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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAN ANTONIO – Two Honduran nationals made their initial appearances in a federal court in San Antonio today following criminal charges related to their alleged illegal re-entry.

According to court documents, Marcos Joel Contreras-Max and Edwin Javier Chinchilla-Lopez were arrested during a multi-agency operation that was conducted in San Antonio on the morning of Nov. 16. Individuals arrested were transported to the South Texas ICE Processing Center, where databases revealed that Contreras-Max and Chinchilla-Lopez were in the United States illegally and had previously been removed from the U.S. to Honduras on or about Aug. 1, 2023, and March 14, 2025, respectively.

Contreras-Max and Chinchilla-Lopez are each charged with one count of illegal re-entry. If convicted, they face up to two years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The multi-agency operation was conducted by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), targeting suspected members of the foreign terrorist organization, Tren de Aragua. The operation resulted in the arrest of more than 140 individuals, who were taken into ICE custody for further investigation and immigration proceedings.

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

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating the case.

This operation and its resulting arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Antonio comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Enforcement and Removal Operations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Border Patrol, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the South Texas – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Proctor, West Virginia man was convicted today of two firearms charges after investigators discovered he was in possession of 15 guns and more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.

Gary Dean Siburt, 62, was found guilty of the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition due a prior felony conviction and a prior domestic violence conviction. The jury heard evidence of Siburt’s prior convictions, prohibiting him from possessing firearms. During the investigation, guns and ammunition were seized from Siburt’s home.

Siburt is facing up to 15 years for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Perri and Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

Investigative agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

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

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jwan Martine Smith, 40, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to being part of a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents, Smith worked with others to sell large quantities of fentanyl in Berkeley County, WV. 

Smith faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Malik Ray, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced to eight years and two months in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Operation Take Back America is a promise by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to deploy our law enforcement resources to protect our communities from the threats posed by drug traffickers and violent criminals, and this successful prosecution delivers on that promise by sending this defendant straight to federal prison for an extended stay behind bars.”

Court documents reflect that on October 22, 2024, officers with Florida Probation and Parole and the Tallahassee Police Department conducted a search of Ray’s residence pursuant to the terms of his Florida probation. During the search, officers found an AR-style pistol, over five pounds of marijuana, and other evidence of drug dealing. A subsequent investigation revealed that Ray had been distributing marijuana since at least March 2024.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Florida Department of Corrections, Office of Community Corrections, Circuit Two. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Welch.

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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Seattle – A 34-year-old prominent member of a Seattle street gang was ordered detained today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, following his October indictment on three federal felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Leanthony Palmer is scheduled for trial on sex trafficking, transportation for purpose of prostitution, and conspiracy to commit money laundering charges on December 22, 2025. Today Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida ordered him detained at the Federal Detention Center pending trial.

According to records filed in the case, Palmer is an acknowledged member of the Family Mafia Crips (FMC) street gang. He uses the moniker ‘Highway Tone.’ Palmer repeatedly posts online about his sex trafficking business and is in images with firearms and cash. His car, a 2017 Maserati Levante SUV, has been connected to drug trafficking activity. 

Evidence obtained during the course of the investigation revealed that Palmer uses social media to recruit potential victims, promising them international travel and financial benefits.  Palmer’s social media posts, videos, and text and phone communications contain statements by him in which he admits to assaulting victims. In March 2025, law enforcement responded after Palmer was alleged to have assaulted an adult victim who was trying to leave him by beating her and strangling her to unconsciousness.  Palmer has arrests in Nevada for domestic violence. He has been arrested in Idaho, Texas, and Massachusetts for illegal firearms possession.

The indictment alleges that Palmer was laundering money earned from sex trafficking in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties, as recently as October 8, 2025.

In asking that Palmer be detained prosecutors wrote to the court, “If Palmer is released from custody, the government believes that he will continue his pattern of violence to intimidate or silence victims and witnesses. Agents have interviewed multiple of Palmer’s prior sex workers during this investigation. They all expressed significant fear of reprisal if they were to cooperate.”

The Magistrate Judge ruled there were no conditions that could be imposed on Palmer that would keep the community safe if he were released from custody.

If convicted of all counts Palmer faces 15 years to life in prison.

The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the FBI.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Dillon and Kate Crisham. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

            WASHINGTON – Malik Kearney, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday in Superior Court, for carjacking and firearms offenses stemming from two separate carjackings in December, 2024, and January, 2025, in Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Kearney pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025, to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for offenses that occurred on December 28, 2024, and to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for the January 3, 2025, offenses.

            On November 18, the Honorable Judge Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Kearney to 14 years in prison.  Judge Hertzfeld sentenced his co-defendant, Erick Alvarenga, to 14 years in prison on August 29, 2025.  Kearney and Alvarenga were both sentenced to three years of supervised release following their terms of incarceration.

            According to the proffer of facts, on December 28, 2024, around 4:45 a.m., the first victim was in a Jeep SUV that was parked in the 6100 block of Eastern Avenue, Northeast, when the defendants approached, one of whom was armed with a black handgun. Alvarenga and Kearney told the victim to get out of the car and to give them the keys. The victim complied with the demand and exited the vehicle. The defendants then drove away from the scene in the victim’s vehicle. 

           The second offense occurred days later, on January 3, 2025, around 3:00 p.m. when the second victim was at a gas station in the 4200 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, Northeast. As the victim finished putting gas in his Dodge sedan, Alvarenga used the Jeep which had been stolen on December 28, 2024, to block in the second victim’s car. Kearney then approached the second victim with a handgun and ordered him out of his car. Kearney got behind the wheel of the Dodge, and both vehicles fled in the same direction.

           Alvarenga and Kearney were arrested on January 3, 2025, and have been detained during the pendency of this case.

           Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Randle Wilson and Amanda Claire Hoover, who prosecuted the case. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Attorney’s Office today filed lawsuits against two individuals alleging they fraudulently applied for and received CARES Act pandemic relief funds:

•    Ahmed Suja, of South Portland, is alleged to have fraudulently applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in the amount of $20,833.

•    Kamil Suja, also of South Portland, is alleged to have fraudulently applied and received a PPP loan in the amount of $20,832.

As alleged in each of the complaints, the defendants misrepresented that they each owned and operated sole proprietorships with annual gross revenues of approximately $100,000. In reality, neither defendant owned any business. As alleged in the complaint against Kamil Suja, Kamil Suja used the PPP loan funds on a variety of non-qualifying expenditures, such as the purchase of a car and to fund securities purchases on an online trading platform. 

The complaints against Ahmed and Kamil Suja were brought by the United States pursuant to the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). The FCA provides that any person who “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval” or “knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim” is liable to the United States for three times the amount of damages that the United States sustains, plus a civil penalty for each FCA violation. For FCA violations assessed after July 3, 2025, the minimum penalty per violation is $14,308.

FIRREA provides that the Attorney General may recover civil penalties against persons who knowingly make a false statement for the purpose of influencing a decision by the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration or to obtain a loan, money, or anything of value under the SBA’s 7(a) program, including the PPP. For FIRREA violations assessed after July 3, 2025, the maximum penalty per violation is $2,513,215.   

The complaints filed by the United States are a result of the District of Maine’s ongoing efforts to identify and investigate fraudulently obtained pandemic relief funds. Recent amendments to federal law have extended the statute of limitations for civil and criminal fraud enforcement actions concerning PPP loans and other CARES Act pandemic relief funds from six to 10 years.

The civil actions are docketed United States v. Suja, 2:25-cv-00576-SDN (D. Me.); and United States v. Suja, 2:25-cv-00577-SDN (D. Me.).

The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BOSTON – A New Hampshire woman, formerly employed at a daycare in Tyngsborough, Mass., and her former intimate partner have pleaded guilty to child exploitation and child pornography charges.

Lindsay Groves, 40, of Hudson, N.H., pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2025 to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Feb. 4, 2026. Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, of Nashua, N.H., a former New Hampshire State Representative, pleaded guilty on Nov. 3, 2025 to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 12, 2026.

Groves and Laughton were arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023 and July 2023, respectively. They were both subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023.

Groves worked at Creative Minds located in Tyngsborough, Mass. Between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves took nude images of children at the day care and sent the photos to Laughton, with whom she was previously in an intimate relationship. Specifically, Groves used natural bathroom breaks for the children (routine diaper/pull-up changes prior to “naptime”) to take multiple photos of the prepubescent children in a private bathroom and then sent the photos to Laughton via text message.

Forensic review of Grove’s and Laughton’s cellphones revealed over 10,000 text messages between them during an approximate one-month period in 2023. These messages included discussion about, and transfer of, explicit photographs that Groves had taken of children while employed at Creative Minds – including at least four sexually explicit images of children who appear to be approximately three to five years old.

All minor victims involved in this matter have been identified and their families have been contacted by law enforcement.

The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Nashua (N.H.) Police Chief Kevin Rourke made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire; Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office; and the Hudson, N.H. Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Soto and Anne Paruti of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.