Woman Sentenced to More Than a Year in Prison After Assaulting DHS Officers in Florida

The defendant struck an ICE officer, a CBP officer, and a Florida Highway Patrol trooper during the altercation in January 

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after a defendant was sentenced to 15 months in prison for assaulting a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, along with a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper, in January.

According to local reporting, the incident occurred on January 13 during a joint immigration enforcement operation involving ICE, CBP, and FHP personnel in Jacksonville, Florida. During a traffic stop involving two illegal aliens, Jennifer Susan Cruz, a U.S. citizen, got out of her car and punched an FHP trooper in the face. As the officers restrained and arrested her, Cruz continued resisting by kicking and screaming. When they placed her in the back of a law enforcement vehicle, she began kicking an ICE officer and a CBP officer, before then kicking the ceiling of the vehicle.

On October 14, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that Cruz had been sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Jennifer Susan Cruz

In addition to the prison sentence, Cruz was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $5,592 in restitution.

“This woman thought she could get away with viciously assaulting federal law enforcement officers who were in the middle of arresting illegal aliens,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Now, after she assaulted an ICE officer, a CBP officer, and a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, she has been sentenced to 15 months in prison. Let this be a warning to anyone out there who thinks they have a right to interfere with immigration enforcement and attack our officers: don’t even think about it. We will arrest you, and you will face the consequences. I want to thank our partners at the Department of Justice and the state of Florida for their work in ensuring that justice was done here.”

“Assaulting law enforcement officers who are carrying out their lawful duties is intolerable,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “HSI is committed to upholding the rule of law, especially against those who attack the men and women sworn to protect our communities and enforce our laws.”

“By refusing to comply with lawful commands and assaulting officers during a law enforcement operation, the defendant in this case caused physical harm to officers and placed the public at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Now, she will face the consequences of her actions.” 

This case was investigated by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

BRONX COUPLE INDICTED FOR MURDER IN THE DEATH OF THEIR 3-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER

 

Defendants Also Indicted for Assault Due to the Condition of Her Brother

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx couple have been indicted for Murder, Manslaughter, Assault and related charges in connection with the death of their 3-year-old daughter and the neglect and malnutrition of their son. 

District Attorney Clark said, “These precious children were found in deplorable conditions. Sadly, the little girl could not be saved. These defendants allegedly failed to adequately feed and care for their children. They will be held accountable for their actions.” 

District Attorney Clark said that defendant Calvin Harris, 37, the Bronx, was arraigned today on second-degree Murder, first-degree Manslaughter, Assault and related charges by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Audrey Stone. He was remanded. Defendant Ymonzherae Gill, 35, the Bronx, was arraigned on October 19, 2026, on second-degree Murder, first-degree Manslaughter, Assault and related charges by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Audrey Stone. Bail was set at $500,000 cash/$750,000 bond/$750,000 partially secured bond at 10%. They are due back in court on December 9, 2026. 

According to the investigation, on March 3, 2026, the defendants called 911 to report that their 3-year-old daughter, Essence Gill Harris, was having trouble breathing. Paramedics responded to the family’s apartment on East 215th Street and transported Essence to Montefiore Medical Center, where Essence was pronounced dead not long after arriving at the hospital. The NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide as the result of acute and chronic neglect including malnutrition and dehydration. The male child was severely malnourished and was hospitalized for one month.

District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detective Kyle Keiser from Bronx South Homicide Squad and NYPD Detective Robert Regnier, of the 47th Precinct Detective Squad for their work in the investigation.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Governor Hochul Announces Nearly $50 Million to Preserve New York Farmland

More than $48 Million Awarded to 43 Farms to Protect More than 16,000 Acres of Agricultural Land, $1 Million to Support Building Staff Capacity within New York’s Land Trusts

Record Level of Funding Dedicated to the Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (FPIG) Program in Round 20 with a Boost Through the Environmental Bond Act, Applications Still Being Accepted

State’s Farmland Protection Program Celebrating its 30th Year in Supporting New York’s Farmers

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than $48.5 million has been awarded to 43 farms across New York through its Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (FPIG) program. The funding supports the preservation of thousands of acres of viable agricultural land, comprised of predominantly productive soils. An additional $1 million is supporting additional staff capacity within New York’s land trusts to further support farmland protection efforts. The announcement comes as the State celebrates the 30th anniversary of its Farmland Protection program.

“I am so proud that New York is a national leader in the protection of its farmland and support of its farmers. Over the years, we have carefully maintained and, during my administration, have grown the Farmland Protection program to continue to preserve our agricultural lands,” Governor Hochul said. “Through the Bond Act, which we championed and New Yorkers approved, we have invested even more in our Farmland Protection program in this round, providing record funding to this monumental program to ensure our farmers can keep their land forever in agriculture and pass it on to their families, all while preserving our rural landscapes and the long-standing agricultural heritage New York is known for.”

The Governor announced in December 2025 that a record level of funding, $67 million, was available through the Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (FPIG) Program to help farmers across New York protect valuable and at-risk farmland. This is the highest level of funding being offered in the program's 30-year history, which received a boost from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. The Farmland Protection program supports perpetual agricultural conservation easements to preserve New York’s farmland, promote sustainable farming practices, and ensure the long-term viability of the State’s agricultural industry.

Today’s announcement was made at Heer Farm in Onondaga County where State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball joined the Heer family, representatives from the New York Agricultural Land Trust, a number of land trusts from across the State, and state elected officials to celebrate an award supporting the protection of 230 acres of farmland on the more than 100-year Heer Farm. So far, through this round of funding of the FPIG program, 16,005 acres of agricultural land will be protected on 43 farms. More than $15 million is still available and will be awarded on a rolling basis. Potential applicants can view additional information on the Request for Applications page on the Department’s website.

A full list of the projects awarded in the Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Mid-Hudson, and Western New York Regions is linked here.

Round 20 of the Farmland Protection Program is making funds available to projects aligned with the State's key priorities, including food security, climate resilience, and source water protection. Notably, eligibility criteria include 11 categories, such as field crops, livestock and livestock products, agroforestry, and farmland access initiatives. These categories address ongoing challenges faced by new and beginning farmers, as well as retiring farmers, by improving access to farmland and promoting diverse agricultural operations.

As part of the funding awarded, nearly $6.4 million was allocated to nine of the State’s economic development regions. New this round, the maximum award for projects also increased to $3 million. Round 20 continues the one-time incentive payment of 10 percent of the value of the agricultural conservation easement being required for projects that meet climate resilience or source water protection goals.

Since the Farmland Protection Program launched three decades ago, it has grown and changed, while maintaining its core mission to ensure that farmland is forever used for agriculture. The program has seen the streamlining of the application process and awards of grants, implementation of the first-ever regionally targeted round of the program, and historic levels of funding. The program also saw advancements that allowed the Department to be responsive to the specific needs of the industry, helping farms that were facing challenges from low dairy prices, trade disputes, increasing debt, changing consumer preferences, and climate change.

Approximately 20 percent of the state's land area, or nearly 7 million acres, is farmland. The Department’s Farmland Protection Program provides financial assistance to counties, municipalities, soil and water conservation districts, and land conservation organizations to facilitate farmland protection activities aligned with local agricultural and farmland protection plans. The most frequently funded activity is the purchase of agricultural conservation easements on individual farms through the FPIG program. Additionally, the program awards funding to land conservation organizations to support other implementation activities, including amendments to local laws affecting agriculture, option agreements, and covering transaction costs for donated agricultural conservation easements. 

Sinaloa Cartel Drug Transporter Pleads Guilty to International Drug Trafficking

 

Case Is Part of Homeland Security Task Force Initiative

Juan Hernandez Ochoa, 51, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States.

According to court documents, Hernandez Ochoa worked from 2015 to 2017 as a distributor and transporter for various drug traffickers affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel. Hernandez Ochoa employed a network of associates to transport marijuana and methamphetamine from Mexican border towns into the United States using private planes, human couriers, tunnels, semi-trailer trucks, and vehicles with hidden compartments. He also coordinated the transportation of cash for the purchase of drugs and its repatriation from the U.S. following their sale. Hernandez Ochoa pleaded guilty to moving hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of pounds of marijuana from Mexico to the United States.

“Juan Hernandez Ochoa will no longer be able to enrich himself by pushing poison into our communities thanks to the prosecutors involved in this case and the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by President Trump,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea is another major blow to the Sinaloa Cartel and the transnational criminal organizations that profit from addiction, violence, and death. Our message is simple: we will not stop until these cartels are dismantled and their leaders are brought to justice.”

“Combating violent crime, disrupting drug trafficking organizations, and holding accountable dangerous individuals like Mr. Hernandez Ochoa remains a top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of FBI Phoenix. “This investigation highlights the mission of the HSTF, which includes targeting leaders from transnational criminal organizations and dismantling drug trafficking networks, wherever they operate. We will continue to work with our partners to produce real and impactful results for our communities.”

Hernandez Ochoa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana for importation into the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 2, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

The FBI Tucson field office is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in Hernandez Ochoa’s extradition, and the Justice Department thanks the Government of Mexico for its assistance in securing Hernandez Ochoa’s presence in the United States for prosecution.

Trial Attorneys Jayce Born, Michael Lang, Richard Greene, and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit are prosecuting the case.

MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.

MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command-and-control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations, and related transnational criminal organizations.

This case is part of the 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 U.S. 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. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

Chicago Man in Possession of 16 Pounds of Meth Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison

A man who law enforcement officers found with more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 21 years in federal prison.

Demetrius Stone, age 54, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 8, 2026, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that officers tried to stop a car that Stone was driving on January 7, 2026.  Stone sped away from officers and a chase ensued.  Stone drove through a residential area in Cedar Rapids at over twice the posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour.  Stone also ran a stop sign and nearly struck a city bus.  Stone eventually hit a curb, causing damage to his car.  As his car was coming to a stop, Stone got out and attempted to run.  Officers apprehended him a short distance from his car.  

Officers found over 11 pounds of ice methamphetamine inside and near the car that Stone had been driving.  Later that same evening, officers searched Stone’s apartment in Cedar Rapids.  Officers found approximately five and a half pounds of ice methamphetamine, approximately eight ounces of cocaine, a loaded gun, and approximately $59,000 in cash.

Stone was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Stone was sentenced to 259 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Stone is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep. 

Mayor Mamdani Names Douglas Keith as Executive Director of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, Announces Sweeping Ethics Reforms

 

Douglas Keith named Executive Director of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. 

 

First-ever public Code of Conduct establishes ethical standards for Committee members; agreement restores and for the first time formalizes New York City Bar Association’s role in evaluating judicial candidates. 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today announced the appointment of Douglas Keith as Executive Director and Senior Legal Officer of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary (MACJ), alongside two reforms to strengthen the integrity and independence of the City’s judicial selection process: the Committee’s first-ever publicly available Code of Conduct, and a new agreement restoring, and for the first time formalizing, the New York City Bar Association’s role in evaluating judicial candidates. 

 

Judges make decisions that shape New Yorkers’ lives, from family disputes to criminal cases and civil matters. The new Code of Conduct establishes clear and transparent ethical standards for those responsible for evaluating judicial candidates, while the agreement with the City Bar brings independent, trusted input into the selection process. Together, the measures will strengthen accountability and public confidence in how the City selects judges.  

 

Keith joins MACJ from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, where he served as Deputy Director of the Judiciary Program and Co-Founding Editor of State Court Report. He brings a decade of experience focused on judicial selection mechanisms nationwide, court independence and the protection of individual rights. 

 

“Judges make decisions every day that shape New Yorkers’ lives, and the process for selecting them must be worthy of the public’s trust,” said Mayor Mamdani. “With Douglas Keith’s leadership, our first-ever Code of Conduct, and a restored partnership with the City Bar, we are strengthening the safeguards that ensure judges are evaluated on their merits, free from favoritism and with the independence our judiciary demands and New Yorkers deserve.” 

  

“New York City’s criminal, family, and civil courts make decisions with tremendous impact on people’s lives,” said Douglas Keith, Executive Director and Senior Legal Officer of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. “I am looking forward to facilitating a process that ensures the judiciary has the independence it needs to do its vital work, that ensures the city’s courts reflect the diverse public that they serve, and that is worthy of the public trust.” 

 

“An independent and impartial judiciary begins with a rigorous and principled selection process,” said Ramzi Kassem, Chief Counsel to the Mayor and City Hall, who supervises the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. “Our new Code of Conduct establishes clear ethical obligations for every Committee member, including the Chair, while our agreement with the City Bar brings invaluable scrutiny and expertise back into candidate evaluations. Douglas Keith’s deep experience strengthening courts nationwide and protecting individual rights is the final building block that will help us carry out this responsibility with the integrity New Yorkers deserve.”  

 

“I look forward to working closely with Doug Keith in his role as Executive Director to ensure a fair, independent, and merit-based selection process for every judicial appointment,” said Ali Najmi, Chair, Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. “Together with the restoration of the City Bar’s independent review, and our new Code of Conduct, we are setting a new standard for judicial selection in New York City.” 

 

Establishing MACJ’s First Code of Conduct 

 

The judiciary exercises enormous power in New Yorkers’ lives. The Mamdani administration is establishing clear standards for the people entrusted with evaluating candidates for judicial appointment. MACJ’s new, publicly available Code of Conduct codifies ethical obligations governing merit-based evaluations, impartiality, recusals, disclosures and conflicts of interest. The Code applies to every Committee member, including the Chair, and establishes expectations for addressing potential conflicts and appearances of impropriety. 

 

These safeguards are designed to ensure candidates are evaluated fairly and consistently, free from improper influence, and to strengthen public confidence in the judicial selection process. 

 

Restoring the City Bar’s role in judicial selection 

 

The Mamdani administration has restored MACJ’s formal collaboration with the New York City Bar Association after the prior administration ended the association’s independent review of judicial candidates. 

 

Under the new memorandum of understanding, the City Bar’s Judiciary Committee will independently evaluate candidates referred by MACJ and provide ratings and supporting feedback to MACJ. MACJ will give those assessments due consideration while retaining responsibility for exercising its own independent judgment. 

 

The agreement restores an additional layer of independent review to the selection process, bringing the City Bar’s legal expertise to the evaluation of candidates for judicial appointment.  

 

Building a more accessible and accountable judiciary 

 

Today’s announcement builds on steps Mayor Mamdani has taken since the beginning of his administration to strengthen judicial selection and broaden public engagement. 

 

On the second day of his administration, Mayor Mamdani appointed civil rights and election attorney Ali Najmi as MACJ Chair and signed an executive order directing the Committee to engage a broader cross-section of the legal community, including public defenders, attorneys representing parents and children in Family Court, and attorneys working in indigent legal services. The order also requires the Committee to regularly publish demographic data on the judicial applicant pool and create a searchable public database to help New Yorkers track upcoming appointments. 

 

Mayor Mamdani has also announced three new judicial appointments—Cary Fischer, Natalie Barros and Andrés Casas—and nine judicial reappointments.  

 

In July, Mayor Mamdani announced the full slate of MACJ members, bringing together practitioners, law professors and former judges with experience across public defense, prosecution, civil rights advocacy, private practice, academia, and public service. 

 

MACJ evaluates candidates for appointments to the City’s Family and Criminal Courts, as well as interim appointments to its Civil Courts, and recommends qualified candidates to the Mayor. The Committee assesses candidates’ temperament, fairness and judgment as part of its work to ensure the City’s judiciary serves all New Yorkers with integrity. 

 

About Douglas Keith 

 

Douglas Keith previously served as Deputy Director of the Judiciary Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, where he led research and advocacy on judicial selection, judicial elections, ethics and court independence. His work included research on judicial nominating commissions and the importance of judicial diversity, advancing efforts to build fair, diverse and impartial courts.  

 

Keith was also a co-founding editor of State Court Report, a Brennan Center publication focused on state courts and state constitutional law. Since joining the Brennan Center in 2015, his work has included research reports, legal briefs and judicial education programs focused on strengthening state courts and protecting individual rights.  

 

He earned his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. 

WORST OF THE WORST: ICE Arrests Pedophiles, Violent Assailants, and Other Public Safety Threats

 

We will not rest until every one of these criminal invaders has been removed from our homeland

Yesterday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens convicted for horrific crimes across the country, including continuous sexual abuse of a child under 16 years old, endangering the welfare of a child, and aggravated assault.

“Every day, the brave patriots of ICE are working around the clock to arrest criminal illegal aliens from our communities. Just yesterday, ICE arrested pedophiles, violent assailants, and other public safety threats,” said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Under President Trump, we will not apologize for doing our jobs. Arresting and removing illegal aliens makes America safe again.”

Yesterday’s arrests include:

Vong Vongviset, a criminal illegal alien from Laos, convicted for continuous sexual abuse of a child under 16 years old in Fresno, California.

Jhostin Richard Abreu-Concepcion, a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic, convicted for aggravated assault in Rich County, Utah.

Bayron David Oviedo-Diaz, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, convicted for second-degree assault in Ocean City, Maryland.

Juan Hernandez-Ortiz, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for possession of a controlled substance in Garden Grove, California.

Mario Mondragon, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for endangering the welfare of a child in Long Branch, New Jersey.

Americans can see more public safety threats arrested in their communities on our webpage at WOW.DHS.Gov.

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Attorney General James Announces Community Gun Buybacks Have Removed More Than 10,000 Guns from New York

More Than 600 Firearms Turned in at OAG Gun Buyback Event in Rochester

Since 2019, OAG Has Recovered 10,534 Firearms from Gun Buyback Events Throughout New York

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her office has removed more than 10,000 guns from New York’s streets through dozens of community gun buyback events hosted since 2019. Today, 606 firearms were turned in at a gun buyback event in Rochester hosted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Rochester Police Department. This event is part of Attorney General James’ ongoing efforts to combat gun violence and keep New Yorkers safe. Since 2019, OAG’s gun buybacks have removed 10,534 guns from New York state.

“Taking dangerous weapons off the streets helps keep our communities safe,” said Attorney General James. “My office’s gun buyback events give New Yorkers a safe and secure way to rid their homes of deadly weapons and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Today, I am proud to announce that we have removed more than 10,000 guns through our buyback events. Every gun collected today was another life saved and potential tragedy avoided. I am grateful to the Rochester Police Department and the city of Rochester for their assistance with today’s buyback, and thank all our law enforcement partners across the state for their commitment to public safety.”

AG James announces community gun buybacks have removed more than 10,000 guns from New York

Some of the guns collected from Rochester gun buyback

Today’s buyback event in Rochester recovered 606 guns, including 44 assault weapons, 177 handguns, and 247 long guns. Following today’s gun buyback event, Attorney General James has helped remove 10,534 guns out of New York communities through more than 50 buyback events.