Source: United States Navy
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (May 27, 2025) — Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa, in coordination with the Salvadoran Navy, hosted the annual U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet Hybrid Fleet Campaign (HFC) Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) Event demonstrating combined/joint integration potential for unmanned systems during a showcase event in San Salvador, El Salvador, May 27.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
An IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was arrested today for attempting to transmit national defense information to an officer or agent of a foreign government.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested today in northern Virginia, and will make his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia tomorrow.
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he works with the Insider Threat Division and holds a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI commenced an operation after receiving a tip that an individual — now known to be Laatsch — offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. In that email, the sender wrote that he did not “agree or align with the values of this administration” and was therefore “willing to share classified information” that he had access to, including “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.”
After multiple communications with an FBI agent — who Laatsch allegedly believed to be an official of the foreign government — Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly exfiltrated the information from his workspace. Laatsch subsequently confirmed to the FBI agent that he was prepared to transmit the information.
Thereafter, the FBI implemented an operation at a public park in northern Virginia, where Laatsch believed he would deposit the classified information for the foreign government to retrieve. On or about May 1, 2025, FBI surveillance observed Laatsch proceed to the specified location and deposit an item. Following Laatsch’s departure, the FBI retrieved the item, which was a thumb drive later found to contain a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents, each containing information that was portion-marked up to the Secret or Top Secret levels. The message from Laatsch indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the thumb drive had been received, on May 7, Laatsch allegedly sent a message to the FBI agent, which indicated Laatsch was seeking something from the foreign government in return for continuing to provide classified information. The next day, Laatsch specified that he was interested in “citizenship for your country” because he did not “expect[] things here to improve in the long term.” Although he said he was “not opposed to other compensation,” he was not in a position where he needed to seek “material compensation.”
On May 14, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that it was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation, folded the notes, and exfiltrated the classified information in his clothing.
On May 29, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where Laatsch again allegedly attempted to transmit multiple classified documents to the foreign country. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Office of Special Projects made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Air Force OSI and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorneys Christina Clark and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Navy
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – For the military diver, the unforgiving depths can be a perilous arena. Since August 1, 1882, U.S. Navy sailors have executed essential underwater operations around the globe, from special operations and reconnaissance to ship repair and force protection. Yet these military divers are also at the forefront of subsea and seabed warfare, wielding cutting-edge technology to enhance their safety and expand their capabilities. And for more than 75 years—with May being the Month of the Military Diver—one place has been synonymous with this mission: Panama City, Fla. – the Home of Military Diving.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A Missouri man pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a scheme to defraud Medicare by unlawfully billing millions of dollars in claims for cancer genetic testing and cardiovascular genetic testing.
According to court documents, Jamie P. McNamara, 49, of Kansas City, operated several laboratories in Louisiana and Texas, which obtained doctors’ orders for genetic testing from telemarketers and call centers that used aggressive telemarketing campaigns to induce Medicare beneficiaries to agree to receive genetic testing. Orders for genetic testing were signed by purported telemedicine doctors who were not the beneficiaries’ treating physicians, did not perform consultations with the beneficiaries, and did not follow up with the beneficiaries after the testing was performed. To obtain the orders, McNamara paid illegal kickbacks and bribes, which he disguised through sham contracts. In furtherance of the scheme, he also shifted the billing between his laboratories to evade scrutiny from Medicare and law enforcement and concealed his ownership and control of the laboratories by falsely listing the names of his family members as owners and company representatives on Medicare and other documents. In approximately one and a half years, the laboratories operated by McNamara submitted over $174 million in claims to Medicare for genetic testing and received over $55 million in reimbursements. The government previously seized several luxury vehicles and over $7 million in bank accounts.
“The defendant used illegal payments and lies to fraudulently bill Medicare over $174 million,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Health care fraud harms patients, drains government resources, and violates the public trust. The Criminal Division is fully committed to uncovering and aggressively prosecuting these schemes.”
“This guilty plea marks the conclusion of a meticulous and complicated prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Medicare fraud schemes profoundly erode taxpayer confidence and faith in our medical institutions. Schemes such as these must be rooted out, investigated and prosecuted, not only for the monetary loss triggered by the fraud, but also to preserve the public’s trust. Our office, along with our investigative partners, will continue to work diligently to maintain taxpayer confidence in our federal institutions and seek justice for all victims of fraud.”
“McNamara lined his pockets by preying on vulnerable Americans concerned about their health. The genetic tests Medicare patients were lured into receiving did not provide them with any answers on their predisposition to life threatening illnesses and cost taxpayers millions of dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “Today’s plea is the culmination of thorough investigative work and partnership between the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) to protect the public and ensure that justice is served.”
“Misleading patients with fraudulent genetic testing schemes to exploit the Medicare program is not just unethical — it’s criminal,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of HHS-OIG. “Today’s plea reflects HHS-OIG’s steadfast commitment to holding those who deceive patients and seek to cripple the integrity of our nation’s federal health care programs accountable. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate such schemes and bring those responsible to justice.”
While on pretrial release, McNamara violated his bond conditions by, among other things, fleeing from a DUI arrest and cutting off an ankle monitor. He was subsequently detained.
McNamara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9 and faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Moses for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
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 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, 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 Navy
Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. — A joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-Entry Vehicle May 21 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Source: United States Navy
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, visited Malaysia on May 28- 29, 2025, where he met with senior military and government officials, underscoring Malaysia’s importance to the U.S. as a partner and the U.S. commitment to Malaysia and the region.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Two men were sentenced today in the District of Minnesota after being convicted at a jury trial for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of four Indian nationals, including a three-year-old and 11-year-old child, in January 2022.
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national formerly of Florida, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Patel will be removed from the United States following his sentence. His co-conspirator, Steve Anthony Shand, 50, of Florida, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at trial, Patel and Shand were part of a large-scale human-smuggling operation that brought Indian nationals to Canada on fraudulent student visas and then smuggled them into the United States across the northern border. Patel organized the logistics of smuggling aliens from Manitoba, Canada, into the United States, with other co-conspirators, and Shand picked up the aliens just south of the Canadian border in the United States and drove them to Chicago. Both men were paid for their roles in the conspiracy and disregarded the risks posed to the aliens by the cold weather at the northern border. According to evidence at trial, the going rate to be smuggled from India through Canada into the United States was $100,000.
“Patel and Shand endangered thousands of lives for their personal enrichment and are responsible for the deaths of two small children who froze to death on their watch,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the grave danger associated with human smuggling operations. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners in the U.S. and in Canada who are working to secure the northern border and end the perilous smuggling of aliens into the United States.”
“Every time I think about this case I think about this family—including two beautiful little children—who the defendants left to freeze to death in a blizzard,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota. “As we’ve seen time and time again, human traffickers care nothing for humanity. I am proud of the work of our law enforcement partners in holding these defendants accountable for their unspeakable crimes.”
On Jan. 18 and 19, 2022, Patel and Shand, despite repeated warnings about the dangers, organized the smuggling of 11 aliens from Canada into the United States on foot in severe winter weather conditions, including a family of four – two adults, and their 11-year-old daughter and three-year-old son. On the evening of January 18, Shand sent Patel a screenshot with a blizzard alert warning of wind gusts as high as 50 mph and wind chill temperatures below -45 degrees. The recorded wind chill temperature on the morning of Jan. 19 was -36 degrees. In the early morning hours of Jan. 19, during blizzard conditions in Minnesota, a U.S. Border Patrol agent found Shand’s van stuck in the snow and arrested Shand along with two aliens. Contrary to Shand’s statement to law enforcement that there were no other aliens out in the snow, five more aliens emerged from the fields, including one suffering hypothermia with an internal temperature below 90 degrees who was airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Later that day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) found the dead bodies of the family of four frozen in an isolated area on the Canadian side of the international border. The boy was wrapped in a blanket with his father’s frozen glove covering his face. As proven at trial, Patel and Shand had been paid to smuggle the family into the United States.
In November 2024, a federal jury convicted both defendants of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, conspiracy to transport aliens within the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, attempted transportation of aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, and aiding and abetting the attempted transportation of aliens.
“Today’s sentencing marks a crucial moment of accountability in a case that revealed the harrowing realities of human smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul. “The callous disregard for life that led to the tragic deaths of an entire family will not be forgotten. At HSI, we remain steadfast in our mission to work with our partners across borders to dismantle criminal smuggling networks, bring justice to those responsible, and safeguard human dignity.”
HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. The RCMP and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
The sentencings are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case was also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Trial Attorney Ryan Lipes of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. McBride of the District of Minnesota 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Two indictments were unsealed today charging a South Carolina man with defrauding Medicare through a laboratory test scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic and with defrauding customers of his private charter jet company, AeroVanti Inc.
As alleged in the first indictment, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Britton-Harr, 41, of Charleston, South Carolina, formerly of Annapolis, Maryland, offered COVID-19 screening tests to nursing home patients across the country. Britton-Harr then allegedly fraudulently billed Medicare, through his company Provista Health, for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests for these patients. As alleged, these RPP tests were medically unnecessary, were never ordered by a treating physician as required, and many were never actually performed, including for patients who had died. Through Provista Health, Britton-Harr allegedly caused more than $15 million in fraudulent claims for RPP tests to be submitted to Medicare, for which Medicare paid more than $5 million.
As alleged in the second indictment, Britton-Harr owned and controlled AeroVanti and its affiliated entities. AeroVanti was a private air club that offered members a la carte access to private jets. Britton-Harr allegedly encouraged “Top Gun” members to pay $150,000 upfront to secure block flight hours. In return, Britton-Harr allegedly promised to use their money to purchase specific aircraft, in which the Top Gun members would have a securitized interest. Britton-Harr allegedly recruited nearly 100 Top Gun members, who collectively paid nearly $15 million in upfront payments, to purchase five aircraft. Instead of buying those aircraft, Britton-Harr allegedly misappropriated members’ money for his own personal benefit, including to purchase yachts and jewelry, to pay his living expenses, and to rent a property near Tampa, Florida. As alleged, Britton-Harr then attempted to conceal his fraud by obtaining a $1.5 million loan to purchase one of the aircraft he had already claimed to have purchased with Top Gun member funds by withholding material information from the lender to obtain the loan.
“The defendant allegedly perpetrated two fraud schemes, first exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare out of millions of dollars and then stealing millions more from customers of his aviation company, all for his personal benefit,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to rooting out bad actors who steal from taxpayer-supported health care programs and defraud American consumers.”
“It is unconscionable for someone to defraud the government and others for personal gain, especially as we faced a global health crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Britton-Harr showed a total disregard for those who depend on our Medicare system for health care services and for the individuals he scammed through his private-jet company. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law enforcement partners to bring those to justice who break the law and take advantage of others.”
“Patrick Britton-Harr’s repeated crimes reveal a man with no moral compass motivated by pure greed. His deceit and scheming resulted in a staggering amount of loss to American taxpayers and the public,” says Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “He tried to fleece the U.S. government out of millions by taking advantage of a national crisis. After his laboratory testing business failed, Britton-Harr again turned to deception. Time and again, he chose to lie, steal, and deceive. No more. This investigation holds Britton-Harr accountable for his crimes and sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not allow such despicable behavior to go unchecked.”
“Individuals who steal from Medicare waste taxpayer dollars and create incisions in the fabric that holds our health care system together,” stated Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue the pursuit of upholding the integrity, trust, and confidence in federal health care programs, which benefits the people they serve. HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continuously investigate alleged attempts to defraud these programs.”
“The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering and underscores the extraordinary lengths to which individuals will go to deceive and exploit others under the guise of legitimate business, including private aviation services,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region. “The DOT-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working in coordination with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who engage in egregious schemes designed solely for personal enrichment.”
Britton-Harr is charged with five counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in the indictment related to his RPP scheme. Additionally, Britton-Harr is charged with six counts of wire fraud in the indictment related to his AeroVanti scheme. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on each health care fraud and money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and DOT-OIG are investigating the cases.
Trial Attorneys David Peters and Chris Wenger of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Ari D. Evans for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and 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
A California man pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and distribution and receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, Monico Erich Gastelo, 43, of Fresno, sexually exploited children using different methods. For example, in January 2019, Gastelo created a social media account where he claimed to be an 18-year-old boy. Gastelo then used the account to converse with at least one minor and request sexually explicit content from them.
“Today’s plea should serve as a reminder of the Justice Department’s commitment to securing justice for victims of online child sexual exploitation,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I am grateful for the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who harm children.”
“Not only did this defendant revictimize abused children depicted in the images, but attempted to victimize actual children within his orbit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of child sexual predators.”
“Today’s guilty plea represents our agents’ and analysts’ continued focus on targeting predators who exploit children online,” said Special Agent in Charge Tatum King of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco. “Through collaboration with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department and the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, we will make every effort to identify, locate, and arrest these criminals to help prevent the harm that they cause to our children. We appreciate the prosecutorial work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in furtherance of this investigation.”
Between Jan. 1, 2020, and March 23, 2020, Gastelo communicated with other individuals who were sexually attracted to children on Wickr, Snapchat, and Telegram. He sent and received multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on these platforms. Forensic review of Gastelo’s phones showed that he had over 1,500 images and videos of suspected CSAM.
Gastelo’s conduct escalated in May of 2020. A minor victim reported to law enforcement that he had been sexually exploited online and that an individual, who was later identified to be Gastelo, had added him on Snapchat. Gastelo sent over a dozen images of his penis to the minor victim and insisted that the minor victim send back CSAM of himself.
Gastelo pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2025 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison up to 30 years in prison on the sexual exploitation count and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison up to 20 years in prison on the distribution and receipt count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Fresno County Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A former Killen, Alabama, Police Department (KPD) officer was sentenced today in the Northern District of Alabama to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty and for receiving sexually explicit photos of a minor.
According to documents filed in connection with this case, on Nov. 12, 2023, KPD Officer Jarrod Gailen Webster violated the civil rights of a woman after initiating a traffic stop on the woman’s vehicle. Webster asked the woman to step out of her vehicle and asked her what she wanted to do to “get out of this.” When the woman told Webster that she was not going to do anything for him, Webster handcuffed the woman and sexually assaulted her.
Further, between June 2016 and October 2018, Webster communicated with a minor by phone, and he asked the minor to produce and send him sexually explicit images. The minor victim sent multiple photos to Webster at his request, at least one of which constituted child sexual abuse material.
Webster pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of sexual exploitation of children on March 4, 2025.
“Jarrod Webster forcibly assaulted a woman after a traffic stop, and exploited a minor to receive sexually explicit images,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This was a gross abuse of his authority as a police officer and a betrayal of the public trust. I am proud of our DOJ Civil Rights team for holding him accountable.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that such criminal conduct will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “I commend the dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to ensure that Webster was held accountable for his actions.”
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with significant responsibility and are therefore held to a higher standard,” said Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons of the FBI Birmingham Field Office. “Today’s sentencing clearly demonstrates there are serious consequences when someone tarnishes the badge by breaking the law. Jerrod Webster brought shame to the badge by committing the horrific crimes of sexually assaulting a woman in his care and receiving sexually explicit images of a minor. His sentencing confirms that the FBI has zero tolerance for officials who prey on the citizens they are sworn to protect.”
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Royster for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.