Middle District of Georgia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Convicted Felons with Firearms Sentenced in Operation Take Back America CasesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Two South Georgia men with prior criminal convictions who were both on state parole at the time of their federal offenses have been sentenced to prison for illegally possessing firearms in separate Operation Take Back America cases.
Jacques Lamar Hill aka “Jac DaDon,” 27, of Thomasville, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison to be served concurrently to any state prison sentence in Lowndes County, Georgia, Superior Court Case No. 2021CR962A to be followed by three years of supervised release in Case No. 7:24-CR-23-001 on March 25. Hill pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 30, 2025.
Porterfield Stokes, 69, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release in Case No. 7:24-CR-31-001 on March 25. Stokes pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on May 1, 2025.
Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands presided over the cases. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat criminal offenders caught illegally possessing firearms in the Middle District of Georgia will find their cases in federal court, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office will continue to strongly enforce this federal law, as we work alongside our law enforcement partners at every level to protect communities.”
“Both Jacques Lamar Hill and Porterfield Stokes are repeat offenders who continue to pose a significant threat to our communities by illegally possessing firearms despite their prior criminal convictions,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is committed to working alongside our local law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable and ensure that those who violate federal firearm laws face the full weight of the law.”
“These arrests and sentences demonstrate the strength of our partnership with our federal counterparts and our shared commitment to holding repeat offenders accountable,” said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan. “Individuals who choose to illegally possess firearms pose a dangerous threat to our community. We will continue to work together to ensure they are removed from our streets and held accountable for their disregard of the law.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court in the Hill case, FBI agents and Valdosta Police Department officers were investigating armed drug trafficking by Hill out of his Williams Street apartment in Valdosta in 2020. Hill, who was on state parole at the time and is a confirmed member of a criminal street gang, sold marijuana and alprazolam two times to a confidential informant during controlled purchases. Under surveillance, agents observed frequent drug activity from Hill’s apartment. Agents executed a search warrant on April 9, 2020, and found a stolen semi-automatic pistol with a 16-round capacity magazine, a Beretta pistol with a magazine and an AR-style rifle with a large magazine. In addition, officers found ammunition and a large amount of marijuana along with individual bags of marijuana, alprazolam pills, digital scales and cash. As part of the investigation, officers reviewed Hill’s public Facebook account, which displayed photos of Hill holding large quantities of cash and firearms. One photo posted to Hill’s account on March 12, 2020, showed him standing by a white vehicle holding the AR-style rifle, which appeared to be the exact one seized by officers at his apartment on April 9, 2020. Hill is being held accountable for possessing the AR-style rifle and the Beretta pistol. At the time, Hill was wanted on an outstanding warrant in Thomas County, Georgia. Hill has a lengthy criminal record to date, including several felony drug distribution convictions and a violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act in Thomas County.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court in the Stokes case, the Valdosta Police Department received a tip in November 2023 that Stokes, a convicted felon on parole, had firearms and drugs at his home on North Troup Street. On Nov. 8, 2023, police and his parole officer went to Stokes’ residence. Stokes let them inside and admitted to having two firearms and showed officers where he was keeping the pistols in his bedroom. Stokes has a lengthy criminal record in the community spanning nearly five decades, with convictions for felony drug distribution, aggravated assault and illegally possessing firearms. He was on parole for a 2018 state conviction for possession with intent to distribute marijuana at the time of this federal offense.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Hill case was investigated by the FBI and the Valdosta Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
The Stokes case was investigated by the FBI and the Valdosta Police Department with assistance from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.
Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Mexican national and member of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was involved in a major methamphetamine and cocaine distribution organization out of Monroe, Georgia, and discussed his frustration with no longer receiving “busloads” of illegal drugs and preparing for a visit by the son of Sinaloa’s leader was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in prison for his crime resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation led by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.
Jose Guadalupe Favela, 68, a citizen of Mexico and legally in the United States as a resident of Riverdale, Georgia, and formerly of Monroe, Georgia, was sentenced to 188 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on March 9. Favela pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 22, 2025.
"Jose Favela was a significant operative in the Sinaloa Cartel, responsible for facilitating the distribution of massive quantities of deadly drugs into Georgia," said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. "Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI and HSI, we dismantled this cartel pipeline and brought these criminals to justice."
"Jose Favela was a key member of the Sinaloa Cartel's drug trafficking operation, responsible for bringing deadly methamphetamine and cocaine into Georgia. His actions fueled a dangerous pipeline, impacting communities across the state," said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Georgia’s Macon office. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of the FBI and HSI, this criminal enterprise has been dismantled, and those responsible for flooding our streets with illegal drugs will face justice."
“This sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our partners to protect Georgia from the dangers posed by cartels and their drug trafficking operations,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Working alongside the FBI and local law enforcement, HSI agents dismantled a major criminal network, preventing massive quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from reaching our communities. We remain dedicated to safeguarding Georgia’s families and neighborhoods from violent crime and illegal drugs.”
Favela’s co-conspirators have all pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison for their crimes:
Diego Garcia, 28, of Mexico and an illegal alien, was sentenced to 188 months in prison on Jan. 17, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 7, 2023;
Luis Mejina Pina, aka “La Perra,” 32, of Richmond, California, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on Dec. 3, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 18, 2025; and
Juan Pablo Torres, 32, of Mexico and an illegal alien, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on July 2, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 15, 2024.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, FBI and HSI agents used a confidential informant to engage in consensual monitoring of conversations with Favela at Bold Springs Road in Monroe on Dec. 6, 2021, targeting Favela, who lived at the ranch. Favela was under investigation for distributing large quantities of illegal drugs through his connections with the Durango cartel, an operational arm of the larger Sinaloa cartel, a violent Mexico-based organized crime group.
During the recorded conversation, Favela claimed he had stored up to 800 kilograms of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine between the Monroe Ranch and another location known as the Grayson Ranch, located in the Northern District of Georgia. During multiple recorded conversations, Favela discussed his many years of importing controlled substances from Mexico and shared that he was disappointed that he was no longer receiving “busloads” of illegal drugs. Agents understood that this past activity had occurred at a location in Lamar County, Georgia.
At one point in late 2021, Favela was recorded saying that he and other cartel members were not actively importing and distributing illegal drugs in his area for a few weeks because they were preparing for the arrival of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, aka “El Raton,” a prominent member of the Sinaloa Cartel and son of Juaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was then a fugitive. Favela suggested that he and others did not want to draw law enforcement attention that might lead to El Raton’s capture while he was visiting them in Georgia. Ultimately, Favela reported that El Raton changed his plans due to a snowstorm in Georgia.
At the request of a confidential informant working with federal agents, Favela contacted co-conspirator Pina to order kilograms of “frio,” which is slang for methamphetamine. Favela wanted $1,000 for brokering the deal and future deals between the CI and Pina. As a result, the FBI and HSI conducted three controlled purchases facilitated by Favela for methamphetamine and cocaine on Dec. 19, 2021, Sept. 29, 2022, and Oct. 6, 2022.
During the transactions involving Favela and Pina, the other co-conspirators were involved at different times, including Pina instructing the CI to meet with Garcia in January 2022 to purchase a kilogram of methamphetamine at the Grayson Ranch. During that transaction, Garcia agreed to sell the CI up to ten kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of cocaine. Garcia communicated with Torres approximately 158 times between May and September 2022; Torres was taken into custody with Garcia on Oct. 26, 2022, during the controlled purchase of more than four kilograms of methamphetamine at a gas station in Flowery Branch, Georgia. At their arrest, Garcia and Torres admitted they were in the United States illegally, and that they were living and working at the Grayson Ranch. Garcia acknowledged he had a criminal record in California and Torres admitted he was deported approximately three months prior to the arrest.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The FBI and HSI investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Tift County Meth Trafficking Ringleader Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The last member of a Tift County, Georgia, drug trafficking ring, who helped orchestrate the operation from behind prison bars which authorities estimate distributed hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine, has been sentenced to serve more than 13 years in federal prison.
Juan Carlos Popoca, 38, of Tifton, was sentenced to serve 165 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on March 19. Popoca pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 17, 2025.
“Those who traffic deadly and addictive drugs in the Middle District of Georgia, especially from behind bars, will face swift and severe federal consequences,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are partnering with law enforcement at every level to pursue, prosecute and remove the most dangerous offenders from our communities.”
“Even from behind bars, criminal activity will not go unchecked,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This investigation reflects the strength of collaboration between our agents and local partners to identify, disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking operations. The GBI remains committed to protecting Georgia communities by holding offenders accountable at every level.”
Popoca’s co-conspirators, all of Tifton, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison:
Haley Maria Sumner, 34, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison on Jan. 29, 2026, after she pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine;
Jerri Jo Austin, 54, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison on July 31, 2025, after she pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine; and Susan Nichole Lopez, 31, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison on Dec. 14, 2025, after she pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office agents received information from a confidential source in 2021 that Austin was distributing methamphetamine in Tift County, Georgia. During the investigation, agents learned that Popoca, Sumner and Lopez were working with Austin to distribute methamphetamine, and that Popoca was an inmate at a Georgia prison.
Working undercover, a GBI agent contacted Popoca in April 2022 to purchase methamphetamine. Popoca directed the agent to Austin, who he referred to as his “aunt.” As a result, the agent purchased methamphetamine from Austin on April 11, 2022. During this interaction, Austin asked the undercover agent if he could fly a drone to drop drugs into the prison where Popoca was incarcerated. Several additional controlled purchases were made at Popoca's direction, sometimes involving the other co-conspirators, at various locations in Tift County. Popoca shifted his communications to Telegram, an encrypted instant messaging app. Agents organized the final controlled purchase of heroin on June 24, 2022, taking Lopez into custody at a gas station in Tift County. Agents estimate the organization is responsible for distributing 180 kilograms of methamphetamine, 60 kilograms of cocaine and 1,300 pounds of marijuana in Tift County.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The GBI Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Tift County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Rigging Bids for Healthcare-Related U.S. Air Force ProjectsRead the Press Release
The owner of a storage sales company pleaded guilty to two felony counts for conspiring to rig bids and defraud the U.S. Department of War in connection with the sale of shelving and storage products to the U.S. Air Force to service multiple healthcare facilities, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today.
According to the information and plea agreement filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Eric J. Caddy, 62, of Huntington, Texas, and his co-conspirators submitted collusive bids for multiple healthcare-related projects at Air Force Base Moody in Valdosta, Georgia, including: (1) the Medical Logistics Warehouse Project; (2) the Pharmacy Modernization and Renovation Project; (3) the Veterinary Clinic Project; and (4) the Dental Lab Clinic Project. One of Caddy’s co-conspirators instructed Caddy to submit intentionally higher prices for the projects and even provided Caddy with the specific pricing to include on bids for the projects. Caddy then submitted the collusive bids to a prime vendor for the federal government, which in turn submitted the collusive bids to the U.S. Department of War. Caddy and his co-conspirators concealed the bid rigging from the government by having Caddy “re-write” certain bid forms “in [Caddy’s] own handwriting” before transmitting them. The projects, which totaled over $1.6 million, were funded through the Defense Logistics Agency’s Facilities Maintenance, Repair, and Operations Program. The guilty plea is the first in an ongoing investigation into bid rigging and fraud impacting U.S. military facilities in the United States.
“Defending free and fair competition in healthcare spending is a critical priority for the Antitrust Division, particularly when it affects the U.S. military,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force and its partners will continue to find and prosecute those who corrupt the competitive process and increase healthcare-related costs in the United States.”
“Bid rigging harms taxpayers, honest contractors and all of us who play by the rules, and will not tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division has been an invaluable partner in ensuring that competition remains free and fair in the Middle District of Georgia.”
“The Air Force Office of Special Investigations remains steadfast in our mission to protect the integrity of Department of War procurement processes and safeguard resources critical to the readiness and welfare of our Airmen,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrell Freeman of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Southeast Field Office. “Bid rigging schemes like this undermine fair competition, inflate costs for essential healthcare infrastructure, and ultimately harm the brave men and women serving in our military. Working alongside our partners at the Antitrust Division, DCIS, and DLA OIG, we will continue to vigorously investigate and hold accountable those who seek to defraud the United States.”
“Bid rigging involving military healthcare contracts isn’t just illegal, it’s a direct betrayal of the service members and their families who rely on these facilities,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jason Sargenski, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office. “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message that companies and individuals who cheat the competitive bidding process for contracts that support our nation’s defense will be held accountable. DCIS, alongside our partners, remains committed to protecting the public interest and the integrity of the defense contracting process.”
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Defense Logistics Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Daniel Chung and Christian Neumeister of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
The maximum penalty for a conspiracy to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act for an individual is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to defraud the United States is five years in prison and a $250,000 criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. Caddy is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
Southwest Georgia Repeat Offender Sentenced for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Moultrie, Georgia, resident with prior felony convictions was sentenced to prison for illegally possessing four firearms discovered during an investigation into armed drug trafficking in the community.
Johnny Will Murray, Jr., 41, of Moultrie, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands. Murray, Jr. was found guilty at trial of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Nov. 3, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat offenders who illegally arm themselves, disregard the law and endanger the community will be prosecuted in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our highest priority is to ensure justice and work alongside our law enforcement partners to strengthen public safety for everyone in the Middle District of Georgia.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, on Nov. 11, 2021, the Moultrie Police Department executed a search warrant at Murray, Jr.’s home on suspicion of armed drug trafficking. Officers found approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, two digital scales, several empty vacuum-sealed bags and a rifle in his bedroom. Inside the bedroom closet was a safe with three more firearms, magazines, ammunition and $5,600. Officers also found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine floating on top of the water in a toilet. Murray, Jr. has several past felony convictions; it is illegal for a felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Moultrie Police Department and the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.
Northeast Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing CSAMRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Walton County man was sentenced to 11 years in prison after law enforcement discovered he was in possession of thousands of images of child sexual abuse material, also known as CSAM, including 2,754 images of previously identified victims of child exploitation and abuse from across the world.
Gerald Scott Collins, 56, of Monroe, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self on March 9, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on Nov. 10, 2025. Collins will have to register as a sex offender upon release from federal custody. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Child sexual abuse material is evidence of real children being abused, and once online, it can be shared endlessly,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office will seek maximum punishment for child predators possessing CSAM. We are thankful for the efforts of our local, state and federal law enforcement and community partners who continue to do everything in their power to protect children.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, law enforcement became aware of Collins’s possession of CSAM in 2022. Homeland Security Investigations agents obtained and executed search warrants for the seized electronic devices, including a laptop computer, tablets, USB drives, external hard drives and SD cards. Nine of Collins’ devices contained a total of 9,996 images, 19 videos and an additional 791 documents containing CSAM.
The CSAM involved prepubescent females under the age of 12, including toddlers, who were subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation. Some of the images depicted violent and sadistic online exploitation. Law enforcement agents forwarded the images and videos to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for comparison using the organization’s Child Recognition and Identification System. This system, in partnership with national and international law enforcement, helps identify victims and perpetrators worldwide by compiling previously identified victims into distinct series. NCMEC determined that 2,754 images of previously identified victims were found across 226 named series from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
HSI and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Repeat Offender Guilty of Armed Drug Trafficking in ColumbusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Georgia man with a violent criminal past whose supervised release was revoked for a prior federal conviction for assaulting a law enforcement officer was found guilty by a federal jury of possessing fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin while illegally possessing seven firearms and ammunition.
Nimesh Vijay Desai, was found guilty of one count of possession of methamphetamine, one count of possession of fentanyl, one count of possession of heroin, one count of possession of a firearm and one count of possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on March 4, following a three-day trial that began on March 2, before U.S. District Clay Land. The defendant faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Violent offenders will face justice at the federal level in the Middle District of Georgia, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Working alongside law enforcement, we will use every available resource to track down and hold accountable repeat criminals with firearms, fentanyl and other deadly illegal drugs.”
“This defendant callously picked up right where he left off from prior convictions,” said FBI Georgia Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis. “The FBI will continue to investigate anyone who repeatedly violates the law by illegally arming themselves and committing crimes that continue to harm the community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, law enforcement executed two searches on Feb. 28, 2024, at a Columbus apartment and a storage unit leased to Desai, resulting from an ongoing investigation into armed drug trafficking in the community. During the searches, agents seized 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and 800 grams of fentanyl and heroin, along with scales and grinders often used in the distribution of illegal drugs, and $12,800.
Law enforcement also recovered seven firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition, including magazines, all belonging to Desai. At the time of the searches, Desai was on federal supervised release for his 2012 convictions in the Middle District for distributing methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and assaulting federal agents with a deadly weapon. Desai is currently serving 60 months in federal prison because of a revocation of his supervised release for these prior convictions.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Convicted Felon with a Machinegun and Fentanyl Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Georgia man with prior drug convictions admitted he was intending to distribute fentanyl and other drugs when officers found him illegally in possession of three firearms, including a machinegun.
Rodricas Montreal Jacks, 39, of Sparta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on March 3. Jacks is facing a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 2. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat felony offenders possessing the most dangerous weapons and distributing the deadliest drugs in our communities will be held accountable at the federal level, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We appreciate the dedication of our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer for all residents and working with us to ensure justice.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Jacks was on probation for a felony drug distribution conviction when he failed to comply with his community service as directed by the Court and failed two drug tests. As a result, law enforcement conducted a search of his residence on Nov. 3, 2022, and found a machinegun plus two firearms in the house, including a firearm that was stolen. Officers also located fentanyl and marijuana, which he intended to distribute, along with multiple digital scales, small plastic bags and a large amount of cash. Officers also discovered suspected crack inside his car.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Georgia Department of Community Supervision investigated the case with assistance from the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Four Operation Mobile Order Defendants Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Four defendants were sentenced to prison this week after the FBI’s two-year Operation Mobile Order investigation uncovered their Macon-based armed drug trafficking network, responsible for distributing kilograms of cocaine and resulting in the seizure of 26 firearms, including a machinegun.
“Operation Mobile Order demonstrates the strength and coordination of law enforcement working to dismantle violent armed criminal organizations throughout the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “No matter how long it takes, we will not stop our efforts to shut down criminal groups threatening the safety of our communities.”
“Operation Mobile Order dismantled a violent drug trafficking organization that treated a Macon neighborhood like a retail storefront for cocaine, backed by an arsenal of firearms,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This investigation shows the FBI’s commitment to targeting criminal networks that fuel addiction, violence and fear in our communities. We will continue to work should-to-shoulder with our partners to make Central Georgia a safer place to live.”
“Operation Mobile Order represents the best in local and federal law enforcement partnerships,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “Together, FBI agents and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigators worked tirelessly to bring this cadre of criminals to justice. Our community is much better off with these peddlers of poison off our streets.”
The following defendants were sentenced to prison on March 2:
Devonta Jackson, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 155 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025;
Laderion Jacobs, aka “Johnny,” aka “Johnny Cain,” 30, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025;
Ladarrious King, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025; and
Tanya Card, 51, of Macon, was sentenced to serve six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on Dec. 2, 2025.
The following defendant was sentenced to prison on Feb. 5:
Leroy Mintz, aka “Booman,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Nov. 20, 2025.
The following defendants pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later:
Eddie Reese, 53, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 18, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Roddreckious Williams, 33, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base and one count of distribution of cocaine on Jan. 21, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $1 million fine per count;
Antonyo Daniels, aka “Tony,” 30, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Alton Oliver, aka “Alo,” aka “Lo,” 43, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of life in prison;
Trayvon Simmons, aka “Abo,” 28, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Marvin Huff, aka “Black,” 50, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine; and
Roosevelt Cole, aka “Froball,” 52, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine.
Sentencing dates are determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, in 2022 and 2023, the FBI conducted Operation Mobile Order, a Macon-centered investigation targeting an armed drug trafficking organization led by Reese. During the investigation, the FBI ran nine controlled purchases of cocaine and crack cocaine, and intercepted phone calls and text messages, detailing transactions involving kilograms of cocaine from an Atlanta supplier.
The primary “trap house,” or drug distribution site, was on Richard Street in Macon, a busy location that operated like a restaurant, with members of Reese’s drug organization working shifts to distribute drugs. In a series of recorded calls, Reese discussed drug overdoses in the community and said that if the drugs came from his Richard Street trap house, “everyone in Macon would be dead.”
Reese worked with an Atlanta supplier and was recorded ordering kilograms of cocaine from the supplier and making plans to meet with the supplier to purchase the drugs in October and November of 2023, referring to cocaine as “Tylenol,” “charcoal,” or acres of land. He began working with a new supplier in November 2023 and was recorded discussing the purchase of five kilograms of cocaine with the new supplier.
Reese’s leadership over the drug organization was evident, with many recorded interactions of him directing co-conspirators, for example, ordering one co-conspirator to “do your job” or reminding one co-conspirator, “That's what I pay you for, man. Make you get my money, make you handle the business, man. Get the money, handle the business.”
The FBI executed 11 federal search warrants in Macon, Warner Robins and Atlanta on Nov. 20, 2023, including at the Richards Street trap house, seizing cocaine, 26 firearms and $93,247. The machinegun was seized at co-conspirator Oliver’s home on Williamson Road in Macon.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Repeat Offender Sentenced for Distributing Meth Twice on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man, who was on federal supervised release for a prior drug felony when he was caught distributing methamphetamine twice in the region, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for his crimes this week.
Frederick Dewayne Donald, 37, of Cairo, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 180 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Feb. 26. Donald pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Case No. 1:25-CR-11-001 on Nov. 13, 2025. In addition, Donald’s sentence includes revocation of his supervised release in Case No. 7:18-CR-41-001, for which he was convicted for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Middle District of Georgia on Nov. 12, 2020, and was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Recidivist offenders who make the choice to break the law must be prevented from further endangering our community and be held accountable for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I commend our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for their role in bringing this individual to justice.”
“Methamphetamine destroys lives, families and neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This individual not only returned to drug trafficking after a prior conviction but did so while under court supervision. That pattern of behavior demonstrates why enforcement and accountability are critical to protecting our communities.”
“We are committed to relentlessly targeting those who traffic dangerous drugs,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Repeat offenders who continue to push deadly substances into our communities will be held accountable, and the drugs they traffic will be removed from our streets. Together with our federal, state and local partners, we will remain tireless in our efforts to safeguard Georgia’s communities.”
“This case demonstrates how a routine traffic violation can lead to a federal prosecution, highlighting our commitment to working alongside local, state and federal partners to ensure offenders are held accountable for their actions,” said Colonel William W. Hitchens, III, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a Georgia State Patrol trooper pulled Donald over for making an improper U-turn on Dec. 18, 2023. The trooper observed that Donald’s hands were shaking and smelled marijuana coming from the car. At the time, Donald was on federal supervised release since June 21, 2023, for a prior conviction in the Middle District of Georgia for distributing methamphetamine. A search of the car was conducted, and law enforcement found 151 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone and amphetamine pills located in the center console, along with a digital scale. Donald resisted arrest, but the trooper was ultimately able to safely take him into custody. He was later released on state bond.
On Nov. 11, 2024, a Grady County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled Donald over for a traffic stop. The deputy saw multiple bags in the driver’s door; Donald was arrested for driving without a license. Law enforcement found 448 grams of methamphetamine, three digital scales and several empty bags commonly used to package drugs in Donald’s car.
The DEA, the GBI, the GSP and the Grady County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A South Georgia man with prior drug convictions was sentenced to prison after police found him illegally in possession of a firearm following a traffic stop.
Cedric Jerome Maxwell, 49, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 230 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on Feb. 26. Maxwell pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Nov. 4, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“It is illegal for felony offenders to possess a firearm. Our office will seek federal prosecution against armed repeat offenders who continue to commit crimes in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are thankful to our law enforcement partners for their collaboration to hold convicted felons accountable for breaking the law and working to make our communities safer for everyone.”
"The illegal possession of firearms by repeat offenders poses a threat to our neighborhoods. The ATF stands firm in its mission to deny criminals access to firearms, partnering with local law enforcement to ensure justice is served,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
“We are thankful for the relationships we maintain with federal, state and local law enforcement to help get repeat criminals with guns off the streets and hold them accountable,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Maxwell for failure to maintain laneon June 2, 2022. The investigator smelled marijuana and conducted a legal search of the vehicle. Inside the middle console, investigators found bundles of cash, a blue zip pouch containing cocaine, some red and blue pills that tested positive for methamphetamine and a .40 caliber firearm. Investigators also found marijuana in the back seat. Maxwell has three prior felony drug convictions. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Alabama Man Faces 20 Years for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – An Alabama resident is facing up to 20 years in prison after he was caught by an undercover Homeland Security Investigations agent distributing child sexual abuse material of young female children online while he was living in Southwest Georgia.
Bradley Love, 37, of Dothan, Alabama, and formerly of Blakely, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography before Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Feb. 26. Love faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, followed by at least five years up to a maximum of lifetime supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case demonstrates the strong collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to identify and apprehend child predators lurking online,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “We are committed to pursuing online child predators and seeking the maximum penalties available under the law.”
“Let this serve as a warning: Anyone who distributes child sexual abuse material will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “HSI’s undercover operations are designed to expose predators who target children online. We will not tolerate these crimes, and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect children and ensure offenders are removed from our communities.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a HSI undercover agent joined a “teen chat” room on a website called “chat-avenue.com” on Dec. 7, 2023, and posted “Dad of 2 8yro and 10yro.” Soon after, the agent received a private message from an individual with a screenname of “Whiteranger,” who was Love.
During the undercover investigation, Love asked the agent about his daughters and if he had sexually abused them. Love then asked the undercover agent to move their conversation to the messaging platform, Kik. On Kik, Love sent the undercover agent a photo of male genitals and requested explicit photos of his daughters. Love also relayed he had child sexual abuse material of children he wanted to share, but that he didn’t want to be kicked off Kik for sharing CSAM, and requested to move that conversation to another platform, Session.
In Session, Love’s screenname was “Jackkfrost.” Love sent one photo of a naked prepubescent female child, one picture of two naked female children and a picture of a prepubescent female engaging in sexually explicit conduct to the undercover agent. HSI investigators located the defendant at his home address in Blakely, Georgia. On Sept. 5, 2024, HSI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and the Early County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at Love’s Blakely residence. Several electronic items belonging to Love were seized: one cell phone contained approximately 139 images depicting CSAM, and a second cell phone contained two images depicting CSAM. Love told investigators he was interested in minor children who were “toddler age” and confirmed that he sent and received CSAM on these platforms.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the GBI and the Early County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Macon Check Cashing Manager Pleads Guilty to Filing False ReportsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The manager of a Macon check cashing company pleaded guilty to filing false reports resulting from a larger investigation into a bank fraud conspiracy targeting a Morris Bank branch in Gray, Georgia.
James Kevin Meyers, 57, of Gray, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of causing the filing of false currency transaction reports before U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell on Feb. 18. Meyers faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.
In two related cases, Ronnie Atkinson, 57, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 84 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Feb. 5, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on May 12, 2025. Atkinson was also ordered to pay a total of $3,357,073.21 in restitution.
Alan Childs, 60, of Gray, Georgia, was sentenced to serve twelve months and one day in prison on Sept. 17, 2025, and was ordered to pay $3,094,200.98 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on April 12, 2025.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“This investigation shows we will hold all participants in financial crimes accountable,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Such schemes harm our community and will not be tolerated.”
“Financial crimes like this undermine trust in our banking system and harm everyday people across our communities,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “Whether someone is committing fraud directly or helping conceal it, we will continue holding every participant accountable for abusing positions of trust and enabling million-dollar schemes.”
According to court documents and statements in court, Meyer managed Mr. Kevin’s Check Cashing in Macon, a money services business. As a domestic financial institution, his check-cashing company was required to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act regulations and reporting requirements, including filing Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) for transactions exceeding $10,000.
Co-defendant Atkinson took out numerous loans with Morris Bank, where co-defendant Childs served as Market President and helped Atkinson obtain them. Atkinson got loans in his name and in the name of straw borrowers. Many of these loans were alleged to be for the purchase of equipment and items from various individuals. Morris Bank would issue a loan or cashier’s check to the listed seller. Atkinson brought several of these Morris Bank checks to Mr. Kevin’s Check Cashing to be cashed several times without the listed payee present, always more than $10,000. The CTR should have listed the person who presented the check and left with the cash as Atkinson. Instead, the CTR’s listed the payees of the check, although they were not present and did not collect the cash. Meyers would either personally cash these checks for Atkinson or direct his employees to cash them and also file the CTRs with the listed payee’s name, even though it was Atkinson who actually cashed the checks.
Five checks were cashed in 2022, amounting to $166,788, $117,409, $93,338, $126,743, and $280,013.
For more information about this conspiracy, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/central-georgia-man-sentenced-bank-fraud-conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Ten Op Sweet Silence Defendants Sentenced in Armed Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Ten defendants have now been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale armed drug trafficking organization resulting from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation resulting in the removal of firearms, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana from the streets of Columbus.
“This case represents the comprehensive efforts being deployed to target and dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations and hold their members accountable in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Prosecutors and law enforcement at every level are working together to combat armed trafficking organizations that threaten our community.”
“These defendants operated an armed drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of highly addictive drugs in Columbus, Georgia,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Methamphetamine and cocaine destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities. The Justice Department will continue holding those who engage in the armed drug trade to account and ensure safety for our law-abiding citizens and families.”
“These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia. “The sentences imposed reflect the severe consequences for those who choose to fuel this deadly trade. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in these violent criminal activities and ensuring the safety of our communities.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs—they bring guns, violence and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentences imposed today reflect the serious danger these defendants posed and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit drugs.”
"We won't stop until the criminal activity stops. We will continue to place pressure on criminal enterprises to put them out of business,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “By working together through our law enforcement partnerships and the federal justice system, we have ensured that Tommy Mullins will be out of business for a long time."
According to court documents and statements in court, the drug organization was led by defendant Tommie Mullins, Jr., who was part of the violent Zohannon criminal street gang. Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
The court sentenced the defendants, all of Columbus, to the following terms of imprisonment:
Tommie Mullins, Jr., aka “TJ,” aka “Bo,” aka “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 10, 2026;
Trenton Clemons, 48, was sentenced to 25 years on Oct. 7, 2025;
Anthony Champion, 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months on Aug. 6, 2025;
Corey Turner, aka “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years on Oct. 7, 2025;
Adrian Palmer, aka “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years on Oct. 7, 2025;
Trenton Thomas, aka “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months on Oct. 7, 2025;
Javonta Paden, 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months on Aug. 6, 2025;
Christopher Hill, 36, was sentenced to two years on Dec. 17, 2025;
Adrian Pleasants, 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months on Aug. 6, 2025; and
Darius Jenkins, 24, was sentenced to one year and six months on Oct. 7, 2025.
The federal investigation into the Zohannon gang included court authorized wiretaps on Tommie Mullins’ and other defendants’ phones. Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullin’s Cove Circle residence.
On March 18, 2023, FBI intercepted wiretap calls in which Turner arranged for the sale of a “30 sack,” which law enforcement understood meant narcotics. Surveillance captured Turner briefly stopping by the Cove Circle residence before heading to the location where the drugs were sold.
The defendants persistently repeated this pattern of briefly going to the Cove Circle house before heading to a drug sale, sometimes with Turner and Mullins directing other defendants to conduct drug deals on their behalf. In intercepted calls made between March 6 and March 7, 2023, Mullins and Turner directed Hill to conduct a half-kilogram drug sale to Champion.
In another deal, law enforcement saw Turner leave the Cove Circle house, enter Champion’s vehicle sitting outside the house, and almost immediately exit the vehicle. Champion then drove off. A short time later, a wiretap call captured Champion calling Turner to complain “this ain’t even a whole it’s a half. I’m fixing to bring it back to you and show you.”
Wiretapped calls and physical surveillance also captured defendants Thomas, Paden, Pleasants and Palmer arranging to fly to Seattle, Washington to purchase and transport 300 pounds of marijuana back to Columbus. Before leaving for Seattle, surveillance showed Thomas meeting with leader Mullins and phone records showed that Mullins spoke to the drug supplier in Seattle only hours after this meeting. Knowing about the planned drug purchase from the wiretap, law enforcement arranged for a law enforcement K9 to be waiting at the airport when Thomas, Palmer, Peasants and Paden flew back from Seattle. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics on the luggage belonging to these defendants, law enforcement seized 232 pounds of marijuana from the luggage. Later, intercepted calls showed Thomas and Palmer setting up deals for ten pounds of methamphetamine at a time in hopes of recouping some of the money they lost after the marijuana seizure.
A separate airport search netted over $29,000 in cash, which was seized from Mullins as suspected drug proceeds. The investigation further revealed that both Thomas and Palmer used Jenkins to distribute narcotics in street-level quantities. In one call, Jenkins told Palmer “I passed the sample around the hood” and asked whether this was “your price per pound?” A police search of Palmer’s vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine packaged in 33 separate baggies.
Clemons also sold drugs for and with Mullins. On April 15, 2024, Mullins and Clemons traveled in Mullins’ vehicle from Columbus to a music studio in Atlanta. There, Mullins and Clemons met with a co-conspirator who gave them a bag, the contents of which Clemons emptied into a blue suitcase. Later that day, a traffic stop revealed four pounds of almost pure methamphetamine.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI; the DEA; and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office; with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
Ten Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Columbus, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
Ten men have now been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale armed drug trafficking organization based in Columbus, Georgia. The prosecution stemmed from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking in the Columbus area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement recovered firearms, multiple pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, 232 pounds of marijuana, and $29,000 in cash. Collectively, the sentencings imposed by the court between Aug. 6, 2025, and Jan. 14, 2026, equated to more than 108 years in prison.
“These defendants operated an armed drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of highly addictive drugs in Columbus, Georgia,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Methamphetamine and cocaine destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities. The Justice Department will continue holding those who engage in the armed drug trade to account and ensure safety for our law abiding citizens and families.”
“This case represents the comprehensive efforts being deployed to target and dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations and hold their members accountable in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Prosecutors and law enforcement at every level are working together to combat armed trafficking organizations that threaten our community.”
“These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “The sentences imposed reflect the severe consequences for those who choose to fuel this deadly trade. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in these violent criminal activities and ensuring the safety of our communities.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs — they bring guns, violence, and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentence imposed today reflects the serious danger these defendants posed and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit drugs.”
According to public documents and statements in court, the drug organization was led by defendant Tommie Mullins, Jr., who was part of the violent Zohannon criminal street gang. Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. The court sentenced the defendants to the following penalties in prison:
Tommie Mullins Jr., also known as “TJ,” “Bo,” and “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 10, 2026;
Trenton Clemons, 48, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Anthony Champion, 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025;
Corey Turner, also known as “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Adrian Palmer, also known as “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Trenton Thomas, also known as “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Javonta Paden, 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025;
Christopher Hill, 36, was sentenced to two years in prison on Dec. 17, 2025;
Adrian Pleasants, 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; and
Darius Jenkins, 24, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025.
The federal investigation into the Zohannon gang included court authorized wiretaps on Tommie Mullins’ and other defendants’ phones. Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullin’s Cove Circle residence.
On March 18, 2023, FBI intercepted wiretap calls in which Turner arranged for the sale of a “30 sack,” which law enforcement understood meant narcotics. Surveillance captured Turner briefly stopping by the Cove Circle residence before heading to the location where the drugs were sold.
The defendants persistently repeated this pattern of briefly going to the Cove Circle house before heading to a drug sale, sometimes with Turner and Mullins directing other defendants to conduct drug deals on their behalf. In intercepted calls made between March 6 and March 7, 2023, Mullins and Turner directed Hill to conduct a half-kilogram drug sale to Champion.
In another deal, law enforcement saw Turner leave the Cove Circle house, enter Champion’s vehicle sitting outside the house, and almost immediately exit the vehicle. Champion then drove off. A short time later, a wiretap call captured Champion calling Turner to complain “this ain’t even a whole it’s a half. I’m fixing to bring it back to you and show you.”
Wiretapped calls and physical surveillance also captured defendants Thomas, Paden, Pleasants, and Palmer arranging to fly to Seattle, Washington to purchase and transport 300 pounds of marijuana back to Columbus. Before leaving for Seattle, surveillance showed Thomas meeting with leader Mullins and phone records showed that Mullins spoke to the drug supplier in Seattle only hours after this meeting. Knowing about the planned drug purchase from the wiretap, law enforcement arranged for a law enforcement K9 to be waiting at the airport when Thomas, Palmer, Peasants and Paden flew back from Seattle. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics on the luggage belonging to these defendants, law enforcement seized 232 pounds of marijuana. Later, intercepted calls showed Thomas and Palmer setting up deals for 10 pounds of methamphetamine at a time in hopes of recouping some of the money they lost after the marijuana seizure.
A separate airport search netted over $29,000 in cash, which was seized from Mullins as suspected drug proceeds. The investigation further revealed that both Thomas and Palmer used Jenkins to distribute narcotics in street-level quantities. In one call, Jenkins told Palmer “I passed the sample around the hood” and asked whether this was “your price per pound?” A police search of Palmer’s vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine packaged in 33 separate baggies.
Clemons also sold drugs for and with Mullins. On April 15, 2024, Mullins and Clemons traveled in Mullins’ vehicle from Columbus, Georgia to a music studio in Atlanta. There, Mullins and Clemons met with a co-conspirator who gave them a bag, the contents of which Clemons emptied into a blue suitcase. Later that day, a traffic stop revealed over 4-pounds of almost pure methamphetamine.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in $17 Million Pandemic Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The last remaining defendant in a pandemic-related tax fraud investigation costing U.S. taxpayers millions has pleaded guilty.
Christopher Upshaw, aka “Troub,” 26, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud on Feb. 4, and faces a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
The co-defendants Johnathon Swift, aka “JB,” aka “John Boy,” 34; Dontavis Williams, aka “Turk,” 41; and Donterious Sparks, 37, all of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud on Jan. 21, and face a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
U.S. District Judge Clay Land is presiding over the case. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The defendants devised a scheme to illegally obtain millions of dollars in COVID tax credits intended for honest business owners working to sustain their companies and employees during the pandemic, not for fraudsters seeking luxury cars and other indulgences,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office will continue working with our federal law enforcement partners to identify those who cheat taxpayers and ensure they are held accountable.”
"This scheme attempted to steal nearly $17.5 million from programs meant to help struggling workers and small businesses survive the pandemic—not bankroll luxury purchases and personal gain,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta “The FBI will aggressively pursue anyone who exploits national emergencies for profit."
“By pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud, Christopher Upshaw has admitted to unlawfully obtaining funds intended to support legitimate economic recovery efforts,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Lisa Fontanette, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Protecting taxpayer dollars remains a top priority for IRS Criminal Investigation.”
According to filed court documents and statements made in court, Upshaw registered DOPE! Apparel, LLC with the Georgia Secretary of State’s office on June 26, 2022. Upshaw filed five falsified returns on April 29, 2023, using this business to fraudulently claim COVID-related tax credits, including credits to assist employers with the cost of keeping staff employed and to assist with the cost of employers providing paid sick and family leave wages to employees for COVID-related leave.
As a result of these falsified returns the IRS issued five refunds to Upshaw’s business: $65,990.85, $109,680.76, $64,945.17, $65,328.07, and $105,167.36, totaling $411,112.21. Investigators discovered Upshaw did not have any W-2s filed from 2019 through 2023; there was also no record of Upshaw filing any tax returns for years 2019, 2020, 2022, or 2023, despite claiming COVID related tax credits for 2022. In addition, the Georgia Department of Labor records revealed Upshaw did not file Georgia individual income tax returns for 2020 and 2022 through 2023, nor did the agency have any records whatsoever for Dope! Apparel, LLC, or that Upshaw’s company employed any staff or paid any of the qualified wages or sick and family leave wages that were claimed on the Form 941 returns. Upshaw cashed the checks and used some of the money to purchase a luxury vehicle.
Swift, Williams and Sparks similarly filed falsified tax returns, fraudulently claiming they were entitled to COVID tax credits: Swift obtained $417,095.56; Williams obtained $156,531.74; and Sparks obtained $311,072.55. All three co-defendants used LLCs registered to their names to file false tax returns claiming COVID tax credits they were not entitled to. The four co-defendants received a combined 16 checks totaling $1,295,812.06. The checks were deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants or cashed. The total attempted loss was $2,250,423.67.
The defendants also recruited others to participate in this scheme. In exchange for a percentage of the refund, the defendants would electronically file returns on behalf of others. They also assisted some people with establishing a limited liability company and obtaining an EIN number. The defendants submitted over 150 Form 941 returns on behalf of others resulting in an additional total combined attempted and actual loss amount of $15,239,326.17. The total combined attempted and actual loss to federal taxpayers was $17,489,749.80.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the IRS.
Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Central Georgia Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Central Georgia resident guilty of a fraudulent loan scheme at a local bank branch was sentenced to serve seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Ronnie Atkinson, 57, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 84 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release on Feb. 5, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on May 12, 2025. Atkinson was also ordered to pay a total of $3,357,073.21 in restitution.
In a related case, Alan Childs, 60, of Gray, Georgia, was sentenced to serve twelve months and one day in prison on Sept. 17, 2025, and was ordered to pay $3,094,200.98 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on April 12, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The defendant conspired with others to defraud a Gray, Georgia, bank branch, costing a small business and causing harm to many,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “These types of financial schemes have a negative ripple effect in the community and will not be tolerated by our office. We will continue to work with law enforcement to hold fraudsters accountable.”
“This case shows how greed-driven fraud schemes can devastate small businesses and undermine trust in our financial system,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Mr. Atkinson exploited personal relationships and falsified records to secure millions in illegal loans, and today’s sentence holds him accountable for that harm."
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Childs served as the Market President for the Gray, Georgia, branch of Morris Bank, from March 2018 to August 2022. He had lending authority up to $500,000.00 per customer relationship; to lend more required approval from the Senior Credit Officer.
Atkinson owned a timber-harvesting business. In March 2018, Atkinson obtained his first loan from Morris Bank to purchase equipment. This loan, and all subsequent loans, were handled by Childs. By June 2019, Atkinson reached the maximum $500,000 threshold, and Childs was not allowed to make additional loans without higher approval. Also, Atkinson’s loans were downgraded to substandard, indicating they displayed a well-defined weakness that could jeopardize collection.
Beginning in August 2019 and continuing through May 2022, Atkinson began having relatives and friends appear as borrowers for loans intended for his benefit, which Childs knew the loans were for Atkinson, exceeding his $500,000 limit without the proper approval.
In loans involving the purchase of goods, Atkinson included many bills of sale that were fraudulent. In addition, Atkinson instructed some of the so-called reported sellers of the goods to instead cash the loan checks and give the money to him or one of his relatives. Atkinson also brought several Morris Bank loan and cashier’s checks to a local check-cashing business, sometimes bringing the payee with him and then collecting the cash or even cashing out the checks without the payee present; these payees had not sold anything to Atkinson.
As a result of the conspiracy, Morris Bank issued 57 loans to and for the benefit of Atkinson, with a total loss of between $1.5 million and $3.5 million.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted the case for the Government.
Maximum Sentence for Neo-Nazi Guilty of Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A North Carolina man was sentenced to the statutory maximum of five years in prison for sending antisemitic threats to Georgia's only Jewish State House Representative and the Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Macon after both women publicly backed the passage of Georgia House Bill 30, the state's first legislation defining antisemitism.
Ariel E. Collazo Ramos, 32, of High Point, North Carolina, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Feb. 4, after he was found guilty of one count of mailing threatening communications with the addition of a hate crime enhancement on Nov. 4, 2025, following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Let me be clear: individuals like this defendant will face federal prosecution for criminal acts driven by hatred,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This case underscores that crimes rooted in antisemitism and any hate crime against race, religion, or protected groups, will be prioritized. Law enforcement stands with the Macon community to unite against hatred, and we will use the justice system to hold offenders accountable."
"Hate has no place in our society," said FBI Atlanta Supervisory Senior Resident Agent (SSRA) Robert Gibbs of the Macon Resident Agency. "Today's sentencing of neo-Nazi Ariel Ramos reinforces the FBI's unwavering commitment to protecting civil rights and sends a clear message that threats based on faith or identity will not be tolerated. "
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, a neo-Nazi group gathered outside of Temple Beth Israel in Macon in 2023 as the congregation was inside observing the start of Sabbath. In January 2024, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel testified before the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Georgia House Bill 30, a bill defining antisemitism. The bill was co-sponsored by State Representative Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the Georgia House of Representatives. The bill was signed into law on Jan. 31, 2024. Rep. Panitch received an antisemitic postcard from Ramos at her home the morning of the bill signing; Rabbi Bahar received an antisemitic postcard from Ramos at her home the following day, on Feb. 1, 2024.
At the time, Ramos sold candles, postcards and other products depicting racial, antisemitic and white nationalist themes out of his home. Ramos mailed a threatening postcard to Rabbi Bahar’s home address from North Carolina. The postcard contained the handwritten statement, "Is there a child rape, torture, and murder tunnel under your house? We have the Zyklon B. Use Code ‘GASTHEJEWS’ for 10% off!" The reverse side of the postcard displayed a hand-drawn image depicting a purported Jewish male wearing a rat costume and the words “JEWS ARE RATS.” Rep. Panitch received an identical postcard to her home address. Both Rabbi Bahar and Rep. Panitch testified at trial the steps they took for their own safety in response to receiving the threatening postcards. Rabbi Bahar and Rep. Panitch had family members murdered by Nazis using Zyklon B during the Holocaust.
The case was investigated by FBI.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government with assistance from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Georgia Man with Prior Aggravated Assault Conviction Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A South Georgia man with prior assault and drug convictions was sentenced to prison after police found him with a stolen gun following a traffic stop and car crash.
Ricky Hill, 39, of Lakeland, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 130 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Jan. 29. Hill pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Oct. 1, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Convicted felons with violent criminal histories who are caught with illegal firearms will be prosecuted federally, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are working with law enforcement at every level to identify and prosecute repeat offenders with stolen guns.”
"This case underscores our commitment to ensuring that individuals with violent criminal histories face the full force of the law. We will not allow convicted felons to jeopardize public safety with illegal firearms,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
“We are grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office for their steadfast partnership and persistence in cases like this one. Their commitment to pursuing federal charges against violent offenders who are illegally in possession of firearms, sends a clear message that this type of dangerous behavior will not be tolerated in our community,” said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan. “Working together, we are holding individuals accountable and making our neighborhoods safer for the families we serve.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a Valdosta Police Department officer pulled Hill over for driving without headlights or taillights at night on Sept. 16, 2024, on East Hill Avenue. Hill did not have a license and, while holding his phone in his left hand, began reaching under the driver seat, stating he was searching for his phone. The officer observed a magazine for a firearm on the passenger seat of the vehicle and instructed Hill to stop reaching under his seat and exit the car. Hill put his vehicle in drive, accelerated and fled from the traffic stop. Hill then drove his car into a utility pole and ran from his car. Officers located Hill and took him into custody. Officers found a stolen Glock firearm under the front seat, where Hill had been reaching during the traffic stop, along with a 33-round magazine extension, 35 rounds of 9mm ammunition and $2,565 in the car or on Hill. Hill has prior felony convictions for aggravated assault and distributing cocaine. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Valdosta Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Clinch County Ex-Spouses Guilty for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Clinch County, Georgia, man involved in a methamphetamine trafficking network linked to a Mexican source of supply in Atlanta was sentenced to serve more than 24 years in prison, after he and his former spouse admitted to their roles in the crime.
Crage Bernard Harris, 47, of Homerville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 295 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Jan. 28, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 1, 2025.
Co-defendant, Bridget Denise Harris, 53, of Homerville, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 1, 2025. Bridget Harris faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19.
Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Trafficking methamphetamine and other addictive illegal drugs in the Middle District of Georgia will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Law enforcement agencies at every level are working together to stop the flow of illegal drugs into our communities and hold all those profiting from these deadly substances accountable for their crimes.”
“Methamphetamine trafficking fuels addiction, violence and instability in our communities,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This significant sentence removes a dangerous trafficker from our streets and helps make our communities safer.”
“This case highlights the reach and danger of methamphetamine trafficking networks and the damage they cause in our communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Through strong partnerships with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to target those who profit from these drugs and hold them accountable.”
“I want to express my sincere thanks to the DEA and the GBI for their unwavering dedication and hard work in helping to keep drugs off the streets,” said Clinch County Sheriff Raymond Peterson.
According to court documents and statements in court, Crage Harris was under investigation for methamphetamine distribution from a Mexican source in 2022, after federal agents discovered packages containing illegal drugs delivered to a residence on Travis Lane in Clinch County, Georgia, associated with him. Based on the suspicion of drug trafficking, additional multi-agency surveillance continued at the Travis Lane location. A search warrant was executed at Travis Lane in April 2022 following the delivery of several packages, under surveillance by the GBI and the Clinch County Sheriff’s Office. Harris’s former wife, co-defendant Bridget Harris, was seen placing the packages in the trunk of a car. Inside the packages, agents found bottles containing liquid methamphetamine and seized approximately 731 grams of methamphetamine.
The DEA, the GBI, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Clinch County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Four Georgia Men Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Four Columbus, Georgia, men have now been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking organization centered in Columbus. The prosecution stemmed from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking in the Columbus area.
The defendants were sentenced as follows:
Undrae Hayes, also known as Skizite, 38, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Malik Williams, also known as YSN Bird, 27, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine;
Dahvontay Richardson, 28, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine; and
Jeffrey Kimbrough, 29, also known as YSN Trap, was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
The investigation into these defendants and their drug dealing included court authorized wiretaps on co-defendant Fernando Brown’s cellular telephone, physical surveillance and other investigative techniques.
According to filed court documents:
On April 14, 2023, law enforcement conducted physical surveillance at 2403 Garden Drive, Columbus, Georgia. This address had been previously identified, through both physical and pole camera surveillance, as a location from which co-defendant Fernando Brown distributed narcotics. At approximately 10:00pm, Agents observed a silver Honda sedan arrive at the location. The passenger of the vehicle entered the residence, returned to the vehicle several minutes later with an unknown object/bag in his hand, and left. The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) conducted a traffic stop of the silver Honda sedan and the passenger, later identified as Hayes, exited the car and fled on foot. Officers witnessed Hayes carrying a small backpack in his hands which he discarded. He was apprehended a short time later and the bag was retrieved. A search of the bag revealed eight clear plastic baggies containing 208.863 grams of methamphetamine, one clear plastic baggie containing nine grams of a brownish powder substance suspected to be heroin, a digital scale, and a box of plastic baggies.
On June 2, 2023, Fernando Brown contacted Williams about conducting a drug transaction in the parking lot of Pyramid Food Mart in Columbus. Brown informed Williams he was “dry” and needed some product for his “play” at Pyramid. The FBI set up surveillance and observed Brown meeting with an individual who matched the physical description of Williams. Brown was observed interacting with the driver of a pick-up truck parked next to his vehicle and briefly appeared to place something into the pickup truck.
Following the transaction, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on Williams' car, from which Williams fled. Intercepted calls captured Williams speaking with Brown during the pursuit with Williams repeatedly asking Brown for his location and saying that he was traveling towards Brown. Williams' Toyota Camry was found abandoned. Agents searched the Camry and located about 2,992 grams of marijuana divided into 13 plastic bags, along with cocaine.
Additionally, based on intercepted calls during a court authorized Title III wiretap on co-conspirator Fernando Brown's phone, agents with the FBI and DEA determined Richardson distributed cocaine and marijuana on behalf of Brown. On May 24, 2023, intercepted calls showed Richardson sold an ounce of cocaine to a customer at a Dollar Tree in Columbus, Georgia at the behest of co-conspirator Brown.
Calls were also intercepted between co-defendant Fernando Brown and Kimbrough facilitating the distribution of narcotics. On June 11, 2023, FBI and DEA intercepted calls where Kimbrough and Brown were discussing “zips.”
On that same date, Brown advised Kimbrough to “grab that mambo serve them a cutie out of the mambo go in the closet in the bathroom.” Agents believed “mambo” was in reference to marijuana and “cutie” typically denotes a quarter pound of drugs.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia, Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis of the FBI Atlanta Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the DEA Atlanta Field Division made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Southwest Georgian Faces 30 Years in Prison for Teenage Sextortion CrimeRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Berrien County, Georgia, man is facing up to 30 years in prison for attempting to sextort a teenager he met over Snapchat.
Cenobio Olguin, Jr., 24, of Lenox, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted production of child pornography before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Jan. 27. Olguin, Jr. is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Sextortion of children on social media is a serious crime that requires constant vigilance from parents and caregivers,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “Law enforcement will aggressively pursue online predators, and our office will seek the toughest penalties for those who exploit children. We urge everyone to stay informed about online dangers and to report any suspected sextortion or exploitation immediately.”
“This defendant used fear, manipulation and threats to sexually exploit a minor, causing real and lasting harm,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Sextortion is a predatory crime, and the FBI will aggressively pursue anyone who targets children online. We urge parents, teens and caregivers to report suspicious or coercive online behavior immediately—
early reporting can stop abuse and protect victims.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Olguin, Jr. met a 16-year-old female on Snapchat in 2024. He requested that she send snaps of herself at various stages of undress, and she complied. She then blocked Olguin. Months later, Olguin contacted the teenager on Snapchat and sent her the nude photos she had previously shared with him. Olguin threatened to release the photos to her high school friends if she did not continue sending him nude photos.
Olguin, Jr., continued to make various threats to the teenager, including posting her nude photos as a public story on Snapchat. In addition, Olguin, Jr., mentioned another girl he previously extorted. He claimed he sent the nude photos of this other victim to a few boys at her school and ordered the boys to rape her.
The 16-year-old then complied with Olguin, Jr.’s threats and sent additional nude and explicit images on Snapchat. Olguin, Jr. told her if she ever blocked him, un-added him, reported him or talked to the police, she “knew what would happen.”
The Dayton, Ohio, FBI Resident Agency received a tip in December 2024 that the teenager was a victim of sextortion. The victim was interviewed; a subsequent investigation led to Olguin, Jr. A search warrant was issued at Olguin, Jr.’s Berrien County residence in the Middle District of Georgia on May 5, 2025. Agents found 91 images and 29 videos of child pornography on Olguin, Jr.’s cell phone. Agents recovered the Snap messages between the defendant and his teenage victim, including the child sexual assault material Olguin. Jr. sextorted from the victim.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI Valdosta Resident Agency and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Federal Authorities Warn of Fraudsters Impersonating ProsecutorsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Federal authorities are warning citizens of a scammer or group of scammers—potentially outside of the United States—contacting American citizens around the country, posing as prosecutors or federal law enforcement and attempting to defraud people of money by claiming they are possible victims or suspects of a fraud investigation.
“Fraudsters will go to great lengths to steal money from people who, in this case, believe they are dutifully complying with lawful requests by law enforcement or prosecutors,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “No one in the U.S. Attorney’s Office will contact a citizen with demands for bank account information and money. If you receive a similar call or email, please contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov immediately.”
“These fraudsters are capitalizing on fear and intimidation because nobody wants to be the victim of a crime or the subject of a law enforcement investigation,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis. “The FBI will actively pursue and charge those who participate in such criminal activity.”
According to the FBI, in this specific scam, fraudsters impersonate federal agents or prosecutors. By reaching out via text message, email or call, the fraudster claims you have been a victim of fraud, or you are a suspect in a fraud investigation. There are typically several contacts before personal information is requested, including credit cards, banking and other information. Fraudsters are targeting victims in North Carolina and California, but federal authorities warn people in every state to be vigilant.
Other similar scams exist, such as the jury duty scam, in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officers at the local, state or federal level. As with jury duty scams (for more information, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/atlanta/news/jury-duty-scammers-target-georgians or https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/georgia-inmates-found-guilty-nationwide-jury-duty-call-scheme) scammers often provide details like actual law enforcement titles, badge numbers, names, and addresses to increase their credibility. They may even “spoof” phone numbers to make calls appear to come from legitimate government agencies, further deceiving victims.
If someone receives such a call or email, they should not provide any personal information, credit card numbers, prepaid cards or money. Federal authorities do not call victims of crimes or suspects of crimes and ask for money or personal identifying information over the telephone.
Here are some tips to avoid becoming the victim of this type of scam:
Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, text messages and emails.
Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact.
Trust your instincts: if an unknown caller pressures you, or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.
If concerns remain about the caller’s claims, verify the information with the appropriate law enforcement agency or court officials.
If you believe you have been a victim of a fraudulent scheme, you are encouraged to file a report, including a description of the caller and any available caller ID information, with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
Valdosta Repeat Offender Faces a Max of Life in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm After Firing Shots in StoreRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man with a lengthy criminal history who was arrested after firing a round between customers standing inside a Valdosta, Georgia, convenience store is facing up to life in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Eric Jerome Tooley, 46, of Hahira, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Jan. 22. Tooley is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years up to life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine as an armed career criminal. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed repeat offenders found endangering people’s safety will find their cases prosecuted at the federal level, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “I commend the bravery displayed by the responding Valdosta Police Department officers and their work to safely apprehend the defendant. We are grateful for the continued partnership with law enforcement at every level to keep people safe.”
“This defendant’s actions showed a complete disregard for human life—firing inside a business and endangering innocent bystanders,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF will continue to work alongside the Valdosta Police Department and our law enforcement partners to ensure repeat violent offenders are removed from our communities and held fully accountable in federal court.”
“This case is a great example of the importance of collaboration between local, state and federal partners,” said Valdosta Police Department Chief Leslie Manahan. “We thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their diligence and leadership in prosecuting this violent offender and helping to protect our community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a Valdosta Police Department officer on patrol heard gunshots coming from the nearby Mega Mart on North Lee Street in Valdosta on Feb. 19, 2025. As the officer drove into the parking lot, he spotted Tooley heading toward a local grocery store; another bystander reported that three shots were fired inside the store. The officer and responding police safely apprehended Tooley near East Jane Street. Authorities obtained the Mega Mart video surveillance capturing Tooley getting agitated with the cashier over a lighter, pointing his pistol at the store clerk, then turning the gun and firing it between two customers in the store. Tooley has prior felony drug distribution convictions in the Superior Courts of Cobb County, Georgia, and Lowndes County, Georgia. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Valdosta Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Southwest Georgia Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Lee County man, a major methamphetamine distributor connected to two federal drug investigations in Southwest Georgia and a Georgia prison, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.
Luis Jose Vanga, 49, of Leesburg, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 300 months in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Aug. 5, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Luis Vanga and his associates have been key figures in distributing methamphetamine in Leesburg. With his conviction, a major drug network that fueled addiction and caused death has been dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Armed drug traffickers in Southwest Georgia and throughout the Middle District of Georgia should be aware that local, state and federal law enforcement are working to find you and ensure you are held accountable for crimes that harm our communities.”
“This 25-year sentence reflects the seriousness of methamphetamine trafficking tied to armed criminal activity,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “When individuals choose to flood our communities with dangerous drugs and use violence to protect their profits, they will be held fully accountable. DEA remains committed to dismantling these networks and removing those who pose a direct threat to public safety.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that methamphetamine trafficking and the violence that results will not be tolerated in Georgia,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains committed to working alongside our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle drug networks that endanger our communities. We will hold those responsible fully accountable, whether they operate on the streets or attempt to continue their crimes from behind prison walls.”
“This sentencing marks the conclusion of multiple investigations into the bulk distribution of controlled substances by several individuals operating throughout the greater Lee County area, which have resulted in lengthy federal prison sentences for every defendant involved,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals. “Let these sentences serve as a warning to anyone foolish enough to consider following in their footsteps. We encourage anyone engaged in criminal activity to stay out of, or get out of, Lee County.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Vanga was taken into custody for distributing methamphetamine by the GBI on May 19, 2022, as part of a multi-agency investigation into armed drug trafficking in Lee County, which resulted in the conviction of Shaun Anthony Akins, of Leesburg, who is currently serving a 12-year federal sentence for distributing methamphetamine. For more information about Akins’ federal case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/lee-county-man-sentenced-12-years-prison-distributing-meth.
Vanga was convicted of distributing illegal drugs at the state level. While Vanga was incarcerated in a Georgia prison, law enforcement learned that he continued to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in coordination with Larry Roger Sparks, Jr., of Albany. As a result of this investigation in this prison-based drug distribution network, Sparks, Jr. was convicted and sentenced to serve 40 years in prison. For more information about Sparks, Jr.’s federal case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/georgia-man-sentenced-40-years-prison-armed-fentanyl-trafficking.
On May 21, 2025, the DEA and Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal court-authorized search warrant at Vanga’s Leesburg residence. In plain view throughout the home, law enforcement saw methamphetamine, multiple boxes of flip and fold bags used for drug distribution, digital scales and a loaded semiautomatic pistol. Vanga has a lengthy criminal history with prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine and possession of hydrocodone.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Twelve Guilty in Macon’s “Operation Mobile Order” Targeting Drugs, GunsRead the Press Release
Twelve Guilty in Macon’s “Operation Mobile Order” Targeting Drugs, Guns
Trap House Operated in Shifts Distributing Cocaine; 26 Firearms, Including Machinegun, SeizedMACON, Ga. – Twelve defendants have admitted guilt for their roles in an armed drug trafficking organization exposed by Operation Mobile Order, a two-year FBI-led investigation centered in Macon that dismantled a major criminal network responsible for distributing kilograms of cocaine and led to the seizure of 26 firearms, including a machinegun.
“Operation Mobile Order broke up an active armed drug ring operating in Macon and Central Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Through strategic coordination and joint action, we are shutting down criminal enterprises threatening the safety of our communities.”
“Operation Mobile Order dismantled a violent drug trafficking organization that treated a Macon neighborhood like a retail storefront for cocaine, backed by an arsenal of firearms,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This investigation shows the FBI’s commitment to targeting criminal networks that fuel addiction, violence and fear in our communities. We will continue to work should-to-shoulder with our partners to make Central Georgia a safer place to live.”
The following defendants have pleaded guilty:
Eddie Reese, 53, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 18, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Roddreckious Williams, 33, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base and one count of distribution of cocaine on Jan. 21, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $1 million fine per count;Antonyo Daniels, aka “Tony,” 30, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Alton Oliver, aka “Alo,” aka “Lo,” 43, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of life in prison;
Devonta Jackson, 31, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Trayvon Simmons, aka “Abo,” 28, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Marvin Huff, aka “Black,” 50, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Roosevelt Cole, aka “Froball,” 52, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Ladarrious King, 31, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Laderion Jacobs, aka “Johnny,” aka “Johnny Cain,” 30, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Leroy Mintz, aka “Booman,” 29, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Nov. 20, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine; and
Tanya Card, 51, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on Dec. 2, 2025, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, in 2022 and 2023, the FBI conducted Operation Mobile Order, a Macon-centered investigation targeting an armed drug trafficking organization led by Reese. During the investigation, the FBI ran nine controlled purchases of cocaine and crack cocaine, and intercepted phone calls and text messages, detailing transactions involving kilograms of cocaine from an Atlanta supplier.
The primary “trap house,” or drug distribution site, was on Richard Street in Macon, a busy location that operated like a restaurant, with members of Reese’s drug organization working shifts to distribute drugs. In a series of recorded calls, Reese discussed drug overdoses in the community and said that if the drugs came from his Richard Street trap house, “everyone in Macon would be dead.”
Reese worked with an Atlanta supplier and was recorded ordering kilograms of cocaine from the supplier and making plans to meet with the supplier to purchase the drugs in October and November of 2023, referring to cocaine as “Tylenol,” “charcoal,” or acres of land. He began working with a new supplier in November 2023 and was recorded discussing the purchase of five kilograms of cocaine with the new supplier.
Reese’s leadership over the drug organization was evident, with many recorded interactions of him directing co-conspirators, for example, ordering one co-conspirator to “do your job” or reminding one co-conspirator, “That's what I pay you for, man. Make you get my money, make you handle the business, man. Get the money, handle the business.”
The FBI executed 11 federal search warrants in Macon, Warner Robins and Atlanta on Nov. 20, 2023, including at the Richards Street trap house, seizing cocaine, 26 firearms and $93,247. The machinegun was seized at co-conspirator Oliver’s home on Williamson Road in Macon.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with prior criminal convictions, including for domestic violence, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Devon Marquell Rambo, 28, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Jan. 21. Rambo was found guilty at trial on May 28, 2025, of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office will prosecute repeat offenders with violent criminal records when they are caught illegally possessing firearms in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “We are grateful for the continued strong collaboration with our law enforcement partners at every level, working with us for safer communities.”
“When convicted felons repeatedly ignore the law and continue to carry guns, they leave us no choice but to bring the full force of federal prosecution,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, ATF Atlanta Field Division. “This verdict sends a clear message: We are watching, we are acting and we are not backing down.”
“We are grateful for the assistance that we have been receiving from the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold offenders accountable,” said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley. “I hope this case serves as a warning that the illegal possession of weapons is not tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Albany Police Department (APD) officers responded to a report of shooting and disorderly conduct on Sept. 20, 2024, at around 10:30 a.m. at a residence on Avalon Avenue. Based on this, the officers obtained a search warrant and lawfully executed that search warrant on the residence. Officers found Rambo alone at the house. After he was apprehended, officers searched the residence, discovering that Rambo had covered his wife’s dog, furniture and several areas of the home with oil, which would make it difficult for officers to arrest him.
During the search, they also found a black safe in one of the rooms, which contained a pistol and a semi-automatic rifle, two 9mm pistol magazines, one rifle magazine and ammunition along with Rambo’s social security card, credit card and Texas inmate identification card. Rambo has prior felony convictions in Texas for domestic violence and burglary. There was also an active arrest warrant out of Texas for aggravated assault at the time of this incident in Georgia. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Albany Police Department with assistance from the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Lim and Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Multi-State ATM “Jackpotting” Ring Busted in Middle District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A group of Venezuelan nationals involved in a series of ATM “jackpotting” thefts across Georgia and additional states have pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Hector Alejandro Alvarado Alvarez, 22, of Venezuela, and Cesar Augusto Gil Sanchez, 22, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on Jan. 7 and face a maximum of 30 years in prison. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.
Co-defendants Javier Alejandro Suarez-Godoy, 20, of Venezuela, was sentenced to time served on Jan. 7, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on Sept. 24, 2025; David Josfrangel Suarez-Sanchez, 24, of Venezuela, was sentenced to serve ten months in prison on Sept. 24, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and Giobriel Alexander Valera-Astudillo, 26, of Venezuela, was sentenced to serve ten months in prison on June 5, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Alvarado Alvarez, Gil Sanchez, Suarez-Godoy, Suarez-Sanchez and Valera-Astudillo are subject to immediate deportation byImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after serving their prison sentences. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Law enforcement agencies nationwide are increasingly encountering jackpotting schemes that have ties to major criminal organizations,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We appreciate the strong collaboration between numerous police departments and the FBI, whose efforts led to the apprehension of this group. These individuals now face ICE detainers for immediate deportation.”
“This group exploited sophisticated malware and traveled across state lines to target financial institutions, demonstrating the evolving and organized nature of modern ATM jackpotting schemes,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners nationwide to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal networks that threaten the security of our banking system and our communities.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the FBI began investigating ATM “jackpotting” thefts that occurred between Sept. 14 and Sept. 16, 2024, at Peoples South Bank ATMs in Macon, Americus and Albany, Georgia, with failed attempts to steal money from Citizens Community Bank ATMs in Banbridge, Georgia, and Tallahassee, Florida. In all, $24,000 was stolen from Peoples South Bank ATMs.
“Jackpotting” exploits ATM vulnerabilities, causing machines to dispense cash. Criminals gather ATM details, then either use malware-infected devices or “supervisor mode” to trigger cash withdrawals. Malware was used in these thefts.
Surveillance video from the ATM thefts showed the ringleader, Alvarado Alvarez, along with other co-conspirators, participating in the thefts and attempted thefts. Law enforcement also recovered Alvarado Alvarez’s fingerprints on the ATM machines in Albany and Bainbridge.
On Oct. 20, 2024, Alvarado Alvarez, Suarez-Sanchez and Varela-Astudillo accessed or attempted to access the ATM machines belonging to Commercial Banking Co. and Citizens Community Bank in Hahira, Morven, and Valdosta, Georgia. The group took $33,000 from the ATM in Morven and $18,000 from the ATM in Valdosta. They failed to steal money from the Haihara ATM machine.
The next day, on Oct. 21, 2024, a Morven Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop of a car driven by Suarez-Sanchez and Varela-Astudillo. The same officer was called to the ATM theft at the Citizens Community Bank on Main Street in Morven. The officer immediately recognized the vehicle in the surveillance footage as the same vehicle he had stopped earlier, being driven by Suarez-Sanchez and Varela-Astudillo. The officer immediately initiated a BOLO (be on the lookout) for the vehicle. The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) stopped the car on Interstate 75 in Tift County, Georgia. Varela-Astudillo and Suarez-Sanchez were placed into custody and taken to Valdosta Police Department. During the arrest, law enforcement discovered stacks of cash inside a black bag located in the passenger seat. Officers also found computer equipment used in the ATM thefts; 40 fingerprints were obtained and matched prints on file for Suarez-Godoy and Alvarado Alverez, along with other co-conspirators.
On November 26, 2024, the Hazard Police Department in Kentucky received a burglary alarm at a Peoples Bank ATM. Alvarado Alvarez was recorded on the security camera tampering with the ATM; other banks in Perry County, Kentucky, had reported similar suspicious activities at their ATMs. Officers quickly tracked down the car seen on the security footage. Alvarado Alvarez, who was driving the car, had no proof of identification, and officers saw a large sum of cash in plain sight. Alvarado Alvarez was taken into custody possessing $67,153.00, an ATM key and several electronic devices used in the ATM thefts. A search warrant executed at Alvarado Alvarez’s motel room recovered an additional $65,600.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Albany, Georgia, Police Department (APD); the Bainbridge, Georgia Police Department (BPD); the Valdosta, Georgia Police Department (VPD); the Hahira, Georgia, Police Department (HPD); the Jasper, Georgia, Police Department; the Morven, Georgia, Police Department (MPD); the Hazard, Kentucky, Police Department (HPD); and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).
Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Georgia Inmates Found Guilty in Nationwide Jury Duty Call SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Two Georgia inmates involved in a nationwide call scheme exhorting unsuspecting citizens to pay off fines to avoid arrest and prosecution were found guilty of their crimes in federal court tonight.
Joey Amour Jackson aka “Apes---,” and Lance Riddle aka “C-Port,” both of Calhoun State Prison, were found guilty of all counts charged by indictment: one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering on Jan. 9, following a five-day trial that began on Jan. 5, before Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands in Albany. The defendants face a maximum 30 years in prison for wire fraud and a maximum of 20 years in prison for money laundering, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine per count. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Centered out of Calhoun State Prison in Georgia, inmates and co-conspirators outside prison walls participated in a nationwide scheme to extract money from citizens by threatening them with arrest and other penalties for missing jury duty,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This scheme went even further by coercing personal photos from some female victims, resulting in threats of rape and other violence against them by inmates. Law enforcement is dedicated to identifying and apprehending those who exploit the goodwill of our citizens, ensuring they face the maximum consequences permitted by law.”
“Not even prison cells prevented these criminals from harming dozens of innocent people. Hopefully, this verdict will bring some level of comfort to the victims and prevent others from falling for similar scams,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in not only addressing these types of inmate-based crimes but also in preventing inmates access to contraband cell phones that provide the means to do so much harm to the unsuspecting public.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, FBI agents in Columbus, Georgia, received information from various law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. regarding reports of wire fraud by Georgia inmates, including from local law enforcement in Colorado, Florida, Virginia, Nevada, California and Ohio. Agents discovered that inmates at Calhoun State Prison, including Jackson and Riddle, were using contraband cellular telephones and advanced electronic techniques such as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to contact victims from a number that mirrored the numbers of their local police departments.
The victims were told they had one or more warrants for their arrest due to missing jury duty. The defendants, posing as police officers, informed the victims that the warrants would be cleared through payment of a bond over the phone and, if not paid, the victims would immediately be arrested. The victims were also informed they were under a “gag” order and couldn’t speak about their warrants until the bond was paid, or they would be immediately arrested. The victims were almost always instructed to purchase gift cards and read the numbers off the back of the cards to the defendants, although wire transfers were sometimes made. Once the bond was paid, the victims were instructed to drive to their local police department to verify their signature on the bond.
Many female victims were told that, because of supposed heightened courthouse security, they needed to go to a local Target store, enter a restroom, undress and record themselves performing a self-conducted cavity search before verifying their signature. Some victims subsequently received lewd and sexually explicit messages, including photos of male genitalia and violent threats. The scheme primarily targeted female professionals with prominent online profiles, though a small number of male victims were also identified.
The inmates impersonated both fictitious individuals and real law enforcement officers from the victims’ local jurisdictions. They worked with co-conspirators outside prison who managed the financial accounts for the group. The stolen proceeds were used to pay off personal debts such as house and vehicle loans, as well as to purchase drugs.
The scheme resulted in more than $464,920 in documented losses from 119 victims nationwide, though the true number of victims is likely much higher. Many cases go unreported, are not fully investigated or are concealed by victims who are too embarrassed to come forward.
The case was investigated by the FBI Atlanta’s Columbus Resident Agency and prosecuted by Criminal Chief Leah McEwen.
Georgia Man Guilty of 69 Counts in Dog Fighting CaseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A well-known dog-fighting breeder and trainer in Southwest Georgia was convicted this week of dozens of federal animal welfare charges, along with possessing guns and manufacturing drugs.
Dun Bradford, of Sale City, Georgia, was found guilty of 67 counts of possessing a dog for use in an animal fighting venture, one count of manufacture of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime on Dec. 16, following a two-day trial that began on Dec. 15, before Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner. Bradford faces a maximum of life in prison. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
“The cruel and inhumane realities of dogfighting are closely linked to illegal drugs, firearms and other serious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our office will use every available resource alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to dismantle dog fighting organizations and bring those responsible to justice. I am grateful to the concerned citizen who reported the abused dogs, whose tip ended a long-standing criminal operation gravely harming animals and the entire community.”
“The defendant had extensive involvement in dog fighting and had garnered a reputation as a dog fighting breeder and trainer, which is an especially brutal pursuit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “His conviction highlights local, state and federal law enforcement working together and applying our expertise and resources to rescue 67 abused dogs and get a notorious player out of the dog fighting criminal enterprise.”
“This case demonstrates the good results achieved when local, state and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate to rescue dogs suffering at the hands of those involved in dog fighting and related crimes,” said U.S. Marshal Stephen Lynn of the Middle District of Georgia. “The U.S. Marshals remain committed to supporting law enforcement in bringing those responsible for dog fighting to justice and ensuring that rescued canines are placed in protective custody, giving them a chance at a better life.”According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office responded to a citizen complaint of animal tethering and neglect at a 17-acre property owned by Bradford in Sale City. Officers saw many pit bull type dogs on heavy chains outside the residence, with some exhibiting aggression toward one another. Agents and animal experts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) were called and search warrants were obtained and executed on the property.
Agents rescued 67 dogs on chains, many without food, water or shelter. Many of the dogs had recent injuries and scars consistent with dog fighting, including one with severe, recent fighting wounds. A shed on the property held a large amount of dog fighting equipment such as veterinary drugs and devices; anabolic horse steroids; a “breeding stand” used to forcibly breed dogs; training and execution items; and paper pedigrees documenting the fighting history of the dogs.
Evidence presented at trial showed Bradford’s home was an area that was used for a long time to breed and train dogs for fighting. Officers also found firearms in Bradford’s home and crack cocaine, along with evidence that the crack was manufactured in Bradford’s kitchen.The case was investigated by the USDA, USMS and the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy with the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s (ENRD) Environmental Crimes Section and Criminal Chief Leah McEwen with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Georgia Man Guilty of 69 Counts in Dog Fighting CaseRead the Press Release
Note, the press release has been updated to include a quote from USDA OIG.
A well-known dog-fighting breeder and trainer in Southwest Georgia was convicted earlier this week of dozens of federal animal welfare charges, along with possessing guns and manufacturing drugs.
Dun Bradford, of Sale City, Georgia, was found guilty of 67 counts of possessing a dog for use in an animal fighting venture, one count of manufacture of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime.
“The defendant had extensive involvement in dog fighting and had garnered a reputation as a dog fighting breeder and trainer, which is an especially brutal pursuit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “His conviction highlights local, state, and federal law enforcement working together and applying our expertise and resources to rescue 67 abused dogs and get a notorious player out of the dog fighting criminal enterprise.”
“The cruel and inhumane realities of dogfighting are closely linked to illegal drugs, firearms and other serious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our office will use every available resource alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to dismantle dog fighting organizations and bring those responsible to justice. I am grateful to the concerned citizen who reported the abused dogs, whose tip ended a long-standing criminal operation gravely harming animals and the entire community.”
“This case demonstrates the good results achieved when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate to rescue dogs suffering at the hands of those involved in dog fighting and related crimes,” said U.S. Marshal Stephen Lynn for the Middle District of Georgia. “The U.S. Marshals remain committed to supporting law enforcement in bringing those responsible for dog fighting to justice and ensuring that rescued canines are placed in protective custody, giving them a chance at a better life.”
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) appreciates the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors in this case,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Miles Davis. “USDA OIG is committed to investigating individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare. We thank the U.S. Marshals Service, the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s office and Code Enforcement Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Middle District of Georgia, and the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice for their partnership with us on this impactful investigation.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office responded to a citizen complaint of animal tethering and neglect at a 17-acre property owned by Bradford in Sale City. Officers saw many pit bull type dogs on heavy chains outside the residence, with some exhibiting aggression toward one another. Agents and animal experts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) were called and search warrants were obtained and executed on the property.
Agents rescued 67 dogs on chains, many without food, water, or shelter. Many of the dogs had recent injuries and scars consistent with dog fighting, including one with severe, recent fighting wounds. A shed on the property held a large amount of dog fighting equipment such as veterinary drugs and devices; anabolic horse steroids; a “breeding stand” used to forcibly breed dogs; training and execution items; and paper pedigrees documenting the fighting history of the dogs.
Evidence presented at trial showed Bradford’s home was an area that was used for a long time to breed and train dogs for fighting. Officers also found firearms in Bradford’s home and crack cocaine, along with evidence that the crack was manufactured in Bradford’s kitchen.
Bradford faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The case was investigated by the USDA, USMS, and the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy with ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Criminal Chief Leah McEwen with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Repeat Offender Guilty of Illegally Possessing a Firearm in ColumbusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A repeat offender who ran from deputies, scaling an airport fence during the chase, is facing a maximum of ten years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Reginald Weeks-Lewis, 29, of Columbus, was found guilty of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at the conclusion of a one-day trial on Dec. 8, before U.S. District Judge Clay Land. The defendant faces a maximum of fifteen years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed repeat felony offenders are seeing their cases make it to the federal prosecutor’s office, where they face steep penalties,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm, and our office is working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable for their crimes.”
“Our collaboration with local law enforcement and federal agencies is crucial in tackling the issue of gun violence,” said Acting ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis. “We will continue to pursue those who violate the law, especially repeat offenders, with the full weight of federal penalties.’”
“The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to our federal partners in order to remove firearms from the hands of those who should not have them,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “We will continue to ensure that Muscogee County is a safer place to work and live for our citizens.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, Weeks-Lewis was driving on Sidney Simons Boulevard in Columbus in the early hours of March 1, 2025, when Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office deputies on patrol observed a traffic violation and initiated a stop. At first, Weeks-Lewis slowed the vehicle down and began to pull off to the side of the road, but then abruptly made a U-turn and began traveling north on Armour Road. Weeks-Lewis lost control of the vehicle, and it traveled across four lanes of traffic, striking the left shoulder of the roadway and blowing out a tire. As deputies approached the car, Weeks-Lewis got out and ran. Deputies followed and loudly commanded him to stop; Weeks-Lewis repeatedly shouted to deputies that he had a firearm.
Weeks-Lewis ran toward the Columbus Municipal Airport and climbed its perimeter fence. A short time later, deputies found him lying face down on airport property in a brushy area. He was taken into custody; the defendant’s semiautomatic pistol with eleven rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber was found tucked between the driver's seat and the center console of his car. Weeks-Lewis has prior felony convictions in Muscogee County Superior Court for burglary, theft by taking, obstruction, vandalism to a place of worship and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Operation Sweet Silence Defendant Guilty of Drug Trafficking in Columbus, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
A repeat offender who prosecutors say was attempting to take over the illicit drug market in Columbus, Georgia, by obtaining methamphetamine, cocaine, and high grade marijuana from California was found guilty by a jury yesterday of drug trafficking resulting from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency law enforcement effort in the community conducted as part of Operation Take Back America, the Department of Justice’s nationwide effort cracking down on criminal organizations and cartels.
Marquez Holloway, aka “Glizzy,” 32, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and more than 50 kilograms of marijuana following a two-day trial. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026.
“The jury convicted the defendant of working across state lines to traffic dangerous drugs — methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana — into his community,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti. “These poisonous drugs drive violence and addiction. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute drug traffickers to restore a sense of safety to neighborhoods throughout the country.”
“Illegal drugs pouring into our communities from dangerous cartels pose a serious threat to the safety of our nation,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Here in the Middle District of Georgia, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal organizations and hold their associates accountable.”
“Illicit drugs devastate our communities, resulting in significant suffering by those addicted and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “We will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to prevent this poison from finding its way onto our streets.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is deploying all resources available to combat criminal organizations that are destroying our communities with drugs, guns and violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Rob Murphy of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This repeat offender’s actions show a deliberate attempt to seize control of an illicit drug market and expand the harm these substances inflict on our communities. DEA will not allow individuals like this to profit from addiction and violence. We will continue working with our partners to disrupt their operations and bring them to justice.”
“This is a huge victory for the citizens we serve,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “There is strength in collaboration when we combine our resources to go after criminal enterprises involving street gangs, drug dealers and convicted felons. We will continue this fight for safer streets and a safer community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, federal and local law enforcement conducted Operation Sweet Silence from Aug. 2022 until May 2024, an extensive investigation into the illegal activities of the Zohannon criminal street gang involving armed drug trafficking. During this extensive investigation, agents discovered that Holloway, who is not a member of the Zohannon organization, was working with others to take control of the illegal drug market in Columbus by supplying exceptionally high-grade marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine from California.
Between September and December 2023, Holloway obtained at least 110 pounds of marijuana to sell in Columbus. Evidence revealed Holloway was sold a kilogram of cocaine and attempted to obtain methamphetamine for distribution in the community during this time. Holloway is a repeat offender, with a prior state conviction in Georgia for drug trafficking.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento County, California, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Operation Sweet Silence Defendant Guilty of Drug Trafficking in ColumbusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A repeat offender who prosecutors say was attempting to take over the illicit drug market in Columbus by obtaining methamphetamine, cocaine and high-grade marijuana from California was found guilty by a jury this week of drug trafficking resulting from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency law enforcement effort in the community conducted as part of Operation Take Back America, the Department of Justice’s nationwide effort cracking down on criminal organizations and cartels.
Marquez Holloway, aka “Glizzy,” 32, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and more than 50 kilograms of marijuana following a two-day trial that began on Dec. 1, before U.S. District Judge Clay Land. The defendant faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Illegal drugs pouring into our communities from dangerous cartels pose a serious threat to the safety of our nation,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Here in the Middle District of Georgia, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal organizations and hold their associates accountable.”
“The jury convicted the defendant of working across state lines to traffic dangerous drugs — methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana — into his community,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General, Matthew R. Galeotti. “These poisonous drugs drive violence and addiction. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute drug traffickers to restore a sense of safety to neighborhoods throughout the country.”
“Illicit drugs devastate our communities, resulting in significant suffering by those addicted and their families,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “We will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to prevent this poison from finding its way onto our streets.”
“The DEA is deploying all resources available to combat criminal organizations that are destroying our communities with drugs, guns and violence,” said Rob Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This repeat offender’s actions show a deliberate attempt to seize control of an illicit drug market and expand the harm these substances inflict on our communities. DEA will not allow individuals like this to profit from addiction and violence. We will continue working with our partners to disrupt their operations and bring them to justice.”
“This is a huge victory for the citizens we serve,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “There is strength in collaboration when we combine our resources to go after criminal enterprises involving street gangs, drug dealers and convicted felons. We will continue this fight for safer streets and a safer community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, federal and local law enforcement conducted Operation Sweet Silence from Aug. 2022 until May 2024, an extensive investigation into the illegal activities of the Zohannon criminal street gang involving armed drug trafficking. During this extensive investigation, agents discovered that Holloway, who is not a member of the Zohannon organization, was working with others to take control of the illegal drug market in Columbus by supplying exceptionally high-grade marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine from California.
Between September and December 2023, Holloway obtained at least 110 pounds of marijuana to sell in Columbus. Evidence revealed Holloway was sold a kilogram of cocaine and attempted to obtain methamphetamine for distribution in the community during this time. Holloway is a repeat offender, with a prior state conviction in Georgia for drug trafficking.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento County, California, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis of the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Former Cadet Guilty of Attempted Meth Smuggling into Dooly State PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former correctional officer cadet who attempted to bring more than a half kilogram of 100% pure methamphetamine into Dooly State Prison for an inmate pleaded guilty to his crime in federal court.
Julius Deshawn Williams Jr., 29, of Bonaire, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Dec.1. Williams faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Court will schedule a sentencing date. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Highly addictive, illegal drugs inside a prison only increase the potential for chaos and violence for everyone on the inside, and can never be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Correctional officers have a vital role in ensuring community safety. We appreciate the collaboration across all levels of law enforcement to protect people.”
“Contraband in the hands of inmates gives them the ability to continue their criminal enterprise, so the efforts of our dedicated officers in stopping those who attempt to introduce these items is paramount in our commitment to public safety," said GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. "We are pleased to see that justice has been served on this individual for his role in jeopardizing the safe and secure operations of our facilities.”
“Keeping narcotics out of our correctional facilities requires strong, united efforts across agencies,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This guilty plea is the result of that collaboration. DEA will continue to stand with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that anyone attempting to introduce dangerous drugs into a prison faces the full force of the law.”
According to statements referenced in court, Williams was a cadet undergoing training to become a correctional officer at Dooly State Prison. On June 24, 2024, when Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officers conducted the security check and shake down required of every person attempting to enter the facility, they found four packages containing methamphetamine wrapped in black tape and hidden in the defendant’s pants. Next, his vehicle was searched, and GDC officers found four more packages of methamphetamine wrapped in black electrical tape and a pistol. Williams admitted he was attempting to bring the drugs into the prison to give to an inmate. The packages contained 640 grams of methamphetamine with 100% purity.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Lynes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Pandemic Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two defendants were sentenced to serve more than five years in prison each and pay more than two million in restitution for their roles in a wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funds, using the money on luxury cars and other personal items.
James Frank Austin, 51, of Americus, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and pay $2,185,175.72 restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA), $1,106,499.62 of which is owed jointly and severally with codefendant Way. Austin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud and two counts of money laundering on Aug. 27.
Rosalend Way, 40, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and pay $1,106,499.62 restitution to the SBA jointly and severally with codefendant Austin. Way was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Sept. 24, following a three-day trial that began on Sept. 22.
U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell handed down the sentences on Dec. 2. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Using stolen taxpayer dollars to purchase a Bentley and other luxury goods at a time of national emergency is wrong, pure and simple, and won’t be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office and our law enforcement partners will hold fraudsters accountable for profiting at the expense of honest and hard-working citizens.”
“Frank Austin and Rosalend Way are two of many people who took advantage of COVID-19 Economic Relief programs intended to provide critical assistance to millions of Americans during one of the deadliest pandemics in history,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “The sentences they received today send an important message that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue investigating and holding those who committed fraud on the COVID-19 programs accountable.”
“Austin and Way chose to commit fraud, further depleting funds designed to help people who struggled to survive during the pandemic,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue criminals who cheat federal health programs and profit at the expense of American taxpayers.”
According to court documents and evidence submitted at trial, on June 21, 2020, Austin and Way applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on behalf of Propel Opportunity Fund, a business established to raise capital through investors and use the funds to conduct pre-development work in underserved neighborhoods, preparing them for future development. The PPP loan application indicated that Propel had 18 employeeswith an average monthly payroll of $420,558, and they needed the funds to make payroll, as well as to pay their mortgage interest and utilities. They also submitted a fraudulent W-3 that indicated Propel paid $4,999,789 in wages in 2019. Way claimed 100% ownership of Propel on the PPP loan application.
IRS records from Propel’s 2019 corporate tax return showed that the company did not pay any salaries or wages, nor did Propel’s bank statements reflect payroll as suggested in the PPP application. The loan was approved and Propel received $1,051,395. Approximately $500,000 ended up in bank account’s belonging to Way and was spent on personal items including dining, retail, gas, groceries and cash withdrawals. Additionally, Austin used approximately $30,000 in funds from another fraudulently obtained PPP loan to pay off Way’s Mercedez-Benz.
Austin submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on May 9, 2020, on behalf of the Austin Smith Center for Community Development (ASCCD). As a result of this fraudulent application, ASCCD was awarded a $654,315.00 PPP loan. Austin also obtained another fraudulent PPP loan for Propel and received $372,500 on March 15, 2021. Instead of these funds being spent for authorized expenditures under the PPP program, Austin used the money for personal expenses, including $119,840 on a Bentley. Austin obtained a total of $2,078,210 in fraudulent PPP loans.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The FBI and the IRS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Howard and Hannah Couch prosecuted the case for the Government.
Career Offender Sentenced to Prison for Meth Distribution in ThomasvilleRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A convicted felon with a lengthy criminal past in South and Central Georgia was sentenced as a federal career offender to serve more than 21 years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute kilograms of methamphetamine.
Charles Reid, Jr., 40, of Cairo, Georgia, was sentenced as a federal career offender to serve 262 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on Nov. 19, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Feb. 19, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat felons with long criminal records are facing federal prosecution and lengthy prison sentences for continually breaking the law and causing chaos in communities across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This is another case where our office is working closely with our local partners to identify career offenders and bring their cases up to the federal level, where they will be held accountable without parole.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Reid, Jr. was under investigation for selling kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in Grady and Thomas counties. Grady County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at Reid, Jr.’s residence in December 2023, finding two pounds of methamphetamine. A confidential source (CS) contacted investigators that Reid, Jr. was in possession of twelve kilograms of methamphetamine and was in Thomasville, Georgia. On Jan. 16, 2024, investigators obtained a search warrant for a residence on Hambleton Street in Thomasville where Reid, Jr. was located and found him hiding under a bed. Officers found approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine under the bed, next to the defendant’s driver’s license. Reid, Jr. has a lengthy criminal history including felony drug convictions in Grady County and Monroe County Superior Courts.
The case was investigated by the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Grady County Sheriff’s Office and the Thomasville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Eight Georgians Sentenced to Prison in Fraudulent Check Cashing SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Eight South Georgia residents, including a bank branch employee, were sentenced to prison for a check cashing and kickback scheme in Valdosta utilizing stolen check information from a former United States Postal Service employee.
“Individuals who participate in check-cashing and kickback schemes will face imprisonment and other penalties,” stated U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Investigators from the Secret Service and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office worked to unravel this criminal network, ultimately preventing further theft and helping us ensure accountability for the defendants.”
“The involvement of the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was crucial in helping Lowndes County investigators solve this complex fraud case and ensure that the defendants are held accountable for their actions,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk.
Frederick Pernell Green, 27, of Valdosta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 122 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Oct. 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Thomas Christopher Mitchell, 31, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 92 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on X, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Calvin Dewayne McKeithen, aka “Supa,” 26, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on March 27, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Dewayne Rasheen Butler, aka “Guwapo,” 26, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Aug. 28, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Tyler Khershad Jones, aka “LA Clippers,” 24, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Sept. 25, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Mariarlene Brown, aka “Mati Mom,” 44, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Oct. 9, after she previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
William Allen Roberts, 27, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve six months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Oct. 30, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Davontay Wiseman, aka “Vonn,” 28, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Sept. 8, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, beginning at least as early as November 2021, and continuing until December 2022, Roberts conspired with his codefendants to commit bank fraud. At the time of this conspiracy, Brown was an employee at a Truist Bank branch in Valdosta. Roberts unlawfully obtained check information from Vincent Galliard, 41, of Sumter, South Carolina, a former U.S. Post Office employee in South Carolina, who sold checks he stole from the mail. Galliard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in Case No. 3:23-CR-799-1 in the District of South Carolina and was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $149,692.14 in restitution for his crime. Roberts used the check information provided by Galliard to produce fraudulent checks.
Green, Mitchell, McKeithen, Jones, Butler and Wiseman recruited people to open bank accounts at Truist and to provide their new Truist debit card and account information to them, with the understanding that they would be paid for doing so. Green, Mitchell, McKeithen, Jones, Butler and Wiseman passed the account information to Roberts, who would write the fraudulent checks in various sums of money to those individuals. Roberts, with Brown’s help, deposited the checks into the accounts, and Brown would ensure that Roberts would be able to withdraw the cash from these accounts. Brown was paid for her services, and Roberts also paid out a portion to the other codefendants and the solicited accountholders. Green, Roberts, Mitchell, McKeithen, Jones, Butler and Wiseman retained most of each check deposited. Investigators found text messages between the co-defendants that described the conspiracy, as well as photos of debit cards, account numbers, fraudulent checks, cash obtained from the check deposits and a custom-made diamond ring in the shape of the Truist logo worn by Green.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.
This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Central Georgian Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud in Insurance SchemeRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. –The former owner and repeat winner of “Insurance Agent of the Year” of a Warner Robins insurance group was sentenced to federal prison for a premium payment scheme the Government maintains he committed to again win the distinction and enjoy its associated benefits.
Jeremy Lasseter, 44, of Perry, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison and pay $221,515.16 in restitution to the victim (paid in full by the defendant at sentencing) to the victim by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Nov. 19, after he pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on Aug. 27. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The money taken from the victim has had a significant negative impact on her life. The defendant must be held accountable for defrauding her and abusing the trust placed in him by Alfa Insurance,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This is not a victimless crime; such schemes will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia.”
“Lasseter’s actions undermined the integrity of the insurance industry and his deliberate scheme to redirect premium payments for his own gain is a clear violation of the law and a betrayal of the victim’s trust,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains committed to holding individuals accountable who exploit others for personal benefit.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Lasseter was the owner of an Alfa Insurance Agency group located in Warner Robins and was selected as Alfa’s Georgia “Insurance Agent of the Year” for four years in a row. Beginning in March 2020, Lasseter directed the victim, who was one of his insurance customers, to make premium payments but did not apply the payments towards her policies. Instead, the defendant used the victim’s premium payments towards the premiums for other insurance customers without the victim’s knowledge or consent. When directing the victim to make payments, he would sometimes instruct her to make the checks payable to him rather than Alfa Insurance or to provide cash payments to him, stating that it was better for tax purposes. The victim relied on Lasseter’s instructions to her and, at his direction, made a total of $221,515.16 in payments that were not used towards her policies, but were used to pay other customers of Lasseter’s policies. The Government maintains that Lasseter initiated this fraud to secure Alfa’s “Insurance Agent of the Year” award for an additional consecutive year, an honor that would grant him other perks and status.
The case was investigated by FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Guilty Verdicts in Southwest Georgia Repeat Offender CasesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Two repeat offenders were found guilty of federal crimes at trial earlier this month, following separate investigations in two Southwest Georgia cities.
Johnny Will Murray, Jr., 41, of Moultrie, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Nov. 5, following a three-day trial that began on Nov. 3, before Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands in Valdosta. The defendant faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2026.
Lucis Lamar Williams, 42, of Pelham, Georgia, was found guilty of four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of aiding and abetting the possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 6, following a four-day trial that began on Nov. 3, before Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner in Albany. Williams faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison up to a maximum of life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26, 2026.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our trial teams, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, have successfully delivered justice to repeat offenders who continue to ignore the law and harm the community,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Agencies at all levels of law enforcement are working to improve community safety across the Middle District of Georgia and hold criminal offenders accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at Murray, Jr.’s trial, on Nov. 11, 2021, the Moultrie Police Department executed a search warrant at Murray, Jr.’s home on suspicion of armed drug trafficking. Officers found approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, two digital scales, several empty vacuum-sealed bags and a rifle in Murray Jr.’s bedroom. Inside the bedroom closet was a safe with three more firearms, magazines, ammunition and $5,600. Officers also found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine ice floating on top of the water in a toilet. Murray, Jr. has several past felony convictions; it is illegal for a felon to possess a firearm.
According to court documents and statements referenced at Williams’ trial, GBI launched an investigation into Williams for drug trafficking in Pelham, conducting a series of controlled buys between September and December 2022. Each time, Williams sold between one and four ounces of methamphetamine to either a confidential informant or an undercover. This is William’s third serious felony drug conviction.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Murray Jr. case was investigated by the Moultrie Police Department and the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels.
The Williams case was investigated by GBI and prosecuted by Criminal Chief Leah McEwen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid.
This press release about cases that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia man who admitted to sexually exploiting a child by sending explicit instructions for the abuse of a young girl over social media was sentenced to serve more than 21 years in prison for his crime.
William Barnett, II, 33, of Athens, was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III, on Nov. 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child on Aug. 4. In addition, Barnett will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office is unwavering in the pursuit of justice on behalf of children who are sexually abused and exploited,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are working with law enforcement at every level to safeguard children and ensure that predators are held responsible."
“Thanks to the diligent efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and its law enforcement partners, this predator will now spend time behind bars for his appalling actions,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “This investigation underscores our commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and pursuing justice for those who seek to exploit and harm children.”
“Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “These heinous crimes will not be tolerated in our community. We will continue to work with our partners to protect the children of this community and will pursue those who prey on them.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) was investigating a case in February 2024, involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) being shared using the social media and file sharing platform Mega. As a part of that investigation, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) identified Chris Adam Valentine as the suspect. To learn more about Valentine’s case and subsequent federal prosecution and conviction, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/athens-man-sentenced-30-years-prison-sexually-exploiting-child.
During the ACCPD investigation into the hands-on offenses against four minor children, agents discovered a chat thread between Valentine and Barnett in 2022 and 2023; in the chat, Barnett stated he was using a pseudonym and that his name was actually “Will.” Throughout the chat, Valentine sent numerous images of CSAM to Barnett, including a video depicting the sexual assault of a girl between the ages of six and ten years old by an adult man. Other CSAM images were shared in this chat thread between Valentine and Barnett, including a video Barnett sent to Valentine of an adult man sexually assaulting a girl between the ages of five and ten years old. On Aug. 22, 2022, Valentine sent Barnett an image of a female child being sexually assaulted; Barnett responded to Valentine with specific instructions to further abuse the child. Valentine responded with “OK” and then sent two additional images of the same child being abused as Barnett instructed.
A search warrant was obtained and executed at Barnett’s residence on April 3, 2024. Barnett was not home at the time the warrant was executed but was soon located nearby and was arrested. Agents seized eight cellphones; two of the devices contained CSAM. One cellphone had 54 images and three videos of prepubescent minors and toddlers being sexually assaulted and abused by adults. Many of these files were in the Kik and the Mega social media apps. Agents located numerous chats across several platforms where Barnett was messaging with others regarding CSAM, both receiving and sending links with CSAM.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the HSI Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach prosecuted the case for the Government.
This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Defendants Face Justice for Distributing 3,200 Kilos of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A dozen defendants involved in a major methamphetamine ring operating between Mexico and a conversion site in Monroe, Georgia, responsible for converting and distributing thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine shipped in from Mexico and hidden in boxes of jalapeños, are being held accountable for their crimes at the federal level in an Operation Take Back America investigation.
“This Operation Take Back America case amplifies the kind of major law enforcement efforts occurring across the Middle District of Georgia, focused on breaking dangerous cartels and armed drug trafficking organizations that destroy lives,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I commend our dedicated federal, state and local law enforcement partners who work side-by-side with our office to bring justice and make our communities safer.”
"This investigation is a prime example of the critical work being done to dismantle violent drug trafficking organizations that operate with impunity, bringing dangerous narcotics into our communities,” said Paul Bown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Office. “The FBI’s role in this investigation, alongside our dedicated federal, state and local law enforcement partners, has led to the disruption of a significant methamphetamine operation and the arrest of multiple individuals responsible for poisoning our communities.”
“Methamphetamine destroys families, fuels violent crime and erodes the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. By taking down this network of a dozen traffickers, we’re not just removing drugs, we’re removing the source of addiction, exploitation and tragedy in our communities.”
“This investigation underscores the power of collaboration between federal, state and local partners to dismantle large-scale drug trafficking operations that threaten our communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The sheer volume of methamphetamine seized in this case represents thousands of lives that could have been destroyed. The GBI remains committed to working alongside our partners to identify, investigate and stop transnational criminal networks operating in Georgia.”
“The vast amount of methamphetamine being supplied is truly alarming and serves as a strong reminder that even in safe, close-knit communities like Walton County, we must stay vigilant,” said Walton County Sheriff Keith Brooks. “Collaboration at all governmental levels is essential for operational success, and we appreciate the strong partnerships.”
“This investigation is another great example of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together toward the shared goal of keeping our community safe. I’m proud of the collaboration and teamwork invested in this case, which led to the seizure of a significant amount of dangerous drugs. These substances have devastating effects on our community and far too often claim lives unnecessarily. Because of the continued dedication of these men and women, there are fewer narcotics and violent offenders on our streets, and our community is safer as a result,” said Athens Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters.
The following co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on Jan. 12, 2026:
James Len Ramey, 53, of Comer, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 14, and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Kendell Cawthon, 60, of Baldwin, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Bonterris Turner, 45, of Athens, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Demetrius Appling, 38, of Crawford, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Yirla Adame Gomez, 25, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Rafael Gomez Flores, 22, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Andrea Robinson, 42, of Cleveland, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The following co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2026:
Yuretzi Adame Gomez, 40, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.
The following co-conspirators pleaded guilty and have been sentenced:
Christopher Hyatt, 46, of LaGrange, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 292 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Aug. 5, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 1.
Uriel Garcia, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Aug. 5, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine on May 2.
Jared Kenyatta Calhoun, 33, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 8.
Ebony Jones-Tate, 33, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced to 90 days of home confinement and three years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 8.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the FBI in Athens received information in January 2024 that Ramey was selling kilogram amounts of methamphetamine from Rapid Lube in Athens, where he worked. The FBI investigation revealed that Ramey was supplied with drugs by individuals operating a methamphetamine conversion lab inside a residence on Mountain Creek Church Road in Monroe, Georgia (Walton County). The FBI installed a pole camera outside the Mountain Creek house and frequently observed the occupants taking boxes out of the house and loading them into vehicles, which agents suspected contained kilogram amounts of methamphetamine. The FBI also used two confidential informants to make multiple purchases of methamphetamine from Ramey at his workplace, totaling more than six kilograms of pure methamphetamine and multiple ounces of cocaine between Jan. 19, 2024, and June 25, 2024.
The FBI identified Cawthon as Ramey’s courier, who he frequently directed to drive to various parking lots throughout metro Atlanta to retrieve large boxes containing multiple kilograms of methamphetamine from unidentified Hispanic males and females. After receiving the boxes, Cawthon would immediately transport them to Ramey at Rapid Lube, where the boxes were taken into the garage and stored. On the morning of Sunday, June 30, 2024, Ramey and Cawthon were observed over an FBI-installed pole camera arriving at Rapid Lube and loading boxes into the bed of Cawthon’s truck. Ramey and Cawthon left Rapid Lube driving in tandem.
FBI Task Force Agents surveilled the defendants as they drove towards Ramey’s house in Comer. GSP conducted a traffic stop on Cawthon’s truck; it was searched, and the boxes that he and Ramey had removed from Rapid Lube just minutes before and placed in the bed of his truck were found to contain approximately 20 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. Ramey was arrested on July 3, 2024, and admitted that he was being supplied multiple kilograms of methamphetamine. Ramey said he met his supplier while serving a prison sentence in Georgia. In the weeks and months following Ramey’s arrest, Rapid Lube employees found approximately six kilograms of suspected methamphetamine hidden in oil filter boxes in the Rapid Lube garage.
In August 2024, a federal search warrant was issued for the Mountain Creek House and for a Chevrolet Traverse observed by agents transporting drugs from the residence. On Aug. 13, occupants inside the Mountain Creek House were seen leaving the residence in the Traverse and travelling to a Home Depot parking lot in Monroe. An occupant in the Traverse carried a box from the Traverse to the occupants of a Chevrolet Camaro with an Alabama license plate. Certain that a drug transaction had just occurred in their presence, the FBI asked Walton County Sheriff's Office deputies to stop the Camaro. The deputy smelled marijuana inside the Camaro driven by Jones-Tate; Calhoun was a passenger. Officers found four kilograms of pure methamphetamine in the box inside the car.
Following the arrest of the Jones-Tate and Calhoun, agents stopped the Chevrolet Traverse as it left the Mountain Creek House. Inside the Traverse, agents found 983.3 grams of pure methamphetamine and $4,350 in U.S. currency. Garcia, Yuritzi Gomez, Yirla Gomez and Gomez Flores were arrested. Agents then executed the search warrant on the Mountain Creek House and found, as they suspected, an active methamphetamine conversion laboratory. Over four kilograms of "finished" crystal methamphetamine were found inside the house, while the bulk of the methamphetamine was in liquid form waiting to be converted. Based on measurements and samples obtained at the scene, the DEA estimates that the amount of seized liquid methamphetamine would produce over 300 kilograms of finished crystal methamphetamine.
The cell phones belonging to the occupants in the Traverse were seized and searched. The search of the phones revealed that drugs were sent to the Mountain Creek House from Mexico. concealed in truckloads of boxes of jalapeños, which explained why agents located hundreds of pounds of rotting jalapeños and discarded jalapeño boxes in the backyard of the house. More importantly, inside the residence, agents found a drug ledger which showed that from Feb. 28, 2024, until August 8, 2024, 1,546.5 kilograms of methamphetamine had been converted inside the Mountain Creek House. Approximately 3,200 kilograms of methamphetamine from four different shipments from Mexico arrived at the Mountain Creek House concealed in boxes of jalapenos.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Neo-Nazi Guilty of Hate Crimes Targeting Georgia Rabbi, State House Rep.Read the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes this month tried and won a hate crime conviction against a neo-Nazi who mailed separate antisemitic threats from North Carolina to Georgia’s only Jewish State House Representative and Temple Beth Israel’s Rabbi after both women publicly supported the passage of Georgia House Bill 30, the state’s first legislation defining antisemitism.
Ariel E. Collazo Ramos, 32, of High Point, North Carolina, was found guilty of one count of mailing threatening communications with the addition of a hate crime enhancement on Nov. 4, following a two-day trial that began on Nov. 3, before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. The defendant faces a maximum of five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The defendant was not exercising his free speech when he mailed antisemitic postcards to Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar and Georgia House Representative Esther Panitch—this neo-Nazi delivered a true threat to life and liberty,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Antisemitic threats and all threats made against the federally protected freedoms of our citizens will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. We will utilize the full power of the federal government to protect our civil rights.”
“Antisemitic hate has no place in Georgia or anywhere, and this verdict shows these hateful threats are clearly a crime,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “No person and no community should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence. The conviction of Ariel E. Collazo Ramos shows the FBI’s commitment to root out these threats and ensure all people are protected in the expression of their faith.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, a neo-Nazi group gathered outside of Temple Beth Israel in Macon in 2023 as the congregation was inside observing the start of Sabbath. In January 2024, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel testified before the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Georgia House Bill 30, a bill defining antisemitism. The bill was co-sponsored by State Representative Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the Georgia House of Representatives. The bill was signed into law on Jan. 31, 2024. Rep. Panitch received an antisemitic postcard from Ramos at her home the morning of the bill signing; Rabbi Bahar received an antisemitic postcard from Ramos at her home the following day, on Feb. 1, 2024.
At the time, Ramos sold candles, postcards and other products depicting racial, antisemitic and white nationalist themes through his at-home business, “Patriot Candle Company.” Ramos mailed a threatening postcard to Rabbi Bahar’s home address from North Carolina. The postcard contained the handwritten statement, "Is there a child rape, torture, and murder tunnel under your house? We have the Zyklon B. Use Code ‘GASTHEJEWS’ for 10% off!" The reverse side of the postcard displayed a hand-drawn image depicting a purported Jewish male wearing a rat costume and the words “JEWS ARE RATS.” Rep. Panitch received an identical postcard to her home address. Both Rabbi Bahar and Rep. Panitch testified at trial the steps they took for their own safety in response to receiving the threatening postcards. Rabbi Bahar and Rep. Panitch had family members murdered by Nazis using Zyklon B during the Holocaust.
The case was investigated by FBI.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government with assistance from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Leader of Georgia Armed Meth Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 30 YearsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The incarcerated intermediary between an Atlanta-based Mexican drug cartel supplying methamphetamine into Southwest Georgia and distributors working for him in the region was sentenced to serve three decades in federal prison, resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation.
Garry Allen Harris, aka “G Money” aka “Gary Cody,” 33, formerly of Albany, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release on Oct. 7, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 25, 2025. The federal sentence will be served consecutively to the terms of imprisonment he is serving in Case No. 15-CR-0058 and Case No. 15-CR-0066 in Worth County, Georgia, Superior Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Garry Harris showed no remorse for his crimes, continuing to push drugs, possess weapons and even threaten a co-conspirator twice while behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Thanks to the diligent and coordinated efforts of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we have successfully dismantled a narcotics pipeline into Southwest Georgia linked to a Mexican cartel and directed by an incarcerated gang member. Under Operation Take Back America, our office will leverage every available resource to seek justice and protect citizens.”
“This 30-year sentence sends a powerful message to those who believe they can profit from poisoning our communities with methamphetamine,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Our law enforcement partners and agents worked relentlessly to dismantle this operation, and this outcome reflects the serious consequences that await anyone who traffics in this deadly drug.”
The following co-defendants have been convicted in this case:
Wallace Eric Strickland, 41, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 286 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release on Nov. 21, 2024, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 28, 2024;
Niki Lynn Crabtree-Booth, 32, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 148 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on April 17, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on March 21, 2024;
Aryn Brittany Jones, 32, of Leesburg, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on May 22, 2024, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 12, 2023; and
Ryan Daniel Farr, 34, of Leesburg, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 27, 2024, after he previously pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice on March 20.
Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands presided over this case.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, as part of a multi-level investigation into armed drug trafficking in Southwest Georgia with links to a Mexican drug cartel in Atlanta, agents executed court-authorized searches on multiple Facebook accounts and cellphones belonging to the codefendants. Law enforcement first discovered several Facebook communications between Harris and co-defendant Crabtree-Booth in January 2022 discussing illegal drug distribution. Harris, a Georgia Department of Corrections inmate, directed Strickland, Crabtree-Booth, Jones and Farr, along with other unnamed individuals, to obtain or distribute large quantities of illegal drugs. From behind bars, Harris acted as an intermediary between the narcotic dealers and his narcotic supplier, an associate known as “Professor” or “Coach” with ties to a Mexican drug cartel in Atlanta. In all, Harris is being held responsible for distributing 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with multiple firearms possessed by members of his drug distribution network. Harris has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, robbery by force and illegally possessing firearms. He is a validated member of the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang. For more information about this case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/defendants-sentenced-prison-separate-armed-meth-trafficking-investigations-southwest.
In handing down the sentence, the Court found Harris made credible threats of violence against a co-conspirator and subsequently continued to obstruct justice by threatening the same co-conspirator not to cooperate or testify against him. During the four-day sentencing hearing, the Government called three witnesses and introduced 92 exhibits, showing Harris twice possessed a shank while incarcerated at the Irwin County Jail in December 2023 and May 2024, and he also possessed a contraband cell phone. DEA executed a federal court-authorized search warrant on Harris’s Facebook account in December 2023 and found that he was attempting to distribute narcotics while behind bars; Harris was found in possession of narcotics in June and July 2024. Harris did not receive a sentencing reduction from the Court due to his continued criminal actions after the initial federal offense, as he failed to demonstrate acceptance of responsibility for his crimes.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, with considerable assistance from the Americus Police Department and the Fitzgerald Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Sentencings, Plea Hearings in Southwest Georgia Armed Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Ten defendants involved in an armed drug trafficking organization are being held accountable for their crimes at the federal level, resulting from a multi-level law enforcement effort in southwest Georgia that seized 30 firearms, including two machineguns, along with methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“This case amplifies the kinds of efforts across the Middle District of Georgia to get guns and drugs off our streets and make the communities we serve safer for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working alongside law enforcement at every level to identify the most egregious offenders to hold them accountable at the federal level.”
"As part of our ongoing efforts under Operation Take Back America, this case highlights the ATF's crucial role in combating the intersection of gun violence and drug trafficking. We will continue to leverage our resources to ensure that those who endanger our communities face justice,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
“Collaboration with our state, local and federal partners was key to bringing these ten defendants to justice for trafficking drugs in Georgia communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Together, we are making our neighborhoods safer by removing violent offenders, dangerous weapons and deadly narcotics from our streets.”
The following ten defendants have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing:
Devin Covon Randle, 29, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 192 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on Sept. 24, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 25;
Roy Clinton Billingsley, 35, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on Sept. 24, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on May 22;
Wade Lanier Tucker, 40, of Albany, was sentenced to 96 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Feb. 28, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 8, 2024;
Jessica Julianne Raines, 40, of Albany, was sentenced to 72 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Dec. 16, 2024, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on May 15, 2024;
Mitchell Alexander Hilson, 30, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Sept. 24, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Rico Lashun Hall, 32, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 24, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Konterrious Antwon James, 44, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 10, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Bernard Charbrion Holsey, 29, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 10, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Brennan Terrell Woods, 35, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 10, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026; and
Marcena Leundra Jordan, 32, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 5, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026.
Co-defendant Rasheen Malik Garrett, 30, of Albany, is a fugitive and is charged by the indictment in this case filed on Aug. 14, 2024, with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of use of a drug-involved premise and is facing a maximum of life imprisonment. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
If anyone has information regarding Garrett's whereabouts, anonymous tips can be submitted to the GBI by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal and state law enforcement began a criminal investigation in 2023 to target armed drug trafficking in southwest Georgia. During six months, agents conducted numerous controlled purchases of methamphetamine and firearms from Hilson, Randle and several co-conspirators in Albany between July and December 2023. At the conclusion of the investigation, law enforcement executed court-authorized search warrants at multiple local Albany hotels, which resulted in the recovery of additional quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone and numerous firearms. In total, law enforcement seized 28 firearms, two machineguns, 2.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, nine grams of fentanyl and 30 grams of cocaine.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Albany Dougherty Special Investigation Unit (ADSIU) and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A convicted felon with a lengthy criminal past was sentenced to serve nearly two decades in prison after he was found guilty at trial of illegally possessing a firearm while outside a Dollar General store in Valdosta.
Donald Patrick Parr, 69, of Ocilla, Georgia, and formerly of Valdosta, Georgia, and Jennings, Florida, was sentenced as a federal armed career criminal to serve 235 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on Sept. 25. Parr was found guilty at trial of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on May 13. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The penalties are steep for armed career criminals caught illegally possessing firearms in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I want to thank the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and ATF for helping us hold repeat offenders accountable for their continued disregard of the law.”
“Our partnership with local agencies like the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is vital in tackling gun violence and ensuring that those with a history of criminal behavior are held accountable for their actions,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a call concerning a man—later identified as Parr—sitting inside a car at a Dollar General parking lot for over an hour and periodically falling asleep. Authorities discovered Parr was wanted for drug charges in Palo Pinto County, Texas. Law enforcement found a little over a gram of methamphetamine, a bag of marijuana and a .22 caliber revolver in Parr’s vehicle. Parr has multiple prior felony convictions for possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute, making terroristic threats, aggravated fleeing and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Sonja Profit are prosecuting the case for the Government.Central Georgia Woman Found Guilty of Pandemic Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Milledgeville, Georgia, resident was found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funds guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), with most of the funds received used for luxury cars and personal expenses.
Rosalend Way, 40, of Milledgeville, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Sept. 24, following a three-day trial that began on Sept. 22. Way is facing a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 2.
Codefendant, James Frank Austin, 51, of Americus, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud and two counts of money laundering on Aug. 27. Austin is facing a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Austin is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 19.
U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office will pursue justice against those who exploited a taxpayer funded program created to sustain citizens during a national emergency,” stated U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our federal investigative and prosecutorial team is committed to holding these offenders accountable.”
“Way and Austin chose to commit fraud, further depleting funds designed to help people who struggled to survive during the pandemic,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue criminals who cheat federal health programs and profit at the expense of American taxpayers.”
“Defrauding the U.S. government is a serious offense which can bring lifelong consequences to individuals who commit the crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Taxpayers expect their hard-earned dollars to fund the programs and policies enacted by the government. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will hold those accountable who exploit and defraud government programs for their own benefit.”
According to court documents and evidence submitted at trial, on June 21, 2020, Way and Austin applied for a PPP loan on behalf of Propel Opportunity Fund, a business established to raise capital through investors and use the funds to conduct pre-development work in underserved neighborhoods, preparing them for future development. The PPP loan application indicated that Propel had 18 employees with an average monthly payroll of $420,558, and they needed the funds to make payroll, as well as to pay their mortgage interest and utilities. They also submitted a fraudulent W-3 that indicated Propel paid $4,999,789 in wages in 2019. Way claimed 100% ownership of Propel on the PPP loan application.
IRS records from Propel’s 2019 corporate tax return showed that the company did not pay any salaries or wages, nor did Propel’s bank statements reflect payroll as suggested in the PPP application. The loan was approved and Propel received $1,051,395. Approximately $500,000 ended up in bank account’s belonging to Way and was spent on personal items including dining, retail, gas, groceries and cash withdrawals. Additionally, Austin used approximately $30,000 in funds from another fraudulently obtained PPP loan to pay off Way’s Mercedez-Benz.
Austin submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on May 9, 2020, on behalf of the Austin Smith Center for Community Development (ASCCD). As a result of this fraudulent application, ASCCD was awarded a $654,315.00 PPP loan. Austin also obtained another fraudulent PPP loan for Propel and received $372,500 on March 15, 2021. Instead of these funds being spent for authorized expenditures under the PPP program, Austin used the money for personal expenses, including $119,840 on a Bentley. Austin obtained a total of $2,078,210 in fraudulent PPP loans.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The FBI and the IRS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Howard and Hannah Couch are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Texas Man Guilty of Defrauding Georgia Church Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Texas man acting as an insurance adjuster who cheated an Albany church out of millions of dollars paid out by its insurance company to repair its facilities heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018 was sentenced to serve more than 19 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $4 million in restitution to victims in several states.
Andrew Mitchell, formerly Andrew Aga, 46, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to serve 235 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $2,895,903.01 in restitution to the Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. In addition, Mitchell was ordered to pay $1,082,993.41 to other victims after he admitted in open court to similar crimes in Texas and Louisiana. Mitchell’s sentence will run concurrently to a prison sentence imposed in the 29th Judicial District Court of St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, in Case Number 2023-CR-26, at the conclusion of which he will continue to serve the remaining balance of 18 months imprisonment in this case. Mitchell previously pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud on March 27. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Andrew Mitchell will spend nearly two decades in prison for concocting a devious scheme to swindle insurance money from a historic downtown Albany church, a crime he’s committed in other communities after natural disasters,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office and law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue and prosecute these types of fraudsters who prey on people at their most vulnerable.”
“At a time when victims were still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Michael, Andrew Mitchell took advantage of that vulnerability for his own personal gain,” said Georgia Insurance Commissioner John F. King. “I am proud of our investigators and their work in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect hardworking Georgia families and hold the defendant responsible for his actions.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on Pine Avenue in Albany was damaged by Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 hurricane that made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2018. The storm’s eyewall struck the Albany community as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of up to 115 miles per hour and significant rainfall. Friendship Baptist Church sustained damage; an initial inspection revealed at least $216,000 in damages. The facility was insured by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Brotherhood Mutual issued a check for $183,207.89 on Nov. 15, 2018, to Friendship Baptist to cover partial repairs, which was sent via the United States Postal Service (USPS) and was deposited.
In November 2018, a man identifying as Eric Goldberg and who claimed to be associated with Blue Key Construction, met with the church’s pastor, Carl White, to discuss serving as the contractor. A second meeting was held on Nov. 20, 2018, between Goldberg and White, along with Friendship Missionary Baptist Church’s Board of Directors Co-Chairperson Willie Thomas. Goldberg provided a contract authorizing Mitchell, aka “Aga,” to act as a public adjuster.
In December 2018, Mitchell began emailing Brotherhood Mutual representing himself as a Georgia public adjuster employed by International Consulting Group. He was reportedly associated with several corporate entities including but not limited to International Consulting Group; Texas Wind Consultants, LLC; and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants. In January 2019, Mitchell emailed Brotherhood Mutual an itemized estimate for repairs at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church totaling roughly $2.1 million on the letterhead of "Georgia Claim Consultants." In February 2019, Mitchell provided Brotherhood Mutual with a second repair estimate for approximately $5 million. On March 4, 2019, Mitchell emailed an adjustor with Syndicate Claims a proof of loss indicating that the damages to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church would cost $7.1 million to repair. On March 13, 2019, Mitchell emailed a follow-up proof of loss indicating the total repair cost was $6.1 million.
On July 10, 2019, the insurance company issued a check to the church and Mitchell for $3,376,102.18, mailed to Albany. Mitchell emailed asking the check be reissued and made jointly payable to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC, d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants. On July 19, 2019, Brotherhood Mutual issued the check payable to the church and Mitchell, which was mailed to the church. On July 24, 2019, Mitchell emailed Brotherhood Mutual requesting that the payees be changed to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants. He also asked that the reissued check be mailed to an address in Lake Shores, Texas. On July 24, 2019, Brotherhood Mutual issued the check and mailed it as requested. An endorsement on behalf of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was forged.
On July 30, 2019, C.W. received and negotiated a check for $50,000 from Texas Wind Consultants, LLC, which Mitchell hand-delivered to C.W. in Albany. On July 31, 2019, Blue Key Construction submitted an invoice totaling $2.4 million for works allegedly performed for Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. On Nov. 26, 2019, Mitchell submitted a proof of loss totaling $7.495 million.
On Dec. 11, 2019, the insurance company issued a check jointly payable to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of Broad Avenue, Inc. and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants for $2,762,783.93. This check was mailed to Mitchell in Kemah, Texas. An endorsement on behalf of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was forged.
On March 4, 2020, C.W. received and negotiated a check for $50,000 from Texas Wind Consultants, LLC, which Mitchell hand-delivered to C.W. in Albany. On June 19, 2020, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of Broad Avenue, Inc. allegedly signed a contract with Blue Key Construction for $18.6 million. Pastor White denied knowledge of this contract or signing it on behalf of the Church. Representatives of Blue Key Construction denied ever having prepared, signed or entered into this contract.
On Nov. 20, 2020, Mitchell submitted an invoice from a heating and air company for $950,000. A heating and air company representative stated that they did not prepare the invoice. An inspection at the church revealed that the work represented in the invoice was not performed. Mitchell also submitted a certification of completion from Blue Key Construction stating that substantial completion would be reached on March 31, 2021, per a Dec. 19, 2019, contract for over $18 million in repairs.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Brotherhood Mutual issued a check jointly payable to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants for $544,512.80. This check was mailed to Mitchell in Kemah, Texas. An endorsement on behalf of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was forged.
On Sept. 30, 2021, Mitchell emailed Brotherhood Mutual the fraudulent $18.6 million contract between Blue Key Construction and Friendship Missionary Baptist Church; the church received less than one-third of the proceeds paid out by Brotherhood Mutual for damages. Blue Key Construction did not fully repair the church facilities, and the company halted construction in Feb. 2021 after receiving approximately $150,000 from Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and approximately $2.3 million from Mitchell. Mitchell lied to Blue Key Construction representatives that the insurance company refused payment beyond approximately $2.5 million.
In June 2022, Mitchell met with Friendship Missionary Baptist Church representatives to voice their concerns about incomplete repairs; the defendant lied that Brotherhood Mutual was withholding further payments. In total, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance issued $6,866,606.80 in payments intended exclusively for the church’s hurricane repairs.
The case was investigated by the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Fire Safety.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A repeat felon with a violent criminal past was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation.
Brandon Michael Slachta, 36, of Albany, was sentenced as an armed career criminal to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Sept. 23. Slachta previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on March 27. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed career felons with violent pasts who persist with criminal activity will face federal prosecution in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I commend our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their collaboration with helping us uphold the law.”
“Today’s sentencing is a testament to our relentless pursuit of justice. Armed career criminals like Slachta pose a significant threat to our communities, and we will not hesitate to utilize all available resources to ensure they face the full weight of the law,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
“I am thankful that we have taken another weapon off the streets of Albany, Georgia. Though we don't know the intentions of Slachta, we do know that convicted felons in possession of a firearm can lead to dangerous consequences,” said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley. “The men and women of the Albany Police Department will continue to seek those who commit crime in our community.”
According to court documents in the Slachta case, an Albany Police Department (APD) officer conducting a routine uniformed patrol along Dawson Road around 4:30 a.m. on July 17, 2024, noticed one male and two women gathered in a local restaurant’s parking lot. Given the early time of the morning and the business still being closed, the officer drove into the parking lot to contact the three people. As the officer pulled into the parking lot, he saw the male, later identified as Slachta, take a black object and toss it inside a silver Honda vehicle. One of the women, who was the owner of the vehicle, told the officer that Slachta tossed a firearm inside her car. The woman consented to the search of her vehicle, and the officer found a black rifle on the center console, along with boxes of ammunition. Slachta admitted that he was a felon; he stated that he put the gun inside the woman’s car because he did not want to get criminally charged with illegally possessing the firearm, and he does not want to do more jail time. Slachta is an armed career criminal, and he knew that he had multiple prior convictions for violent felonies in various states, including Texas, Florida and Arizona.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The Slachta case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Albany Police Department (APD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Lim prosecuted the case for the Government.
Former Georgia Poll Worker Sentenced for Threatening to Bomb Voting LocationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former Georgia poll worker was sentenced to prison after admitting to mailing a letter that contained threats to bomb a Jones County precinct and harm poll workers, and for lying to the FBI during the investigation.
Nicholas Wimbish, 26, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Sept. 18. Wimbish previously pleaded guilty to one count of conveying false information and making hoaxes on Feb. 14. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Ensuring the security of our polling places is essential. Americans must be able to express their political choices at the ballot box without fear of violence or harm,” stated U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “These threats undermine the core values of our nation, and we will vigorously pursue justice in such matters.”
“The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official or interfere with the election process.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Wimbish was employed as a poll worker at the Jones County Elections Office in Gray, Georgia, on Oct. 16, 2024, when he had a verbal altercation with a voter. Later that evening and into the early hours of Oct. 17, 2024, Wimbish conducted relevant online research and then drafted a letter posing as the voter threatening to bomb the polling place. Wimbish mailed the threatening letter to the Jones County Elections Superintendent from a “Jones County Voter” on Oct. 17, 2024. It arrived at the election office on Oct. 22, 2024.
Wimbish admitted he intended the letter to appear as if it came from the voter and added details to make it seem like the voter was targeting Wimbish and other poll workers. For example, it said, "Yesterday I had your young liberal woke idiot Nicholas Wimbish give me hell," that "he tries to influence peoples votes in line," and that "I researched a newspaper article about Nicholas Wimbish and other woke liberal fraudsters impostering to be patriots." The letter threatened that Wimbish and others "should look over their shoulder," that "I know where they all go," that "I know where they all live because I found home voting addresses for all them," that "the liberal young men will get beatdown if they fight me," that "they will get the treason punishment by firing squad if they fight back," and that "they should watch every move they make looking over their shoulder." Further, the letter threatened to "rage rape" the "ladies" and warned them to "watch every move they make and look over their shoulder." Below the typewritten letter, Wimbish wrote a note by hand, "PS boom toy in early vote place, cigar burning, be safe." Wimbish admitted he knew that a "boom toy" was a term for an explosive device. Wimbish also acknowledged that he lied to FBI agents investigating the mailed threat and falsely stated that he believed the Jones County voter sent the letter and that he had not conducted online research on himself. The letter was found on Wimbish's computer.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government with assistance from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and DOJ’s Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).