Southern District of Alabama
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Baldwin County Man Sentenced to 108 Months for Possession of Ammunition During Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Robertsdale, Alabama man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at sentencing, Ronald Howard, 51, having previously been convicted of a felony offense, knowingly possessed ammunition in connection with a sexual assault and unlawful restraint. As part of the sentence, United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered that Howard undergo three years of supervised release after finishing his term of imprisonment, during which time Howard is ordered to participate in substance abuse treatment, sexual offender treatment, refrain from contact with minors, and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Resident Agent in Charge Kenneth J. Fos made the announcement. ATF and the Mobile Police Department (“MPD”) investigated the case.
At Howard’s sentencing, Judge Moorer heard testimony about the indicent. On the morning of February 11, 2020, officers from MPD responded to a 911 call from a bystander who reported seeing a woman being pushed out of a silver car. When the police arrived, the female victim had a bloodied head.
The victim reported that in the early morning hours of February 11, 2020, she was approached by three people in a silver car who offered her a ride and Howard was in the back seat, where the victim was also sitting. While both were in the backseat, Howard repeatedly struck the victim in the head with a gun and sexually assaulted the victim, who reported that Howard was armed with two guns. Mobile Fire Rescue transported the victim to a hospital to receive treatment for her injuries, which included a laceration to her head that required six staples.
A few hours later, Mobile Police Department officers stopped the silver car, which matched the victim’s description. Officers took the three occupants, including Howard, into custody. Officers found the victim’s identification card in Howard’s pocket and collected Howard’s clothing as evidence. Officers located nine unfired rounds of .38 Special ammunition in Howard’s pants pocket. Subsequent forensic testing completed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (“ADFS”) revealed that the victim’s DNA (a blood stain) was on the pants that Howard was wearing on the day of the assault. The victim made a positive identification of all three persons in the silver car in a photo lineup.
During a subsequent search of the car, police found a loaded .380 caliber pistol and a loaded .38 caliber revolver. The two weapons matched the victim’s description of the firearms that Howard possessed during the assault. Police swabbed the guns for DNA testing completed by the ADFS, which later confirmed the presence of Howard’s DNA on a swabbing from the .380 caliber pistol.
Howard has pending state charges in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama for sodomy in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, and assault in the second degree. The Mobile County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting Howard’s related state offenses.
The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, and were assisted by the MPD Special Victims Unit, the Rape Crisis Center, USA Women’s and Children’s Hospital Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, and the officers of MPD’s Third Precinct. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Robertsdale Man Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Robertsdale, Alabama, man was sentenced on August 13, 2021, to 84 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice.
According to court documents, Jason Charles Diard, 41, distributed methamphetamine ice he obtained from various suppliers in Baldwin County, Alabama, and in Pensacola, Florida. Diard was distributing the drugs from various places in the county, including hotels in Robertsdale and Bay Minette.
Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 84-month sentence and ordered that Diard undergo drug abuse counseling while in custody. Chief Judge DuBose further ordered that Diard would also serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Diard will also undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but Chief Judge Dubose ordered that Diard pay $100 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Birmingham Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Birmingham man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Thomas Edison Douglas, 27, was arrested in September 2020 by police in Saraland, Alabama. Officers had responded to a local hotel in response to a 911 call regarding a domestic dispute involving Douglas. When police encountered Douglas outside the hotel, they recovered a loaded Glock 9mm pistol equipped with an extended magazine, which he had concealed in his waistband. Douglas admitted to officers that he had the gun for his protection and that he previously had been convicted of felony robbery. As a result of his prior felony conviction, Douglas admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms.Senior United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade ordered Douglas to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Douglas to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Saraland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Pensacola Man Sentenced in Federal Court on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Pensacola, Florida, man was sentenced on August 10, 2021, to 10 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice.
According to court documents, Cameron Alexander Michanowicz, 42, distributed large amounts of methamphetamine ice from his residence and his business in the Pensacola, Florida, area. Many people from Baldwin County, Alabama, traveled to Pensacola to deal with Michanowicz and brought the drugs to Alabama for distribution here. When federal agents obtained a search warrant for Michanowicz’s residence and business, firearms, drugs, several cell phones, computers, and cash were seized. Michanowicz provided a statement to the agents after being advised of his Miranda rights in which he admitted his participation in the illegal distribution of drugs. Michanowicz was held accountable for the distribution of 10.4 kilograms of methamphetamine ice and one pound of heroin.Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 10-year sentence and ordered that Michanowicz would also serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. Michanowicz will also undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion during that time. No fine was imposed but Chief Judge Dubose ordered that Michanowicz pay $100 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Foley Man Sentenced in Federal Court on Methamphetamine and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Foley, Alabama, man was sentenced on August 10, 2021, to 15 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking felony.
According to court documents, John Heath Carter, 38, distributed large amounts of methamphetamine ice he obtained from various suppliers in Baldwin County, Alabama. Carter was stopped by the Foley Police Department for a traffic violation and officers found methamphetamine ice, a .38 caliber pistol, and a CS grenade. The methamphetamine ice was packaged for distribution. Carter was advised of his Miranda rights and he admitted his participation in the scheme to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 15-year sentence, consisting of 10 years on the conspiracy charge and 5 years on the firearm charge. By operation of federal law, the sentence for the firearm charge must run consecutively to any other sentence of imprisonment. Chief Judge Dubose further ordered that Carter would also serve eight years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Carter will undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but Chief Judge Dubose ordered that Carter pay $200 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Foley Police Department, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Elberta Man Sentenced in Federal Court on Methamphetamine and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Elberta, Alabama, man was sentenced today, to 72 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice and for his possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking felony.
According to court documents, Donald Ray Thomas, 42, distributed methamphetamine ice he obtained from various suppliers in Baldwin County, Alabama, and in Pensacola, Florida. Thomas was distributing the drugs from various places in the county, including a business where he worked in Foley.
Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 72-month sentence, which consisted of 12 months on the drug charge and 60 months on the gun charge, to run consecutively. Chief Judge Dubose further ordered that Thomas would also serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Thomas will undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse and a mental health evaluation, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but Chief Judge Dubose ordered that Thomas pay $200 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Atmore Woman Sentenced in Federal Court for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Atmore, Alabama, woman was sentenced on August 10, 2021, to 38 months in prison for her participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice.
According to court documents, Jordan Ashley Gabel, 34, distributed methamphetamine ice she obtained from various suppliers in Baldwin County, Alabama. Gabel was implicated in two traffic stops in which she was in possession of methamphetamine ice, both conducted by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed the 38-month sentence, which amounted to a sentence of time served after giving Gabel credit for her custodial time served prior to the imposition of sentence. Judge Steele further ordered that Gabel would also serve five years on supervised release following her imprisonment. As conditions of her supervision, Gabel will undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse and a mental health evaluation, and she will be subject to a search of her person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but Judge Steele ordered that Gabel pay $100 in special assessments.The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Woman Sentenced for Bogus Airbag ClaimRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – The U.S. District Court sentenced a Mobile woman to 3 years of probation, 80 hours of community service, and a $1,000 fine for sending by mail a false claim for personal injuries and vehicle damage allegedly caused by defective Takata airbag inflators that sent shrapnel flying when they deployed.
According to court documents, Tracey Lanette Adams, 48, used pictures she obtained from the internet and altered medical records that she submitted by mail from Mobile to try to obtain over $13,000 from the Takata Individual Restitution Fund (TIRF). The TIRF was established in the Eastern of District of Michigan when Takata Corporation was sentenced for wire fraud. In February 2017, the Court there ordered that Takata Corporation pay $125,000,000.00 into a fund to compensate those injured or who would be injured by its defective airbag deflators. The Special Master appointed to administer the fund oversees the evaluation of claims seeking compensation.
Evaluators saw red flags as it considered Adams’s claim, including photographs Adams had altered from the internet that she said were of her and her injuries. When the TIRF denied her claim, she appealed and submitted once again the false documents and photographs. A face-to-face interview with the Mobile FBI confirmed that she was not the person in the photographs and had not suffered the serious facial injuries depicted. Adams did not receive any compensation.
“The Takata Individual Restitution Fund is for actual victims who suffered or will suffer injuries caused by their defective airbag inflators. This defendant wasted the valuable time of the evaluators that they could have spent considering claims of people who were actually injured by these defective products. And now she’s been convicted of a felony for it and will be under the watchful eyes of federal probation officers for 3 years,” U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello remarked.
FBI Special Agent in Charge James Jewell stated, “The defendant in this particular case has no regard for the real victims and their injuries. Where there are large sums of money there will be fraud, and the men and women of the FBI stand ready to assist our partners in seeing the prosecution of these defendants carried out.” The FBI in the Eastern District of Michigan and in Mobile investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lankford prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Foley Woman Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Foley woman was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for her participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Amber Renee White, 46, was identified during an investigation which resulted from controlled purchases of methamphetamine ice from White at various locations in Baldwin County, Alabama. White was stopped by Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies twice in routine traffic stops and methamphetamine was discovered in the subsequent searches of the vehicle. A search warrant was obtained for her residence during the investigation and additional quantities of methamphetamine ice were recovered, along with cash, drug paraphernalia and cell phones. White was advised of her rights and she admitted her participation in a scheme to possess with intent to distribute more than 51 kilograms of methamphetamine ice from 2016 through 2018.
United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade imposed the 180-month sentence and ordered that White serve a five-year term of supervised release when she is released from custody. No fine was imposed, but White was ordered to pay a special mandatory assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Safe Streets Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Chunchula Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Methamphetamine CaseRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Chunchula man was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Freddy Paul Foreman, Jr., 38, was identified during an investigation which resulted from controlled purchases of methamphetamine ice from Foreman at his home in Baldwin County, Alabama. Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies obtained a search warrant for the premises and executed it. A co-defendant in the case told deputies that they were awaiting a shipment of drugs at the residence but it had not yet arrived. Deputies seized cell phones, drug paraphernalia and cash, including some of the marked money used to make the controlled purchases of drugs prior to the execution of the search warrant. At the time of his arrest, Foreman was on supervised release from a prior federal conviction for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking felony. His ongoing criminal activity resulted in a petition filed by the United States Probation Office seeking revocation of the five-year supervised release term and his remand to federal prison.
United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade imposed the 144-month sentence, consisting of 84 months on the drug conspiracy, and 60 months for the violation of the supervised release conditions, with the sentences to run consecutively. No fine was imposed, but Foreman was ordered to pay a special mandatory assessment of $100. A five-year term of supervised release was again imposed, to begin when Foreman is released from prison.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Safe Streets Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Spanish Fort Alabama Couple Sentenced for the Production and Packaging of Misbranded Drugs and PesticidesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Richard and Monique Parker of Spanish Fort, Alabama, doing business as FB McGuinness were sentenced in federal court on four counts of an information. The Parkers pled guilty to introducing misbranded animal drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead, operating an unregistered drug establishment, and the sale of unregistered, adulterated, and misbranded pesticides.
According to documents filed as part of the defendant’s guilty plea the Parkers operated a business, F.B. McGuinness, from their residence in Spanish Fort. F.B. McGuinness sold products from a catalogue, including drugs and pesticides mainly focused on the cockfighting industry. The facility was unregistered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These products included items that were repackaged and labeled to include false FDA and NADA numbers on F.B. McGuinness products. Through a series of anonymous purchases, products were obtained from the F.B. McGuinness catalogue. An analysis of the products purchased indicated that these items were mislabeled or not as they were advertised.
In October 2020 a search warrant was executed at the Parker’s residence and location of their catalogue business. The Parkers admitted to producing and packaging drugs and pesticides at their residence for several years. The Parkers went on to admit that many of the products were repackaged and relabeled for F.B. McGuinness. The Parkers stated that the false FDA and NADA numbers on the F.B. McGuinness products gave a perception of legitimacy for their customers.
The F.B. McGuinness catalogue included products the FDA no longer approved for sale in the United States because they contained suspected carcinogens. Additionally, the EPA determined the Parker’s facility contained pesticides that were inactive or no longer allowed to be marketed in the United States.
At sentencing, the Parkers were sentenced to a three year term of probation, a $5,000 fine and the forfeiture of $100,000.
The case was investigated by the FDA, the EPA, and the FBI.
“Since 2014, the defendants sold to customers across the country over $3 million of products, which included unregistered pesticides without instructions on how to use the product safely,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Chuck Carfagno of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Atlanta. “Today’s sentencing shows that EPA and our law enforcement partners will hold responsible those who violate our pesticide laws and put the public at risk.”
“The FDA regulates animal drugs as part of its mission to protect the public health, which includes ensuring that prescription animal drugs are lawfully distributed and dispensed pursuant to a valid prescription,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, Ph.D., FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “These laws are in place not only for the well-being of the animals, but also to protect consumers from animals that may be used for food that may contain unsafe drug residues. We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who attempt to evade the law.”
This matter was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Ex-Corrections Officer Trainee Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Tarrence Dramon Tolbert, 40, of Brewton, Alabama, was sentenced on June 29, 2021 to 135 months’ imprisonment for his possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 24, 2020. In January of 2021, Tolbert pled guilty to the charge in federal court in Mobile.
According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Tolbert was a corrections officer trainee at Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama, on February 24, 2020, and a supervisor observed that he was stopped on the side of the road at about 8:30 p.m. The supervisor stopped and asked Tolbert if everything was okay, and Tolbert replied that he was waiting on a relative. The supervisor was suspicious about these circumstances, and left instructions to have Tolbert and his belongings searched when he arrived for his shift. Investigators conducted the search as instructed, and discovered methamphetamine ice, marijuana, earbuds, a SIM card, cigars, two bottles of liquor and two knives, which Tolbert intended to smuggle into the prison and deliver to certain inmates.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed the sentence of 135 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release when Tolbert is released from custody. No fine was imposed but Tolbert was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by the Alabama Department of Corrections, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man was sentenced yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Marshal Martin Keely.
United States District Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Lionel Caffey, 27, to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Caffey pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2020.
On April 28, 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force went to a Birmingham hotel to arrest Caffey on an outstanding state warrant for attempted murder. According to testimony at his sentencing, Task Force officers encountered Caffey after he walked out of his third-floor hotel room. Caffey fought with officers and reached for his waistband during the struggle. One officer felt a pistol in Caffey’s waistband and alerted the other officers. Caffey broke free from the officers and kicked in the door of another third-floor hotel room. He then attempted to jump out of a closed window at the back of that room, but the window did not break. At that point, officers were able to gain control of him. Even after being cuffed, Caffey continued to reach for his waistband. The pistol was found on the floor in the room where he was handcuffed.
“Convicted felons who possess firearms are among those who are most likely to commit a violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Prosecuting the drivers of violence in our communities is a top priority of my office.”
The United States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty prosecuted the case.
Mobile Man Sentenced to Eighty Months in Prison in Firearm CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock sentenced defendant Hannibal Moore, 37, to 80 months imprisonment after a federal jury found him guilty at trial in December 2020 on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of his sentence, the judge ordered that the defendant receive substance abuse treatment as directed by the U.S. Probation Office, pay a special assessment of $100, and be supervised by federal probation officers for 3 years after finishing his prison term.
The jury heard two days of evidence during the trial, which began on December 7, 2020. According to the evidence introduced at trial, Moore was staying with his then-girlfriend at her home in Mobile. Moore had been arrested the day prior in Hoover, Alabama, for a domestic violence incident involving the same woman. The woman’s ex-husband was concerned for her well-being and went to her house to check on her. Once there, he encountered Moore, who refused to leave the home. The ex-husband could see visible bruising to the woman’s face. The ex-husband did leave but returned to the home about two hours later with a friend. The friend had a key to the woman’s house, because he had changed the locks on the house the day prior, at her request. The friend was similarly concerned about the woman’s welfare and used his key to go into the house. As he entered the house, he was shot by Hannibal Moore. The man did survive his injury.
Moore had previously been convicted of the same offense, being a felon in possession of a firearm, in Birmingham on May 26, 2020.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Texas Man Sentenced in Heroin and Methamphetamine Smuggling CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Francisco Jesus Ramirez, 26, of Brownsville, Texas, was sentenced today for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 30 kilograms of methamphetamine and five kilograms of heroin. Ramirez pled guilty to the charges in March of 2021.
According to the documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Ramirez was identified following a traffic stop in January of 2020 on I-65 in Mobile County during which 30 kilograms of methamphetamine and five kilograms of heroin were seized from a co-conspirator driving Ramirez’s truck. The drugs were destined for delivery in Atlanta, Georgia, and investigators attempted to make a controlled delivery of the drugs at that destination. Ramirez was in telephone contact with the driver of the load during the trip and participated in the arrangements for the delivery of the drugs. A juvenile male picked up with heroin and was stopped and identified by authorities in Atlanta. No delivery of the methamphetamine could be accomplished following the seizure of the heroin. The truck driver assisted the investigators and Homeland Security agents were able to identify Ramirez as a participant in the scheme.
Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a 72-month sentence in Ramirez’s case, which would be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Ramirez was also ordered to pay $100 in mandatory special assessments. No fine was imposed.
The case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Montgomery Resident Convicted on All Counts at Trial in Financial Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announces that a federal jury in Montgomery, Alabama found defendant Tiffany Culliver Franklin, 41, of Montgomery, guilty on all charges in a financial fraud case. Chief United States District Judge L. Scott Coogler presided over the trial, which started on June 7, 2021 and ended the following day. Franklin is scheduled to be sentenced in the fall of 2021.
On April 7, 2021, a federal grand jury for the Middle District of Alabama charged Franklin with violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 656 (theft or embezzlement by a bank employee) and 1344(1) (bank fraud), which carry a maximum potential sentence of 30 years, and 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years.
The jury heard evidence that between June 2015 and July 18, 2017, Franklin was a vault teller with Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T), working at a local branch in Montgomery. An internal audit revealed that the vault drawers under Franklin’s control were short $202,000. Franklin gave a written statement to a bank investigator in which she expressed remorse for her conduct and admitted to embezzling $202,000 from the bank.
The jury also heard evidence that from January 2012 to December 2014, Franklin was employed as a personal banker at a Wells Fargo branch in downtown Montgomery. In October 2014, Franklin used her Wells Fargo credentials to create and obtain a debit card to make numerous ATM check deposits into and immediate cash withdrawals from an elderly customer’s account. A Wells Fargo investigator interviewed Franklin, who admitted that she had issued the debit card in the elderly customer’s name and had been using ATMs to deposit checks from her own bank account into the customer’s Wells Fargo account.
Finally, the jury heard evidence that from September 2017 to June 2018, Franklin worked as a bookkeeper at Goodwyn Middle School (GMS) in Montgomery. Evidence introduced at trial established that during her time as GMS’s bookkeeper, Franklin stole at least $13,216 in money and property that belonged to GMS. She stole $6,995 in money taken in by GMS that should have been deposited into the school’s bank account. Franklin also diverted for her personal benefit $675 taken in by GMS through gate receipts at various athletic events and $3,074 taken in by GMS from various classroom teachers. Moreover, Franklin withdrew from and failed to redeposit into GMS’s bank account $2,400 meant for use at various GMS athletic events. Finally, Franklin used a GMS-issued Walmart Community Card to make unauthorized purchases of various personal items, including Walmart gift cards. In September 2019, during an interview with investigators from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Franklin confessed to stealing GMS’s money and gambling with it at casinos.
The United States Secret Service and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Justin Roller are prosecuting the case.
Saraland Man Sentenced to More Than Twenty Years in Methamphetamine and Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that William Thomas Carver II, 44, of Saraland, was sentenced today for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In January of 2021, Carver pled guilty to the conspiracy charge and a charge of carrying a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of the drug trafficking felony.
According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Carver participated with several others in the conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He had different sources of supply and several distributors who received methamphetamine from him for further distribution in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Carver was arrested with a firearm, methamphetamine and cash in his vehicle by Saraland police, and he provided information to federal and local agencies about the scope of some of his illegal activities.
United States District Court Judge Jeffery U. Beaverstock imposed a 248-month sentence in Carver’s case this morning, consisting of 188 months as to the drug count, to run consecutively to the 60-month sentence imposed for the gun count. Upon his release from custody, Carver was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release. Carver was also ordered to pay $200 in mandatory special assessments. No fine was imposed. The judge further entered a forfeiture order as to the firearm used in the commission of the crime.
The case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Bayou La Batre Man Sentenced to More Than 23 Years for Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that on May 13, 2021, En Chim was sentenced in federal court to more than 23 years in prison after being convicted by a jury of all counts of a five-count indictment. En Chim was sentenced to 115 months custody for two robberies in Bayou La Batre, Alabama and being a felon in possession of a firearm. En Chim received a sentence of 84 months in two additional counts for the use of a firearm to commit the robberies. These sentences are to run consecutive to all other sentences. The total sentence Chim will serve is 283 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer also ordered Chim to serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison and pay $1,100 in restitution.
At the trial held January 25 and 26, 2021, the jury found Chim guilty on all counts. Witnesses and video evidence showed that Chim and another unidentified individual entered a convenience store in November 2018 demanding money and waving handguns at the attendant. Two weeks later Chim and the same unidentified individual entered a sandwich shop as it was closing for the evening. Again, En Chim and his accomplice demanded money from the register and a wallet and cell phone.
Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Bayou La Batre Police Department investigated this case along with the assistance of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Texas Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that David Kenneth Martin, 37, of Midland, Texas, has been sentenced for his participation in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy which occurred in Baldwin County during 2016 through 2018. In May of 2020, Martin pled guilty to the conspiracy charge.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a 96-month sentence in Martin’s case and ordered that Martin serve a five-year term of supervised release when he is released from custody. Martin was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100. No fine was imposed.The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Baldwin County Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Heroin Trafficker from Mexico Sentenced to 5 YearsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Uriel Frederico Romero-Rodriguez, of Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin.
Romero-Rodriguez pled guilty to the charge in January of 2021. On February 11, 2020, United States Customs and Border Protection intercepted a package originating from Arcelia, Guerrerro, Mexico. The package purported to be a wheel of cheese addressed to a residence in Foley, Alabama. However, officers discovered approximately 443 grams of heroin concealed inside the wheel of cheese. On February 13, 2020, the package was delivered to the address in Foley. Romero-Rodriguez arrived shortly thereafter to pick up the package. Officers immediately arrested Romero-Rodriguez when he picked up the package. As part of his plea agreement, Romero-Rodriguez admitted he and his co-defendant made an agreement to distribute the heroin.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a mandatory sentence of 60 months imprisonment. The judge also ordered Romero-Rodriguez to serve a four-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge Moorer ordered that Romero-Rodriguez pay $100 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Kopf.
Foley Woman Sentenced for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Ashley Nicole King, 30, of Foley, Alabama, has been sentenced for her participation in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy which occurred in Baldwin County during 2016 through 2018. In August of 2019, King pled guilty to the conspiracy charge.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a 90 month sentence in King’s case, and ordered that King serve a five-year term of supervised release when she is released from custody. King was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100. No fine was imposed.The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Baldwin County Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Foley Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Christopher Ryan Snider, 37, of Foley, Alabama, was sentenced to fourteen years in prison for his participation in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy which occurred in Baldwin County during 2016 through 2018. In May of 2020, Snider pled guilty to the conspiracy charge and a charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a 168-month sentence in Snider’s case, consisting of 120 months on the drug charge to be served consecutively to 60 months on the gun charge. The judge ordered that Snider serve a five-year term of supervised release when he is released from custody. Snider was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $200. No fine was imposed.The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Baldwin County Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Birmingham Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Gabrielle Danielle Goss, 38, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced for her participation in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy which occurred in Baldwin County during 2016 through 2018. In May of 2020, Goss pled guilty to the conspiracy charge.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a 96-month sentence in Goss’ case and ordered that Goss serve a five-year term of supervised release when she is released from custody. Goss was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100. No fine was imposed.The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Baldwin County Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Greensboro Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possessing Multiple Stolen Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Demetrius O’Neill Bryant, 33, of Greensboro, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for possessing multiple stolen firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Bryant pleaded guilty to the charge in January of 2021.
In connection with his guilty plea, Bryant admitted that on December 21, 2019, he possessed three loaded firearms in his residence in Greensboro. Two of the firearms recently had been reported stolen from gun stores in Demopolis, Alabama and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In close proximity to the firearms, agents recovered marijuana, two sets of digital scales, and a box of plastic baggies. In a garbage can outside of Bryant’s residence, agents also recovered sales tags corresponding to stolen firearms and observed several large vacuum seal bags emitting the odor of marijuana. Bryant admitted that he frequently has sold marijuana from his Greensboro residence, that he possessed the marijuana, scales, and related paraphernalia recovered from his residence, and that he possessed the firearms recovered from his residence in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Additional undisputed evidence introduced at Bryant’s sentencing hearing established that during his December 2020 arrest on the federal warrant in this case, agents recovered additional firearms, narcotics, and a stolen firearm silencer.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 60 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. During that time, Bryant will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Bryant to pay a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the Greensboro and Tuscaloosa Police Departments, the Hale County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Cocaine and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Frederick Turner, 42, of McBee, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Turner was found guilty of the charges on February 1, 2021. Turner admitted he and his co-defendant, Sylvia Guerra, traveled with 32 kilos of cocaine through the Southern District of Alabama. Specifically, the Court found that on December 20, 2019, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations unit conducted a traffic stop on a tractor trailer that was being driven by Turner. During the traffic stop, Turner made several suspicious statements to the corporal who had stopped the truck. The corporal then had his K9 partner conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. The K9 gave a response at the passenger running board, sleeper birth and passenger door. Law enforcement officers then conducted a search of the truck. During a search, a duffel bag containing 32 kilos cocaine was located on the sleeper bed and a pistol was located in a backpack on the passenger seat. A personal use amount of marijuana was also found on the person of Guerra. Turner was interviewed and ultimately admitted to accepting payment for transporting $120,000 in cash to Houston on an earlier trip and for accepting two duffel bags of cocaine for transportation to South Carolina. Turner admitted that the pistol in his truck was his.
Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a sentence of 180 months imprisonment, consisting of 120 months on the drug charges and a consecutive sentence of 60 months on the gun charge. The judge also ordered Turner to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge DuBose ordered that Turner pay $300 in special assessments. Guerra was sentenced on March 6, 2021 to 120 months for her role in the offense.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorneys Deborah Griffin and Kacey Chappelear.
Mobile Man Sentenced for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Alvie Mark Waltman, 48, of Mobile, was sentenced today for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In January of 2021, Waltman pled guilty to the conspiracy charge.
According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Waltman was identified during an investigation that began with the arrest of one of the members of the conspiracy on I-10 by the Saraland Police Department. Police found methamphetamine and a gun in his vehicle. Through undercover work and an analysis of that subject’s phone, Waltman was identified as a member of the distribution network. Waltman provided $4,730 in cash to the cooperating co-conspirator to purchase additional methamphetamine for Waltman to distribute in Mobile. Waltman was arrested when he attempted to take possession of nine ounces of methamphetamine. Waltman was advised of his rights and he agreed to make a statement to investigators, admitting his involvement in the conspiracy.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 108 months imprisonment, and ordered that Waltman serve a five-year term of supervised release when he is released from custody. Waltman was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100. No fine was imposed.
The case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Gulf Shores Man Sentenced to Five Years for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Zachary Wood, 22, of Gulf Shores, Alabama, was sentenced today in federal court on a charge of receipt of child pornography. Wood pled guilty to the charge in January of 2021.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency received a tip that eight files had been uploaded to Google Drive on February 1, 2018, some of which were reported to contain a visual depiction of children engaged in sex acts. Google provided specific information related to the IP address and email address associated with the account and the uploads. ALEA investigators issued a subpoena to CenturyLink to obtain the subscriber information associated with the IP address. On May 8, 2018, agents executed a search warrant at the address in Gulf Shores. Wood is a resident at that address. Wood was interviewed and admitted to transmitting the images. Agents analyzed four devices and found over 10,000 images of child pornography and child erotica.
The analysts also located numerous images involving human mutilation, including images of dismembered females posed for pictures and images of necrophilia with mutilated corpses. There were multiple series of files that focus on the mutilation of a single victim. There were multiple instances of naked females that are impaled and roasting on a spit. Wood also had authored a note on his phone where he expressed hatred and disdain for women, that he believes they should only be used as sexual objects for men, and that they should be killed once they reach age 60.
United States District Court Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 60 months imprisonment. The judge ordered that Wood be supervised by federal probation officers for the rest of his life, beginning upon his discharge from prison. Upon his release from prison, Wood will be required to undergo sex offender treatment and to register as a sex offender. Judge Beaverstock ordered that Mitchell pay $5100 in special assessments and $135,415 in restitution. Wood will be prohibited from have any contact with minors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc
The case was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear.
Armed Carjacker Sentenced to Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Jakendis Jacoby Westry, 19, of Mobile, was sentenced today for his participation in an armed carjacking which occurred in Mobile during December of 2019. In January of 2021, Westry pled guilty to the charge of discharging a firearm during and in furtherance of the carjacking, a crime of violence under federal law.
According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Westry participated with other men in an armed robbery and carjacking of an individual who was trying to buy a gun from Westry through Facebook. The victim fled, and three or four shots were fired by the perpetrators. The day after the carjacking, Westry was apprehended with his co-defendant Dorian Lakeith Webb, Jr., in the stolen vehicle. Officers also found two pistols in the car, one of which had been reported stolen, and the victim’s wallet was found in the console of the stolen vehicle. Officers also found numerous rounds of loose ammunition for 9mm and .40 caliber pistols in the car.
United States District Court Judge Jeffery U. Beaverstock imposed a ten-year mandatory sentence in Westry’s case this morning, and ordered that Westy serve a five-year term of supervised release when he is released from custody. Westry was also ordered to pay $200 in restitution and a mandatory special assessment of $100. No fine was imposed. The judge further entered a forfeiture order as to the firearm used in the commission of the crime.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Meth Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Tiffany Lynn Snider, 32, of Foley, Alabama, was sentenced today for her participation in an organization which distributed substantial amounts of methamphetamine ice in Baldwin County during 2017 through 2018. In May of 2020, Snider pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking felony.
Court documents show that Snider personally distributed methamphetamine ice on numerous occasions beginning in April of 2017 through April of 2018. During July of 208, investigators received consent to search Snider’s residence where many of the drug sales took place. They recovered methamphetamine, smoking devices used to ingest methamphetamine, scales and guns. Snider claimed one of the guns, which was later discovered to be stolen. Other members of the distribution conspiracy include Snider’s husband, Christopher Ryan Snider, who also entered a guilty plea to federal charges. His sentencing is presently set for May 13, 2021.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a 96-month sentence of imprisonment in Snider’s case this morning, consisting of 60 months on the gun charges consecutive to 36 months on the drug charge. The judge ordered that Snider serve a five-year term of supervised release when she is released from custody. She was also ordered to pay $200 in mandatory special assessments. No fine was imposed. The judge further entered a forfeiture order as to the firearms used in the commission of the crime.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Foley Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Jorge Elizondo, 31, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced today in federal court for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin.
Elizondo pled guilty to the charge in November of 2020. As part of his plea agreement, Elizondo admitted he and his co-defendant, Charles Jefferson, made an agreement with a source in Mobile, Alabama to sell to the source approximately one kilogram of heroin for $49,000. On June 8, 2020, Elizondo and Jefferson arrived in Tillman’s Corner with one kilogram of heroin to make the sale. They were arrested that day.
United States District Court Chief Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a mandatory sentence of 120 months imprisonment. The judge also ordered Elizondo to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge DuBose ordered that Elizondo pay $100 in special assessments. Jefferson received the same sentence on February 11, 2021.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Justin Kopf.
Armed Drug Courier Sentenced in Methamphetamine, Heroin CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Jose Alberto Seguy, 24, of Brownsville, Texas, was sentenced today for his participation in the transportation of approximately 32 kilograms of methamphetamine ice and five kilograms of heroin from Texas to Atlanta, Georgia during January of 2020. Seguy pled guilty to federal charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking felony in May of 2020.
According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Seguy was the passenger in a truck stopped northbound on I-65 on January 9, 2020 by the Saraland Police Department. Seguy told officers he had a pistol in the car but no valid permit to carry it. A drug dog alerted on the rear of the truck for the presence of narcotics. Further investigation and a search of the truck revealed three large fire extinguishers and two vehicle batteries which appeared to have after-market seams and welds. Inside one of the batteries officers found five kilograms of heroin, and inside the fire extinguishers, officers found approximately 30 kilograms of methamphetamine.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed a ten-year sentence in Seguy’s case this morning, consisting of 60 months on each charge, to run consecutive to each other. Judge Steele also ordered that Seguy would serve a five-year term of supervised release when he is released from custody. Seguy was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $200. No fine was imposed. The judge further entered a forfeiture order as to the firearm used in the commission of the crime.
The case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Hale County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Possessing Multiple Stolen Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Eugene Garrett, 43, of Greensboro, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for possessing multiple stolen firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Garrett pleaded guilty to the charge in September of 2020.
In connection with his guilty plea, Garrett admitted that on December 21, 2019, he possessed ten firearms—seven of which had been reported stolen—in his camper in Greensboro. Many of the firearms recently had been stolen from gun stores in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area in December 2019. In close proximity to the firearms, agents located hundreds of rounds of assorted ammunition, 27 bags of marijuana, loose marijuana, digital scales, and plastic baggies. Garrett admitted that each of the firearms belonged to him, that he was a convicted felon who was not supposed to possess firearms, and that the drugs, scales, and related paraphernalia seized from his camper also belonged to him. Garrett said he sold marijuana on the side and admitted that his possession of the firearms was in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 36 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. During that time, Garrett will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Garrett to pay $100 in special assessments.
This case was investigated by the Greensboro and Tuscaloosa Police Departments, the Hale County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
Armed Carjacker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Dorian Lakeith Webb, Jr., 19, of Mobile, was sentenced today for his participation in an armed carjacking which occurred in Mobile during December of 2019. In December of 2020, Webb pled guilty to the charge of brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of the carjacking, a crime of violence under federal law.
According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Webb participated with two other men in an armed robbery and carjacking of an individual who was trying to buy a gun through Facebook. The victim fled, and three or four shots were fired by the perpetrators. Several weeks later, Webb was pulled over driving 86 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone. When the car was stopped, Webb had a black bag on his lap containing a Glock pistol. Analysis of the Glock and the fired cartridges recovered from the carjacking confirmed that the pistol in Webb’s possession matched the spent casings. Webb admitted in his plea that he was one of the men involved in the carjacking.
United States District Court Judge Jeffery U. Beaverstock imposed a seven-year mandatory sentence in Webb’s case this morning, and ordered that Webb serve a five-year term of supervised release when he is released from custody. Webb was also ordered to pay $200 in restitution and a mandatory special assessment of $100. No fine was imposed. The judge further entered a forfeiture order as to the firearm used in the commission of the crime.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Foley Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Aaron Lavell Lamar, 30, of Foley, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. Lamar pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2020.
In connection with his guilty plea, Lamar admitted that on September 30, 2019, he possessed a .40-caliber pistol and a .38-caliber revolver in a car that he was driving in Foley. At the time he possessed the firearms, Lamar had prior felony convictions, including Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana, First Degree in the Circuit Court of Baldwin County, Alabama. Lamar admitted that at the time he possessed the firearms, he knew he was a convicted felon and therefore could not legally possess firearms. Evidence introduced at Lamar’s sentencing hearing further established that Lamar possessed the firearms, one of which was loaded and chambered, in close proximity to a small amount of crack cocaine and a digital scale.
United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 70 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. During that time, Lamar will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse and mental health counseling. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Lamar to pay $100 in special assessments.
This case was investigated by the Foley Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
Grand Bay Man Sentenced to Thirty-Five Years in Prison in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Chief Judge Kristi DuBose sentenced defendant Bryan Thompson, 44, to 35 years imprisonment on a charge of production of child pornography and a charge of distribution of child pornography. Thompson pled guilty to the charges in December 2020.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, in November of 2015, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency was provided with details of a joint investigation between the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department in New Mexico and the FBI. The Bernalillo Sheriff’s Department had been engaged in an online child exploitation investigation and identified a person in Alabama as someone who was trading child pornography online. Investigators were able to obtain a search warrant for the IP address which was sharing child pornography, and the physical address was associated with Thompson.
On November 12, 2015, a search warrant was executed at Thompson’s residence. Thompson was interviewed and admitted that he joined chat groups and received child pornography images and videos from a number of those chat groups. Agents seized numerous electronic devices from the home. A forensic analysis was completed by Homeland Security Investigations. The examination revealed that the two hard drives, one tablet, several smartphones and one micro SD card contained 971 images and 214 videos of child exploitation material.
During the forensic analysis of the devices, the forensic analyst discovered images that appeared to show Thompson performing sex acts on a pre-pubescent minor. On January 2, 2018, Thompson was interviewed. He was advised that the forensic analysis had been completed on his devices and that the analysis revealed that he had sexually abused a minor and documented the abuse electronically. Thompson admitted that he had inappropriate contact with a pre-pubescent minor, who was then about six years old. Thompson detailed the abuse for investigators, and admitted that he had filmed it. Agents again seized all electronic devices in the home.
In July 2018, a forensic analyst completed analysis on all the devices seized from Thompson in January. The analysis confirmed that there were approximately ten images created that showed Thompson’s sexual abuse of the minor. The analyst further located 394 images and 43 videos which appear to be child sexual abuse imagery in the laptop seized in 2018. There were also 547 child erotica and age-indeterminate images. There were 435 child sexual abuse images and 4 videos on Thompson’s cell phone that was seized in 2018. There were also 1706 child erotica and age-indeterminate images.Thompson gave permission to Homeland Security agents to take over his KIK account. Once in the KIK app, agents located a number of messages in chatrooms where child pornography was being advertised and distributed. In one such group, Thompson had posted a link to a MEGA account which contained 970 images of child pornography, including child bestiality and child S&M images. Of those images, over 900 of them were videos, and the remaining were still images. This same link to the MEGA account was shared in at least three different chat rooms. The content of the chat rooms makes it clear that the users were engaged in sharing child pornography.
United States District Court Chief Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a sentence of 35 years imprisonment. The judge ordered that Thompson undergo mental health treatment while incarcerated. The judge further ordered that Thompson be supervised by federal probation officers for the rest of his life after finishing his prison term, and he is to have no contact with minors. Upon his release from prison, Thompson will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge DuBose ordered that Thompson pay $10,200 in special assessments.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Convicts Jail EscapeeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that on February 9, 2021, a South Alabama jury convicted Reginald Howell of Mobile, Alabama, of one charge of Escape. Howell is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2021, before United States District Judge Kristi DuBose. The maximum penalty that could be imposed for the offense is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
In October 2020, Reginald Howell was housed in the Conecuh County Jail pending trial in the Southern District of Alabama on a 14-count indictment alleging multiple counts of robbery, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, burglary involving controlled substances, and brandishing a firearm. Howell escaped from the jail, then returned, using bolt cutters to cut his way back through the jail’s perimeter fences. The investigation indicates that Howell returned to the jail to smuggle contraband into the facility. Howell’s trial on the remaining charges against him is scheduled for April 2021.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Conecuh County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kasee Heisterhagen and Deborah Griffin.
Selma Resident Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced today that United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced defendant Stanley Young, a/k/a “New York,” a/k/a “Shoota,” 32, of Selma, Alabama, to imprisonment for 17 years for committing an armed bank robbery. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered that Young undergo five years of supervised release, pay $47,423 in restitution, and pay a $200 mandatory special assessment.
On December 30, 2019, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama indicted Young and his two codefendants, Jabriel Bell and Fortune Hoppins, for robbing the bank and for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Hoppins and Bell pleaded guilty to the bank robbery charge last July. The Court sentenced Hoppins and Bell each to 10 years in prison.
In October 2020, a trial jury convicted Young on both charges following a three-day trial.
The jury heard the evidence that in September of 2016, Young, Bell, and Hoppins robbed the West Alabama Bank & Trust, a federally insured bank in Marion, Alabama. The victim tellers testified that one robber, Bell, held them at gunpoint while another robber, Hoppins, stole money from the tellers’ drawers. Bell and Hoppins forced one of the tellers to go to the bank’s vault and ordered her to open it. All told, the robbers stole $46,923 from the bank.
Eyewitness testimony and expert analysis of historical cell-site records established that Young was the getaway driver. After the robbery, the defendants fled the crime scene, burned the getaway car, and moved to another car to continue their flight from Marion to Selma.
In November 2016, Young and Hoppins—fugitives from justice for the bank robbery—were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Bridgeport, Connecticut on outstanding warrants from Perry County, Alabama. At the time of his arrest, agents found Young in possession of a backpack containing a stolen and fully loaded Glock Model 17 9mm pistol.
The jury also heard testimony about the burglary of a gun store in Safford, Alabama that occurred after Young and Hoppins had returned to Alabama in 2017. Young pleaded guilty in a separate federal case to stealing 50 guns with Hoppins and Bell in the Safford burglary. Young had been previously sentenced to 60 months in prison for that crime.
Furthermore, the jury heard evidence that Young attempted to tamper with two material witnesses while awaiting trial on the bank robbery charges. The evidence showed that Young used contraband phones at the jail to access Facebook and offered to pay other inmates $500 to assault one of the witnesses. The second witness was convinced by Young to plead guilty to a crime, lie to federal agents about Young’s involvement, and offer false testimony in court exonerating Young.
The FBI, the Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force, the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, the Marion Police Department, the Selma Police Department, and the Bridgeport, Connecticut Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Justin Roller prosecuted the case.
Former Clarke County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sentenced for Assault of ArresteeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced defendant Mitchell Finney, 52, a former deputy of the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, to three years of probation for deprivation of rights under color of law. Finney was convicted of that offense on October 7, 2020, following a jury trial.
During trial, the jury heard evidence that on May 11, 2019, Finney responded to a call for service at the Grove Hill Hospital. Once there, he made contact with a male patient at the hospital’s geriatric psychiatric ward. The patient had been disruptive in the hospital, and hospital employees had called for police assistance. Other law enforcement officers had arrived on scene first, subdued the man, and taken him into custody. Finney then arrived on scene and approached the man to ask him to take a seat in a patrol car. The man did not comply and spat in Finney’s direction. Finney then punched the man in the face. Finney then retreated to his patrol car, obtained a can of pepper spray, and sprayed the man in the face for an extended period of time. The man was handcuffed throughout the interaction with Finney.
The United States recommended a custodial sentence of incarceration. The Court imposed a three-year probationary sentence. Finney was not ordered to pay a fine, but the judge ordered him to pay $100 in special assessments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case.
Arlington Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Roderick Oneal Pritchett, 30, of Arlington, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for being a convicted felon in possession of a stolen firearm. Pritchett pleaded guilty to the charge in October of 2020.
In connection with his guilty plea, Pritchett admitted that on January 26, 2019, he was arrested in possession of a stolen firearm by agents of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force in Dixons Mills, Alabama. Specifically, agents observed Pritchett walking away from a nightclub while keeping his right arm down by his side. Pritchett stopped between two parked cars, squatted down at the rear of a Chevrolet Camaro, stood back up, and continued walking away while being ordered to stop. Pritchett eventually complied with agents’ orders to stop. On the ground behind one of the Camaro’s rear tires, agents recovered a stolen Glock .40-caliber pistol, which was equipped with a high-capacity 30-round magazine and loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. At the time he possessed the stolen pistol, Pritchett knew he had prior felony convictions, including a conviction for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person (Felon) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. Pritchett’s prior felony convictions rendered his possession of a firearm illegal under federal law.
United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 57 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Pritchett to pay $100 in special assessments.
This case was investigated by the Fourth Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin D. Roller.
Former Selma Police Department Officer Sentenced for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced defendant Matthew Blaine Till, 34, a former officer of the Selma Police Department, to five years’ probation for obstruction of justice by corrupt persuasion of a witness. Till pleaded guilty to three felony obstruction-of-justice charges on September 25, 2020.
In connection with his guilty plea, Till admitted that on April 30, 2020, he used force against a citizen while on duty as a Selma police officer. On multiple occasions thereafter, Till instructed a fellow law enforcement officer not to say anything to anyone—including a federal agent—regarding a phone call Till had received from his wife shortly before the use-of-force incident. Till admitted that he gave those instructions with the intent to hinder, delay, or prevent the communication to a federal law enforcement officer of information relating to the possible commission of a federal civil-rights violation.
The United States recommended a custodial sentence of incarceration. The Court imposed a five-year probationary sentence. Till was not ordered to pay a fine, but the judge ordered him to pay $300 in special assessments. Additionally, as part of his plea agreement, Till will no longer be able to work in local, municipal, state or federal law enforcement, nor as a corrections officer or private security guard.
Following the Court’s pronouncement of Till’s sentence, United States Attorney Richard W. Moore said, “We have always made clear that the U.S. Attorney’s Office supports law enforcement officers and we have specifically emphasized that you do not assault those officers. It is equally true that we hold law enforcement officers to a high standard and if they violate the rights of citizens and, as in this case, obstruct justice by attempting to cover up what they have done, we will vigorously prosecute them. I appreciate the investigation done by the FBI and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in this case. This former Selma police officer has been removed permanently from law enforcement. We recommended to the district court judge a custody sentence within the guidelines but ultimately it was the judge’s decision to put Till on probation.”
Till has pending state criminal charges in Dallas County, Alabama. On September 29, 2020, a state grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Till, charging him with second-degree assault, a felony, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, a misdemeanor, and obstructing governmental operations, a misdemeanor. An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until and unless he or she is proven guilty at trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Alabama Attorney General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Roller and Deborah Griffin prosecuted the federal case in coordination with the Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson, who is prosecuting the state case.
Mobile Man Sentenced to Forty Years in Prison in Child Sex Abuse CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock sentenced defendant Jerald Sells, 62, to 40 years imprisonment after a federal jury found him guilty at trial in September 2020 on charges in a child exploitation case. As part of his sentence, the judge ordered that the defendant receive mental health and sex offender treatment as directed by the U.S. Probation Office, register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, pay special assessments totaling $10,200, and have no contact with minors. The judge further ordered that Sells be supervised by federal probation officers for 25 years after finishing his prison term.
On June 24, 2020, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama indicted Sells on one count of transporting minors across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of aggravated sexual abuse for crossing of a state line with intent to engage in a sexual act with a child under the age of twelve.
The jury heard two days of evidence during the trial, which began on September 28, 2020. According to the evidence introduced at trial, a child victim was abused for years by the defendant. The victim testified at trial that Sells had sexually abused her many times over the course of several years, including during one of his trucking trips from Alabama to Ohio, and back again. The defendant was employed as a long-haul trucker.
In April 2019, the victim disclosed the abuse to a school counselor. The counselor immediately contacted police. The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the offense. During an interview with law enforcement, the defendant confessed to the abuse.
The jury also heard from a second child victim, who was abused by the defendant in Sells’s home in Mobile.The victim wrote to the Court before today’s sentencing hearing. She described how the defendant’s abuse had irreparably altered her life.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wilcox Man Sentenced for Being an Unlawful Drug User in Possession of Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Braxton Dauphin Cook, 31, of Pine Hill, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for being an unlawful drug user in possession of stolen firearms. Cook pleaded guilty to the charge in August 2020.
In connection with his guilty plea, Cook admitted that in the early morning hours of January 20, 2020, he burglarized a rural hunting camp in Arlington, Alabama and stole several firearms, cash, and an ATV. Later on the day of the burglary, law enforcement located Cook passed out in a pickup truck parked on the side of the road with the engine running. Investigators searched Cook’s person and found a loaded pistol that had been reported stolen from the hunting camp, as well as a syringe containing a liquid substance that Cook admitted was heroin. Inside the truck, investigators found six additional firearms that had been reported stolen from the hunting camp. Cook admitted that he had sold two firearms he stole from the hunting camp to a drug dealer and that he planned to take the other stolen items to another drug dealer. Cook estimated that he used heroin twice a day and admitted that he had used methamphetamine since 2010. Cook’s knowing unlawful use of and addiction to controlled substances rendered his possession of firearms illegal pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3).
Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose imposed a sentence of 26 months’ incarceration. Following his incarceration, Cook will serve three years on supervised release. During that time, Cook will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Cook to pay a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the Wilcox County Sheriff’s Office, the Marengo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
Selma Resident Convicted at Trial for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that on December 3, 2020, a federal jury in Mobile, Alabama found defendant Daniel Marcellas Houston, 45, of Selma, Alabama, guilty for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock presided over the trial, which started on December 2, 2020 and ended the following day. Houston is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2021. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
On January 30, 2020, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama indicted Houston on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Federal law prohibits convicted felons from knowingly possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The jury heard the below evidence at Houston’s trial. The evening of October 2, 2019, investigators from numerous law enforcement agencies in the Selma, Alabama area were searching for several juvenile inmates who had escaped from the Dallas County Jail. Dallas County Sheriff’s Department Captain Johnathan Cole was driving on Highway 14 near the jail looking for the escapees when he saw a red Mazda truck parked near the middle of the highway at the intersection of Highway 14 East and Race Street. Concerned that the truck was impeding traffic, Cole activated his lights to initiate a traffic stop. The Mazda truck drove a short distance to a nearby driveway and pulled over. Houston, a convicted felon, was the truck’s driver and sole occupant.
Cole asked Houston for his identification and registration. Houston had neither and gave his name with a muffled voice. Cole asked Houston to open his mouth, from which Houston pulled out a bag of marijuana. Cole ordered Houston to place the marijuana on top of the truck and then asked Houston whether he had any weapons in his vehicle. Houston said, “Yes, it is right here” and motioned to the center console area immediately adjacent to where he was sitting.
Alabama Attorney General’s Office Special Agent Susan Smith arrived on scene to assist Cole and approached the passenger side of Houston’s truck. For officer safety, Cole and Smith repeatedly instructed Houston not to reach for the weapon. When it appeared that Houston might not comply, Smith asked Houston whether she could retrieve the gun instead. Houston indicated yes. Smith reached across the passenger seat and recovered a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol from the center console area.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Andrew D. Arrington are prosecuting the case.
Alabama Man Sentenced to 111 Months in Federal Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Lamarion Demetrius Alston on December 15, 2020, to serve a term of imprisonment of 111 months followed by 8 years of supervised release for Armed Robbery of a business (Hobbs Act robbery). The Court accepted the defendant’s guilty plea on September 14, 2020.
Court records established that on April 18, 2019, Alston, while brandishing a firearm, robbed the Family Dollar store in Demopolis, Alabama. A responding officer observed a vehicle fleeing and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the vehicle began driving evasively. The officer saw the defendant, a passenger in the vehicle, jump out and flee on foot. Officers pursued Alston and found him attempting to hide in a dumpster at a nearby apartment complex. Alston attempted to flee the dumpster and climb a fence. Officers physically struggled with Alston but were eventually able to gain control of him and take him into custody.
Officers were also able to stop the driver of the vehicle and they recovered a cash drawer containing cash taken during the robbery and a .32-caliber revolver which was consistent with the firearm the Alston can be seen brandishing on store video of the robbery.
The offense was investigated by the Demopolis, Alabama, Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the State of Alabama for Unconstitutional Conditions in State's Prisons for MenRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. - Today, the Justice Department filed suit against the State of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Corrections. The complaint alleges that the conditions at Alabama’s prisons for men violate the Constitution because Alabama fails to provide adequate protection from prisoner-on-prisoner violence and prisoner-on-prisoner sexual abuse, fails to provide safe and sanitary conditions, and subjects prisoners to excessive force at the hands of prison staff.
“The United States Constitution requires Alabama to make sure that its prisons are safe and humane,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice conducted a thorough investigation of Alabama’s prisons for men and determined that Alabama violated and is continuing to violate the Constitution because its prisons are riddled with prisoner-on-prisoner and guard-on-prisoner violence. The violations have led to homicides, rapes, and serious injuries. The Department of Justice looks forward to proving its case in an Alabama federal courtroom.”
“Our office is committed to ensuring that all citizens’ constitutional rights are respected” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama William R. Chambers Jr. “We will continue to work tirelessly to correct the constitutional deficiencies identified by our investigation into the state prison system.”
“The results of the investigation into safety and excessive force issues within Alabama’s prisons are distressing and continue to require real and immediate attention,” said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama Louis V. Franklin Sr. “We hope the filing of this complaint conveys the department’s continued commitment to ensuring that the Department of Corrections abides by its constitutional obligations.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that one of the primary responsibilities of government is to keep our citizens safe,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama Richard W. Moore. “That responsibility extends to citizens incarcerated within Alabama prisons. Our investigation has demonstrated that constitutionally required standards have not been met in Alabama prisons and this must be corrected. I am disappointed that the efforts of both Alabama officials and Department of Justice officials to find appropriate solutions have not resulted in a mutually agreed upon resolution. Our oath as public officials now requires us to follow the Constitution and to pursue justice in the courts.”
The lawsuit is the result of a multi-year investigation into allegations of constitutional violations within Alabama’s prisons for men conducted by the department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama. As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the department provided the state with written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions, and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them in Notice Reports issued on April 2, 2019 and July 23, 2020. CRIPA authorizes the department to act when it has reasonable cause to believe there is a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to correctional facilities operated by or on behalf of state or local government. For over 20 months the department has engaged in negotiations with the state without achieving a settlement that would correct the deficiencies identified by the department’s investigation.
Today’s lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to address deficient conditions identified by the department’s investigation. The complaint contains allegations of unconstitutional conditions of confinement, which must be proven in federal court. The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages.
This investigation was conducted by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department by phone at (877) 419-2366 or by email at [email protected].
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Florida Man Sentenced to 21 Months for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Matthew Handley, 38, formerly of Elberta, Alabama, was sentenced Friday in federal court on a charge of failure to register as a convicted sex offender. Handley pled guilty to the charge in August of 2020.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Handley was previously convicted in Cullman County Circuit Court of Indecent Exposure. He was sentenced to 24 months of probation and required by the State of Alabama to register as a sex offender quarterly for life. From 2014 until 2019, Handley was a resident of Baldwin County. In November 2019 Handley failed to update his quarterly registration with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, which prompted an investigation. BCSO issued warrants for Handley’s arrest in December 2019. On February 20, 2020, Handley was arrested by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials searched their system and reported that Handley never registered as a sex offender in Florida. Handley had previously been convicted of Failure to Register in 2015.
United States District Court Chief Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a sentence of 21 months imprisonment. The judge ordered that Handley to serve a five-year term of supervised release beginning upon his discharge from prison. Upon his release from prison, Handley will be required to engage in drug treatment, mental health treatment, and to have no contact with minors. Judge DuBose ordered that Felder pay $100 in special assessments.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshal’s Service. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear.
Mobile Man and Woman Sentenced for Violent CarjackingsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Earnest Jonathan Law, 26, and Kiara Shantel Green, 27, of Mobile, Alabama, were sentenced in federal court for their respective roles in a series of violent carjackings in Mobile in April and May 2018. Green pleaded guilty to three charges in January 2020—one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking and two counts of carjacking. Law pleaded guilty to two charges in August 2020—one count of carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
In connection with his guilty plea, Law admitted that in the early morning hours of May 16, 2018, he intentionally rear-ended a car at an intersection in Mobile. As Green engaged the two occupants of the car in conversation, Law pointed a black and silver handgun at them. Law held the victims at gunpoint, stole both victims’ cell phones, and ordered the victims to run into an adjacent field. While the victims ran away, Law yelled “faster” and fired a shot into the air. Law then got into the victims’ car and fled the scene. Approximately nine hours later, police found Law driving the stolen car. He led officers on a brief high-speed pursuit and attempted to flee on foot. Officers apprehended Law after chasing him through a field.
Following his arrest, Law made several recorded phone calls to Green from the Mobile County Metro Jail. Law instructed Green to return to the area where police had caught him in order to retrieve his gun, which he said he had ditched behind a stack of tires. When Green told Law she could not find the gun and suggested the police must have found it, Law replied, “They got my gun, they got my gun, what the f***, bro?” Law added, “I need money. You were fixing to go sell that.” Police later found the gun—a loaded black and silver .40-caliber pistol—tucked behind a stack of tires at the location Law had referenced on his jail calls.
In connection with her guilty plea, Green admitted to her role in the May 16, 2018 carjacking. Green further admitted that in the late evening hours of April 9, 2018, she and a male coconspirator carjacked another victim after intentionally ramming into the victim’s car at an intersection in Mobile. As Green approached the victim to engage in conversation, the male assailant grabbed the victim by the neck, put the victim in a chokehold so severe that the victim nearly lost consciousness, and repeatedly struck the victim on the top of the head. The male assailant punched the victim in the face and stole the victim’s cell phone before fleeing the scene in the stolen car. Law denied any involvement in the April 9, 2018 carjacking.
On November 18, 2020, Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade sentenced Law to a total term of 183 months’ imprisonment, consisting of 63 months on the carjacking charge and 120 months on the gun charge, ordering that the sentences run consecutively. Law will serve a term of three years on supervised release upon the completion of his sentence. For her role in these offenses, Judge Granade sentenced Green to 24 months’ imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release. Law and Green were not ordered to pay a fine, but the judge ordered the defendants to pay victim restitution of at least $760, with further restitution to be determined. The court also ordered that Law and Green pay $200 and $100 in special assessments, respectively.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile Police Department. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
Mobile Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Sean Michael Howell, age 21, of Mobile, Alabama, entered a guilty plea to two counts of production of child pornography. Howell faces a minimum mandatory sentence of fifteen years in prison, and a maximum of 60 years.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Sean Michael Howell was the manager at a roller skating rink in Saraland and met two pre-adolescent boys through his work. The defendant offered the boys free skating if they would stay behind after the rink closed and he would regularly engage in sex acts with them at the rink. He also took the two boys to a motel in Mobile and sodomized the victims there. One of the boys disclosed the abuse to his mother, who reported it to police. The Saraland Police Department took a statement from Howell, and he admitted to engaging in sex acts with the children and to photographing those acts.
The defendant’s cell phone was seized and searched. On the phone were numerous photos of adolescent and pre-adolescent boys, and many of the images were sexually explicit. There were recordings of video chats with as-yet-unidentified pre-pubescent boys in which Howell directed them to perform various sexually explicit actions. His phone also contained videos documenting the abuse of the two boys from the skating rink.
Howell was arrested by Saraland Police Department on December 16, 2018. In a recorded phone call with his father, he said, “I did it all, Dad. They saw the videos.”
Howell will be sentenced by Judge Callie V.S. Grenade on February 10, 2021.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office and AUSAs Maria E. Murphy and Kacey Chappelear.
Washington County Man with Felony Manslaughter Conviction Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Russell Lance Warren, 35, of St. Stephens, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and for possessing stolen firearms. Warren pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2020.
In connection with his guilty plea, Warren admitted that on November 6, 2019, he burglarized a residence in St. Stephens and stole three firearms: (1) a .45-caliber pistol; (2) a .30 30-caliber rifle; and (3) a .22-caliber rifle. After stealing the firearms, Warren went to a wooded area behind his house and fired rounds from the pistol. Warren then returned to his house and hid the stolen firearms in his bedroom closet. Warren admitted that at the time he possessed the stolen firearms, he knew he was a convicted felon and therefore could not legally possess firearms. At the time he possessed the stolen firearms, Warren had prior felony convictions for Manslaughter and Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Circuit Court of Washington County, Alabama.
United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 51 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. During that time, Warren will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Warren to pay $200 in special assessments.
This case was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore Announces $992,237 Award to Combat Violent Crime in Selma, AlabamaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore today announced more than $990,000 in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the Southern District of Alabama. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
United States Attorney Moore said, “While we have made great strides in reducing violent crime in Selma, much of that progress has been on the ‘weeding’ side and not the ‘seeding’ side. We cannot arrest or prosecute our way out of Selma’s violent crime problem. Law enforcement continues to make Selma safer by removing the most violent trigger-pullers from the community, but we must have community-based programs that target the root of criminal behavior which is poverty, unemployment and the lure of local criminal gangs. I am extremely pleased to announce that the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation has been awarded a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant in the amount of $992,237 to reduce gang violence in Selma. Unfortunately, we have seen over the years that gang members engage in violent retaliation against rival gang members with innocent citizens often caught in the crossfire. This is a national problem that has been addressed successfully in other cities by programs that aggressively confront the dynamics of street violence and redirect gang members’ anger and provide alternatives to gun violence. The Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation, under the direction of Ainka Jackson, will be implementing intervention strategies that are modeled after the Nonviolence Institute in Providence, R.I. The model includes education and employment assistance, as well as victim services. The Weed and Seed Board in Selma will be working closely with this program as we continue to coordinate the work of our law enforcement partners to make a better Selma.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.