Northern District of Alabama
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Multiple Defendants Charged in Cockfighting and Illegal Gambling OperationRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury charged multiple defendants for conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and operate an illegal gambling business, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges James Shawn Murphree, 48, of Blountsville, Alabama, Denny Gonzalez-Guzman, 30, of Albertville, Alabama, Kasten Finis Murphree, 22, of Blountsville, Alabama, Kelby Shawn Murphree, 27, of Blountsville, Alabama, and Kimberly Ann Evans, 48, of Hayden, Alabama, with conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act and the Prohibition on Illegal Gambling Businesses.
According to the indictment, a cockfight is a contest where roosters fight each other. The fights are supervised by a referee, and the fight ends when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue fighting. Typical cockfights employ weapons that are attached to the backs of the roosters’ legs. Owners and operators of cockfighting arenas, called “pits,” hold organized fights where people can fight their trained roosters against other roosters in cockfighting tournaments called “derbies.” In a derby, large numbers of cockfighters pit their roosters against one another for entertainment. Spectators gamble on the outcomes of the cockfights, and the owners of the roosters stand to gain financially through their own wager, an arrangement where the derby winners receive a pre-determined portion of the derby entry fees, or through the enhanced value of their winning roosters.
The indictment alleges that between March 2025 and June 2025, Kimberly Evans, James Murphree, Kasten Murphree, and Kelby Murphree conspired to organize multiple cockfighting derbies in Blountsville, Alabama. Attendees paid $40 to watch the fight. Competitors who entered roosters in the derbies paid an entry fee between $700 and $1,000. The winner of the derby would receive a share of the prize pool money.
The Gulf of America (“GoA”) Homeland Security Task Force, in partnership with United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, conducted this long-term investigation. The GoA Homeland Security Task Force is comprised of authorities from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. This investigation and operation received significant support from the United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, and ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Jonathan S. Cross are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Madison County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been indicted on child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Randy Steven Smith, 48, of Huntsville, Alabama, with one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transfer of obscene matter to a minor. These incidents occurred between 2023 and 2024 in Madison County.
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case with the assistance of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), U.S. Marshal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and Huntsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Birmingham Tax Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham tax preparer has been sentenced for preparing false tax returns for clients, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Blackburn sentenced Geta Barr to 18 months in prison. In February 2025, Barr pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false and fraudulent tax return.
According to the plea agreement, Barr was the owner Maxi Tax Resource, LLC, a tax preparation business in Birmingham. Of the approximately 900 returns that Barr prepared for tax years 2017, 2018, and 2019, 96% claimed refunds. Barr prepared false tax returns for at least 14 different clients between tax years 2016 and 2020. During this time, Barr included false Schedule Cs reporting losses for fabricated businesses, as well as false itemized deductions and standard deductions. This fraudulent conduct resulted in a total tax loss to the IRS of over $300,000.
The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan S. Rummage the case.
Department of Defense Employee Charged with Unlawful Retention of Classified DocumentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) was arrested and made her initial court appearance yesterday to face charges of unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents.
Ewa Maria Ciszak, 64, of Huntsville, Alabama, is charged with knowingly removing and retaining classified documents and materials.
According to court documents unsealed today in the Northern District of Alabama, Ciszak has been employed at the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) since January 2023. As part of her duties, she held a security clearance and had access to classified materials related to the national defense of the United States. Beginning in approximately February 2025, and continuing through June 18, 2025, Ciszak allegedly removed classified documents from MDA facilities without authorization and transported them to her personal residence and vehicle, which were not authorized for classified material storage.
On June 18, 2025, pursuant to a search warrant authorized by the U.S. District Court, federal agents executed a search of Ciszak’s home, person, and vehicle. Agents recovered multiple documents bearing classification markings up to the SECRET level. Some of the documents had been placed in her personal backpack that day and transported directly from MDA to her home.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Birmingham Field Office and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations are investigating the case. Valuable assistant was provided by the FBI Atlanta Field Office’s Savannah Resident Agency and the Missile Defense Agency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Cornelius for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Department of Defense Employee Charged with Unlawful Retention of Classified DocumentsRead the Press Release
A civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) was arrested and made her initial court appearance yesterday to face charges of unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents.
Ewa Maria Ciszak, 64, of Huntsville, Alabama, is charged with knowingly removing and retaining classified documents and materials.
According to court documents unsealed today in the Northern District of Alabama, Ciszak has been employed at the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) since January 2023. As part of her duties, she held a security clearance and had access to classified materials related to the national defense of the United States. Beginning in approximately February 2025, and continuing through June 18, 2025, Ciszak allegedly removed classified documents from MDA facilities without authorization and transported them to her personal residence and vehicle, which were not authorized for classified material storage.
On June 18, 2025, pursuant to a search warrant authorized by the U.S. District Court, federal agents executed a search of Ciszak’s home, person, and vehicle. Agents recovered multiple documents bearing classification markings up to the SECRET level. Some of the documents had been placed in her personal backpack that day and transported directly from MDA to her home.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Birmingham Field Office and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations are investigating the case. Valuable assistant was provided by the FBI Atlanta Field Office’s Savannah Resident Agency and the Missile Defense Agency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Cornelius for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to more than Three Years in Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Anniston, Alabama – A St. Clair County woman has been sentenced on multiple drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Claudia Montano Gonzalez, 43, a native and citizen of Mexico, to 39 months in prison. In October 2024, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement, in October 2023, Gonzalez sold fentanyl at the Buc-ees travel center in Leeds, Alabama. Gonzalez’s husband and co-defendant, David Angel Alejandres, facilitated the transaction from Mexico, but Gonzalez delivered the fentanyl. After obtaining a search warrant for Gonzalez’s residence in Pell City, agents recovered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl.
In June 2024, David Alejandres was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Alejandres remains at large.
The Drug Enforcement Agency is investigating the case with the assistance of the Pell City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany T. Byrd is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alabama Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion and Obstruction Evaded More Than $2.5 Million in Taxes and Obstructed IRS Collection EffortsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An Alabama chiropractor pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of tax evasion and interfering with the administration of the internal revenue laws. Gary Forrest Edwards, 65, of Maylene, Alabama, pleaded guilty during his trial in Birmingham after the United States presented two witnesses and several exhibits.
According to court documents and evidence admitted during trial, from 2015 to 2023, Edwards attempted to evade payment of more than $2.5 million in income taxes and obstructed the IRS’s efforts to collect those taxes.
Edwards owned and operated the chiropractic practice Hoover Health & Wellness Center. In 2015, he agreed to and did file delinquent income tax returns with the IRS for tax years 2009 through 2013. He later filed an income tax return for 2017. Despite filing the returns and reporting millions of dollars in taxable income, Edwards never paid the more than $2.5 million in taxes he admitted he owed—or the near $1.9 million in penalties and interested assessed by the IRS.
Court documents also reflected Edwards’s admission to several of the ways by which he evaded payment of his taxes and obstructed collection of them: concealing financial accounts he owned from the IRS, transferring funds from accounts he owned to accounts in only his spouse’s name, filing false court documents to terminate federal tax liens against his property, lying to IRS criminal investigators, and more.
Edwards will be sentenced later this year. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the evasion charge and three years in prison on the obstruction charge. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Prim F. Escalona made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Tax Division Trial Attorney Isaiah Boyd and Assistant United States Attorney Allison Garnett are prosecuting the case.
Alabama Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion and ObstructionRead the Press Release
Shortly after trial began, an Alabama chiropractor pleaded guilty yesterday to tax evasion and obstructing the IRS.
The following is according to court documents and evidence admitted at trial: Gary Forrest Edwards, of Shelby County, Alabama, owned and operated the chiropractic practice Hoover Health & Wellness Center. After not filing income tax returns for many years, in 2015, Edwards filed tax returns for 2009 through 2013. He later filed a tax return for 2017. On these returns, Edwards admitted that he owed more than $2.5 million in taxes. Nevertheless, he did not pay the taxes he reported due and did not pay the interest and penalties assessed against him.
Edwards took steps to thwart the IRS’s efforts to assess and collect taxes against him, including concealing financial accounts he owned from the IRS, transferring funds from accounts he owned to accounts in only his spouse’s name, filing false court documents to terminate federal tax liens against his property, and lying to IRS criminal investigators.
Edwards will be sentenced later this year. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the evasion charge and a maximum sentence of three years in prison on the obstruction charge. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco for the Northern District of Alabama will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Isaiah Boyd of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Garnett for the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
Nine Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
Nine Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration Crimes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Birmingham has charged nine individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Jesus Malaquias Manuel-Marcos, 44, a citizen of Guatemala;
- Sergio Rogelio Sandoval-Luna, 26, a citizen of Mexico;
- Jose Medrano Aguilar-Rodriguez, 42, a citizen of Mexico;
- Jose Alberto Sanchez-Pineda, 35, a citizen of Mexico;
- Sergio Dominguez-Bautista, 42, a citizen of Mexico;
- Husaid Cruz-Santos, 28, a citizen of Mexico;
- Berenice Margarita Reyes-Rodriguez, 44, a citizen of Mexico; and
- Pedro Paz-Diaz, 36, a citizen of Guatemala
Elvin Geovanny Lopez-Diaz, 19, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America partners Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machinegun and a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing two firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Kelvontae Rashad Wallace, 26, of Pell City, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun.
According to the plea agreement, between December 2023 and January 2024, Wallace illegally possessed a firearm and a machinegun on two separate occasions:
On December 15, 2023, Talladega police officers responded to a call of a person shot at the Orange #1 gas station. Officers responded to the scene and found a victim lying on the ground that had been shot in the stomach, back, and both legs. Officers collected five .45 caliber spent shell casings from the scene and there were at least three bullet holes in the glass on the store windows and door. Surveillance video from the store showed Wallace drive up to the store, exit his vehicle, and shoot the victim with a Glock pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch.”
On January 2, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force and the Pell City Police Department went to Wallace’s apartment to arrest him for warrants for Assault, Fist Degree and Shooting into an Occupied Building arising from the December incident in Talladega. When the officers arrived, Wallace attempted to flee out the back door of the apartment, but the officers were able to apprehend and arrest him. Officers recovered a Century Arms Micro VSKA 7.62x39mm pistol with a round chambered and a loaded magazine from Wallace’s apartment.
ATF investigated the case along with the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force, Pell City Police Department, Talladega Police Department, and Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy M. Peoples prosecuted the case.
Greensboro Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Possessing and Conspiring to Steal High-End Motor VehiclesRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for possessing and conspiring to steal over $800,000 in high-end motor vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Jamarus D. Hoskins, 30, of Greensboro, Alabama, to 60 months in prison for conspiring to steal at least 18 high-end motor vehicles, and to 97 months in prison for receiving or possessing stolen motor vehicles. The sentences will run concurrently. Hoskins was convicted by a jury in November 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, between December 2020 and January 2023, Hoskins was the ringleader of an organized conspiracy to steal high-end motor vehicles from private citizens and car dealerships at various locations across the United States. Hoskins directed members of the conspiracy to steal vehicles and replace the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) with fake VINs. The vehicles were registered with the Alabama Department of Revenue using fraudulent out-of-state titles, and Hoskins sold them for cash at below market price. Hoskins and his co-conspirators stole multiple vehicles, including a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk from a victim in Michigan, a Chevrolet Corvette from a victim in Tennessee, three Ford trucks from a dealership in Tennessee, and a Chevrolet Camaro and several vehicle tags from another dealership in Tennessee.
“Jamarus Hoskins and his co-conspirators terrorized car dealerships and innocent victims across the United States for years,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Hoskins and his crew thought the fast cars they stole and sophisticated techniques they used would help them escape responsibility for their crimes. They were wrong.”
“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort our team put forth to ensure this defendant was brought to justice and can no longer terrorize or threaten the hardworking citizens and businesses in our country,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the Birmingham Division. “This case serves as another example of our U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners working together to identify, dismantle, and disrupt organized criminal networks while effectively holding reckless criminals accountable. Let it be clear: the rule of law is not optional.”
The FBI investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward “Ted” Canter prosecuted the case.
Lawrence County Man Sentenced to 300 years in Prison for Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Lawrence County man has been sentenced for committing multiple child sexual exploitation crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced David Edward Collier, II, 47, of Moulton, Alabama, to a total of 3,600 months in prison. In January, Collier pleaded guilty to 13 charges of crimes against children, including four counts of sexual exploitation of children, eight counts of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Collier produced, distributed, transported, and possessed child pornography. Collier corresponded with individuals online regarding his desires to expose and sexually exploit children. From January 2017 to August 2022, he used unknowing and unsuspecting children to produce child pornography. And between October 2022 and September 2023, Collier distributed the child pornography to multiple individuals using online social media platforms.
“My office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners are committed to protecting children from the devastating and lifelong impacts caused by defendants like David Collier,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Rest assured that if you commit crimes against children in the Northern District of Alabama, we will prosecute you and send you to federal prison.”
“This tremendous sentencing demonstrates the steadfast commitment of the FBI and our partners to investigate cases involving violent crimes against children, to include child pornography, and we work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold them accountable,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge, Birmingham Division. “Let this be a warning to sexual predators that we will stop at nothing to protect every child from horrendous perpetrators like David Collier. We have now ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.”
FBI North Alabama Violent Crime Task Force and Cybercrime Squad investigated the case along with the assistance of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Moulton Police Department, Alabama Bureau of Pardons & Paroles, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Huntsville Police Department, and Limestone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Leann White and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping a ToddlerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Texas man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to kidnap a toddler, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco adjudged Steven Andrew Holguin, 42, of El Paso, Texas, guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
According to the plea agreement, on November 4, 2021, a police officer with the Birmingham Police Department responded to a call at a residence in Birmingham regarding the kidnapping of a three-year-old female from the residence. Holguin and his co-conspirator, Elis Salgado-Galindo, kidnapped the toddler with the intent of taking her to her father, who lives in Mexico. With Holguin’s assistance, Salgado-Galindo grabbed the toddler and fled the residence. An Amber Alert was issued and law enforcement along the Alabama/Mississippi state line were provided the description of the vehicle, toddler, and suspects. That same evening, deputies with the Rankin County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle matching the description of Holguin’s vehicle. Deputies instructed Holguin, who was the driver of the vehicle, to exit the vehicle and walk back to the officer’s vehicle. Deputies then removed the other individuals from the vehicle, including the toddler. A deputy recognized the toddler from the Amber Alert and sent a picture of her to a detective with the Birmingham Police Department. The detective showed the picture to the toddler’s mother, who confirmed that it was her daughter. Both men were taken into custody.
Holguin was convicted in 2020 in the United States District Court in the Western District of Texas for conspiracy to transport aliens. He was sentenced to six months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
Salgado-Galindo, a citizen of Mexico, was unlawfully present in the United States. On December 14, 2021, Salgado-Galindo was turned over to ICE custody.
Homeland Security Investigations, Birmingham, investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Pearl Mississippi Police Department, and the Rankin County Mississippi Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of an Improvised Explosive Device and Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM Ala. – An Alabama man has pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Key’onstis Maurice Morgan, 24, of Centreville, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco for illegally possessing a weapon made from a shotgun and a destructive device, specifically an improvised explosive device-type bomb.
According to the plea agreement, Morgan was found in possession of both the firearm and bomb on the night of February 16, 2024. The firearm had been made from a single-shot 20-gauge shotgun and was loaded with a shell. Morgan admitted to sawing off the shotgun’s stock and cutting the barrel down to 13.5 inches in length.
Morgan was also in possession of a cardboard tube wrapped in electrical tape that contained 12 grams of energetic powder and a fuse. Someone weaponized the device by taping or gluing 21 screws, four small razor blades, and assorted staples around the exterior. These small metal pieces would create potentially lethal shrapnel upon explosion.
ATF investigated the case along with the Centreville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Lee Gilmer is prosecuting the case.
Former Alabama Police Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation and Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — A former Killen, Alabama, Police Department (KPD) officer has been sentenced for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty and for receiving sexually explicit photos of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Liles Burke sentenced Jarrod Gailen Webster, 27, to 15 years in prison for his crimes. According to documents filed in connection with this case, on November 12, 2023, Webster violated the civil rights of a woman after initiating a traffic stop on the woman’s vehicle. Webster asked the woman to step out of her vehicle and asked her what she wanted to do to “get out of this.” When the woman told Webster that she was not going to do anything for him, Webster handcuffed the woman and sexually assaulted her.
Further, between June 2016 and October 2018, Webster communicated with a minor by phone, and he asked the minor to produce and send him sexually explicit images. The minor victim sent multiple photos to Webster at his request, at least one of which constituted child sexual abuse material.
Webster previously pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of sexual exploitation of children on March 4, 2025.
“Jarrod Webster forcibly assaulted a woman after a traffic stop, and exploited a minor to receive sexually explicit images,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This was a gross abuse of his authority as a police officer and a betrayal of the public trust. I am proud of our DOJ Civil Rights team for holding him accountable.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that such criminal conduct will not be tolerated,” said Prim F. Escalona, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. “I commend the dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to ensure that Webster was held accountable for his actions.”
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with significant responsibility and are therefore held to a higher standard,” said Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons of the FBI Birmingham Field Office. “Today’s sentencing clearly demonstrates there are serious consequences when someone tarnishes the badge by breaking the law. Jerrod Webster brought shame to the badge by committing the horrific crimes of sexually assaulting a woman in his care and receiving sexually explicit images of a minor. His sentencing confirms that the FBI has zero tolerance for officials who prey on the citizens they are sworn to protect.”
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Royster for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Alabama Police Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation and Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
A former Killen, Alabama, Police Department (KPD) officer was sentenced today in the Northern District of Alabama to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty and for receiving sexually explicit photos of a minor.
According to documents filed in connection with this case, on Nov. 12, 2023, KPD Officer Jarrod Gailen Webster violated the civil rights of a woman after initiating a traffic stop on the woman’s vehicle. Webster asked the woman to step out of her vehicle and asked her what she wanted to do to “get out of this.” When the woman told Webster that she was not going to do anything for him, Webster handcuffed the woman and sexually assaulted her.
Further, between June 2016 and October 2018, Webster communicated with a minor by phone, and he asked the minor to produce and send him sexually explicit images. The minor victim sent multiple photos to Webster at his request, at least one of which constituted child sexual abuse material.
Webster pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of sexual exploitation of children on March 4, 2025.
“Jarrod Webster forcibly assaulted a woman after a traffic stop, and exploited a minor to receive sexually explicit images,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This was a gross abuse of his authority as a police officer and a betrayal of the public trust. I am proud of our DOJ Civil Rights team for holding him accountable.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that such criminal conduct will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “I commend the dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to ensure that Webster was held accountable for his actions.”
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with significant responsibility and are therefore held to a higher standard,” said Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons of the FBI Birmingham Field Office. “Today's sentencing clearly demonstrates there are serious consequences when someone tarnishes the badge by breaking the law. Jerrod Webster brought shame to the badge by committing the horrific crimes of sexually assaulting a woman in his care and receiving sexually explicit images of a minor. His sentencing confirms that the FBI has zero tolerance for officials who prey on the citizens they are sworn to protect.”
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Royster for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Three Individuals Sentenced in Conspiracy Involving Bribery of Government Contracting OfficerRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Three men have been sentenced for their respective roles in a conspiracy to bribe a public official, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Coogan Preston, 56, of Columbia, South Carolina, to 64 months in prison, Francisco Guerra, 56, of Lexington, Alabama, to 60 months in prison, and Jason Ingram, 48, of Rogersville, Alabama, to 24 months in prison. In December 2024, Guerra, Preston, and Ingram pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bribe a public official.
According to the plea agreements, the scheme began in 2016 and continued until 2021. As part of the scheme, Guerra agreed to provide money and other items of value to Preston, a government contracting official working at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. In exchange for these bribes, Preston identified subcontracting opportunities for companies owned and operated by Guerra and convinced the prime contractor to use one of Guerra’s companies as a subcontractor.
“The government officials and contractors working on Redstone Arsenal play a critical role in supporting the United States military,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The individuals sentenced today chose personal gain over their professional duty. These sentences were the result of that choice and should serve as a warning to others.”
“Mr. Preston’s actions represent a serious betrayal of the public trust that is essential to defense operations,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith Kelly, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office. “Army CID remains committed to combating corruption and protecting the integrity of the Army’s contracting process.”
“As a government contracting official, Preston traded the public’s trust given to him for greed,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Using their investigative and forensic accounting skills, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents were able to follow the money—bringing Preston and his conspirators to justice.”
“In collaboration with its investigative partners, the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) vigorously pursues fraud and corruption that threaten the integrity of the DoD, particularly when such crimes impact the well-being of our Nation’s Warfighters,” said Jason Sargenski, Special Agent-in-Charge of DCIS’s Southeast Field Office. “DCIS remains steadfast in working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who commit fraud against the U.S. Government are held accountable.”
The Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General – Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Peeples prosecuted the cases.
Eight Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged eight individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Raul Alvarez-Lopez, 28, a citizen of Mexico;
- Jose Faustino-Climaco, 29, a citizen of Mexico;
- Nazario Vargas-Peres, 27, a citizen of Guatemala;
- Eberardo Yovany Peralta-Cazales, 33, a citizen of Mexico;
- Amilcar Pablo-Cinto, 35, a citizen of Guatemala;
Stanley Amalemba Ambeyi, 38, a citizen of Kenya, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Pedro Pedro-Mateo, 30, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with fraud and misuse of a visa, permits, and other documents, and for failure to maintain personal possession of alien registration.
Efren Gimenez-Gimenez, 44, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported and for failure to register.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America partners Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to More than Three Years in Prison for RobberyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for his role in the robbery of a Hibbett Sports Distribution Center, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Mario Autwun Scott, 42, to 45 months in prison. In November 2024, Scott pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and interference with commerce by threats or violence.
Michael Anthony Pippens, 42, of Birmingham, Scott’s co-conspirator in the robbery, was previously sentenced to 30 months in prison. In January 2025, Pippens pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
According to court documents, in October 2022, Scott robbed the Hibbett Sports Distribution Center in Shelby County, stealing two trailers full of sporting goods merchandise worth over $84,000. Prior to the robbery, Pippens provided a box truck to Scott so that he could transport the stolen goods.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Alabaster Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darius C. Greene and Lloyd C. Peeples prosecuted the case.
Last of Three Men Involved in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy Sentenced to 24 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for his involvement in a drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Hanston Alexander Clark, also known as “Hank,” 33, of Tuscaloosa, to 288 months in prison. In November 2024, a jury convicted Clark of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The following defendants have previously been sentenced:
Terrance Antwon Stevens, also known as “Toot Toot,” 41, of Anniston, Alabama, was sentenced to 99 months in prison. In September 2024, Stevens pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.
Yannick Keyon Wolf, 35, of Anniston, Alabama, was sentenced to 57 months in prison. In July 2024, Wolf pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who deal deadly drugs in our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “My office will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to dismantle drug trafficking operations and protect the citizens of North Alabama from this deadly threat.”
“This sentencing marks the final chapter in dismantling a dangerous drug trafficking network that pumped deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine into our communities,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Division Special Agent in Charge, Steven Hofer. “The DEA, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, remains steadfast in our mission to hold traffickers accountable and protect the public from the devastating impact of these illicit substances.”
“This case involved an organized group of individuals who conspired to distribute large quantities of narcotics and commit other federal crimes,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz. “The ATF worked diligently with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to swiftly remove these individuals from the community and hold them accountable.”
According to evidence presented at trial, in June 2023, Clark used a telephone to exchange calls and text messages with co-defendant Terrance Stevens to arrange a drug transaction. Stevens was a drug distributor in Anniston, Alabama, and Clark was Stevens’s source of supply. On June 29, 2023, Clark drove from Birmingham and delivered three pounds of methamphetamine and 100 grams of fentanyl to Stevens’s residence in Anniston. Following the distribution, law enforcement secured the residence and obtained a federal search warrant. The search of the residence recovered three pounds of methamphetamine, over 400 grams of powder fentanyl, over 2,300 “M30” blue fentanyl pills, over 50 grams of heroin, and two firearms.
The investigation and prosecution are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The DEA and ATF investigated the case along with the Oxford Police Department and 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Byrd and Alan Kirk prosecuted the case.
Convicted Sex Offender Indicted in Federal Court on Multiple Charges of Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been indicted on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A five-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges John Justin McCall, 53, of Madison, Alabama, with four counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, on several occasions between May 2023 and October 2023, McCall coerced and enticed minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, and he possessed child pornography. McCall was previously convicted of criminal sexual abuse in two separate cases in Illinois.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Huntsville, along with the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office in Paris, Texas, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Huntsville Police Department, and Madison Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for gun and drug crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Jarrell Russell, 26, to 240 months in prison. In February, Russell pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, a sergeant with the Adamsville Police Department attempted to stop a gray sedan on October 10, 2023, for speeding. The driver—later determined to be Russell—initially refused to stop. Russell then pulled into a parking lot and fled the scene on foot, wearing a pink backpack and carrying a “pin object” in his hand. After a brief chase, Russell was arrested by officers and the pink backpack was located near him. A search of the backpack revealed methamphetamine, two digital scales, a Glock 27 Gen Four .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine, and other drug paraphernalia. A search of Russell’s vehicle revealed a small bag containing a blue substance in the driver’s side door. Subsequent testing confirmed that the methamphetamine recovered from Russell weighed over 74 grams, and the blue substance was 1.22 grams of fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Russell had previously been convicted of Robbery, First Degree in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, and was a convicted felon prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-led Nationwide CrackdownRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Office around the country.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims—especially child victims—and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
In the Northern District of Alabama, two individuals were arrested and charged with federal crimes, including attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, transferring obscene materials to minors, sexual exploitation of children, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
“Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society remains a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “These arrests are the result of strong collaboration between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect victims from child exploitation. We will not rest until those who exploit and endanger our children are held accountable for their actions.”
“Each arrest is a powerful testament to the tireless efforts of the FBI and our dedicated law enforcement partners to protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge James DeLoatch, III. “It reaffirms our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for victims and hold predators accountable.”
Jalan Christophe Lewis, 31, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, transferring obscene materials to minors, sexual exploitation of children, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. These incidents occurred between July 2024 and November 2024 in Tuscaloosa County.
Robert John Newman, Jr. aka “Robert John Newman,” 28, of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, was charged with sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement of a minor, and travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. These incidents occurred between December 2024 and January 2025 in Winston County, Alabama.
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, Virginia, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, New York.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through our tiplines at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
Other online resources:
Electronic Press Kit
Violent Crimes Against Children
How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids
FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and FBI Pittsburgh’s Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated these cases with substantial assistance from the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force, the Winston County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office, and the Shaler Township Police Department in Pennsylvania. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Leann White and Daniel S. McBrayer are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Last Defendant in East Alabama Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The last defendant charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Demarcus Sharon Brown, 39, of Anniston, Alabama, to 120 months in prison. Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, throughout the fall of 2022 to the summer of 2023, the six defendants conspired to distribute over 1,000 grams of methamphetamine in east Alabama.
The following defendants have previously been sentenced:
Jamar Dariunte Clay, 36, of Anniston, was sentenced to 152 months in prison. Clay pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, multiple counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and multiple counts of use of a communication facility to commit a drug trafficking crime.
Jonathan Tyree McRath, 39, of Anniston, was sentenced to 81 months in prison. McRath pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, multiple counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and multiple counts of use of a communication facility to commit a drug trafficking crime.
Donarius Quinez Kincaid, 38, of Anniston, was sentenced to 120 months in prison. Kincaid pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and multiple counts of use of a communication facility to commit a drug trafficking crime.
Brandon Jamal Jernigan, 30, of Anniston, was sentenced to 58 months in prison. Jernigan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and multiple counts of use of a communication facility to commit a drug trafficking crime.
Michael Gardner Boone, 33, of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 121 months in prison. Boone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The investigation and prosecution are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, along with the Anniston Police Department, Oxford Police Department, 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit, and West Alabama Narcotics Task Force. The USMS provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Byrd prosecuted the case.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Prison on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced for drug trafficking and possessing firearms as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Michael Roman Black, 32, of Bessemer, Alabama, to 212 months in prison. In January, Black pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, between July 2021 and September 2022, Black committed crimes on three separate occasions:
On July 22, 2021, a Bessemer police officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Black after discovering it had a switched tag. As the officer approached the vehicle, Black opened the door. The officer observed several syringes lying in the driver’s side door pocket. After Black exited the vehicle pursuant to the officer’s orders, the officer searched the vehicle and recovered syringes, two vacuum sealed bags containing 892.6 grams of methamphetamine, and 60 rounds of Blackout .300 caliber ammunition. Officers searched Black’s person and recovered $8,254 in cash and a plastic bag containing 12 hydrocodone pills.
On December 22, 2021, Black sold 435 grams of pure methamphetamine to an undercover officer.
On September 7, 2022, an FBI Task Force Officer and FBI agents went to arrest him at a residence in Bessemer, Alabama. During the arrest, agents observed drug paraphernalia, cocaine, rifles, a handgun, and marijuana in plain view. After obtaining a search warrant for the residence, FBI agents and the Bessemer Police Department Special Operations Unit recovered cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a Blackout .300 caliber rifle loaded with 100 rounds of ammunition, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 (assault style) rifle loaded with 100 rounds of ammunition, four magazines that fit the AM-15 rifle, two loaded Glock 9mm pistols, an unloaded Glock 9mm pistol, ammunition, various magazines, and cash totaling $8,438. At the time of the search warrant, Black was a convicted felon prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, along with the Bessemer Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy M. Peoples prosecuted the case.
Bessemer Man Sentenced to More than Four Years in Prison for His Role in an Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Bessemer man has been sentenced for his role in an elder fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, 47, to 50 months in prison. In December 2024, Pruitt was convicted by a jury of two counts of wire fraud.
According to evidence presented at trial, in September 2023, Pruitt executed a Power of Attorney over an elderly family member with dementia without the victim’s knowledge or permission. Between September 2023 and December 2023, Pruitt devised a scheme to defraud the victim by becoming a joint account holder on the victim’s bank accounts, changing the address on the victim’s bank accounts from the victim’s address to his address, removing two payable on death (POD) beneficiaries from one of the accounts, and adding two POD beneficiaries to another account. Pruitt then transferred $550,000 in funds from the victim’s accounts to his personal bank accounts. Pruitt used some of these funds for his own personal benefit, and he moved $500,000 to a new bank account that did not include the victim as an account holder. When confronted, Pruitt told various, inconsistent stories attempting to excuse his conduct.
Pruitt’s sentencing range was increased because he received an enhancement for obstruction of justice after it was determined that he committed perjury when he testified in his own defense at trial.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan S. Rummage and Brett Janich prosecuted the case.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and attempted fraud is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced to Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced on a gun charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Jaden O’Neal Cooper, a.k.a. “Tallapoosa Jay,” 21, of Midfield, Alabama to 27 months in prison. In January, Cooper pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun.
According to court documents, on February 1, 2024, detectives with the Leeds Police Department, Birmingham Police Department East Task Force, FBI, and Jefferson County Sheriff Department’s Star One Aviation Unit were conducting surveillance in the Inglenook area. Detectives had previously interacted with an individual they saw driving a red 2021 Hyundai Sonata. A detective ran the tag number on the vehicle, and the tag returned as belonging to a white 2014 Hyundai Sonata. Detectives confirmed that the tag had been switched, and a Birmingham Police officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle.
As the Birmingham Police officer approached the vehicle, the officer noticed Cooper—a known member of the Hard to Kill “H2K” street gang—was a passenger in the vehicle. The officer could also see an AM-15 pistol (assault style rifle) located at Cooper’s feet. Other officers provided backup at the traffic stop, and a Leeds Police Department detective removed the firearm from the vehicle. The firearm was determined to be loaded and was equipped with plastic piece—a 3-D printed “swift link” conversion device—in the trigger assembly. This device converted the firearm to a fully automatic machine gun.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the cases along with the Leeds Police Department, Birmingham Police Department East Task Force, and the Jefferson County Sheriff Department’s Star One Aviation Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Darius C. Greene prosecuted the case.
Former Homewood Finance Director Sentenced for Embezzling Nearly $950,000Read the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The former finance director for the City of Homewood has been sentenced for embezzling nearly $950,000 from Homewood’s coffers, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Robert Winston Burgett, 64, of Hueytown, to 37 months in prison. In October 2024, Burgett pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud.
According to the information and plea agreement, Burgett worked for the City of Homewood as its finance director. Between at least May 2023 and about March 2024, Burgett used that position to embezzle almost $950,000 from City of Homewood bank accounts.
Burgett concealed his conduct by first moving the City’s funds into a commercial bank account he controlled before transferring the funds into his personal account. Burgett also altered City bank account statements and made false journal entries in City accounting records. Burgett ultimately used the embezzled funds for personal purposes.
The FBI and the Homewood Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward prosecuted the case.
Multiple Defendants Sentenced as Part of Crackdown on Cyber-Enabled Check FraudRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Six defendants who were part of a conspiracy to sell stolen checks and bank login information have been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala and included the administrators of multiple scam Telegram channels, a former U.S. Postal employee who received bribes to steal checks from the mail, and a credit union employee who misappropriated customer account information. Among those sentenced this week were:
Joshua Kendarius Rogers, also known as “Lucky Luciano,” 24, of Irondale, who was an administrator of a Telegram channel called “The Lucky Shop,” which sold stolen checks and bank login information. Rogers was sentenced to 90 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to pay bribes, one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Rogers pleaded guilty to the charges yesterday.
Michael Christopher Rowser, also known as “Muney Mike,” 24, of McCalla, who abused his position as a U.S. Postal employee by taking bribes to steal checks that were sold on “The Lucky Shop” channel. Rowser was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to receive bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. In January 2025, a federal jury convicted Rowser of these charges.
Duane Wiley Smith, also known as “Dubskii,” 24, of Springville, who was an administrator of “The Lucky Shop” and similar channels called “Glass House Records” and “Glass House Records V2.” Smith was sentenced to 48 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In October 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to those charges.
Levar McGhee-Parrish, also known as “Ja Moracks,” 25, of Fultondale, who was an administrator of “The Lucky Shop” and a similar channel called “GRUBHUB.” McGhee-Parrish was sentenced to 40 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. In March 2025, McGhee-Parrish pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to court documents, “The Lucky Shop” operated as a criminal marketplace. Its primary administrator, Rogers, obtained stolen checks from Rowser and then post redacted copies of those checks on the channel to market them for sale. When customers of “The Lucky Shop” paid Rogers to purchase stolen checks, a portion of their profits would be kicked back to Rowser. In addition to stolen checks, Rogers also sold bank login information, which he obtained from a corrupt credit union employee.
Smith and McGhee-Parrish assisted Rogers with the administration of “The Lucky Shop,” but also had their own Telegram channels—for Smith, “Glass House Records” and “Glass House Records V2,” and for McGhee-Parrish, “GRUBHUB”—where they sold stolen checks to scammers looking to commit bank fraud. Beyond that, Smith and McGhee-Parrish worked with Rogers and others to commit bank fraud—depositing fraudulent checks, submitting fraudulent loan applications, initiating fraudulent Automated Clearing House transfers, and using stolen passcodes to withdraw funds from Automated Teller Machines.
This case was brought as part of a crackdown on scam Telegram channels operating out of the Northern District of Alabama. Other defendants who have been prosecuted in related cases include Mekhi Diwone Harris, who ran a Telegram channel called “Work Related,” and Gabriel Samuel Odiot, who ran a Telegram channel called “RICH OFF PLAYS.” Together, these channels are responsible for the sale of tens of millions of dollars in stolen checks.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the cases.
Assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Heflin Police Department, and the Hueytown Police Department. Alabama Credit Union also provided significant assistance during the course of the investigation.
For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
Fourteen Members of a Jefferson County Drug Trafficking Organization Charged with Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An indictment charging 14 defendants in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin was unsealed today. Eight of the defendants were arrested today and five defendants were already in custody on other offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A 59-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Eddie Jerry Jones, a.k.a. “Boss,” 47, of Fairfield, Alabama, Marcus Dewayne Johnson, a.k.a. “Moon,” 56, of Hoover, Alabama, Larry Denzel Rollins, Jr., a.k.a. “King” and “Blo,” 25, of Forestdale, Alabama, LaNicholas Demarco Rollins, 30, of Forestdale, Alabama, Zachary Holmes, a.k.a. “Stakks,” 31, of Birmingham, David Will Jones, 47, of Fairfield, Alabama, Juan Miguel Nation, 21, of Birmingham, Juan Pierre Nation, 50, of Birmingham, Cordero Reid, a.k.a. “Kojacc” 36, of Birmingham, Demetrius Emmanuel Preyer, 48, of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, Devante Marquis McKinney, a.k.a. “The Barber,” 37, of Birmingham, Marcus Orlandeo Bogus, a.k.a. “The Mechanic,” 55, of Center Point, Alabama, and Otis Kenneth Myree Hudson, 33, of Birmingham, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine base or “crack” cocaine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana between January 2021 and March 2025. The indictment also charges all defendants with at least one count of using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime.
McKinney and Rollins, Jr. are also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The minimum prison sentence for this charge is five years in custody, and the sentence must be served after the completion of any other sentence related to the crime.
Eddie Jones is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum penalty for this offense is 15 years.
Eddie Jones, Rollins, Jr, and Holmes were in custody on capital murder charges pending in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama. David Jones was in federal custody on pending federal supervised release violations. Reid is serving a life sentence in the Alabama Department of Corrections’ Fountain Correctional Facility for Attempted Murder.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance is life in prison.
Each count of using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.
The indictment also includes special findings of the grand jury regarding the amount of narcotics attributable to various defendants as part of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
“My office, along with our federal, state, and local partners, is committed to relentlessly investigate and prosecute drug trafficking organizations in our District, particularly those that distribute deadly fentanyl into the community and use firearms to commit their crimes,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “This case involved an immense amount of collaboration and dedication from our law enforcement partners and underscores the impact of the OCDETF program’s multi-agency approach.”
“The 59-count indictment underscores the unwavering commitment of the DEA and our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking networks that threaten our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer. “While these charges were filed in the Northern District of Alabama, the ripple effects of such widespread drug distribution reach far beyond those borders. We will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who seek profit from the sale of these dangerous substances and bring them to justice.”
“Drug trafficking and the prevalence of gun violence continue to plague the United States at alarming rates,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz. “The ATF will continue to work with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and charge those individuals who commit violent acts and distribute large amounts of narcotics throughout the communities that we serve.”
“Criminals trafficking illegal drugs in our communities have a profound negative effect on Americans’ quality of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS-CI Atlanta Field Office. “The 59-count indictment filed today is an outcome of IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office working together to break up drug trafficking organizations that pose a threat to the United States.”
“Today’s actions demonstrate the FBI’s persistence in combating violent crime in our communities,” said FBI Birmingham Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher DiMenna. “We will continue to strengthen and grow our federal, state, and local partnerships to meet our mission and to ensure the safety and security of the American people.”
“Today’s indictments reflect the commitment and collaboration of our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle major drug-trafficking networks that threaten the safety of our communities,” said Birmingham Chief of Police Michael Pickett. “We will continue to pursue those who distribute dangerous narcotics with relentless focus and determination. I commend the dedication of all the investigators, agents, and prosecutors who made this operation a success.”
The DEA, ATF, IRS, FBI, and the Birmingham Police Department Narcotics and Homicide units investigated the case, along with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Alabama Department of Corrections, Hoover Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison J. Garnett, Brett A. Janich, and Kristy M. Peoples are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Colbert County Man Arrested for Failure to Register in the State of Alabama as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Colbert County man has been charged for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and United States Marshal Martin Keely.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Michael Shane McDaniel, 56, of Plainfield, Indiana, with failing to register or update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). McDaniel was convicted of child molestation in the Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis, Indiana, and required to register as a sex offender under SORNA. Following this conviction, McDaniel travelled across state lines from Indiana to Alabama and did not register as a sex offender. McDaniel was arrested on April 16, 2025, in Colbert County, Alabama. McDaniel will be detained and held in federal custody pending disposition of this case.
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 implemented SORNA and established a comprehensive national system for the registration of sex offenders. The Act requires anyone convicted of specified crimes to register with the national sex offender registry. It is a federal felony offense for sex offenders to travel to another state and fail to register. Federal violations of SORNA can result in imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The U.S. Marshals Service for the Northern District of Alabama investigated the case along with the U.S. Marshals Service for the Southern District of Indiana, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Hendricks County, Indiana Sheriff’s Office, and the Colbert County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Four Defendants Charged in Federal Court for Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Four defendants have been indicted on multiple drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, New Orleans Division Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer, and United States Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Shameka Jackson.
A six-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Justin Jamal Fletcher, 37, of Sheffield, Alabama, Larikus Martez Armstead, 37, of Sheffield, Alabama, Terance Antonio Williams, 41, of Florence, Alabama, and Angelita Guadalupe Garcia-Ruiz, 47, of Nogales, Arizona, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Armstead and Williams were also charged with distribution of a controlled substance, and Fletcher was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Garcia-Ruiz was also charged with unlawful use of a communication facility.
According to the indictment, on two separate occasions Fletcher received a package delivered via U.S. Mail containing fentanyl pills. On July 17, 2024, Fletcher received 10,000 pills from an individual and on August 28, 2024, he received over 29,000 fentanyl pills from Garcia-Ruiz. The indictment also alleges that Fletcher used a source of supply located in Mexico to obtain fentanyl pills and methamphetamine.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
DEA and USPIS investigated the case along with assistance from the Lauderdale County Drug Task Force and Colbert County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Sara M. Judah are prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Leader of Transnational Cybercrime Group “Noir’s Luxury Refunds” Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged Kareem Mustafa Ahmad, 21, of Alexandria, Egypt, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris DiMenna.
According to court documents, Mustafa used the persona “Noir” on Telegram and operated the channel “Noir’s Luxury Refunds,” as well as other fraud-based Telegram channels. Noir’s Luxury Refunds was dedicated to refund fraud, a type of fraud where a purchaser claims to return an item, receives a refund, but keeps the product. Customers would pay Noir’s Organization a percentage of the product price in exchange for the organization fraudulently refunding the item on the customer’s behalf. Noir’s Organization marketed itself as having the expertise to defraud retailers across the world in a wide range of industries. At one point, the Noir’s Luxury Refunds channel had over 5,900 followers. Noir’s Organization operated from July 2020 until July 2022.
Documents reviewed in the investigation reflect that the group obtained refunds or attempted to obtain refunds for millions of dollars’ worth of products, including electronics, designer clothing, home furnishings, and appliances. Noir’s Organization used a variety of tactics to commit refund fraud, including social engineering to manipulate customer service representatives into issuing refunds, manipulating shipping labels to deceive a retailer into believing they had received a returned product when it had not, and recruiting customer service representatives as “insiders” to perform refunds on the conspiracy’s behalf. Noir’s Organization also developed malware that would target retailers’ websites to facilitate refund fraud by circumventing fraud prevention measures.
In related cases, eight defendants have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud based on their roles in Noir’s Organization:
- Damion Wayne Scarlett, also known as “Dash,” 26, from Deer Park, New York;
- Dhruv Gargi, also known as “Panda,” 25, from Newark, New Jersey;
- David James Park, also known as “Plutus,” 23, from Phoenix, Arizona;
- Nicholas John Caruso, also known as “Deaf,” 32, from Dallas, Texas;
- Jennifer Mireya Palma, also known as “Bianca,” 24, from Los Angeles, California;
- CK Chikong Tran, also known as “Radiant,” 30, from New York, New York;
- Tyree Samuel Tinsley, also known as “Tysamtin,” 31, from Richmond, Virginia; and
- Jason Seib, also known as “Waynor,” 43, from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Edward J. Canter are prosecuting the cases.
Assistance was provided by Target Corporation; Amazon.com, Inc.; Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Wayfair Inc.; Dell Technologies; Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.; American Airlines Group Inc.; Hewlett Packard Incorporated; Adidas AG; eBay Inc.; and Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group. The Sûreté Nationale of Morrocco also provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Operation Chargeback, an FBI investigation into organized refund fraud groups across the United States and internationally. Cases have also been brought in the Western District of Washington and the Northern District of Oklahoma as part of the initiative.
For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Alabama Department of Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – John Paul Ketteman, 28, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke to receipt of a bribe by an agent or organization receiving federal funds.
U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher DiMenna, and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, Ketteman was employed as a corrections officer at the Alabama Department of Correction’s Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama. Ketteman’s job duties included inspecting prison cells for contraband and supervising inmates. In the Fall of 2022, ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division began an investigation into contraband being smuggled into the Limestone Facility by corrections officers. As part of the investigation, Cash App records were obtained for Ketteman’s account. These records revealed that in less than three months in 2022, Ketteman was paid more than $10,000 to smuggle contraband into the Limestone Facility and to act as a lookout.
Ketteman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2025.
The maximum penalty for receipt of a bribe by an agent or organization receiving federal funds is 10 years in prison.
The FBI and the United States Secret Service investigated the cases. ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division provided valuable assistance during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is prosecuting the case.
Eight Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged eight individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Gilmar Araldo Elias, 45, of Guatemala;
- Faustino Discua-Reyes, 38, of Honduras;
- Roger Manuel Jarquin, 28, of Nicaragua;
- Rigoberto Miranda-Gutierrez, 43, of Mexico;
- Miguel Perdomo Sanchez, 27, of Mexico;
- Luis Miguel Olivera Hernandez, 36, of Mexico;
- Milton Obdulio Ramirez, 31, of Honduras;
- Angel Techomahua-Amador, 36, of Mexico;
The following defendants were charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm:
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America partners Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fifteen Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama has charged 15 individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Salvador Rodriguez-Villa, of Mexico;
- Noel Paz-Diaz, 34, of Guatemala;
- Christian Mendoza-Salas, 29, of Mexico;
- Isidro Gutierrez Gabriel, 35, of Guatemala;
- Mateo Pascual-Francisco, 40, of Guatemala;
- Tomas Naz-Gonzalez, 27, of Guatemala;
- Marco Julio Agustin-Miranda, 27, of Guatemala;
- Rafael Juan-Francisco, 35, of Guatemala;
- Jose Rigoberto Acosta-Calles, 36, of El Salvador;
- Elmer Geovany Sarmiento-Sifrian, 32, of Honduras;
The following defendants were charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm:
- Elmer David Hernandez-Garcia, 39, of Honduras;
- Christian Ivan Sanchez, 36, of Mexico;
- Jhoan Jesus Rodriguez-Perez, 21, of Mexico;
- Orli Umberto Marquez-Cordon, 24, of Mexico;
Maria Monserrat de Jesus Bautista-Hernandez, 41, of Mexico, has been charged with illegal re-entry after a prior removal and for being an alien in possession of a firearm.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America partners, Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta, U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Houston Division, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division, investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tuscaloosa County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for threatening and cyberstalking his ex-girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge James DeLoatch.
U.S. District Court Judge Annmarie Axon sentenced Kenneth Peter Hoover, 27, to 37 months in prison. In November, Hoover pleaded guilty to interstate threatening communications and cyberstalking.
According to the plea agreement, on January 22, 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip concerning a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a user who was later identified as Hoover. In the posts, Hoover threatened to assault and kill his ex-girlfriend. After the Tuscaloosa Police Department was notified of the posts, officers contacted the victim and secured safe housing for her. A few days later, a Tuscaloosa Police officer initiated a traffic stop on Hoover. The officer ordered Hoover to exit the vehicle, but Hoover refused to follow the officer’s orders. After several unsuccessful attempts to remove Hoover from the vehicle, additional officers responded to the scene and successfully placed Hoover into custody. The investigation determined that Hoover had used Apple iMessage, Snapchat, and Venmo to harass and intimidate the victim, sending threatening and violent messages with the intent to injure, harass, or intimidate her.
FBI Birmingham Division investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Mailing Methamphetamine to Northern AlabamaRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – An Arizona man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division.
United States District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Jeremiah Warren, 42, of Vail, Arizona, to 180 months in prison. On October 4, 2023, Warren pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, Warren supplied Isaiah Oneal Rice, who lived in Athens, Alabama, with controlled substances for several years. Warren would send Rice drugs—including crystal methamphetamine—through the United States mail. From February to May 2022, Warren mailed over 34 pounds of packages containing controlled substances into the Northern District of Alabama.
Rice was also prosecuted and sentenced to 176 months in prison on January 10, 2024. On July 27, 2022, Rice pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, two counts of Unlawful Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The FBI’s North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force investigated the cases. The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and Athens Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.
Seven Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Marshall County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Seven men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a Marshall County Drug Trafficking Organization that was being directed from Mexico, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze imposed the following sentences on the defendants:
Armando Trevino-Vazques, 42, of Crossville, Alabama, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.
Carlos Antonio Hernandez-Corona, 32, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Juan Hernandez, 44, of Albertville, Alabama, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Gregory Allen Huff, 43, of Arab, Alabama, was sentenced to 61 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Angel Hernandez, Jr., 25, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 50 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Thomas Gaspar, 35, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for unlawful use of a communications facility.
Juan Damian Cortes, 33, of Albertville, Alabama, was sentenced to five months in prison for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to plea agreements, the Drug Trafficking Organization used a series of dead drops to coordinate the distribution of methamphetamine and the receipt of bulk currency. Purchasers contacted the source of supply in Mexico. After that, the purchaser received a phone call providing a location to meet an individual to pay for the drugs purchased. Following that meeting, the purchaser received another call providing the location where the drugs could be picked up.
“My office will use every tool in our toolbox to dismantle drug trafficking organizations intent on flooding the Northern District of Alabama with illegal drugs, focusing our effort on drugs originating from cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “We are committed to ending the devastating impact these drugs have had on communities within our District. I am grateful for the strong partnership between the FBI and state and local law enforcement in Marshall County that led to these convictions and sentences.”
“These sentencings demonstrate the FBI’s relentless determination to eradicate drug trafficking organizations that are plaguing communities,” said FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. “Disrupting organizations like this one is a priority objective of the FBI’s mission. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners and use every legal means available to hold accountable those who threaten our neighborhoods.”
The FBI’s North Alabama Criminal Enterprise Task Force investigated the cases. The Marshall County Drug Task Force and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Drug Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell E. Penfield and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.
Birmingham Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham has pleaded guilty to gun and drug charged, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
Isiah De’Monte De’Mario Henley, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge John H. England to distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a machine gun, and being a felon in possession a firearm.
According to court documents, in July and August of 2024, Henley sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant on three occasions. On August 8, 2024, Henley sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to an informant in Birmingham. When agents attempted to arrest Henley following the drug transaction, Henley ran from the police into a nearby residence, dropped a bag, and ran out the front door. As Henley exited, agents noticed that he was armed with a black handgun with an extended magazine. Henley was ordered to drop the firearm, and he threw the gun into a vacant lot covered in tall grass before being apprehended. Law enforcement recovered the gun and found that it was altered to include a Glock switch and that the extended magazine was fully loaded. The bag Henley left inside the residence contained 465 grams of methamphetamine and over seven grams of fentanyl.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Vestavia Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd is prosecuting the case.
Shelby County Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison for Multiple RobberiesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Shelby County man has been sentenced for multiple robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Dorian Blake Bivins, 20, of Alabaster, Alabama, to 180 months in prison. In September 2024, Bivins pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the plea agreement, Bivins attempted robberies of three businesses in Alabaster—Whataburger, Shell, and Chevron—over a span of 12 days in May and June 2023. Bivins committed two of the offenses while armed with a pistol and discharged the firearm during his final attempted robbery.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Alabaster Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Madison County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Cyberstalking, Extortion, and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A New Hope man was sentenced today for stalking and extorting a woman and producing child pornography involving two minor victims, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Donald Wayne Carmody, 29, of New Hope, Alabama, to 480 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In December, Carmody pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, extortion, and production of child pornography. These convictions will require Carmody to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to the plea agreement, Carmody used anonymous text messages to threaten to release pictures of the victim on the internet if she did not send him intimate photographs. Carmody also obtained the victim’s login credentials for her social media accounts and accessed their contents. After Carmody was arrested on cyberstalking and extortion charges for this conduct, investigators discovered a USB thumb drive belonging to him that contained images of child pornography involving two victims under the age of twelve. The FBI’s Video Forensic Analysis Unit compared the images from the thumb drive, which showed a person’s hand, to pictures of Carmody’s hands taken during the investigation. The Unit identified similar class and distinguishing characteristics between the images, demonstrating that the hand in the images on the thumb drive belonged to Carmody.
The FBI investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for carjackings, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Christon John Wayman, 21, to 68 months in prison. In November 2024, Wayman pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking.
According to the plea agreement, Wayman committed carjackings at two different locations in Birmingham. The carjackings occurred in September and October 2023. Wayman selected his victims from a dating application and used a firearm during at least one of the carjackings.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler prosecuted the case.
Lawrence County Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Mail FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Lawrence County man has been sentenced for his role in a scheme to steal agricultural chemicals from his employer, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Christopher Michelfelder, 56, of Moulton, Alabama, to 63 months in prison. In December 2024, Michelfelder pleaded guilty to mail fraud.
According to the plea agreement, Michelfelder was the facility manager of the local branch of an international agricultural company that sells chemicals to customers. Over the course of a decade, he executed a scheme in which stole products from his employer. He sold them to a third-party broker under the false pretense that the products belonged to his personal farm business, Midway Farms. Michelfelder shipped the products via FedEx to an address that the broker would provide to him. The loss amount was over $6 million.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
Man Arraigned in Federal Court on Multiple Charges of Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – An Etowah County man has been arraigned in federal court on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Kevin Glenn Golden, 58, of Altoona, Alabama, with three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, on various dates between September 2022 and August 2023, Golden coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. From September 2022 to March 2024, Golden possessed child pornography.
The maximum penalty for a sexual exploitation conviction is 30 years in prison. The maximum penalty for a child pornography conviction is 10 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with substantial assistance from HSI Harrisonburg, VA, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Huntsville Police Department, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and Gadsden Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Clay County Man Sentenced to 80 years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Clay County man has been sentenced for his sexual crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Cory L. Maze sentenced Michael James Baker, 32, of Ashland, to 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. In October 2024, Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. These convictions will require Baker to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, between July 25, 2022, and July 25, 2023, Baker produced a video and an image of child pornography involving his rape of a small child and uploaded the child pornography online. In his chat communication with an undercover agent, Baker expressed his desires to engage in sexual acts with two other children, and he admitted to sexual acts with a 13-year-old child. After Baker’s arrest on the federal child pornography charges, another young child disclosed that Baker had also raped her.
FBI Birmingham Division and FBI New Orleans Division investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Internet Crimes Against Children, Lineville Police Department, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Oxford Police Department, Anniston Major Crimes Unit, Anniston Police Department, Alabama State Troopers, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Russell County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Trussville Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Trussville man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Antonio Sedell Ellis, 50, to 48 months in prison. In October 2024, Ellis pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to the plea agreement, on May 9, 2023, a Trussville police officer observed a black Ford F-450 traveling on Interstate 59 and cross the outside fog line several times. The officer initiated a traffic stop of the driver, later identified as Ellis. During the stop, the officer could smell alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and asked Ellis to exit the vehicle. Although Ellis initially complied with the officer’s requests, he then attempted to walk away from the scene and refused to follow the officer’s orders. Additional officers responded and successfully apprehended Ellis. He was placed into the back of the patrol car so that a full search of Ellis’s vehicle could be completed. The search uncovered a package containing one kilogram of cocaine, several bags of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Trussville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Madison County Man Sentenced to More Than 15 years in Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Huntsville man was sentenced yesterday on two felony charges for his involvement in crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Haikala sentenced David Edward Sanford, 55, of Huntsville, to 190 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. In December 2024, Sanford pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. These convictions will require Sanford to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, between September and November 2023, Sanford was actively involved in the online distribution of child pornography in groups dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children. During a federal search warrant for Sanford’s residence executed in November 2023, Sanford admitted to federal agents that he used various file sharing applications to trade videos and images of child pornography with others and expressed his particular preference for videos and images involving children under the age of 11. Sanford’s devices were seized during the execution of the warrant, and forensic analysis of the devices revealed more than 9,600 videos and 500 images of child pornography.
FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case along with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Huntsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Birmingham Woman Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for ArsonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham woman has been sentenced for placing an incendiary device outside of an apartment, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Kimberly Lanetta Blackmon, 39, to 135 months in prison. In July 2024, Blackmon pleaded guilty to arson.
According to the plea agreement, in the early morning of October 18, 2022, Blackmon forced her way into the lobby of an apartment complex in the Lakeview District of Birmingham. Blackmon then took the elevator to an apartment on the fourth floor that she believed belonged to an individual that was romantically linked to her ex-boyfriend. When she arrived at the apartment, Blackmon leaned an improvised incendiary device against the apartment door and fled down a nearby stairwell. Moments later, the device exploded—creating a fireball that caused moderate damage to the door and the interior threshold of the apartment. Although the interior sprinkler system extinguished the fire before it could spread or cause injury, the device set by Blackmon caused nearly $470,000 in property damage.
ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Lee Gilmer prosecuted the case.
Multiple Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has indicted nine individuals for illegal reentry after deportation and one individual for being an alien in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank.
The following individuals were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having been deported:
- Eusebio Cruz-Zurita, 29, of Mexico;
- Rufino Cristobal-Reyes, 41, of Mexico;
- Edgar Esmain Rivas-Martinez, 37, of Honduras;
- Rigoberto Tzun-Garcia, 34, of Guatemala;
- Eleazar Suarez-Salinas, 42, of Mexico;
- Rodolfo Cantu-Navarrete, 45, of Mexico;
- Albert Obel Figueroa-Figueroa, 40, of Guatemala;
- Juan Gomez-Marquires, aka “Diego Torrez-Tadeo,” 33, of Mexico; and
- Maximiliano Pablo-Cinto, 40, of Guatemala.
Karim Arguello-Barraza, 22, of Mexico, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm.
In addition to prosecuting these cases, Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Northern District of Alabama continue to provide regular training to attorneys, federal agents, and state and local law enforcement partners to assist them in investigating and prosecuting immigration offenses in federal court.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.