Middle District of Georgia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Southwest Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man, who volunteered with local youth and worked on a college campus, admitted in federal court to distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online and is facing up to 20 years in prison for his crime.
Andrew Brent Darbyshire, 45, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, also known as child sexual assault material (CSAM), before Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on September 10, 2025. Darbyshire faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment to be followed by a minimum of five years up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Darbyshire will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. His sentencing date is currently set for Jan. 8, 2026.
“It is deeply disturbing whenever adults who work or volunteer with young people are found to be possessing or distributing child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are dedicated to seeking justice for victims of child exploitation and holding predators accountable for their crimes.”
“This case highlights the relentless dedication of Homeland Security Investigations to protecting children from those who exploit their innocence. The actions of this individual are a betrayal of trust and a grave violation of the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue predators who engage in these horrific crimes and ensure they are held accountable. Let this serve as a stark reminder: no matter where you hide or how you operate, HSI will find you, and justice will prevail.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tacoma, Washington, discovered an online account which was controlled by a suspect in a separate child exploitation case in February 2024. The website contained various sub-channels based on categories of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). By May 2024, the website had about 658 members and approximately 5,700 files of child pornography being actively shared throughout the channel and sub-channels.
One of the active members had a username “@teen_lover21.” HSI Tacoma tracked down the IP address, internet provider and phone number for the username, which turned out to be Darbyshire. As a result, in November 2024, HSI Tacoma reached out to HSI Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) about Darbyshire. Investigators learned Darbyshire worked at Albany State University (ASU) in maintenance and was involved in local organizations, including volunteering at a local high school and Boy Scouts.
On Nov. 25, 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant of his residence, seizing two cell phones. One cell phone contained 112 images and 195 videos of CSAM depicting prepubescent females between the ages of three and ten years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adult males. The other phone had various social media links, including the website investigated by HSI. That phone also contained about 945 images and 22 videos of prepubescent females between the ages of three and ten years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adult males. Darbyshire received and shared CSAM on the website and, specifically to this case, he distributed a digital media file that depicted prepubescent females engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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 HSI Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) with assistance from HSI Tacoma, Washington, and the Washington State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Lim is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Georgia Man Sentenced for Hate Crime Attack Against Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Washington County, Georgia, man who made threats and racial slurs against a letter carrier and then six months later escalated his threats when he hit the letter carrier’s vehicle with a harrow attached to his tractor was sentenced to serve more than five years in prison for his crimes.
William Charles Franklin, 37, of Tennille, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 66 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and pay $5,101.74 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Aug. 27. In March, Franklin was found guilty at trial of one count of obstruction of the mails, one count of assault upon a federal officer, one count of aggravated assault upon a federal officer and one count of retaliating against a witness. Additionally, Franklin was found guilty of a hate crime enhancement for each of the last three counts. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We will seek justice for victims of hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Letter carriers, federal employees and all citizens have the right to live and work in peace and safety. I commend the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service for helping us hold the defendant accountable for assaulting a postal employee.”
“As Washington County Sheriff, I am proud that the diverse citizenry of Washington County works together for the good of our community. I am disappointed when I learn of criminal behavior motivated by racial animus,” said Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran. “I hope this conviction and sentence sends a clear message that those who commit such crimes will be held accountable and such behavior will not be tolerated.”
“No one should ever have to endure hate-filled rants and violent attacks for simply doing their job,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Atlanta Division. “This was more than an attack on our letter carrier, it was an attack on the community we serve. The U.S. Postal inspection Service will go after anyone who uses intimidation to target our employees and make them feel the full weight of the law.”
According to court documents, evidence and statements referenced at trial, the USPIS received a complaint on June 11, 2024, and began an investigation into threats and obstruction made by Franklin to a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier serving the Washington County, Georgia, area. Under the advice of the supervisor, the letter carrier recorded the end of a confrontation between him and Franklin, arguing about moving the letter carrier’s vehicle. Franklin was recorded using racial slurs against the letter carrier and stated that his free speech was protected. The letter carrier was recorded stating that if he was off duty, such statements and threats would lead to a fight. Franklin responded that they could “square up” right then. The letter carrier said no because he would lose his job. Franklin can be heard getting agitated and aggressive with the letter carrier and issuing more salacious racist slurs about him and the community where he lives. The letter carrier told investigators that Franklin threatened to punch his face, run him over with Franklin’s tractor and had called someone else to come to the location to bring a rope so that Franklin could “drag” him away. A family member corroborated that Franklin called to request a rope.
On Dec. 3, 2024, the letter carrier’s vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run with a green tractor in Washington County. The letter carrier observed the tractor with a harrow attached come towards the USPS vehicle, and he pulled over to allow the tractor to pass. The harrow hit the letter carrier’s vehicle, destroyed a stop sign and fled the scene. Soon afterward, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the USPIS discovered a tractor matching the description in a nearby field, its engine still warm with fresh damage. The tractor was registered to Franklin. In addition, two witnesses reported seeing a vehicle registered to Franklin’s wife, come to the area at a high rate of speed immediately following the incident. Warrants for Franklin’s arrest and the seizure of his and his wife’s cell phones were issued on Dec. 5. After reviewing Franklin’s phone, agents found where Franklin had saved the letter carrier’s picture following the incident on June 11. They found additional evidence that supported the finding that Franklin’s crimes were motivated, at least in part, by the race and color of the letter carrier. Franklin was taken into custody on Dec. 6. At his arrest, agents found two AR-15 styled rifles inside his truck and Franklin was carrying a loaded pistol.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the GBI and the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonja Profit and Elizabeth Howard prosecuted the case for the Government.
Seventeen Charged in Alleged Fentanyl, Cocaine Distribution Ring in AthensRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes today announced the unsealing of two federal indictments and one criminal complaint charging a total of 17 people allegedly involved in an armed drug trafficking network accused of distributing fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances in the Athens community, with more than two dozen firearms seized and a grenade launcher in connection with the case.
Thirteen federal, state and local law enforcement agencies assisted in executing 12 search warrants in Athens and Atlanta on Aug. 26, resulting in 13 arrests. As part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement seized 26 firearms, including 12 rifles and a grenade launcher (the grenade launcher was seized at a location in Jefferson, Georgia); 26 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $780,000; 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl with an estimated street value of $60,000; approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine; 5.14 ounces of crack cocaine; 2.4 pounds of marijuana; 128 controlled pharmaceuticals; and $63,532 in cash. The initial appearances for the defendants are occurring in the U.S. Magistrate Court in Macon, Georgia.
The federal indictment in Case No. 3:25-CR-00010, filed on May 14 and unsealed on Aug. 26, charges the following individuals:
Alicio Yanez-Pineda, aka “Cochito,” 48, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Josue Serda, 26, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine where a person under 18 was present and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Ulises Borja, aka “Liche,” 33, of Cedartown, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Travis Arnold, aka “Trav,” 33, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, nine counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine where a person under 18 was present, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Ariel Collins, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted;
Patrick Wilkins, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Edgar Jara, 27, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Tyler Parr, 27, of Jefferson, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Gregory Robinson, 32, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; and
Deshun Muckle, 51, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
According to the Yanez-Pineda et al indictment, from January 2024 until May 2025, Yanez-Pineda, Serda, Borja, Arnold, Wilkins, Jara, Parr, Robinson and Muckle allegedly conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in the Athens region. The indictment alleges that Arnold and Collins illegally maintained a location on Sartain Drive in Athens to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine; co-conspirator Robinson is accused of distributing fentanyl, cocaine and oxycodone from a location on Essex Court in Athens. According to the indictment, Borja served a prison sentence for a prior serious felony drug conviction and Wilkins is a convicted felon who is charged with allegedly possessing five firearms illegally.
The federal indictment in Case No. 3:25-CR-00020, filed on Aug. 12 and unsealed on Aug. 26, charges the following individuals:
Orlando Muckle, aka “Lando,” 51, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Joey Campbell, aka “Jay,” 41, of Winterville, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Bernard Walker, aka “Nard,” 53, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and five counts of distribution of fentanyl and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Lanier Cooper, aka “Nier,” 22, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted;
Myles Kolbe Cooper, aka “Wop,” 27, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted; and
Tommy Lee Smith, 65, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
According to the Muckle et al indictment, the defendants allegedly conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than five kilograms of cocaine and cocaine base in the Athens region beginning in October 2020. The indictment alleges that both Cooper co-conspirators distributed controlled substances from a premises on Commerce Parkway in Athens and that co-conspirator Muckle allegedly stored cocaine from an apartment on Jennings Mill Parkway in Athens. According to the indictment, Muckle, Campbell and Walker served prison sentences for prior serious felony drug convictions.
A newly unsealed federal criminal complaint in Case No. 3:24-MJ-00020 charges Halie Marie Money, 26, of Jefferson, with one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user. If convicted, Money faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
According to the Money criminal complaint, Money and Serda were allegedly found unconscious in the front seat of a parked car outside the Walmart on Epps Bridge Parkway in Athens in the mid-afternoon of June 20, 2025. Oconee County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and called for an ambulance. Money was allegedly slumped over in the passenger seat with a piece of tinfoil in her lap with burn marks on it, commonly used to inhale narcotics like fentanyl; Serda was passed out in the driver’s seat with “snot and saliva” running out of his nose and mouth. After the ambulance arrived, Money and Serda woke up when their car door was opened. Deputies allegedly saw drug paraphernalia in plain view, including what appeared to be fentanyl. Deputies located a Glock pistol that Money allegedly claimed while admitting to her drug addiction. A court-authorized search of Money’s phone found alleged text conversations between Money and Serda discussing the consumption of controlled substances and Money and Parr discussing the distribution of illegal controlled substances, along with a photo of a significant amount of cash and another picture of a bag containing a large amount of drugs. In addition, law enforcement found a photo of Money cradling her baby and a Glock pistol.
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 FBI-Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case in partnership with FBI-Atlanta, FBI-Birmingham, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Sandy Springs Police Department, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Central Georgia resident with a prior aggravated assault conviction, who was found guilty at trial of illegally possessing a pistol with an extended magazine during a tense standoff with Baldwin County deputies in 2022, was sentenced to serve more than eleven years in prison.
Dormaine Mitchell, 39, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 140 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Aug. 19. Mitchell was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 8, following a two-day trial. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat offenders convicted of violent crimes have no business carrying a gun. Felons who illegally possess firearms will be federally prosecuted for breaking the law and endangering others,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This case demonstrates the risk our law enforcement partners face daily, and I am thankful for their commitment to public safety.”
“A prohibited person in possession of stolen firearms is a clear and present danger to our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Atlanta Field Division. “We are incredibly grateful for the courage and quick action of our law enforcement partners who responded to this high-risk situation. Their dedication ensured a safe outcome for everyone involved. ATF is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners as we work together to protect the public and pursue justice.”
“The defendant has repeatedly caused issues in our community through his criminal behavior. We are very grateful that his case has gone federal, ensuring he is held accountable for his crimes,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy observed the defendant driving erratically by running off the side of the road and into oncoming traffic on Vinson Highway near Laboratory Road on Oct. 13, 2022. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed the driver, Mitchell, had a strong smell of alcohol and slurred speech. Mitchell told the officer he did not have weapons in the car. However, when Mitchell reached for his wallet, the officer saw the extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol sticking out from between the driver’s seat and the center console. The officer pulled her weapon and commanded Mitchell to put his hands on the steering wheel. The officer then saw Mitchell lower his right hand. The officer called for backup, took cover and gave verbal commands. At some point during their encounter, Mitchell moved the firearm and placed it on the passenger seat of the vehicle. More officers arrived, and Mitchell was taken into custody. While Mitchell was escorted to the police car, he told the officer, “You better be glad it didn’t go bad.” Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior aggravated assault conviction in Baldwin County Superior Court. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government.
Southwest Georgia Man Found Guilty at Trial of Pandemic Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident was found guilty at trial this week of wire fraud resulting from a larger pandemic fraud scheme involving family members.
Tyreek Brown, 28, of Pelham, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of wire fraud on Aug. 12 following a two-day trial that began on Aug. 11. Brown is facing a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled by the Court.
Brown’s two codefendants previously entered guilty pleas in this case, and will be sentenced on Nov. 12:
Sherronica Jackson, 38, of Pelham, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on July 29, and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine; and
Alan Brown, 52, of Pelham, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on July 16, and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office will pursue justice for these types of criminal schemes that deliberately defraud taxpayers,” stated U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I thank our law enforcement and prosecutorial team for holding those responsible accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in Court, Sheronica Jackson applied for and obtained a United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in March 2021, a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll during the historic COVID-19 outbreak as part of the federal CARES Act, which was signed into law to address the pandemic. Jackson claimed a gross income for 2019 of $97,000, which she did not earn. She also did not identify a business by name or category on the application. She received a $20,207 loan on March 31, 2021.
Jackson then assisted her stepfather, Alan Brown, and her stepbrother, Tyreek Brown, in obtaining fraudulent PPP loans. Alan Brown falsely claimed loans for a non-existent contracting business, claiming a gross income in 2019 of $101,005, which he did not earn, nor did he have any professional licenses, business affiliations or employment information. Both loans were approved and awarded on April 19, 2021, and May 16, 2021, totaling $20,833. Tyreek Brown applied for two different loans as a sole proprietor with Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC, using the same Pelham, Georgia, address his father and sister used on their applications as the place of business. No such business existed, and Brown did not earn the gross income in 2019 of $103,400 that he claimed on the application. Tyreek Brown received the fraudulently obtained loans on April 15, 2021, and May 12, 2021, totaling $20,833. After the loan was approved, Tyreek Brown sent Jackson money from a joint account he shared with Alan Brown via Cash App and Zelle, amounting to $3,000.
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), as part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Taskforce.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis is prosecuting this case for the Government.
Six Individuals Charged in Alleged Fentanyl Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A newly unsealed federal indictment charges six people, including two Georgia inmates and two Chinese nationals, with allegedly distributing synthetic controlled substances, including fentanyl, sourced from China into the Middle District of Georgia.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 14, 2025, and it was unsealed on Aug. 7. The indictment charges the following individuals:
Devito Duran Young aka “Big” aka “Big Man,” 44, of Macon State Prison and Marietta, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and an $8 million fine;
Trace Davrin Works, 29, of Mableton, Georgia,is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and an $8 million fine;
Xin Wang, 27, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a $5 million fine for the fentanyl charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance charge;
Andreaus Benard Oliver, Sr. aka “Doomie Oliver,” 43, of Macon State Prison and Cordele, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $2 million fine;
Andreaus Benard Oliver, Jr., aka “Dray Oliver,” 26, of Cordele, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substanceand one count of using or maintaining a drug premises and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine; and
Gao Yong, 29, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Young, Works and Oliver Sr. are in custody and had their initial appearances. The three defendants were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle on Aug. 7, and were remanded to federal custody awaiting trial. Oliver Jr. is in federal custody and had his initial appearance before Judge Weigle on Aug. 7; his arraignment hearing is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 11, in Albany, Georgia.
The indictment alleges that Young and Oliver, Sr., both inmates at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Georgia, allegedly conspired to acquire and distribute fentanyl or synthetic cannabinoids (marijuana) from China to the United States beginning in 2023. It is alleged that shipments of the synthetic cannabinoids arrived at an address occupied by Oliver, Jr., on 4th Avenue in Cordele, Georgia. Wang and Yong are alleged to have facilitated the sale and distribution of synthetic controlled substances from China to customers around the world, including to Young and Oliver, Sr. Yong allegedly communicates directly with customers and negotiates the sale of the drugs and provides shipment tracking information. Wang allegedly directs the sale of fentanyl worldwide and maintains cryptocurrency wallets for payments.Yong was allegedly aware that the substances were being introduced into prison facilities.
Young allegedly placed multiple orders of fentanyl from Wang and Yong using encrypted chat applications he accessed using a contraband cellphone while in prison. Young allegedly directed Works to acquire the fentanyl and ship it to customer addresses, including addresses in the Middle District of Georgia, and both Young and Works allegedly paid Wang and Yong with cryptocurrency. Oliver Jr. and other co-conspirators allegedly placed multiple orders for synthetic cannabinoids from Wang and Yong online and paid them with cryptocurrency, directing the packages to addresses in Cordele and his 4th Avenue residence, allegedly referred to as the “lab.”
After a package originating from China was intercepted by law enforcement, agents executed a search warrant at Oliver Jr.’s residence on July 22, 2024, and found more than 175 metal pans with sheets of paper; multiple jugs and bottles containing suspected cannabinoids; several measuring beakers; more than 350 dried sheets of paper soaked with cannabinoids; return address labels purporting to be from various attorneys; shipping labels addressed to inmates in jail and prison facilities around the country; cash; and ledgers indicating how many sheets had been processed. In addition, $170,000 in cryptocurrency was seized from Wang as part of the investigation.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with assistance from the GBI and Georgia Department of Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only 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.
Northeast Georgia Resident Pleads Guilty to 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 is facing up to 30 years in prison for his crime.
William Barnett, II, 33, of Athens, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III, on Aug. 4. Barnett faces a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment to be followed by a minimum of five years up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Barnett will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The sexual exploitation and abuse of children is intolerable, and our office is relentless in the pursuit of justice on behalf of the most vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This case exemplifies the strong partnership between law enforcement in the Middle District of Georgia as we take decisive action to protect children from predators and ensure offenders are held accountable.”
“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 is prosecuting the case for the Government.
South Georgia Drug Trafficking Organization Defendants Found Guilty at TrialRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – Three co-conspirators involved in an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO) based out of Cook County, Georgia, were found guilty at trial this week of federal drug and weapons charges, the second federal trial of members of this criminal organization.
Calvin James Smith, Jr., 36, of Tifton, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Smith faces a maximum of life in prison.
Eddie Lee Hardley, 36, of Adel, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Hardley faces a maximum of life in prison.
Yardley Payne, 57, of Adel, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user. Payne faces a maximum of 15 years in prison per count.
The trial began on Monday, July 14, and concluded on Thursday, July 24. Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands is presiding over the case. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case highlights the commitment of our law enforcement partners alongside our office to combat armed drug trafficking organizations and hold those connected to them accountable for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are thankful for the strength of the collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the Middle District of Georgia as we work together to make the communities we serve safer for everyone.”
“The success of this large-scale investigation and the arrests of these drug dealers demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to fighting the drug trafficking organizations responsible for driving addiction and destroying communities,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown.
"Today’s verdict sends a clear message that criminal organizations operating in Georgia, especially those trafficking in dangerous drugs and using firearms to further their operations, will be held accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This conviction is a testament to the tireless work of our law enforcement partners, who have dedicated countless hours to ensuring that those who threaten our communities with violence and illegal substances will face justice.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the FBI undertook a significant investigation beginning as early as December 2020 of an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO) centered in Adel. The DTO was led by co-conspirator Calvin James Smith, Sr., aka “Rollo,” 56, of Adel, Georgia, who, in January 2025, was found guilty at trial of all 23 counts charged in the 44-count indictment. For more information about that trial, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/guilty-verdict-cook-county-armed-drug-trafficking-conspiracy-trial. The investigation determined that Smith, Jr. (the son of Smith, Sr.), Hardley and Payne conspired with others to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and crack cocaine, as well as marijuana, working with several associates of the DTO. Agents discovered 13 locations used by the DTO. Search warrants were executed at these locations on Nov. 10, 2022, and methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and 15 handguns and rifles were seized. Agents recovered more than five kilograms of pure methamphetamine, more than ten pounds of marijuana and several hundred grams of crack cocaine and cocaine.
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).
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Adel Police Department, the Hahira Police Department and the Moultrie Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison.
Repeat Offender Sentenced for Meth Distribution in South GeorgiaRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A South Georgia resident with an extensive criminal history, who admitted to possessing methamphetamine while trying to run from troopers during a traffic stop, was sentenced today to federal prison for his actions.
Joshua Keith Thompson, 37, of Morven, Georgia, and formerly of Adel, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on July 24. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 22. There is no parole in the federal system.
"Convicted felons who repeatedly disregard the law will face federal accountability," said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. "This case highlights our commitment to collaborating with law enforcement to target those causing significant disruption and bring them to justice."
“Joshua Thompson has repeatedly shown he has no respect for the laws of our country,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “FBI Atlanta will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice those who continue to break the law and harm our communities.”
“The sentencing of Joshua Keith Thompson underscores the importance of holding repeat offenders accountable, including those whose criminal activity impacts multiple counties and communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Thompson repeatedly ignored the law and put public safety at risk. The GBI remains committed to working with our local, state and federal partners to protect our communities and stop repeat offenders from continuing their criminal activity.”
“This case shows that from a seatbelt violation to a federal court case, we partner with state and federal agencies to hold criminals accountable for their crimes,” said Colonel William W. Hitchens, III, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a Georgia State Patrol (GSP) trooper observed Thompson driving a sportscar and not wearing a seatbelt on March 25, 2023. During the traffic stop, Thompson handed the trooper a driver’s license with another person’s name on it. During the conversation, the trooper noticed what appeared to be a clear plastic baggie beside the defendant’s leg; consequently, he was asked to step out of the vehicle and was temporarily detained. A drug detection K-9 alerted on the passenger side of the vehicle. In the passenger side floorboard area, the trooper located a clear plastic baggie containing 784.53 grams of methamphetamine. After being told he was under arrest, the defendant fled on foot. The trooper displayed his taser and began giving verbal commands to stop. The defendant tripped and was quickly detained. Thompson has a lengthy criminal history in the South Georgia region, to include multiple felony convictions in Cook County, Georgia, Superior Court and convictions in Crisp County, Georgia, and Lowndes County, Georgia, Superior Courts. Thompson’s prior felony convictions include possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, burglary, theft by taking, giving false information to law enforcement and possession of controlled substances.
The case was investigated by the FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency, the GBI and the GSP, a division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica L. Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Defendants Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine in Middle GeorgiaRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Four defendants involved in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in Macon responsible for pushing kilogram quantities of the illegal drug into the community were sentenced to federal prison today for their crimes.
Denzelle Diangelo Willis, 34, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 278 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Willis previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24.
James Richard Fuller, 33, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 181 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Fuller previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24.
Julio Cesar Mendez, aka “Migo,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Mendez previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 24.
Deion Jocoley Howard, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 53 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Howard previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24.
The sentencing hearings occurred on July 10 before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. There is no parole in the federal system.
“All those associated with these criminal organizations pushing large quantities of the most deadly and addictive drugs into the Middle District of Georgia will find their cases in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working closely with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to make our communities safer.”
“This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “These defendants had total disregard for their actions that far too often have tragic consequences.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, with assistance from the Bibb, Peach and Monroe County Sheriff’s Offices, began investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in Macon in November 2022, after FBI agents seized nearly eleven kilograms of methamphetamine resulting from a separate investigation into Julian Coker’s drug trafficking organization (for more information about this case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/leader-armed-drug-trafficking-organization-sentenced-28-years-prison). DEA agents learned that Willis and Mendez sold methamphetamine and heroin throughout the Macon area. Between February and March 2023, agents used Confidential Informants (CI) to conduct three methamphetamine buys from Mendez and two heroin buys from Willis; the substances were later tested and contained fentanyl.
Using court-authorized wiretaps and surveillance, agents discovered Mendez maintained a stash house on Melbourne Street in Macon and supplied ounce quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana to a network of street-level dealers. Howard was a freelance illegal drug broker in Macon who facilitated drug transactions between mid-level dealers and upper-level suppliers. Howard connected Mendez with Willis’s methamphetamine supply. Willis obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from a source in the Atlanta area for distribution in the Macon area. Fuller was Willis’s courier for resupply trips and deliveries to mid-level dealers.
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 DEA with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Northeast Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia man with a lengthy criminal history in the Athens-Clarke County community and who was found guilty at trial of armed fentanyl trafficking was sentenced to serve 35 years in federal prison for his crime.
Dwan Maurice Hewlett, aka “LA,” 41, of Hull, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 420 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III on July 7. Hewlett was found guilty at trial on Feb. 26 of all six counts charged in the indictment: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed career offenders distributing fentanyl in the Middle District of Georgia will face federal prosecution, which carries stiff penalties and no possibility of parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. "Will" Keyes. “Cases like this highlight the strong collaboration between our office and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners as we work together to eliminate dangerous illegal substances from the communities we serve and hold repeat offenders accountable.”
"Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies. This armed career criminal will no longer be selling the dangerous drug fentanyl in our community,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “I am incredibly proud of the ACCPD officers and detectives who worked with partnering agencies on this case. We will continue to prioritize keeping violent criminals out of our community. I want to thank our partners for their continuous efforts in keeping our community safe."
“The FBI works tirelessly to get dangerous criminals like Dwan Hewlett and the drugs he sold off the streets of Georgia,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “Hewlett will now have a long time in prison to consider his past actions.”
“Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Atlanta Division. “The success of this investigation is proof that those destroying our communities with drugs and violence will be held accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) detectives had a confidential informant place a phone call to Hewlett to purchase fentanyl. Hewlett agreed to meet the informant at an Athens gas station on Danielsville Road. When Hewlett arrived at the gas station, ACCPD officers boxed his vehicle in and exited their undercover vehicles wearing "POLICE" marked body armor. Officers gave loud commands for Hewlett to exit his car. Hewlett looked up and saw the police. He immediately began making furtive movements, reaching under the seat. He then exited his vehicle, ignored the verbal commands and started running toward Danielsville Road at the intersection of Freeman Drive. Hewlett was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.
Officers searched his vehicle and found a .380 pistol under the driver’s seat where Hewlett was seen reaching, and numerous tied corner baggies containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution. In all, officers found 133.51 grams of fentanyl, 58.31 grams of methamphetamine, 9.783 grams of cocaine and 16 grams of cocaine base. A search of Hewlett’s cell phones located in the car contained many drug-related messages and photos, which revealed that Hewlett conspired with others to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl just days prior to his arrest. Hewlett has a lengthy prior criminal history, which includes three prior convictions in the Clarke County Superior Court for serious drug offenses and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the DEA and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the case for the Government.
Career Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – An Albany resident with a lengthy criminal history, including robbery by force, distribution of controlled substances and making terroristic threats, was sentenced as a federal career offender to serve ten years in prison for trafficking drugs in Southwest Georgia.
Roderick Terrell Ferrell, 37, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on June 25 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine on Oct. 30, 2024. Due to his criminal history, Ferrell was sentenced as a career offender. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Defendants with long criminal records who consistently ignore the law will find their cases in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Law enforcement in every community and at every level are collaborating with us to hold repeat offenders accountable for their crimes, with the goal of making our communities safer.”
“Our communities remain under attack by career criminals with no regard for the destruction they cause,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation demonstrates the DEA’s commitment to protecting our community.”
“The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown.
“Eliminating drug trafficking in our communities requires a united front,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The successful convictions of these repeat offenders are a demonstration of the effectiveness of our collaboration across federal, state and local agencies to hold individuals accountable and ensure safer neighborhoods.”
“Career offenders who continue to commit serious crimes in our community, especially those with a history of violence, will face federal prison sentences without parole,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals. “I am thankful for our partnerships with federal and state agencies as we work together to hold dangerous individuals accountable.”
According to court documents and statements made public in court, federal, state and local law enforcement received information from various confidential sources that Ferrell was distributing cocaine and was supplied by a metro-Atlanta unnamed co-conspirator. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at another dealer’s residence, seized cocaine, and discovered that Ferrell had sold at least 18 ounces of powder cocaine. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office then conducted a controlled buy from Ferrell on Nov. 8, 2021, where Ferrell sold two ounces of powder cocaine for $2,150. In addition, Ferrell reported that he had been pulled over by local law enforcement on Oct. 13, 2022, and was in possession at the time of $30,000 from a recent drug transaction. On Nov. 30, 2023, a patrol officer pulled Ferrell over and found ten pounds of marijuana in ten plastic vacuum-sealed bags in the rear cargo area. Ferrell said he was transporting the drugs to Camilla, Georgia.
The DEA conducted a concealment money laundering investigation and discovered he had laundered approximately $383,057 in drug proceeds between his bank account, CashApp, a local business and a co-conspirator’s accounts from 2021 to 2023, despite having no employment or declaring any income on his taxes. The investigation revealed that Ferrell and his girlfriend used drug proceeds to purchase a 2021 Mercedes Benz GLE; luxury goods from Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Saks, Gucci and Balenciaga; took luxury vacations; rented a home near Atlanta; and invested in a local business that was never operational.
At sentencing, Ferrell was held accountable for distributing approximately 6.5 kilograms of cocaine and 47 kilograms of marijuana. Ferrell also has several prior felony convictions including robbery by force, terroristic threats and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court.
The Ferrell case was investigated by the DEA, the FBI, the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
William R. Keyes Takes Oath as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – William R. “Will” Keyes took the oath of office at noon today, administered by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, to become the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Keyes as the interim U.S. Attorney on June 20. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the C.B. King United States Courthouse in Albany.
“It is a tremendous honor to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, and I am incredibly grateful that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their trust in me,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I care deeply for this District and look forward to working closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners on behalf of all Middle Georgians. Together, we will protect our communities and uphold the rule of law.”
As the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Keyes is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Middle District of Georgia, which covers 70 of Georgia’s 159 counties and includes Albany, Athens, Columbus, Macon and Valdosta with a population of approximately 2,045,000 people. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, fraud, firearms, illegal gangs and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Keyes joined the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia in 2018. He has prosecuted a broad range of federal criminal cases, including drug trafficking organizations, violent crime, child exploitation, and offenses related to terrorism. He has held numerous leadership roles in the office, including the Project Safe Neighborhood Coordinator, Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, National Security Cyber Specialist and District Election Officer. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Criminal Chief.
Before joining the office, U.S. Attorney Keyes was on active duty in the U.S. Army. He served with the Office of Military Commissions in Washington, D.C., prosecuting alleged members of Al-Qaeda in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Before that assignment, he deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, where he served as a legal advisor to soldiers operating throughout Kuwait and Iraq. He began his career at a law firm in Atlanta.
In addition to his duties with the office, U.S. Attorney Keyes serves in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Judge Advocate. In this capacity, he has provided instruction on humanitarian law to forces from partner nations in East Africa and Central America. His military awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and he is a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne School.
U.S. Attorney Keyes holds four degrees from the University of Georgia, which include his law degree, a master’s degree in economics and undergraduate degrees in economics and statistics. He remains involved with the University of Georgia and currently serves on the alumni board for the business school. A lifelong Georgian, Mr. Keyes and his wife, Margaret Sullivan Keyes, who was born and raised in Albany, live in Macon, where they are raising their two sons.
U.S. Attorney Keyes succeeds C. Shanelle Booker, who has served as the Acting U.S. Attorney since January and will continue to serve as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney (FAUSA) for the Middle District of Georgia. U.S. Attorney Keyes recognized FAUSA Booker for her exemplary service to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and said, “Mrs. Booker is a gifted leader and has done an incredible job serving our District.”
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the office, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga.
Ghostface Gangster Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Mexico-Sourced Methamphetamine from a Georgia PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A high-ranking member of the Ghostface Gangsters (GFG)—a criminal organization founded in the prison system—was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that was funneling a large amount of Mexico-sourced drugs from behind bars.
Codefendant Donald Jason Miles, aka “Crash,” aka “Cocho,” 39, of Forsyth, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on June 24. Miles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 13, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
Two co-conspirators were sentenced to prison on Feb. 28: Warren Frederick Courts, aka “Dirty,” 38, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 1, 2024; and Keeli Nycole Wallace, 34, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 14, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Prison gangs and drug cartels pose a direct threat to the safety of our citizens and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working with law enforcement at every level to identify and bring to justice the most dangerous criminal offenders.”
“The Ghostface Gangsters have systematically worked to flood the communities of Georgia with dangerous drugs,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The brazenness of these gang members to continue their criminal acts even behind bars must be met with decisive action to ensure justice and safety for our communities. This investigation shows that the GBI and our partners will work relentlessly to hold those who seek to poison our communities accountable.”
“This career criminal continued his drug trafficking activities despite being incarcerated, demonstrating his complete and wanton disregard for the safety of our community,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA’s efforts in bringing him to justice will ensure this gang member spends even more time in prison.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents conducted a drug bust at Motel 6 in Albany on Sept. 12, 2022, resulting from a larger investigation into drug trafficking from Georgia prisons. Agents learned Courts, a state prisoner, had arranged a drug transaction from behind bars and hired Wallace as a drug courier to move methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source located in metro Atlanta to Southwest Georgia. Agents arrested Wallace in the parking lot of Motel 6, finding approximately 1,400 grams of methamphetamine and her cell phones.
Investigators discovered that Miles had recruited Wallace as a drug courier several months before her arrest. Wallace admitted she had performed 10-15 deliveries of 250 grams or less of methamphetamine at Miles’s direction. Miles introduced Wallace to Courts; both Miles and Courts are members of the prison-based criminal organization Ghostface Gangsters. Courts is a subordinate of Miles, as demonstrated by Courts giving Miles a portion of the profits he made from selling narcotics. During one transaction, Courts instructed Wallace to obtain methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source of supply near Atlanta and take it to meet a buyer at a Walmart in Albany. The buyer did not show up, and Miles instructed Wallace to return to Atlanta. The next day, Courts told Wallace that the intended buyer was ready. She returned to Motel 6 in Albany, where she was subsequently arrested.
At the time, Miles was incarcerated at Valdosta State Prison, and Courts was incarcerated at Rutledge State Prison for separate drug trafficking offenses. Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officers searched their prison cells and recovered contraband mobile phones on Sept. 16, 2022. Search warrants were executed on the phones, and investigators discovered detailed communications between Miles, Courts and Wallace related to the drug conspiracy, including communications involving the Mexico-based source of supply and the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Wallace was just one courier recruited by Miles and that Miles and Courts had funneled numerous redistributors to the Mexican source of supply near Atlanta, resulting in the distribution of at least 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in two months as a part of this conspiracy. Of the 50 kilograms distributed, Courts was directly responsible for facilitating the distribution of approximately 13 kilograms.
Both Miles and Courts have lengthy criminal histories, including multiple felony convictions for drug distribution and trafficking. At the time of this offense, Miles was serving state sentences for three separate cases: armed robbery, hijacking a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, and trafficking methamphetamine in Fulton County, Georgia, Case No. 15-SC-132843; conspiracy to commit trafficking in methamphetamine and criminal gang activity in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Case No. 16-B-1793-5; and conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in Chatham County, Georgia, Case No. CR16-1756. Courts was most recently convicted in the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia, on Oct. 1, 2021, for possession with intent to distribute 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 other 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 Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Seven Georgians Indicted for Operating Online Fentanyl, Meth MarketplaceRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – Seven Georgia residents are charged by federal indictment with allegedly conspiring to ship thousands of parcels containing fentanyl and methamphetamine across the United States and in the Middle District of Georgia utilizing the dark web vendor account “WallStreetBets.” The final defendants were arraigned in federal court this week following arrests and seizures resulting from the ongoing investigation.
The following defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and face a maximum of life in prison: Steven Ehizojie Oboite, 32, of Conyers, Georgia; Eric Xavier Bechet, 31, of Dunwoody, Georgia; Jabari Ayinde Cooper, 29, of Atlanta, Georgia; Rashad Cortese Kinloch, 28, of Dunwoody; Myron Ned Stodghill, 31, of Fairburn, Georgia; Reginald Tyrone Douglas, 31, of Dunwoody; and Joshua Jamal Charles, 25, of Atlanta.
Stodghill and Cooper were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle on June 18; the remaining defendants had arraignment hearings between May 22 and June 12. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on May 14 and was unsealed on May 19. All defendants were remanded to federal custody except Cooper and Kinloch, who were released on bond.
Search warrants were executed on May 19 at locations in the metro Atlanta area, with federal agents seizing the following: approximately five kilograms of fentanyl-based powder; approximately one kilogram of cocaine; a pill press with multiple die casts and molds; six firearms; several pounds of marijuana; approximately 200 pills; two cold cryptocurrency wallets; a Jeep Wrangler; and a Tesla Model S.
The indictment alleges that a dark web vendor controlled by Oboite and Bechet called WallStreetBets—first operating on the White House Market on the dark web as WallStreetBets and later operating on the Darkode Market on the dark web as WallStreetBet—began distributing large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other controlled substances sometime before March 2021 by shipping parcels of the illegal drugs from Georgia to many other locations within the United States, including in the Middle District of Georgia. The "Previous Vendor Feedback" section on the Darkode Market reported 2,777 previous sales with a 95% vendor rating for WallStreetBets/WallStreetBet.
The WallStreetBets packages shared common characteristics like padded or bubble-wrap lined mailing envelopes of varying colors; prepaid shipping labels generated by a third-party postage provider that accepts cryptocurrency as a form of payment; the sender's name was a business name that did not exist; the return address was the address of seemingly random single-family residences or apartment complexes in Georgia; and the packages typically contained pieces of candy in addition to the controlled substances. The WallStreetBets/WallStreetBet vendor page offered pills for sale that were purported to be oxycodone, Adderall and Percocet, in addition to crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl-based powders.
The indictment alleges that Oboite and Bechet controlled the WallStreetBets/WallStreetBet vendor accounts across several dark web markets, including Darkode, Bohemia and Dark Matter. It is alleged that Oboite and Bechet obtained illegal drugs on behalf of WallStreetBets from several sources, including Stodghill. Oboite and Bechet directed co-conspirators Cooper, Kinloch, Douglas and Charles to package the orders, print shipping labels and ship the parcels via the United States Postal Service to customer addresses throughout the United States, including addresses in the Middle District of Georgia. The indictment alleges that the seven co-conspirators shipped thousands of packages containing illegal drugs.
If anyone has information about this case, including potential overdoses related to purchases made from WallStreetBets, they are urged to contact the FBI Atlanta Field Office at 770-216-3000.
The FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are investigating the case, with assistance from the IRS, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Athens-Clarke County Police. This case is being investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, the Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the Government.
An indictment is only 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.
Former Georgia Bookkeeper Sentenced for Embezzling from Columbus Real Estate Brokerage FirmRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A former employee of Keller Williams Realty River Cities was sentenced to prison after she admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer to pay off her credit card.
Lauren Williams Eldridge, 38, of Pine Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $453,876.64 in restitution to Keller Williams Realty River Cities by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on June 18 after she previously pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud on Jan. 29, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The repercussions of employee theft are often felt beyond the prosecution, negatively affecting businesses, their customers and the community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Fraud and theft will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. Our office will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold those who choose to disregard the law accountable.”
“For years, Eldridge used her company’s funds like her personal ATM,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “She will now have more than two years behind bars to consider the impact of her actions.”
According to court documents and other statements made in court, Eldridge was an office manager and bookkeeper for nine years with Keller Williams Realty River Cities (KW). KW representatives noticed some discrepancies in a KW account in Oct. 2022 and that Eldridge had moved money out of that account to other accounts. When Eldridge was initially questioned about the transfer, she did not provide a clear explanation. Eldridge resigned from her position soon afterward.
Law enforcement was notified in Jan. 2023; a review of the KW accounts revealed that a total of $453,876.68 in monthly electronic payments were made to Eldridge’s personal American Express account from KW accounts between Jan. 2017 and Sept. 2022. Eldridge admitted to KW representatives and their legal counsel in Dec. 2022 that she embezzled the money from KW to pay her personal American Express credit card balance every month. She reported that she intended to pay this money back when she first began taking funds after she had charged $30,000 to her American Express for home repairs.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.
Georgia Student Pilot Pleads Guilty to Stealing Aircraft, Flying to North CarolinaRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A student pilot who admitted to stealing a private plane from a Perry, Georgia, hanger and flying it to North Carolina and back—at one point flying in foggy weather conditions requiring specialized instrument training for safety—is facing up to ten years in prison for his crime.
Rufus Crane, 27, of Coconut Creek, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen aircraft on June 11. Crane faces a maximum of ten years imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over the case. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 17. There is no parole in the federal system.
“By choosing to steal a single-engine aircraft and fly to North Carolina—making landings at several regional airports along the way—the defendant put his own life and the lives of others at risk, despite not being fully trained or holding a pilot’s license,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. "The regulations governing our nation's airspace are designed to ensure the safety of everyone. Those who disregard federal law will be held accountable. I want to thank the Perry Police Department investigators for their diligent work alongside our federal partners in this case."
“The theft and unauthorized operation of an aircraft is not just a property crime—it’s a serious threat to public safety,” said Captain James Jones of the Perry Police Department. “Mr. Crane’s reckless actions placed countless lives at risk across multiple states. I’m proud of the investigative work done by Perry Police Detective Ike Wilcox and thankful for the strong collaboration with our federal partners to bring this case to justice.”
“A situation like this can escalate quickly when critical aviation safety laws and regulations are brazenly disregarded,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region. “We’re committed to working closely with our law enforcement, agency and prosecutorial partners to pursue those whose actions endanger lives and jeopardize the safety of our nation’s airspace.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Crane stole a Bonanza A-36 aircraft stored at the Perry Airport in Perry, Georgia, on May 4, 2024. Without having the required lawful flying credentials, Crane took the single-engine aircraft and flew it to the JAARS-Townsend Airport in Waxhaw, North Carolina, landing at approximately 12:42 a.m. on May 4. Crane departed from Waxhaw on May 5 at approximately 3:14 a.m. After stopping in South Carolina to attempt to refuel, Crane began a return flight in the stolen aircraft to Perry. When Crane arrived in Perry at approximately 5:47 a.m., he could not land safely because the area was too foggy for him to see the runway. Crane operated the aircraft under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), meaning he used the aircraft's instruments and navigation aids instead of visual cues to fly the plane. Because of the fog, Crane flew to Cochran Municipal Airport in Cochran, Georgia, where he refueled before landing the stolen aircraft back in Perry at around 11:01 a.m. on May 5, and returned the plane to the hangar.
At the time of these flights, in addition to not having permission to fly the stolen aircraft, he only held a Student Pilot Certificate. Crane had not received the proper endorsements required to fly alone or to fly the make and model of the plane. During these flights, which took place in the middle of the night, he also kept the transponder of the Bonanza turned off, which meant the plane did not send signals to air traffic control to provide information on the plane’s location, altitude and speed.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Perry Police Department with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Machinegun at HospitalRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Henry County resident who had a stolen Glock 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine capable of converting to a fully automatic weapon while at the Labor and Delivery unit of a hospital was sentenced to serve more than five years in prison—above federal sentencing guidelines—for his crime.
Terrell Monquez Searcy, 21, of McDonough, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 66 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self on June 4. Searcy previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a machinegun on March 21, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Holding people found in possession of machineguns and with illegal conversion devices accountable for breaking federal law remains a top priority in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case exemplifies how law enforcement and prosecutors work together to effectively remove illegal firearms and other dangerous destructive devices from the streets in order to make our communities safer.”
“Machinegun conversion devices are fueling a deadly uptick in gun violence, turning routine firearms into weapons of war," said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Thomas Crawford of the Atlanta Field Division. "This case is yet another example of why ATF is committed to aggressively identifying and removing these illegal devices from our communities."
According to court documents, the stipulation of facts and other statements made in Court, Monroe Police Department officers were dispatched to Piedmont Walton Hospital on Aug. 17, 2023, after a nurse observed Searcy in a Labor and Delivery room with a handgun, which is prohibited in the hospital. When hospital security came to the room, Searcy admitted he did have a handgun and that he put it under the couch cushion. He gave the firearm—a Glock Model 17 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine—to security and remained in the room. Hospital security noticed that a full auto sear pin appeared to have been attached to the rear of the slide, making the firearm a machinegun, prompting the call by hospital security to police. Police ran the serial number on the firearm and found out it was reported stolen from Walton County, Georgia. Searcy was taken into custody.
ATF agents tested the firearm and confirmed it did function as a machinegun. Further investigation revealed that Searcy, a rapper known as Quez 2RR, had showcased a pistol with what appeared to be a machinegun conversion device in music videos on a YouTube channel. In a music video titled “Traffic,” Searcy rapped, “I pop out a switch on the back of my Glock” and “I put a switch on the back of my Glock, just to clean up the street when it’s time for that action.” At one point in the video, Searcy’s holding a pistol in his waistband with what appears to be a machinegun conversion device attached to the back.
Following the federal indictment charging Searcy with possessing a machine gun in August 2024, agents located Instagram messages between Searcy and a female law enforcement officer with the Clayton County Police Department. Between January and March 2023, Searcy asked the police officer to run his information to see if there were any warrants for his arrest. The police officer also provided information to Searcy regarding an active homicide investigation. During an interview with Clayton County Police Department detectives, the officer admitted to providing Searcy with information on an active homicide investigation and advising Searcy when she located active warrants for his arrest.
On Feb. 11, 2025, members of the ATF, McDonough Police Department and Henry County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at Searcy’s residence in McDonough, Georgia. Searcy and two other men were in the home along with several firearms. The defendant told agents that he had been living at the residence for a couple of months, that he slept with a Draco firearm under his bed and that the Glock 17 found in the living room belonged to him. ATF agents submitted test fires from both firearms to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to determine if either firearm had been used in other crimes. The Micro Draco recovered from Searcy’s bedroom returned with several NIBIN leads, including two from the DeKalb County Police Department. Both DeKalb County incidents indicated that the Micro Draco was used in a drive-by shooting in DeKalb County where four people, including two juveniles, were shot inside their homes. Each shooting occurred within just days of Searcy receiving information from the Clayton County police officer on the active Clayton County homicide where his friend was shot and killed.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the City of Monroe Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, McDonough Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Dekalb County Police Department and the Piedmont Walton Hospital Security Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach prosecuted the case for the Government.
Southwest Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Armed Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man with a criminal history who admitted to being a “lifelong” methamphetamine supplier and who said he distributed up to three kilograms of the illegal drug per week during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of a Mexican drug cartel was sentenced to serve 15 years in federal prison this week.
Justin Harris Vinson, 42, of Warwick, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on June 4. Vinson previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 17, 2024. Codefendant Shana Rae Black, 34, of Cordele, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 168 months to be followed by five years of supervised release on Feb. 28, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 15, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat convicted felons who weaponize themselves and distribute hazardous, illegal drugs in our communities will be brought to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, our office is working nonstop to identity those offenders causing the most harm in the communities we serve, stop their criminal activities and hold them accountable.”
“Drug traffickers drive addiction and destroy communities,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated. “DEA will use any resource necessary to remove these career criminals from our streets.”
“Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug with devastating consequences to users, their families and communities,” said to Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of FBI Atlanta. “This prosecution closes a pipeline for dangerous drugs flowing into the streets of Southwest Georgia.”
“We are committed to holding those who traffic methamphetamine accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Collaborating closely with state, local and federal law enforcement agencies, we will work to ensure justice and dismantle these dangerous networks.”
"I am incredibly proud of our agency's relentless efforts and the strong collaboration with our local and federal partners. Methamphetamine trafficking brings dangerous consequences to our community, often resulting in tragedy and loss of life. This case highlights our dedication to safeguarding the community and demonstrates the powerful results we achieve through collaboration," stated Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock.
“This case demonstrates the daily, unwavering efforts law enforcement agents make to ensure a good case to get criminal offenders off the streets and behind bars,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals. "We are proud of the cooperation demonstrated by all to ensure these repeat offenders are held accountable at the federal level, where there is no parole."
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a confidential informant (CI) working with the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) contacted Black on Facebook to obtain methamphetamine on Oct. 27, 2022. Black sold the CI approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine at a Perry, Georgia, motel; the CI reported there was a pistol on a nightstand in the motel room next to a bulk quantity of methamphetamine. On Oct. 31, an undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agent contacted Black to purchase methamphetamine and met her at the Walmart in Cordele. Under audio and video surveillance, the GBI agent purchased methamphetamine from Black.
On Nov. 2, FBI, DEA and GBI agents met with another CI to purchase methamphetamine from Vinson. Under surveillance, Vinson met the CI at his Warwick residence and traveled with Vinson to the Sunrise Inn in Cordele to meet with Black. During the transaction, Black provided 284.4 grams of methamphetamine and collected the majority of the cash payment for the drugs, with Vinson keeping $300 as a brokering fee. Vinson was seen with a firearm during the transaction.
On Nov. 7, CCSO and GBI arrested Black in Crisp County as she traveled in a vehicle back from McDonough, Georgia. A search of the vehicle revealed Black was in possession of 982.7 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine, 15.89 grams of 91% pure methamphetamine, a digital scale and several cell phones. GBI executed a search warrant on the Baymont Inn motel room in Cordele where Black was staying and found a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, a small bag of suspected methamphetamine, four digital scales and bulk quantities of plastic baggies. Black’s cell phones showed extensive communications between her and known drug dealers.
On Jan. 22, 2023, Vinson purchased 15 ounces of methamphetamine in Cordele and sold 277 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine to a CI utilized by GBI in Warwick. During the transaction, the CI observed Vinson place a firearm in the center console of his vehicle. A search warrant was executed at Vinson’s residence on Jan. 26, 2023. Law enforcement located a semiautomatic pistol in his bedroom, along with five other firearms, inside of an open safe. Vinson told officers he had been selling methamphetamine in the South Georgia and North Florida area his entire life and that during the peak of COVID in 2020, he would sell approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine per week for six months on behalf of a Mexican drug cartel.
Vinson has multiple prior felony convictions for possession of methamphetamine. Black also has a previous felony conviction in Jones County, Georgia, Superior Court for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by GBI, DEA and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the FBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Final of 14 Individuals Sentenced for Dog FightingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga.— Following a final sentencing hearing today, all 14 defendants convicted in a large-scale federal dog fighting case in Southwest Georgia have been sentenced to a total of 343 months in prison for dog fighting and other charges.
“The brutality of dog fighting, combined with armed drug distribution, negatively affects our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia. “The collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level during this investigation and prosecution was essential in bringing these defendants to justice and rescuing abused animals.”
“Dog fighting is an odious form of organized crime, and it’s a magnet for other criminal activity,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department and its local partners, such as the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, will not tolerate this callous criminal activity.”
“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG).
Details of the total sentencings is below:
• Donnametric Miller, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 100 months in prison;
• Fredricus White, of Panama City, Florida – 35 months in prison;
• Christopher Travis Beaumont, of Panama City, Florida – 30 months in prison;
• Marvin Pulley, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 30 months in prison;
• Cornelious Johnson, of Panama City, Florida – 27 months in prison;
• Terelle Ganzy, of Panama City, Florida – 24 months in prison;
• Willie Russell, of Blakely, Georgia – 24 months in prison;
• Brandon Baker, of Panama City, Florida – 20 months in prison;
• Terrance Davis, of Pansey, Alabama – 20 months in prison;
• Tamichael Elijah, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 18 months in prison;
• Timothy Freeman, of Bainbridge, Georgia – time served (15 months in prison);
• Herman Buggs Jr., of Donalsonville, Georgia – time served (two weeks in prison);
• Rodrecus Kimble, of Donalsonville, Georgia – one year home confinement; and
• Gary Hopkins, of Donalsonville, Georgia – six months home confinement.
In addition to prison sentences, the court also imposed restitution for the costs of care of dogs rescued in this investigation. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
According to court documents filed in this case, defendants from three states all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. Law enforcement disrupted the event after a 911 call and rescued 27 dogs that night, including one found in the blood-soaked fighting pit with severe injuries who soon died. The participants used their cars to store injured dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Law enforcement personnel also seized a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.
Seized cell phones in this case contained evidence of some of the participants’ extensive participation in the dog fighting “industry,” including large group dog fighting text message chains, fight reports, and dog fighting videos and photos, including one of a dog who had been hung to death in a garage. Authorities seized and rescued 78 pit bull-type dogs altogether in this investigation, including 51 recovered during search warrants executed with arrest warrants this spring, sparing them from similar fates.
The USDA-OIG and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia assisted Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section in prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The Seized Canine Program of the U.S. Marshals Service cared for the rescued dogs pending legal process.
Final of 14 Individuals Sentenced for Dog FightingRead the Press Release
Following a final sentencing hearing today, all 14 defendants convicted in a large-scale federal dog fighting case in Albany, Georgia, have been sentenced to a total of 343 months in prison for dog fighting and other charges.
“Dog fighting is an odious form of organized crime, and it’s a magnet for other criminal activity,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department and its local partners, such as the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, will not tolerate this callous criminal activity.”
“The brutality of dog fighting, combined with armed drug distribution, negatively affects our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia. “The collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level during this investigation and prosecution was essential in bringing these defendants to justice and rescuing abused animals.”
“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG).
Details of the total sentencings is below:
- Donnametric Miller, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 100 months in prison;
- Fredricus White, of Panama City, Florida – 35 months in prison
- Christopher Travis Beaumont, of Panama City, Florida – 30 months in prison;
- Marvin Pulley, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 30 months in prison;
- Cornelious Johnson, of Panama City, Florida – 27 months in prison;
- Terelle Ganzy, of Panama City, Florida – 24 months in prison;
- Willie Russell, of Blakely, Georgia – 24 months in prison;
- Brandon Baker, of Panama City, Florida – 20 months in prison;
- Terrance Davis, of Pansey, Alabama – 20 months in prison;
- Tamichael Elijah, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 18 months in prison;
- Timothy Freeman, of Bainbridge, Georgia – time served (15 months in prison);
- Herman Buggs Jr., of Donalsonville, Georgia – time served (two weeks in prison);
- Rodrecus Kimble, of Donalsonville, Georgia – one year home confinement; and
- Gary Hopkins, of Donalsonville, Georgia – six months home confinement.
In addition to prison sentences, the court also imposed restitution for the costs of care of dogs rescued in this investigation. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
According to court documents filed in this case, defendants from three states all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. Law enforcement disrupted the event after a 911 call and rescued 27 dogs that night, including one found in the blood-soaked fighting pit with severe injuries who soon died. The participants used their cars to store injured dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Law enforcement personnel also seized a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.
Seized cell phones in this case contained evidence of some of the participants’ extensive participation in the dog fighting “industry,” including large group dog fighting text message chains, fight reports, and dog fighting videos and photos, including one of a dog who had been hung to death in a garage. Authorities seized and rescued 78 pit bull-type dogs altogether in this investigation, including 51 recovered during search warrants executed with arrest warrants this spring, sparing them from similar fates.
The USDA-OIG and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The Seized Canine Program of the U.S. Marshals Service cared for the rescued dogs pending legal process.
Georgia Resident Sentenced for Leading Bank Fraud and ID Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The final defendant and ringleader of a bank fraud and aggravated identity theft scheme involving stolen checks and a fake online recruiting website was sentenced to federal prison today.
Jalen Tylee Hill, aka “Roscoe Hill,” 26, of Americus, was sentenced to serve 81 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Court will determine restitution at a later date. Hill previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to possess stolen mail on May 14, 2024. A codefendant, Victoria Lynn Carter, 25, of Americus, was sentenced to serve one year of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. The sentences were handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on June 4. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Schemes to defraud and steal from citizens will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case serves as a reminder for all of us to be as vigilant as possible with what we share online and monitor our financial accounts. I commend the good investigative work of our local and federal law enforcement partners for helping to prevent any more people and businesses from falling victim to this fraud.”
“The sentencing of this defendant and co-defendants exemplifies the dedication of the investigative efforts which sends a strong message to individuals to consider the consequences of stealing mail and committing financial fraud,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Atlanta Division. “I commend the hard work and countless hours put forth by all of the law enforcement agencies involved, which resulted in the dismantling of this criminal network.”
"The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the support and assistance we received in investigating this case," said Sumter County Sheriff Eric Bryant. "Fraud crimes are on the rise in our area, and the strong partnerships we have with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies provide us with additional resources to address these types of crimes."
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a local church in December 2021 about mail theft and forged checks. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that numerous checks had been stolen out of mailboxes at residential and commercial locations in Georgia. The checks were then forged and deposited into other bank accounts. Specifically, the checks were often altered by having the “Pay To” designation changed to an individual involved in the fraud. That individual would then
make a deposit into their banking account. Other times, the checks would be altered by computer software.
Investigators discovered that Hill directed the scheme and would recruit people via Facebook. Hill would often offer to deposit stolen, forged or duplicated checks into the bank accounts of the recruits on condition that they would split half the funds. Investigators were able to determine that in six months, Hill stole hundreds of pieces of mail, participated in at least 68 incidents of bank fraud, and unlawfully used debit cards belonging to other individuals at least 14 occasions. Hill then deposited, or attempted to deposit, the numerous stolen, forged or otherwise fraudulent checks of more than ten financial institutions into other bank accounts, resulting in an intended loss of approximately $165,743.68. As part of another scheme discovered by investigators, Hill created a fake solar panel installation company recruiting page online from which he stole the identities of 28 individuals, including their driver’s licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, instructional permits and other documents depicting personally identifiable information.
The following codefendants have been convicted for their participation in the crime:
Quontavius Markeese Hill, 34, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and after serving more than eight months in custody was sentenced to time served plus three years of supervised release and to pay $10,815.89 restitution on Nov. 8, 2023;
Accacia Renae Gordon, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve four months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and to pay $14,970.35 restitution on Jan. 15, 2025;
Shaneria Sharae Murray, 33, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve 45 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and to pay $2,000 restitution on Dec. 2, 2024;
Chelsea Ja'Nay Tullis, 29, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve one month in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 15, 2024;
LaQuashia Nichole French, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve 15 days in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and to pay $2,227.91 restitution on Oct. 23, 2024;
Jazmon Lace Whitehead, 31, of Oglethorpe, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $7,658.59 restitution on March 17, 2025;
Chasity LaCole Wellons, 31, of Cordele, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,000 restitution on Jan. 22, 2025;
DeKeyvia Moasha Blackshear, 26, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Aug. 16, 2024;
Janita Bre'Shaye Terry, 24, of Columbus, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024;
Kelbresha Danielle Thomas, 30, of Oglethorpe, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024;
Jenetta Small, 29, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve two years of supervised release on March 14, 2025;
Tyavia Deashia Richardson, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to one year of supervised release and to pay $4,740 restitution on Aug. 14, 2024; and
Kimbreyanna Andranique Peeples, 23, of Butler, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve one year of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the FBI and the U.S Secret Service (USSS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Guilty Verdict in Trial of Recidivist Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Georgia resident with prior criminal convictions, including for domestic violence, was found guilty this week at trial of illegally possessing a firearm.
Devon Marquell Rambo, 28, is guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Rambo faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The trial began on May 27 and concluded on May 28. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Convicted felons caught illegally possessing firearms will face federal prosecution in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I want to thank the Albany Police Department and ATF for their ongoing collaboration to help us uphold the law.”
“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 Rambo was apprehended, officers commenced the search of the residence. Inside Rambo’s house, officers found he 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.
U.S. Attorneys Sara Lim and Matthew Redavid are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Americus Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – An Americus, Georgia, resident who was under investigation for distributing fentanyl in the community was sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing several firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime as he attempted to evade arrest.
Juan Antonious Boone, 36, of Americus, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 181 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on May 21. Boone previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Oct. 9, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed repeat felons distributing fentanyl and other dangerous illegal substances will find their cases in federal court,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “We are grateful that no one was injured when the defendant recklessly sped away in his car while attempting to evade arrest. I want to thank the teams from the Americus Police Department, GBI and ATF for helping us hold the defendant accountable for his crimes and their tireless efforts to make our communities safer.”
“Let me be clear—if you’re a convicted felon pushing fentanyl and carrying illegal firearms, the ATF will find you, and you will face the full force of federal prosecution,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Atlanta Field Division.
“Fentanyl distribution and armed criminal activity pose a grave threat to public safety,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This sentencing sends a clear message: individuals who choose to traffic deadly drugs and illegally possess firearms will be met with the full force of the law. We remain steadfast in our mission to protect Georgia communities through strong partnerships and relentless investigative work.”
“The Americus Police Department appreciates the teamwork between local, state and federal law enforcement partners that helps to get dangerous criminals like this off our streets. We are all in the fight together against violent offenders who are flooding our streets with fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics,” said Americus Police Chief Mark Scott.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) utilized a confidential informant (CI) between June 13, 2023, and Aug. 7, 2023, to purchase small quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl, from Boone in the Americus area. On Jan. 8, 2024, GBI conducted surveillance of Boone at the Days Inn in Americus as he departed the hotel. Boone, who was wanted on an active probation warrant, was pulled over by Americus Police Department (APD) officers. Rather than exiting the vehicle as instructed, Boone placed the vehicle in drive and drove away at a high speed, almost striking an APD officer. APD officers pursued Boone to a nearby apartment complex; when he got to a dead-end, he got out of the car and ran away. Boone had a firearm in his hand and one in his waistband; he was safely apprehended. Boone, who has several felony convictions, was illegally possessing two stolen 9mm pistols. Inside his car, police found approximately 24 grams of fentanyl, 79.743 grams of methamphetamine, 251 grams of cocaine, a large quantity of marijuana and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Boone has several prior felonies, including two convictions for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and a conviction for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
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), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Americus Police Department (APD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Macon Mafia Member Sent Back to Prison for Illegally Possessing AR-Style RifleRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon and confirmed member of the Macon Mafia criminal organization who was serving supervised release for a prior federal conviction in West Virginia when a gang-related fatal shooting occurred at a Macon gas station in 2024 was sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Nekoase Antwan Vinson, 41, of Macon, was sentenced to serve a total of 107 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on May 12. Vinson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Feb. 20 in Case No. 5:24-CR-64-001 (sentence of 71 months imprisonment). In addition, Vinson’s supervised release was revoked in Case No. 3:09-CR-99-002 from the Southern District of West Virgina, for which he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (sentence of 36 months imprisonment). There is no parole in the federal system.
“A man lost his life as a result of a gang-related shooting where convicted felons illegally possessed rapid-fire guns capable of killing many people," said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will use every federal resource available to lawfully hold repeat felons accountable for illegally arming themselves and endangering our community."
“This case is a tragic example of the mayhem that results when criminal gang members with illegally possessed firearms try to settle scores in public,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful that for almost nine years Nekoase Vinson will not be able to spew violence which might harm law abiding citizens.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vinson and Joshua Teone Curry were present at the Marathon gas station on Napier Avenue in Macon on July 20, 2024, when gang-related violence broke out. Video surveillance showed Curry exchanged fire with unknown individuals using a fully automatic pistol, and Vinson brandished an AR-style rifle. Vinson and Curry left together in Vinson’s black Cadillac Escalade. Vinson wore a large “M4L” (Mafia 4 Life) medallion. That night, RaQuavian Smith, an associate of Vinson and Curry’s who was present at the Marathon, died from gunshot wounds sustained in the violence.
Both firearms seen on video were seized by law enforcement, together with an additional pistol, on August 23, 2024. On August 23, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Roy Street at a location controlled by Vinson and Curry, taking both men into custody. Law enforcement found two firearms beneath a mattress: a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition and a switch plus a Sig Sauer, Model P320, .45 caliber pistol with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition. Officers recovered various Macon Mafia memorabilia, including t-shirts and hats. Hanging around Vinson’s neck was the M4L chain and medallion he wore during the July 20, 2024, shooting. Inside Curry’s vehicle, officers found a Del-Ton, Model DTI-15, AR-style caliber rifle.
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 Department of Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Op Sweet Silence Defendant Pleads Guilty, Agrees to Serve 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident, arrested and prosecuted under the multi-agency law enforcement effort called Operation Sweet Silence, confessed to leading a major drug trafficking conspiracy in the community and agreed to serve 20 years in prison under a binding plea agreement with the final two co-defendants entering guilty pleas in federal court late Friday.
Tommie Mullins, Jr. aka “TJ” aka “Bo” aka “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on May 6. As part of his binding plea agreement, Mullins will serve 20 years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release.
Nine co-defendants pleaded guilty:
Trenton Thomas aka Bubbles, 25, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 9 and faces a maximum of life imprisonment;
Trenton Clemons, 48, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 9 and faces a maximum of life imprisonment;
Adrian Palmer aka AP, 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 6 and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years imprisonment;
Darius Jenkins, 23, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 25 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment;
Christopher Hill, 36, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate drug felony on April 25 and faces a maximum of four years imprisonment;
Corey Turner aka “Lito” aka “Lito Red,” 33, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute on April 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life imprisonment;
Anthony Champion, 45, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on April 22 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment;
Javonta Paden, 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana on April 22 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment; and
Adrian Pleasants, 29, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana on April 22 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.
The sentencing for Mullins and his co-defendants is scheduled for Aug. 7. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed criminal organizations that traffic methamphetamine and large quantities of illicit drugs pose a serious threat to the safety of our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office is dedicated to collaborating with our federal, state and local 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 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 Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
“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 in court, 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. Mullins coordinated multiple drug transactions with co-conspirators in Columbus and drug suppliers elsewhere, including a major supplier in Seattle, Washington, for the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana.
Under surveillance, investigators determined that Mullins used his Cove Circle residence—where he resided with his brother, co-conspirator Turner—as a primary distribution location frequented by members of his drug trafficking organization. Based on intercepted calls during a court-authorized wiretap, FBI and DEA agents learned co-conspirators facilitated and received directions from Turner and Mullins to conduct drug transactions on their behalf. For example, on March 7 and 18, 2023, federal agents monitored the coordination and delivery of a one-kilogram methamphetamine package from California via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to a house on Urban Avenue in Columbus used by Turner and his co-conspirators.
On March 22, 2023, co-conspirators Trenton Thomas, Paden, Pleasants and Palmer, flew to Seattle, Washington, to purchase marijuana and transport it back to Columbus. Before the trip, intercepted calls between Thomas and a middleman in Seattle, Washington, discussed arrangements for the purchase of 300 pounds of marijuana from a Hispanic supplier in Seattle, and that Mullins was supposed to communicate with the middleman. Mullins received incoming calls from the Hispanic supplier during this time. The four co-conspirators were taken into custody by the FBI at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport two days later; eight pieces of luggage were seized containing 232 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana seizure then triggered a series of calls and messages over court-authorized wiretaps and the Muscogee County Jail (MCJ) communication system between co-conspirators, including Clemons, and others expressing frustration over the marijuana seizure.
Clemons was also a known distributor in the Mullins drug trafficking organization. On April 15, 2024, FBI and DEA agents surveilled Mullins and Clemons to travel from Columbus to a music studio in Atlanta and meet with a co-conspirator. A few hours later, a GMC Denali arrived across the street; the co-conspirator retrieved three large bags, including a green gift bag, from the GMC Denali and returned inside the studio. Mullins and Clemons then exited the studio carrying the same green gift bag. Clemons emptied the contents of the green gift bag into a blue suitcase and placed the suitcase into Mullins’ vehicle. Mullins then dropped Clemons at the Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta; Clemons subsequently caught a Groome transportation bus back to Columbus with the blue suitcase. Agents were waiting at the Groome headquarters in Columbus when the shuttle arrived approximately two hours later; they observed Clemons exit the bus, retrieve the blue suitcase, and place it in a car driven by a woman. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and based on the positive alert by a drug canine, agents searched and located 3,952 grams of methamphetamine separated into four bags inside the blue suitcase. Clemons was arrested.
Mullins and Palmer shared a source of supply located on the West Coast. A search warrant was executed for Mullins’ Instagram account, which found a series of messages between Mullins and a West Coast supplier of marijuana between April 23, 2023, and May 18, 2023. Subsequent intercepts with others, including Palmer, showed several drug conversations for “squares” (usually denotes a pound or kilogram of hard narcotics, typically methamphetamine) and marijuana. A conversation involving Palmer discussed “loading up on these squares” and getting “about 10 of them” to recoup some money they lost from the large marijuana seizure.
Palmer utilized co-defendant Jenkins to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Palmer was arrested at Club Hill Apartments on Sept. 27, 2023, in possession of drugs, a digital scale and plastic baggies. FBI located approximately a kilogram of methamphetamine in his car, packaged in 33 separate baggies. Inside his apartment, agents located a plastic container and spoons with suspected methamphetamine residue, over 50 pouches of prepackaged suspected marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.
On Sept. 24, 2023, Turner was arrested during a traffic stop by the Columbus Police Department, where he was the front seat passenger. At the time, Turner tossed a stolen, loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the window. Turner possessed 439 grams of marijuana and two baggies of cocaine.
Agents intercepted calls with Champion in March 2023, who was seeking to purchase a half-kilogram of cocaine. Under surveillance, agents observed a co-conspirator visit a trap house operated by other co-conspirators and then enter Champion’s car; Champion was recorded shortly later calling the co-conspirator to complain about the contents and the weight of the drug package, stating, “This ain’t even a whole, it’s a half” and returning to the trap house. A later call discussed arrangements to meet the co-conspirator to remedy the drug shortage.
On Oct. 5, 2022, Mullins was at the Sacramento International Airport when a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in Mullins’ suitcase. A search of that suitcase revealed over $29,000 in cash, which was confiscated as suspected drug proceeds. Federal agents discovered messages in Mullins’ Instagram account related to the Sacramento search and seizure as part of this investigation.
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 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.
Georgia Man Sentenced to Serve 16+ Years in Prison for Attempting to Distribute a Large Amount of Fentanyl from MexicoRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Georgia man who was collaborating with a Mexico source of supply to distribute 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl in the Macon community was sentenced to serve more than 16 years in prison for his crime.
Ike Jackson, Jr., 38, of Lizella, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Marc Treadwell on May 12. Jackson, Jr. previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute on Feb. 21. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Drug traffickers are gravely harming our communities by distributing dangerous substances like fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case highlights our commitment to partner with law enforcement to hold those who push fentanyl accountable as we strive to eliminate these deadly drugs from our streets.”
“Jackson endangered countless lives by trafficking large quantities of deadly fentanyl,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “The success of this investigation is proof that those destroying our communities with fentanyl will be held accountable.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Feb. 14, 2024, DEA agents received information from a confidential source (CS) about an individual possessing two kilograms of fentanyl living at Jackson, Jr.’s address and matching his description. The CS said they had been in contact with a source of supply from Mexico who shared this information. On Feb. 15, 2024, agents arranged a controlled purchase from the Mexican source of supply for two kilograms of fentanyl from Jackson, Jr. at his home or at a motel in Macon. Surveillance was established at both locations; Jackson, Jr. was at the motel and Bibb County Sheriff’s deputies took him into custody as he was leaving the motel.
Inside his motel room, agents found a black backpack containing a handheld radio with the name “IKE” taped on it and a headphone box secured with tape. Inside the box, agents found a clear kilogram-sized bag of fentanyl and a kilogram-sized vacuum-sealed bag of fentanyl, both packages totaling 1,713.7 grams. The defendant was later recorded calling a family member from the jail pleading with them to go to the motel and get his “bag of clothes” (referring to the backpack containing the large amount of fentanyl) but was told nothing was in the room.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelby Brunette prosecuted the case for the Government.
Athens Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Filing $3.5+ Million in False ReturnsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A tax preparer who admitted to filing more than $3.5 million in fraudulent tax returns tied to a multi-state investigation of a COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefit scheme in which she received a percentage of the ill-gotten gains was sentenced to serve eight years in prison for her crime.
Jessica Crawford, 34, of Athens, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on May 8. Crawford previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aiding and assisting in preparing and presenting false income tax returns on Nov. 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Federal law enforcement uncovered a large-scale tax return scheme during the pandemic that was costing taxpayers while benefiting fraudsters,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, federal prosecutors will continue to uphold the law and pursue justice in these cases.”
“Jessica Crawford used her position as a tax preparer to defraud the U.S. government through a CARES Act program intended for those unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Atlanta Field Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette. “In addition, she continued her theft of taxpayers’ money by fraudulently filing tax returns on behalf of her clients. The sentencing Crawford received should serve notice to unscrupulous tax preparers that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue investigating and holding them accountable for their unethical conduct.”
"Jessica Crawford lied and took advantage of funds designed to help those who were truly in need during the pandemic," said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and hold accountable anyone who defrauds taxpayers."
According to court documents and statements made in court, FBI agents investigating a multi-state unemployment benefit scheme conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic discovered text messages between individuals involved in the scheme and Crawford, a tax preparer with Crawford Tax Services in Athens. Crawford filed for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits on behalf of those individuals who had created fake businesses or submitted false information to fraudulently obtain benefits. In return, Crawford received a percentage of the ill-gotten gains.
Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) agents executed an undercover operation at Crawford’s business in April 2022 as part of the continuing investigation. The undercover agent (UA) met Crawford to have taxes prepared, and Crawford asked if the UA did anything on the side. At first, the UA responded no, but Crawford said that expenses could be deducted if he did, and the UA said he mowed an aunt’s lawn sometimes, which Crawford said was good enough. The UA did not provide any income or expense amounts. Still, Crawford created a Schedule C business for landscaping on the UA's federal income tax return based solely on that interaction. Crawford prepared a Form 1040 and filed electronically, including a fictitious Schedule C loss of $19,373, and claimed an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a Child Tax Credit (CTC), and a Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, which were affected by the fraudulent Schedule C loss. As a result, the UA’s return claimed a fraudulent federal income tax refund of $12,359.
The IRS completed a statistical review of 1,261 total tax returns filed by Crawford in tax years 2020 and 2021. Of those, the IRS determined that Crawford fraudulently filed tax returns on behalf of clients, resulting in losses to the IRS exceeding $3 million from falsely claimed Form 7202 credits for sick leave and family leave, tax credits and dependent care credits.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the IRS-CI.
Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Former Georgia Church Bookkeeper Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Florida woman who served as the bookkeeper for an Alapaha, Georgia, church was sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay back $173,500 in restitution for falsely applying for and then stealing federal loan money designated for use by the church and the church’s Peanut Butter and Jesus (PB&J) charitable organization, which provides food and hope for the community.
Judith Alane Chavis, 58, of Sorrento, Florida, was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison per count to run concurrently to be followed by three years of supervised release and $173,500 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on April 29, 2025. Chavis previously pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud in relation to a disaster benefit and ten counts of money laundering on Oct. 30, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Individuals who use places of worship and charitable organizations for their fraud and theft will be rooted out and face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I want to express my gratitude to our FBI partners for their ongoing efforts to combat fraud and ensure accountability for these crimes.”
"Chavis betrayed the confidence the church had placed in her by misappropriating funds intended to support its mission,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We hope that this federal prison sentence offers some measure of closure to the church and its congregation and serves as a warning to others who might exploit the trust of faith-based or charitable institutions for personal enrichment."
According to court documents, Chavis was a volunteer bookkeeper for both the Glory Church of Alapaha and its charity, the Peanut Butter and Jesus Outreach (PB&J), from 2018 until August 2022. Chavis was authorized to write checks; the Church’s and PB&J’s bank statements were only sent to her. Between August 2020 and March 2022, Chavis applied for and was granted $163,500 of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of the Church and PB&J without the Church's or PB&J’s authorization or knowledge and using the Church’s letterhead. Chavis also falsely designated herself as treasurer in the request for funds, signing the letter herself. On March 7, 2022, Chavis submitted a signed certification stating members of the Church's finance committee approved the second modification of the loan. No such approval occurred. In June 2021, Chavis submitted requests for targeted advances on behalf of the Church without the Church’s authorization or knowledge. The SBA granted the requests and deposited $15,000 in the Church’s account. Chavis transferred almost all of the EIDL and advance funds from the Church's and PB&J’s accounts, totaling $173,500, to her personal checking account using the Church's and PB&J’s checks that she made out to herself and signed without the Church's or PB&J’s authorization or knowledge. She used the money for personal expenses including travel and large purchases.
FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.
Convicted Felon Guilty at Trial of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Baldwin County man with a prior aggravated assault conviction, who had a pistol with an extended magazine during a tense standoff with deputies, was found guilty by a federal jury of illegally possessing a firearm this week.
Dormaine Mitchell, 39, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 8, following a two-day trial that began on April 7. Mitchell faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.
“We are relieved that no one was injured in this incident and thankful to the officers who effectively managed a tense and dangerous situation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue justice against repeat offenders who disregard federal law and illegally possess firearms.”
“A prohibited person in possession of stolen firearms is a clear and present danger to our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Atlanta Field Division. “We are incredibly grateful for the courage and quick action of our law enforcement partners who responded to this high-risk situation. Their dedication ensured a safe outcome for everyone involved. ATF is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners as we work together to protect the public and pursue justice.”
“Law enforcement has a strong footprint in Baldwin County, and this case demonstrates the positive outcomes resulting from the collaboration between the Sheriff’s Department and our federal partners,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy observed the defendant driving erratically by running off the side of the road and into oncoming traffic on Vinson Highway near Laboratory Road on Oct. 13, 2022. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed the driver, Mitchell, had a strong smell of alcohol and slurred speech. Mitchell told the officer he did not have weapons in the car. However, when Mitchell reached for his wallet, the officer saw the extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol sticking out from between the driver’s seat and the center console. The officer pulled her weapon and commanded Mitchell to put his hands on the steering wheel. The officer then saw Mitchell lower his right hand. The officer called for backup, took cover and gave verbal commands. At some point during their encounter, Mitchell moved the firearm and placed it on the passenger seat of the vehicle. More officers arrived, and Mitchell was taken into custody. While Mitchell was escorted to the police car, he told the officer, “You better be glad it didn’t go bad.” Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior aggravated assault conviction in Baldwin County, Georgia, Superior Court. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, are investigating the case.
Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julius Jefferson are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Macon Man Sentenced to Prison for Robbing Credit UnionsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident who brandished a firearm during two bank robberies and an attempted bank robbery in 2022—causing victims to suffer panic attacks and stealing a total of $38,274—was sentenced to prison this week.
Felix Cordes, 58, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $38,274 by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on April 2. Cordes previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery on Jan. 2. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Criminal offenders who instill fear in our community by conducting bank robberies will face consequences for their actions," said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office is committed to working with law enforcement to bring the most dangerous criminals to justice.”
“Cordes terrified innocent employees and customers at three businesses throughout his crime spree,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are extremely grateful that no one was physically hurt or killed during these violent robberies and thankful that Cordes is off our streets receiving the sentencing he deserves.”
“Felix Cordes was a ruthless and relentless criminal who possibly could have killed innocent bank employees had he not been stopped by the diligent work of investigators,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We are grateful that justice is served, and he will be held accountable for spreading mayhem in our community.”
According to the court documents and statements referenced in court, Cordes robbed MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union in Macon on April 2, 2022. Cordes attempted to disguise himself in overalls, a bandana and sunglasses. He approached the bank tellers on staff and brandished a handgun, ordering the tellers to “take the money out.” He went behind the counter, pulled cash out of two drawers, placed the money in a bag and left the scene. Some tellers experienced panic attacks from intimidation caused by Cordes. Cordes used some of the stolen money to purchase two cell phones at a Boost Mobile store.
With the aid of an accomplice, Cordes robbed the Central Georgia Regional Credit Union in Macon on May 2, 2022. Wearing blue latex gloves and brandishing a firearm, he stole cash from the bank. He attempted to commit a third robbery on May 24, 2022, at another MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union location in Macon. This attempt was unsuccessful because bank staff saw Cordes and an accomplice--both wearing masks--approach the bank with a silver handgun drawn. The staff was able to lock down the bank and thwart the robbery attempt; no money was stolen. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence used by Cordes on April 6, 2022, and found a bandana matching the one seen on video during the first MidSouth Bank robbery video, blue latex gloves like those worn by Cordes during the second robbery, boxes corresponding to the cellphones purchased from Boost Mobile with the stolen money and a box of 9-millimeter ammunition. Cordes stole a total of $38,274 from the two credit unions.
This case was investigated by FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.
Leader of Armed Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 28 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The leader of an armed drug trafficking organization based in Middle Georgia was sentenced to serve 28 years in prison for supplying large quantities of methamphetamine in the community.
Julian Derwayne Coker, aka “Red,” aka “Bread Red,” 44, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 336 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell on April 2. Coker previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed drug trafficking organizations endanger the safety of our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case demonstrates the collaboration between law enforcement at all levels to dismantle criminal organizations and hold their members accountable.”
“The streets are safer, and Georgians can sleep a little easier knowing that the leader of this drug trafficking organization is locked up and his days of peddling drugs in our community are over,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains committed to combatting drug trafficking and taking armed violent criminals off the streets through joint efforts with our law enforcement partners.”
“Drug trafficking organizations disrupt society and poison our communities with violence and illegal drugs,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Their actions threaten the safety of the citizens of Georgia, and the GBI and our partners will not allow these organizations to go unchecked. This case is an example of this commitment to protect the communities of Georgia and hold criminals accountable.”
The following codefendants have been sentenced:
Rodney Sentell Hardin, aka “Rod,” 45, of Roberta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison on Jan. 8 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Oct. 9, 2024;
Lisa Nanette McNeer, 48, of Gray, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 151 months in prison on Jan. 8 after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 22, 2024;
Cedric Wimbush, 47, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 106 months in prison on Feb. 26 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 25, 2024;
Jonathan Kelly McBride, 49, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison on Feb. 26 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 23, 2024;
Melvin Bates, 78, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison on Feb. 26 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Nov. 19, 2024;
Erin Marie Jones, 45, of Forsyth, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison on Sept. 5, 2024, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on June 5, 2024;
Fred Roberts, 66, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in prison on Feb. 26 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 19, 2024; and
Carr Dodson, 51, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison on March 5 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 30, 2024.
The following codefendants have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on May 13:
Johnathan Pieri, 31, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 19, 2024;
Mitchell Robinson, 53, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 11, 2024; and
Vanessa Wright, 37, of Perry, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Nov. 19, 2024.
According to court documents and statements made public in court, the FBI began investigating Coker’s drug trafficking organization (DTO) in 2022, which led to multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Coker and Hardin and other investigative actions. Sales of illegal drugs occurred on Feb. 13, 2022, and March 24, 2022, with Hardin selling methamphetamine he obtained from Coker to a confidential source.
Coker sold methamphetamine to a confidential source five times between June and September 2022 at locations in Macon. Wiretaps revealed that Coker was supplying methamphetamine to Hardin and other individuals. Agents executed multiple search warrants on Nov. 15, 2022, including at Coker’s residence on Forsyth Road. Agents found methamphetamine in pill and crystal forms stashed in an air fryer and a bag in the kitchen. The crystal methamphetamine weighed 11,166.01 grams and ranged in purity from 96% to 100%; the pressed pill methamphetamine weighed 79.87 grams. Agents found a 9mm pistol inside of a jacket embroidered with Coker’s alias “Bread Red” and seized $13,891. In all, Coker’s DTO is responsible for the distribution of dozens of kilograms of methamphetamine. Coker has a criminal history, including a prior federal controlled substance distribution 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 case was investigated by the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Macon Probationer Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A resident of Macon pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge this week for illegally possessing a firearm when he was taken into custody for violating his probation.
Terico Jaques Balkcom, 46, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Court Judge Marc T. Treadwell on March 31. Balkcom faces a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office is collaborating with our law enforcement partners to hold repeat convicted felons accountable when they are found violating federal law.”
“Ensuring public safety is our top priority, the GBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable who violate the law, especially those with a history of criminal behavior,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Balkcom was stopped by the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) for having an obscured tag on May 20, 2024. Balkcom was known to have an active warrant for violating state probation for a felony conviction out of Bibb County, Georgia, Superior Court. The GSP trooper could smell the odor of alcohol and performed a field sobriety test. Balkcom presented a false ID, claiming to be “Benjamin Brown.” When the officer asked for his date of birth, Balkcom answered that it was a different date from what was on the fake identification. A GBI agent familiar with Balkcom arrived and confirmed it was Balkcom. Balkcom was taken into custody based on the active probation warrant. Agents found a 9mm pistol inside a Crown Royal bag that also contained Balkcom’s prescription medication. Balkcom was recorded on a jail phone call discussing the gun and also three ounces of marijuana that officers found inside the vehicle. Balkcom has several prior convictions and probation violations in Bibb County Superior Court. He was on probation for a 2018 conviction in Bibb County for crossing state or county guard lines with weapons, intoxicants, or drugs without consent. 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 Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) with assistance from Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case for the Government
Texas Man Guilty of Disaster Fraud Costing Georgia Church MillionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Texas man acting as an insurance adjuster cheated an Albany church out of millions of dollars paid out by its insurance company to repair its facilities, which were heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018 and are still not fully repaired.
Andrew Mitchell aka “Andrew Aga,” 45, of Kemeh, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud before U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on March 27. Mitchell faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. The Court will determine a sentencing date. There is no parole in the federal system.
“It is disheartening to see someone willing to defraud a place of worship in the wake of a major natural disaster, especially when its congregation trusted the defendant and all those involved to act lawfully and help them repair their historic downtown facility after Hurricane Michael,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Shanelle Booker. “Together with our federal prosecutorial team, investigators from the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s Office thoroughly examined years of fraud to ensure that Andrew Mitchell is held accountable for his crime.”
“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 December 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 is prosecuting the case for the Government.Valdosta, Georgia, Resident Sentenced to 33 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material, Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, man was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography, plus an additional three years of imprisonment for assaulting a jailer while in federal custody.
Laronce Howell, 46, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve a total of 396 months in prison (the statutory maximum of 360 months for the production of child pornography and 36 months in prison for assault of a federal officer) by U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on March 26. In addition, he will serve 15 years of supervised release and will register as a sex offender upon release from prison. Howell pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography in Case No. 7:22-cr-00055 on Oct. 5, 2023, and he pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer in Case No. 7:24-cr-00041 on Feb. 20. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Recidivist violent offenders like Laronce Howell, who was only on parole from state prison for one month when he filmed a minor being sexually abused, will see their cases in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “In the pursuit of justice, we will maximize the use of our federal resources against those producing child sexual abuse material.”
“This is an outstanding effort by our detectives, the U.S. Attorney's Office and numerous community partners who dedicated countless hours to prepare this case for prosecution, resulting in a dangerous predator being removed from our community and held accountable for his actions,” stated Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan. “These cases are heartbreaking, and we remain committed to working together to ensure these victims receive the justice they deserve.”
According to court documents and statements made in Court, Howell used his cell phone to film a 13-year-old minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct with two adult men on Oct. 1, 2020, and sent the video to a family member. Valdosta Police Department officers investigated the case and arrested Howell on approximately Oct. 14, 2020. Howell was a federal inmate housed by the United States Marshals Service at the Tift County, Georgia, Jail when he assaulted an officer on Nov. 20, 2024. When Howell asked jailers to open his cell door, Howell immediately punched an officer in the face two times then attempted to mount the officer before he was placed in handcuffs. Howell has a lengthy criminal history at the state level, including five prior drug-related convictions, two family violence battery convictions and three robbery convictions. Howell has multiple revocations of probation and parole and was out of state prison on parole for a month before he committed the production of child pornography offense.
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 Valdosta Police Department (VPD) investigated the production of child pornography case, and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) investigated the assault of a federal officer case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted both cases for the Government.
Former Law Student Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former law school student who possessed more than 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone and uploaded on cloud-based storage was sentenced to serve more than six years in prison for his crime.
Gregory Gallagher, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $169,649.12 in restitution to the victims by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on March 26. Gallagher will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. The defendant previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on April 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Children who experience the horror of being sexually abused are continually traumatized each and every time the image or video of the heinous act is viewed. These images are permanent and cause harm well beyond the moment they were originally captured,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office, working alongside our law enforcement and community partners, will pursue federal prosecution against child predators caught viewing, uploading or sharing child sexual abuse material on the internet.”
“This conviction is a victory for justice and a warning to those who prey on children—we will find you and you will face the full force of the law,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “Together, HSI and our law enforcement partners will remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard communities and ensure that those who exploit children are held accountable.”
"Today’s conviction reflects the relentless efforts of law enforcement to protect children from exploitation and hold offenders accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains steadfast in its commitment to using all available resources to prevent child abuse and bring justice to the victims of these horrific crimes."
According to court documents and statements referenced in Court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received five Cybertip reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) between May and August 2021 from a cloud infrastructure company of suspected child sexual exploitation associated with a cell phone number. The subsequent investigation led to Gallagher, who was a Mercer Law School student at the time; agents executed a search warrant of the account in January 2022 and found subfolders belonging to Gallagher that contained 38 videos and 1,970 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Another folder containing files uploaded from Gallagher’s cell phone had two videos and 3,389 images of more CSAM. Agents executed search warrants at Gallagher’s residences in Macon and Marietta on March 29, 2022. Agents discovered that Gallagher’s cell phone had 97 videos and 5,749 images of children being sexually assaulted and abused, including very young children and toddlers.
These cases were 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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Fayetteville Man Admits to Fraud Involving Checks Stolen from Macon Blue BoxRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Metro Atlanta resident who orchestrated a bank fraud scheme involving checks stolen from a Macon mail collection box that he would sell online pleaded guilty to bank fraud in federal court today.
Keyon Ponder, 28, of Fayetteville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on March 24. Ponder faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. The Court will determine a sentencing date. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Keyon Ponder’s stolen check scheme defrauded citizens and businesses alike, a crime that will ultimately cost him years in prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I commend the actions of U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigators who quickly responded to reports of theft from a Blue Box, ultimately preventing additional fraud and helping us hold the perpetrator accountable.”
“The investigative work conducted by Postal Inspectors with the assistance of the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office led to the arrest of the defendant who would have continued to victimize countless other people,” said Jessica L. Wagner, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains vigilant to protect the nation's mail system from criminal misuse and will continue to aggressively investigate those individuals suspected of such crimes."
According to court documents and statements referenced in Court, on May 29, 2024, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) started investigating mail theft and bank fraud issues occurring in the Macon area after receiving multiple reports of mail stolen from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Blue Box on Georgia Avenue near the Macon Post Office on College Street. USPIS investigators found a homemade “trap” in the Blue Box. The "trap" was made of cardboard to prevent the mail from falling completely into the Blue Box, instead keeping it held in the "trap." The “trap” allowed a person to steal the mail by placing their hand in the opening of the collection box to the mail or removing the trap and the mail.
On May 31, 2024, a USPS employee reported that a suspicious vehicle was observed at that Blue Box numerous times. The USPS employee took pictures of the black Tesla with a tinted tag cover and license plate and provided them to the USPIS investigator. The USPS employee reported that the vehicle’s driver was not seen placing mail in the Blue Box but instead observed the vehicle stay longer at the collection box. Electronic surveillance also captured video of the black Tesla, as described above, pulling up to the USPS Blue Box on May 31, 2024.
On that same day, at approximately 2:22 p.m., USPIS inspectors observed the black Tesla, with Ponder driving, pull up to the USPS blue box, roll down the vehicle’s window, and stick his empty hand deep in the opening of the blue box. Ponder then appeared to shove an item in the blue box but then pulled the item back towards the opening of the blue box. Ponder’s fingerprints were recovered from the “trap” in the blue box. Ponder left the location and traveled on I-75 toward Monroe County. A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled him over for a traffic violation, plus the additional violations observed by the USPIS inspectors. Ponder had a bag of mail in plain view on the front passenger floorboard. Ponder also had outstanding arrest warrants and was placed in custody. The mail was not addressed to Ponder and contained checks. Investigators found cardboard boxes and tape inside his vehicle, which matched the homemade “trap” inside the blue box. The agents also seized two cell phones belonging to Ponder. At the time of arrest, Ponder had 52 pieces of stolen stamped mail, including 42 stolen checks totaling more than $20,000.
While incarcerated at the Monroe County Jail, Ponder was observed on jail security video taking something out of his pants and stuffing it behind a screen in the booking area. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office recovered the envelope containing 17 more checks and one USPS Postal Money Order, none of which listed Ponder as the payee or payor and totaled more than $75,000. In all, Ponder had 59 stolen checks written for approximately $96,000.
A federal search warrant executed on Ponder’s two cell phones found evidence of a sophisticated fraud scheme in which Ponder and other individuals stole mail--specifically targeting checks--to operate a fraud ring utilizing originals and copies of checks that Ponder advertised and sold on the Telegram social media and messaging application. The phone data showed 136 individuals participated on Ponder’s stolen checks Telegram channel. Ponder’s cell phone contained more than 500 stolen check images and numerous photos of stolen checks listed for sale on his Telegram channel, along with many detailed conversations regarding various aspects of the transactions of the stolen checks. Ponder admitted that he knew the checks were stolen and that he sold them or offered them for sale to others.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) with assistance from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Henry County Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machinegun at HospitalRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Henry County man who had a stolen Glock 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine capable of converting to a fully automatic weapon while at the Labor and Delivery unit of a hospital has pleaded guilty to possessing a machinegun.
Terrell Monquez Searcy, 21, of McDonough, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a machinegun before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self on March 20. Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2025, in Athens. There is no parole in the federal system.
“All those found in possession of machineguns and with illegal conversion devices in the Middle District of Georgia will be held accountable for breaking federal law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case exemplifies how law enforcement effectively engages to remove illegal firearms from the streets and hold criminals accountable as we work together to make our communities safer.”
“Machinegun conversion devices enable a conventional semi-automatic pistol to function as a fully automatic firearm which is illegal,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “Anyone possessing these illegal machinegun conversion devices will be facing felony charges. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep them off our streets.”
According to court documents, the stipulation of facts and other statements made in Court, Monroe Police Department officers were dispatched to Piedmont Walton Hospital on Aug. 17, 2023, after a nurse observed Searcy in a Labor and Delivery room with a handgun, which is prohibited in the hospital. When hospital security came to the room, Searcy admitted he did have a handgun and that he put it under the couch cushion. He gave the firearm—a Glock Model 17 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine—to security and remained in the room. Hospital security noticed that a full auto sear pin appeared to have been attached to the rear of the slide, making the firearm a machinegun, prompting the call by hospital security to police. Police ran the serial number on the firearm and found out it was reported stolen from Walton County, Georgia. Searcy was taken into custody.
ATF agents tested the firearm and confirmed it did function as a machinegun. Further investigation revealed that Searcy, a rapper known as Quez 2RR, had showcased a pistol with what appeared to be a machinegun conversion device in music videos on a YouTube channel. In a music video titled “Traffic,” Searcy rapped, “I pop out a switch on the back of my Glock” and “I put a switch on the back of my Glock, just to clean up the street when it’s time for that action.” At one point in the video, Searcy’s holding a pistol in his waistband with what appears to be a machinegun conversion device attached to the back.Following the federal indictment charging Searcy with possessing a machine gun in August 2024, agents located Instagram messages between Searcy and a female law enforcement officer with the Clayton County Police Department. Between January and March 2023, Searcy asked the police officer to run his information to see if there were any warrants for his arrest. The police officer also provided information to Searcy regarding an active homicide investigation. During an interview with Clayton County Police Department detectives, the officer admitted to providing Searcy with information on an active homicide investigation and advising Searcy when she located active warrants for his arrest.
On Feb. 11, 2025, members of the ATF, McDonough Police Department and Henry County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at Searcy’s residence in McDonough, Georgia. Searcy and two other men were in the home along with several firearms. The defendant told agents that he had been living at the residence for a couple of months, that he slept with a Draco firearm under his bed and that the Glock 17 found in the living room belonged to him. ATF agents submitted test fires from both firearms to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to determine if either firearm had been used in other crimes. The Micro Draco recovered from Searcy’s bedroom returned with several NIBIN leads, including two from the DeKalb County Police Department. Both DeKalb County incidents indicated that the Micro Draco was used in a drive-by shooting in DeKalb County where four people, including two juveniles, were shot inside their homes. Each shooting occurred within just days of Searcy receiving information from the Clayton County police officer on the active Clayton County homicide where his friend was shot and killed.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the City of Monroe Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, McDonough Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Dekalb County Police Department and the Piedmont Walton Hospital Security Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Three Venezuelans Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Fake Green CardsRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Venezuelan man who entered the United States illegally and who admitted to possessing a fraudulent Green Card during the murder investigation of a 22-year-old nursing student was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison—above the federal sentencing guideline range—and to be deported along with his brother and a former roommate.
Diego Jose Ibarra, aka “Gocho,” 29, was sentenced to serve a total of 48 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a fraudulent document on July 15, 2024. Argenis Ibarra, aka “Meny,” 25, of Venezuela, was sentenced to time served after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a fraudulent document on Dec. 10, 2024. Rosbeli Flores-Bello, aka “La Gorda,” 29, of Venezuela, was sentenced to time served after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a fraudulent document on Dec. 11, 2024.
All three defendants are to be delivered to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation. Diego Ibarra will be placed in ICE custody at the conclusion of his federal prison sentence; Argenis Ibarra and Flores-Bello will be placed in ICE custody immediately. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. Self, III handed down the sentences on March 19 in Athens. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was made aware of Deigo Ibarra’s undocumented presence in the United States on Feb. 23, 2024, during the murder investigation of Laken Hope Riley, who was kidnapped and brutally murdered on Feb. 22, 2024, during a morning run at the University of Georgia, where she previously attended as an undergraduate prior to transferring to the Augusta University College of Nursing. At the time, an Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) officer approached Diego Ibarra because he matched the description of the primary suspect in the murder investigation, which was his brother, Jose Antonio Ibarra. Diego Ibarra gave the ACCPD officer a counterfeit U.S. Permanent Resident Card (also called a Green Card) as identification and was taken into custody. Jose Ibarra was convicted of Laken Riley’s murder on Nov. 20, 2024, in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court and is serving a life sentence.
On April 30, 2023, Diego Ibarra illegally entered the United States, along with four other Venezuelan men, by crossing the border near the Ysleta station in El Paso, Texas. The men fled when approached by the United States Border Patrol (USBP) agents. Diego Ibarra resisted an agent’s efforts to detain him and grabbed the agent’s service radio, threw it into a nearby yard, and then attempted to bite the agent. Agents scuffled with him and another Venezuelan man for several minutes before the National Guard arrived and assisted in subduing both men. Diego Ibarra was taken to a local hospital after complaining of chest pains and pain in his back and leg, which he indicated to FBI agents he sustained from scaling and falling from the border fence during his illegal crossing. He admitted to illegally crossing the border, resisting arrest and attempting to avoid apprehension at any cost. He said his injuries were not from the fight with agents.
According to information uncovered during the investigation and provided in multiple court documents, Diego Ibarra is likely affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), based on evidence including his multiple TdA tattoos and photos of him on social media making the TdA gang signs and wearing TdA clothing. Further investigation concluded that Diego Ibarra was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on April 3, 2023, after agents apprehended him illegally entering the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas. After the above incident on April 30, 2023, Diego Ibarra claimed asylum and fear of return to Venezuela. On May 11, 2023, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) placed him in the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, and he was released from immigration custody the following day. The ATD program required Diego Ibarra to wear a global positioning system (GPS) ankle monitoring device, and he was directed to report to New York, New York, pending asylum proceedings. He failed to report in New York as directed.
On May 25, 2023, Diego Ibarra’s ankle monitor last “pinged” near Littleton, Colorado, and he cut it off at some point prior to his final arrest in Athens, Georgia. Diego Ibarra settled in Athens and was subsequently arrested three times by law enforcement: on Sept. 24, 2023, he was arrested by ACCPD for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a license; on Oct. 27, 2023, he was arrested by ACCPD for theft by shoplifting; and on Dec. 8, 2023, he was arrested by ACCPD for shoplifting and for an outstanding arrest warrant that was issued when he failed to appear in court for his DUI charge. In addition, ACCPD responded to a domestic incident involving Diego Ibarra and his girlfriend on Sept. 26, 2023. And, while in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and housed in the Butts County Detention Center, Ibarra caused “severe water damage” inside the jail when he damaged the fire sprinkler system in a jail cell block. On June 25, 2024, jail officers found Ibarra in possession of two improvised weapons: a sharpened sprinkler head with a make-shift grip and a pen wrapped in saran wrap.
Co-defendants Argenis Ibarra (Diego and Jose Ibarra’s younger brother) and Flores-Bello (Deigo and Jose Ibarra’s roommate) admitted to possessing a fraudulent U.S. Permanent Resident Card in the names of Argenis Jose Ibarra Ibarra and Rodrianny Brito Brito respectively on Feb. 23, 2024. In addition, agents found counterfeit Social Security cards for Argenis Ibarra and Flores-Bello in the apartment they shared with Diego and Jose Ibarra.
Investigators determined that Argenis Ibarra entered the United States illegally on April 3, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, and the USBP returned him to Mexico. On April 30, 2023, the USBP encountered and arrested him near El Paso, Texas, and transported him to an ICE processing center in El Paso. Because the processing center lacked space, Ibarra was released on his own recognizance on May 4, 2023. Argenis submitted Form I-765 for Employment Authorization on Oct. 20, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, both of which were rejected.
Flores-Bello illegally entered the United States on May 3, 2023, and was arrested by the USBP. She was transported to an ICE processing center in El Paso. On May 5, 2023, Flores-Bello was released on her own recognizance because the processing center lacked space. She provided a residential address in New York and was scheduled for immigration court there on Oct. 18, 2023. In Dec. 2023, she and Jose Ibarra, whom she met in New York, took a humanitarian flight from New York to Atlanta, Georgia. She settled in Athens and lived with the Ibarra brothers until Laken Riley was murdered.
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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with critical assistance from FBI, GBI, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, University of Georgia Police Department and Clarke County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the case for the Government
Georgia Man Guilty of Hate Crime Attack Against Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Washington County, Georgia, man who made threats and racial slurs against a letter carrier and then six months later escalated his threats when he hit the letter carrier’s vehicle with his tractor was found guilty of aggravated assault and other charges.
William Charles Franklin, 36, of Tennille, Georgia, was found guilty on all counts charged against him in the indictment: obstruction of the mails (Count 1), assault upon a federal officer (Count 2), aggravated assault upon a federal officer (Count 3) and retaliating against a witness (Count 4) on March 11, following a two-day trial. In addition, on March 12, Franklin was found guilty of a hate crime enhancement for Counts 2-4, an increased penalty. Franklin faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $100,000 fine for Count 1 and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for Counts 2-4. U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over this case. The Court will determine a sentencing date. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Violent, hate-filled attacks against federal employees and residents of the Middle District of Georgia will not be tolerated,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I want to thank the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their dedication to ensuring justice and in helping us hold the defendant accountable for harming a letter carrier.”
“As Washington County Sheriff, I am proud that the diverse citizenry of Washington County works together for the good of our community. I am disappointed when I learn of criminal behavior motivated by racial animus,” said Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran. “I hope this conviction and sentence sends a clear message that those who commit such crimes will be held accountable and such behavior will not be tolerated.”
“The safety and security of postal employees is core to the mission of the Postal Inspection Service,” said Jessica L. Wagner, Acting Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division. “The partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office has been mutually beneficial to quickly and safely resolve this incident, which resulted in bringing this individual in this case to justice.”
According to court documents, evidence and statements referenced in Court, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) received a complaint on June 11, 2024, and began an investigation into threats and obstruction made by Franklin to a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier serving the Washington County, Georgia, area. Under the advice of the supervisor, the letter carrier recorded the end of a confrontation between him and Franklin, arguing about moving the letter carrier’s vehicle. Franklin was recorded using racial slurs against the letter carrier and stated that his free speech was protected. The letter carrier was recorded stating that if he was off duty, such statements and threats would lead to a fight. Franklin responded that they could “square up” right then. The letter carrier said no because he would lose his job. Franklin can be heard getting agitated and aggressive with the letter carrier and issuing more salacious racist slurs about him and the community where he lives. The letter carrier told investigators that Franklin threatened to punch his face, run him over with Franklin’s tractor and call someone else to come to the location to bring a rope so that Franklin could “drag” him away. A family member corroborated that Franklin called to request a rope.
On Dec. 3, 2024, the letter carrier’s vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run with a green tractor in Washington County. The letter carrier observed the tractor come towards the USPS vehicle, and he pulled over to allow the tractor to pass. The tractor hit the letter carrier’s vehicle, destroyed a stop sign and fled the scene. Soon afterward, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the USPIS discovered a tractor matching the description in a nearby field, its engine still warm with fresh damage. The tractor was registered to Franklin. In addition, two witnesses reported seeing a vehicle registered to Franklin’s wife come to the area immediately following the incident at a high rate of speed. Warrants for Franklin’s arrest and the seizure of his and his wife’s cell phones were issued on Dec. 5. After reviewing Franklin’s phone, agents found where Franklin had saved the letter carrier’s picture following the incident on June 11. They found additional evidence that supported the finding that Franklin’s crimes were motivated, at least in part, by the race and color of the letter carrier. Franklin was taken into custody on Dec. 6. At his arrest, agents found two AR-15 styled rifles inside his truck and Franklin was carrying a loaded pistol.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the GBI and the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonja Profit and Elizabeth Howard are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Bibb County Jail Escapee Sentenced to Life in Prison for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon man who broke out of the Bibb County Jail in 2023 as he was awaiting federal sentencing for armed drug trafficking and who was later captured in Augusta, Georgia, allegedly possessing kilograms of fentanyl and methamphetamine plus firearms was sentenced to life plus five years in prison today.
Johnifer Dernard Barnwell, aka “Whoop,” aka “Malixe,” 38, was sentenced to serve life in prison after he was found guilty at trial of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Oct. 2, 2023, in Case No. 5:22-CR-00009. In addition, Barnwell was sentenced to serve the statutory maximum of five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of escape from custody in Case No. 5:23-CR-62-001 on July 18, 2024. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down the sentences on March 11. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Despite his attempts to escape justice, Johnifer Barnwell has been held accountable for his criminal actions,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Law enforcement officers risked their lives to ensure that a repeat felon was brought to justice and to prevent the distribution of some of the deadliest drugs in our state. I commend them, and our federal prosecution team, for their bravery and the excellent work in this case.”
“Gangs wreak havoc on local residents, engaging in violence and peddling dangerous drugs that devastate communities and families," said Senior Supervisory Special Agent Robert Gibbs of FBI Macon. "As this case demonstrates, cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement is vital to dismantling violent criminal enterprises and keeping our communities safe."
“The successful resolution of this case demonstrates the importance of our professional partnerships,” said U.S. Marshal Stephen D. Lynn. “Each agency played a specific and vital role in helping to bring Johnifer Barnwell to justice.”
“This sentence illustrates the penalty that repeat and dangerous felons face when they continue to cause havoc in our community,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful for the investigative work of the Bibb County investigators and our federal partners in bringing Johnifer Barnwell to justice after his jail escape and his attempt to return to a life of crime.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Barnwell was tried and convicted on Oct. 2, 2023, of armed drug trafficking in Case No. 5:22-CR-00009. For more information about that case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/jury-convicts-macon-residents-armed-fentanyl-meth-heroin-trafficking. At the time, Barnwell was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) to await sentencing and was housed at the Bibb County LEC, a facility contracted by USMS to house federal inmates. Barnwell escaped from the Bibb County LEC on Oct. 16, 2023, with the assistance of several individuals. For more information on that case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/convicted-armed-drug-trafficker-pleads-guilty-bibb-county-jail-escape and https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/macon-woman-who-assisted-bibb-county-jail-break-sentenced-prison.
Barnwell was captured in Augusta on Nov. 12, 2023, by FBI and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies. He was alone in the house and was allegedly in possession of an AK-47 rifle with a loaded magazine; a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with 14 rounds; a .45 caliber pistol with a loaded magazine; an extended capacity magazine; a drum magazine; 23,000 grams of methamphetamine; and more than 3,200 grams of fentanyl.
The case was investigated by FBI, USMS and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.
Recidivist Possessor of Child Sexual Abuse Material Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Bryon, Georgia, resident who was serving federal supervised release for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) when GBI agents caught him online downloading sexually explicit images of children less than a year after he was released from prison was sentenced for his crime and violating his federal supervision.
Clarence L. Brown, II, 46, of Byron, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell on March 5, after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on Dec. 19, 2024. In addition, Brown’s supervised release was revoked in Case No. 5:22-CR-27-001 in which Brown pleaded guilty and was sentenced for one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in the Middle District of Florida. As a result, Brown was sentenced to serve ten months in prison consecutively to the above sentence to be followed by ten years of supervised release concurrently to the above sentence. Brown will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Viewing and sharing explicit images of children being sexually abused is a federal crime that our office will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Holding online child predators accountable for their crimes—and in this case, their repeated crimes against children—is a high priority for our federal prosecutors and the local, state and federal law enforcement partners dedicated to protecting children.”
"Clarence L. Brown's actions are a tragic reminder of the persistence of individuals who prey on children, despite previous consequences,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who possess and distribute child sexual abuse material. We will continue to work alongside our state, federal and local law enforcement partners to protect children from these heinous crimes and hold offenders accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, on June 8, 2021, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (CECCU) agent conducted an undercover online investigation to identify individuals downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM, also called child pornography). That same day, task force agents identified two video files downloaded by Brown depicting CSAM involving prepubescent girls and adult males. Search warrants were executed at Brown’s residences in Byron, Georgia, on Nov. 4, 2021. Several devices were seized at the residence and underwent forensic examination. In total, agents found at least nine video files depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, many of whom were younger than 12 years old. Of note, one CSAM video file had a total run time of ten minutes, and the other CSAM video file was almost 24 minutes long.
Brown was convicted for receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography in the Middle District of Florida on July 24, 2017 (listed as Case No. 5:22-CR-27-001 in the Middle District of Georgia). Brown began his term of supervised release in that case on Nov. 25, 2020. Less than one year later, Brown was found to be in possession of child pornography in the Middle District of Georgia.
These cases were 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 Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (GBI CEACCU) with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Crisp County Resident Sentenced for Stealing 62 Firearms from Macon Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with a criminal past who broke into a Macon pawn shop and stole 62 firearms was sentenced to serve nine years in federal prison for his crime.
Rontavious Jamal Jackson, 34, of Cordele, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Feb. 27. Jackson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Aug. 13, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case demonstrates the collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement partners to bring criminal gun traffickers to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Law enforcement at every level is committed to preventing illegal firearms from getting into the hands of criminals.”
“We take this crime very seriously," said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “There were 62 firearms on the street, with the strong potential of being sold to or used by other criminals. Stealing firearms is a serious offense which results in significant federal prison time for all those responsible.”
“We can hope this case sends a clear message to convicted felons of the serious consequences of the possession of firearms. I am grateful for the relationship between the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office and our federal partners to continue to remove these potentially dangerous individuals from our streets,” said Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis.
"I am incredibly proud of our agency's efforts and the successful collaboration between our local and federal partners. These stolen weapons could have been used to take innocent lives. Our commitment to protecting our community remains unwavering, and this case is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together," said Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock.
According to court documents and statements made in court, surveillance footage filmed two individuals, including one believed to be Jackson, entering Howard’s Pawn & Jewelry—a federally licensed firearms dealer—at 3:00 a.m. on April 5, 2023, and collect 62 firearms into garbage bags. Pieces of concrete blocks were on the floor from a large hole smashed in from outside the store. On April 12, Crisp County Sheriff’s Office investigators learned from three sources that Jackson had stolen weapons at his Cordele residence. Agents executed a search warrant that same day and recovered 32 firearms. The firearms matched the serial numbers of the stolen guns. Price tags for nine guns were found, along with assorted ammunition, firearm parts and accessories, including ten magazines. Jackson has a prior felony conviction; it is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Department of Community Supervision (DCS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.
Guilty Verdict in Athens-Clarke Armed Fentanyl Trafficking TrialRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia man with a lengthy criminal history in the Athens-Clarke County community was found guilty this week at trial of armed fentanyl trafficking.
Dwan Maurice Hewlett, aka “LA,” 41, of Hull, Georgia, was found guilty of all six counts charged in the indictment: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hewlett is a federal career offender and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The trial began on Feb. 24 and concluded on the evening of Feb. 26. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III presided over the trial. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Career offenders arming themselves and pushing fentanyl into our communities will find their criminal cases in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I applaud local and federal law enforcement for their tireless efforts to track down repeat criminals and bring them to justice.”
"Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies. This armed career criminal will no longer be selling the dangerous drug fentanyl in our community,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “I am incredibly proud of the ACCPD Officers and Detectives who worked with partnering agencies on this case. We will continue to prioritize keeping violent criminals out of our community. I would like to thank our partners for their continuous efforts in keeping our community safe."
“The FBI works tirelessly to get dangerous criminals like Dwan Hewlett and the drugs he sold off the streets of Georgia,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. “Hewlett will now have decades in prison to consider his past actions.”
“Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Atlanta Division. “The success of this investigation is proof that those destroying our communities with drugs and violence will be held accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) detectives had a confidential informant place a phone call to Hewlett to purchase fentanyl. Hewlett agreed to meet the informant at an Athens gas station on Danielsville Road. When Hewlett arrived at the gas station, ACCPD officers boxed his vehicle in and exited their undercover vehicles wearing "POLICE" marked body armor. Officers gave loud commands for Hewlett to get out of his car. Hewlett looked up, saw the police and immediately began making furtive movements reaching under the seat. He then exited his vehicle, ignored the verbal commands and started running toward Danielsville Road at the intersection of Freeman Drive. Hewlett was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.
Officers searched his vehicle and found a .380 pistol under the driver’s seat where Hewlett was seen reaching and numerous tied corner baggies containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution. In all, officers found 133.51 grams of fentanyl, 58.31 grams of methamphetamine, 9.783 grams of cocaine and 16 grams of cocaine base. A search of Hewlett’s cell phones located in the car contained many drug-related messages and photos. Hewlett has a lengthy prior criminal history, which includes three prior convictions in the Clarke County Superior Court for serious drug offenses and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, DEA and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Ghostface Gangster Member Sentenced for Distributing Mexico-Sourced Methamphetamine from a Georgia PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Georgia inmate who is a member of the Ghostface Gangsters (GFG)—a criminal organization founded in the prison system—and a drug courier were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a large methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy funneling drugs from a Mexico-based source involving another prisoner and high-ranking GFG member.
Warren Frederick Courts aka “Dirty,” 38, of Rutledge State Prison and Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Feb. 28. Courts previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 15
Co-defendant Keeli Nycole Wallace, 34, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Feb. 28. Wallace pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 14, 2024.
Codefendant Donald Jason Miles aka “Crash” aka “Cocho,” 39, of Valdosta State Prison and Forsyth, Georgia, is awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 13, 2024. Miles faces a minimum of ten years to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release and a maximum $10 million fine. His sentencing will be scheduled by the Court.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The penalties are steep for all those associated with dangerous criminal organizations, especially those directing illegal activity from behind bars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “GBI and DEA agents worked tirelessly to root out the players tied to this insidious organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine sourced from Mexico into Georgia and helping federal prosecutors hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“The Ghostface Gangsters have systematically worked to flood the communities of Georgia with dangerous drugs,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The brazenness of these gang members to continue their criminal acts even behind bars must be met with decisive action to ensure justice and safety for our communities. This investigation shows that the GBI and our partners will work relentlessly to hold those who seek to poison our communities accountable.”
“This career criminal continued his drug trafficking activities despite being incarcerated, demonstrating his complete and wanton disregard for the safety of our community,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA’s efforts in bringing him to justice will ensure this gang member spends even more time in prison.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents conducted a drug bust at Motel 6 in Albany on Sept. 12, 2022, resulting from a larger investigation into drug trafficking from Georgia prisons. Agents learned Courts, a state prisoner, had arranged a drug transaction from behind bars and hired Wallace as a drug courier to move methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source located in metro Atlanta to Southwest Georgia. Agents arrested Wallace in the parking lot of Motel 6, finding approximately 1,400 grams of methamphetamine and her cell phones.
Investigators discovered that Miles had recruited Wallace as a drug courier several months before her arrest. Wallace admitted she had performed 10-15 deliveries of 250 grams or less of methamphetamine at Miles’s direction. Miles introduced Wallace to Courts; both Miles and Courts are members of the prison-based criminal organization Ghostface Gangsters. Courts is a subordinate of Miles, as demonstrated by Courts giving Miles a portion of the profits he made from selling narcotics. During one transaction, Courts instructed Wallace to obtain methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source of supply near Atlanta, Georgia, and take it to meet a buyer at a Walmart in Albany. The buyer did not show up, and Miles instructed Wallace to return to Atlanta. The next day, Courts told Wallace that the intended buyer was ready. She returned to a Motel 6 in Albany, where she was subsequently arrested.
At the time, Miles was incarcerated at Valdosta State Prison, and Courts was incarcerated at Rutledge State Prison for separate drug trafficking offenses. Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officers searched their prison cells and recovered contraband mobile phones on Sept. 16, 2022. Search warrants were executed on the phones, and investigators discovered detailed communications between Miles, Courts and Wallace related to the drug conspiracy, including communications involving the Mexico-based source of supply and the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Wallace was just one courier recruited by Miles and that Miles and Courts had funneled numerous redistributors to the Mexican source of supply near Atlanta, resulting in the distribution of at least 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in two months as a part of this conspiracy. Of the 50 kilograms distributed, Courts was directly responsible for facilitating the distribution of approximately 13 kilograms.
Both Miles and Courts have lengthy criminal histories, including multiple felony convictions for drug distribution and trafficking. Miles was most recently convicted in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia, on April 28, 2021, for conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison. Courts was most recently convicted in the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia, on Oct. 1, 2021, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve a total of 15 years with eight years to be served in custody and the remainder on probation.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Fourteenth and Final Defendant Convicted in Federal Dog Fighting CaseRead the Press Release
All 14 defendants in a large-scale federal dog fighting case indicted last year in Albany, Georgia, have now been convicted. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia has accepted the guilty pleas of the following defendants:
- Tamichael Elijah, 48, of Donalsonville, Georgia;
- Marvin Pulley, III, 53, of Donalsonville and Jakin, Georgia;
- Brandon Baker, 42, of Panama City, Florida;
- Christopher Travis Beaumont, 38, of Panama City, Florida;
- Herman Buggs, Jr., 57, of Donalsonville, Georgia;
- Terrance Davis, 46, of Pansey, Alabama;
- Timothy Freeman, 27, of Bainbridge, Georgia;
- Terelle Ganzy, 35, of Panama City, Florida;
- Gary Hopkins, 67, of Donalsonville, Georgia;
- Cornelious Johnson, 40, of Panama City, Florida;
- Rodrecus Kimble, 44, of Donalsonville, Georgia;
- Donnametric Miller, 42, of Donalsonville, Georgia;
- Willie Russell, 43, of Blakely, Georgia; and
- Fredricus White, 36, of Panama City, Florida.
According to court documents filed in this case, the defendants all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. The defendants and others brought a total of 24 pit bull-type dogs to be fought that weekend in a series of matches. Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found numerous dogs inside crates in cars on the property.
The participants used their cars to store dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Some dogs were kept on chains on the property. Law enforcement rescued a total of 27 dogs, including one found in the pit with severe injuries and which died a shortly thereafter. Dogs in the cars also bore recent injuries and historical fighting scars.
Under federal law, it is illegal not only to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce, but also to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
All defendants but Freeman pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to violate the animal fighting prohibition of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Defendants Beaumont and Miller also pleaded guilty to sponsoring or exhibiting (i.e., handling) a dog in a dog fight. Defendants Baker, Davis, Ganzy, Johnson, Pulley, and White further pleaded guilty to possessing and transporting a dog for purposes of using the dog in an animal fighting venture. Freeman pleaded guilty to spectating at an animal fight. Defendants Miller and Pulley also pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a firearm by a person with a prior felony conviction.
Russell is set to be sentenced on Feb. 28. The court has not yet set sentencing dates for the other defendants. Each defendant faces maximum penalties of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count of animal fighting charges. Miller also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the firearm charge, and Pulley faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on his firearm charge.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Inspector General and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office also provided invaluable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Florida and Middle District of Alabama also assisted with the dog rescue operation.
Guilty Verdict in Georgia Tax Fraud Case, Defendant’s Second Federal Fraud ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with a prior federal conviction for tax fraud in Florida was found guilty by a federal jury seated in Albany of a fraudulent tax filing scheme.
Reginald Knight, 52, of Arlington, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of making and subscribing a false tax return on Feb. 19, following a two-day trial that began on Feb. 18. Knight faces a maximum of three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.
“The defendant was claiming millions in refunds for a business that never generated income or incurred any losses, fabricating these claims in yet another attempt by the defendant to steal from taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “We are grateful to the IRS investigators who collaborated with our office to help bring a repeat fraudster to justice.”
“The guilty verdict serves as a notice to unscrupulous tax preparers that filing fraudulent tax returns will lead them to a criminal court date,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue to investigate and recommend prosecution for those individuals who commit tax crimes.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Knight filed a tax return with the IRS on March 13, 2018, falsely claiming $3,211,907 in wages, $2,586,551 in withholdings, $1,848,000 in Schedule C (Form 1040) losses and claimed a refund of $2,165,154. As part of the scheme, Knight fabricated W-2s and Schedule Cs for two separate business entities; however, neither business ever generated the income, paid the withholdings or suffered the losses Knight claimed on his return. The financials Knight submitted on the signed tax form were entirely fabricated. The IRS did not issue a refund. The IRS began investigating Knight in 2021, discovering that Knight filed tax returns with similarly exorbitant financials for the non-operating business for tax years 2014, 2015 and 2016; the IRS did not issue a refund for tax years 2014 and 2015. The IRS did issue a $745,953 refund to Knight for tax year 2016 on June 7, 2017. Knight used the refund from the false claim to pay for the construction of a new home in Albany, made transfers to his investment account, purchased a vehicle and paid for personal living expenses totaling $442,667.30. The IRS recovered $315,466.97.
Knight has a prior federal conviction in the Southern District of Florida for one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the Government through False Claim for a Tax Refund and False Claim for a Tax Refund on Nov. 22, 2005, and was sentenced to serve five months in prison per charge, to be served concurrently.
The IRS Criminal Division and IRS Special Enforcement Program are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Former Georgia Poll Worker Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threat of Voting LocationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former Georgia poll worker pleaded guilty to mailing a letter that threatened to bomb a Jones County precinct and harm poll workers and admitted to lying to the FBI during the investigation.
Nicholas Wimbish, 25, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to conveying false information about a bomb threat and making hoaxes before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Feb. 14. Wimbish faces a maximum of five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 13. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Bomb hoaxes and similar threats create grave and unnecessary disruptions in our communities, pulling vital law enforcement resources and terrifying people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office and law enforcement partners take these types of threats seriously and will pursue federal prosecution when warranted.”
“The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Robert Gibbs of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official or interfere with the elections 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.
Deputy Criminal Chief William R. "Will" Keyes and Trial Attorney Madison Mumma of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) are prosecuting the case for the Government with assistance from Senior Counsel Ryan Dickey of the DOJ’s Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).
Career Offender Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Northeast Georgia resident with a lengthy criminal history who was serving federal supervised release when officers found him illegally possessing a firearm and trafficking cocaine was sentenced to serve 22 years in prison today.
Mandrell Antwoin Hull, 44, of Winterville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 264 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III on Feb. 12. Hull previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on July 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We must hold repeat offenders accountable when they illegally arm themselves and violate the laws put in place to maintain order and safety for everyone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our dedicated federal prosecutorial team continues to work alongside our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to help ensure their efforts result in justice.”
"Criminals like Hull continue to plague our communities with blatant disregard for the safety of others and reckless indifference to the law. It is only through our local and federal partnerships that we are able to put a stop to these violent repeat offenders,” said Robert Gibbs, Senior Supervisory Special Agent of FBI Atlanta's Athens office. “This case is another example of how the FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to keeping the streets of Georgia safe for everyone in our community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Hull was serving supervised release for a 2018 federal conviction for marijuana distribution in Case No. 3:17-CR-24-CAR. On April 11, 2023, officers with the United States Probation Office (USPO) reached out to the FBI in Athens to request their assistance in conducting a search of Hull’s residence in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, because USPO believed that Hull was storing illegal drugs inside his residence. That same day, agents and officers searched his Winterville property and located cocaine, $32,826 in drug proceeds and a loaded 9mm pistol. Records show that Hull has five prior felony convictions in the Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County and one prior felony conviction in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, in addition to his prior federal felony conviction for which he was serving supervised release at the time of this crime. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the FBI Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the case for the Government.
Tifton, Georgia, Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Tifton resident faces up to 40 years in federal prison for distributing kilograms of Mexico-sourced methamphetamine after he was caught with a pound of methamphetamine while wearing an ankle monitor for a prior drug trafficking charge and attempted to flee from deputies.
Travarious Deshawn Mike, 29, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine before U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Feb. 3. Mike faces a maximum of 20 years in prison per count, to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The defendant was transporting large quantities of methamphetamine from an Atlanta source into the Tifton community. Even after his initial arrest, he willfully continued to violate the law and traffic dangerous drugs into Southwest Georgia,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Shanelle Booker. “Our office collaborates closely with local, state and federal law enforcement to ensure that repeat offenders who are causing significant harm in the Middle District of Georgia are stopped and held accountable for their actions.”
“This investigation resulting in the seizure of meth, heroin and firearms is a clear reminder of the dangerous networks we continue to dismantle,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains committed to disrupting drug trafficking and criminal activity, especially those tied to dangerous sources of supply. This is a significant step in protecting our communities.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, GBI agents recorded Mike providing methamphetamine during a controlled buy utilizing a confidential informant (CI) on Aug. 15, 2022, at the Church's Chicken in Tifton. A court-authorized tracking device monitored by the GBI captured Mike departing Tifton for Atlanta on Aug. 30, 2022. GBI agents observed Mike travel to two Mexican restaurants for brief periods, then immediately begin to travel back down I-75 towards Tifton. Crisp County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) deputies initiated a traffic stop on his vehicle after it observed a defective brake light and a window tint violation. A CCSO trained K9 made a positive alert on Mike's car. During a search of the vehicle, agents seized 502 grams of heroin in Mike's bookbag.
At the same time, GBI requested the Tifton Police Department’s (TPD) assistance to conduct surveillance on Mike’s Tifton residence. TPD initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle leaving Mike’s residence, locating 8,068 grams of 67.9% pure methamphetamine. The occupant was a drug courier delivering the narcotics from a Mexican source of supply near Atlanta to Mike and had made the trip before. GBI executed a court-authorized search warrant at Mike's residence that same day and found four semiautomatic pistols, a revolver, rounds of ammunition, methamphetamine and a set of digital scales. A vehicle parked outside Mike's residence and belonging to a co-defendant contained 783 grams of 80% pure methamphetamine, 168 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, 97 oxycodone/fentanyl pills, seven grams of crack cocaine, plastic baggies and a digital scale. Interviews, evidence and text messages on seized cell phones belonging to Mike and co-defendants revealed that Mike was purchasing methamphetamine from a Mexican source of supply based in the metro Atlanta area. Mike subsequently bonded out of jail.
On June 5, 2024, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) observed a white Dodge Charger driven by Mike commit a traffic violation in Monroe County, Georgia. MCSO deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Mike tried to escape and reached speeds over 125 mph. During the pursuit, Mike discarded a brick-shaped package out the window, which burst into a white crystal-like substance. Other MCSO officers secured the scene where the substance was discarded, finding approximately one pound of methamphetamine. Mike lost control of the vehicle and crashed onto the side of the highway. He attempted to flee on foot but was immediately apprehended. At the time of his arrest, Mike was wearing an ankle monitor and advised that he was out on bond for another drug trafficking incident.
The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the Tifton Police Department, the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.