MIL Security Engine-1

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man who previously pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 68 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Chucho Cruzito Garfield, 40, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of aggravated sexual abuse.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on June 14, 2022, law enforcement responded to a report of drunk juveniles fighting at a residence in Poplar, Montana. When the officers arrived, one of them talked with Jane Doe’s brother who told the officer Doe was inside the home. He claimed Garfield held a knife to Doe’s throat and prevented her from leaving a backroom of the house.

An officer saw Doe inside the house, was familiar with her from previous interactions, and was aware that the Fort Peck Tribal Court had issued a “pick up and hold” for her. After confirming with dispatch that the “pick up and hold” for Doe was still active, the officer went into the house and arrested Doe. Garfield was also arrested after Doe reported he had given her a black eye the day before—and a bruise was visible beneath her eye—and he had prevented her from leaving the house by holding a knife to her throat.

Ultimately, Doe reported Garfield walked her from her house to his house on June 14. While outside the house, Doe’s brother confronted Garfield about the black eye. Garfield grabbed Doe by her arm and jerked her inside the house. Doe told Garfield she wanted to go home, but Garfield told Doe she had to have sex with him and let him slap her around before she could go home. Garfield then forced Doe to perform oral sex on him, and he held a black pocketknife to her throat and chest during the assault.

Garfield initially denied striking or sexually abused Doe but eventually admitted Doe was telling the truth: he had forced her to perform oral sex on him.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Vicente De La Cruz-Rodriguez, 28, of Mexico, has been charged by criminal complaint with illegal entry into the United States and eluding examination by immigration officers.

On November 24, 2025, Rodriguez appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Rodriguez be detained during the pendency of this matter.

According to court records, Rodriguez illegally entered the United States from Mexico via Texas in October 2022. Thereafter, Rodriguez travelled to and lived in Addison County, Vermont. On November 10, 2025, Rodriguez was convicted of first degree aggravated domestic assault in Vermont Superior Court, Addison County, and sentenced to 59 to 60 days’ imprisonment. On November 21, 2025, special agents of Homeland Security Investigations arrested Rodriguez in Rutland, Vermont. At no time did Rodriguez present himself for examination or inspection by an immigration officer as required by federal law.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Rodriguez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Rodriguez faces up to six months’ imprisonment and a $5,000 fine if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations.

The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Craig S. Nolan. Rodriguez is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles N. Curlett, Jr.

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.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jeffrey Hernandez, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, the statutory maximum sentence allowed by law, and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone for illegal possession of a firearm by felon.

Hernandez was charged by superseding information and pleaded guilty in August of this year.

As detailed in case filings and admitted to by the defendant, Hernandez possessed a 9mm semiautomatic pistol loaded with 30 live rounds of ammunition, despite knowing that he was not permitted to possess a firearm given his status as a convicted felon.

As further detailed in court documents and hearings, Hernandez was found in possession of the firearm after the FBI and Philadelphia police received credible information that the defendant and three other men were on their way to kill someone in retaliation for an earlier shooting.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and the Philadelphia Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Martin and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that James Hjelmeland (30, Canada) today pleaded guilty to one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, as well as two counts of distributing, one count of transporting, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Hjelmeland faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for his attempted enticement of a minor, a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, for each distribution and transportation offense, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the possession offense. 

According to the plea agreement, on December 29, 2024, an Orange County Sheriff’s Office undercover detective posed as the guardian of a 12-year-old fictional child. Hjelmeland engaged in sexually explicit conversation with the undercover detective and made plans to travel from Canada to Orlando, Florida to have sex with the child. During the course of the conversation, Hjelmeland distributed CSAM to the undercover detective. When Hjelmeland was arrested in Orlando, Florida, he possessed CSAM material on his cellular phone that he had transported to the United States involving children who had not attained 12 years of age. 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, United States Customs and Border Patrol, and the Southern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Team. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County man was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment for armed bank robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Jeffrey L. Kniffin, 51, of Wall Township, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court on July 22, 2025, to a one-count Information charging him with armed bank robbery. U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi imposed the sentence on November 24, 2025 in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On October 23, 2024, Kniffin entered a bank in Wall Township, New Jersey armed with a loaded handgun, approached a bank teller, and demanded cash from the teller. After demanding the money, Kniffin removed the handgun from his pocket and displayed it towards the teller. During his interaction with the teller, Kniffin instructed multiple times, “Don’t do anything stupid.” Kniffin received approximately $27,072 in cash from the teller and then fled the bank. He was apprehended and arrested by law enforcement several minutes later. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered from Kniffin and his immediate surroundings a loaded handgun and more than $25,000 in cash.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Kniffin to three years of supervised release following Kniffin’s term of imprisonment, ordered forfeiture of Kniffin’s robbery proceeds and crime gun, and ordered restitution in the amount of $1,938.

Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited task force officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. She also thanked the Wall Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean O’Halloran, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, for their assistance in the investigation.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

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Defense counsel: John M. Holliday, Esq.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Crescencio Diaz-Diaz, 36, Marcelo Perez-Santiz, 33, and Roman Gomez-Diaz, 32, all of the country of Mexico, pleaded guilty and were sentenced by a federal judge. Diaz-Diaz and Perez-Santiz pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a removed alien, and all three defendants pleaded guilty to possession and use of fraudulent employment documents. The pleas and sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These criminal aliens tried to lie, cheat, and steal their way into this country by illegally crossing our borders and presenting false documentation.  I deeply appreciate the close collaboration between our state and federal law enforcement partners that enabled these successful prosecutions, which continue to deliver on the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by robustly enforcing our national immigration laws.”

Various court documents reflect that Diaz-Diaz, Perez-Santiz, and Gomez-Diaz were arrested following the execution of federal criminal search warrants at a Navarre business, Emerald Coast Lawns, and an adjacent residence in July 2025. During the search, law enforcement found employment records showing that each defendant presented a Social Security card and a permanent resident card (sometimes referred to as a “green card”) bearing their names and/or photographs that were all determined to be fraudulent. Immigration files showed that none of the defendants had record of legal entry into the country, and that both Diaz-Diaz and Perez-Santiz had been previously deported. All three defendants were sentenced to time served and will be deported.

“These convictions underscore our commitment to protecting the integrity of our nation’s employment systems,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas G. Ingegno.  “Using fraudulent work not only undermines lawful hiring practices but also exposes our communities to significant risks.  The successful prosecution of these three illegal aliens reflects the diligent work of HSI and out partners.  We will continue to enforce federal law and hold accountable those who engage in document fraud.”

“This case highlights our ongoing efforts to identify, arrest and remove people who violate federal immigration laws,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “FBI Jacksonville will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who undermine lawful immigration and ensure the security of our borders and communities.”

The case involved a joint investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Florida Highway Patrol, United States Marshals Service and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.

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.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Zanntayfey Yohoun Bennett, 42, of Quincy, Florida was sentenced to a total of 157 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana, and for violation of the terms of his supervised release for 2019 federal convictions for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and organized dog fighting. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, this repeat offender has been removed from our streets and will serve a lengthy sentence in federal prison. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from the drug traffickers and career criminals who have terrorized our communities for far too long, and this successful prosecution is yet another step toward achieving that goal.”

According to court records, in February 2025, law enforcement developed information indicating that the defendant, who is a multi-convicted felon serving a five-year term of federal supervised release, was involved in drug trafficking. After a series of controlled operations, during which illegal drugs were purchased from the defendant, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence.  During the search, law enforcement seized cocaine base, also known as “crack” cocaine, suspected synthetic cathinones, and marijuana. The defendant had multiple prior federal and state felony drug trafficking convictions, which qualified him as a career offender under federal sentencing rules.

“I’m proud of the great work our agents and local police officers did to remove this career criminal and multiple-time felon from North Florida streets,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “This effort will greatly benefit the communities in and around Tallahassee.”

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.

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.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAN DIEGO – El Cajon-based San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings and the company’s hiring manager, Karli Buxton, pleaded guilty in federal court today to engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring undocumented immigrants without authorization to work in the United States. The plea follows a worksite enforcement action which occurred on March 27, 2025, at San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings’ facility.

The company, a government contractor, also agreed to forfeit $230,000 that it gained from engaging in the practice. 

As part of the plea agreement, the company admitted that its operations manager, John Washburn, and others recruited undocumented immigrants who did not have authorization to work in the United States. Washburn pleaded guilty in June.

Since 2023, Buxton was responsible for verifying that new employees were eligible to work in the United States. As part of her plea agreement, she admitted that she was aware certain employees were presenting fraudulent documents to show their authorization to work in the United States, but she accepted the documents and hired them for employment at the company.

The company further admitted that it had frequently sent employees to work in secure locations such as military bases or ports of entry and avoided sending any employees working illegally to these secure locations where they would be subject to further screening. The company also admitted the aliens it employed in its warehouses often had access to military equipment such as components for submarines or aquatic vehicles used by the United States Navy.

As part of its plea agreement, the company agreed to participate in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program. The IMAGE program serves the business community by strengthening hiring and employment verification practices by providing guidance on topics such as the use of fraudulent documents and forced labor. IMAGE program participants agree to submit to an audit of their Form I-9s (Employment Eligibility Verification Form) to ensure the integrity of their workforce and that they are only employing individuals authorized to work in the United States. As part of its plea agreement, the company also agreed to use the E-Verify system to check the eligibility of all new employees for the next two years.

“Here’s my advice to the business community and to the lawyers who advise them: enroll in IMAGE,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “There are numerous tangible benefits to enrolling your company in IMAGE and ensuring the integrity of your workforce. The Department of Justice has and will continue to prioritize investigations into businesses that are employing individuals without authorization to work in the United States.”   

“Worksite enforcement operations like these deter illegal immigration, ensure employer accountability, and protect the US Workforce,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “HSI is committed to investigations that hold companies like SDPC accountable for their criminal actions.”

“Bypassing required vetting processes and exposing Department of the Navy resources and information to individuals with insufficient or fraudulent documentation threatens warfighter safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross, NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners remain dedicated to safeguarding Department of Navy installations, personnel, and assets against any threat to our national security.”

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F.B. Beshar and Michael A. Deshong.

DEFENDANT                                                         Case Number 25 CR 4519

BJS & T Enterprises Inc.,

Dba San Diego Powder & Protective Coating

Karli Buxton                                                              Age: 41            

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Engaging in a Pattern or Practice of Employing Aliens, in violation of Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(a)(1)(A) and (f); Maximum Penalty: Six months in prison; $3,000 fine per alien.

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Homeland Security Investigations

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General

General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General

Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General

Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General

Enforcement and Removal Operations, Department of Homeland Security

Drug Enforcement Administration

Bureau Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives

U.S. Border Patrol

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

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.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CHRISTOPHER ZIOGAS, 74, of Bristol, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to offenses related to interference with a state audit into a Medicaid provider who engaged in health care fraud, as well as a separate bank fraud offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between January and June 2020, Ziogas, who served as a State Representative for Connecticut’s 79th Assembly District, engaged in a scheme in which Konstantinos Diamantis, a senior official in the State’s Office of Policy and Management (“OPM”), solicited and received corrupt payments and benefits from Ziogas’s fiancée, Helen Zervas, an optometrist and owner of Family Eye Care in Bristol, in exchange for official acts concerning a state audit of Zervas’s and Family Eye Care’s Medicaid overbilling.

As part of the scheme, in January 2020, an official with Connecticut’s Department of Social Services (DSS) provided notice that it would perform an audit of Zervas’s and Family Eye Care’s Medicaid billing.  Zervas, who knew that she had fraudulently overbilled Medicaid for medical services that she had not provided, or that were not medically necessary, sought assistance from Ziogas to prevent the DSS audit from proceeding.  Ziogas, in turn, sought help from Diamantis in his role as a senior OPM official.  In exchange for payments from Ziogas and Zervas, Diamantis undertook official acts and pressured other state officials to undertake official acts aimed at favorably resolving Zervas’s DSS audit.

On March 4, 2020, Ziogas made a $20,000 bribe payment to Diamantis.  On that date, Zervas’s attorney emailed a DSS official with a settlement offer to resolve DSS’s audit.  The next day, Zervas reimbursed Ziogas with a $25,000 check from Family Eye Care.  On March 12, 2020, Ziogas made a $10,000 bribe payment to Diamantis, and was subsequently reimbursed by Zervas.  After having been advised and pressured directly by Diamantis and indirectly by him through officials at OPM and DSS, the DSS official cancelled the DSS audit and, on May 1, 2020, accepted Zervas’s settlement proposal.

On May 12, 2020, Ziogas and Diamantis delivered a settlement check from Family Eye Care in the amount of $599,810 to DSS.  On May 15, 2020, Ziogas, through Zervas, made a final bribe payment of $65,000 to Diamantis.

Ziogas made a false statement when interviewed by federal agents during the investigation of this matter.

Ziogas also separately committed bank fraud.  Ziogas was the trustee of a client trust, identified in court documents as “Trust-1.”  In November 2019, Ziogas prepared and caused to be negotiated a check from Trust-1 in the amount of $5,500 made out to Diamantis.

Ziogas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, making false statements, which carries maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.

Ziogas is released on a $500,000 bond pending sentencing, which is currently scheduled for February 18 before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport.

Zervas previously pleaded guilty to related charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Diamantis has been charged by indictment and is awaiting trial in this matter, which is scheduled for January 30 in Bridgeport.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and Paul A. Riley.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAN DIEGO –Josephine Guinauli Aquino of San Diego admitted in federal court today that she hid her father-in-law’s overseas death to illegally collect more than $175,000 in retirement benefits that should have stopped when he died.

In her plea agreement, Aquino, 64, admitted that at the time of her father-in-law’s death in 2019, she knew that he was a veteran receiving monthly retirement benefits from both the Defense Finance Accounting Service and the Social Security Administration. Aquino knew that these benefits would immediately cease when the government became aware of her father-in-law’s death, , but because he died in The Philippines, the U.S. government was not automatically informed. Instead, Aquino admitted that she concealed his death from both the government and the bank where her father-in-law’s benefits were deposited each month. As a result, the United States continued to deposit these funds each month through October 2025.

After his death in August 2019, Aquino admitted, she used her father-in-law’s checkbook to forge at least 150 checks drawn on his bank account. In addition, Aquino admitted that she received monthly pension checks from the Nestle Corporation that were mailed to her father-in-law’s last address in the United States, which Aquino fraudulently endorsed and deposited into his bank account, using his bank card.

Aquino admitted that by concealing the death of her father-in-law, she caused an additional loss to the U.S. Department of Treasury for three economic impact payments issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were intended for her father-in-law’s benefit but converted to Aquino’s use.

As a part of her plea agreement, Aquino has agreed to make full restitution to the Defense Finance Accounting Service, the Social Security Administration, the Treasury Department and the Nestle Corporation. Aquino was released pending her sentencing on February 13, 2026, before District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.

“By stealing benefits that did not belong to her, this defendant took money away from other veterans and elderly Americans in need,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This office is committed to prosecuting those who defraud these important government programs.”

“Ms. Aquino’s guilty plea is an acknowledgement of her six-year fraud scheme in which she benefited financially to the detriment of the American taxpayer by unlawfully obtaining Department of Defense and Social Security benefits,” said John E. Helsing, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office.  “DCIS, along with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice, will continue to aggressively investigate those who seek to enrich themselves through fraudulent schemes targeting the U.S. government.”

“Ms. Aquino’s deliberate decision to conceal her father-in-law’s death abroad and steal Social Security benefits for her own benefit represents a serious violation of the law,” said Christian Assaad, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, San Francisco Field Division, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. “Safeguarding the integrity of Social Security programs is central to our mission, and we will continue to ensure that those who misuse these benefits are held accountable.” This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.

DEFENDANT                                                            Case Number 25-CR-4282-JLS

Josephine Guinauli Aquino                Age: 64                                   San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Receipt, Concealment, and Retention of Stolen Public Money – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 641

Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and a $357,623.00 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Department of Defense – Office of Inspector General

Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General