Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) announced they renewed their agreement establishing the bipartisan Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission to provide recommendations for nominations during the 119th Congress for U.S. Attorneys and federal judicial positions. Currently, there are vacancies in the U.S. Attorney positions for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin. Additionally, U.S. Circuit Court Justice Diane Sykes recently announced she will go into senior status on October 1, 2025, necessitating a nomination for consideration by the Wisconsin Senators to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
“The goal for all officers of the court, especially judges, should be the equal application of law. Our judicial commission has worked in the past, and it can work in the future, if everyone concentrates on finding individuals who will apply the law and not alter it to fit their ideological or policy preferences. I look forward to working with the commission to find individuals to recommend to President Trump who will provide that type of justice for the citizens of Wisconsin,” said Sen. Johnson.
“I am proud to work with Senator Johnson this Congress to select qualified, impartial candidates to serve our state and faithfully apply the law. I have full confidence our bipartisan nominating commission will do its job well of rigorously vetting and selecting candidates with the character, expertise, and experience required to fairly deliver justice for our constituents,” said Sen. Baldwin.
Home Newsroom Labrador Letter: Idaho Launches Summer Operation to Protect Children Online
Dear Friends, This week, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address at the Idaho State Capitol to help launch Operation Safe Online Summer,a new statewide initiative led by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The operation will intensify efforts to identify and arrest online child predators during the summer months and highlights our continued commitment to protecting Idaho’s children from exploitation. The kickoff event brought together law enforcement officers, prosecutors, legislators, and victim witness coordinators to recognize outstanding ICAC-affiliated partners and reinforce Idaho’s ongoing mission to protect children from online exploitation. The newly launched Operation Safe Online Summer follows a national model similar to previous initiatives like Operation Broken Heart and will include enhanced investigative coordination, arrests, and community education on internet safety. During the event, we also highlighted key legislative advancements, including Idaho’s new law criminalizing AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery (Idaho House Bill 46, 2024)—a forward-looking statute that gives prosecutors new tools to combat evolving digital threats. ICAC leadership recognized several agencies and individuals for exemplary contributions to Idaho’s ICAC efforts:
Detective Christian Teague, Madison County Sheriff’s Office Representatives Bruce Skaug and Dori Healey Canyon County Sheriff’s Office Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office Coeur d’Alene Police Department Idaho Falls Police Department Owyhee County Prosecutor’s Office
We also celebrated the addition of Badger, Idaho’s newest Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 and certified therapy dog. Trained to detect concealed digital evidence, Badger expands Idaho’s capabilities in locating illicit materials hidden on small devices. You can read more about Badger here. Our office has made the fight against online child exploitation a top priority. Through enhanced enforcement, new legislation, interagency collaboration, and public awareness, Idaho is taking decisive action to protect children. Operation Safe Online Summer reinforces that commitment with increased vigilance during the months when children are most vulnerable online. Since becoming Attorney General, we’ve expanded and restructured ICAC—resulting in more arrests last year (55) than in the previous three years combined. I’m proud of our ICAC team, our law enforcement partners, and every victim advocate committed to protecting children in Idaho. Anyone with information about the exploitation of children is urged to contact their local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at (208) 947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. To learn more about the Idaho ICAC Task Force and access online safety resources, visit ICACIdaho.org. Best regards,
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)
Lawmakers: “The government should not be able to falsely accuse individuals in the United States, including U.S. citizens, of gang membership and send them to foreign prisons without any judicial review or remedy.”
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led 13 of their colleagues in a letter to President Trump condemning hisunlawful invocationof theAlien Enemies Actof 1798. The letter follows the Supreme Court’s recent decision to only allow Trump tocontinue rapid deportationsunder the statute if individuals are given notice and an opportunity to challenge the deportation. Senator Hirono and Representative Omar also lead the introduction of the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, legislation that would repeal the antiquated Alien Enemies Act.
“We write regarding your unlawful invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, resulting in noncitizens being deported without any due process, not to mention violating the requirement that the statute be invoked only in response to an act of war, predatory incursion, or invasion by a foreign government,” begin the lawmakers. “Our immigration laws can already hold gang members accountable and provide for their deportation. The government should not be able to falsely accuse individuals in the United States, including U.S. citizens, of gang membership and send them to foreign prisons without any judicial review or remedy.”
In 1798, President John Adams signed the “Alien and Sedition Acts” which was comprised of four bills: The Naturalization Act; the Alien Friends Act; the Sedition Act; and the Alien Enemies Act. Today, the Aliens Enemies Act (AEA) is the only one that remains in effect. The AEA allows the president to target foreign nationals of a specific country to be “apprehended, restrained, secured and removed” without due process during wartime.
The Act has only been invoked three times in American history: the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II. In their letter, the lawmakers assert that Tren de Aragua—a Venezuelan gang—does not qualify as an arm of the Venezuelan government.
“By claiming a foreign ‘invasion’ or ‘incursion,’ you are clearly attempting to suspend due process for noncitizens and speed up your mass deportation campaign,” the lawmakers continued. “Circumventing immigration law, and its requirement of verifiable evidence, will result in people with no gang affiliation being incorrectly targeted and deported.”
The lawmakers also emphasized that the Trump Administration’s choice of deportation sites will likely subject people to human rights abuses as El Salvador’s prisons are notorious for their inhumane conditions, including denial of medical care, lack of food, and outright torture.
“Over 260 people have died in those prisons in the last two and a half years, including some with signs of serious physical abuse,” wrote the lawmakers. “We should not subject individuals to mistreatment and more, much less individuals who have had no due process and have not been found guilty of any crimes.”
In their letter, the lawmakers also demand that the Trump Administration provide regular updates about the people who have already been deported, as well as information about deportees including their names, nationalities, ages, the number of individuals under the age of 18, and what evidence was used to determine whether an individual was a member of Tren de Aragua.
“Invoking the Alien Enemies Act does not make Americans safer,” concluded the lawmakers. “It endangers all of us, by removing due process protections and ignoring the plain text of the statute.”
In the Senate, this letter was also signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).
In the House, this letter was also signed by Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Greg Casar (D-TX).
The full text of the letter is availablehereand below.
Dear President Trump:
We write regarding your unlawful invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, resulting in noncitizens being deported without any due process, not to mention violating the requirement that the statute be invoked only in response to an act of war, predatory incursion, or invasion by a foreign government. Our immigration laws can already hold gang members accountable and provide for their deportation.The government should not be able to falsely accuse individuals in the United States, including U.S. citizens, of gang membership and send them to foreign prisons without any judicial review or remedy. The Supreme Court, when confronted with the manner in which you conducted the removals, unanimously rejected the implementation and its corresponding lack of notice and opportunity to challenge individuals’ removals. Moreover, deporting these individuals to Salvadorian prisons will also subject them to inhumane conditions, further exacerbating the legal issues in invoking the Alien Enemies Act.
The Alien Enemies Act was passed as part of the infamous Alien and Sedition Acts, and it was used during World War II to detain tens of thousands of innocent Japanese, German, and Italian individuals based on nothing but their ethnicity. This wartime use of the Alien Enemies Act served as a precursor to Executive Order 9066, resulting in the incarceration of 111,000 Japanese Americans. Those who were caught up in that xenophobic panic, as well as organizations like the Japanese American National Museum, have condemned your recent invocation of the act.
We reiterate that the plain language of the law limits the president’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to two enumerated situations: times of declared war, and times of invasion or “predatory incursion” by a foreign nation or government. The Act has only been invoked three times in American history: the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II. A Venezuelan gang does not qualify as an arm of the Venezuelan government.
By claiming a foreign “invasion” or “incursion,” you are clearly attempting to suspend due process for noncitizens and speed up your mass deportation campaign. Circumventing immigration law, and its requirement of verifiable evidence, will result in people with no gang affiliation being incorrectly targeted and deported. Multiple individuals who were subjected to the Alien Enemies Act had ongoing cases arguing that they were not members of Tren de Aragua. An attorney for one individual says that her client was mislabeled as a member of the gang due to a tattoo supporting the Spanish soccer team Real Madrid and for flashing the popular hand symbol for “rock and roll.” Another individual is a tattoo artist. A third individual was a make-up artist who was seeking asylum due to his sexual orientation.
Aside from these foregoing concerns, your choice of deportation sites will likely subject people to human rights abuses. El Salvador’s prisons are notorious for their inhumane conditions, including denial of medical care, lack of food, and outright torture. Over 260 people have died in those prisons in the last two and a half years, including some with signs of serious physical abuse. An Amnesty International UK report accused the Salvadorian authorities of a “systematic policy of torture towards all those detained.” The specific prison that will house the deported individuals, the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT), has been described as a place “to dispose of people without formally applying the death penalty.” According to a Times reporter who watched the individuals be transferred to CECOT, the “intake began with slaps.” When detainees fell due to how quickly they were being moved, they were kicked, slapped, and shoved. One person asked for his mom and cried. He was slapped again. We should not subject individuals to mistreatment and more, much less individuals who have had no due process and have not been found guilty of any crimes.
At this point, we request that you provide us with information and regular updates on the following:
The names, nationalities, and ages of the people sent to El Salvador to be imprisoned in CECOT, including the number of individuals under the age of 18;
What evidence was used to determine that each individual was a member of Tren de Aragua;
The overall estimated costs and sources of funding associated with detaining and deporting these individuals; and
The procedures for individuals to challenge your administration’s determination that they are a member of Tren de Aragua, either here in the United States or in El Salvador, including how much time you provide to individuals to mount a legal challenge.
In closing, invoking the Alien Enemies Act does not make Americans safer. It endangers all of us, by removing due process protections and ignoring the plain text of the statute. We urge you to abandon this decision.
Search for overdue bushwalker in state’s south-west
Saturday, 19 April 2025 – 10:11 am.
A search including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter has been commenced in the Farmhouse Creek area in the State’s south-west for an overdue bushwalker.Police were notified about 8am this morning that a 28-year-old man had separated from his bushwalking colleague.The man was last seen about 9am yesterday on the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse near the Lake Sydney Track junction.The man is believed to be an experienced bushwalker but was not carrying a personal locator beacon.Anyone with information should call Police on 131444 and quote ESCAD reference 000072-19042025.
New details on the targets and motives behind the global hacking scandal emerge amid an escalating international legal battle.
Reports of a major hack-for-hire scheme began to appear after the 2019 indictment of an Israeli private investigator, Aviram Azari, and the groundbreaking 2020 research by Citizen Lab into hacking-for-hire groups. Both Azari’s indictment and Citizen Lab’s report found that individuals and groups had been targeted by hackers, allegedly under the direction of private investigators that were working with powerful clients.
These clients appear to include DCI Group (DCI), a public relations and lobbying firm based in Washington D.C. One of DCI’s clients at the time the hacking allegedly occurred was ExxonMobil Corporation (Exxon), according to multiple news outlets’ analysis of court documents revealed this January and a source contacted by Reuters. During the same period that hacking occurred, the victims of the hacking appear to have been involved with the #ExxonKnew campaign and associated climate accountability litigation. The hack targets indicate a potential motive to derail momentum behind these lawsuits and #ExxonKnew campaigns, which accused ExxonMobil of knowing about and deliberately hiding or miscommunicating about climate change and the impacts of the industry.
Since the investigation of Azari, another private investigator, Amit Forlit, has recently been indicted and appears to be connected to the same hacking scheme involving Exxon based on court documents for both investigators and their business connections with each other at the time hacking occurred. To what extent Azari and Forlit worked together is not yet known, but court documents have suggested they are business associates. The news of Forlit’s involvement became public when the U.S. Department of Justice filed a request for Forlit to be extradited from the U.K. in 2024. DCI and Exxon were not named in the U.S. request to extradite Forlit for alleged hacking involvement, but Forlit’s lawyer mentioned both companies in his defense.
The source contacted by Reuters provides the most detailed account of what allegedly occurred. According to that account, the hacking scheme began in late 2015, with DCI arranging targets, providing them to Forlit, who then worked with third-party contractors to conduct hacking. Reuters determined that “In an effort to push a narrative that Exxon was the target of a political vendetta aimed at destroying its business, some of the stolen material was subsequently leaked to the media by DCI.” Moreover, the source alleges that the National Association of Manufacturers, an industry group that received funding from Exxon, used hacked material to pressure the U.S. Supreme Court to drop a lawsuit against Exxon, Energy Transfer subsidiary Sunoco, and other oil and gas companies. The lawsuit was filed by the city and county of Honolulu and charges the companies for climate damages.
Both DCI and Exxon have publicly stated that they were not involved in any illegal activity, including hacking. An Exxon spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal in 2023 that the company “has no knowledge of Azari, had no involvement in any hacking activities and has not been accused of any wrongdoing. To be clear, ExxonMobil has done nothing wrong”. A spokesperson stated that “if there was any hacking involved, we condemn it in the strongest possible terms” to NPR two years later.
DCI partner Craig Stevens denied the firm’s involvement in a statement to NPR, saying “Allegations of DCI’s involvement with hacking supposedly occurring nearly a decade ago are false and unsubstantiated… Meanwhile, radical anti-oil activists and their donors are peddling conspiracy theories to distract from their own anti-U.S. energy activities”.
Neither company has been charged with any wrongdoing, though environmental groups and a few U.S. senators have called for a formal investigation. Initial investigations around Azari involved additional clients that have not been named; Forlit also had other clients though extradition orders focus on his involvement with DCI and Exxon. According to an anonymous source to the Wall Street Journal, DCI partner Justin Peterson commissioned the hacking and was a key connection to Forlit.
Citizen Lab’s research, as well as court documents against Azari, indicate that there is a large hack-for-hire industry whose clients may include a range of organizations from large oil and gas companies like Exxon, to financial firms, industry groups, and so on. Targets of these hacking schemes include climate groups like Greenpeace, but have also included public defenders, government officials, politicians, financial companies, banks, and others.Citizen Lab did not identify Azari, Forlit, or other individuals working as private investigators who sought hacking services. The investigation of Azari and Forlit came from FBI probes into hacking operations.
Despite the sentencing of Azari in 2023, the clients who ordered or benefited from hacking were never named. The Southern District of New York identified that Exxon publicly used hacked material, suggesting they may be a client of the hack-for-hire operations. Many victims of hacking were notified by Citizen Lab during their investigations, however the full extent of the hacking scheme is still unknown.
The lack of any real investigation by Exxon is another example of the oil and gas industry avoiding accountability. Compounded with their efforts to seek legal immunity using tactics employed by the gun industry, filing SLAPP and other predatory lawsuits against journalists and activists, financially backing anti-protest legislation at the state and federal level, and a decades-long disinformation campaign, the industry may stop at nothing to ensure its dominance.
Despite evidence to the contrary, Exxon has continued to deny any involvement in the hack-for-hire scheme being investigated and the full extent of the hack is still unclear.
As a result, we are calling on:
The U.S. Department of Justice to fully investigate the hack-for-hire scheme.
Exxon’s board to commission an independent, internal investigation to determine how Exxon became connected to the hacking scheme, and to identify who may have been involved.
Congress to resist all attempts by the fossil fuel industry to secure a “liability waiver” which would grant “immunity” from any effort to hold the industry accountable for climate damages.
The details of the hack-for-hire scheme have been revealed over the last six years with research by Citizen Lab and the federal investigation of two private investigators. Clients and benefactors of the hacking have yet to be formally investigated.
Tech giant Google has just suffered another legal blow in the United States, losing a landmark antitrust case. This follows on from the company’s loss in a similar case last year.
Social media giant Meta is also currently embroiled in a landmark legal battle in the US that could change not only how it operates, but how millions of people around the world communicate.
Hearings in the Meta case commenced earlier this week in a court in Washington DC, after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg failed to settle the case for US$450 million. Brought by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the suit alleges Meta broke antitrust laws and illegally secured a monopoly over social media platforms.
Along with Google and Meta, Amazon and Apple are also currently facing significant antitrust challenges in the US.
All of these actions are continuing despite major changes in both the FTC and the US Department of Justice as a result of the election of Donald Trump.
Collectively, these cases represent a substantial regulatory push to examine and potentially curb the market power of big tech. So what are all of these cases about exactly? What are the next steps in each of them? And what might they mean for consumers?
The cases against Google
The case Google just lost was related to online advertising.
The US Department of Justice alleged Google had behaved anticompetitively to monopolise the complex digital advertising technology market. This market facilitates the buying and selling of online ads.
The US district judge, Leonie Brinkema, agreed Google has a monopoly over the tools used by online publishers to host ad space, and the software that facilitates transactions between online publishers and advertisers.
In her ruling, Judge Brinkema said Google had “wilfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts” which ultimately resulted in it obtaining “monopoly power in the open-web display publisher ad server market”.
Google has said it will appeal the decision. The Department of Justice will ask the court to require Google to divest parts of its ad tech business when the remedies phase of this trial starts later this month.
The second case involving Google is related to internet search.
The Department of Justice argued Google used exclusionary agreements, such as paying Apple billions annually to be the default search engine on iPhones, to lock out competitors.
The case has now moved to the remedies phase. A crucial remedies trial is scheduled to begin next week. During this, the court will hear arguments on what actions should be taken against Google. Potential remedies could be significant, with regulators previously suggesting measures such as restrictions on Google’s Android operating system or even forcing the sale of its Chrome browser.
Google has stated its intention to appeal this ruling as well.
The core of the FTC’s argument is that Meta employed a “buy-or-bury” strategy to eliminate competitive threats.
This allegedly involved acquiring nascent rivals, most notably Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, specifically to neutralise them before they could challenge Facebook’s dominance.
The FTC points to internal communications as evidence of anticompetitive intent. These include Mark Zuckerberg’s statement, “It is better to buy than compete”. They also include an internal memo which showed Zuckerberg considered spinning off Instagram in 2018 over concerns about antitrust scrutiny.
The commission argues Meta’s actions stifled innovation and harmed consumers by limiting choices. It’s seeking to force Meta to divest, or sell off, both Instagram and WhatsApp.
Meta vigorously defends its actions. It argues it does not hold a monopoly, facing fierce competition from platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).
The company contends the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were pro-competitive, allowing Meta to invest billions to improve and scale the apps, ultimately benefiting users. A key defence point is that the FTC itself reviewed and approved both deals over a decade ago.
The trial is expected to last eight weeks.
The cases against Apple and Amazon
In March 2024, the Department of Justice, along with several states, sued Apple, alleging it illegally maintains a monopoly in the smartphone market.
The lawsuit claims Apple uses its control over the iPhone ecosystem to stifle competition and innovation by, for example, degrading messaging quality between iPhones and Android devices and limiting the functionality of third-party digital wallets and smartwatches.
Apple filed a motion to dismiss the case in August 2024. The litigation is in its early stages and is expected to continue for several years.
In September 2023, the FTC, joined by numerous states, also sued Amazon.
The lawsuit alleges the tech giant unlawfully maintains monopoly power in both the market for “online superstores” (where consumers shop) and “online marketplace services” (for third-party sellers).
The FTC claims Amazon uses interlocking anticompetitive tactics. These include punishing sellers for offering lower prices elsewhere, coercing sellers into using its services, degrading search results with excessive ads, and charging exorbitant seller fees.
In late 2024, the presiding judge largely denied Amazon’s attempt to dismiss the core federal claims, allowing the case to proceed.
Taken together, these lawsuits represent the most significant antitrust enforcement push against major technology firms in the US in decades. They signal a fundamental re-examination of how competition laws apply to fast-evolving digital platforms and ecosystems.
The outcomes could potentially lead to major structural changes. These changes could include the forced breakup of companies such as Meta, or significant behavioural remedies restricting how these firms operate.
Regardless of the specific results, the decisions in these cases will likely set crucial legal precedents. In turn, these will profoundly shape the future competitive landscape for technology. They will also likely influence regulation globally, and impact innovation and investment across the digital economy.
What the cases do not reflect is the change in independence of regulatory bodies in the US, where consistency with White House policy is now paramount. The outcomes will surely test the relationship between Trump and the “tech bros” who’ve, quite literally, been at his side recently.
Rob Nicholls is a member of the Sydney University Centre for AI, Trust, and Governance and also receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from April 12, 2025, through April 18, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 329 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 130 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 179 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. The United States also charged one individual with failing to register, as required by law.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Manuel Ivan Rodriguez-Loya: On April 13, 2025, Manuel Ivan Rodriguez-Loya was arrested for Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. Border Patrol agents from the Lordsburg, New Mexico Station attempted to stop Rodriguez-Loya’s vehicle, but he failed to yield, leading agents on a high-speed chase into Arizona. Agents from the Willcox, Arizona Station then positioned themselves to intercept the vehicle and eventually caught Rodriguez-Loya. He was found to be transporting eight illegal aliens at the time, including citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. [Case Number: MJ-25-00365-TUC-BGM]
United States v. Emilio Escobar-Escalante: On April 15, 2025, Emilio Escobar-Escalante was sentenced to 37 months in prison for Reentry of Removed Alien. Border Patrol agents discovered Escobar-Escalante in the desert near Vamori, Arizona on January 10, 2024. He initially gave a false name but was ultimately identified as Escobar-Escalante. His identity revealed that he is a documented member of the Latin Kings and MS-13 criminal gangs. Immigration records showed that Escobar-Escalante has been removed from the United States seven times. Escobar-Escalante has previous convictions for illegal reentry, as well as racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. [Case Number: CR-24-00541-TUC-CKJ]
United States v. Antonio Terrell Gaither: On April 15, 2025, Antonio Terrell Gaither was indicted for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States for Profit. According to the criminal complaint, Gaither admitted to using Telegram and burner phones to recruit others to travel to the southern border to pick up illegal aliens before transporting them to Phoenix, Arizona. [Case Number: CR-25-00566-PHX-KLM]
United States v. Felipe Alonso-Cabada: On April 17, 2025, Felipe Alonso-Cabada, aka Oscar Sanchez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged for Reentry of Removed Alien. According to the criminal complaint, after being arrested on local charges in Phoenix, Arizona, it was determined that Alonso-Cabada had been previously deported after a conviction for trafficking heroin. [Case number: MJ-25-5220-PHX-DMF]
United States v. Eduardo Prado Flores: On April 17, 2025, Eduardo Prado Flores, an alien illegally present in the United States was charged with Failure to Register as an Alien under 8 U.S.C. § 1306(a). Flores, who was removed to Mexico on five occasions, has been living in the United States unlawfully since 2022. On April 16, 2025, Flores was turned over to the Department of Homeland Security after being arrested for Driving Under the Influence. While he was living in the United States from 2022 to 2025, Flores failed to file any immigration paperwork or register as required by law. [Case Number: MJ-25-5225-PHX]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZfor the latest news.
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Juan Demetrio Villalpando Dominguez, 65, of California, was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the plea agreement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted long-term, overlapping investigations of Villalpando Dominguez’s son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando, Jr. a/k/a “Junior,” and others. Two confidential sources made controlled purchases of narcotics in furtherance of the investigations. These controlled purchases were often negotiated with Mexico-based sources of supply and carried out by the suppliers’ associates in the Denver metropolitan area.
Drug proceeds collected from Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr.’s customers by one confidential informant were aggregated and then sent in packages addressed to an uncharged person. The true recipient of the money, however, was Villalpando Dominguez. Villalpando Dominguez would then arrange for his son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr., to receive the money in Mexico.
“Money laundering is a serious offense that enables drug traffickers to peddle their deadly wares,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “We will hold offenders accountable.”
“Facilitating drug trafficking by funneling illegal proceeds back to Mexico perpetuates the scourge of the drug epidemic in our communities,” said Amanda Prestegard, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “Removing these money launderers from the streets and putting them in prison is a result of the hard work of CI special agents, who proudly provide financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice and keep our communities safe.”
“Dismantling cartels requires more than seizing drugs – it includes cutting off the flow of illicit money that fuels their operations. That’s why targeting the money laundering component of these networks is a key priority,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “With our partners at IRS-CI and ICE, the FBI continues to take a strategic, coordinated approach to bring these complex criminal enterprises to justice and safeguard all Americans from the devastating impact of illegal drugs.”
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and DHS conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Duncan and Michael Houlihan, as well as by former Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are pushing Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz to provide a full picture of the DOJ’s use of Confidential Human Sources (CHS) and undercover agents on January 6, 2021 (J6) during the electoral certification in Washington, D.C.
The chairmen are seeking clarity on whether, in addition to the 26 previously identified Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) CHSs present on J6, any of DOJ’s other federal law enforcement agencies had employees, contractors or untasked CHSs assigned to the area. DOJ component agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
Inspector General Horowitz’s April 7, 2025, response to the chairmen noted that his office “did not request all of the text messages for all of the 26 CHSs and their handlers.” The Inspector General’s response also failed to answer whether his office obtained all classified communications as part of its review. The chairmen have requested all communications, including text messages, between DOJ component agency handlers and their CHSs/undercover agents.
“It’s well past time the American people received complete transparency and clarity regarding the full extent of the Justice Department and its component agencies’ involvement in the events of J6. Inspector General Horowitz must be thorough in his approach and shed light on every corner of the department he oversees. We expect Horowitz to bring finality to this investigation by fully complying with our requests,” Grassley and Johnson said of their oversight push.
Background:On December 12, 2024, the DOJ Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report revealing that 26 FBI CHSs were present at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Quickly after the report’s release, Grassley and Johnson wrote to Horowitz requesting more information, including whether DOJ component agencies other than FBI had tasked or untasked CHSs present at the Capitol that day. Horowitz’s response on April 7, 2025, failed to address all of the chairmen’s questions and requests. Today’s letter follows up on their December 12 inquiry and asks for a timely response for all requested records.
Read the full letter HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assess whether The People’s Forum and Code Pink are obligated to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), due to the group’s reported Chinese Communist Party ties.
“Evidence suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have been funded and influenced by Mr. [Neville Roy] Singham and the communist Chinese government, both of which are foreign principals. The evidence also suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have engaged in covered political activities that directly advance the communist Chinese government’s political and policy interests,” Grassley wrote.
“Secretive foreign lobbying and public relations campaigns by China and other adversaries undermines the political will and interests of the American people. The People’s Forum and Code Pink’s reported role in advancing policies in favor of the communist Chinese government is more than alarming and their potential obligation to register as foreign agents for purposes of FARA ought to be investigated,” Grassley continued.
Read Grassley’s letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel HERE.
Background:
Neville Roy Singham is a social activist and billionaire who reportedly “works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide.” Singham has reportedly attended Communist Party workshops focused on “promoting the party internationally,” shares office space and staff with the Shanghai Maku Cultural Communication Company and co-produces a YouTube show that’s partially financed by China’s propaganda department.
The People’s Forum, self-described as a “political and cultural hub,” is also funded in large part by Singham – who reportedly donated over $20.4 million through a series of shell organizations and donor advisory groups. The People’s Forum offers courses titled, “Lenin and the Path to Revolution” and “China75 – When the People Stand Up.” The group joined Code Pink in hosting a conference moderated by the Qiao Collective, known as “a diaspora Chinese media collective.” Further, the Executive Director of the People’s Forum openly pedaled Chinese propaganda when appearing on CGTN, a Chinese state-owned media group. DOJ directed CGTN to register under FARA in 2019.
Code Pink, self-described as a “grassroots organization working to end U.S. warfare and imperialism,” was founded by Singham’s wife, Jodie Evans, and has reportedly received roughly a quarter of its donations from organizations with ties to Singham. Since marrying Singham in 2017, Evans and Code Pink have “stridently support[ed] China,” with Evans publicly describing the Uyghurs, an ethnically Muslim minority group, as “terrorists” and defending their mass detention. Further, Code Pink activists have met with the House Select Committee on China to directly advocate for Chinese interests, including denying evidence of forced labor in the Uyghurs’ native region of Xinjiang.
Home Newsroom Attorney General Labrador Launches ICAC Summer Enforcement Effort, Honors Law Enforcement and Legislative Leaders
BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador delivered the keynote address at the Idaho State Capitol to launch “Operation Safe Online Summer,” a statewide initiative led by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to intensify efforts to identify and arrest online child predators during the summer months. The kickoff event brought together law enforcement officers, prosecutors, legislators, and victim witness coordinators to recognize outstanding ICAC-affiliated partners and reinforce Idaho’s ongoing mission to protect children from online exploitation. The newly launched Operation Safe Online Summer follows a national model similar to previous initiatives like Operation Broken Heart and will include enhanced investigative coordination, arrests, and community education on internet safety. Labrador also highlighted key legislative advancements, including Idaho’s new law criminalizing AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery (Idaho House Bill 46, 2024)—a forward-looking statute that gives prosecutors new tools to combat evolving digital threats. During the event, Attorney General Labrador and ICAC leadership recognized several agencies and individuals for exemplary contributions to Idaho’s ICAC efforts:
Detective Christian Teague, Madison County Sheriff’s Office Representatives Bruce Skaug and Dori Healey Canyon County Sheriff’s Office Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office Coeur d’Alene Police Department Idaho Falls Police Department Owyhee County Prosecutor’s Office
Labrador also celebrated the addition of Badger, Idaho’s newest Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 and certified therapy dog. Trained to detect concealed digital evidence, Badger expands Idaho’s capabilities in locating illicit materials hidden on small devices. Attorney General Labrador stated, “During Operation Safe Online Summer, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is executing more search warrants and arrests to identify and stop online predators before they can harm kids. Since becoming Attorney General, we’ve expanded and restructured ICAC—resulting in more arrests last year than in the previous three years combined. We’ve also strengthened Idaho law to confront new threats like AI-generated child abuse imagery. I’m proud of our ICAC team, our law enforcement partners, and every victim advocate committed to protecting children in Idaho.” The Idaho Office of the Attorney General has made the fight against online child exploitation a top priority. Through enhanced enforcement, new legislation, interagency collaboration, and public awareness, Idaho is taking decisive action to protect children. Operation Safe Online Summer reinforces that commitment with increased vigilance during the months when children are most vulnerable online. Anyone with information about the exploitation of children is urged to contact their local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at (208) 947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. To learn more about the Idaho ICAC Task Force and access online safety resources, visit ICACIdaho.org.
On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted a man for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States.
“The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”
According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care.
Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.”
“The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.”
The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, 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 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, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
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 other 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 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.
On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted a man for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States.
“The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”
According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care.
Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.”
“The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.”
The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, 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 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, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
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 other 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 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.
RESTORING ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE: Today, President Donald J. Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) took action to implement President Trump’s Executive Action titled “Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce.”
OPM proposed a rule to amend the civil service regulations to include Schedule Policy/Career for career employees with important policy-determining, policy-making, policy-advocating, or confidential duties.
These employees will serve as at-will employees, without access to cumbersome adverse action procedures or appeals, overturning Biden Administration regulations that protected poor performing employees.
Line federal employees who implement those policies, like Border Patrol agents or wage and hour inspectors, will generally be excluded.
This rule empowers federal agencies to swiftly remove employees in policy-influencing roles for poor performance, misconduct, corruption, or subversion of Presidential directives, without lengthy procedural hurdles.
Schedule Policy/Career positions remain career positions, filled through existing nonpartisan, merit-based hiring processes.
These employees will keep their competitive status and are not required to personally or politically support the President, but must faithfully implement the law and the administration’s policies.
OPM estimates 50,000 positions will ultimately be moved into Schedule Policy/Career, approximately 2% of the Federal workforce.
The proposed rule does not directly move positions into Schedule Policy/Career. That will be done by a subsequent executive order after a final rule issues.
FIXING A BROKEN SYSTEM: The proposed rule tackles systemic issues in federal workforce accountability, addressing unaccountable, policy-determining federal employees who put their own interests ahead of the American people’s.
Federal employees report their agencies do not hold employees accountable:
The Merit Principles Survey shows less than a quarter of federal employees believe their agencies address poor performers effectively.
When asked what typically happens to poor performers in their work unit, federal employees’ most common response is they “remain in the work unit and continue to underperform.”
This happens because the process for removing federal employees is lengthy and difficult:
The Government Accountability Office reports it takes 6 months to a year to remove poor performers, even before appeals.
Only two-fifths of federal managers are confident they could remove employees who committed serious misconduct.
Just one-quarter believe they could remove an employee for poor performance in a critical element of their job.
Unaccountability allows corruption to fester in agencies:
For example, a recent audit of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) found widespread misconduct by senior leaders, such as male supervisors pressuring female subordinates for sexual favors in exchange for career assistance.
The FDIC almost never seriously disciplined employees for such corrupt behavior. Not a single complaint to the agency’s Anti-Harassment program resulted in a removal, or even a demotion.
The auditors found the FDIC tolerated misconduct because the removal process was too difficult to use.
Some bureaucrats also use the protections the system gives them to oppose presidential policies and impose their own preferences:
Recent polling asked senior federal employees in Washington, D.C., what they would do if the President gave them a lawful order they considered bad policy. A plurality said they would ignore the order and do what they thought best.
During the first Trump administration career attorneys in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division would not assist in litigation charging Yale University with racially discriminating against Asian and Caucasian applicants.
In the President’s first term, career employees in the Department of Education would not constructively assist in drafting major rules like the Title IX rules.
An Equal Employment Opportunity Commission administrative judge (AJ) recently sent an agency-wide email stating that the agency’s Acting Chair (who was appointed by President Trump) was “not fit to be our chair much less hold a license to practice law” and that the AJ would not implement President Trump’s Executive Orders.
Unaccountable bureaucracy undermines democracy. For the government to be accountable to the American people, elected officials must be able to hold policy-determining and policy-making career employees accountable for their performance and conduct.
DRAINING THE SWAMP: President Trump is delivering on his promise to dismantle the deep state and reclaim our government from Washington corruption.
In his first term, President Trump signed an Executive Order to reclassify certain federal workers in policy-related roles as “Schedule F” employees, enabling swift accountability for those in influential positions.
When President Biden took office, he revoked this Executive Order, reinstating protections that shielded unaccountable bureaucrats.
President Trump vowed on the campaign trail to reinstate this Executive Order, a promise he kept on his first day returning to office.
Police are on the scene of a suspicious death in Montrose, in Hobart’s northern suburbs, overnight.Police patrolling in the area located a person lying on the road near the south bound lanes of the Brooker Highway in the vicinity of the Montrose Bay High School about 4am. First responders provided CPR however the person was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.Police including officers from CIB, Forensics and Uniform remain on the scene and are conducting examinations. Motorists are advised of the following road closures: • All access to the Montrose Foreshore is closed (Foreshore Road) • The Brooker Highway is closed from Strathaven Road area to all southbound traffic • All south bound traffic on the Brooker Highway north of Montrose Bay School is to divert via Main Road Police are in place for diversions.Anyone with any information should contact police on 131 444 or report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au. You can do so anonymously.
GULFPORT, MS – A Houston, Texas, man pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025, to Unauthorized Possession of Five or More Identity Documents or Authentication Features with Intent to Use Unlawfully. According to court documents, Kenny Hoang Nguyen, age 31, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to this felony offense in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
Nguyen is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Federal law also provides for Nguyen to be held responsible for restitution to victims. A federal judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On May 7, 2024, an agent with the Jackson County, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team (MET) observed a vehicle driving carelessly and initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 10 eastbound. The vehicle was being driven by Kenny Hoang Nguyen. The agent’s narcotics K9 alerted on the vehicle and a search revealed a small amount of suspected methamphetamine.
Additionally, agents found seven temporary Texas driver’s licenses bearing Nguyen’s face but with names and personal information of other people. Further, agents found various documents; debit cards, papers with other personal identity information, and U.S. Mail belonging to other persons. Some items were located in an object that appeared to be book entitled “Holy Bible” but actually was a container. Receipts and deposit slips also were found, with two deposit slips in the name of a victim whose identity was used to create a false ID with Nguyen’s photo. 27 victims were identified whose data (such as account numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, and social security numbers) was unlawfully possessed by Nguyen.
The case was referred to a U.S. Postal Inspector for further investigation. Multiple victims were interviewed whose identity had been unlawfully possessed by Nguyen in Jackson County. Victims described unlawful activity involving their mail and bank accounts that were directly consistent and matched documents such as bank records possessed by Nguyen when he was arrested in MS.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon, praised the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Lemon joined Shameka Jackson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Postal Inspection Service (Houston Division), and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, in making the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
DETROIT – Christopher Bey, a 50-year old from Highland Park, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Use of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm relating to an armed robbery, shooting, and attempted armed robbery, all of which occurred in the City of Pontiac, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced today.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James Dier of the ATF’s Detroit Division and Sheriff Michael Bouchard of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
“Removing violent offenders from our community is one the office’s top priorities,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “We will not stop being laser-focused on aggressively prosecuting dangerous individuals who persist in terrorizing our citizens. The strategies we use to identify the drivers of violence, who we then prosecute, works. We are truly making our community safer,” she stated.
“This 20-year sentence is RIGHTEOUS. Mr. Bey is a sociopathic serial shooter who has consistently shown an inability to follow societal rules. It most certainly sends a clear message: if you use a firearm to shoot an innocent member of our community, there is absolutely no limit on the resources ATF will expend to hunt you down and hold you accountable for your cowardly conduct,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Everyone deserves to feel safe when they go to work to provide for their family. Armed criminals motivated by greed have no place in our Michigan community, and ATF will tirelessly work with our state and local partners to remove the most dangerous offenders off our streets and put them where they belong: behind bars.”
Bey robbed a Boost Mobile store in the city of Pontiac on February 4, 2023. After entering the store, Bey brandished a firearm and demanded money from the store employee. The employee fully complied with Bey’s demands. Nevertheless, Bey pulled a potato from his pants, affixed it to the barrel of the revolver, and shot the victim twice in the stomach. The victim was in the hospital for approximately one month. Bey later admitted to the ATF that he got the idea to use the potato as a silencer from watching a movie.
Bey attempted to rob a Dollar General Store in the City of Pontiac on March 24, 2023. After entering the store, Bey handed a store employee a note while pointing a gun at the employee. He ordered the employee to the storeroom and directed the employee to apply handcuffs to himself. A customer accidentally entered the storeroom and fought with Bey, who ran out of the store.
Bey was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records, during the robbery investigations, law enforcement observed social media posts of Bey holding a firearm with his face obscured by a ski mask. Law enforcement was able to use other images from his social media accounts to determine Bey’s identity.
On July 26, 2023, the Pontiac Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF), assisted by, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 Unit, Customs Border Protection – Aviation Enforcement, and the Detroit Police Department, arrested Christopher Lee Bey. Bey has been in custody since his arrest.
The GVTF was established by the ATF and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The GVTF is tasked with investigating the unlawful possession of firearms and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes within Pontiac, Oakland County, and the Eastern District of Michigan.
This case was prosecuted by the Violent & Organized Crime Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Gulfport, MS – A Houston, Texas man pleaded guilty today to traveling from Houston, Texas to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, Jeffrey Daster Torres, 38, traveled from Houston, Texas to Gulfport, Mississippi, with Roberto Renteria-Guerrero, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Columbia, South America, to distribute almost 200 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Unfortunately for Torres and Guerrero, law enforcement officers were made aware of their plans, and stopped the vehicle in which they were traveling. After the traffic stop, officers found the fentanyl, photos of which are below.
Officers also discovered that Torres was traveling with a fake driver’s license. Subsequent analysis of Torres’ and Guerrero’s phones confirmed that they were involved in drug trafficking, and had made at least one prior trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In fact, in electronic messages Torres and Guerrero shared at least one photos of a substance that appeared consistent with the fentanyl seized.
Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment. Guerrero previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and similarly faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment. Guerrero is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The DEA, with assistance from the Biloxi Police Department and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Gulfport, MS – A Long Beach, Mississippi man pleaded guilty today to three counts of producing images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and one count of distributing images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, in February 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) in Gulfport learned that Jason Leonard Rhodes, a 47-year-old male, had sexual contact with three minor boys. With that information, the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division, conducted a search warrant at the defendant’s residence on February 8, 2023.
During the search warrant, the FBI found various electronic devices belonging to Rhodes. A forensic examiner with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division conducted a forensic analysis on those devices and found videos of Rhodes engaged in sexually explicit conduct with minors. The forensic examiner also found chats between Rhodes and others in which Rhodes sent some of those videos to other people as well as videos of other children being sexually abused.
During the search warrant, Rhodes gave a confession to law enforcement, admitting to videoing himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the minors and to sending out pictures and videos of children being sexually abused.
Rhodes is scheduled to be sentenced August 26, 2025, and faces up to thirty years in prison for each count of producing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and up to twenty years on the count of distributing images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division, and the Long Beach Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Smith, Glenda Haynes, and Andrea Jones prosecuted 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
ALBUQUERQUE – Ryan Ellison has been appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mr. Ellison was sworn in by United States District Judge Margaret Strickland on April 18, 2025.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of New Mexico in this role,” said Mr. Ellison. “For however long I serve as United States Attorney, my primary objective will be to keep New Mexicans safe through the vigorous enforcement of Federal law. Under my leadership, the United States Attorney’s Office will do its part to stem the unlawful flow of people and drugs into our country. We will also not lose sight of our responsibility to combat violent crime, gang activity, child predators, and to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States’ civil interests. Together with our federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the United States Attorney’s Office will work tirelessly to make New Mexico a safer place to live, work, raise a family, and run a business. And we will make New Mexico a far less attractive place to commit a crime.”
Mr. Ellison, born and raised in Alamogordo, New Mexico, graduated from the University of Arizona with a business degree in 2010. He earned his Juris Doctor and MBA from Texas Tech University in 2013. Since 2018, Mr. Ellison has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico in the Las Cruces Branch Office, most recently as Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney of the Violent and General Crimes Section.
As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison prosecuted members of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (“SNM”) prison gang. To date, more than 175 SNM gang members and associates have been charged with serious federal crimes, making the ongoing SNM prosecution the largest criminal case ever brought in the District of New Mexico. He has also investigated and prosecuted other violent crimes, including VICAR murder, RICO conspiracy, carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, murder-for-hire, and various firearms, immigration, and national security offenses.
Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Ellison worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the 47th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Texas and as an associate attorney in private practice.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison will be responsible for overseeing federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the District of New Mexico. Ellison leads a dedicated team of over 150 prosecutors and support professionals with offices located in Albuquerque and Las Cruces. The District of New Mexico encompasses 33 counties and shares a 180-mile international border with Mexico. It is home to five National Forests, four major military installations, two National Laboratories, 19 pueblos, two Apache tribes, and one-third of the Navajo Nation.
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Morris Gary Hibbitt, 51, of Avondale, was sentenced on April 14, 2025, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 13 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexual abuse of an inmate. Hibbitt is also required to register as a sex offender.
On May 21, 2023, while on duty as the Security Supervisor at Behavioral Systems Southwest (BSS) in Phoenix, Hibbitt sexually assaulted a female inmate under his supervision. BSS is a residential reentry center contracted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to aid inmates in their transition back into the community while completing their prison sentences. Inmates at BSS are in official detention and remain under the custodial authority of the BOP.
The Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Kristen Brook, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00992-PHX-GMS RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-059_Hibbitt
HOUSTON – A total of 216 more cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from April 11-17, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
As part of those cases, 86 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, firearms or sexual offenses, or prior immigration crimes. A total of 119 people face charges of illegally entering the country while 11 cases involve various instances of human smuggling.
Some of those charged with felony reentry include Mexican national Alejandro Contreras-Zapata, who was allegedly found near Roma. The charges allege he had been previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon before his removal March 7.
Erika Camacho-Rodriguez is also a convicted felon and illegally returned recently, according to the complaint. Authorities found her near Roma, having been removed March 31 following a conviction for transporting illegal aliens as the charges allege. She is also from Mexico.
Another case charges Cesar Garcia-Rivas, a Mexican male found in the United States near Rio Grande City. He had allegedly been removed Oct. 21, 202o, and had previously received a 70-month sentence for kidnapping.
Three other men were apprehended near Laredo and had just been removed within the last five months, according to their charges. The criminal complaints allege Daniel Fimbres and Jose Alejandro Rodriguez-Panjol had just been removed Feb. 19 and 28, respectively, while Delfino Lopez-Roque was removed Nov. 24, 2024.
All six of these illegal aliens and others charged in some of the cases filed this week face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of illegally returning to the United States without authorization.
Other relevant matters this week include the jury conviction of a 25-year-old Laredo woman for conspiracy to transport, attempting to transport and bringing in and attempting to bring a three-year-old minor to the United States. Salma Galilea Veliz planned to have the boy assume the identity of her biological son in an effort to smuggle him into the United States. In exchange, she would be paid $2,500.
In another jury trial resulting in a guilty verdict, a known human smuggler was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before finding Jose Rodriguez Jr. guilty after a one-day trial. When he was initially arrested in August 2024 for transporting aliens, authorities also discovered 150 images of CSAM on his phone. The evidence included numerous files depicting sexual assaults of prepubescent children.
Also announced this week was the indictment of two illegal aliens and a Laredo man for various firearms offenses. The investigation began March 21 when law enforcement discovered the location of a firearm allegedly used in a crime. Upon searching the residence, authorities allegedly discovered two machine gun conversion devices, a backpack that contained magazines and ammunition as well a .38 special and .22LR ammunition. Also on the property was a grey backpack containing a 9mm S&W handgun, according to the complaint. Erick Lopez Jr., 18, Laredo, is charged with possession of a machine gun, while Erick Lopez-Rivera Sr., 37, and Marcos Lora-Morales, 24, both illegal aliens unlawfully residing in Laredo, are facing charges of alien in possession of ammunition and alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, respectively. Lopez-Rivera Sr. is also charged with felony reentry of an alien.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are 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.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
MINNEAPOLIS – Michael Lewis of Minneapolis has been indicted for threatening to murder a United States official, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on March 26, 2025, Michael Paul Lewis, 52, called the office of a United States Congressperson and left a voicemail in which he threatened to murder her.
“Federal law protects our elected officials from this sort of violent, unhinged, and murderous rhetoric,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick. “It is entirely unacceptable. Defendants who attempt to terrorize public officials in this way will face the full weight of federal justice. I am grateful for the diligent and swift work of the FBI to hold this defendant to account.”
“Threatening to kill a member of Congress is not protected speech. It is a federal crime that will be met with immediate and decisive action,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “No one should be subject to violence for fulfilling their elected duty to represent the American people. The FBI and our partners will investigate such threats thoroughly and hold accountable anyone who threatens the safety of our elected leaders.”
Lewis is charged with one count of threatening to murder a United States official and one count of interstate transmission of a threat to injure the other person. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today and will remain detained until his arraignment and detention hearing on April 23, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys LeeAnn Bell and Andrew Winter are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A Forsyth County, North Carolina, man was sentenced today in Greensboro to a total of 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to a string of armed robberies in Forsyth, Guilford, Alamance, and Rockingham Counties, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
BYRON CLAY SCOTT, age 33, was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment for the robberies plus 3 years of post-release supervision by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. SCOTT was also sentenced to 24 months to run consecutive to that sentence for committing the robberies while he was on post-release supervision for another armed robbery out of Forsyth County from 2013. In addition to prison and supervision, SCOTT was ordered to pay $21,005.38 in restitution and to forfeit a 9mm handgun.
According to court records, between November 2023 and January 2024, SCOTT and one or more unknown individuals committed at least 10 armed robberies of Dollar General and Family Dollar Stores in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Burlington, and Reidsville. Video surveillance obtained from each of the stores showed the robbers wearing Halloween style face masks, gloves, and dark clothing. All but one of the robberies occurred at night, near closing time. SCOTT was arrested on January 15, 2024, by the Winston-Salem Police Department after they responded to a call for a robbery in progress. When they searched the vehicle SCOTT was driving, they found copies of his birth certificate and Social Security card, along with gloves and masks in the back seat, which were consistent with the gloves and masks worn during each of the robberies. Data obtained from electronic tracking on the vehicle SCOTT was driving and review of SCOTT’s search history on his phone tied him to each of the robberies.
SCOTT pleaded guilty on January 6, 2025, to five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a).
The case was investigated by the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Greensboro Police Department, the Burlington Police Department, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Piedmont Safe Streets Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham.
Since 1992, the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative has successfully aligned FBI Agents, state and local law enforcement investigators, and federal and state prosecutors onto SSTFs to reduce violent crime. This nationwide initiative brings resources together in a “force multiplier concept” and utilizes the expertise of each agency. SSTFs focus primarily upon street gang and drug-related violence through sustained, proactive, coordinated investigations to obtain prosecutions on violations such as racketeering, drug conspiracy, and firearms violations.
WASHINGTON – Jovan Terrell Williams, 20, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180-months in federal prison in connection with the November 2023 armed carjacking of a Chevrolet Corvette and for his participation in the Kennedy Street Crew drug trafficking conspiracy.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Williams, aka “Chewy,” pleaded guilty on September 5, 2024, to carjacking while armed and conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilos of marijuana. In addition to the 180-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Williams to serve five years of supervised release.
Williams is the last of 17 KDY members to be sentenced in this case. Yesterday, on April 17, co-defendant and KDY leader Kenneth Ademola Olugbenga, 29, was sentenced to 160 months in prison.
According to court documents, Williams was a member of the Kennedy Street Crew, a violent drug trafficking organization which operated open-air drug markets on an 11-block stretch of Kennedy Street in Northwest, as well as surrounding streets. Like many drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), KDY armed itself with fire power to facilitate the drug trade, defend its territory from rival crews, and commit other violent crimes. Following a takedown operation in June 2023, most defendants charged by indictment for their roles in the KDY DTO were apprehended. Williams, however, remained a fugitive for months.
On November 17, 2023, at approximately 7:40 p.m., Williams—while still a fugitive—carjacked an individual at gunpoint on the 1800 block of Half Street, SW, stealing the victim’s 2021 Chevrolet Corvette. Williams was armed and wearing a ski mask when he and two associates ran from stolen Audi and Lexus sedans and advanced towards the owner of the Corvette, who knelt in surrender.
While pointing a gun at the car owner, Williams took the keys to the Corvette, a Tesla key attached to an Apple Air Tag, and Apple Air Pods. Williams and his associates then drove away in the stolen cars. Approximately 40 minutes later, the stolen Audi and Lexus were used in an armed robbery of three individuals on 8th and P Streets NW.
Later that evening, at 9:53 p.m., law enforcement tracked the Apple Air Tag stolen from the carjacking victim to an apartment building on the 4700 block of Benning Road NE. Officers found and arrested Williams and two associates in the building’s laundry room. Following the arrests, officers recovered a “ghost gun” from inside a washing machine. In a hole in the laundry room’s ceiling, officers found three more concealed firearms: a black pistol, a black Glock 19 with an obliterated serial number, and another black pistol outfitted with a “switch” that would allow it to fire as a machine gun.
Earlier that year, on January 26, 2023, law enforcement executing a residential search warrant encountered Williams along with several other KDY crew members on the 1700 block of D Street, NE. Also in the residence, law enforcement recovered 10 firearms, assorted ammunition, 21 kilos of marijuana packed in suitcases, and 40 grams of fentanyl-laced pills. The firearms included a privately manufactured AR-style .223 caliber pistol (a ghost gun) modified to fire as a machine gun, and a Draco 7.62 x 39mm pistol. DNA profiles obtained from both firearms linked both weapons to Williams, who acknowledged that he possessed them in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy.
This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the DEA’s Washington Division, and the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force, with assistance from the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
KDY DEFENDANTS
NAME
AGE
SENTENCES
Kenneth Ademola Olugbenga
29
Sentenced March 17, 2025, to 160 Months in Prison after Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Cocaine Base, and a Detectable Amount of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.
Khali Ahmed Brown, aka “Migo Lee”
24
Sentenced January 16, 2025, to 168 Months after Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl and Oxycodone; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense; and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
Keion Michael Brown
21
Sentenced January 16, 2025, to 147 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and Oxycodone and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Miasiah Jamal Brown, aka “Michael Jamal Crawford”
23
Sentenced August 16, 2024, to Five Years for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Tristan Miles Ware, aka “Greedy”
24
Sentenced December 13, 2024, to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilos of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Jovan Williams, aka “Chewy” and “Choo”
20
Sentenced April 18, 2025 to 180 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and Armed Carjacking.
Herman Eric-Bibmin Signou, aka “Herman Signour”
25
Sentenced March 22, 2024, to 40 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana
Cameron Xavier Reid
28
Sentenced May 31, 2024, to 60 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana.
Warren Lawrence Fields, III, aka B-Dub
26
Sentenced May 16, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense and for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Juwan Demetrius Clark, aka “Squirrel”
28
Sentenced January 10, 2025, to 37 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Aaron DeAndre Mercer, aka “Curby,”
34
Sentenced September 13, 2024, to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Marijuana, and Cocaine Base.
David Penn, aka “Turtle”
32
Sentenced November 15, 2024, to 220 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture of Cocaine Base; and Two Counts of Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.
Ronald Lynn Dorsey, aka “Ron G” and “HBGeezy”
31
Sentenced September 13, 2024, to 30 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Antonio Reginald Bailey, aka “Boy Boy,” and “Fellow King”
24
Sentenced February 8, 2024, to 24 Months for Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment.
Anthony Trayon Bailey, aka “Fat Ant,” and “Bizzle”
29
Sentenced April 26, 2024, to 15 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana, 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base.
Angel Enrique Suncar, aka “Coqui”
31
Sentenced December 12, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Adebayo Adediji Green
31
Sentenced August 16, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Defendant Cameron Reid is from Falmouth, VA; all remaining defendants are from Washington, D.C.
OKLAHOMA CITY – AMANDA STOWERS, 40, of Garvin County, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison for sexually abusing a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On May 4, 2021, a federal Grand Jury returned a three-count Indictment against Stowers, charging her with three counts of sexual abuse of a minor. According to public record, in April of 2020, officers with the Stratford Police Department began investigating a possible sexual assault involving a minor victim. The investigation, conducted by the FBI and Stratford Police Department, determined that Stowers had sexually assaulted the victim between April 20, 2017, and April 19, 2020.
This case is in federal court because the victim is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and the crimes took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
On September 10, 2024, Stowers pleaded guilty, and admitted she sexually assaulted the minor victim between the dates referenced.
At the sentencing hearing on April 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Stowers to serve 180 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted that the lengthy term of incarceration was warranted due to the serious nature of the offense.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Stratford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after the Trump administration announced penalties against China for its unfair trade practices in the shipbuilding industry that undermine American workers. The penalties come as a result of the investigation Baldwin backed under the Biden Administration into China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. That United States Trade Representative (USTR) investigation showed China’s unfair, targeted efforts to dominate the shipbuilding and maritime industry and paved the way for the incoming administration to implement remedies and level the playing field.
“For nearly two centuries, Wisconsin workers have built world-class ships and their parts that power our Navy and make sure businesses’ products can get in the hands of their customers. Wisconsin workers and shipbuilding companies can compete with anyone in the world – but they need a level playing field to do it. And, as I have been saying for years, China has gotten away with cheating the system and undermining our workers – and it’s long overdue we stand up to them,” said Senator Baldwin. “I was proud to stand with workers to launch this investigation and am proud to have now pushed two presidents to do right by these workers. This is a big step forward in cracking down on China’s unfair trade practices, supporting American workers and building more ships here at home, and keeping our country safe.”
The penalties include new measures to combat China’s cheating, including fees for Chinese ships that dock at U.S. ports, based on how big they are and how often they visit. The fees will increase incrementally over the following years. There will also be extra charges for companies using ships built in China, again based on the size of the ship or how many containers they carry, with the fees increasing over time. To encourage the use of ships built in the U.S., foreign-built car carriers will have to pay additional fees based on how much they can carry. A second round of changes, which won’t start for three years, will aim to promote U.S.-built ships that carry liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will place limits on using foreign ships for LNG transport. Senator Baldwin will continue to work with the administration and stakeholders to ensure that these trade remedies are adjusted and updated as needed.
Last March, Senator Baldwin joined United Steelworkers and other labor leaders in support of the American shipbuilding industry and to call on the United States Trade Representative to conduct a full investigation. In April 2024, the USTR announced they were heeding that call and launching an investigation into China, concluding in a report that China targeted dominance in these sectors is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce, and is therefore “actionable” under Section 301. This report laid the groundwork for the Trump Administration to impose appropriate penalties on China to support American workers. In January, Senator Baldwin applauded this USTR report outlining China’s unfair trade practices to undercut American shipbuilding and called on the President to act. In February, Baldwin led a group of her colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to act on the results of the investigation and take immediate action to level the playing field for American workers, businesses, and national security.
Senator Baldwin has long championed Buy America policies to support American businesses and workers. She fought to advance her American Made Navy Act in last year’s annual defense legislation, which would ensure by 2033 any new Navy ship purchased uses 100% domestically produced materials, like propulsion systems, shipboard components, couplings, shafts, support bearings, and more. She also worked to include strong Buy America standards in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)
April 18, 2025
Warns ICE Strategies Are Undermining Public Safety and Silencing Crime Victims
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres sent a letter to Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Secretary Kristi Noem, raising urgent concerns about the growing public safety impact of anti-immigrant tactics employed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) under the current administration. Drawing on her 17 years of experience as a 911 dispatcher, Congresswoman Torres warned that fear-driven immigration enforcement is silencing crime victims and undermining public safety nationwide.
“Trust in law enforcement is not just a matter of comfort; it’s a matter of public safety,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres. “When people are too scared to call the police, crime goes up, and our communities suffer.”
In her letter, the Congresswoman emphasized how the administration’s sweeping and indiscriminate actions—ranging from unlawful detentions and deportations to attacks on birthright citizenship—are creating widespread fear, even among legal immigrants. She cited the case of a legal Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to a notoriously violent Salvadoran prison, with no apparent effort by federal authorities to rectify the situation.
The letter outlines how these tactics are weakening the trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement. It also notes that immigrants—often critical witnesses or victims—are increasingly afraid to report crimes due to fear of retaliation or deportation.
“ All Americans should ask themselves: If you were a victim and the only witness to the crime was an immigrant, would you want that person to call 911 and get help, come forward and testify for you in court, or keep silent out of fear?”
“Instead of intimidating and terrorizing immigrants, the Administration should follow the rule of law and allow local police to build trust within their communities,” she added.
Congresswoman Torres is calling on the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security to shift focus away from broad fear-based enforcement and instead support community trust-building strategies proven to enhance public safety.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)
Termination of Naturalization Grants Leaves Legal Residents Without Support to Become U.S. Citizens
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) is leading 54 House Democrats in demanding the Trump administration reinstate the Citizenship and Assimilation (C&A) Grant Program after it was fully terminated last month—just weeks after a surprise funding freeze. This move abruptly cut off support for local organizations helping lawful permanent residents become U.S. citizens, despite the fact that these grants were fully funded by Congress and legally awarded. A list of grant recipients impacted by the funding freeze is available — click HERE for FY23 recipients and HERE for FY24 recipients.
“We write to express our outrage regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to terminate all work under the Citizenship and Assimilation (C&A) Grant Program,” wrote Rep. Gomez and the lawmakers. “We demand immediate action to restore funding for the C&A Program and a prompt response to our questions regarding the rationale and legal basis for its termination.”
“This action marks a significant escalation since an abrupt funding freeze was announced just weeks ago on February 4, 2025,” continued the lawmakers. “The sudden and unilateral decision to terminate legally awarded grants funded by Congressional appropriation, without prior notice to Congress or affected grantees, raises serious concerns about due process, legal authority, and the Department’s commitment to advancing naturalization services for aspiring citizens.”
The lawmakers’ new letter follows an effort led by Rep. Gomez on March 7 demanding answers after the program was frozen without warning. DHS has still not responded. Then on March 27, grantees were notified the program was being shut down — some immediately, others with just 30 days’ notice. Since 2009, the C&A Grant Program, previously known as the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, has funded organizations that assist immigrants with citizenship applications, English language instruction, and civics education. The lawmakers warn its sudden termination will disrupt services and harm immigrant communities.
Rep. Gomez was joined in demanding answers by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Lou Correa (CA-46), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Chuy García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), John Larson (CT-01), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Dave Min (CA-47), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Adam Smith (WA-09), Darren Soto (FL-09), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07).
The letter was supported by the following organizations: National Partnership for New Americans, NALEO Educational Fund, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), UnidosUS, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, Language & Communication Workshop, Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Emerald Isle Immigration Center, CARECEN, Asian Counseling and Referral Service, CASA, Make the Road New Jersey, Make the Road Connecticut, Make the Road New York, Make the Road Pennsylvania, Make the Road Nevada, Make the Road States, Refugee Council USA, Welcoming America, Project Citizenship, Maine Immigrants Coalition Rights, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, Building Skills Partnership, Refugee Women’s Alliance, Asian Law Alliance, Jones Library, Inc., Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, Hamkae Center, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, MinKwon Center for Community Action, International Rescue Committee, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Woori Juntos, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Inc., HANA Center, The International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, Inc, Korean Community Service Center (KCSC), Hispanic Federation, Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Chinese Mutual Aid Association, GALEO Impact Fund, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Refugee Congress.