TULSA, Okla. – A Mexican national who was residing in Catoosa was indicted for unlawfully reentering the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Carlos Ambriz Estrada, 53, is charged with Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien after having been previously removed in January 2006.
“After serving time in prison for killing his 38-day-old son, Ambriz Estrada was deported. That did not stop him from unlawfully returning to the United States and living in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Prosecutors are working in coordinated efforts with law enforcement to help keep the citizens in the Northern District safe from violent criminals like Ambriz Estrada.”
“This subject’s criminal record underscores the significant danger he represents to our community, particularly with the serious charge and conviction for killing his own child,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office acting Director Josh Johnson. “Our officers remain committed to enhancing public safety by apprehending and removing criminal aliens who violate immigration laws.”
According to court documents, in March, the Fugitive Operations Team with Immigration Customs Enforcement began investigating Ambriz Estrada due to his prior conviction of deliberate homicide in Montana and the possibility of him being present in the United States unlawfully. Law enforcement discovered that Ambriz Estrada was unlawfully living in Catoosa and that he did not have permission to re-enter the United States after being removed.
In 1994, Ambriz Estrada pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide. Montana law enforcement was dispatched to the hospital to investigate apparent child abuse. Ambriz Estrada and his wife brought their 36-day-old baby to the hospital for treatment.
The detective spoke with a doctor who confirmed that the baby had five broken ribs, detached retinas in both eyes, swelling of the head, bruises on the neck and abdomen, consistent with strangulation. The doctor reported that they believed the baby was strangled and without oxygen for some time, likely causing severe brain damage.
When being interviewed, Ambriz Estrada admitted that he was angry with his wife and took it out on the baby. That while the baby was crying, he squeezed the child’s throat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the baby lost consciousness. Afterward, he put the baby in a crib. The baby woke up crying one hour later, and Ambriz Estrada admitted to picking up the baby and shaking him. Ambriz Estrada told detectives the baby’s breathing was irregular and appeared to have a seizure.
After two days in intensive care, the baby had no brain activity and was declared brain dead at 38 days old.
Ambriz Estrada was ordered to 40 years imprisonment and served nearly 10 years. After being released in 2006, Ambriz Estrada was deported.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is 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.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni Pueblo man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following an armed standoff with law enforcement.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on July 6, 2024, law enforcement responded to a disturbance at a residence in Zuni, where Eric Bowannie, 28, barricaded himself inside his home and fired multiple rounds at responding Zuni Police Department officers. During the incident, Bowannie charged an officer with an ax, retrieved a shotgun and a rifle, and repeatedly fired at officers positioned outside the residence. FBI agents arrived on scene and also came under fire as they attempted to negotiate a peaceful surrender.
After a prolonged standoff and multiple exchanges of gunfire, Bowannie attempted to flee the area but was apprehended by local law enforcement without further incident. A subsequent search of the property recovered 57 spent casings and five spent shotgun shells.
On November 13, 2024, Bowannie pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Upon his release from prison, Bowannie will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Assistant United States Attorney Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cameron Drake Newsome, 25, of Williamson, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Newsome must also pay $7,000 in restitution and register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about November 1, 2019, Newsome used a cell phone to take two photographs of an approximately 3-year-old child in Williamson while the child was naked from the waist down and with the child’s genitals as the focal point of the images. Newsome admitted to taking the photographs and to storing them on an online file storage account. By storing those images in the online file storage account, Newsome transported the images in and affecting interstate commerce via the internet. Newsome further admitted that he stored numerous other images and videos in his online file storage accounts depicting minors, including prepubescent children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police Crimes Against Children Unit.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-111.
BOSTON – A Guatemalan man has been indicted illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose Garcia, 39, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Garcia was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2025 and was released on conditions.
According to the charging documents, Garcia was deported from the United States on Jan. 5, 2006. It is alleged that sometime after his removal, Garcia unlawfully reentered the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement became aware of Garcia’s unlawful presence in the United States following arrests on July 30, 2022, Sept. 8, 2023 and Jan. 29, 2024.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GREGORY BUTTS, 54, formerly of Sprague, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 240 months of imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for a child exploitation offense and related threats.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2016, Butts was convicted in Connecticut state court of illegal sexual contact with a child.
In November 2020, family and friends of two missing juveniles in Colorado posted information about the missing juveniles on social media pages and included a phone number asking the public to call with information. Butts, with his own phone number blocked, called the number and spoke to a female friend of the missing juveniles, who recorded the conversation. Butts stated that he was with the missing juveniles and had had sexual contact with them. He threatened to harm the missing juveniles if the conversation were recorded or if law enforcement were contacted, and threatened the female friend who answered the phone. He then said that he would return the missing juveniles if the female friend would have sexual intercourse with him. Shortly after the juveniles had been reported missing, they returned home. They were not harmed and had not been kidnapped.
Investigators determined that the call emanated from a lightly-populated area in Sprague, Connecticut, and that Butts was a registered sex offender living in the area who was on probation following a state conviction for illegal sexual contact with a minor. After a Connecticut probation officer identified Butts’ voice on the recording, probation officers searched Butts’ residence and another residence where he also had been staying and seized a computer, storage devices, multiple cell phones, and other items.
Forensic analysis of the seized items revealed more than 10,000 images and videos of child pornography, and downloaded conversations Butts had with minors on Snapchat and other social media applications. In the chats, Butts engaged in sexually explicit conversations, made numerous threats, and demanded, and sometimes received, sexually explicit photos.
Butts has been detained since March 4, 2022. On January 17, 2025, he pleaded guilty to possession of a child pornography.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New Haven, Connecticut and Loveland, Colorado, with the assistance of the Connecticut Office of Adult Probation, Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy V. Gifford and Daniel E. Cummings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New London for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In 2021, the World Bank shut down one of its flagship projects: the Doing Business index, a global ranking system that measured how easy it was to start and run a business in 190 countries.
It followed an independent investigation that found World Bank officials had manipulated the rankings to favor powerful countries, including China and Saudi Arabia. The scandal raised serious concerns about the use of global benchmarks to shape development policy.
Now, the Bank is trying again. In October 2024, it launched its newest flagship report, Business Ready. The 2025 spring meeting of the World Bank and its sister institution, the International Monetary Fund, mark the first time the report will be formally presented to delegates as part of the institutions’ high-level agenda.
Nicknamed B-READY, the report aims to evaluate business environments through more transparent data. This time, the annual assessment has a broader ambition: to go beyond laws and efficiency and also measure social inclusion, environmental sustainability and public service delivery.
As experts on international organizations, law and development, we have given B-READY a closer look. While we appreciate that a global assessment of the economic health of countries through data collection and participation of private stakeholders is a worthwhile endeavor, we worry that the World Bank’s latest effort risks recreating many of the same flaws that plagued its predecessor.
From Doing Business to doing what?
To understand what’s at stake, it’s worth recalling what the Doing Business index measured. From 2003 to 2021, the flagship report was used by governments, investors and World Bank officials alike to assess the business environment of any given country. It ranked countries based on how easy it was to start and run a business in 190 economies.
In prioritizing that as its marker, the index often celebrated reforms that stripped away labor protections, environmental safeguards and corporate taxes in the name of greater “efficiency” of common law versus civil law jurisdictions.
As economist Joseph E. Stiglitz argued in 2021, from its creation, the Doing Business index reflected the values of the so-called Washington Consensus − a development model rooted in deregulation, privatization and market liberalization.
Critics warned for years that the Doing Business index encouraged a global “race to the bottom.” Countries competed to improve their rankings, often by adopting symbolic legal reforms with little real impact.
In some cases, internal data manipulation at the World Bank penalized governments that did not appear sufficiently business-friendly. These structural flaws − and the political pressures behind them − ultimately led to the project’s demise in 2021.
What is B-READY?
B-READY is the World Bank’s attempt to regain credibility after the Doing Business scandal. In recent years, there has been both internal and external pressure to create a successor − and B-READY responds to that demand while aiming to fix the methodological flaws.
In theory, while it retains a focus on the business environment, B-READY shifts away from a narrow deregulatory logic and instead seeks to capture how regulations interact with infrastructure, services and equity considerations.
B-READY, which in the pilot stage covers a mix of 50 countries, does not rank countries with a single score. Rather, it provides more accurate data across 10 topics grouped into three pillars: regulatory framework, public services and operational efficiency. The report also introduces new themes such as digital access, environmental sustainability and gender equity.
On the surface, this looks like progress. But a criticism of B-READY is that in practice, the changes offer only a more fragmented ranking system — one that is harder to interpret and still shaped by the same investor driven macroeconomic assumptions.
In our view, the framework continues to reflect a narrow view of what constitutes a healthy legal and economic system, not just for investors but for society as a whole.
Labor flexibility over labor rights
A key concern is how B-READY handles labor standards. The report relies on two main data sources: expert consultations and firm-level surveys.
For assessing labor and social security regulations, the World Bank consults lawyers with expertise in each country. But when it comes to how these laws function in practice, the report relies on surveys that ask businesses whether labor costs, dismissal protections and public services are “burdens.”
This approach captures the employer’s perspective, but leaves out workers’ experiences and the real impact on labor rights. In some cases, the scoring system even rewards weaker protections. For example, countries are encouraged to have a minimum-wage law on the books − but are penalized if the wage is “too high” relative to gross domestic product per capita. This creates pressure to keep wages low in order to appear competitive. And while that might be good news for international companies seeking to reduce their labor costs, it isn’t necessarily good for the local workforce or a country’s economic well-being.
According to the International Trade Union Confederation, this approach risks encouraging symbolic reforms while doing little to protect workers. Georgia, for example, ranks near the top of the B-READY labor assessment, despite not having updated its minimum wage since 1999 and setting it below the subsistence level.
This reflects a deeper problem, we believe. B-READY treats the legal system primarily as a means to attract investment, not as a framework for public accountability. It assumes that making life easier for businesses will automatically benefit everyone. But that assumption risks ignoring the people most affected by these laws and institutions − workers, communities and civil society groups.
Be … better?
B-READY introduces greater transparency and public data − and that, for sure, is a step up from its predecessor. But in our opinion it still reflects a narrow view of what a “good” legal system looks like: one that might deliver efficiency for firms but not necessarily justice or equity for society.
Whether B-Ready becomes a tool for meaningful reform − or just another scoreboard for deregulation − will depend on the World Bank’s willingness to confront its long-standing biases and listen to its critics.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Isaiah McCoy, 38, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was convicted yesterday of multiple counts of sex trafficking by a federal jury in the District of Hawaii. Specifically, the jury convicted McCoy of four counts of sex trafficking three adults and one minor, two counts of obstructing a sex trafficking investigation, seven counts of interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises, and one count of interstate travel for prostitution purposes.
“This successful conviction represents this Justice Department’s commitment to putting those who prey on the innocent behind bars,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Human trafficking — which flourished under the prior administration — is a scourge on our country that the Trump Administration will eradicate.”
“Today’s conviction vindicates the rights of multiple women and girls who the defendant terrorized over several years within the District of Hawaii,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant specifically targeted each victim’s unique vulnerabilities and used false promises, brute physical force, and psychological manipulation to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex for his own profit. There is no place in a civilized society for the defendant’s atrocious conduct, and the Justice Department is committed to standing up for vulnerable human trafficking victims and holding their traffickers accountable.”
“The conviction of Mr. McCoy is a testament to HSI’s zero tolerance for those who engage in sex trafficking in Hawaii,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Hawaii. “McCoy is a predator who left countless victims in his path while he sought to enrich himself at their expense. HSI will aggressively pursue those, like McCoy, who seek to exploit vulnerable women and girls and mute their voices while believing they will not be held accountable.”
The evidence presented at the 12-day trial demonstrated that McCoy compelled victims to commit hundreds of commercial sex acts between 2019 and 2021. McCoy made promises of a romantic relationship, a luxurious lifestyle, and financial security to women and girls struggling with low self-esteem, a difficult upbringing, or financial trouble. McCoy’s promises ended up hollow and false, designed to provide him with the opportunity to learn about a victim’s vulnerabilities while misrepresenting himself as caring and empathetic. McCoy’s feigned romantic interest and claimed wealth led him to emotionally manipulate his victims.
After luring the victims into his orbit with his false promises, McCoy turned violent and abusive if the victims did not provide him with enough money or otherwise violated one of his many rules. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that some of McCoy’s rules included requiring the victims to call him “Daddy” or “Zeus,” requiring the victims to share their cell phone location, and requiring the victims to provide him an update on the amount of money earned through commercial sex work. McCoy required his victims to work all hours of the day and night even when they were sick, hungry, or did not want to engage in commercial sex acts. If not, McCoy would physically assault his victims and leave them battered and bruised.
Evidence presented in court detailed the extensive violence to which McCoy subjected his victims. For example, McCoy repeatedly burned one of the victims with cigar butts when she did not provide him with enough money. On other occasions, McCoy threw victims to the ground before repeatedly stomping on their head, stomach, or hands with his feet. McCoy even smashed a victim’s head against a car door before carrying her unconscious body through a hotel lobby and into an elevator. McCoy inflicted violence against multiple victims that caused them to seek treatment at local hospitals. All of McCoy’s actions contributed to the creation of a climate of fear where the victims felt they had no way out because McCoy promised them that he had eyes and ears everywhere monitoring the victims’ every move.
McCoy required the victims to turn over all the proceeds from his commercial sex business to himself because he felt that the money belonged to him. McCoy then spent the money on high-end designer shoes, belts, clothing, and other accessories. In contrast, although McCoy would intermittently buy designer items for the victims as “rewards,” the victims were ultimately left with nothing.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 18. McCoy faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI investigated the case, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department.
Trial Attorneys Maryam Zhuravitsky and Elizabeth Hutson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
CHICAGO, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XA Investments LLC (“XAI”), an alternative investment management and consulting firm, announced today that its Non-Listed Closed-End Funds First Quarter 2025 Market Update shows a strong start to 2025 in both fund launches and asset gathering. The market update is a comprehensive research report detailing current market trends and industry highlights. The non-listed closed-end fund (CEF) market includes all interval and tender offer funds. The report introduces the XAI Interval Fund Index™ (INTVL), analyzes recent developments in co-investment relief, and reviews 2024 net flows across the market.
“The non-listed CEF market continues to grow after a record year in 2024, with many sponsors launching a second fund and new sponsors entering the market” stated Kimberly Flynn, the president of XAI. “Such robust growth is great for the interval / tender offer fund market. We believe the market’s trajectory will remain positive, with significant opportunities for expansion throughout the rest of the year,” she added.
XAI recently launched their XAI Interval Fund Index™ (INTVL), a total return index that tracks the interval fund market, helping to address the lack of easily accessible information on the market. “The XAI Interval Fund Index gives asset managers and financial advisors an unprecedented level of clarity in a market that has been notoriously difficult to track,” Flynn noted. “The first index tracking the interval and tender offer fund market, INTVL serves as the sole barometer for the market, giving investors a snapshot of how interval funds as a whole are performing,” Flynn added.
The non-listed CEF market reached a new peak with 270 interval and tender offer funds with a total of $181 billion in net assets and $220 billion in total managed assets, inclusive of leverage, as of March 31, 2025. The market includes 134 interval funds which comprise 50% of the total managed assets at $132.1 billion and 136 tender offer funds which comprise the other 50% with $88.3 billion in total managed assets. This is a significant change from previous quarters, as the number of interval funds has caught up to the total number of tender funds. In Q1 2025, 14 new funds entered the market, representing an increase of four funds compared to the 10 funds launched in Q1 2024. Market-wide net assets increased $9 billion in Q1 2025 from the prior quarter.
In total, there are 143 unique fund sponsors in the interval and tender offer fund space, with 50 fund sponsors that have two or more interval and/or tender offer funds currently in the market. Additionally, there are 27 funds currently in the Securities and Exchange Commission registration process from fund sponsors looking to launch another fund. Notably, the top 20 funds decreased their market share from 65% Q4 2024, to 60% in Q1 2025, displaying the growth of new funds in the market. Among the new funds launched in Q1 2025, there were three new interval fund sponsors, HarbourVest, Gemcorp and Pop Venture Advisers.
In this quarterly report, XAI covers the 2024-year end net flows which are lagged by reporting cycles. In 2024 funds had positive net flows, totaling over $38 billion, with 67% of funds reporting positive net flows. The majority of net flows in 2024 (53%) went into daily NAV funds without suitability restrictions, while 26% went into funds limited to accredited investors, and 21% went into funds limited to qualified clients. In aggregate, the top 20 largest interval/tender offer funds experienced an increase in net flows year-over-year from 2023 to 2024 including many of the market leaders such as the Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, Partners Group Private Equity (Master Fund), LLC, and ACAP Strategic Fund. In addition, Private Credit funds continued to dominate capital raising in 2024, bringing in over $20 billion in net assets, with Venture / Private Equity funds coming in second, bringing in over $11 billion in net assets.
“The non-listed CEF market continues to grow with a total of 58 funds in the SEC registration process at the end of the first quarter,” said Flynn. “The SEC backlog increased by five funds from the end of 2024 to the end of Q1 2025. So far in 2025, there have been 23 new SEC filings, compared to 15 new filings from Q1 2024, representing a 53% increase in registrations. Newly launched non-listed CEFs spent around seven months in the SEC registration process, with the fund’s asset class continuing to be the main driver of time spent in the SEC review process. Tax-Free Bond funds were the quickest to launch, at 160 days on average spent in registration,” she added.
At 49%, the majority of interval and tender offer funds do not have any suitability restrictions for investors imposed at the fund level — 30% of funds are available to accredited investors and 21% are only available to qualified clients. Alternative funds without suitability restrictions also prove to be more accessible and have gathered more assets at $118.2 billion in managed assets or 54% of market-wide assets.
For more information on the interval fund market and to read our full quarterly report on non-listed CEFs, please visit the CEF Market research page linked here and click ‘Subscribe’ for access to XA Investments’ online research portal and pricing information. In addition, please contact info@xainvestments.com or 888-903-3358 with questions.
About XA Investments XA Investments LLC (“XAI”) is a Chicago-based firm founded by XMS Capital Partners in 2016. XAI serves as the investment adviser for two listed closed-end funds and an interval closed-end fund, respectively the XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust, the XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund, and the Octagon XAI CLO Income Fund. In addition to investment advisory services, the firm also provides investment fund structuring and consulting services focused on registered closed-end funds to meet institutional client needs. XAI offers custom product build and consulting services, including product development and market research, marketing and fund management. XAI believes that the investing public can benefit from new vehicles to access a broad range of alternative investment strategies and managers. For more information, please visit www.xainvestments.com.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
April 23, 2025
After serving seven House terms and five Senate terms, Durbin says, “I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch.”
CHICAGO – In a video message shared with Illinois voters today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026.
“The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term,” Durbin said in the video.
“The people of Illinois have honored me with this responsibility longer than anyone elected to the Senate in our state’s history. I am truly grateful,” Durbin said. “Right now, the challenges facing our country are historic and unprecedented. The threats to our democracy and way of life are very real, and I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to fight for Illinois and the future of our country every day of my remaining time in the Senate.”
Durbin concluded, “To the Illinoisans who gave this kid from East St. Louis a chance to serve: Thank you for supporting me—through words and actions—over the years. Now that I have this announcement behind me, I need to get back to work.”
Senator Durbin is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois, the state’s senior Senator, and the longest serving, popularly elected Senator from Illinois. Durbin also serves as the Senate Democratic Whip, the second highest ranking position among Senate Democrats. Durbin has been elected to this leadership post by his Democratic colleagues every two years since 2005 and is the longest serving Whip for either party.
Senator Durbin served as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee for the 117th and 118th Congresses. During his time as Chair, the committee held 145 full committee hearings, 88 subcommittee hearings, and 86 executive business meetings; advanced 373 executive and judicial nominees out of the committee; and reported 56 bills out of the committee. The Senate also confirmed a record 235 judges, including Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Senator Durbin has given more than half of his life to House and Senate Congressional service, having first been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, representing the Springfield-based 20th congressional district. After serving seven House terms, Durbin was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996, and re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. Durbin fills the seat left vacant by the retirement of his long-time friend and mentor, U.S. Senator Paul Simon.
A video summary of Durbin’s accomplishments as a member of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate can be foundhere. Below is a list of some of Durbin’s top legislative accomplishments throughout his career.
Judicial Confirmations. During his time as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Democrats confirmed 235 judges to lifetime positions. This included the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. Of the confirmations, two-thirds were women, two-thirds were people of color, and two-fifths were women of color.
Curbing Tobacco and E-Cigarette Use. As a Congressman, Durbin was the primary author of legislation that ended smoking on airplanes. Since, he has continued to work to reduce tobacco use—especially by young people—by leading the passage of legislation to increase the tobacco purchase age to 21, pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, and repeatedly calling on the FDA to better enforce laws regulating unauthorized e-cigarettes.
Dream Act/DACA. Beginning in 2001, Durbin introduced the Dream Act to give young immigrants the chance to earn U.S. citizenship. He has introduced the legislation every Congress since. Durbin has spoken on the Senate Floor 147 times to tell the stories of these young people. In 2012, Durbin worked with President Obama to establish the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to allow these young people to gain temporary status. As of September 2024, roughly 530,000 people had active DACA status.
Criminal Justice Reform. Durbin’s Fair Sentencing Act, enacted in 2010, reduced the federal sentencing disparity for crack/powder cocaine offenses. In 2019, Durbin led bipartisan efforts to enact the First Step Act, the most significant criminal justice reform legislation in a generation. More than 40,000 people had been released under the First Step Act as of January 2024, with a recidivism rate of only 9.7 percent. Durbin continues to work to further these efforts through his Safer Detention Act, Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act, and Smarter Sentencing Act.
Infrastructure Investments. Durbin has made strengthening Illinois’ role as a transportation hub a top priority. He has led efforts to secure funding to relieve congestion on Illinois’ roads; modernize O’Hare International Airport; expand air service downstate; improve and expand passenger rail service—including Amtrak, CTA, and Metra; modernize locks and dams; and improve pedestrian safety. Since the return of earmarks from Fiscal Year 2022 – Fiscal Year 2024 alone, Durbin secured $548.1 million for Illinois projects.
Health Care Shortages. Durbin has led efforts to expand health care access, especially in rural areas. Durbin’s bipartisan SIREN Act, first enacted in 2018, provides grants to rural fire and EMS agencies. He secured $1 billion for the National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps in the American Rescue Plan to recruit more doctors, nurses, dentists, and behavioral health providers. Durbin has also worked to expand oral health care access through Medicaid.
Medical & Scientific Research. Through Durbin’s American Cures and American Innovation Acts, and his America Grows Act, he has led efforts to secure increased funding—with the goal of five percent real growth—for federal medical and scientific research funding, including through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DoD), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other agencies. Durbin’s efforts resulted in a 60 percent funding increase for NIH over the past decade.
Support for the Baltics. Durbin was a strong supporter of the accession of Poland and the Baltics into NATO. He has been a steadfast Senate champion of the NATO alliance. And he has worked to provide further security support through his bipartisan Baltic Security Initiative Act and by securing funding for Baltic security through defense appropriations.
College Affordability. In 2013, Durbin helped negotiate the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act to lower interest rates on federal student loans. Durbin’s Open Textbooks Pilot program has resulted in more than $250 million in estimated savings for students. Durbin also led efforts to hold fraudulent for-profit colleges accountable and has pushed the Education Department to discharge the student loans of borrowers who attended these predatory schools.
Gun Violence Prevention. Durbin has prioritized addressing childhood trauma to break the cycle of violence, including through his Chicago HEAL Initiative and his Trauma Support in Schools grant program with Senator Capito. In 2023, the 10 HEAL hospitals provided 4,403 students with employment/training opportunities and provided 2,614 victims of violence with trauma-informed case management. Durbin is working to further these efforts through his bipartisan RISE from Trauma Act.
Consumer Protection. In 2008, Durbin first introduced legislation to create an agency focused on consumer protection, which eventually was added to Dodd-Frank and resulted in the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Dodd-Frank also included the Durbin swipe fee amendment to cap debit card swipe fees, estimated to have saved consumers $6 billion in the first year after implementation. Durbin has continued to work to protect consumers through his bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act—and more recently, legislation to protect consumers from crypto ATM fraud and to bring transparency to airline rewards programs.
Protecting the Environment. Durbin has led efforts to protect the Great Lakes, including through Army Corps projects like Brandon Road, securing funding for Chicago shoreline restoration, supporting the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and introducing legislation to prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets into waterways. Durbin has worked to reduce emissions and chemical discharges, including to reduce ethylene oxide emissions and more recently, legislation to phase out non-essential uses of PFAS. Durbin has also secured significant funding for electric vehicle production and charging infrastructure in Illinois.
Veterans Care. Durbin’s Veteran Servicemember Caregiver Support Act led to a new, national program at the VA, enacted in 2010, to provide financial assistance, health care, and counseling to family caregivers of disabled veterans. In 2023, the VA provided services to more than 74,000 caregivers participating in the program. Durbin also led the effort to establish the Lovell Federal Health Care Facility in North Chicago.
Defense Funding. Durbin served as Chairman/Vice Chairman of Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee from the 113th-116th Congresses. As a leader and member of that subcommittee, Durbin secured funding for a range of small defense contractors in Illinois, strengthened manufacturing at Rock Island Arsenal and capabilities at Scott Air Force Base, and led efforts to increase service member pay. Durbin also led the effort to bring a DoD Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute to Illinois (MxD) and has worked to address DoD’s PFAS releases to protect service members and their families.
Durbin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, to his father, William Durbin, and his Lithuanian-born mother, Ona (Kutkaite) Durbin. He is married to Loretta Schaefer Durbin. Their family consists of three children—Christine, Paul, and Jennifer—as well as six grandchildren.
The Justice Department today announced that it reached an agreement with California towing company Tony’s Auto Center to resolve allegations that it illegally auctioned a deployed Navy Lieutenant’s car, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the settlement agreement, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Jonathan Liongson will receive $7,500 in damages. The United States will also receive a $2,000 civil penalty, and Tony’s Auto Center must implement new policies to prevent future violations of the SCRA.
According to the United States’ complaint, in November 2022, before leaving for deployment aboard the USS Bunker Hill, Lieutenant Liongson placed personal items in his 2011 Mazda 6 and parked it at a friend’s house. While he was deployed at sea, Tony’s Auto Center towed the car and, about two months later, sold it at auction without first obtaining a court order, as is required by the SCRA.
“Members of our armed forces should not have to worry about their cars being auctioned off while they are deployed on missions defending our freedoms, liberties, and rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “This settlement should send a strong message to other towing companies that they should not take advantage of our servicemembers while they are keeping Americans safe.”
“The SCRA protects the rights of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, which allows them to devote their full attention to defending our country,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “While Lieutenant Liongson was at sea, he understood that his ship’s mission and the duration of their deployment could change at any moment. He accepted that reality in the fulfillment of his solemn oath. In turn, the SCRA provides grace and understanding about certain personal affairs. Lieutenant Liongson’s car should not have been auctioned off in his absence. We hope this settlement encourages all towing companies to review and improve their policies and ensure that the rights of all servicemembers are honored and respected.”
The SCRA is a federal law that provides a variety of financial and housing protections to members of the U.S. military. The law prohibits a towing company from auctioning off a vehicle owned by a servicemember unless it first obtains an order from a court allowing it to do so.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/.
The Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov.
Today, an indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging eWorldTrade LLC (eWorldTrade), a U.S. company, with conspiracy to distribute synthetic opioids for unlawful importation into the United States. Law enforcement authorities also seized eWorldTrade’s website domain, which was allegedly used to operate an online business-to-business marketplace that facilitated the distribution of synthetic opioids such as isotonitazene and carfentanyl, both significantly more potent than fentanyl.
According to the indictment, from March 2024 through March 2025, eWorldTrade conspired with others to distribute isotonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance, and carfentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, knowing that the controlled substances would be imported into the United States.
eWorldTrade is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the company faces a maximum fine of $50,000,000.
On the same day of the unsealing of the indictment, law enforcement authorities seized eWorldTrade’s website and shut down its operation. The website now displays the following warning messages to the public.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Office made the announcement.
The HSI Knoxville Office, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chattanooga Office, investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section is prosecuting the case. Former Trial Attorney Ann Daniels and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee provided valuable support.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has released its latest annual report. The 2024 Internet Crime Report combines information from 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and details reported losses exceeding $16 billion—a 33% increase in losses from 2023.
The top three cyber crimes, by number of complaints reported by victims in 2024, were phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Victims of investment fraud, specifically those involving cryptocurrency, reported the most losses—totaling over $6.5 billion.
According to the 2024 report, the most complaints were received from California, Texas, and Florida. As a group, people over the age of 60 suffered the most losses at nearly $5 billion and submitted the greatest number of complaints.
“Reporting is one of the first and most important steps in fighting crime so law enforcement can use this information to combat a variety of frauds and scams,” said FBI Director, Kash Patel. “The IC3, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is only as successful as the reports it receives; that’s why it’s imperative that the public immediately report suspected cyber-enabled criminal activity to the FBI.”
To promote public awareness, the IC3 produces an annual report to aggregate and highlight the data provided by the general public. The quality of the data is a direct reflection of the information the public provides through the IC3 website. The IC3 standardizes the data by categorizing each complaint and analyzes the data to identify and forecast trends in internet crime. The annual report helps the FBI develop effective relationships with industry partners and share information for investigative and intelligence purposes for law enforcement and public awareness.
The IC3, which was established in May 2000, houses nine million complaints from the public in its database and continues to encourage anyone who thinks they’ve been the victim of a cyber-enabled crime, regardless of dollar loss, to file a complaint through the IC3 website. The more comprehensive complaints the FBI receives, the more effective it will be in helping law enforcement gain a more accurate picture of the extent and nature of internet-facilitated crimes.
The FBI recommends that everyone frequently review consumer and industry alerts published by the IC3. If you or your business are a victim of an internet crime, immediately notify all financial institutions involved in the relevant transactions, submit a complaint to www.ic3.gov, contact your nearest FBI field office, and contact local law enforcement.
Learn more about the history of IC3 by listening to this previously released FBI podcast episode: Inside the FBI: IC3 Turns 20.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man admitted robbing a St. Louis bank in 2024 and trying to rob the same bank three months later.
Isaac Perry, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. He admitted entering a bank on Loughborough Avenue in south St. Louis on June 25, 2024, and handing a note to a bank employee. The note read, “I nee[d] you to hand over 10,000 in cash if not it aint gone end good please.” Perry drew a red heart around the word “please.” He left the bank with about $340.
On Oct. 3, 2024, Perry returned, and again handed a note to a bank employee. The note said, “This is a stick up I need you to give me 6,000 dollars in all hundreds in make it quick.” The note had another heart. The bank employee told Perry that she had activated an alarm and police were on the way. Perry fled the bank but was identified in photos of the robbery that were released to the public.
Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. Each charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole Frankenberg is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon has been sentenced to 84 months in prison after violently assaulting his pregnant partner and threatening her with a loaded rifle during a domestic incident.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on August 13, 2023, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a violent domestic assault at a residence in the South Valley. The victim, who was six months pregnant, reported that Marlando Luis Martinez, 36, had physically assaulted her throughout the night, including punching her, striking her with a whip, choking her multiple times to near unconsciousness, and threatening her with an AR-15 rifle, which he discharged near her face. Deputies observed visible injuries on the victim, including welts, bruising, and a cut lip.
The victim recounted to responding officers that Martinez threatened to kill her and her unborn child if she contacted law enforcement. After Martinez fell asleep, the victim escaped and sought help from a neighbor. Deputies transported her to safety and documented her injuries. A subsequent search of the residence uncovered multiple firearms, ammunition, and evidence corroborating the victim’s account, including a rifle with a round in the chamber and a bullet hole in the headboard.
The loaded rifle, ammunition and extended magazineSecond rifle, ammunition and extended magazine
Martinez was apprehended later that day with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force. He was arrested without incident and federally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, having previously been convicted of aggravated battery against a household member.
Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes is prosecuting this case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program.
The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division convened the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias and provided welcoming remarks.
The Justice Department today announced that it reached an agreement with California towing company Tony’s Auto Center to resolve allegations that it illegally auctioned a deployed Navy Lieutenant’s car, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the settlement agreement, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Jonathan Liongson will receive $7,500 in damages. The United States will also receive a $2,000 civil penalty, and Tony’s Auto Center must implement new policies to prevent future violations of the SCRA.
According to the United States’ complaint, in November 2022, before leaving for deployment aboard the USS Bunker Hill, Lieutenant Liongson placed personal items in his 2011 Mazda 6 and parked it at a friend’s house. While he was deployed at sea, Tony’s Auto Center towed the car and, about two months later, sold it at auction without first obtaining a court order, as is required by the SCRA.
“Members of our armed forces should not have to worry about their cars being auctioned off while they are deployed on missions defending our freedoms, liberties, and rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “This settlement should send a strong message to other towing companies that they should not take advantage of our servicemembers while they are keeping Americans safe.”
“The SCRA protects the rights of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, which allows them to devote their full attention to defending our country,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “While Lieutenant Liongson was at sea, he understood that his ship’s mission and the duration of their deployment could change at any moment. He accepted that reality in the fulfillment of his solemn oath. In turn, the SCRA provides grace and understanding about certain personal affairs. Lieutenant Liongson’s car should not have been auctioned off in his absence. We hope this settlement encourages all towing companies to review and improve their policies and ensure that the rights of all servicemembers are honored and respected.”
The SCRA is a federal law that provides a variety of financial and housing protections to members of the U.S. military. The law prohibits a towing company from auctioning off a vehicle owned by a servicemember unless it first obtains an order from a court allowing it to do so.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/.
The Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)
Vince Kingston, a detective of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and a task force officer on the FBI Kansas City Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), describes the role of the JTTF.
More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/celebrating-45-years-of-fbi-joint-terrorism-task-forces
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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)
Barry Berglund, a retired detective of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and a task force officer on the FBI Kansas City Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), describes the role of the JTTF.
More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/celebrating-45-years-of-fbi-joint-terrorism-task-forces
—————————————————
Subscribe to Inside the FBI wherever you get your podcasts:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H2d3cg…
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0…
More ways to follow us: https://inside-the-fbi.transistor.fm/…
Follow us on social media:
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Today, an indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging eWorldTrade LLC (eWorldTrade), a U.S. company, with conspiracy to distribute synthetic opioids for unlawful importation into the United States. Law enforcement authorities also seized eWorldTrade’s website domain, which was allegedly used to operate an online business-to-business marketplace that facilitated the distribution of synthetic opioids such as isotonitazene and carfentanyl, both significantly more potent than fentanyl.
According to the indictment, from March 2024 through March 2025, eWorldTrade conspired with others to distribute isotonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance, and carfentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, knowing that the controlled substances would be imported into the United States.
eWorldTrade is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the company faces a maximum fine of $50,000,000.
On the same day of the unsealing of the indictment, law enforcement authorities seized eWorldTrade’s website and shut down its operation. The website now displays the following warning messages to the public.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Office made the announcement.
The HSI Knoxville Office, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chattanooga Office, investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section is prosecuting the case. Former Trial Attorney Ann Daniels and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee provided valuable support.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of Hobbs Act robbery and violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Yamin A. Harris, 31, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on December 29, 2024, Harris committed a Hobbs Act robbery at a Monroeville, Pennsylvania, fast food restaurant, carrying and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the robbery, and unlawfully possessing that firearm as a previously convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Monroeville Police Department, and Pitcairn Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
WASHINGTON – Antowan Tyrone Hagans, 30, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal firearm charge as part of the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin aimed at reducing violent crime in the District by prioritizing federal firearms violations, seeking tougher penalties, and pursuing detention for firearms offenders.
Hagans is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, on March 27, 2025, MPD officers encountered Hagans in a high-crime area of the Sixth District. As officers approached, Hagans fled into an apartment building. During the pursuit, he fell in a stairwell, and a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol fell to the ground during the struggle with officers
Hagans was arrested at the scene. He is prohibited from possessing firearms due to two prior felony convictions, including robbery while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Guatemala has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Juan Manuel Secaida, 35, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on April 1, 2025, Secaida was found in western Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States in January 2020.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Coraopolis Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HOUSTON – The second ringleader in an international fraud scheme victimizing the elderly has been ordered to prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX).
Hardik Jayantilal Patel, 37, illegally resided in Lexington, Kentucky. He pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now sentenced Patel to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Patel will also pay a combined $3,203,478 in restitution to 85 identified victims. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hanen noted the large number of victims and the significant harm Patel and his conspirators caused. Not a U.S. citizen, Patel is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.
“We have an obligation to protect our seniors from the predations of scammers,” said Ganjei. “SDTX will tirelessly pursue those that seek to profit by swindling the elderly.”
From March through November 2019, Patel led a team of domestic money mules aka “runners.” They laundered money tied to telemarketing fraud schemes originating from call centers in India. Most victims were elderly.
Scammers pretended to work for the U.S. government and claimed the victims were under investigation. They claimed the only way to clear their name was to send cash by mail. Runners in the United States would then pick up the packages and launder the cash.
At least three runners worked under Patel in 2019. He also collaborated with an associate, Sohil Usmangani Vahora, who managed his own team of four runners. Together, they coordinated efforts to launder fraud proceeds.
Runners under both Patel and Vahora picked up hundreds of packages between 2019 and 2020 nationwide. These packages contained millions of dollars in cash that victims in multiple states had sent.
Patel was the last of seven to be sentenced in related cases in the SDTX. Vahora, 40, Des Plaines, Illinois, received more than 15 years in prison and was ordered to pay over $3.5 million in restitution.
Zaheen Malvi, 30, Heber Springs, Arkansas, initially worked as a runner in the scheme. He later assisted Vahora in managing two other individuals involved in the operation. He received a 54-month sentence and was ordered to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution.
Dhirenkumar Patel, 33, Richmond, Kentucky, was a runner who worked for Patel. He was ordered to serve 18 months in prison and pay $225,221 in restitution to his victims.
Three other runners received sentences ranging from 29-60 months.
With the exception of Vahora, who was a legal permanent resident, Patel and his co-conspirators were all illegally in the country when they committed their crimes.
Patel will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Kentucky State Police and police departments in Heber Springs, Arkansas, and Frankfort, Kentucky. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case.
The SSA and its OIG consistently warns people of similar scams. Protect yourself!
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Daniel Alejandro Benzor Mora, 31, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on March 19, 2025, Benzor Mora was found in western Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States on or about January 3, 2024.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, 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).
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division convened the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias and provided welcoming remarks.
Dale Britt Bendler, 68, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today to, while being a public official at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), acting as a foreign agent required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and removing classified material, classified up to the SECRET//NOFORN level, from authorized locations without authority and with the intent to retain such material at an unauthorized location.
As described in the plea agreement, starting in 2014, Bendler began working as a full-time contractor at the CIA with a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. Before he was a CIA contractor, Bendler spent over 30 years working for the CIA as an intelligence officer and retired as a member of the Senior Intelligence Service in 2014. Beginning in July 2017 and continuing through at least July 2020, while a full-time CIA contractor and TS/SCI clearance holder, Bendler worked with a U.S. lobbying firm and engaged in unauthorized and hidden lobbying and public relations activities on behalf of foreign national clients. As described in the plea agreement, Bendler’s undisclosed lobbying activities included an attempt to use his position and access at the CIA to influence a foreign government’s embezzlement investigation of one of Bendler’s foreign national clients and a separate attempt to use his position and access at the CIA to influence the U.S. government’s decision as to whether to grant a U.S. visa to another of Bendler’s clients, who was alleged to be associated with terrorism financing. In exchange for his unauthorized outside activities, Bendler was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.
During the course of Bendler’s unauthorized lobbying and public relations activities, Bendler also abused his access to CIA resources and personnel by, among other things, searching classified CIA systems for any information related to his private lobbying clients, improperly storing and disclosing non-public, sensitive, and classified U.S. government information to people not authorized to receive such information, and lying to the CIA and the FBI about his status as a foreign agent and his unauthorized lobbying and public relations activities. The CIA terminated Bendler’s contract and access in September 2020.
In addition to pleading guilty, Bendler consented to the forfeiture of $85,000. Bendler faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison – two years for acting as a foreign agent while being a public official and five years for mishandling classified material. Bendler is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Adam P. Barry and Senior Trial Attorney Heather M. Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon D. Kromberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Chief Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section provided substantial assistance in this investigation in her prior role as a trial attorney.
Dale Britt Bendler, 68, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today to, while being a public official at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), acting as a foreign agent required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and removing classified material, classified up to the SECRET//NOFORN level, from authorized locations without authority and with the intent to retain such material at an unauthorized location.
As described in the plea agreement, starting in 2014, Bendler began working as a full-time contractor at the CIA with a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. Before he was a CIA contractor, Bendler spent over 30 years working for the CIA as an intelligence officer and retired as a member of the Senior Intelligence Service in 2014. Beginning in July 2017 and continuing through at least July 2020, while a full-time CIA contractor and TS/SCI clearance holder, Bendler worked with a U.S. lobbying firm and engaged in unauthorized and hidden lobbying and public relations activities on behalf of foreign national clients. As described in the plea agreement, Bendler’s undisclosed lobbying activities included an attempt to use his position and access at the CIA to influence a foreign government’s embezzlement investigation of one of Bendler’s foreign national clients and a separate attempt to use his position and access at the CIA to influence the U.S. government’s decision as to whether to grant a U.S. visa to another of Bendler’s clients, who was alleged to be associated with terrorism financing. In exchange for his unauthorized outside activities, Bendler was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.
During the course of Bendler’s unauthorized lobbying and public relations activities, Bendler also abused his access to CIA resources and personnel by, among other things, searching classified CIA systems for any information related to his private lobbying clients, improperly storing and disclosing non-public, sensitive, and classified U.S. government information to people not authorized to receive such information, and lying to the CIA and the FBI about his status as a foreign agent and his unauthorized lobbying and public relations activities. The CIA terminated Bendler’s contract and access in September 2020.
In addition to pleading guilty, Bendler consented to the forfeiture of $85,000. Bendler faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison – two years for acting as a foreign agent while being a public official and five years for mishandling classified material. Bendler is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Adam P. Barry and Senior Trial Attorney Heather M. Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon D. Kromberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Chief Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section provided substantial assistance in this investigation in her prior role as a trial attorney.
Hong Kong has been hosting the two-day Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum+ 2025 this week, under the theme “Connect, Create, Engage: Bridging Cultures for All.” Cultural ministers and senior officials from 17 countries participated in the forum’s key session, the Ministerial Panel, held yesterday.
Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law gave an opening address at the session, while Vice Minister of Culture & Tourism Gao Zheng also delivered a speech.
Under Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Raistlin Lau highlighted the forum’s significance since its launch in 2003, describing it as a vital platform for cultural interaction. He noted that this year marks a record high in terms of participating regions.
“For the first time in the forum’s history, we have added a plus sign to the 2025 edition, by inviting countries beyond Asia to participate,” he said. “We hope that with broader participation, we can gain more insights, not only from Asian economies but also from other parts of the world.”
Mr Lau also outlined the forum’s role in promoting global cultural developments and exploring opportunities for collaboration, adding that guided tours were arranged for delegates to experience Hong Kong’s vibrant cultural landscape.
“We hope they can become ambassadors for promoting the culture of Hong Kong, and also China, to the rest of the world.”
One of the participants, Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic Martina Šimkovičová, was optimistic about forging new connections while in Hong Kong.
“My expectation is to see your culture, which is completely different from the culture of Slovakia, and I would like to show Slovak culture.”
Ms Šimkovičová also invited Hong Kong residents to visit her country for longer stays to explore its historical buildings and rich nature.
“Hong Kong’s culture is exciting for me. It is a mix of old and new together, and I love the energy of your arts and the beauty of your heritage,” she added. “It shows deep respect for tradition, which is very important to me.”
Dongguan Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism & Sports Deputy Director Wu Shaowen expressed hope for leveraging the strong relationship between Dongguan and Hong Kong to keep up with global cultural developments.
Acting Chief Executive Chan Kwok-ki hosted a gala dinner for the delegates, who enjoyed performances by local musicians showcasing a blend of Chinese and Western traditional and contemporary music, offering a glimpse into Hong Kong’s vibrant and diverse arts and culture scene.
Defendant Arrested Several Times on Local Charges, Including Assault, Gun Possession
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Melvin Gutierrez-Almonte, 42, a Dominican national unlawfully residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this morning by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to 15 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Gutierrez-Almonte was charged by indictment in September of last year and pleaded guilty to the charge against him in January. He admitted to illegally entering the United States in April 2023, crossing from Mexico into Arizona.
According to immigration records, the defendant had been removed from the United States on four prior occasions — on or about March 1, 2011, September 27, 2016, March 20, 2018, and September 1, 2020 — and had not sought permission to reenter. He has three previous illegal reentry convictions, all in the District of Puerto Rico.
As detailed in court filings, on May 18, 2024, Gutierrez-Almonte was arrested by West New York Township Police in Hudson County, New Jersey, and charged with simple assault and receiving stolen property. The case remains active and there is currently a detainer.
Then, on July 10, 2024, Gutierrez-Almonte was arrested by Philadelphia Police and charged under the name “Conjeo Almonet” with aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of a crime, and simple assault.
The next day, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials received a biometric notification of the Philadelphia arrest.
Gutierrez-Almonte was subsequently charged by federal criminal complaint with illegal reentry, and on September 3, 2024, an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officer arrested him, following the defendant’s release from Philadelphia custody.
“Melvin Gutierrez-Almonte is a serial violator of our country’s sovereignty. He has entered the United States illegally and been removed multiple times already,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “Not only has he flouted our immigration laws, he has also been arrested several times for assault, gun possession, and more. He is a great example of how certain immigrants repeatedly disrespect our laws. Anyone who wants to come to this country must do so legally, and anyone who wants to stay must honor the obligations of our laws.”
“Ensuring the safety of our communities is at the core of our mission at ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. This individual’s repeated unlawful reentry and criminal activity posed a significant risk to public safety,” said ICE ERO Philadelphia Acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “By apprehending, prosecuting, and removing those who threaten our neighborhoods, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the well-being of law-abiding residents. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to uphold our nation’s immigration laws and keep our communities safe.”
The case was investigated by ICE ERO and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti.
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Heladio Ruchon Rocha-Tellez, 31, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after removal and was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 22, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on December 19, 2023, local law enforcement responded to a burglary in progress at a Beaumont laundry mat. When officers arrived, they encountered Rocha-Tellez hiding behind the counter of the laundry mat with a large amount of cash hanging out of his pocket. A check of immigration records revealed that Rocha-Tellez was a Mexican national who had been previously removed from the United States in 2015 and twice in 2022.
In addition to the immigration charges, Rocha-Tellez was convicted of a state burglary charge in Jefferson County court and sentenced to 12 months in prison on November 19, 2024. Judge Crone ordered that the sentences run consecutively, and Rocha-Tellez will begin his federal prison sentence after completing his state sentence.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman with the cooperation of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.