department.

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 United States 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.justice.gov/psc.

The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.

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

New United States Attorney For The Middle District Of Pennsylvania Appointed

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brian D. Miller, former Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, has been appointed United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania effective October 27, 2025.  Mr. Miller was appointed by order of United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi.  Mr. Miller’s interim appointment is for 120 days or until a Presidential appointment is made, whichever occurs first.  In September 2025, President Trump nominated Mr. Miller to be the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s United States Attorney, and his nomination is pending the Senate confirmation process. 

Previously, Mr. Miller was also confirmed by the United States Senate to be the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery on June 2, 2020.  Mr. Miller’s other prior positions include Senior Associate White House Counsel; Inspector General of the United States General Services Administration (Senate confirmed on July 22, 2005); Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General; Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Counsel on Health Care Fraud for the Deputy Attorney General; and Counsel to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.  He has also served as Acting General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2025.

As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Miller litigated civil and criminal cases in multiple federal district and appellate courts, involving terrorism and terrorist financing, drug-related conspiracies and murder, and the False Claims Act.  As an inspector general, Mr. Miller is known for his investigation of a lavish GSA conference in Las Vegas. 

Mr. Miller was honored to receive the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, the EOUSA Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an AUSA, and the David M. Walker Excellence in Government Performance and Accountability Award, which recognizes and honors government audit professionals who have made sustained contributions to improve government performance and accountability through their leadership in transforming government organizations.

He replaces former Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, who is now occupying the First Assistant U.S. Attorney position within the office.

Mr. Miller received bachelor’s degree from Temple University and his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.  He resides in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

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Portland Woman Charged with Assault on a Federal Officer

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PORTLAND, Ore.— Temika Gardner, 40, of Portland, made her first appearance in federal court today after being charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer.

According to court documents, on October 23, 2025, Gardner was near the vehicle of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Officers after they made a lawful arrest. After an escape attempt, officers were able to gain control of the arrestee. As they were escorting the arrestee back, Gardner placed her hands on officers multiple times to impede their movement. Gardner struck one officer in the face, grabbing ahold of his face covering and throwing it to the ground. She swung at a second officer at least two times, knocking off his sunglasses. While officers were focusing on the arrestee, Gardner pulled the face mask of a third officer with enough force to pull him back. Gardner was arrested after she swung at a fourth officer, striking the left side of his jaw.

Gardner made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was ordered released pending further court proceedings.

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Two Defendants Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Defendants Used Bitcoin, PayPal, and GoFundMe to Collectively Transfer Thousands of Dollars to ISIS, Which Were Disguised in Part as Charitable Giving

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Abdullah At Taqi, 26, of Queens, was convicted by a jury on all counts of an indictment charging him and co-defendant Mohamad David Hashimi with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to launder money. Previously, on Oct. 6, as jury selection was scheduled to begin, Hashimi pleaded guilty to all counts of the indictment.

“An exceptional team uncovered the defendants’ use of electronic currency to bankroll an abhorrent organization that harbors deep-seated animosity toward America,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Their intent was to procure weapons for terrorism and now their actions will result in incarceration. Justice has been served.”

“Today, a federal jury convicted Abdullah At Taqi for conspiring to fund ISIS, a terrorist organization that has unleashed terror and unimaginable brutality across the globe,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Taqi conspired to support the group and its atrocities by funneling cryptocurrency to ISIS fighters, hoping they would establish a stronghold in the Middle East from which the group could destabilize the entire region. This conviction reflects the Department’s commitment to holding accountable those who knowingly finance terrorism.”

“The defendants used Bitcoin, PayPal and GoFundMe to fund ISIS’s deadly mission,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “ISIS relies on supporters, like the defendants, to sponsor its terrorist aims, which is why our office and our law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to disrupt that pipeline and prosecute those who provide material support to terrorist organizations and their evildoers.”

As proven at trial, At Taqi sent 15 separate Bitcoin transactions to Osama Obeida, also known as Osama Abu Obayda (Obeida), a self-proclaimed ISIS member, over the course of nearly a year. In conversations with an online confidential source (CHS‑1), At Taqi stated that he used cryptocurrency to send money “unnoticed” through a “brother,” meaning an ISIS supporter, he spoke to on an encrypted communications platform. At Taqi confirmed that the “brother” was “from Dawlah,” referring to ISIS.

In later conversations, At Taqi told CHS-1 that he had gotten back in touch with the “brother” through whom he had been sending cryptocurrency and assured CHS-1 that the brother was “from Dawlah.”  The brother with whom At Taqi was communicating was Obeida. In introducing CHS-1 to Obeida, At Taqi informed CHS-1 that he had confirmed CHS-1 was trustworthy to the “brother,” Obeida, and at the same time, he vouched for the “brother” to CHS-1, indicating that he had vouched for each individual’s support for ISIS.

Obeida confided to CHS-1 that he had known At Taqi for two years and that At Taqi regularly sent money to Obeida. Obeida sent CHS-1 the below photograph of an ISIS flag and weapons with CHS-1’s online screenname and the date, to prove that the photograph was real, just taken, and that the money given to Obeida from people like the defendant was used to buy weapons for ISIS fighters.

Other messages show Obeida instructing At Taqi to delete messages and change his IP address.

Hashimi was a member of a group chat for ISIS supporters (Group Chat-1) on an encrypted platform. In early April 2021, members of Group Chat‑1 discussed posting links that purported to be raising funds for humanitarian causes, but from which the money would actually be diverted to help the “mujahideen,” an Arabic term used by ISIS supporters to refer to ISIS fighters. A co-conspirator posted a Bitcoin address, and another member of Group Chat-1 posted a link to a PayPal campaign, both of which were controlled by Obeida. In response, Hashimi told people to be careful sending links because they could be detected and arrested by law enforcement.

Through a combination of Bitcoin, PayPal, and GoFundMe, the defendants transferred thousands of dollars to Obeida, the person At Taqi identified as being “from Dawlah,” a reference to ISIS. At Taqi, Hashimi, and a third co-defendant, Seema Rahman, along with co-conspirator Khalilullah Yousuf, contributed more than $24,000 to Obeida’s Bitcoin address, with Yousuf contributing $20,347.89, At Taqi contributing $2,769.35, and Rahman contributing $927.51. The four co-conspirators also sent more than $1,000 to the PayPal account associated with Obeida, with Rahman contributing approximately $550, At Taqi contributing approximately $480, and Hashimi contributing $55. In addition, both Yousuf and Rahman created multiple GoFundMe fundraising campaigns purporting to collect money for charitable causes. Hashimi contributed $364 and At Taqi contributed $200 through the Yousuf-created GoFundMe campaigns, while Rahman raised approximately $10,000 through the GoFundMe campaigns that she created, and then wired the proceeds, approximately $10,024, to individuals connected to Obeida via Western Union.

At sentencing, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.

Rahman pleaded guilty in January 2025 to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and is awaiting sentencing. Yousuf was arrested and prosecuted in Canada.

The FBI New York Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nina C. Gupta, Gilbert M. Rein, and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Alicia Cook of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialist Magdalena St. Surin. 

Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – Two Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States were sentenced to 17 and 22 years in federal prison following a multi-agency drug investigation that uncovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and multiple loaded firearms at an Albuquerque residence.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, between August 2022 and December 2023, Martin Aispuro-Lopez, 27, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to an undercover DEA agent on three occasions. On December 12, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lopez‘s residence in southwest Albuquerque and arrested him. Agents recovered four loaded firearms and large quantities of narcotics throughout the residence, including cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.

Loaded Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 multi-caliber rifle

Loaded Hi-Point Model 4095 .40 S&W carbine

Methamphetamine

Fentanyl

At the same residence, agents encountered Victor Manuel Felix-Ramirez, 24, a Mexican national who was illegally present in the United States following two prior removals in 2019.  Agents located Ramirez‘s two firearms, one of which was loaded and equipped with a machine gun conversion device, and fentanyl pills. Ramirez admitted participating in Lopez‘s drug trafficking activities. At sentencing, the Government introduced evidence of Ramirez‘s ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, including items that identified him as a “veteran” of the “Culiacanazo” (a.k.a. “Black Thursday”) battle between the Sinaloa Cartel and Mexican authorities.

Fully automatic 9mm Glock 17

Culiacanazo Veteran, Oct. 17, 2019, & caricature of Ovidio Guzmán a.k.a. “El Raton”

Lopez pled guilty to three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Ramirez, who the sentencing judge to referred to as a “trusted soldier” for the organization, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison. Upon their release from prison, both men will be subject to deportation.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.

The Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division investigated this case with from Homeland Security Investigations El Paso and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Nichols is prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico Announces Intent to Seek Death Penalty Against Zachary Babitz

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – On October 22, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico filed a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty against Zachary Babitz.

Babitz, 39, is charged in a 13-count Indictment as follows:

  • Count 1 – Interference with Commerce by Robbery (July 30, 2024)
  • Count 2 – Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (July 30, 2024)
  • Count 3 – Bank Robbery (July 31, 2024)
  • Count 4 – Interference with Commerce by Robbery (August 3, 2024)
  • Count 5 – Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (August 3, 2024)
  • Count 6 – Carjacking Resulting in Death (August 6, 2024)
  • Count 7 – Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime, Discharging Said Firearm, and Causing Death Through Use and Possession of a Firearm (August 6, 2024)
  • Count 8 – Carjacking (August 9, 2024)
  • Count 9 – Interference with Commerce by Robbery (August 10, 2024)
  • Count 10 – Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (August 10, 2024)
  • Count 11 – Carjacking (August 10, 2024)
  • Count 12 – Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (August 10, 2024)
  • Count 13 – Felon in Possession of a Firearm (July 30, 2024 – August 10, 2024)

The maximum penalty for Counts 6 and 7 is death, and Attorney General Bondi has authorized and directed the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization, the U.S. Attorney filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Babitz.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department, Albuquerque Police Department and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case.

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

Honduran Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Importing Child Pornography Through Eagle Pass

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DEL RIO, Texas – A Honduran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio Thursday to 10 years in prison for attempting to import child sexual abuse material into the United States.

According to court documents, Nolber Rolando Rosales-Rosales, 32, arrived at the Camino Real International Bridge, No. 2, in Eagle Pass on Oct. 7, 2024. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer referred him to Secondary Inspection, where a basic search was conducted on his cell phone. During the search, a CBP officer observed several suggestive images of young girls and Rosales-Rosales admitted to possessing child pornography via a Telegram account. Further investigation into the account resulted in the discovery of six videos depicting child sexual abuse material.

Rosales-Rosales was indicted on Nov. 6, 2024, on one count of use of visual depiction of sexually explicit depictions of a minor for importation into the United States, one count of transportation of sexually explicit depictions of a minor, and one count of possession and access with intent to view child prepubescent pornography. He pleaded guilty to the importation charge on April 2. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the court proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations and CBP investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Fleming, Nallely Duarte, and Daisy Gonzales prosecuted the case.

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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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Des Moines Man Charged with Wire Fraud, Following 2019 Mail Fraud Conviction

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an 11 count indictment on October 16, 2025, charging a Des Moines man with wire fraud.

As alleged in the Indictment, Marin James Tirrell, 65, ran a scheme to defraud multiple individuals between February 2024 and January 2025. Tirrell’s scheme involved obtaining money from individuals that he claimed would be used to buy tickets to high-demand sports and concert events and resold at a profit. Instead, Tirrell used a majority of the funds for gambling and personal expenses, repaying loans, and paying other investors for earlier payments. In total, investors provided Tirrell several million dollars and the victim investors sustained a combined loss exceeding $1.5 million.

Tirrell was on federal supervised release for a 2019 mail fraud conviction. Tirrell was released from his 41-month prison sentence in January 2023.

Tirrell made his initial court appearance on October 20, 2025, before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United State District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Trial was set for December 1, 2025. Tirrell will remain detained in federal custody pending further proceedings.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.

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