Southern District of Alabama
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Daphne Woman Sentenced to More Than 6 Years for Fraud Scheme and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Daphne woman was sentenced last week to 81 total months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, four counts of wire fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Roseanna Taylor, 41, worked for a medical professional staffing company based in Mobile, Alabama from about May 2017 through January 2019. By virtue of her employment, Taylor obtained personal information, including means of identification of certain medical professionals. Beginning around 2018, Taylor began creating fake identification documents using this information, along with fraudulent documents, to be used to obtain fraudulent loans. Taylor provided both means of identification and fraudulent loan documents to other members of the conspiracy to assist them in obtaining fraudulent loans. Taylor was ordered to pay restitution to her victims in the amount of $127,663.26. Taylor was also ordered to serve a supervised release term of three years.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The Mobile Police Department and the United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Bishop Ravenel and Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mobile Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, Tyrek Keyon Riley, 22, was arrested by Mobile police officers following a traffic stop on June 11, 2021. During the stop, officers smelled the odor of marijuana emanating from Riley’s car and saw suspected codeine syrup in plain view in the center console. As Riley reached into the glovebox to pull out the car’s registration paperwork, officers saw a loaded .380-caliber pistol inside. Officers then detained Riley and searched the car, of which Riley was the sole occupant and which Riley admitted belonged to him.
Inside the car, officers found the pistol, a baby bottle containing suspected codeine syrup, 13 packages of suspected spice, a digital scale, and several individually packaged bags of marijuana weighing 120.52 grams in total. In a subsequent interview, Riley admitted that he sold drugs and had found the gun on the street in Mississippi, where it had previously been reported stolen by its lawful owner. Riley admitted that at the time he possessed the gun, he knew he had previously been convicted of felony offenses in Mobile County Circuit Court. Riley’s prior felony convictions rendered his possession of the gun illegal under federal law.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Riley to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Riley 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 Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Wilmer Man Sentenced to Ninety-Two Months Imprisonment for Mailing Suboxone Strips to Inmates in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John Robert Payne, of Wilmer, was sentenced today to ninety-two months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and providing contraband to a federal prisoner. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose. Payne previously pled guilty to the offenses.
Documents filed with the court established that investigators with the Yazoo City Federal Correctional Complex (YCFCC) in Mississippi discovered that Payne mailed two letters, on two separate dates, to inmates at the prison. The envelopes contained a total of thirty-four Suboxone (Buprenorphine) strips. The first letter was mailed on August 31, 2021, to an inmate and it contained twenty strips of Suboxone. The Suboxone was hidden between two pictures. On September 21, 2021, Payne mailed a second letter into YCFCC to a different inmate containing fourteen Suboxone (Buprenorphine) strips. In this envelope, the Suboxone strips were hidden between a picture and a Walmart receipt. Suboxone (Buprenorphine) is a schedule III synthetic opioid.
Investigators also recovered a recorded telephone call from Payne to an inmate at YCFCC in which Payne and the inmate discuss a letter that Payne sent into the prison. During the same conversation, Payne discusses drugs and drug usage at YCFCC with the inmate. At the time Payne mailed the opioids to the inmates he was on supervised release with the federal probation office after serving a federal prison term for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the investigators in detecting the opioid drugs and the partnering of multiple investigative agencies to bring the defendant to justice.
This case was investigated by Investigators at the YCFCC, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and Lawrence J. Bullard.
Youth Rehabilitation Center Agrees to Pay over $3.4 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Pathway, Inc. and Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC have agreed to pay $3,496,331.92 to resolve allegations that Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC wrongfully billed Medicaid for services it did not actually provide, in violation of the False Claims Act.
Pathway, Inc. is a private corporation that operates Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC. Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC provides services to certain Medicaid-eligible youth recipients through a contractual arrangement with the Alabama Department of Youth Services, which in turn contracts with the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Pathway of Baldwin County billed Medicaid for individual basic living skills services that it did not actually provide.
“Ensuring that taxpayer money is spent appropriately is a responsibility the Justice Department takes seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “The False Claims Act is an important tool that we and our agency partners rely on to stop practices that misuse public funds.”
“Submitting false claims to Medicaid undermines the integrity of federal health care programs and wastes valuable taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles, at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG remains committed investigating and holding accountable bad actors who attempt to defraud federal health care programs.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against Pathway, Inc. and Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement if the government takes over the case and reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Richard Sheppard v. Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC and Pathway, Inc., No. 1:17-cv-00355-KD-N (S.D. Ala).
The resolution obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gray investigated the matter on behalf of the United States.
Bayou La Batre Man Sentenced to Eighty-Four Months Imprisonment for Possessing a Firearm as a Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Winston Alexander Thatch, of Bayou La Batre, was sentenced today to eighty-four months imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose. Thatch previously pled guilty to violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Documents filed with the guilty plea established that on November 24, 2021, Thatch was stopped by a Bayou La Batre police officer for running a stop sign in the City of Bayou La Batre. Officers discovered the vehicle had a switched tag. When the officer got to the driver side door, he noticed that Thatch had a rubber hose in his lap. Subsequent investigation showed that Thatch had methamphetamine in his pocket, a marijuana blunt in the ashtray of the vehicle, and a loaded High Standard, Double-Nine Convertible, .22 caliber, revolver in a bag in the vehicle, The firearm was loaded with eight (8) rounds. Officers also found an extra revolver cylinder, and 67 extra .22 caliber rounds, and other drugs in the vehicle. All told, the police recovered 2.84 grams of crack cocaine, 3.81 grams of methamphetamine, and 22.48 grams of marijuana from the vehicle.
Further investigation by the Bayou La Batre Police Department revealed that the firearm was stolen out of the City of Bayou La Batre. Thatch was convicted of prior felony offenses for Receiving Stolen Property 1st Degree, on November 18, 2019, in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama, and Assault 2nd Degree, on November 18, 2019, in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the City of Bayou La Batre Police Department and the ATF. Costello added that when convicted felons carry loaded weapons and drugs on the public streets it poses a great danger to the community and some dedicated and alert police work eradicated the danger in this case. Costello also praised the constant work of ATF in partnering with our local jurisdictions in further investigating these cases and presenting them for federal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the City of Bayou La Batre Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Trio of Tampa Fraudsters and Identity Thieves Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Three defendants from Tampa, Florida were sentenced to federal prison for engaging in a scheme to commit bank fraud and identity theft involving counterfeit checks and stolen mail.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a jury trial, Timothy Howard Buchanan, 39, Tyre Dayshawn Crawford, 31, and Jaleeshia Deanna Robinson, 33, were arrested by deputies with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office during a traffic stop in February 2022. The defendants were traveling northbound on I-65 when deputies stopped them after noticing that their rental car had illegal tint applied to its side windows. During the stop, deputies saw drugs in plain view in the car, which led them to search it. Inside the car, deputies found dozens of counterfeit and stolen checks worth more than $348,000. The checks corresponded to victims in multiple states who had their checks stolen from the mail in Alabama and Florida. Deputies also recovered fake and stolen driver’s licenses, a scanner/printer, a check encoder, and a stack of hundreds of sheets of blank check paper.
Deputies and agents with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service interviewed the defendants, each of whom confessed to their roles in the scheme, which involved defrauding banks by attempting to cash counterfeit checks using fake and stolen driver’s licenses. The counterfeit checks contained the personal identifying information of numerous victims, including names, addresses, bank account numbers, and signatures. The defendants admitted that they would share illicit proceeds of the fraud scheme, which they committed over a period of several months in 2021 and 2022. Crawford and Buchanan had prior felony convictions involving check fraud and use of fraudulent identifications in Hillsborough County, Florida.
At an August 2022 trial, a federal jury convicted Buchanan of bank fraud conspiracy, unlawful possession of fake and stolen identification documents, possession of counterfeit and forged checks, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen mail. Crawford and Robinson each pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft before trial.United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Buchanan to 116 months in federal prison. Crawford and Robinson received prison sentences of 87 months and 18 months, respectively. The court ordered each of the defendants to serve multi-year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which time they will undergo drug testing and treatment and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered the defendants to pay a total of $44,129.79 in victim restitution and a total of $900 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “This case exemplifies our office’s commitment to rooting out and prosecuting fraudsters who prey on the hardworking citizens of our District. The keen eyes, sharp skills, and professional excellence of our partners at the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Secret Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service led to this positive result. Our office will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to bring financial criminals to justice and to send a loud and clear message: crime doesn’t pay.”
“The Secret Service has a long and storied history of safeguarding America’s financial and payment systems from criminal exploitation. These conspirators took great efforts in fraudulently obtaining innocent victims’ information, then using that information to defraud various businesses and financial institutions,” said Patrick M. Brown, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Birmingham Field Office. “Identity theft is often a costly and long-lasting threat to every victim who encounters it. This case demonstrates the effective collaboration with our local law enforcement partners in identifying, apprehending, and fully prosecuting those who prey on innocent victims. The success of this case is the result of the partnerships between the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Secret Service.”
The U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Lydia Lucius prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mobile Drug Dealer Sentenced to Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to ten years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Broderick J. Carson, 40, was arrested by narcotics detectives in January 2021, following the execution of search warrants at his home and a storefront that he maintained in Mobile. Detectives obtained the search warrants after conducting several controlled purchases of drugs from Carson using a confidential informant. At Carson’s home, detectives recovered a shoebox containing more than $15,000 in cash, some of which had serial numbers matching money that detectives had used during a previous controlled purchase of drugs. At Carson’s storefront, detectives recovered, among other things, more than a pound of 99% pure methamphetamine, 43 grams of crack cocaine, 81 grams of powder cocaine, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia. Detectives interviewed Carson, who confessed to possessing the drugs with intent to distribute them. A later search of Carson’s cell phone revealed dozens of messages regarding drug trafficking dating to at least July 2020.
Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Carson to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Carson to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile Police Department’s Narcotics and Vice Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – The Hon. Callie V. S. Granade has sentenced Christopher Porter Seals to 97 months’ imprisonment in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. The sentence consists of a five-year mandatory minimum for the amount of fentanyl involved and an additional 37 months resulting from Seals’ violation of his supervised release conditions from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents, Seals possessed over 100 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl which he intended to distribute.
U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “Fentanyl remains one of the most significant threats to public safety, and I commend the work of our law enforcement partners at DEA and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office for their dedicated work to keep this drug off the streets. We will continue our partnership and our coordinated efforts to mitigate this deadly threat through aggressive investigation and prosecution.”“The successful prosecution and sentencing of Christopher Seals sends a message to all who engage in the distribution of illegal drugs: we will work together to see that anyone involved in this illicit trade will be brought to justice, face federal charges and a lengthy prison sentence” said Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Towanda Thorne-James.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in partnership with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Fairhope Man Sentenced to 30 Months and Ordered to Pay $1.2 Million in Restitution in PPP Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – The Hon. Terry F. Moorer has sentenced Jason Carl Pears of Fairhope, Alabama, to 30 months’ imprisonment following his August 2022 guilty plea to two counts of Wire Fraud and one count of Money Laundering. The sentence arises from Pears’ abuse of assistance programs provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Pears obtained two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of two companies: The Jason Made It Company and Nanny For A Week. Pears utilized false tax forms, altered checks, and falsified loan documents to obtain the loans. After successfully securing over $1.2 Million in PPP loan funds, Pears spent the money on luxury goods and real estate, among other things.
U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “Crime doesn’t pay, especially when criminals steal from federal programs for people in real need. Our partners in law enforcement are continuing their efforts to investigate and identify anyone who took advantage of these programs to steal taxpayers’ money, and my office will keep prosecuting the selfish fraudsters who cheat the system.”“Paycheck Protection Program fraud should strike fear into the hearts of the citizens of South Alabama. The PPP was devised to assist honest people through some of the toughest of financial times and Mr. Pears took advantage of the program to purchase lavish gifts for himself. The 30 months imprisonment and order to pay $1.2 million dollars in restitution should send a clear message to anyone thinking of committing fraud against any government program.” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown.
“Many deserving businesses were unable to benefit from the Paycheck Protection Program because people like Mr. Pears submitted false documents and stole funds he was not entitled to receive,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation and our Federal partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who illegally took funds from the program.”
The case was investigated by a joint taskforce of Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.California Drug Courier Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Los Angeles, California woman was sentenced to 21 months in prison for conspiring to distribute kilograms of marijuana.
According to court documents, Ashley Yvonne Torres, 32, was a drug and money courier for a California-based drug-trafficking organization led by codefendant Anthony Robert Tirado. The organization distributed kilograms of marijuana from the Los Angeles area to Mobile and other cities throughout the United States and employed several couriers—juveniles among them—who ferried bulk amounts of marijuana to Mobile and other cities on commercial flights. In turn, the couriers, including Torres, transported hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds back to California for Tirado.
In October 2018, Torres transported kilograms of marijuana in two checked suitcases to a coconspirator at a hotel in Mobile and flew back to California with $8,000 in tow. In November 2018, narcotics agents caught Torres’s coconspirator in possession of 20 pounds of high grade marijuana, thousands of dollars in cash, and a handgun. Later, in June 2020, agents seized nearly $60,000 in bulk cash from Torres at the Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. The money, which Torres admitted to transporting to California in furtherance of drug trafficking and on Tirado’s behalf, had been hidden inside the lining portion of Torres’s checked luggage.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Torres to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Torres to pay $100 in special assessments. Tirado is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Moorer in January 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Deborah Griffin prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The investigation and prosecution of this case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Ten-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Seven Years for Illegally Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Theodore man was sentenced to 92 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, Joshua Ryan Hartness, 37, was arrested by Mobile police officers on October 1, 2021. That evening, officers had responded to a 911 call regarding a white male with no shirt and numerous tattoos committing thefts on a residential street in Theodore. When officers arrived, they encountered Hartness with a Taurus 9mm pistol, among other stolen items, stuffed inside his pants. The pistol belonged to a nearby resident who had left it and other stolen items inside an unlocked truck parked in a driveway. At the time Hartness possessed the stolen pistol, he knew he had previously been convicted of ten prior felony drug and theft offenses in Mobile County Circuit Court. Hartness’s prior convictions rendered his possession of the pistol illegal under federal law.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Hartness to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Hartness 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 Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mobile Man Sentenced in Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, George Lee Thompson, 35, was arrested by Mobile police officers on June 9, 2021, after a 911 caller reported seeing him waving a gun around near a gas station on Government Boulevard. When officers encountered Thompson, they found a loaded .380 caliber revolver in the front pocket of his shorts. Thompson admitted that at the time he possessed the gun, he knew he had previously been convicted of several felony drug offenses in Mobile County Circuit Court. Thompson’s prior felony convictions rendered his possession of the gun illegal under federal law.
Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Thompson to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Thompson 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 Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Recidivist Mobile Fraudster Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Prison for Financial FraudsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison for mail fraud and access device fraud relating to her embezzlement of money from her employer.
According to court documents, Elisabeth Dawn Williams, 45, worked for and stole $276,609.84 from a Mobile-based construction company between July 2016 and October 2018. Williams worked for the company as a payroll manager, a position of trust that granted her access to the company’s financial information and payment mechanisms. To carry out her fraud, Williams unlawfully used the company’s preloaded business purchase cards to make unauthorized purchases of personal items at various local and online retailers. In furtherance of the scheme, Williams caused several personal items, including shoes and jewelry, to be shipped to her home in Mobile via the U.S. mail and UPS. As part of her guilty plea, Williams admitted that her unauthorized purchases misrepresented the business affairs of her employer and violated its rules and restrictions governing the use of its purchase cards.
In 2003, Williams was convicted and sentenced in the Circuit Court of Dallas County, Alabama, for a similar fraud scheme. In that case, Williams admitted that she had stolen $109,284.26 from her employer, a retailer in Selma.
Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Williams to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will undergo mental health treatment and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Williams to pay $276,609.84 in victim restitution and $400 in special assessments.
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U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bishop Ravenel and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Armed Theodore Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Theodore man was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute it.
According to court documents, Marcus Maurice Dryer, 45, was arrested by Mobile narcotics detectives on January 25, 2022. That day, detectives executed a search warrant at Dryer’s residence in Theodore and recovered, among other things, two kilograms of cocaine, 345 grams of marijuana, $14,000 in banded-up cash, drug paraphernalia, and 13 guns, one of which previously had been reported stolen. Detectives interviewed Dryer, who admitted that he had been transporting drugs from Texas to Mobile and selling them. Dryer also admitted that he was a convicted felon and knew he was not allowed to possess guns.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Dryer to serve a four-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Dryer to forfeit $14,000 in cash and to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile Police Department’s Narcotics and Vice Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasee Heisterhagen and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
New Orleans Duo Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Interstate Motorcycle Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A pair of New Orleans, Louisiana men were each sentenced to two years in federal prison for a scheme to steal motor vehicles and transport them across state lines.
According to court documents, Tim Jackson, 27, and Jerrell Maxon, 25, were part of a group of individuals from New Orleans called the “East Side Wheelie Kings,” who were responsible for breaking into motorcycle shops along the Gulf Coast and stealing motorcycles, dirt bikes, and four-wheelers.
In the early morning hours of May 1, 2018, Jackson, Maxon, and several other individuals stole two trucks from a U-Haul location in Mobile. Surveillance video showed the thieves entering the U-Haul facility through a hole in the fence, starting the stolen trucks by breaking their key cylinders, and ramming the trucks through the property’s gate. A short time later that morning, the defendants and their coconspirators used the stolen U-Haul trucks to ram into the front entrance of Hall’s Motorsports, a motorcycle shop in Mobile. The group stole several motorcycles and dirt bikes from the business and took them back to New Orleans. Law enforcement later recovered some of the stolen bikes and the stolen U-Haul trucks in Alabama and Louisiana.
Detectives analyzed the defendants’ cell phone geo-location records, both of which placed them in the vicinity of the victim businesses at the time of the break-ins. Law enforcement executed search warrants at the defendants’ houses in New Orleans and found, among other things, clothing matching that worn by the burglars, a stolen dirt bike, keys for four-wheelers, and handwritten notes for motorcycle shops in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Maxon made recorded calls from jail admitting that he had been “hitting the businesses all over the South.” Jackson admitted that he participated in the burglaries, and records from his Instagram account revealed that he offered one of the motorcycles stolen from Hall’s Motorsports for sale. In total, the victim businesses suffered $147,795 in financial losses due to building damage and stolen property.
Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered the defendants to serve three-year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which time they will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not order a fine, but Judge Steele ordered the defendants to pay $147,795 in victim restitution and a total of $300 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bishop Ravenel and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Announces District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – United States Attorney Sean P. Costello announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Vicki Davis will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Davis has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Alabama, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Costello said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Costello stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Davis will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (251) 441-5845”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (251) 438-3674.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
United States Attorney Costello said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Marshals Return Fugitive from Dominican Republic to Serve Money Laundering Conspiracy SentenceRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A man sentenced to serve 30 months in federal prison in January 2006 for conspiracy to launder drug money was returned to Mobile following his arrest by the U.S. Marshals Service and extradition from the Dominican Republic. Nigal E. Carpio-Calderon appeared Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Mobile, and the court ordered him to remain in the U.S. Marshals Service’s custody until his designation to a Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2006, the U.S. District Court sentenced Carpio-Calderon, now 62, for laundering the proceeds of drug money. Carpio-Calderon lived in Puerto Rico while he was on pretrial release. The court allowed Carpio-Calderon to self-surrender rather than being taken into custody immediately at his sentencing hearing. Carpio-Calderon then returned to Puerto Rico. As a release condition, Carpio-Calderon was not allowed to leave the District of Puerto Rico without written permission from the court. The court issued a warrant for Carpio-Calderon’s arrest on March 14, 2006, when his Pretrial Officer there reported that he could not locate him and his residence appeared abandoned.
“Thanks to the relentless work of the Marshals Service in Mobile, this money laundering criminal has been brought back to the United States to face justice and serve his sentence,” said U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “We appreciate the hard work of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Dominican Republic to make sure justice was served. Anyone considering running from their crime or their sentence should know that the U.S. Marshals Service and our other partners in law enforcement are going to find criminals wherever they try to hide,” added Costello.
“Today is a victory in the ongoing war against drug trafficking,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. “Coordination with other agencies and leveraging each of our strengths was the key to bring Carpio-Calderon to justice in our continuous fight against drug trafficking and money laundering. Thanks to the diligence of our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Marshals Service, this criminal is now off the street and being held accountable for his actions.”
“This significant arrest and successful extradition from The Dominican Republic shows the great cooperation and collaboration between the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Alabama,” said U.S. Marshal Mark F. Sloke. “To be able to locate a fugitive who has been on the run in a foreign country for over 15 years is a tremendous feat and we couldn’t have done it without the full support and commitment of The Dominican Republic.”
FBI Mobile SAC Paul Brown stated, “this arrest is a testament to the work ethic of the men and women who wear the badge, prosecute the cases, and pursue the fugitives. Those who assist in laundering drug money are no better than the dealers who peddle this poison in our communities and will be held accountable.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah Griffin prosecuted the money laundering conspiracy and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lankford handled the extradition on behalf of the United States.
Mobile Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 25 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, from at least March 2021 through February 2022, Tyler Keith Coleman, 25, executed a scheme to defraud multiple victims by making numerous fraudulent and unauthorized deposits of altered and counterfeit payroll checks worth more than $47,000 into his various personal bank accounts. The victims of Coleman’s fraud scheme included several businesses in Mobile and Baldwin County where Coleman had previously worked. Coleman used legitimate payroll checks from those businesses to generate counterfeit checks that he later deposited, causing financial losses to the victims. In connection with the scheme, Coleman admitted that he possessed and used means of identification of real people—namely, the signatures of various authorized signatories on the fraudulent checks.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Coleman 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, will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Coleman to pay $47,779.67 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Irvington Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Irvington man was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a May 2022 jury trial, Vincent Vo Tran, 26, was arrested in May 2021 after one of his coconspirators led sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase that ended at Tran’s trailer in Irvington. During a search of the trailer, deputies recovered, among other things, a cache of guns and ammunition, including a Draco AK-style pistol found sitting underneath a digital scale covered in methamphetamine residue.
Later, in November 2021, deputies executed a search warrant at a house that Tran shared with his girlfriend and coconspirator in Mobile. Inside the house, deputies found, among other things, more than half a pound of 99.2% pure methamphetamine, more than 15 pounds of vacuum sealed marijuana, 3.5 grams cocaine, and bags of THC-infused gummies stuffed inside a children’s playpen. The jury reviewed evidence of drug distribution extracted from Tran’s cell phone, including text messages, drug ledgers, and photos and videos of drugs taken with the phone. Tran also admitted in an interview with deputies that he had recently been buying ounces of methamphetamine and named his supplier.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Tran to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Tran to pay $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Lawrence Bullard prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Bay Minette Man Sentenced to 151 Months for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Billy Tyler, 47, of Bay Minette, AL, was sentenced to one hundred and fifty-one months in prison for distribution of child pornography. Tyler entered a guilty plea to those offenses on December 17, 2021.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, in January 2021, an undercover FBI agent was in a group on Kik, a mobile app, with a person using the username “Mission0101.” Mission0101 was the administrator of the group. Mission0101 was observed by the FBI agent to have distributed five separate child pornography videos of prepubescent females engaged in sexual activity. Billy Tyler was identified as user Mission0101.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a 151-month sentence of incarceration. The judge also ordered Tyler to serve a twenty-five year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge Moorer ordered that Tyler pay $15,000.00 in restitution to his victims and $100 in special assessments. Tyler will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison, and is to have no contact with minors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this 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. 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, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.
Tennessee Woman Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Knoxville, Tennessee woman was sentenced to 54 months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft after pleading guilty to those offenses in April 2022.
According to court documents, Ramie Renee Marston, 53, was previously convicted and served prison time for various federal felony fraud convictions in the District of New Hampshire. Those crimes included access device fraud, fraud in connection with identification documents, false representation of a social security number, and bankruptcy fraud. Marston was released from federal prison on August 10, 2018, and married her codefendant, Robert Alan Peters, shortly thereafter. Peters was also a convicted felon, having previously been convicted of armed bank robbery and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime in the District of Oregon. Marston and Peters relocated to the Southern District of Alabama, where Peters was being supervised by the U.S. Probation Office.
On August 13, 2018, three days after Marston was released from federal custody, she and Peters visited a branch of Regions Bank in Tillman’s Corner. As captured on bank surveillance video, Marston and Peters opened two new Regions accounts and used fraudulent checks to fund them. Marston admitted that she knew the checks used to open the accounts were fraudulent and contained inaccurate and invalid account numbers. Marston and Peters later withdrew money from the accounts, generating a loss to the bank.
On December 7, 2018, Marston submitted an application containing false information to Sallie Mae for a student loan to attend Remington College in Mobile. In the loan application, Marston fraudulently represented that an individual was a cosigner on the loan when she knew he was not. Marston used the victim’s name, social security number, and date of birth in the application without the victim’s knowledge and authorization.
Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade ordered Marston to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse, will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Granade ordered Marston to pay $12,858.35 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.Marston’s codefendant, Peters, died in May 2022 while awaiting trial in this case.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Daphne Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Daphne man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
According to court documents, Tony David Bass, Jr., 41, of Daphne was arrested by deputies with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office on October 8, 2021, in possession of more than half a pound of pure methamphetamine. Deputies found the drugs stuffed inside a pillowcase on a bed where Bass had been sleeping. The drugs were packaged in eight separate baggies near Bass’s cell phone and clothing. During an interview with deputies, Bass admitted that he was on federal probation and had just been released from custody two weeks earlier. Bass had been convicted of being a felon in possession of a gun in federal court in April 2016.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 120 months in prison, to run consecutively to a 24-month custody sentence for Bass’s supervised-release violation, for a total sentence of 144 months. The court ordered Bass to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Bass to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Convicted Bank Robber Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Bribing a Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Selma man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for bribing a corrections officer while awaiting a federal trial for armed bank robbery.
According to court documents, Stanley Young, 34, was an inmate at the Escambia County Detention Center (“ECDC”) in Brewton from January to October 2020. Young was being held at ECDC pending his federal trial for armed bank robbery in the Southern District of Alabama in October 2020. Young was convicted of armed bank robbery and later sentenced to a 17-year prison term for that offense.
While incarcerated at ECDC, Young admitted that he bribed a corrections officer at the jail. In exchange for the officer engaging in corrupt actions on his behalf, Young paid the officer more than $5,000 from his CashApp account, including payment of a $4,000 down payment toward the purchase of an Infiniti vehicle at a car dealership in Mobile. At various times, the officer provided Young with prohibited objects while on duty at ECDC, including money, cell phones, and K2 spice paper. In August 2020, the officer admitted to federal agents that she had a personal relationship with Young and had smuggled cell phones and K2 spice paper into ECDC for him.
Agents obtained records from Young’s Facebook account, which he accessed using the contraband phones that the officer smuggled into the jail and gave to him. The records included messages detailing Young’s relationship with the officer; photographs of Young in his ECDC inmate uniform holding K2 spice paper; text and voice messages between Young and third parties discussing methods of smuggling K2 spice paper into jails and the prices at which it could be sold to inmates; videos that Young took of other ECDC inmates whom Young described as being “high” on K2 spice paper; and messages between Young and the corrections officer regarding the officer selling marijuana to individuals outside of ECDC on Young’s behalf.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Sinan Kalayoglu prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Former Baldwin County Pain Doctor Convicted on All Counts at Fraud TrialRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A federal jury convicted a Daphne man today for bank fraud, making false statements to federal agents, willfully refusing to pay court-ordered restitution, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Rassan M. Tarabein, 63, a former neurologist and pain doctor in Baldwin County, pleaded guilty in 2017 to healthcare fraud and unlawful distribution of controlled substances. A federal judge in the Southern District of Alabama ordered Tarabein to pay more than $15 million in restitution to his victims. In early 2018, while awaiting sentencing in his federal case, Tarabein issued cashier’s checks worth more than $100,000 to himself without the court’s approval. Tarabein falsely represented to his probation officer that the checks were for payment of bills. Tarabein was sentenced to five years in federal prison in June 2018, but was released early to home confinement in November 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While on home confinement in Fairhope in 2020, and unbeknownst to the court, Tarabein reissued the 2018 cashier’s checks to himself. From 2020 to 2022, Tarabein made no payments toward his restitution obligation. Instead, the jury reviewed evidence that Tarabein had access to and spent large sums of money on himself. In December 2021, Tarabein fraudulently deposited money into his bank account using information from another account that he had agreed to forfeit and that had been closed years earlier as part of his healthcare fraud and drug convictions in 2017. Further, in early 2022, Tarabein made false statements to his probation officer in his financial disclosures while continuing to conceal assets.
In April 2022, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Tarabein at the Pensacola International Airport while he was en route to the Middle East. Agents found Tarabein in possession of, among other things, a $31,000 counterfeit check dated March 2022 from a victim business in Georgia made payable to Tarabein at his address in Fairhope. The counterfeit check bore the name and signature of a representative of the victim business, which had previously lost tens of thousands of dollars from a successful deposit of a nearly identical fraudulent check months earlier.
Tarabein will be sentenced before Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock in January 2023. Tarabein is subject to a mandatory two-year prison sentence for his aggravated identity theft conviction. He also faces up to 30 years in prison for his bank fraud conviction.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller of the Southern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Lindsay Heck of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Satsuma Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for EmbezzlmentRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Satsuma woman was sentenced this week to two years in prison for stealing money from her former employer.
According to court documents, Angela Clifton, 43, was the chief financial officer for a manufacturing company in Satsuma. In this role, Clifton had authorization to use multiple corporate credit cards for legitimate business expenses, and she was also in charge of the company’s payroll and 401k plan.
In 2018, the company discovered that Clifton, then the company’s Controller, had made over $25,000 worth of Amazon purchases for personal using corporate credit cards. None of these purchases were legitimate business expenses. Prior to her resignation, Clifton paid some of this money back to the company. However, after her resignation, an audit was conducted and the company discovered that Clifton was not only making personal purchases with the corporate credit cards, but also fraudulently receiving 401k matches from the company when she was not contributing to her plan, and was issuing to herself unauthorized paychecks and bonuses. In total, the company discovered that Clifton abused her role as Controller and fraudulently obtained over $200,000 in money and personal items between 2012 and 2018.Clifton pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. At her sentencing hearing, Clifton testified and contested the restitution amount claimed by the company. The current Director of Finance for the company also testified as to the restitution amount. Senior Judge Callie V.S. Granade will determine the final restitution owed. The company’s CEO explained to the Court that Clifton’s actions not only damaged the company financially, but also severely damaged the culture of trust that once existed in his small business.
Clifton will serve 24 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. She will also be ordered to pay full restitution to the victim company.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service Office in Mobile.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bodnar and Marjorie Vincent-Tripp prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Five YearsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Jones, Alabama, man was sentenced in federal court today for his possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Daniel Martin Bridge, 39, pled guilty to the charge in March of 2022.
According to court documents, Bridge was the passenger in a vehicle stopped by Mobile County sheriff’s deputies for a traffic violation. During the investigation for the traffic violation, a sheriff’s office drug detecting dog alerted on the vehicle. Deputies searched it and found approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine in the cupholder. Bridge told the deputies that anything they found in the car was his, and the driver had nothing to do with it. He told the deputies the substance was “ice.”
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose sentenced Bridge to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release after his release from custody. As conditions of supervision, Bridge will undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $100 in special assessments.The case was investigated by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Nine-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Stolen GunRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man has been sentenced to 92 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a gun.
According to court documents, Ivan Laron Edwards, 38, was arrested in March 2021 by Mobile police officers on several active felony arrest warrants, including charges of domestic violence by strangulation. Officers encountered Edwards sitting on the front porch of a house on Pecan Street. When police approached him, Edwards stood up and officers could see that he had a black pistol in his right hand that he was trying to conceal. Edwards then turned around and began running inside the house, dropping the pistol in the process. Officers took Edwards into custody without incident and recovered the gun, a fully loaded Taurus 9mm pistol, which had been reported stolen by its lawful owner in Daphne, Alabama in December 2020. At the time he possessed the pistol, Edwards knew he had been convicted of at least nine prior felony offenses, all in Mobile County. Edwards’s prior felony convictions rendered his possession of the gun illegal under federal law.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Edwards to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment and mental health treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Edwards 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 Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Scott Gray prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Recidivist Florida Fraudster Convicted at Trial for Financial Frauds, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A federal jury convicted a Tampa, Florida man this week for conspiring to commit bank fraud, unlawfully possessing fake and stolen identification documents, possessing counterfeit and forged checks, aggravated identity theft, and possessing stolen mail.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Timothy Howard Buchanan, 39, was arrested by deputies with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office during a traffic stop in February 2022. Buchanan was traveling northbound on I-65 with his codefendants, Tyre Dayshawn Crawford and Jaleeshia Deanna Robinson. Deputies initiated the traffic stop because the rental car in which the defendants were traveling had illegal tint applied to its side windows. During the stop, deputies saw drugs in plain view in the car, which led them to search it. Inside the car, deputies found dozens of counterfeit and stolen checks worth more than $300,000. The checks corresponded to victims in multiple states who had their checks stolen from the mail in Alabama and Florida. Deputies also recovered fake and stolen driver’s licenses, a scanner/printer, a check encoder, and a stack of blank check paper. The driver’s licenses had names matching those listed on the counterfeit checks and pictures matching Buchanan’s description.
Deputies and agents with the U.S. Secret Service interviewed Buchanan, and he confessed to his role in the scheme, which involved defrauding banks by attempting to cash counterfeit checks using fake and stolen driver’s licenses. The counterfeit checks that Buchanan possessed contained the personal identifying information of numerous victims, including names, addresses, bank account numbers, and signatures. Buchanan confessed that for his efforts, he would receive 10% of the illegal proceeds of the fraud scheme, which occurred over a period of several months in 2021 and 2022. Buchanan has previously been convicted of felony check fraud and grand theft in Hillsborough County, Florida on several occasions, including as recently as August 2021.
For his aggravated identity theft conviction, Buchanan faces a mandatory term of two years in federal prison, which must run consecutively to any prison term that Buchanan receives for his other crimes. Buchanan faces up to 30 years in federal prison for his bank fraud conspiracy conviction. He will be sentenced by United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose in December 2022.
Crawford and Robinson each pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Judge DuBose will sentence them in September 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Lydia Lucius are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Southall Drug Dealer Sentenced to More than Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced in federal court on August 26, 2022, for his participation in the Darrin Southall drug distribution organization. Jamarcus Devonta Chambers, 28, was sentenced to 131 months for his role as a drug distributor for Southall in Mobile.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers obtained court authorization to monitor Southall’s phone. Numerous calls between Southall and Chambers were monitored and recorded as the conspirators planned several aspects of the drug distribution operation, including the handling of kilograms of cocaine and heroin, and also the collection and transportation of drug money. As the investigation progressed, additional evidence was gathered implicating Southall, Chambers, and numerous others. Chambers pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in May of 2021. Chambers was accountable for the distribution of 137 kilograms of cocaine and 1.084 kilograms of heroin.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 131-month sentence in Daniels’s case, to be followed by five years on supervised release after his release from custody. As conditions of supervision, Chambers will undergo testing and treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $100 in special assessments.The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Southall Drug Courier Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Pensacola, Florida, man was sentenced in federal court on August 27, 2022, for his participation in the Darrin Southall drug distribution organization. Kenneth Jerome Daniels, 49, was initially arrested in November of 2020 when law enforcement officers became aware that he was transporting cocaine obtained from Southall’s organization in Prichard to another conspirator, Derric Kitt, in Pensacola. Daniels was stopped in Baldwin County as he drove two kilograms of cocaine from Prichard east on Interstate 10 toward Pensacola. The drugs were seized, and Daniels was arrested on state charges.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers were monitoring Southall’s phone pursuant to a court order. Calls between Southall, Kitt, and Daniels were monitored and recorded as the conspirators planned for the cocaine delivery. Daniels was released from the state charges on bond, and Kitt and Southall planned to meet with an attorney in Mobile to represent Daniels on that state case. As the investigation progressed, additional evidence was gathered implicating all three conspirators and numerous others. Daniels was accountable for the distribution of 2 kilograms of cocaine and 6 kilograms of heroin.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of five years in Daniels’s case, to be followed by five years on supervised release after his release from custody. As conditions of supervision, Daniels will undergo testing and treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $100 in special assessments. The judge ordered the forfeiture of a long list of property seized during the investigation.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Heroin Drug Courier Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Birmingham, Alabama, man was sentenced in federal court on August 25, 2022, for his participation in a drug distribution organization operating in Baldwin County. Quantis Mandel Clark, 45, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in June of 2019.
According to court documents, Clark was involved with other people who were making arrangements to obtain cocaine and heroin in Texas and in Birmingham. The drugs were distributed in Baldwin County through another conspirator from Daphne, Alabama. Clark was arrested by Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies when he was stopped in a rental car in February of 2019 as he traveled from Birmingham to Daphne on Interstate 65. The investigation that followed resulted in the seizure of approximately 205 grams of heroin and a small amount of cocaine from the rental car. Clark’s phone calls with the Daphne conspirator confirmed that he was an active participant in the distribution scheme and that he played a role in introducing at least one of source of supply to other conspirators, including the distributor in Daphne. Clark was held accountable for the distribution of approximately 6 kilograms of heroin during the time the conspiracy was ongoing.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of five years imprisonment in Clark’s case, to be followed by five years on supervised release to follow his imprisonment. As conditions of supervision, Clark will undergo testing and treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $100 in special assessments.Clark’s case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Fairhope Man Pleads Guilty to over $1.2 Million in PPP FraudRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Jason Carl Pears of Fairhope, Alabama, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering before United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer on August 26, 2022. The guilty plea arises from Pears’ abuse of assistance programs provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Pears obtained two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of two companies: The Jason Made It Company and Nanny For A Week. Pears utilized false tax forms, altered checks, and falsified loan documents to obtain the loans. After successfully securing over $1.2 million in PPP loan funds, Pears spent the money on luxury goods and real estate, among other things. Pears is due to be sentenced before Judge Moorer on November 18, 2022.
U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “Criminals who refuse to play by the rules and lie, cheat, and steal money will be tracked down. We continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to identify and prosecute anyone who abuses the system for their own selfish gain.”
“The Payroll Protection Program was designed to alleviate some of the financial hardship caused by the pandemic. By falsely claiming benefits from this program, Mr. Pears victimized the American taxpayer and took money away from deserving people in need. The FBI remains committed to investigating fraud against the government and protecting the American people” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown.
The case was investigated by a joint task force of Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Florida Man Sentenced to Twenty Years Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Sean P. Costello, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, announced that Enrique Miranda Martinez was sentenced on August 4, 2022 to twenty years imprisonment for trafficking methamphetamine. Martinez plead not guilty and was convicted by a federal jury in April 2022 of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The convictions followed a three-day trial before United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer.
Testimony at the April 2022 jury trial of Martinez established that Martinez and a co-defendant, Yuri Maikel Hernandez Perez, were stopped on Interstate 10 in Baldwin County in June, 2020. The traffic stop lead to the recovery of close to four kilograms of nearly pure methamphetamine in the lining of a cooler on the back seat of the Mercedes SUV that Martinez was driving. The insulation for the cooler had been removed and the methamphetamine was packed in vacuum sealed bags and placed in the area where the insulation had been removed from the cooler.
Martinez testified at the trial and claimed to have no knowledge of the drugs in the vehicle he was driving. Evidence at the trial included a picture from a Wal-Mart in Tucson, Arizona, taken several days before the traffic stop in Baldwin County, showing Martinez purchasing a vacuum sealer of the same brand as the brand of bags the drugs were sealed in. An expert DEA agent testified that the overwhelming majority of methamphetamine trafficked in the United States comes across the border from Mexico. A large amount of the methamphetamine first goes to stash houses in the United States in cities close to the Mexican border like Tucson, where it is then distributed further into the United States.
The co-defendant, Yuri Maikel Hernandez Perez, plead guilty to the charges in April 2022 and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the dedication and the outstanding investigative work of the federal and local investigative agencies and his prosecutors involved in the case. Costello said, “The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office does an outstanding job interdicting drugs and investigating other illegal activities on the highways in Baldwin County, and their partnership with our local, state, and federal partners is a cornerstone in fighting crime in the Southern District of Alabama.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and Alex Lankford.
Colombian Man Sentenced to One Hundred Sixty Eight Months Imprisonment for Trafficking 4,951 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Sean P. Costello, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, announced that Nester Javier Salazar-Montano was sentenced on August 4, 2022 to one hundred and sixty eight months imprisonment for trafficking cocaine. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer. Salazar-Montano plead guilty to violating Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506(b), Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel in April 2022.
Documents filed with the guilty plea established that on December 13, 2021, while on routine patrol, in the Eastern Pacific, a marine patrol aircraft detected a low profile go-fast vessel in international waters near Malpelo, Colombia. US Coast Guard Cutter James diverted to intercept. The Coast Guard cutter launched an intercept vessel and helicopter, and ultimately boarded the vessel and discovered the 4,951 kilograms of cocaine on board the vessel.
Title 46 § 70506(b) makes it a federal crime for individuals to conspire to possesses with the intent to distribute drugs in international waters on, among other things, vessels that are determined to be vessels without nationality under the law. The law further states that these cases can be prosecuted in any federal court in the United States. Three other drug smugglers, Alonzo Escobar-Valenzuela, Fernando Preciado and Henry Hernadez-Garcia were with Salazar-Montano on the drug smuggling venture. They have all plead guilty and are awaiting sentencing before Judge Moorer.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the United States Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and his prosecutor involved in the case. Costello said, “The United States Coast Guard unfailingly lives up to its motto of “Semper Paratus” and does an outstanding job interdicting these drug smuggling vessels in international waters. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations then dedicates its resources and expertise to follow up and ensure these smugglers receive the full measure of justice. There is surely a drug cartel bemoaning the seizure of more than five tons of its cocaine, and the prosecution of four of its smugglers.”
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Foley Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Firearm Offense While Impersonating an FBI AgentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced defendant Kelcey Turner, 36, to thirty-seven months in prison for possessing a firearm while he was a drug-addicted person. Turner entered a guilty plea to those offenses on April 1, 2022.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, on March 11, 2021, Kelcey Turner approached a uniformed Foley police officer while the officer was directing traffic in a school zone. Turner was wearing a shoulder style holster with a semi-automatic Glock 9mm. The officer asked Turner if there was a problem. Turner responded “I don’t know, is there?” and then left the area in an indigo colored Dodge Challenger. The officer reported the incident and asked for other officers to be aware.
Turner then pulled up to Servpro in Baldwin County. Once there, Turner encountered an employee of Servpro. Turner walked up to the employee and pulled the Glock 9mm from his holster, loaded a magazine in the weapon, pulled the slide back to charge the weapon, and pointed the weapon at the employee. Turner identified himself as a special agent with the FBI and grabbed the employee’s wallet and removed his identification. Turner acted as if he had a radio and earpiece in his ear and called out the employee’s identifying information. At this time, other employees from Servpro exited the building and witnessed the interaction between Turner and the employee. Turner told the other employees that he was an FBI agent. The employees asked to see his badge, and Turner replied that FBI agents don’t carry badges. Turner then grabbed the employee’s left arm, twisted it behind his back, and moved the employee from his car to another vehicle approximately three cars away. Turner then left the scene. The Servpro employees called Foley PD, and they issued an alert for TURNER and his vehicle.
Shortly after the alert was announced, a patrol officer spotted the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The Glock 9mm was on Turner’s person in the shoulder holster. Turner stated he had a SKS rifle as well. Officers recovered in TURNER’s automobile or in his residence: a Glock 9mm pistol, serial number SLS726; and a semi-automatic Norinco rifle, SKS 7.62x39, serial number 8151167P, and two 15 round 9mm magazines, and one 31 round 9mm magazine, and one 50 round Glock 9mm drum magazine, and 23 Perfecta 9mm Luger rounds of ammunition, and one KCI 7.62x39 75 round drum magazine.
Turner was interviewed and admitted to being under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident.
Judge Moorer imposed a thirty-seven month sentence of incarceration. The judge also ordered Turner to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge Moorer ordered substance abuse testing, substance abuse treatment, and mental health treatment as conditions of Turner’s sentence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Foley Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case.
Dutch National Sentenced for Malbis Chevron Robbery and High-Speed Flight from Border Patrol Agents in TexasRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Dutch national was sentenced to 27 months in prison for robbing a gas station in Daphne in March 2020 and engaging in high-speed flight from a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Texas in June 2021.
According to court documents, Melvin Henrillien, 32, of Baytown, Texas, threatened a cashier as he robbed the Malbis Chevron gas station on March 24, 2020. As depicted on surveillance video, Henrillien kept his right hand in his waistband during the robbery and told the cashier that he “didn’t want to hurt” him. The cashier believed Henrillien was concealing a weapon and emptied $280 from the cash register into a plastic bag, which Henrillien took before fleeing the store. A short time later, Daphne police caught Henrillien, who had called 911 from his cell phone to report the robbery, walking along State Highway 181 two miles south of the Chevron. As part of his guilty plea, Henrillien admitted that he committed the robbery, that he took the victim’s property by threatening force and violence, and that his actions obstructed, delayed, and affected interstate commerce in violation of the Hobbs Act.
On June 21, 2021, while on conditions of release and awaiting trial in his robbery case, Henrillien approached a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita, Texas. A drug-detection dog alerted for the presence of contraband in Henrillien’s car. A Border Patrol agent asked Henrillien to open the trunk of his car, which he did. As the agent began to search the trunk, however, Henrillien sped away from the checkpoint on U.S. Highway 77 toward Sarita. Henrillien fled for nine miles, reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Agents eventually took Henrillien into custody at a highway rest area. Henrillien admitted to the agents that he ran because he knew he had a pending arrest warrant for absconding from supervision in his federal robbery case. Agents found two metal grinders containing a small amount of marijuana in Henrillien’s car.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Henrillien 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 and will receive mental health treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Henrillien to pay $280 in restitution to the robbery victim and $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Daphne Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller (Southern District of Alabama) and Christopher Marin (Southern District of Texas) prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mobile County Man Sentenced to Life in Overdose Death CaseRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a major drug conspiracy and distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin, including his actions resulting in an overdose death.
William Grant Owens, also known as “Whip,” 55, was sentenced on June 30, 2022 to life after being convicted by a federal jury in March of drug crimes and his involvement with a drug trafficking organization. The jury found that Owens’s participation in the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute caused the death of Kelsey Johnston. Owens was also convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and seven counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. The convictions followed a five-day trial before United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer.
The evidence presented at trial showed that the Crossley Hills drug trafficking organization (“DTO”), of which Owens was a member, operated in Mobile County, and elsewhere, distributing various controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, Xanax, oxycodone, and oxymorphone to customers along the Gulf coast. Relying on regional and local sources of supply to acquire controlled substances for its distribution, the Crossley Hills DTO distributed a substantial amount of the heroin in Mobile County, Alabama. These heroin sales led to numerous overdoses resulting in hospitalizations and deaths, including that of Kelsey Johnston on October 11, 2018.
Testimony established that Owens, with the desire to have sex with Johnston, directed Jessica “Allie” Tubb, another member of the drug trafficking organization, to obtain fentanyl and bring it to him on October 11, 2018, at the Rode Way Inn, in Tillman’s Corner. Owens prepared the fentanyl on a spoon and had Tubb inject Ms. Johnston. Almost instantly, Ms. Johnston lost consciousness and was struggling to breathe. Dr. Cameron Snider, a Forensic Pathologist with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, testified that fentanyl attacks the lungs causing them to fill with fluid and impairs the respiratory system, which ultimately caused Ms. Johnston’s death in this case.
Further testimony showed that neither Owens nor Tubb sought any medical assistance for Johnston and that they ultimately left her in the hotel room after she overdosed at approximately 3:00 to 4:00 in the morning. Johnston’s body was found the next morning at approximately 11:00 when housekeeping personnel came in to clean the room.
The jury also heard testimony that Owens physically abused individuals selling controlled substances on his behalf and that he would withhold providing heroin and fentanyl to addicts who were going through severe withdrawals until they performed sexual acts on him and/or other individuals.
Owens has no opportunity for parole as parole has been abolished in the federal judicial system.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “Drug dealers who choose to distribute their poison in our communities will find a united front of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who are dedicated to their aggressive investigation and prosecution. The coordination and commitment of the multiple agencies who investigated the case, and the skill of the prosecutors who brought justice in court, are a credit to those who stand with us against these criminals.”
The investigation and prosecution of this case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Department of Homeland Security; Homeland Security Investigations; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Mobile Police Department; and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the Saraland Police Department also provided key investigative support to the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and Luis F. Peral, Lead OCDETF Attorney.
Selma Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Converted MachinegunRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Selma man was sentenced to seven years in prison for being a convicted felon in illegal possession of a pistol equipped with a machinegun-conversion device.
According to court documents, Danny Jermaine Walker, 32, was arrested in August 2019 after leading Selma police on a high-speed chase on U.S. Highway 80 East. Police had clocked Walker’s car traveling 98 mph in a 55-mph zone. Officers attempted to pull Walker over for speeding, but he refused to stop. During the ensuing chase, Walker swerved and sideswiped another car, causing it to crash. Walker eventually stopped his car and officers approached to arrest him. Walker appeared to be under the influence, was slow to obey verbal commands, and did not get out of his car when ordered to do so. Officers eventually pulled Walker out of the car and took him into custody.
On the driver’s-side floorboard of Walker’s car, officers recovered a loaded Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun-conversion device called a Glock “switch.” Police also found a clear bag containing 29.8 grams of suspected ecstasy pills and a box of .40-caliber ammunition in the car. Federal agents test-fired the pistol and determined that with the “switch” installed, the pistol was an illegal automatic machinegun under federal law.
Walker was previously convicted of felony manslaughter, second-degree assault, discharging a gun into an occupied building, and attempted burglary. His prior felony convictions rendered his possession of the pistol illegal under federal law. Walker was released on parole in 2019 and was on parole at the time of his arrest in August 2019.
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 Selma Police Department investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Armed Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Grand Bay man was sentenced to a total of 145 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Robert Orrin Draughon, Jr., 31, was arrested in May 2021 after leading sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase in Grand Bay. Deputies ended the chase by boxing Draughon’s truck in behind a gas station. Deputies then searched Draughon’s truck and the immediate area, recovering Draughon’s identification, more than $1,600 in cash, a loaded Ruger pistol, and a water cooler containing more than 160 grams of 99.6% pure methamphetamine. In connection with his guilty plea, Draughon admitted that he knowingly possessed the methamphetamine and the pistol. Data extracted from Draughon’s cell phone included text messages that he exchanged with others about drug distribution in the Mobile area.
In 2018, Draughon was convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama of being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm. Draughon was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest in May 2021.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose imposed a sentence of 121 months in prison, to run consecutively to a 24-month custody sentence for Draughon’s supervised-release violation, for a total sentence of 145 months. The court ordered Draughon to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Draughon to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Armed Foley Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Foley man was sentenced to 61 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Jimmie Lee Avera, 35, was arrested by Foley police on May 6, 2021, on an outstanding warrant for possessing drug paraphernalia. Police subsequently executed a search warrant at a house on Lake South Drive that Avera shared with his codefendant, Caitlan Reid Bentley. During that search, police seized more than six pounds of marijuana, three guns, numerous rounds of assorted ammunition, digital scales and plastic baggies, and $41,000 in banded-up cash.
Text messages and other electronic data recovered from Avera’s cell phone showed that from at least August 2019 through May 6, 2021, he had agreed with Bentley and others to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana from the house on Lake South Drive. Avera admitted to police that he had previously served time in Florida state prison for a robbery conviction involving what he described as a “drug deal gone wrong.” Avera further admitted that he knew he was not supposed to possess the guns found in his house because he is a convicted felon.
Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered Avera to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered Avera to pay $200 in special assessments and ordered that Avera’s guns and ammunition be forfeited to the United States.
In November 2021, Bentley pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine. Judge Steele sentenced her to time served (one day in custody), with a three-year term of supervised release to follow.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Foley Police Department investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Armed Meth Dealer Sentenced for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile, Alabama, man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, William Joshua Ikner was implicated in the federal investigation which began when a co-conspirator was stopped on the Interstate 65 in Saraland. Police found methamphetamine and a gun in that vehicle. As a result of information learned after the stop, Ikner and his co-defendant Angela Faye Keebler, were identified as distributors who had received kilograms of methamphetamine brought to Mobile from Atlanta for distribution. Ikner and Keebler were arrested at a residence on Graham Road South where investigators seized a gun, approximately $1,553 in cash and additional methamphetamine ice during a search of the premises. Keebler pled guilty to the conspiracy charge and the gun charge in January of 2021 and was sentenced in May of 2022. Ikner pled guilty in June of 2021 and was sentenced this week.
Senior United States District Court Judge William Steele imposed the 72-month sentence, consisting of 12 months and a day on the drug charge and 60 months on the gun charge, which will run consecutively. The judge further ordered that Ikner would also serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Ikner will also undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of her person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Ikner pay $200 in special assessments. The firearm used during the commission of the offenses was ordered forfeited to the United States.The case was investigated by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Saraland Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Man Who Led Police on a Car Chase Trying to Destroy Evidence of Methamphetamine Smuggling Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Springdale, Arkansas, man who led Saraland police and other law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase on Interstate 65 on July 9, 2021, was sentenced today to 210 months in federal prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice.
According to court documents, 22-year-old Umberto Rosales Mendoza, was identified as the driver of the Honda Accord that was traveling 80 miles per hour on the interstate through Saraland, Alabama, near Exit 13 in Mobile County. A Saraland police officer attempted to stop the vehicle after activating his blue lights and siren, but Mendoza abruptly changed lanes and exited the interstate at Celeste Road. Mendoza ran the red light at the intersection and traveled at a high rate of speed onto Shelton Beach Road. There, the passenger in the Honda threw out a black plastic trash bag later found to contain approximately 12 kilograms of methamphetamine ice when it was seized by the police. Mendoza crossed into the opposite lane of traffic, passing some vehicles and running others off the road. Mendoza continued to Interstate 65 southbound, and there reached speeds of 114 miles per hour, even passing vehicles in the left emergency lane. Mendoza attempted to exit the interstate at the Dauphin Street exit, where he ran another red light and caused an innocent civilian to strike the Honda on the passenger side. Mendoza the jumped out of the Honda and fled on foot across southbound Interstate 65, narrowly avoiding being hit by multiple vehicles before he was apprehended by a Saraland police officer.
Both Mendoza and his passenger, co-defendant Luis Alexander Guzman Calderon, also of Springdale, Arkansas, entered guilty pleas to the federal charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Jeffery U. Beaverstock imposed the 210-month sentence in Mendoza’s case this afternoon. The judge further ordered that Mendoza would also serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Mendoza will also undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion, and he will undergo mental health testing and treatment. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Mendoza pay $100 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Frisco City Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade sentenced defendant Wesley Hodges, 24, to thirty years in prison for Production of Child Pornography and Distribution of Child Pornography offenses. Hodges entered a guilty plea to those offenses on March 3, 2022.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, in early June 2021, Hodges came to law enforcement’s attention because an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force Officer (“undercover TFO”) was conducting an investigation within a Kik messenger chat room dedicated to child pornography. On or about June 4, 2021, the undercover TFO observed Hodges share child pornography within that chat room. While in this chat room, Hodges stated he was from Alabama. A review of Hodges’s Kik profile showed a photograph of Hodges. The undercover TFO began a private one on one chat with Hodges in which Hodges shared additional child pornography. Hodges subsequently invited the undercover TFO to continue their conversation on Facebook Messenger. Hodges and the undercover TFO became “friends” on Facebook and began a private message thread. While privately chatting with the undercover TFO via Facebook Messenger, Hodges distributed several pornographic images and videos of a minor who was known to him. Hodges told the TFO that he knew the minor and could convince her to send pornographic images of herself. Hodges initiated a group chat between himself, the undercover TFO, and the minor. The undercover TFO also messaged the minor privately to try to obtain information about her, potential abuse, and her location in order to initiate protective law enforcement action. Through investigation, law enforcement was able to determine Hodges’ identity and location. The undercover TFO communicated with local FBI and state law enforcement regarding his communications and swift plans for apprehension were made due to Hodges’ access to minors. At the time of his arrest, Hodges was found to have thousands of images of child pornography. Further investigation revealed that Hodges had been distributing images of child pornography in many online chatrooms. The minor child was interviewed and confirmed that Hodges had been abusing her for years.
The victim and her parents were present at the sentencing hearing and addressed the Court by submitting written letters.
Judge Granade imposed a thirty-year sentence of incarceration. The judge also ordered Hodges to serve a lifetime term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge Granade ordered that Hodges pay $29,294.00 in restitution to his victims and $300 in special assessments. Hodges will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison and is to have no contact with minors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Monroeville Police Department, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Beth Stepan 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. 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, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.
Former Evergreen City Councilman Sentenced for Threatening to Injure a Police Officer During a Live Radio BroadcastRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Evergreen man was sentenced today to three years of probation for threatening to injure an Evergreen police officer during a live radio broadcast.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at his trial, Luther James Upton, 74, threatened to injure the victim officer on May 18, 2021, during his morning radio show on 101.1 FM WPPG – The Power Pig. The jury heard evidence that Upton, then an elected Evergreen city councilman, was arrested by the victim officer in November 2020 for driving under the influence of alcohol and getting into a vehicular accident. Video of the DUI incident showed Upton attempting to use his position on the city council to pressure the victim officer not to arrest him. On the morning of the radio broadcast at issue, Upton referenced prior incidents involving the victim officer and said on the radio, among other things, “I dare him to stop me again. ‘Cuz when he pulls me over, I’m gonna put him down.” At his guilty plea hearing following one day of trial, Upton admitted that he meant to convey a true threat to injure the victim officer.United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Upton to undergo mental health and substance abuse treatment while on probation. The court also ordered Upton to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Georgia Meth Supplier Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Gainesville, Georgia, man was sentenced on May 27, 2022, to 15 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice.
According to court documents, Isaiah Daniel Lambert was identified during an investigation in which investigators used a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of methamphetamine ice from him. The investigation began in 2016 in Baldwin County, Alabama, and 13 defendants were arrested and prosecuted in federal court who implicated Lambert as their source of supply for methamphetamine ice. Some of the drugs were brought to Mobile County for distribution, and some were brought to Baldwin County for distribution. Court documents also reflect that Lambert himself traveled to Baldwin County and to Pensacola, Florida, to transport drugs and pick up drug money. Lambert pled guilty to the conspiracy charge in federal court in Mobile in July of 2021. He admitted he was responsible for the distribution of approximately 152 kilograms of methamphetamine ice.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 15-year sentence. The judge further ordered that Lambert would also serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Lambert will also undergo mental health counseling, testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Lambert pay $100 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Kentucky Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Intrude Protected Computer System of Competitor BusinessRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Lexington, Kentucky man was sentenced today to two years of probation for conspiring to intrude into a competitor business’s protected computer system to steal information for his commercial advantage and financial gain.
According to court documents, Daniel Bruck LaCour, 33, operated a printing-services business called LaCour Printing Solutions, LLC (“LPS”) in Dothan, Alabama, from at least March 2016 to April 2017. One of LPS’s competitors was a printing-services company based in New York and Tennessee. The competitor printing company maintained a password-protected system of computers that contained its protected client account information.In March 2016, LaCour recruited a former employee of the competing printing company to work for him at LPS. On March 28, 2016, the former employee sent LaCour a set of login credentials to access the competing company’s protected computer system without the company’s consent, authorization, or knowledge. Those login credentials included the email address and password of a legitimate employee of the competing company whose account had elevated privileges that allowed it to access customer account profiles, including sensitive pricing information.
Over a year-long period, LaCour repeatedly used the stolen credentials from a computer at his house in Dothan to intrude into the competing company’s computer system. LaCour fraudulently accessed more than 30 customer accounts before the company cut off his access to the system after discovering his intrusion on April 4, 2017. During the period of the intrusion, the competing printing company lost business to LPS from numerous existing and potential clients due to LaCour’s unauthorized use of the other company’s sensitive pricing information.
Skype messages extracted from LaCour’s computer revealed how he obtained the login credentials and used them to steal the company’s information for LPS’s benefit. In one such message, LaCour stated, “I am trying to destroy [the victim company] . . . that’s my life long goal.”
Chief United States District Judge Emily C. Marks of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama ordered LaCour to pay a $3,500 fine and to undergo mental health treatment while on probation, during which time he will be subject to credit restrictions. The court also ordered LaCour to pay $40,000 in victim restitution to the competing company and $100 in special assessments.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mobile County Woman Who Caused Death of Victim by Injecting Her with Fentanyl Sentenced to 15 Years ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL—A Mobile County woman, Jessica Defloren Tubb, aka “Allie,” 37, was sentenced on May 12, 2022 to 15 years in prison for drug crimes, including actions that caused the overdose death of Kelsey Johnston.
Tubb was charged with 41 others in October 2020 for her involvement with the Crossley Hill drug trafficking organization which operated in Mobile County and elsewhere, distributing various controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, Xanax, Oxycodone, Opana, and Roxicodone to customers in Southern Alabama and elsewhere. Tubb plead guilty in March, 2021 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Tubb also admitted in her guilty plea that she injected fentanyl into Kelsey Johnston that caused her death. United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer handed down the sentence.
Testimony at the March 2022 jury trial of William Grant Owens, aka “Whip,” established that Tubb operated as the “right-hand man” or “do-girl” for Owens. The testimony established that, among other things, Tubb sold drugs for Owens, held drugs for him, operated as a human tester of the drugs, particularly the heroin and fentanyl, and that she injected Owens’ customers with drugs.
The trial testimony further established that Owens directed Tubb to obtain the fentanyl and bring it to him on October 11, 2018, at the Rode Way Inn, in Tillman’s Corner. Owens prepared the fentanyl on a spoon and had Tubb inject Ms. Johnston at approximately 3:00 to 4:00 AM. Almost instantly, Ms. Johnston lost consciousness and was struggling to breathe. Dr. Cameron Snider, a Forensic Pathologist with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, testified that fentanyl attacks the lungs causing them to fill with fluid and impairs the respiratory system, which ultimately caused the death of Ms. Johnston’s death in this case. An eyewitness, who was also a drug user, testified that she attempted to assist Johnston and could hear a disturbing gurgling/gasping sound from her lungs. Neither Owens nor Tubb sought any medical assistance for Johnston and they ultimately left her in the hotel room after she overdosed. The body of the deceased Kelsey Johnston was found the next morning at approximately 11:00 when housekeeping personnel came in to clean the room.Owens was convicted at trial and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Moorer on June 30, 2022.
The investigation and prosecution of this case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mobile Police Department and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the Saraland Police Department also provided key investigative support to the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and Luis F. Peral, Lead OCDETF Attorney.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama at http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdal/
Fomer Creola Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Depriving Arrestee of Civil Rights by Use of Unreasonable ForceRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A former City of Creola police officer pleaded guilty today to depriving a man of his right to be free from the use of unreasonable force while in custody.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, on April 21, 2021, Gary Lynn Davis, 54, of Creola, while acting as a City of Creola police officer, struck an arrestee in the face with his knee while the arrestee, identified by his initials J.B., was on his knees with shackles on his wrists and ankles. The blow knocked out one of J.B.’s teeth and caused vision issues. At the time of the incident, J.B. had been held on traffic violations for about four days and had become loud and unruly in the city jail. J.B. had money in his bank account to make bond but could not arrange for someone outside the jail to access his account. Davis threatened to put J.B. in a straitjacket, which the department had, but instead belly-chained J.B.’s wrists to his waist and shackled his ankles. J.B. complied with Davis’s demands to get into position so that Davis could shackle him. There was also another officer who was available to assist Davis in getting J.B. under control but Davis did not call him. When J.B. continued to be unruly Davis went next door to the city fire department and borrowed a rope. Davis then unsuccessfully attempted to hog tie J.B. J.B. resisted and the two wrestled on the floor. Davis also attempted unsuccessfully to choke J.B. to try to render him unconscious. A surveillance camera captured the struggle. Then Davis stood up in the cell doorway for a few seconds as J.B. knelt before him. The surveillance camera then captured Davis deliver a forceful blow to J.B.’s face with his knee. Davis’s blow sent J.B. careening backwards and he writhed in pain on the floor. When the police chief and another officer found out about the incident, the officer took J.B. to an ATM and allowed him to withdraw money to make bail. The officer then took J.B. to a city magistrate and he made bail.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) conducted an investigation of the incident, which then referred it to FBI Mobile for further investigation and consideration for federal prosecution. Davis faces state charges of Assault, Second Degree, and Attempted Murder, arising from the incident.Davis pleaded guilty to depriving J.B. of the right to be free of the deprivation of liberty without due process of law, which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2022, and faces 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama and the FBI made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lankford is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Florida Felon Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm During High-Speed Chase in Baldwin CountyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Florida man was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Mark Allen Snellgrove, 29, of Crestview, Florida, was arrested on February 24, 2021, after he led police on a high speed chase that resulted in injuries to two officers. That morning, officers had responded to a report of a suspicious truck loitering at a gas station in Bay Minette, Alabama. Upon arrival at the station, officers spoke with Snellgrove, the truck’s driver. Snellgrove gave officers a false name and failed to produce a valid identification.
While officers spoke with him, Snellgrove started his truck and floored the gas pedal, forcing an officer who was standing nearby to hang onto the steering wheel of the truck while it accelerated toward a light pole. Snellgrove’s truck hit another officer’s parked car and slammed into the pole, the impact of which caused serious injuries to the officer who was clinging to the truck’s steering wheel. That officer tased Snellgrove, who snatched the taser leads out of his chest and sped his truck in reverse into oncoming traffic the wrong way down Hand Avenue, a busy four-lane thoroughfare.
During the twenty-minute chase that ensued, Snellgrove forced many bystander cars off the road, attempted to ram a police vehicle head-on; drove through numerous stop signs and lighted intersections; drove through residential yards; crashed through a mailbox; and sped through a ditch to avoid a spike strip. At times during the pursuit, Snellgrove reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour.
Officers eventually ended the chase in a wooded driveway of a private residence by ramming into Snellgrove’s truck and pinning it in place. Snellgrove refused verbal commands to get out of the truck and had to be taken down by a tracking dog. A passenger in the truck, codefendant Rodger Anthony Manning, also refused to get out and bit an officer on the finger as he resisted arrest.
Along the pursuit route, officers found a stolen 9mm pistol that had been thrown from the passenger side of Snellgrove’s truck during the chase. Officers also seized a stolen .45-caliber pistol from the truck near where Manning had been sitting in the backseat. Forensic analysis of the guns revealed Snellgrove’s DNA on the 9mm pistol and Manning’s DNA on the .45-caliber pistol. At the time Snellgrove possessed the pistol, he knew he had been convicted of felony drug offenses in Okaloosa County, Florida in 2019. Snellgrove’s felony convictions rendered his possession of the pistol illegal under federal law.
Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade ordered Snellgrove to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Granade ordered Snellgrove to pay $100 in special assessments.
Snellgrove faces several pending state criminal charges in Baldwin County, Alabama, including first-degree assault, attempting to elude police, reckless endangerment, and resisting arrest. Judge Granade ordered a portion of Snellgrove’s federal sentence to run consecutively to any punishment he may receive in the related state cases. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty at trial.
In April 2022, Manning pleaded guilty to illegally possessing the stolen .45-caliber pistol found in Snellgrove’s truck. Manning is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Granade on July 13, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bay Minette Police Department, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Virginia Man with Multiple Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to over Three Years in Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Virginia man was sentenced today to three years and a month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Michael Gray Golding, 34, was arrested by Foley Police Department (FPD) officers on May 5, 2021. On that day, FDP responded to a 911 call reporting that Golding was at a hotel in Foley, Alabama with an active arrest warrant out of Virginia and likely armed. FPD encountered Golding in his vehicle in the hotel parking lot. FPD verified that Golding had an extraditable warrant for his arrest out of Virginia for contempt of court in a felony case where he failed to appear for sentencing. FPD secured the area where Golding was parked and ordered Golding to exit the vehicle. After approximately one hour of ordering Golding to exit the vehicle, Golding got out and was taken into custody without incident.
FPD officers searched Golding’s vehicle and found a Glock, Model 23, .40-caliber pistol, a sawed-off Remington Model 870 shotgun, and ammunition. Brass knuckles, drug paraphernalia, and drugs for personal use were also found in the vehicle.Prior to possessing these two guns, Golding had been convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a controlled substance, eluding law enforcement, and possession of a drug with intent to distribute. Golding failed to appear for his sentencing for his possession with intent to distribute case in Virginia, which led to his active arrest warrant. Under federal law, Golding is prohibiting from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his felony convictions.
Senior United States District Court Judge William H. Steele ordered Golding to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he may participate in substance abuse treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered Golding to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Foley Police Department investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.