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Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—On May 7, 2025, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

      “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

      “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

      If you harm or exploit a child and we can find a way to federally prosecute you, we will,” said Jonathan D. Ross, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “Protecting children from predators is one of the most important responsibilities we have at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The partnership among federal, state, and local law enforcement is crucial to bringing justice to the victims of these crimes.”

      “This operation is a testament to the efforts of the FBI and our dedicated law enforcement partners to protect children in our communities,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. “FBI Little Rock will continue to prioritize these investigations, seek justice for victims and hold predators accountable for their actions.”

      As part of Operation Restore Justice, on May 6, 2025, the FBI in the Eastern District of Arkansas arrested a defendant that is alleged to have distributed large amounts of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a chatroom dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children.  The day he was arrested, the defendant possessed a cellular telephone that had multiple images of CSAM to include an image depicting a fully nude pre-pubescent female laying on her back. The image also depicted the pre-pubescent female’s hands and feet tied together with a white cord or rope and blindfolded.

      Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

      In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

      This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

      The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

      The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

      The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

      Other online resources:

      Electronic Press Kit

      Violent Crimes Against Children

      How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

 

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

# # #

Additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

X (formerly known as Twitter):

@USAO_EDAR 

Source: US FBI

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that all five defendants charged with conspiring to launder proceeds for Nigerian sex extortionists have pleaded guilty.

• Dinsimore Guyton Robinson, 29, of Huntsville, Alabama, pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.
• Kendall Ormond London, 32, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025.
• Brian Keith Coldmon, Jr., 30, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025.
• Jarell Daivon Williams, 31, of McDonough, Georgia pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.
• Johnathan Demetrius Green, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.

          According to the Indictment, the conspirators used online payment systems to collect sextortion proceeds and send them to a Nigerian individual they referred to as “The Plug.” According to the Indictment, the sextortionists had boys and young men create nude images. After the sextortionists received those images, they allegedly had the victims send funds to the U.S.-based money launderers through online payment systems like Apple Pay, Cash App, and Zelle. The money launderers would keep about 20 percent of the money, convert the rest to bitcoin, and send the bitcoin to The Plug in Nigeria, who kept a portion and then sent the remainder to the sextortionists.

          The indictment alleges that conspirators laundered the funds of sextortion victims, including Jordan DeMay.  In November 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged three Nigerian nationals in a sextortion scheme that resulted in the death of Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old high school student from Marquette, Michigan, and targeted more than 100 other victims. Two of the three defendants in that case were extradited to the United States in August 2023 and pled guilty in April 2024 and were later sentenced.

          “These individuals helped and profited from this awful, heartbreaking scheme and so they now will face the consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge.  The conspiracy offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.  The court will decide the sentences upon consultation with federal sentencing guidelines and the individual circumstances.

          “Today’s guilty plea by the defendants serves as a strong reminder to anyone involved in sextortion or money laundering schemes,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Michigan Division. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the dedicated members of our FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force, as well as teams from the Grand Rapids Resident Agency, Lansing Resident Agency, Marquette Resident Agency, FBI Birmingham (Huntsville Resident Agency), and FBI Atlanta for their tireless efforts. We also deeply appreciate our partners at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. The FBI remains committed to protecting the American public and will continue to prioritize dismantling criminal networks that exploit our most vulnerable citizens.”

Safety Tips and Resources for Victims, Teens, and Parents

          The FBI provides the following tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes:

• Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
• Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
• Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
• Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
• Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
• Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.

          If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov. This FBI PSA and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children PSA share survivor stories and resources for individuals to get help. More FBI sextortion resources are available here.

          This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru.

          The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

###

Source: US FBI

FORT SMITH – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children. The FBI is relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us.”

“Our top priority in Western Arkansas is making our communities safer and better,” said the United States Attorney for Western Arkansas, David Clay Fowlkes.  “This crucial mission begins with protecting those who cannot protect themselves, particularly children residing in Western Arkansas. This operation, and many others like it, are vital to helping us accomplish this important mission by concentrating our efforts on prosecuting those who engage in child abuse.  Furthermore, this operation serves as a significant demonstration of our collaborative partnerships with federal, local, and state law enforcement officers who share our unwavering commitment to pursuing these important cases.”

“This operation is a testament to the efforts of the FBI and our dedicated law enforcement partners to protect children in our communities,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. “FBI Little Rock will continue to prioritize these investigations, seek justice for victims and hold predators accountable for their actions.”

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

Other online resources:

Electronic Press Kit

Violent Crimes Against Children

How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

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

Source: US FBI

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for threatening and cyberstalking his ex-girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge James DeLoatch.

U.S. District Court Judge Annmarie Axon sentenced Kenneth Peter Hoover, 27, to 37 months in prison. In November, Hoover pleaded guilty to interstate threatening communications and cyberstalking.

According to the plea agreement, on January 22, 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip concerning a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a user who was later identified as Hoover. In the posts, Hoover threatened to assault and kill his ex-girlfriend.  After the Tuscaloosa Police Department was notified of the posts, officers contacted the victim and secured safe housing for her. A few days later, a Tuscaloosa Police officer initiated a traffic stop on Hoover. The officer ordered Hoover to exit the vehicle, but Hoover refused to follow the officer’s orders. After several unsuccessful attempts to remove Hoover from the vehicle, additional officers responded to the scene and successfully placed Hoover into custody. The investigation determined that Hoover had used Apple iMessage, Snapchat, and Venmo to harass and intimidate the victim, sending threatening and violent messages with the intent to injure, harass, or intimidate her.

FBI Birmingham Division investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case. 

Source: US FBI

FAYETTEVILLE —A Florida couple, formerly of Northwest Arkansas, pleaded guilty Monday to defrauding Pandemic Relief Loan Programs. U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the plea hearing, in which Fawaad Welch, age 41, and Julia Youngblood, age 41, both waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a criminal information.  Welch pled to wire fraud and Youngblood pled to misprision of a felony related to the scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between May of 2020 through October of 2021, Welch and Youngblood applied for Pandemic Relief Loan Programs through their Arkansas business, Slipstream Creative, LLC, which was a Northwest Arkansas advertising and marketing company located in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Throughout the applications, Welch provided the lenders with false statements regarding their assets and liabilities and the intended use of funds received through the SBA7(a), Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Main Street Loan Programs.  Youngblood them signed those application on behalf of the business.   According to the information filed by the Government, after receiving the loan funds, Welch then diverted large parts of the loan proceeds for the personal benefit of the couple.  For example, in the applications submitted for these loans, the couple failed to disclose material information such as tax liabilities and the fact that they were receiving loans from the other loan programs.  Also, within months of receiving $1.5 million in “working capital” Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds in October 2021, Welch transferred $1.3 million of that loan to the couple’s personal bank account.  The couple then purchased a home in Florida using $445,000 of those Government program loan funds.  

According to the plea agreement entered into by Welch, after being asked by Generations Bank officials if Welch and Youngblood take salaries and informed that “the Fed restricts changes to your salaries with the [Main Street Loan Program] and doesn’t allow distributions, Welch replied, “Yes sir we do at 10k a month so all is good there.  5k a piece.”  After receiving the $3 million in program funds, within a month Welch had transferred $950,000 in Main Street Loan Program funds out of the business and to himself. 

In the plea agreements with the Government, the couple agrees that pursuant to this scheme, they should be held accountable for more than $3.5 million but less than $9.0 million in intended loss.

Following the preparation of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office, Welch and Youngblood will be scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Welch faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years in prison, and Youngblood faces a maximum penalty of three (3) years in prison.  Both individuals will also be assessed a period of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution. U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks will determine the couple’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney David Clay Fowlkes announced the change of plea hearings.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Relief investigated the case.

U. S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Wulff are prosecuting the case for the United States.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at

Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.

Source: US FBI

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham has pleaded guilty to gun and drug charged, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

Isiah De’Monte De’Mario Henley, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge John H. England to distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a machine gun, and being a felon in possession a firearm.

According to court documents, in July and August of 2024, Henley sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant on three occasions. On August 8, 2024, Henley sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to an informant in Birmingham. When agents attempted to arrest Henley following the drug transaction, Henley ran from the police into a nearby residence, dropped a bag, and ran out the front door. As Henley exited, agents noticed that he was armed with a black handgun with an extended magazine. Henley was ordered to drop the firearm, and he threw the gun into a vacant lot covered in tall grass before being apprehended. Law enforcement recovered the gun and found that it was altered to include a Glock switch and that the extended magazine was fully loaded. The bag Henley left inside the residence contained 465 grams of methamphetamine and over seven grams of fentanyl.

The FBI investigated the case along with the Vestavia Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd is prosecuting the case. 

Source: US FBI

LITTLE ROCK—Dezstiny Collins will spend the next 18 months in federal prison for lying to a grand jury. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on April 10, 2025, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.

A federal grand jury indicted Collins, 29, of Pine Bluff, in an indictment on August 3, 2022. She was charged in a one count indictment of false declarations before a grand jury. On December 5, 2024, Collins pleaded guilty to the perjury charge in the indictment.

Collins was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury on March 2, 2022, as part of an ongoing federal investigation into ammunition possessed by convicted felons during a shooting and homicide in Pine Bluff. During her testimony before the grand jury, Collins repeatedly denied being with the suspects from the February 26, 2019, shooting despite being confronted with surveillance video footage from local businesses that placed her with the suspects immediately prior to the shooting. At the change of plea hearing, Collins acknowledged that the testimony she provided before the grand jury was not truthful.

In addition to the 18-month sentence, Judge Miller sentenced Collins to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the FBI and Pine Bluff Police Department. The case was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Fields.

# # #

Additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

X (formerly known as Twitter):

@USAO_EDAR