Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
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Shippensburg Man Charged With Drug Distribution
SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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Shippensburg Man Charged With Drug Distribution
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clayton Wilson, age 25, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on six counts of drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Wilson distributed crack cocaine in Franklin County on August
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SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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Shippensburg Man Charged With Drug Distribution
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clayton Wilson, age 25, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on six counts of drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Wilson distributed crack cocaine in Franklin County on August27, 2025, September 10, 2025, October 2, 2025 and October 21, 2025. It further alleges that he possessed with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride, and methamphetamine on October 23, 2025. It also alleged that in a separate incident on October 23, 2025, he possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/shippensburg-man-charged-drug-distribution
NIH Announces Major Policy Shift to End Use of Human Fetal Tissue in NIH-Supported Research
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health issued the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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NIH Announces Major Policy Shift to End Use of Human Fetal Tissue in NIH-Supported Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced a new policy ending the use of human fetal tissue in NIH-supported research, marking a significant milestone in the Trump Administration's efforts to modernize biomedical science and accelerate innovation.
Effective immediately, NIH funds will no longer be used to support research involving
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health issued the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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NIH Announces Major Policy Shift to End Use of Human Fetal Tissue in NIH-Supported Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced a new policy ending the use of human fetal tissue in NIH-supported research, marking a significant milestone in the Trump Administration's efforts to modernize biomedical science and accelerate innovation.
Effective immediately, NIH funds will no longer be used to support research involvinghuman fetal tissue from elective abortions. The policy applies across the NIH Intramural Research Program and all NIH-supported extramural research, including grants, cooperative agreements, other transaction awards, and research and development contracts. This action supersedes prior NIH guidance and reflects a clear shift toward next-generation, validated research models better suited to today's rapidly evolving scientific landscape.
"NIH is pushing American biomedical science into the 21st century," said NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. "This decision is about advancing science by investing in breakthrough technologies more capable of modeling human health and disease. Under President Trump's leadership, taxpayer-funded research must reflect the best science of today and the values of the American people."
NIH-supported research using human fetal tissue has declined steadily since 2019, with only 77 projects funded in Fiscal Year 2024. At the same time, advances in organoids, tissue chips, computational biology, and other cutting-edge platforms have created robust alternatives that can drive discovery while reducing ethical concerns. The updated policy ensures that limited public resources are directed toward research approaches that offer the greatest potential to improve health outcomes for all Americans.
NIH will continue to assess additional areas where modernization can accelerate progress and will engage the scientific community in identifying emerging technologies that can further reduce reliance on outdated research models. NIH will soon seek public comment on the robustness of emerging biotechnologies to reduce or potentially replace reliance on human embryonic stem cells in an effort to continue to drive modernization.
This policy update underscores the Administration's commitment to scientific excellence and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, helping to ensure that America remains the global leader in biomedical innovation while reflecting the values of the people it serves.
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About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-announces-major-policy-shift-end-use-human-fetal-tissue-nih-supported-research
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Snap Benefits Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Witness Tampering, Other Related Criminal Charges
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Snap Benefits Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Witness Tampering, Other Related Criminal Charges
Greenbelt, Maryland - Brendyn Andrew, 34, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to all charges listed in a 10-count superseding indictment, including SNAP benefits fraud, possessing unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and witness tampering.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Snap Benefits Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Witness Tampering, Other Related Criminal Charges
Greenbelt, Maryland - Brendyn Andrew, 34, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to all charges listed in a 10-count superseding indictment, including SNAP benefits fraud, possessing unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and witness tampering.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorneyfor the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region, and Special Agent in Charge David Richeson, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) - Washington Field Office.
In February 2025, a grand jury indicted Andrew for aggravated identity theft, supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits fraud, social security number misuse, and theft of government property. Additionally, in May 2025, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Andrew with additional criminal charges for possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant. Dominique Collins, 38, of Stafford, Virginia, was named as a co-defendant, in the superseding indictment, for tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant. Ms. Collins is scheduled for trial in April 2026.
According to facts in Andrew's plea, between February and June 2021, he used the Department of Human Services' online system to apply for SNAP benefits and obtain EBT cards, later found in his possession, using identities belonging to other individuals. Andrew intentionally misrepresented his identity to obtain those benefits.
In October 2022, during execution of a search warrant, law enforcement officers found Andrew in possession of more than 15 electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards in the names of individuals other than himself. Then, in February 2024, Andrew submitted a United States passport application, stating he was another person, and without legal authority, used the social security number of that person in the application. Andrew obtained the passport for his own use. In March 2025, while detained on the original indictment at the Chesapeake Detention Facility in Baltimore, Maryland, Andrew spoke to Collins on the phone and asked her to try to delete an e-mail account to make the account unavailable for use in an official proceeding.
Andrew faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft, to be imposed consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, up to five years for SNAP benefits fraud, up to five years for misuse of a social security number, and up to 10 years for theft of government property. Additionally, Andrew is facing up to 10 years for possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices and up to 15 years for passport fraud. Andrews also faces up to 20 years for tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended USDA-OIG and DSS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked the Montgomery County Police Department for its investigative assistance and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/maryland-man-pleads-guilty-snap-benefits-fraud-aggravated-identity-theft-witness
Justice Department Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Priority Hospital Group and Three Long Term Care Hospitals
LAFAYETTE, Louisiana, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana posted the following news release on Jan. 21, 2026:
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Justice Department Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Priority Hospital Group and Three Long Term Care Hospitals
On Jan. 16, the United States filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Priority Hospital Group LLC (PHG), a Louisiana-based hospital management company, three PHG-managed long term care hospitals, and a doctor, alleging False Claims Act violations based on medically unnecessary care and patient referrals
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LAFAYETTE, Louisiana, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana posted the following news release on Jan. 21, 2026:
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Justice Department Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Priority Hospital Group and Three Long Term Care Hospitals
On Jan. 16, the United States filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Priority Hospital Group LLC (PHG), a Louisiana-based hospital management company, three PHG-managed long term care hospitals, and a doctor, alleging False Claims Act violations based on medically unnecessary care and patient referralsin violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law.
Long term care hospitals (LTCHs) provide inpatient hospital services for patients whose medically complex conditions require long hospital stays and programs of care. Medicare reimburses LTCHs based, in part, on a patient's length of stay. According to the United States' complaint, PHG and the LTCH defendants allegedly held patients in the hospital longer than medically necessary in order to increase their Medicare reimbursement. The United States alleges that PHG and the LTCH defendants delayed discharging certain patients, even when their course of treatment had been completed or when they could have been transferred to a lower level of care, because doing so would have resulted in lower payments from Medicare.
The United States' complaint also alleges that one LTCH, Riverside Hospital of Louisiana, entered into medical directorship agreements with a doctor, and provided him other remuneration, to induce him to refer patients to Riverside in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The Stark Law forbids a hospital from billing Medicare for certain services referred by physicians that have a financial relationship with the hospital. The Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law seek to ensure that medical providers' judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
"Medicare patients deserve to receive care based on their clinical needs, not the financial interests of a hospital or doctor," said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "The Department is committed to pursuing cases where financial interests have improperly influenced the medical decision-making of providers participating in federal health care programs."
"Billing federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary treatment undermines the viability of those programs and exploits our most vulnerable citizens," said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana. "Our Office will continue to combat fraudulent billing by unravelling these schemes and holding the perpetrators accountable."
"Schemes that involve false claims and unlawful referrals erode the integrity of federal health care programs and betray the trust placed in providers," said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "The False Claims Act is a critical tool for protecting Medicare and ensuring that patient care decisions are driven by medical necessity--not financial gain. HHS-OIG will continue to work with or partners to hold accountable those who put profits over patients."
The LTCHs named in the United States' complaint are: Riverside Hospital LLC and Riverside Hospital of Louisiana, Inc. (collectively doing business as Riverside Hospital); Post Acute Enterprises, LLC (doing business as Mid Jefferson Extended Care Hospital); and New Lifecare Hospital of North Louisiana, LLC (doing business as Ruston Regional Specialty Hospital).
The lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Michaela DeVos, a former employee of Riverside Hospital. Under the False Claims Act, private parties file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The False Claims Act permits the United States to intervene in and take over the action, as it has done here. If a defendant is found liable for violating the False Claims Act, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus applicable penalties.
The investigation and prosecution of this matter illustrates the government's emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The Justice Department's Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana (W.D. La.) are handling the matter with assistance from HHS-OIG. The case is captioned United States ex rel. DeVos v. Priority Hospital Group LLC, et al., No. 20-cv-01041 (W.D. La.).
This case is being handled by Trial Attorney Emily Bussigel of the Justice Department's Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Theriot for the Western District of Louisiana.
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The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/pr/justice-department-files-false-claims-act-complaint-against-priority-hospital-group
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Charlotte Man With Felony For Assaulting Federal Officers
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Charlotte Man With Felony For Assaulting Federal Officers
A federal grand jury has returned a criminal indictment charging a Charlotte man with a felony for assaulting federal officers conducting immigration enforcement operations, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez, 24, is charged with a felony offense of assaulting, resisting,
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CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Charlotte Man With Felony For Assaulting Federal Officers
A federal grand jury has returned a criminal indictment charging a Charlotte man with a felony for assaulting federal officers conducting immigration enforcement operations, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez, 24, is charged with a felony offense of assaulting, resisting,opposing, impeding, and interfering with federal officers engaged in their official duties.
According to allegations in filed documents and information shared in court, on November 16, 2025, federal law enforcement officers attempted to make contact with Martinez after his van was observed at two different locations where federal officers were conducting immigration related operations. When the officers approached Martinez's van, he fled the scene, driving aggressively and at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement used sirens and lights attempting to stop Martinez, but he allegedly continued to evade law enforcement, driving erratically and swerving in and out of traffic, crossing medians and sidewalks, and driving into oncoming traffic down University Boulevard. Ultimately, Martinez's van struck a government vehicle that had its lights and sirens activated and was occupied by four federal officers. After striking the government vehicle, Martinez continued to flee until he was stopped and taken into custody.
If convicted, Martinez faces a maximum penalty of eight years in prison for the felony offense. A federal district court judge will determine the ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is joined in making the announcement by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI.
The charges against the defendants are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/federal-grand-jury-indicts-charlotte-man-felony-assaulting-federal-officers
Department of Justice: TD Bank Insider Pleads Guilty to Facilitating Colombian ATM Money Laundering Scheme
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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TD Bank Insider Pleads Guilty to Facilitating Colombian ATM Money Laundering Scheme
A former New Jersey-based employee of TD Bank, N.A., Oscar Marcel Nunez-Flores (Nunez), pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes in return for facilitating a money laundering network's movement of over $26 million to Colombia through TD Bank accounts.
"The defendant afforded his co-conspirators unfettered access to TD Bank, while lining his own pockets in the process," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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TD Bank Insider Pleads Guilty to Facilitating Colombian ATM Money Laundering Scheme
A former New Jersey-based employee of TD Bank, N.A., Oscar Marcel Nunez-Flores (Nunez), pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes in return for facilitating a money laundering network's movement of over $26 million to Colombia through TD Bank accounts.
"The defendant afforded his co-conspirators unfettered access to TD Bank, while lining his own pockets in the process," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duvaof the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "Our financial professionals are vital gatekeepers against money laundering and other crimes in the financial services industry. The Criminal Division will hold banking professionals who abuse their positions to account to ensure the protection of our financial system."
"This case shows how complex money laundering schemes often depend on insiders who are willing to bend -- or break -- basic safeguards," said Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello. "Our office will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who turn financial institutions into vehicles for large-scale criminal activity."
"Transnational criminal organizations exploit borders, geography, and communities but they cannot exploit our resolve," said Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Miranda of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Caribbean Field Division. "In the DEA Caribbean Field Division, we intercept threats before they reach American streets. This is not regional work. This is national security. Our agents, analysts, and partners stand on that front line every day with discipline, courage, and purpose."
"By exploiting his position at TD Bank for his own gain, Mr. Nunez enabled the movement of millions of illicit dollars overseas," stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office. "This case underscores the critical role IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners play in dismantling complex financial schemes that threaten the integrity of our banking system."
"The defendant in this case abused his position as an employee at TD Bank by accepting bribes in return for enabling a money laundering network's movement of millions of dollars from the United States to Columbia," said Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. "The FDIC OIG, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and hold accountable bank insiders who violate their positions of trust and commit financial crimes that threaten the safety and soundness of our Nation's banks."
According to court filings, beginning in March 2021 and until his arrest in October 2023, Nunez, 24, of Plainfield, New Jersey, then a TD Bank employee in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, accepted bribes and leveraged his position to facilitate a money laundering network's expatriation of over $26 million from the United States to Colombia. Nunez opened dozens of accounts in the names of shell companies and often opened the accounts without any purported customer present. The accounts Nunez opened for laundering received over 600 debit cards, which Nunez largely issued himself. These debit cards were used to make over 120,000 withdrawals at ATMs throughout Colombia. Nunez also shipped debit cards directly to a co-conspirator in Colombia. He also registered shell companies in New Jersey and then opened accounts in their names at TD Bank in exchange for a fee ranging from approximately $500 to $2,500, which was typically paid either in cash or through a peer-to-peer digital payment network.
Nunez pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiring to launder monetary instruments and for receipt of bribes by a bank employee. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of receipt of bribes by a bank employee carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 or three times the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
The DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and FDIC-OIG investigated the case. The department also thanks the Morristown Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington for their assistance with the investigation.
Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division's Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce, Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section's Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/td-bank-insider-pleads-guilty-facilitating-colombian-atm-money-laundering-scheme
37 Mexican Nationals Wanted for Serious Crimes Transferred to the U.S. From Mexico, Including Leaders of Foreign Terrorist Organizations
MIAMI, Florida, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida posted the following news release on Jan. 21, 2026:
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37 Mexican Nationals Wanted for Serious Crimes Transferred to the United States from Mexico, Including Leaders of Foreign Terrorist Organizations
The United States announced today that yesterday evening it took into custody 37 fugitives from Mexico facing a range of federal criminal charges around the country, including charges relating to narcoterrorism, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, firearms trafficking,
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MIAMI, Florida, Jan. 23 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida posted the following news release on Jan. 21, 2026:
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37 Mexican Nationals Wanted for Serious Crimes Transferred to the United States from Mexico, Including Leaders of Foreign Terrorist Organizations
The United States announced today that yesterday evening it took into custody 37 fugitives from Mexico facing a range of federal criminal charges around the country, including charges relating to narcoterrorism, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, firearms trafficking,human smuggling, money laundering, and various drug trafficking offenses, including conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
Among the fugitives taken into U.S. custody are prolific human smugglers, violent arms traffickers, and alleged members of dangerous drug cartels, including those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), Cartel del Noreste (CDN, formerly Los Zetas), and Cartel de Golfo (CDG) as well as additional drug trafficking organizations, such as the Gulf Cartel, La Linea, and the former Beltran-Leyva Organization.
"This is another landmark achievement in the Trump Administration's mission to destroy the cartels. These 37 cartel members - including terrorists from the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and others - will now pay for their crimes against the American people on American soil," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "We are grateful for this collaboration with our international partners and will deliver swift, comprehensive justice for members of Foreign Terrorist Organizations who have spent years preying on the American people."
"The FBI has proven that we will hold dangerous criminals accountable for their egregious violent acts, no matter where they try to hide," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "Today's announcement of the return of dozens of fugitives from Mexico to face charges is yet another example of the FBI's relentless work and partnerships here in the U.S. and in Mexico. We will continue to work to put a stop to these drug cartels, arms traffickers, and terrorists from bringing crime, drugs, and firearms to our city streets and neighborhoods."
"The significance of this transfer cannot be overstated. Thirty-seven fugitives were brought from Mexico to the United States to face justice for alleged crimes that have spread violence, threatened public safety, and devastated families. Among them are individuals tied to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, both designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations," said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). "We thank the Government of Mexico for standing with us. DEA will keep driving forward with our U.S. and international partners to dismantle these terrorist cartels, cut off the fentanyl supply, and save American lives."
"Leadership like President Trump's and Attorney General Bondi's to work diligently to bring all of these wanted criminals back to the United States reinforces their commitment to getting justice for their victims," said Director Gadyaces S. Serralta of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). "This sends a very clear message; justice does not stop at borders."
"ATF is on the front lines of the fight against violent crime," said Deputy Director Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). "Our agents are hunting down gangs, cartels, and transnational organizations that traffic illegal firearms and turn our streets into war zones. We will dismantle these networks at every level, cut off their access to weapons, and hold every criminal accountable. Those who profit from violence will be found, stopped, and brought to justice."
Yesterday's transfer marks only the third time that Mexico has used its National Security Law to expel fugitives to the United States. It is also the largest such transfer of fugitives to occur -- the first transfer, on Feb. 27, 2025, involved 29 fugitives, and the second, on Aug.12, 2025, involved 26 fugitives.
Included in yesterday's transfer are the following fugitives:
* Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez. Navarro-Sanchez is the first Mexican national to be charged with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization based on her involvement with the CJNG, including providing the cartel with grenades and engaging in alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking on its behalf. CJNG, which controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade, also engages in money laundering, bribery, extortion of migrants, and other criminal activities, including acts of violence and intimidation.
* Eduardo Rigoberto Velasco Calderon and Eliomar Segura Torres. Velasco Calderon and Segura Torres are alleged to be members of Mexico-based money laundering organizations responsible for collecting bulk cash drug proceeds in the United States and transferring the funds to Mexico through cryptocurrency transfers. These organizations help launder funds for Mexico-based drug trafficking organizations, including the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion and the Sinaloa Cartel. Velasco Calderon and Segura Torres received financial compensation for the money laundered in the form of a commission, or percentage of the money laundered, each time that proceeds of drug sales were returned to the drug trafficking organization.
* Heriberto Hernandez Rodriguez. Hernandez Rodriguez is accused of having been a member of Cartel del Noreste responsible for drug trafficking, kidnappings and assassinations, and procuring weapons for the cartel. Between 2006 and his arrest in November 2022, Hernandez Rodriguez is alleged to have commanded hundreds of sicarios and ordered the deaths of multiple people. Hernandez Rodriguez is also alleged to have overseen security for the cartel's stash houses in Mexico, which served as staging points for thousands of kilograms of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine to be transported into the United States for distribution.
* Pedro Inzunza Noriega. In May 2025, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, also known as Sagitario and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were the first Sinaloa Cartel leaders in the nation to be charged with narcoterrorism and material support of terrorism, along with drug trafficking and money laundering charges. The Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO) is a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that is believed to be the world's largest known fentanyl production network. Five other BLO leaders are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. Pedro Inzunza Noriega worked closely with his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, to produce and aggressively traffic fentanyl to the United States. The father and son led one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world. Over the past several years, they have trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. On Dec. 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement raided multiple locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the father and son and seized 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons) of fentanyl - the largest known seizure of fentanyl in world history. On Nov. 30, 2025, the son, Inzunza Coronel, was killed during a capture operation in Mexico. On Dec. 31, 2025, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, aka Sagitario was captured by the Mexican military.
* Juan Pablo Bastidas Erenas also known as Payo. Juan Pablo Bastidas Erenas aka Payo is a high-ranking lieutenant of the Beltran Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and the long-time right-hand man of Consolidated Priority Organization Target Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, also known as "El Musico". Bastidas has operated with impunity for over 20 years and has imported and distributed thousands of tons of cocaine from Colombia to the United States, via Mexico. In addition to cocaine trafficking, Bastidas has imported and distributed large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Mexico to the United States. Bastidas is also responsible for laundering millions of dollars from drug proceeds, weapons trafficking, and has engaged in kidnapping, torture, and murder. Bastidas was captured on May 28, 2025, by the Mexican military.
* Juan Carlos Alonso Reyes. Regional Priority Organization Target Juan Carlos Alonso Reyes was the leader of "The Office," a transnational criminal organization which operated physical locations in Tijuana where Alonso Reyes and his co-conspirators sold mainly fentanyl and methamphetamine. The Office's physical locations worked as a type of illicit 24/7 drug convenience store for mostly American buyers. It operated so openly and notoriously that at one time you could search The Office on Google Maps, and the physical location would appear in Tijuana. Alonso Reyes coordinated drug sales and distribution from The Office to hundreds of internal body carriers who then smuggled the drugs into the United States via the district's Ports of Entry. On Jan. 23, 2024, the Mexican Attorney General's Office (FGR) physically seized and closed the Office's latest location in Tijuana.
* Julio Cesar Mancera Dozal. Julio Cesar Mancera Dozal was the leader of a drug smuggling organization that is part of the Sinaloa Cartel that imported and distributed hundreds of pounds of cocaine into the United States from Mexico. His organization was headquartered in Tijuana, Mexico, and imported drugs into San Diego, California, through vehicles with sophisticated non-factory compartments, with further distribution into the Central District of California (Los Angeles, Orange County, and Riverside). Once crossed, additional co-conspirators also under the leadership and coordination of Mancera removed, stored, and transported the drugs further into the United States.
* Juan Pedro Saldivar-Farias, also known as "Z-27," is charged in the Southern District of Texas with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, as well as associated drug trafficking offenses. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. According to the indictment, Saldivar-Farias served as a Zeta Regional Commander and Plaza Boss located in the Falcon Lake area of South Texas. Along with his brother, Jose Manuel Saldivar-Farias, also known as "Z-31" or "El Borrado," Saldivar-Farias oversaw all narcotics moving in and around the Falcon Lake area. Agents estimate that several multi-ton quantities of marijuana were crossed into the United States through this area every week. During their time as Plaza bosses, multi-ton quantities of cocaine were also imported into the United States on a monthly basis. The Saldivar-Farias brothers were the source of marijuana and cocaine for the NETO Drug Trafficking Organization. Any other dope or contraband moving through the area from non-Zetas had to be approved by one of the brothers, or was subject to a "piso," or tax, paid for landing in or crossing through the area. A separate piso was charged for crossing the contraband into the United States. Individuals who did not secure permission or pay the piso would be held hostage, beaten, tortured, killed, or some combination of all four. Saldivar-Farias's brother, Z-31, was caught by immigration authorities in 2015, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in 2017, and is currently serving a thirty-year sentence.
* Ricardo Cortez-Mateos, also known as "Billeton," is a former high-ranking member of the Cartel del Golfo, and is charged in the Southern District of Texas with significant drug trafficking offenses for his role in importing large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Cortez-Mateos, 41, of Mexico, was originally indicted by a grand jury in Brownsville on Nov. 10, 2021, with nine counts, including conspiracy to possesses with intent to distribute and conspiracy to unlawfully import more than 50 grams of meth, more than five kilograms of cocaine, and more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Cortez-Mateos faces a maximum penalty of up to life in prison if convicted.
Below is a complete list of fugitives,[1] as well as the districts in which they are charged:
Fugitive ... Jurisdiction ... Statutory Maximum
Ricardo Cortez Mateos ... Southern District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Fidel Felix Ochoa ... Southern District of Florida ... Up to life imprisonment
Oscar Hernandez Flores ... Western District of Oklahoma ... Up to life imprisonment
Luis Alonso Navarro Quezada ... District of Colorado ... Up to life imprisonment
David Eliezer Seas Centeno ... District of New Mexico ... Up to life imprisonment
Juan Pedro Saldivar Farias ... Southern District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Carlos Alberto Guerrero Mercardo ... Eastern District of New York ... Up to life imprisonment
Jair Francisco Patron Tobias ... Eastern District of New York ... Up to life imprisonment
Guillermo Isaias Perez Parra ... Eastern District of New York ... Up to life imprisonment
Manuel Ignacio Correa ... Eastern District of Kentucky ... 20 years' imprisonment
Yahir Alejandro Lujan Rojo ... Western District of Pennsylvania ... Up to life imprisonment
Lucas Anthony Mendoza ... Southern District of Indiana ... Up to life imprisonment
Eliomar Segura Torres ... Eastern District of Kentucky ... 20 years' imprisonment
Eduardo Rigoberto Velasco Calderon ... Eastern District of Kentucky ... 20 years' imprisonment
Francisco Arredondo Colmenero ... Western District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Gustavo Castro Medina ... Western District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Luis Carlos Davalos Lopez ... Western District of Texas ... 25 years' imprisonment
SEALED ... Western District of Texas ... 25 years' imprisonment
Heriberto Hernandez Rodriguez ... Western District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Daniel Manera Macias ... Western District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Maria del Rosario Navarro Sanchez ... Western District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Humberto Rivera Rivera ... Western District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda ... Western District of Texas ... Up to life imprisonment
Juan Carlos Alonso Reyes ... Southern District of California ... Up to life imprisonment
Juan Pablo Bastidas Erenas ... Southern District of California ... Up to life imprisonment
Pedro Inzunza Noriega ... Southern District of California ... Up to life imprisonment
SEALED ... District of Arizona ... 20 years' imprisonment
Julio Cesar Mancera Dozal ... Southern District of California ... Up to life imprisonment
Rodrigo Perez Mesquite ... District of Arizona ... 20 years' imprisonment
Jose Luis Sanchez Valencia ... Western District of Washington ... Up to life imprisonment
Jorge Damian Roman Figueroa ... District of Arizona ... Up to life imprisonment
Armando Gomez Nunez ... District of Columbia ... Up to life imprisonment
SEALED ... District of Columbia ... Up to life imprisonment
Jose Pineda Perez ... Middle District of Georgia ... Up to life imprisonment
Jose Gerardo Alvarez Vasquez ... Southern District of New York ... Up to life imprisonment
Jose Torres ... Southern District of New York ... Up to life imprisonment
Daniel Alfredo Blanco-Joo ... District of New Mexico ... Up to life imprisonment
Attorney General Pamela Bondi thanked the law enforcement officers of the DEA, FBI, ATF, USMS, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their valuable contributions to these investigations.
Attorney General Bondi also thanked the Justice Department Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs for coordinating the transfers, as well as the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and the Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section, and the U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the District of Arizona, the Southern District of California, the District of Columbia, the District of Colorado, the Southern District of Florida, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the Middle District of Georgia, the Southern District of Indiana, the District of New Mexico, the Eastern District of New York, the Southern District of New York, the Western District of Oklahoma, the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, and the Western District of Washington for handling the prosecution of the cases.
These transfers are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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[1] This chart contains the maximum penalty for the single most serious crime for which the defendant is currently charged. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/37-mexican-nationals-wanted-serious-crimes-transferred-united-states-mexico-including
