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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old Guatemalan national is set to make his initial appearance in U.S. federal court on charges stemming from a crash of a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens – many of them Guatemalan – that killed more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Authorities arrested Daniel Zavala Ramos aka Dany ZR in Boquerón, Guatemala, Aug. 7 pursuant to a U.S. extradition request and was surrendered to U.S. authorities Oct. 21. He is now expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga in Laredo at 9:30 a.m.

The extradition is the result of sustained coordination between the Justice Department and Guatemalan authorities following an international enforcement operation carried out Dec. 9, 2024, the third anniversary of the tragedy. The extradition marks yet another significant step in the Justice Department’s efforts to bring those responsible to justice.

Also charged are Tomas Quino Canil, 37, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino aka Osvaldo ZQ, 25, Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, 43, and Alberto Marcario Chitic aka Alberto De Jesus, 32, who were all taken into custody in Guatemala Dec. 9, 2024. U.S. authorities arrested Jorge Agapito Ventura aka Jorge Ventura, George Ventura or El Raitero, 33, at his residence in Cleveland, Texas, the same day. All are now in federal custody pending further criminal proceedings.

All six are charged with conspiracy to bring illegal aliens into the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injuries and resulting in death.

According to court documents, from October 2021 to February 2023, all six worked with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of illegal aliens from Guatemala through Mexico into the United States. They allegedly recruited them, collected payment and arranged travel by foot, microbuses, cattle trucks and tractor-trailers.

In some instances, the scheme allegedly involved the smuggling of unaccompanied minors. According to the charges, they also provided illegal aliens with scripts and instructions on what to say if apprehended. The indictment further alleges some of the individuals they recruited died or suffered serious bodily injury as a result of the Dec. 9, 2021, crash.

If convicted, all face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s – Homeland Security Investigations’ Counter Proliferation Investigations Group in Washington D.C. conducted the joint investigation with HSI offices in Guatemala and Mexico with substantial assistance of HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit and HSI offices in Houston and Laredo, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, Operation Sentinel, Border Patrol, Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations in Houston, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas and Justice Department’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions. Guatemalan and Mexican prosecutors, with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day and Mary Lou Castillo are prosecuting the case along with Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall.

The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha. JTFA, a partnership with Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and 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, including the Southern District of California, Districts of Arizona and New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 420 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 370 U.S. convictions; more than 315 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the DOJ 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.

An indictment is merely an allegation. 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

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging a Portland resident with damaging cameras affixed to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building on June 12, 2025.

Alistair Sidener, 20, made an initial appearance in federal court last Friday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Sidener was released on conditions pending further court proceedings.

Depredation of federal property in an amount exceeding $1,000 is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

Since June 13, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 37 defendants with offenses committed near ICE facilities, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

COEUR D’ALENE – Alexander Scott Mercurio, 20, of Coeur d’Alene, pleaded guilty today, to Attempt to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.

According to court records, Mercurio pledged his allegiance to ISIS and intended to commit an attack in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on its behalf. In early 2023, he created an online repository for pro-ISIS content with the purpose of spreading the doctrine of the Islamic State. Although Mercurio desired to travel overseas to support ISIS, he lacked resources. He then made plans to conduct a terrorist attack within the United States. Mercurio planned to target churches in Coeur d’Alene on April 7, 2024, using various weapons. Mercurio purchased items to support his planned attack. Days before the planned attack, Mercurio stood before an ISIS flag holding a knife and pledged his allegiance to ISIS. The FBI arrested him on April 6, 2024, one day before his planned April 7, 2024 attack.

Sentencing is set for January 27, 2026, before Chief District Judge David C. Nye. Mercurio faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Bart Davis commended the investigation by the FBI with valuable assistance provided by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather S. Patricco and David G. Robins for the District of Idaho and attorneys from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, are prosecuting this case.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BILLINGS — According to a 2023 study by the Montana Office of Public Instruction, 17% of Native American high school students report using a prescription medication without a prescription. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day can help.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 25. The biannual event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at sites across Montana, including Native American reservations. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, and unused prescription drugs.

Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs.

“It’s an imperative that we protect Montana’s youth from opioid misuse and addiction, especially our Native American youth. More than one in six will use an opioid not prescribed to them. We encourage members of our reservation communities to take advantage of Drug Take Back Day by cleaning out their medicine cabinets. It’s a quick and easy way to help make our communities safer,” U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

“Every year, residents in our Division and around the country turn in thousands of pounds of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications,” said DEA RMFD Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “This simple action can help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental overdoses and poisonings.”

Numerous sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal agencies across Montana are participating in Take Back Day. Information about collection sites and more information about the event is available here: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.

Montana also offers year-round collection at many locations, including pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers, which can be found at these two websites: https://dphhs.mt.gov/BHDD/SubstanceAbuse/dropboxlocations, and https://www.dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day. Many of the year-round collection locations are in or near Montana’s reservation communities, including the IHS hospital in Browning, the Rocky Boy Health Center in Box Elder, the Milk River Pharmacy in Harlem, Northeast Montana Health Service in Poplar and Wolf Point, the Bighorn Valley Pharmacy in Hardin, the US Public Health Service in Lodge Grass, the PHS Indian Health Center in Lame Deer, and several locations in Ronan, Polson, and St. Ignatius.

During the last Take Back Day held on April 26, 2025, 4,472 law enforcement participants at 4,590 collection sites across the country brought in a total weight of 620,321 pounds, or 310 tons, of drugs. This brings the total weight collected to 19.8 million pounds, or more than 9,910 tons, of prescription drugs collected in the history of the program. Collection results may include materials other than prescription drugs.

During the April 2025 event, Montanans turned in 1,229 pounds of prescription drugs at 20 collection sites. Nineteen law enforcement agencies participated. Total all time weight collected in Montana is 59,506 pounds.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 25 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an agreement with the University of Virginia (“UVA”) that will protect UVA’s students, faculty, and employees from violations of federal civil rights laws, including from discrimination based on race, sex, or national origin.

As part of the agreement, the University of Virginia agrees to be bound by the Department of Justice’s “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination,” ensuring that UVA does not engage in unlawful racial discrimination in its university programming, admissions, hiring, or other activities. UVA will provide relevant information and data to the Department of Justice on a quarterly basis through 2028. The President of UVA will personally certify each quarter that UVA is in compliance with the agreement. The Department will pause its pending investigations into the university’s admissions policies and other civil rights concerns. The United States shall treat UVA as eligible for future grants and awards. If UVA completes its planned reforms prohibiting DEI at the university, the Department will close its investigations against UVA.

“This notable agreement with the University of Virginia will protect students and faculty from unlawful discrimination, ensuring that equal opportunity and fairness are restored,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate the progress that the university has made in combatting antisemitism and racial bias, and other American universities should be on alert that the Justice Department will ensure that our federal civil rights laws are enforced for every American, without exception.”   

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson Urges the Public to Safely Dispose of Unused, Unwanted, or Expired Prescription Medications

Source: United States Department of Justice

Defendants are alleged to have physically and psychologically abused the victim, exploiting her intellectual disability to compel her to panhandle, engage in fraudulent and criminal activities, and perform domestic chores for the defendants

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

United States Attorney Kurt Wall announces support of DEA’s Annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day to be held on October 25, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a bi-annual event that aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. Vaping devices and cartridges will be accepted as long as the lithium batteries are removed.

In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 authorized collectors at any time throughout the year. For more information, visit www.dea.gov/takebackday.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Memphis, TN – Michael Dunavant was sworn in on October 10, 2025, as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. In a brief ceremony, U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris administered the oath of office at the Odell Horton Federal Building in Memphis.

Dunavant was nominated by President Donald J. Trump on June 30, 2025, and was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 7, 2025. Dunavant is currently serving for the second time as the Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. In that role, he is the 50th and 54th person to serve as the chief federal prosecutor and legal representative of the United States for the 22 counties and approximately 1.6 million citizens of West Tennessee. Mr. Dunavant is the first person to serve the district twice as the Presidential appointee, having previously served as U.S. Attorney from 2017–2021 during the first Trump administration.

“I want to thank President Trump for nominating and appointing me serve in this important role again, and I am appreciative of Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty for their strong support during the confirmation process. Because I have previously served in this role, I am fully prepared to immediately carry out the priorities of the Department of Justice in West Tennessee and to faithfully execute and enforce the laws of Congress. Together with the dedicated professionals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, we will make Memphis and West Tennessee safe again by pursuing justice for victims, imposing consequences for criminals, upholding and promoting respect for the rule of law, supporting law enforcement, protecting the United States Treasury, and delivering better public safety outcomes for our citizens. I am glad to be back and ready to get to work.”

In addition to his service as the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Dunavant has served as the Deputy Executive Director of Legal Services & Policy for the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference from 2023-2025; the Chief Investigative Counsel for the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Division of Investigations from 2021-2023; and the elected District Attorney General for the 25th Judicial District of Tennessee, where he served as the chief state criminal prosecutor for Lauderdale, Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties in West Tennessee from 2006-2017. Prior to his service as District Attorney, Mr. Dunavant was a partner in the law firm of Carney, Wilder & Dunavant in Ripley, Tennessee.

A native of Ripley, Mr. Dunavant holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree with honors from the University of Mississippi at Oxford. He has been practicing law in Tennessee since 1995.

                                         

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Ashley Tellis, 64, a U.S. citizen residing in Vienna, Virginia, was arrested on Oct. 11 in connection with his alleged unlawful retention of classified national defense information. Tellis appeared today in the Eastern District of Virginia for a detention hearing.

“Safeguarding our country’s national defense information is a top priority,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sue J. Bai of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “For those entrusted with our country’s most sensitive information, protecting it is a privilege and solemn responsibility. With the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors and agents, we will hold this defendant accountable for breaching that trust and exploiting his security clearance to unlawfully retain classified information detailing our military capabilities.”

“The FBI arrested Ashley Tellis, a senior advisor at the Department of State and a contractor within the Department of Defense, for allegedly removing over a thousand pages of classified national defense information from government facilities and storing them in his home,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This arrest should serve as a stark warning to anyone thinking about undermining national security. The FBI and our partners will do everything within our power to find you and hold you accountable.”

“We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

“U.S. government security clearance holders are entrusted to keep our nation’s most sensitive secrets safe,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “By allegedly removing classified documents from government facilities and storing them in his basement, Mr. Tellis betrayed that trust. The FBI and our federal partners acted quickly to execute a court-authorized search warrant and arrest Tellis to protect our national security and prevent highly classified defense information from falling into the wrong hands.”

According to court documents, Tellis held a Top Secret security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access. He has worked for the U.S. Department of State since 2001 and currently serves in addition as a contractor for the Department of Defense’s Office of Net Assessment. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

As alleged, Tellis accessed classified documents on multiple occasions from secured facilities, including a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at the Department of Defense and a secure computer system at the Department of State. In one instance, Tellis altered the filename of a classified document, printed portions of it under the altered title, and then deleted the re-named file. In another incident, he was observed placing classified materials into a notepad and concealing them within his personal briefcase before leaving a secured government facility.

During a court-authorized search of Tellis’s residence, investigators recovered over 1,000 pages of documents with classification markings, including materials labeled SECRET and/or TOP SECRET. These documents were found in locked filing cabinets, in a basement home office, and in trash bags stored in a basement utility area.

The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section 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.