61-Year-Old Iowa Man Found Guilty of Distributing Meth, Heroin and Fentanyl

 

A man who distributed methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl on multiple occasions in 2022 was convicted by a jury after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Anthony Harris, age 61, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location and two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.  The verdict was returned following about two hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that, on three occasions in 2022, law enforcement officers used a confidential informant to buy controlled substances from Harris. On April 13, 2022, Harris distributed methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl to the confidential informant within 1,000 feet of a public secondary school in Cedar Rapids.  On June 1, 2022, Harris distributed heroin to the confidential informant.  Several months later, on September 6, 2022, Harris met the confidential informant at the same location as on June 1 and distributed methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.  

This prosecution is 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.  The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF Kansas City is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, covering Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.  HSTF Kansas City is composed of agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the State Investigative Agencies for Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Harris remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Harris faces a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a possible maximum sentence of 100 years’ imprisonment, a $6,000,000 fine, and at least six years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by HSTF Kansas City, with the assistance of 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. 

Governor Hochul Announces Ceremonial Groundbreaking for Transformative West Main Gateway Project in Downtown Rochester

$5 Million in NYS Support Being Made Available Through the $300 Million Regional Revitalization Partnership Economic Development Strategy — Designed To Build Community Wealth, Foster Small Businesses and Build a Skilled Workforce

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a groundbreaking was held for the West Main Gateway Project in the City of Rochester. Administered by OneROC, the project is designed to help revitalize the West Main Street Corridor from West Genesee Street to South Plymouth Avenue, a historically significant but long-underinvested area of Rochester. OneROC will administer the $10 million grant program, funded equally from the Regional Revitalization Program (RRP) and the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation. The fund will provide capital grants for building renovations, small business assistance grants for machinery and equipment, and public realm improvements. The building renovation assistance will provide grant awards for between $25,000 and $250,000 to cover up to 90% of eligible project investments over the next three years.

“The public-private Regional Revitalization Program initiative is serving as a model for cities across the nation, proving that this type of collaboration is truly a catalyst for transformative economic development,” Governor Hochul said. “By targeting the most underserved neighborhoods in these represented cities, New York State is lifting up and transforming disadvantaged communities, building a more equitable future for all New Yorkers.”

The groundbreaking took place on West Main Street in front of Rochester Jewels, a nonprofit mentoring organization serving girls in grades 4-12. Extensive roof and window repairs are set to begin at the property ahead of the winter season. The building is one of 22 projects advancing at various stages along the West Main Street corridor. The initiative is also supporting the buildout of a café while additional investment will enhance the façade of the recently re-opened Busy Bee diner. Other supported projects will include work at Morse Lumber, SewGreen Rochester—a nonprofit fiber-arts reuse and education center—along with a local auto shop, arts organization, funeral home, and insurance office.

Additionally, the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association, Community Design Center of Rochester, and LaBella Associates are helping implement a community-driven planning process for public realm improvements along the corridor. Attendees also got a preview of the emerging vision for public art and amenities in the area as well as forthcoming projects that extend west to the Bull’s Head redevelopment. These projects are expected to leverage more than $3.3 million in additional public and private investment while building momentum throughout the corridor.

New York State is providing $5 million in support for the project, and the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation has offered another $5 million in capital and other expenses through the RRP -a $300M comprehensive economic development strategy and public-private partnership that maximizes impact and leverages additional investment for Rochester, Buffalo’s East Side, and Niagara Falls.

The partnership will maximize social and economic impact by co-investing in projects and programs aimed at improving economic conditions to benefit these communities’ residents and businesses. It builds upon and accelerates collaborative, community-driven bodies of work that are already underway. New York has committed $200 million; Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, along with other philanthropic and corporate partners committed $80 million; and the remaining $19 million is coming from each city’s local government. 

Illegal Aliens Caught Stealing SNAP Benefits, Defrauding the American Taxpayer, Are Just the First Wave of a Large-Scale Anti-Fraud Crackdown

 

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun a significant operation targeting illegal aliens who entered the country unlawfully, then exploited the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) meant for American citizens.

“Illegal aliens who have no right to be here in the first place are the last people who should be using SNAP benefits and other forms of welfare,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “These programs are for Americans only. Even non-violent illegal alien crime can still have devastating consequences when they’re defrauding the American taxpayer. The illegal alien fraudsters that we’ve already arrested and deported are just a drop in the bucket, and the Trump Administration is committed to going after all these thieves and bringing them to justice.”

Below are recent examples of the illegal aliens who have abused SNAP benefits meant for American citizens and have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Elizabeth Povea Rodriguez, an illegal alien from Cuba, arrested by ICE. Her criminal history includes a conviction for disorderly conduct and arrests for battery and domestic violence.

Rubstony Junior Theodore, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE. His criminal history includes arrests for larceny, obstruction of officers, and trespassing. 

Wilbert Jean Baptiste, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE.

Louis Jean, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE.

Jhensly Charles, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE.

These arrests mark the opening salvo in a sustained, large-scale ICE operation specifically targeting illegal aliens who have fraudulently accessed SNAP benefits that American taxpayers fund exclusively for U.S. citizens in need. Every one of these individuals entered the country unlawfully, then proceeded to draw from a program designed to feed struggling American families, in some cases while carrying criminal records.

The Trump Administration is executing a sustained, aggressive operation against this fraud, and we will not stop until every last one of these thieves is identified, removed, and barred from further access to American benefits.

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Mayor Mamdani Deploys Red Light Cameras at 600 Intersections to Make City Streets Safer

 

Red light cameras have reduced red light running by 80%, T-bone crashes by 65% and rear-end collisions by 49% at camera locations

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced the City has installed red light cameras at 600 intersections across the five boroughs, fulfilling its commitment to expand the Red Light Camera Program and reach the maximum number permitted under state law.

Red light cameras are a proven tool to change driver behavior and prevent dangerous crashes. NYC DOT data shows that red light running was involved in 22% of fatal crashes at intersections from 2023 to 2025. Red light cameras have reduced red light running by more than 80% at camera locations.

The cameras are also helping prevent serious injuries. At intersections with red light cameras, injuries from rear-end collisions have declined by nearly 60% and injuries from T-bone crashes have declined by 70% since installation. In 2025, 95% of vehicles caught running red lights received no more than one or two violations. Fewer than 0.7% received five or more violations. Roughly 39% of red light camera violations are issued to vehicles registered outside New York City.

“Safer streets aren’t a guessing game — we know the tools proven to keep New Yorkers safe. Red light cameras help us get home safely by holding dangerous drivers accountable and preventing crashes before they happen,” said Mayor Mamdani. “With all 600 intersections up and running, we are stopping dangerous behavior before tragedy can strike and making our streets safer for everyone who walks, bikes, drives or takes the bus.”

“Red light cameras save lives and have proven to change driver behavior. This expansion will help reduce the unacceptable, selfish and dangerous rise in red light running we’ve seen on our streets since the pandemic,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “We’re proud to have delivered on our commitment to complete this expansion this year, in tandem with the Mamdani administration’s Vision Zero commitments to life-saving street redesigns and safety programs that will usher in a new era of safer streets across the five boroughs.”

NYC DOT places red light cameras at intersections across the five boroughs based on criteria that include histories of T-bone crashes and injuries caused by drivers running red lights. Combined with proven street design improvements, automated enforcement is an important tool for preventing crashes and protecting New Yorkers. These efforts have been particularly effective in neighborhoods that have historically been underserved by street safety investments.

D.A. Bragg: Man Indicted For Phony $343K Levi’s Investment Scheme

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced the indictment of MICHAEL D’ANTONI, 68, for allegedly running an illusory investment scheme and stealing $343,200 from three New Yorkers: two retirees and a recently widowed woman raising her 10-year-old grandson. D’ANTONI allegedly sought investments in a phony, offshore Levi’s manufacturing operation, never paid the promised interest, and never returned the investments. D’ANTONI is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree.[1]

“Michael D’Antoni allegedly scammed three older New Yorkers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by lying about an investment opportunity,” said District Attorney Bragg. “We allege he took advantage of them after building rapports and gaining their trust. We urge New Yorkers to exercise caution when making investments, and to only do so through trusted institutions and licensed brokers. If you are a victim of an investment scam, please call us at 212-335-8900. If you are an older New Yorker who has been scammed, you can also call 212-335-9007.”

As alleged in court documents and according to statements made on the record, D’ANTONI stole from three people by soliciting investments to have Levi’s jeans manufactured in Medellin, Colombia, and shipped to the United States where he would sell them at a profit.

As alleged, D’ANTONI was hired in summer 2021 by the first victim’s home insurance company to be an estimator and to oversee construction in his home, which had suffered water damage. D’ANTONI built a rapport with man, who had recently retired. In spring 2023, D’ANTONI told the man would receive 20% interest compounded for a three-month term, plus the return of his principal, if he invested in the defendant’s plan. Based on these representations, the man gave D’ANTONI $100,000 in July 2023.

As further alleged, D’ANTONI similarly met the second victim when he was hired to oversee construction of her family home, which had suffered fire damage, in December 2023. He built a rapport with the woman, who had recently suffered the loss of her mother, partner, and daughter and was raising her grandson on her own. D’ANTONI told the woman she would receive 5% interest compounded for a three-month term, plus the return of her principal, if she invested in the defendant’s plan. Based on these representations, she gave D’ANTONI $225,000 in five installments between February and June of 2024.

Finally, as alleged, D’ANTONI met the third victim in Rome, Italy, when the woman – whose husband died two months earlier – was on vacation. D’ANTONI told the woman she would receive 4% interest compounded for a three-month term, plus the return of her principal, if she invested in the defendant’s plan. Based on these representations, she gave D’ANTONI $18,200 in two installments between December 2024 and March 2025.

None of the victims received interest payments or the return of their principal. Instead, D’ANTONI made cash withdrawals and also spent the money on travel, hotels, restaurants, life insurance and credit card payments, luxury goods, and more.

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court. 

DHS Highlights Worst Illegal Aliens Arrested in North Carolina

 

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement highlighting the worst illegal aliens arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in North Carolina, including pedophiles, robbers, and drunk drivers.

“Biden’s open borders turned all 50 states into border states, and that includes North Carolina,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “In recent weeks, the brave patriots of ICE have arrested illegal aliens convicted for such horrific crimes as sexual exploitation of a minor, felony child abuse, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and driving while intoxicated. Even one American harmed by an illegal alien is too many. The Trump Administration will never apologize for putting the safety of the American people first, and DHS will not stop until we have arrested and deported as many illegal aliens as possible. Deportations save lives.”

Nelson Alexander Chay, an alien from Guatemala and registered sex offender, arrested by ICE in Siler City, North Carolina on October 2. His criminal history includes convictions for SIXTEEN counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor – obscene material and driving while intoxicated (DWI). He was lawfully admitted to the United States through California in May 2002, and has been placed in proceedings to terminate his lawful status following his convictions.

Gustavo Cardenas Arreola, an illegal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE in Graham, North Carolina on October 5. His criminal history includes convictions for TEN counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location. DHS issued him a final order of removal on October 19, 2026.

Isidro Flores Rodriguez, an illegal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE in Oxford, North Carolina on October 13. His criminal history includes a conviction for felony child abuse inflicting serious injury. He illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location.

Thong Vilaiphone, an illegal alien from Laos, arrested by ICE in China Grove, North Carolina on October 1. His criminal history includes convictions for possessing weapons of mass destruction, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and felony probation violation. He illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location. An Immigration Judge issued Vilaiphone a final order of removal on February 24, 1997.

Francis Martinez Alvarez, an illegal alien from Honduras, arrested by ICE in New Hanover County, North Carolina on September 30. His criminal history includes convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and illegal re-entry, and arrests for first-degree kidnapping, discharging a weapon at an occupied property, assault, and second-degree trespass. He first illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location and was deported in June 2007, before illegally re-entering the country – a felony – at an unknown date and location. The Trump Administration deported him on October 16.

HERNANDEZ WARNS HOCHUL-MAMDANI CHILDCARE TAKEOVER WILL COST TAXPAYERS BILLIONS

 

Republican State Comptroller nominee Joseph Hernandez today warned against a costly government takeover of New York’s childcare system after Governor Kathy Hochul pledged to do “whatever it takes” to fund Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s multibillion-dollar plan.

 

The state has already committed $1.2 billion to the program, while the full proposal could cost an estimated $9 billion annually. Meanwhile, New York faces $31.7 billion in projected budget deficits over the next three years.

 

The government's track record raises serious concerns. Childcare providers have already reported late and missing payments, forcing some to take out high-interest personal loans just to pay their employees.

 

“Locking a massive new fixed cost into a budget whose deficit is already growing faster than inflation is irresponsible and shortsighted,” Hernandez said. “Albany has not earned the benefit of the doubt. The government can't even pay its childcare providers on time, yet Hochul and Mamdani want to put it in charge of billions more. Before we ask taxpayers to foot the bill, every New Yorker should be asking if government should be in charge of our kids.”

 

“Every parent in New York knows childcare matters. Nobody disputes that. The question is how we pay for it and who it serves. Instead of building another permanent government program, we should put that money directly back into the pockets of working families through a childcare tax credit. Let parents choose the care that's right for their kids, not politicians in Albany or City Hall.”

Mexican Nationals of U.S.-Flagged Vessel Extradited to Face Maritime Narcotics Trafficking Charges Following a Homeland Security Task Force Initiative

Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Special Agent in Charge Todd C. Smith of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chicago Field Division, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge John McGarry of the DEA Milwaukee District Office announced the extradition of three Mexican nationals, who were crew members of a U.S.-flagged vessel, to face maritime narcotics trafficking charges.

Miguel Ángel Campos-Barragán, Giovanni Vidrio-López, and Eustaquio Espinosa-Hernández, all Mexican citizens, were extradited from Costa Rica after being indicted in the Eastern District of Wisconsin in May 2025 for alleged violations of the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA). On Oct. 19, the defendants made their initial appearance and arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Judge Joseph ordered that they be held in pre-trial detention.

According to count one of the indictment, from approximately January 2024 until on or about April 15, 2025, the Campos-Barragán, Vidrio-López, and Espinosa-Hernández allegedly conspired together and with others to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while on board a vessel of the United States. Count two of the indictment alleges that on April 15, 2025, the defendants possessed with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while on board a vessel of the United States. 

On April 15, 2025, Costa Rican authorities interdicted the My Lisa Too, a U.S.-flagged vessel, near Quepos, Costa Rica. Law enforcement seized approximately 840 kilograms of cocaine concealed within the vessel, and arrested Campos-Barragán, Vidrio-López, and Espinosa-Hernández, who were the vessel’s crew.

“This case is noteworthy for several reasons,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “First, this is one of the largest drug seizures ever charged in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Second, it is an unusual case because an enormous quantity of drugs was intercepted before it ever entered the United States. This case demonstrates the incredible capabilities of U.S. authorities working in partnership with our counterparts in Central and South America.”

“The extradition of these individuals reinforces our commitment to relentlessly pursuing those who traffic dangerous illicit drugs into our communities,” said Todd C. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. “We are grateful for our partnerships with the Homeland Security Task Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and our state and local law enforcement partners, as well as our foreign partners in Costa Rica, in holding those affiliated with Foreign Terrorist Organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel accountable.”

“The FBI and our Homeland Security Task Force partners are working together every day to crush violent crime to include cartels,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI along with our local, state, federal and international partners are committed to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking networks through collaborative investigations to protect the American people.”

An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The DEA Milwaukee Field Office and the DEA San Jose, Costa Rica Country Office investigated this case, with support and assistance from the FBI’s Milwaukee Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Costa Rican government, including the Policía de Control de Drogas (PCD) and the Grupo de Operaciones Policiales Especiales del Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas (GOPES SNG), secured the arrests and extraditions from Costa Rica. The U.S. Marshals Service provided substantial assistance with returning the fugitives to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Brady, Jr. of the Eastern District of Wisconsin is prosecuting the case.

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