Southern District of Georgia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Drug-Trafficking Ringleader Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Coast-To-Coast ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA --- The leader of a coast-to-coast drug trafficking ring will spend more than two decades in federal prison after sentencing this week.
Cedric King, 38, of Waycross, was sentenced by United States District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 22 years in federal prison for his role as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in and around South Georgia, Northern Florida, and California, announced Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. King pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and will be subject to 10 years of supervised release after completion of his sentence as well as required to forfeit over $87,000 and two firearms. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
During a lengthy undercover investigation, FBI agents and Glynn County Police Department investigators conducted multiple wiretaps to gather evidence and to dismantle King’s drug organization. The investigation revealed that King conspired with others to import large quantities of drugs from Mexico via California and distributed cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana throughout Waycross and surrounding areas.
King, one of 36 conspirators, was arrested in May of 2017 when a wiretap confirmed that he was about to receive another large shipment of drugs from California. Authorities intercepted the drugs in Jacksonville and took King into custody. The operation netted more than six kilograms of cocaine, large quantities of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl, and several pounds of marijuana and methamphetamine, as well as several illegal firearms.
“Step by step, drug dealer by drug dealer, we will be relentless as we continue to identify and remove these violent drug traffickers from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “With the outstanding cooperation from other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, we are united in our determination to disrupt and dismantle these poison-pushers and lock their members up.”
“Residents of Waycross can rest easy that a major distributor of drugs on their streets will no longer be able to burden their community with the crime he inflicted on them,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Division. “It would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of our partners in law enforcement. This sentencing should serve as notice to anyone thinking about following in King’s footsteps.”
Agencies that participated in the FBI-led investigation included the Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Probation Office, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Ware County Sheriff’s Office, the Waycross Police Department and the Blackshear Police Department. The operation was investigated through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which is comprised of local, state and federal law enforcement agents.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Marcela Mateo prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Department of Justice Works to Deter Election Fraud and Discrimination at the PollsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Tara Lyons will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for today’s Nov. 6, 2018, general election. AUSA Lyons has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Georgia, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on Election Day, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Christine stated that AUSA/DEO Lyons will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by filling out a complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
United States Attorney Christine said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Additional Candy-Machine Drug Trafficker Sentenced in Multi-State Cocaine, Marijuana Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man will spend more than 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty in a cross-country drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed cocaine and marijuana throughout coastal Georgia.
United States District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. sentenced Aaron Craig Hubbard, a/k/a “Yup,” a/k/a “Yap,” 30, to 136 months in federal prison after Hubbard pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence will be served consecutive to his sentence for violating state parole. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon release from federal prison, Hubbard will be on federal supervised release for four years.
Hubbard was part of a coast-to-coast drug trafficking organization that spanned from California to Savannah. As outlined in court records and in various hearings, marijuana sales were used to finance cocaine purchases, with cash proceeds hidden in candy machines and shipped to hubs in Atlanta and California. Co-conspirators in those areas shipped pounds of marijuana and kilograms of cocaine to Savannah via U.S. Mail and in vehicles with hidden compartments.
While on state parole, Hubbard served as a major cocaine dealer in Savannah for the drug trafficking organization. During the investigation, agents intercepted him on court-authorized wiretaps and seized nearly $100,000 in cash, multiple firearms, pounds of marijuana and other drug trafficking tools from Hubbard’s stash houses.
Hubbard was in frequent phone contact with co-conspirator Eugene “Poncho” Allen, who is alleged to be a ringleader of the drug trafficking organization despite currently serving a life sentence for murder in a Georgia state prison. Allen is alleged to have run his organization using smuggled contraband phones.
A federal grand jury in August 2017 charged 20 defendants with drug trafficking offenses and most of them have pled guilty. During this investigation, agents seized eight firearms, more than 50 pounds of marijuana, multiple kilograms of cocaine, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
“This operation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force is an excellent example of the success the good guys achieve when we work together as a united team,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “The coordinated actions of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors will continue to make our neighborhoods safer by hunting down violent drug dealers and sending them to prison.”
“Hubbard continued to distribute drugs on the streets of Savannah while on state parole, showing an intentional disregard for the law,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the hard work and cooperation of multiple federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as part of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, he will serve his entire federal sentence because there is no opportunity for parole in the federal system.”
“Those breaking the law don’t care about jurisdictional lines, and law enforcement agencies shouldn’t either,” said Chatham County District Attorney Meg Heap. “Our community benefits the most when all law-enforcement agencies work in tandem. This task force is the perfect example of why that is important. I want to thank all of the partners for their hard work in getting these criminals off our streets.”
Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) Director Everett Ragan said, “This operation is a prime example of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies collaborating to dismantle a drug distribution ring operating in Chatham County and throughout the United States. CNT prides itself on our close working partnerships, and takes even more pride in putting drug dealers away for a long time.”
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Chatham County Narcotics Unit (CNT), the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspector’s Office and the United States Marshal’s Service. This case is being prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which is the premier law enforcement unit whose task is to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney/ Assistant District Attorney Noah Abrams, and Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly and Frank Pennington.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Final Defendant Sentenced in Meth Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: The leader of a multi-state methamphetamine trafficking ring will spend more than 23 years in prison after sentencing this week in federal court.
Susan “Ma” Anderson, 67, of Hortense, Ga., was sentenced Oct. 30 by United States District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 280 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Anderson was the leader of a methamphetamine trafficking organization operating out of Wayne, Brantley, and Ware counties, along with other counties in north Georgia and north Florida. Anderson’s husband, Robert Ira “Pa” Anderson, 67, recently was sentenced to 120 months in prison for his role in the drug operation.
The Andersons were the last of 10 defendants sentenced to prison as part of a joint federal and state operation through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) that targeted methamphetamine trafficking in Georgia and Florida.
Evidence presented during numerous hearings in the case revealed that Susan Anderson was the leader of an organization that distributed multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Southern District of Georgia, the Northern District of Georgia, and the Northern District of Florida. During a search of the Andersons’ Hortense, Ga., home, about 35 miles from Brunswick, law enforcement authorities discovered Robert Anderson had built trap doors in the home’s floor that concealed kilograms of methamphetamine along with 10 firearms and thousands of dollars in cash.
“This case provides another example of outstanding results achieved through joint federal and state investigation and prosecution of drug traffickers,” said United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Poison pushers in our community will be hunted until captured and placed in prison.”
Additional defendants previously convicted and sentenced for their role in the organization are:
- Kenneth J. Williams, 56, of Hortense, sentenced to 94 months in prison;
- Grover W. Herrin, 61, of Hoboken, Ga., sentenced to 90 months in prison;
- Anthony Joseph Parse, 32, of Jesup, Ga., sentenced to 75 months in prison;
- James Robbin Belch, 59, of Waycross, sentenced to 60 months in prison;
- Charles W. Merkle, 42, of Waycross, sentenced to 36 months in prison;
- Karen Moody, 49, of Nahunta, Ga, sentenced to 32 months in prison; and,
- Lemuel Henderson, 49, of Hoboken, sentenced to 15 months in prison.
In addition, Bonny Wyers, 35, previously was sentenced to 180 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in the Northern District of Florida for conspiring with Susan Anderson to distribute methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal prison system.
U.S. Attorney Christine commended the work of the agencies involved in the joint federal-state investigation, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Patrol, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bay County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said, “All participating agencies played a crucial role in the eradication of this criminal network. Anderson’s methamphetamine trafficking activities posed a significant threat to the quality of life in Wayne, Brantley, and Ware counties and surrounding areas. The dismantling of this dangerous organization makes these communities safer today. I want to thank our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts and the United States Attorney’s Office, who had a direct impact in making this investigation a success.”
“This is one more example of drug distribution networks operating in rural Georgia getting a wake-up call from state and federal agents who partnered with local law enforcement officials to address community concerns,” said Jamie Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the GBI’s Southeastern Drug Enforcement Office. “These investigations are conducted jointly across the state on a daily basis by men and women from various departments who are committed to disrupting the clear and present danger drug distribution networks pose to our fellow Georgians.”
Assistant United States Attorney Tania Groover prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Former Teacher and Police Officer Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Brunswick, GA – A former high school teacher and police officer has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for paying a 16-year-old boy for sex.
Tracy Wayne Crosby, 42 of Waycross, was sentenced Oct. 27 by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 128 months in prison for one count of sex trafficking of a minor, said Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition, Crosby will be required to register as a sex offender and, after completing his incarceration, will be on supervised release for 20 years.
During hearings in the case, the evidence revealed that up until he was arrested in this case, Crosby was the criminal justice teacher at Ware County High School and a part-time police officer with Pierce County. Crosby used his cell phone to communicate with a 16-year-old boy online and agreed to meet with the boy to have sex in exchange for $30. Camden County law enforcement immediately responded and arrested Crosby while he was with the boy. Crosby admitted to federal agents that he had sex with the boy more than once and that he arranged to have sex with the boy online.
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in connection with the Camden County Sheriff Office and the Ware County Sheriff’s Office.
“Crosby abused his positions of trust and betrayed his oath to protect our children,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Anyone who pays to have sex with children will be brought to justice and will face substantial time in federal prison. The United States continues its relentless work to protect our most precious and vulnerable citizens. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to rescue children and put traffickers and customers behind bars.”
“Sexual exploitation steals the innocence of children, and the criminals who engage in these acts often inflict life-long trauma on their victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan of the Atlanta field office of Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI is committed to investigating child exploitation cases as one of its highest priorities, and we deeply appreciate the efforts of our U.S. Attorney partners in this case to ensure this defendant will no longer be able to pose harm to children in Georgia, or anywhere else, for many years.”
Anyone who suspects instances of child sexual exploitation is encouraged to call 1-800-843-5678, which is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with HSI, the FBI, and other law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorney Tania D. Groover prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted on Dozens of Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: Eleven people have been indicted on federal charges for importing and trafficking methamphetamine throughout southeast Georgia.
The 17-count, 20-page indictment returned by a federal grand jury charges the defendants in a longstanding conspiracy to import and distribute methamphetamine, a deadly and highly addictive stimulant, in Laurens, Ware, Telfair, Dodge, Bacon and Coffee counties, said Southern District United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. Multiple firearms were seized during the operation, and several of the defendants are charged with possession of a firearm while trafficking drugs.
Charged in the federal indictment are:
Enio Camacho-Pineda (31, Atlanta Area)
a/k/a “Tony,” a/k/a “Tony Montana”;
Ricardo Santana-Hernandez, (31, Mexico)
a/k/a “Richard Hernandez,” a/k/a “Armond,” a/k/a “Armani”;
Donna Bazemore, (45, McRae, Georgia);
a/k/a “Donna Spivey,”, a/k/a “Dirty D”;
Enrique Lopez, (44, Douglas, Georgia)
a/k/a “Ricky”;
Eugene Wright, (52, Millwood, Georgia)
a/k/a “Burt”;
Cristian Jesus Martinez, (19, Mexico);
Angela Hurst, (38, Douglas, Georgia);
Kristel Merritt, (43, Douglas, Georgia);
Ryan Bland, (32, Jacksonville, Georgia);
Angie McCoy, (24, Douglas, Georgia);
a/k/a “Angie Woods”; and,
Kenneth Woodrow Mancil, (53, Sylvania, Georgia)
With the exception of Wright, who is a fugitive, all of the defendants are under arrest and have been ordered detained until trial. Most of them have holds against them because they are facing deportation as illegal aliens, have pending state charges, and/or were on probation or parole at the time they committed the offenses. If convicted, all of the defendants face a statutory minimum punishment of 20 years to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case is an outstanding example of local, state, and federal agencies working together to identify and dismantle a criminal organization,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “There is a growing threat that methamphetamine trafficking will increase as crackdowns succeed against illegal opioids, but our law enforcement and prosecutors will slam the prison door on those who would distribute this poison in our communities.”
ATF Resident Agent in Charge Tim Graden said, “ATF is proud of the relationships that we have with the community and all of our law enforcement partners. This investigation is another example of the success that we can accomplish by working together. Reducing violent crime is ATF’s goal, and taking armed drug traffickers off the street is one of many methods that ATF uses to accomplish our mission.
“The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has partnered with local and federal partners to cripple drug trafficking networks operating throughout the state,” said GBI Special Agent in Charge Jamie Jones. “This should be a wake-up call to the traffickers that they are not immune from detection just because they operate in rural areas.”
“We appreciate our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners whose combined efforts have resulted in the dismantling of a dangerous and far-reaching criminal drug trafficking network, seemingly intent on setting up shop in rural Telfair County,” said Sheriff Chris Steverson. “I am thankful for the support provided in this case by the GBI, ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and I look forward to similar operations in the future.”
Ware County Sheriff Randy Royal added, “I have always valued and appreciated the close-knit partnerships between our agency and our federal and state partners. The seamless takedown operation using Ware County Sheriff's personnel, Georgia State Patrol, and federal agents was a true testament to what can be accomplished when all of law enforcement works together in the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation.”
A criminal indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated as an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case, which is a United States Department of Justice initiative designed to dismantle large drug trafficking organizations who operate in multiple jurisdictions. This case also falls under the United States Department of Justice initiative Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program designed to coordinate law enforcement and prosecutorial efforts in order to remove violent crime from communities. The case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and the Ware County and Coffee County sheriff’s offices, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Harper and Greg Gilluly.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Two Men Charged in Fentanyl Overdose Death Resulting from Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: Two Glynn County men have been charged in federal court with selling the deadly synthetic opioid Fentanyl, including a quantity of the drug that killed a Brunswick woman.
In a federal complaint unsealed Oct. 23 in U.S. District Court in Brunswick, Makeda Atkinson, 44 and Donald Adams, 62, are charged with Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death and with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Both men are in custody while awaiting further court proceedings, said Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine.
According to court documents, investigators with the Glynn-Brunswick Narcotics Enforcement Team (GBNET) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that Atkinson and Adams were selling heroin laced with Fentanyl throughout the Glynn County, Ga., area. During the investigation, a 32-year-old woman who purchased drugs from the men on Dec. 28, 2017, was found dead the next day in her parents’ home, and an autopsy determined she died from acute Fentanyl toxicity. Glynn County Criminal Investigator Stephan Lowery took the lead in investigating the woman’s death and, working with the FBI, linked it to drugs sold by Atkinson and Adams.
The charges against Atkinson and Adams call for a federal prison sentence of not less than 20 years to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our nation’s growing opioid crisis is horrific, as personified by this senseless overdose death of an addict whose drug-ravaged body was found by her 5-year-old daughter,” said Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Our office is committed to battling these self-serving merchants of death so that no other children have to lose a parent, and no parents have to lose their children.”
Chris Hacker, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said “This case is an example of a drug crisis running rampant in our communities, causing numerous deaths. The FBI is committed to doing its part, along with our law enforcement partners, to hold those who propagate this crisis accountable to the fullest extent of our federal laws.”
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Gilluly represents the United States in this investigation and prosecution.
A criminal complaint contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Gun Crime Draws Hard Time for Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A career criminal with a violent history will spend nearly nine years in federal prison after sentencing this week for carrying a stolen pistol.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood sentenced Joseph Price, 33, to 105 months in federal prison after being convicted of Possession of a Stolen Firearm, said Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. After completion of his sentence, Price will serve three additional years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Price was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for speeding in January 2017. While a Savannah police officer spoke to the driver outside the vehicle, Price attempted to drive away. When Price refused to stop, the officer used a Taser to subdue him. A firearm discovered during a search of the vehicle was determined to have been stolen, and Price, a convicted felon, admitted he had purchased the weapon.
Price has a criminal history dating back more than 15 years, including a previous traffic stop involving a stolen firearm, participating in a prison riot, and drug convictions.
“Working with law enforcement and other prosecutors through the U.S. Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood’s program, our office will continue to remove violent felons from our community,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Career criminals who carry guns are a threat to the safety of our neighborhoods, and they will get hard time in federal prison.”
The Savannah Police Department conducted the traffic stop and subsequent investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly, Tania D. Groover, and Matt Josephson represented the United States in the prosecution.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Drug Traffickers in Major Cross-Country Conspiracy Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Two Savannah men are facing years in federal prison after being sentenced this week in a cross-country drug-trafficking conspiracy that funneled major amounts of cocaine and marijuana to coastal Georgia.
United States District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. sentenced Edward “Skip” Tyler, 42, to 168 months in federal prison, and Ron Allen, a/k/a “Ron Low,” 41, to 84 months in prison, to be served consecutive to other criminal convictions in state court, said Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. There is no parole in the federal system, and after their release from prison Tyler and Allen will be on supervised federal release for three years.
Tyler and Allen were part of an illegal drug trafficking organization distributing cocaine and marijuana in Savannah and beyond. As outlined in court records and in various hearings, marijuana sales were used to finance cocaine purchases, with cash proceeds hidden in candy machines and shipped to hubs in Atlanta and California. Co-conspirators in those areas shipped to Savannah via U.S. Mail and in vehicles with hidden compartments.
Tyler, who has an extensive record of violence, including drug and gun crimes, served as one of the main cocaine traffickers for the organization. During the investigation, officers observed Tyler conducting a cocaine deal in the parking lot of a Savannah business while carrying a female child. He was on state probation at the time; he pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute, and is awaiting sentencing.
Allen, who was on federal court supervision after release from prison on a previous drug trafficking conviction, served as a major marijuana dealer for the organization. He also supervised the transport of money to conspirators in other states and was in frequent contact with his inmate relative and co-conspirator, Eugene Allen, a/k/a “Poncho,” who is alleged to be a ringleader of this organization. Eugene Allen is serving a life sentence for murder in a Georgia Department of Corrections facility and is alleged to have run his organization using phones smuggled into prison.
In addition to Ron Allen’s 84-month sentence for his guilty plea on the charge of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, he is facing revocation of his federal supervised release and additional time in prison.
This investigation culminated in the August 2017 indictments by a federal grand jury that charged 20 defendants with drug trafficking offenses. Most of them have pled guilty. In this investigation, agents seized eight firearms, more than 200 pounds of marijuana, multiple kilograms of cocaine, and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“This operation exemplifies the united front of state and federal investigators and prosecutors in combatting major drug trafficking organizations,” said United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “The lead prosecutor on this case is Special Assistant United States Attorney Noah Abrams, who also serves as a state prosecutor from the Savannah District Attorney’s Office. Abrams worked in a federal capacity along with another federal prosecutor to dismantle this organization, throwing a wide net that not only took down drug traffickers in Savannah but led to the arrests of suppliers in California and Atlanta.”
“Our office appreciates the opportunity to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in getting these violent offenders off the streets of Savannah,” said District Attorney Meg Heap. “This case is just one example of how agency partnerships can be successful in using the full weight of the law to reduce crime in our community.”
“These sentences are the result of the hard work and cooperation of multiple federal state and local law enforcement agencies, as part of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “As a result, two drug dealers, who were part of a larger organization that spread illicit drugs on our streets, will spend significant time in prison.”
Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team Director Everett Ragan said, “CNT takes great pride in dismantling drug organizations operating in Chatham County. We equally appreciate our close working partnerships with state and federal counterparts. This operation should serve as a reminder to all drug dealers, large or small, that law enforcement and prosecutors will stand united to ensure our communities are safe.”
This investigation was led by the FBI Southeast Violent Crimes Task Force and the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), with the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspector’s Office, and the United States Marshal’s Service. This case is being prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which is the premier law enforcement unit whose task is to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney/Assistant District Attorney Noah Abrams, and Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly and Frank Pennington.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
U.S. Attorney Reminds Residents to Report Fraud After DisastersRead the Press Release
After any natural disaster, scam artists come out of the woodwork to exploit people at a vulnerable time – stealing their money and their identity and often preventing them from getting the real help they need.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), a national coordinating agency that improves detection, prevention, investigation and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, to serve as an advocate for victims of fraud, and to dissuade potential fraudsters. The NCDF serves as a centralized clearinghouse for disaster fraud complaints and provides a nationwide call center that takes calls from members of the public and encourages them to report all types of disaster fraud.
“The aftermath of any disaster is a difficult enough time for families without being faced with the stress of dealing with rip-off artists looking for ways to steal their money,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Residents should report any potential fraud not only so we can put a stop to the fraudsters, but also so we can protect other citizens from them.”
Members of the public are reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying or financial information to anyone, especially those who may contact you after a natural disaster. They are also reminded to report suspected waste, fraud, abuse, or allegations of criminal conduct. If members of the public believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, they are strongly encouraged to contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at 866-720-5721.
The telephone line is staffed by live operators 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To learn more about the NCDF please visit the website at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud and watch a public service announcement here.
Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay United States up to $7.8 Million to Settle False Claims Act InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Arena Event Services, Inc., which does business as Arena Americas, has agreed to a settlement with the United States to resolve allegations that it wrongfully obtained small business set-aside contracts with the Department of Defense.
According to the settlement agreement, the United States contends that Arena Americas worked with Military Training Solutions, LLC (“MTS”) to obtain small business defense contracts that were supposed to be performed by MTS, but in reality were performed by Arena Americas. As a result of this scheme, which was perpetuated at Fort Stewart, Ga., and at other military installations across the United States, millions of dollars in defense contracts wrongfully were awarded to Arena Americas instead of legitimate small businesses.
“This settlement represents a dedicated effort to protect the taxpayers so we can be sure that those who do business with government agencies, particularly the military, do so entirely above board,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate any attempts to illegally exploit the system for a company’s personal advantage.”
Congress mandates that a certain amount of government contracts go to small businesses as a way to encourage small business growth. These contracts prohibit the small business from being affiliated with a non-small business, while also limiting the amount of work that can be subcontracted to a non-small business.
Through its investigation under the False Claims Act, the United States determined that Arena Americas paid MTS to bid on and obtain small business contracts that ultimately would be performed by Arena Americas. MTS previously entered into a settlement agreement with the United States to resolve its liability under the False Claims Act, and MTS owner Robert Obradovich pled guilty to one felony count of receiving unlawful kickbacks in a similar scheme.
“This issue was run to ground by the diligent efforts of our special agents along with our federal law enforcement partners," said Frank Robey, director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “We are very pleased with this civil settlement agreement pertaining to AES. This should be a clear indicator to others who might try to manipulate government contracts and requirements: No matter how deep one tries to bury the evidence, we will find it.”
“This settlement is the result of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) commitment to ensuring that American tax dollars spent in support of Department of Defense programs and missions are protected from fraud throughout the procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin of the DCIS Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our partnering investigative agencies continue to work tirelessly to investigate the misuse and abuse of contracting methods that ultimately undermines the mission of our warfighters.”
“This settlement sends a strong message that lying to gain access to the Small Business Administration’s preferential contracting programs will be met with justice,” said SBA Office of Inspector General Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kupperbusch. “SBA’s preferential contracting programs are intended to promote the economy and grow and develop small businesses across the nation. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and hard work throughout this investigation.”
Christopher Pilkerton, General Counsel for the SBA, added, “The outcome in this case is the product of the enhanced enforcement efforts by federal agencies, such as the Small Business Administration, working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its Joint Procurement Fraud Strike Force, as well as other Federal law enforcement agencies to detect procurement fraud and prosecute those individuals and companies that engage in such activity. These efforts will continue to ensure appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.”
The Arena Americas settlement resulted from work of the Southern District of Georgia’s Procurement Fraud Task Force, which investigates fraud at military bases in the Southern District of Georgia. The Procurement Fraud Task Force previously has been responsible for numerous criminal prosecutions and civil settlements from fraud arising out of Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Hunter Army Air Field, and the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. If you have information about any individual or entity that you believe may be engaging in fraud at a military base, please contact Assistant United States Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson at 912-652-4422.
The claims resolved by the settlement agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine commended the hard work and dedication of the United States’ investigatory team, which was led by Special Agent Bryan Cofer of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Special Agent Randall Temples of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Special Agent Daniel Chase of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Command.
Assistant United States Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Jonathan A. Porter represented the United States in this investigation and settlement.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Operation High Rollers Completed with 11 Drug Traffickers Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Eleven members of a drug-trafficking organization face long federal prison sentences after the successful completion of Operation High Rollers, a multi-year investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) into the multi-state drug distribution and money-laundering conspiracy.
More than $135,000 and a significant amount of marijuana was seized during the investigation.
The 11 defendants were part of a cartel that purchased marijuana in Texas and California and shipped it to Savannah, Statesboro and other parts of the country for sale. To conduct their illicit transactions, the drug trafficking organization laundered more than $8 million in illegal proceeds through multiple banks using deposits and withdrawals structured to conceal them from detection.
Since their indictments in December 2016 on charges of conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana and conspiracy to engage in money laundering, all 11 have pled guilty and have now been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. Sentenced in the operation are:
- Lametheus Terence Douglas, sentenced to 188 months in prison;
- Kai Jacobie Bolden, sentenced to 120 months in prison;
- Deshawn Binah Reilley, sentenced to 200 months in prison;
- Larry Turner Douglas Jr., sentenced to 30 months in prison;
- Curel Taylor Reilley, sentenced to 24 months in prison;
- Samory Toure Williams, sentenced to 87 months in prison;
- Jovan Antuan Myrick, sentenced to 30 months in prison;
- Delmus Lockhart Jr., sentenced to 37 months in prison;
- Brian Donivan Ulmer, sentenced to 46 months in prison;
- Vicobri Roykiam Miller, sentenced to 78 months in prison; and,
- Darvin Esquire Strand Jr., sentenced to 60 months in prison.
In addition, Judge Moore also sentenced each defendant to three to five years of supervised release following completion of their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
“This was a far-reaching, complex conspiracy to spread illegal drugs across the nation, and this operation to dismantle the conspiracy demonstrates the dedication and determination of our law enforcement officers and prosecutors,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “But no matter how hard these drug traffickers try to hide their activities, we will find them, shut them down and put them in prison.”
Personnel participating in Operation High Rollers included those from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Removing dangerous drugs from the streets and hitting drug traffickers in their pockets are both integral parts of dismantling sophisticated drug distribution networks, as was the case in this investigation,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Atlanta Field Division. “Their money is their lifeline and without it, their drug distribution activities cannot survive. This investigation was a success because of the fine police work conducted by a collection of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Karl I. Knoche and Matthew Josephson represented the United States in this investigation and prosecution.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422
Savannah-Chatham County awarded nearly $500,000 in DOJ grantsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $306,911 for Chatham County and $187,500 for the Savannah-Chatham Board of Education Police Department.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Our office is dedicated to eliminating violent crime throughout the Southern District of Georgia, and early intervention is a key component of reducing violence,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. “These substantial grants will provide valuable assistance in Savannah-Chatham as we work to make our schools safer and thus help make all our communities safer.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency. Chatham County is receiving $306,911 from this program.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million, including the $187,500 award to Savannah-Chatham schools.
- The STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, also managed by BJA, will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing more than $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on these grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Richmond County Board of Education Awarded DOJ GrantRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $250,000 for the Richmond County Board of Education.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Our office is dedicated to eliminating violent crime throughout the Southern District of Georgia, and early intervention is a key component of reducing violence,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. “This substantial grant will provide valuable assistance in Richmond County as we work to make our schools safer and thus help make all our communities safer.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million, including the award to Richmond County schools.
- The STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, also managed by BJA, will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Coffee County Partnership Awarded Nearly $500,000 from Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine joined the Department of Justice in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $468,537 for a partnership of Coffee County agencies including the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas Police Department, Wiregrass Technical College Police Department, the Coffee County School System and two private schools.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Our office is dedicated to eliminating violent crime throughout the Southern District of Georgia, and early intervention is a key component of reducing violence,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. “This substantial grant will provide valuable assistance in Coffee County as we work to make our schools safer and thus help make all our communities safer.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions, including Coffee County, for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, also managed by BJA, will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing more than $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on these grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Cocaine Traffickers Sentenced to Prison TermsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Two cocaine dealers with lengthy criminal histories will spend more than a decade in prison after recent sentencing in federal court.
Anderson Holmes, 50, of Savannah, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison, and Ronnie Cope, 38, of Guyton, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison during sentencing Sept. 27 by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood. The two were sentenced after entering guilty pleas on charges of Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. Both Holmes and Cope will be on supervised release for three years after their prison terms end; there is no parole in the federal system.
Holmes, whose criminal history spans more than 30 years and includes five prior felony convictions, and Cope, who has a criminal history of more than 19 years with four prior felony convictions, are among more than 30 defendants convicted in Operation Lazarus. This joint federal and state investigation determined that members of a drug trafficking organization were transporting cocaine, via tractor-trailer, to Savannah from Texas and elsewhere. Once the cocaine reached Savannah, the drug traffickers would distribute and sell the drugs throughout the Southern District of Georgia.
Operation Lazarus has sent dozens of convicted drug dealers to prison for conspiracy to traffic cocaine, including local minister Cedric Manior, sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, and Trevor Walker, sentenced to 144 months in prison. During the investigation, agents seized dozens of firearms, kilograms of cocaine and significant amounts of MDMA (“ecstasy”), marijuana and other controlled substances.
“These sentences should serve as a stern warning to illegal drug dealers,” said United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Our law enforcement agencies and prosecutors are united in our determination to make our communities safer, and long prison sentences await those who would push poison for their own profit.”
“Drug traffickers who distribute illegal and dangerous drugs are a true menace to society,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “These cocaine distributors will spend well-deserved time in prison. This investigation was a success because of the true spirit of cooperation that existed between all of the law enforcement agencies involved and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Operation Lazarus involved local and federal law enforcement and is being prosecuted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which includes members of the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham Sheriff’s Department, the Garden City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Marshals Service. The OCDETF program is the premier U.S. Department of Justice program utilized to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Career Criminal Sentenced to Nearly 16 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: After almost three decades of committing violent crimes, a Savannah man has been sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison for weapons possession.
Harry Scott, 45, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 188 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr., and to five years of supervised release after completion of his sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
Scott was arrested Jan. 18, 2018, after an armed standoff with Savannah police officers. Those charges are being prosecuted in the state system.
Scott’s violent, 27-year criminal record includes charges of armed robbery, statutory rape, aggravated assault and multiple drug offenses, along with an extensive history of violating probation. After his most recent arrest, he caught the attention of federal prosecutors under Project Ceasefire, an initiative designed to eliminate gun violence, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, which fights violent crime through inter-agency partnerships. During sentencing in federal court, Scott was deemed to be a career criminal and thus received an enhanced sentence.
“When violent criminals like Harry Scott are allowed to terrorize neighborhoods, citizens understandably worry that their safety is being ignored,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Through such programs as Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Ceasefire, we are dedicated to taking people like Scott off the street and reassuring residents that the sanctity and security of their communities is once again a priority.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, along with the Savannah Police Department and SWAT team. Assistant United States Attorneys Tania D. Groover and Marcela C. Mateo prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Georgia Physician Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison, Fined for Role in Fueling Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: Former gynecologist George “Mack” Bird III, 59, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison and fined $20,000 on Tuesday, Sept. 18, for dispensing and prescribing addictive opioids and other drugs to people who received little or no medical services from clinics in Dublin and Eastman. Bird also agreed to forfeit $2.7 million of seized assets and real estate that he admitted were traceable to proceeds of his crimes.
Bird, who pled guilty in March before Senior U. S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. to charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, was indicted in 2017 on multiple felonies. The negotiated plea with a sentence of 100 months in prison does not include the possibility of parole, and Bird will be subject to 36 months of supervised release following his incarceration.
Starting in 1992, Bird owned and operated a gynecology practice in Eastman, Ga., about an hour southeast of Macon, and later opened a weight loss clinic in Dublin. He admitted the offices sold and prescribed drugs including the opiate hydrocodone, along with alprazolam (Xanax), carisoprodol (Soma), phentermine (Adipex), and phendimetrazine (Plegime) to customers who typically paid in cash and received no legitimate medical services. In the years leading to his arrest in 2015, Bird increasingly delegated his patient care responsibilities to unqualified employees who used pre-signed prescription forms and preprinted medical notes to give the appearance that Bird was performing examinations.
Bird’s criminal conduct netted him millions of dollars. Although he kept a significant portion of that money, Bird used some of his proceeds to pay his co-conspirators and purchase drugs for eventual distribution.
“Mack Bird could be the poster child for the opioid crisis in this country – a greedy, self-serving criminal who violated the law and his medical oath to enrich himself at the lifelong expense of the ‘patients’ he willingly enslaved to deadly addictions,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “The U.S. Attorney General has made it clear that battling opioid abuse is a priority, and this office will vigorously prosecute illegal drug dealers whether they are on a street corner or in a fancy office.”
Christine also commended the hard work and dedication of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the Oconee Drug Task Force, both of which investigated the case.
“Complicit doctors who overprescribe prescription opioids often prey on patients who are addicted to these powerful medications,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Some of these doctors operate under the guise of a stethoscope and white coat, which serves as a front for their legitimacy. This successful investigation was a direct result of hard work put forth by all law enforcement agencies involved and the subsequent prosecution by U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Assistant United States Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Cuyler Brownsville Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 160 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A convicted heroin dealer and career criminal was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison during a hearing in United States District Court on Monday.
United States District Judge William T. Moore Jr. sentenced Tyrone Williams, 43, of Savannah, to serve 160 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Williams was arrested as part of the coordinated federal, state and local law enforcement investigation into violence and drug dealing in the historic Cuyler Brownsville, or CBV, community of Savannah under the U.S. Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. A federal grand jury indicted Williams and 31 other defendants as part of this operation. All of those arrested have been convicted, including Williams, who pled guilty on April 3 to distributing heroin in CBV, resulting in the sentence of more than a decade in prison.
As noted in court records and stated in court hearings, Williams has a documented criminal history spanning more than 25 years, with at least 10 felony convictions that include drug and firearms offenses.
“The basic premise behind the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods is to make neighborhoods safer,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Removing drug dealers makes neighborhoods safer, and the very real possibility of hard jail time warns any other criminals who would attempt to take their place. This operation in Cuyler Brownsville also reassures law-abiding citizens of their vital role in helping to clean up their neighborhoods by reporting the criminals who seek to profit from their misery.”
Tim Graden, Resident Agent in Charge of the Savannah Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said “This prosecution is another example of ATF’s commitment to ensure the public’s safety by removing violent drug traffickers from our communities. These results could not have occurred without the outstanding partnerships that we have with our law enforcement partners and the community.”
Lindsay Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said “The investigation into the criminal elements within the CBV neighborhood, along with the successful prosecutions of multiple defendants, can be attributed to the collaborative efforts among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. These partnerships are a valuable asset to combating crime in all areas within the state of Georgia.”
Roy Minter, the Savannah Police Department Director of Police Services, said “Identifying and removing dangerous criminals from our community is a top priority for the Savannah Police Department. The arrest, conviction and sentencing of Tyrone Williams is another example of our strong partnership with our local, state and federal law enforcement officials. We will continue to work collaboratively with these officials to remove dangerous criminals and drugs from our community.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, with assistance from the United States Marshals investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly, Tania Groover, and Matthew Josephson prosecuted this case.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Career Drug Dealer Sentenced to 140 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A Swainsboro, Ga., man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that distributed cocaine and crack cocaine in Emanuel and Richmond counties.
Tony Lanard Williams, 43, received the sentence of 140 months in federal prison from United States District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood. The leader of a drug trafficking organization that involved numerous other individuals, Williams was subject to enhanced penalties after the court determined he was a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Williams pled guilty on Nov. 30, 2017 to one count of distributing cocaine.
Six other defendants were named in the indictment in which Williams was charged. Because he was a fugitive from the time the indictment against him was unsealed in June 2016 until his arrest in May 2017, Williams was the final defendant in the case to be sentenced. He has been in custody since his arrest in Statesboro on May 16, 2017, and evidence presented during numerous hearings revealed that Williams and his drug organization was actively trafficking in cocaine and crack cocaine from at least 2012 until his arrest.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine noted that the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force pursued the investigation that dismantled Williams’ operation. “Battling these criminal operations requires coordination and teamwork from law enforcement and prosecutors,” Christine said. “Getting drug dealers off the streets makes our neighborhoods safer, and our office will be unwavering in our pursuit of career criminals like Williams.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said “The successful results of this investigation should let career criminals like Williams know that those who flood the drug market with menacing drugs like cocaine and cocaine base (crack) will ultimately be brought to justice by DEA, its law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office.”
“Tony Williams was one part of a larger criminal organization that disrupted lives and communities in rural Georgia,” said Jamie Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office. “He will now spend a lengthy part of his life behind bars. The GBI will continue to work closely with other agencies to make our communities better places for law-abiding citizens and much harder places for drug dealers to ply their trade.”
The investigation was led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Swainsboro Police Department, Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, and the Middle Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karl Knoche prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
For questions, please contact the U. S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.
Indictment Charges Georgia Man with Running Jury-Duty Scam That Extorted $200,000 from VictimsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A federal grand jury indicted Decatur, Ga., resident Orenthial Walker, 42, this week on felony charges linked to a widespread scam in which victims were coerced to pay “fines” for failing to appear for non-existent federal jury duty.
Walker, a convicted felon, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in this interstate jury duty scam. Walker was arrested in Georgia in July 2018 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for his role in a similar jury duty scam operated out of the Northern District of Alabama. In both cases, victims received calls from co-conspirators posing as members of the U.S. Marshals Service who claimed that the victims had failed to appear for jury duty. The victims were threatened with arrest if they failed to pay a “fine” through gift cards or via a money-transfer site. The investigation of both cases revealed that Georgia state prison inmates were behind this scam, using contraband cell phones to coordinate the operation from behind bars.
“This case not only highlights the potential damage to the integrity of the court system caused by such scams, but also serves as an example of the growing danger of contraband cell phones in the hands of prison inmates,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Federal agents will never call on the phone to demand money, and anyone receiving such a call should immediately report it to the police.”
“This case represents the determination of our agents to arrest the culprits behind these common scams, and an example that it is not fruitless for the public to report them,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “We ask the public to be more aware of these scams and to report them to law enforcement and file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.”
David Lyons, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Georgia, is available to comment on the issue of jury duty scams and can be reached at 912-652-4212.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at (912) 652-4422.
Statesboro Investigation Nets 20 Defendants for Drug Trafficking, Weapons PossessionRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A federal indictment unsealed today, Sept. 12, charge a Mexican national and 19 other Statesboro-area residents with multiple felonies including drug distribution, illegal firearms possession and related offenses resulting from a more than two-year joint operation of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Natividad Dias, 38, also known as “Nat,” “Nate,” “Amigo” or “Huevos,” is among 20 individuals charged with multiple counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. Others also are charged with possession of firearms by convicted felons.
The multi-agency investigation began in 2015 as a result of citizen complaints about drug-trafficking activities and violent crime in Screven County and surrounding communities, including an unsolved homicide case. In 2016, the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Governor’s Taskforce/Drug Suppression, seized more than 500 marijuana plants from a residence in Screven County relating to the charged conspiracy. As the investigation expanded, it revealed the trafficking of methamphetamine and marijuana in Screven, Effingham, Jenkins, Bulloch and Evans counties. Law enforcement agencies participating in the operation conducted various controlled purchases, state search warrants and traffic stops. In addition to the marijuana plants, the agencies seized methamphetamine, cocaine and other drugs, along with multiple firearms.
Federal prosecutors used the information compiled during the investigation to secure an indictment under seal for the 20 defendants. Most of the defendants in the case are in custody and some have made their initial appearances in federal court, while one of the defendants remains a fugitive. The indictment was unsealed today.
The federal charges and maximum penalties include:
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. § 846, which carries a sentence of 10 years imprisonment to life, along with fines of up to $10 million.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (100 or more marijuana plants regardless of weight), 21 U.S.C. § 842(a) and (b)(1)(B), with sentences ranging from five to 40 years imprisonment and fines of up to $5 million.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (5 grams or more of Methamphetamine, 50 grams or more of a mixture of Methamphetamine, 500 grams of a mixture of Cocaine), 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), which carries a sentence of five to 40 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $5 million.
- Distribution of Controlled Substances, and Possession of Controlled Substances with Intent to Distribute, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), which typically carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, but may carry increased minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment based on the quantity of controlled substances involved and the prior drug convictions of the defendant.
- Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), which carries a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and up to a life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
- Felon in Possession of Firearm, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), which typically carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. However, if a defendant has three prior convictions for violent crimes or serious drug offenses, then the sentence ranges from a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment to a maximum of life imprisonment.
Those charged in the investigation are:
Natividad Dias, 38
John Timothy Collins, 48
John Kenneth Joyner, 47
Palmer Alton Bazemore II, 51
Cassie Jo Barbee, 36
Jaime Elton Newsome, 39
Megan Nicole Bazemore, 30
Christina Elizabeth Davis, 32
Derrick Riggs, 42
Quinn Cullen Neal, 32
Dylan Anthony Davis, 26
Gary Paul Joyner, 51
Monica Isabell Jimenez, 22
Zackary Allen Durrence, 26
John Dillon Joyner, 25
Jonathan Travis Oliver, 36
Michael Shane Bishop, 44
Jonathon Evan Oglesby, 27
Alfred Anthony Woods, 28
Noah Quinn Pope, 25
This indictment arose from a joint operation of federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Participating state agencies included the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. Local law enforcement included the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, Sylvania Police Department, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office, Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, Evans County Sheriff’s Office; and the Claxton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Marcela C. Mateo is prosecuting the case for the United States.
This investigation took place under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority, with the reinvigorated PSN as the centerpiece of crime reduction strategies developed by all U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
“This multi-jurisdiction operation represents a significant step toward making our communities safer by removing violent criminals from the streets,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We are committed to working with law-abiding citizens to help break the cycle of criminal activity that feeds so much of the insecurity and despair in many of our neighborhoods, and that begins with getting these serial felons off the streets.”
“This criminal network posed a clear and present danger to the safety and security of the citizens in the Statesboro, Georgia area. Statesboro is a thriving college town and DEA and its law enforcement partners will see to it that this community is a safe haven for our children to obtain a higher education there,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The removal of these drug traffickers from this town automatically makes this community a safer place. These arrests area a perfect example of the success that can be achieved through multilevel law enforcement cooperation and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Screven County Sheriff Mike Kile added, “This multi-agency joint investigation was initiated following the large volume of citizen complaints about illegal drug activity in Screven County and surrounding area and the unsolved murder of Lisa Scott and unknown location of missing person Travis Tankersley. Anyone with information regarding these incidents are asked to contact the Screven County Sheriff’s Office or Georgia Bureau of Investigation at 912-871-1121.”
An indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at (912) 652-4422.
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. § 846, which carries a sentence of 10 years imprisonment to life, along with fines of up to $10 million.
Tybee Island Shrimper Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison, Ordered to Pay Nearly $1 Million in Fraud RestitutionRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Tybee Island shrimper and fisherman will spend more than six years in federal prison after United States District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. sentenced him Aug. 30 for a case involving fraudulent claims for losses from foreign competition.
Michael Brian Anderson, who was convicted by a federal jury March 22, 2018, was sentenced for three counts of false statements, four counts of mail fraud and two counts of money laundering. In addition to the 77-month prison sentence, Judge Moore also ordered Anderson to pay $818,234 in restitution. The court imposed a longer sentence than standard guidelines for the case because of aggravating factors that included Anderson’s perjury during the trial and the number of victims in the case, including the use of a deceased person to further the scheme.
During the trial, prosecutors from the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office presented evidence that Anderson submitted multiple false claims to Customs & Border Protection (CBP) seeking millions of dollars in subsidies under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (CDSOA). The CDSOA allowed American shrimp producers to apply for federal funding to reimburse income they lost due to foreign competition.
Anderson, an eligible domestic shrimper, applied to CBP for subsidies based on the claim that his shrimping business expenses from 2005 to 2007 were more than $24 million – a claim refuted during his trial, and further debunked by Anderson’s own bank records and tax returns. Based on Anderson’s fraud, the U.S. government paid Anderson more than $800,000 to which he was not entitled. Anderson used those illegally obtained proceeds to purchase boats, stock and real estate.
“Brian Anderson submitted millions of dollars in inflated invoices for one simple reason: greed,” said United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “By overinflating the amount he was entitled to receive under the CDSOA, Brian Anderson diverted money from hard-working shrimpers into his own pocket. Our office is devoted to aggressively prosecuting anyone who seeks to steal public money.”
“Fraud schemes like the one uncovered in this case directly steal from hard-working U.S. taxpayers by making false claims to exploit a federal subsidy program,” said Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Nick S. Annan. “HSI is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to pursue transnational fraud cases aggressively and hold accountable those who seek to illegally enrich themselves.”
U.S. Attorney Christine commended the hard work and dedication of the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection, who jointly investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Tania Groover prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at (912) 652-4422.
Felon Sentenced to 15 Years for Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man with a long history of felony arrests and convictions has been sentenced to federal prison after his conviction for possessing a semi-automatic rifle with a high-capacity magazine.
United States District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2018, sentenced Savannah resident Darryl Washington, 34, to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system, and upon release, he will be placed on court supervision for an additional 5 years.
Mr. Washington was arrested March 1, 2017, when Savannah Police Department officers responded to a complaint that a man was waving a long gun at people in the area of West 32nd and Jefferson streets. As outlined in court records and public documents, officers detained Mr. Washington and later seized a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a high-capacity magazine containing 23 rounds of ammunition. As a convicted felon, Mr. Washington was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition. Felons, drug users, illegal aliens, dishonorably discharged individuals, and others, are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Mr. Washington was no stranger to the criminal justice system, starting with arrests as a young teenager for burglary, trafficking cocaine and criminal trespass. As an adult, his convictions included obstructing justice, dispensing cocaine, battery of a police officer, and multiple convictions for terroristic threats. Those convictions included threatening to take an officer’s gun and shoot him with it; threatening – after his release from prison – to get his “chopper and start chopping people up”; and threatening to burn down an apartment complex.
“The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are not going to tolerate felons possessing firearms,” said Southern District U. S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “We are going to prosecute felons who possess firearms with extreme vigor. Let this 15-year sentence serve as a warning to others felons who may consider having a gun: Don’t. Put the guns down, or we will lock you up for as long as possible.”
“Felons in possession of guns is one of this department’s highest priorities,” said Savannah Police Chief Mark Revenew. “In an effort to stop violence in our community, Savannah Police Department will continue to partner with our federal colleagues to ensure these offenders receive the stiffest sentence available.”
This case was investigated and prosecuted under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is a team of local and federal law enforcement entities devoted to making neighborhoods safe again.
This case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marcela Mateo and Greg Gilluly.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Dozens of Felons and Gang Members Convicted in Joint Federal, State, and Local InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH GA: Nearly three dozen convicted felons have been removed from the streets of Savannah now that a joint law enforcement operation has resulted in the guilty plea of one of the final defendants.
In less than a year after dozens of indictments were handed down by a federal grand jury in late November 2017, more than 30 defendants have been convicted in federal court. On Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, Darryl McRae, 45, pled guilty to the distribution of crack cocaine, Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine announced.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Savannah Police Department (SPD), and other agencies united to combat gang violence and “open air” drug sales in the historic Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood in Savannah, Ga. As outlined in court documents and at various hearings, law enforcement agencies responded to neighborhood residents who complained about the ongoing crime and their fear of being shot while sitting on their own porches. These law enforcement agencies targeted and investigated dozens of criminals, resulting in federal indictments and convictions against 32 defendants.
During this operation, agents seized dozens of firearms, along with body armor, marijuana, cocaine, MDMA (commonly referred to as Ecstasy), heroin, methamphetamine and prescription pills. Many of the stolen firearms that were seized were linked to other crimes. For example, one of the firearms seized by law enforcement was used in 11 prior shootings. Another firearm was used in four shootings, including the shooting of the defendant found by investigators in possession of the firearm.
Combined, these defendants have decades of criminal history, with more than 100 prior state convictions; many of the defendants were on parole or probation at the time they committed the federal crimes. Additionally, some of the defendants were tied to national gangs, including the Bloods and the Crips, while some others were tied to local gangs, including CBV, or Cuyler Brownz Ville 39-41.
Many of the defendants have already been sentenced, including Deandre Davis, 31, who was sentenced to 188 months of in prison for distributing crack cocaine; and Trishon Collins, 23, who was sentenced to 130 months in prison for distributing crack cocaine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system. Both Davis and Collins will be under court supervision for six years following their release from prison. Many defendants are awaiting sentencing and face potential maximum sentences of up to life in prison.
“We conducted the Cuyler-Brownsville investigation because this historic neighborhood was plagued with drug-dealing and gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Parents and grandparents were afraid to let children play in their own yards because they feared stray bullets. Neighborhood residents worked with law enforcement to root out the troublemakers, and the strategy worked brilliantly. This collaboration between good, law-abiding citizens and law enforcement is a recipe for success.”
“The strong partnership between ATF, the USAO, GBI, SPD, USMS and Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the neighborhood residents, is integral to stopping violent individuals from terrorizing law-abiding citizens,” said Resident Agent-in-Charge Timothy Graden of the ATF. “This investigation is a testament to this successful collaboration. I am proud of the commitment that all participants have shown to this case.”
“Many of our citizens were aware and complained of the illegal and sometimes violent crimes committed by this organization,” said Savannah Police Department Chief Mark Revenew. “We partnered with our state and federal agencies to target and investigate these offenders. We are continuing our efforts to take these and other criminal groups down until they are all eradicated from our city.”
The following Savannah residents were convicted:
Jamal Brightwell, age 22,
Frederick Brown, a/k/a “Freddie B,” age 36,
Derrick Butler, a/k/a “Rico,” age 29,
Animahaun Cole, age 43,
Trishon Collins, age 23,
Andre Cooper, a/k/a “Minuteman,” a/k/a “Coop,” age 30,
Deandre Davis, age 31,
Omesimus Franklin, age 42,
Baheem Frazier, age 25,
Jadonte Gadsden, a/k/a “Jadonte Hood,” age 20,
George Graham, age 38,
Lorenzo Graham, a/k/a “Zo,” age 31,
Eshon Grant, age 25,
Dennis Grubbs, a/k/a “Lil Red,” age 33,
Julian Harris, a/k/a “Ju Ju,” age 50,
Nathaniel Harvey, age 20,
Robert Jivens, age 30,
Darrell McRae, a/k/a “General,” a/k/a “Ghetto,” age 44,
George Truman Polite, age 29,
Joseph Price, age 32,
Emmitt Scott, a/k/a “Scooda,” 32,
John Scott, age 20,
Shawn Seibert, age 26,
Leonard Washington, a/k/a “Guzzi,” age 38,
Floyd Williams, a/k/a “Ricardo Williams,” age 65,
Brandon Williams, a/k/a “Lil’ B,” age 26,
Raheem Williams, a/k/a “Bucket,” age 25,
Raynard Williams, age 20,
Tyrone Williams, a/k/a “T Y,” age 42,
Quentin Wright, age 35,
Deonta Young, a/k/a “Fluid,” a/k/a “Flow,” a/k/a “Lil D,” a/k/a “D”, age 27, and
Larry Young, age 39,
This case was investigated by ATF, GBI, SPD, and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Marshals and the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly, Tania Groover, and Matt Josephson. For questions, please contact Barry Paschal, Public Affairs Officer (Contractor), at 912-652-4422.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys receive awards for their work in nationwide drug enforcement actionsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH – Four assistant United States attorneys who participated in significant civil drug enforcement actions received awards Aug. 22 from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration during a DEA training session in Savannah.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tommy Clarkson, Jonathan Porter and Brad Patrick, and Civil Division Chief Shannon Statkus, each received Certificates of Appreciation for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of Drug Law Enforcement from Uttam Dhillon, Acting Administrator of the DEA, and Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Office.
Statkus, Clarkson, Porter and Patrick were recognized for their roles in the National Health Care Fraud Takedown that in June resulted in charges against 601 defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. These cases included criminal charges and civil penalties against a wide variety of defendants spanning the Southern District of Georgia.
Their work also resulted in the nation’s largest settlement of its kind involving allegations of drug diversion at a hospital when Georgia’s Effingham Health System in May agreed to pay fines of $4.1 million to resolve allegations that hospital staff failed to prevent a significant amount of opioids from being transferred to non-prescribers, and for failing to timely report the suspected diversion to the DEA.
In addition, the four AUSAs were applauded for their work in the civil complaint against Dr. Firoz Patka, of Martinez, Ga., that resulted in a default judgment in July in United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia of $1.2 million in penalties. Patka received the judgment when he failed to answer complaints alleging he violated the Controlled Substances Act by pre-signing subscriptions for opioids and other controlled substances at his offices in Louisville, Ga.; Hephzibah, Ga.; and Thomasville, Ga.
“The outstanding work of our staff in combatting fraud and prescription drug abuse helps to protect the public from the scourge of crime and addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “We’re proud of Shannon, Tom, Jonathan and Brad for their outstanding work, and appreciate this welcome recognition from our partners at the DEA.”
Photo, left-right: USA Bobby L. Christine, AUSA Tommy Clarkson, Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon, AUSA Jonathan Porter, AUSA Brad Patrick, and DEA Atlanta Special Agent-in-Charge Robert J. Murphy. Not pictured: AUSA Shannon Statkus, Southern District Civil Division Chief.Statement from U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine Regarding Sentencing for Reality WinnerRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: The sentence rendered today is the longest received by a defendant for an unauthorized disclosure of national defense information to the media. It appropriately satisfies the need for both punishment and deterrence in light of the nature and seriousness of the offense.
When Reality Winner committed her crime, she was employed as a contractor at a National Security Agency facility in the Southern District of Georgia. She held a TOP SECRET/SCI security clearance, had access to classified information, had signed multiple nondisclosure agreements, and plainly abused her position of trust.
Winner was well-trained in the proper handling of classified intelligence and knew the damage that unauthorized disclosures could cause to our national security. She knew that the unauthorized removal of classified materials and transportation and storage of these materials in unauthorized locations risked disclosure and transmission of those materials. In particular, she knew that the unauthorized disclosure of information classified TOP SECRET, which is the highest classification level, reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States, and that violation of rules governing the handling of classified information could result in criminal prosecution.
With this knowledge, Winner searched for, identified, and printed an intelligence report, which was classified at the TOP SECRET/SCI level and contained national defense information. The information in the report was unrelated to Winner’s job duties, and she did not possess a “need to know.” Nevertheless, Winner removed the report from its authorized location and put it in a mailbox in an envelope addressed to a news agency. In so doing, she knowingly and intentionally betrayed the trust of her colleagues and her country.
Make no mistake: THIS WAS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME. Winner’s purposeful violation put our nation’s security at risk. Not in a speculative or hypothetical way, but in a very real, very direct way. The Intelligence Report that Winner disclosed described intelligence activities by a foreign government directed at targets within the United States. When asked by the FBI, Winner stated that she knew the Intelligence Report revealed “sources and methods” used by U.S. intelligence agencies, and she knew that compromising those sources and methods could be valuable to our adversaries and damaging to the United States. Despite this knowledge, Winner said she intended for a news agency to publish the contents of the Intelligence Report.
The document Winner compromised did, in fact, contain TOP SECRET information about the sources and methods used to acquire the intelligence described in the report. That means it revealed how U.S. Intelligence Agencies obtained information. U.S. Government subject matter experts have determined that Winner’s willful, purposeful disclosure caused exceptionally grave damage to U.S. national security. That harm included, but was not limited to, impairing the ability of the United States to acquire foreign intelligence information similar to the information the defendant disclosed. This was, by no means, a victimless crime.
What’s more, Winner’s exceptionally damaging disclosure was not a spontaneous, unplanned event, but was the calculated culmination of a series of acts. She researched whether it was possible to insert a thumb drive into a Top Secret computer without being detected, and then inserted a thumb drive, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT NEVER RECOVERED, into a Top Secret computer. She researched job opportunities that would provide her access to classified information. At the same time, she searched for information about anti-secrecy organizations, and she celebrated claimed compromises in U.S. classified information.
Approximately eight days before she started work as a contractor with a security clearance, Winner installed sophisticated software tools on her computer designed to render her internet activity anonymous and untraceable. Two days before starting work, Winner captured an image of a webpage listing eight “securedrop” addresses for media outlets seeking leaked information. Then, her first day on the job, she sent messages mocking her security training. On that same day, Winner signed a non-disclosure agreement with the government in which she promised to keep secret classified information, and attested she was accepting this responsibility “…without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.” Yet, she wrote shortly thereafter that she was “#gonnafail” her polygraph examination when asked if she had “ever plotted against” the government. She claimed to hate America. When asked, “…you don’t actually hate America, right?” she responded, “I mean yeah I do its literally the worst thing to happen on the planet.”
She was the quintessential example of an insider threat.
Resolving this case with a plea agreement involving a lengthy prison sentence is the best resolution for the United States. The United States has to balance the need for prosecution with the damage that further disclosure of classified information at trial might cause. Proving the government’s case at trial would require the government to declassify or risk disclosure of TOP SECRET//SCI information. This plea affords the government a substantial benefit in protecting from disclosure information that is still classified. The FBI and members of the Intelligence Community affected by Winner’s treachery and betrayal have concurred in this judgement.
This sentence also promotes respect for the law and affords deterrence to similar criminal conduct in the future. Winner will serve a term of incarceration that will give pause to others who are entrusted with our country’s sensitive national security information and would consider compromising it. Anyone else who may think of committing such an egregious and damaging wrong should think both of the prison sentence imposed today and the very real damage done, and we sincerely hope that they will stay true to their oath and maintain the secrets with which their nation has entrusted them.
The brave men and women who have volunteered – without mental reservation or purpose of evasion - to serve at sensitive government facilities continue to have our trust, faith and confidence. Their loyalty to our nation is manifest each day in the form of our safety and security. My dedication to those professionals and those principles is unwavering, and the Justice Department will continue to prosecute and bring long sentences to those who would betray their oath and jeopardize our nation’s safety.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Federal Government Contractor Sentenced for Removing and Transmitting Classified Materials to a News OutletRead the Press Release
Reality Winner, 26, of Augusta, Georgia, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for removing classified national defense material from a government facility and mailing it to a news outlet. Winner was arrested by the FBI at her home in Augusta, on June 3, 2017. The parties filed a plea agreement on June 21, in which Winner agreed to plead guilty to the one-count indictment charging her with unlawful retention and transmission of national defense information. The parties agreed that a sentence of imprisonment for 63 months followed by a three-year term of supervised release is the appropriate disposition of the case. The Court accepted the plea agreement at sentencing.
The sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine for the Southern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge J.C. Hacker of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall presided over the hearing.
“The defendant schemed to take and disclose classified information she had sworn to protect – and then did so almost as soon as she had the chance,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Today, she has been held accountable for her crime thanks to the hard work of the Department’s prosecutors and agents. I hope their success will deter others from similar unlawful action in the future.”
“This defendant used her position of trust to steal and divulge closely guarded intelligence information,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Her betrayal of the United States put at risk sources and methods of intelligence gathering, thereby offering advantage to our adversaries. This U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the National Security Division, law enforcement and our intelligence partners to ensure such violations result in swift, certain prosecution.”
“When obtaining Top Secret clearance as a government employee or contractor, the handling of top secret information is clearly spelled out along with the ramifications of mishandling such information,” said Special Agent in Charge Hacker. “Revealing sources and methods to the advantage of our adversaries and to the detriment of our country will never be acceptable and the FBI and Department of Justice will spare no effort to prosecute and punish anyone who would do so.”
Winner was a contractor assigned to a U.S. government agency facility in Georgia. She had been employed at the facility since on or about Feb. 13, 2017, and held a TOP SECRET//Sensitive Compartmented (SCI) clearance during that time. Prior to that position, Winner had served in the U.S. Air Force from 2010-2016 and held a TOP SECRET//SCI security clearance.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on or about May 9, 2017, Winner printed an intelligence report that was classified at the TOP SECRET//SCI level, and she removed it from the facility where she worked. Information may be classified as TOP SECRET if its unauthorized disclosure can reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States. Later on May 9, Winner unlawfully transmitted a hard copy of the intelligence report to an online news outlet. The intelligence report revealed the sources and methods used to acquire the information contained in the report, which, if disclosed, would be harmful to the United States and valuable to our adversaries.
Indeed, Winner, in an interview with the FBI on June 3, 2017, admitted knowing at the time she stole and transmitted the intelligence report that it contained information about intelligence sources and methods, which information she knew was valuable to adversaries of the United States. Further, the information contained in the intelligence report had not been released to the public at the time Winner retained it and transmitted it to the online news outlet. Winner, who had received training regarding the proper handling, marking, transportation, and storage of classified information, knew that she was not permitted to remove the intelligence report from the facility where she worked, retain it, or transmit it to the news outlet.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the FBI. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Solari of the Southern District of Georgia, and Deputy Chief Julie A. Edelstein and Trial Attorneys David C. Aaron and Amy Larson of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Federal Government Contractor Sentenced for Removing and Transmitting Classified Materials to A News OutletRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA – Reality Winner, 26, of Augusta, Georgia, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for removing classified national defense material from a government facility and mailing it to a news outlet. Winner was arrested by the FBI at her home in Augusta, on June 3, 2017. The parties filed a plea agreement on June 21, in which Winner agreed to plead guilty to the one-count indictment charging her with unlawful retention and transmission of national defense information. The parties agreed that a sentence of imprisonment for 63 months followed by a three-year term of supervised release is the appropriate disposition of the case. The Court accepted the plea agreement at sentencing.
The sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine for the Southern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge J.C. Hacker of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall presided over the hearing.
“The defendant schemed to take and disclose classified information she had sworn to protect – and then did so almost as soon as she had the chance,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Today, she has been held accountable for her crime thanks to the hard work of the Department’s prosecutors and agents. I hope their success will deter others from similar unlawful action in the future.”
“This defendant used her position of trust to steal and divulge closely guarded intelligence information,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Her betrayal of the United States put at risk sources and methods of intelligence gathering, thereby offering advantage to our adversaries. This U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the National Security Division, law enforcement and our intelligence partners to ensure such violations result in swift, certain prosecution.”
“When obtaining Top Secret clearance as a government employee or contractor, the handling of top secret information is clearly spelled out along with the ramifications of mishandling such information,” said Special Agent in Charge Hacker. “Revealing sources and methods to the advantage of our adversaries and to the detriment of our country will never be acceptable and the FBI and Department of Justice will spare no effort to prosecute and punish anyone who would do so.”
Winner was a contractor assigned to a U.S. government agency facility in Georgia. She had been employed at the facility since on or about Feb. 13, 2017, and held a TOP SECRET//Sensitive Compartmented (SCI) clearance during that time. Prior to that position, Winner had served in the U.S. Air Force from 2010-2016 and held a TOP SECRET//SCI security clearance.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on or about May 9, 2017, Winner printed an intelligence report that was classified at the TOP SECRET//SCI level, and she removed it from the facility where she worked. Information may be classified as TOP SECRET if its unauthorized disclosure can reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States. Later on May 9, Winner unlawfully transmitted a hard copy of the intelligence report to an online news outlet. The intelligence report revealed the sources and methods used to acquire the information contained in the report, which, if disclosed, would be harmful to the United States and valuable to our adversaries.
Indeed, Winner, in an interview with the FBI on June 3, 2017, admitted knowing at the time she stole and transmitted the intelligence report that it contained information about intelligence sources and methods, which information she knew was valuable to adversaries of the United States. Further, the information contained in the intelligence report had not been released to the public at the time Winner retained it and transmitted it to the online news outlet. Winner, who had received training regarding the proper handling, marking, transportation, and storage of classified information, knew that she was not permitted to remove the intelligence report from the facility where she worked, retain it, or transmit it to the news outlet.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the FBI. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Solari of the Southern District of Georgia, and Deputy Chief Julie A. Edelstein and Trial Attorneys David C. Aaron and Amy Larson of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
State of Georgia Awarded $110 Million in Grants to Aid Crime VictimsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH: The U.S. Attorneys for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Georgia and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), announce the award of more than $110 million to fund local victim assistance programs across the state and to help compensate victims for crime-related losses. This is the largest award to the State of Georgia under this program in its history.
“Crime victims often suffer physical, emotional, and financial injury,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak for the Northern District of Georgia. “While tremendous progress has been made in addressing the rights of crime victims, these funds will justly compensate and lessen the impact of their financial burdens, while also providing additional program resources to support them during their recovery process.”
“No amount of money can fully fix the traumas crime victims and their families frequently endure, but these funds can help offset financial, physical, and emotional injuries,” said U.S. Attorney Charles E. Peeler for the Middle District of Georgia. “As important, these funds let the victim community know that their voices are heard.”
“The Department of Justice is committed to seeking justice for crime victims,” states U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine for the Southern District of Georgia. “This historic award, funded almost entirely out of the pockets of those convicted of crime, is an aggressive affirmation that we are putting victims first!”
“As the state administering agency for these funds, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), is pleased to receive this funding and will continue to support organizations that provide direct services to crime victims in Georgia,” said Executive Director Jay Neal. “This funding allows us to aid people when they are potentially at the darkest time in their life, and for that, we are grateful.”
In Georgia, $6,623,000 is being awarded under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Compensation Grant Program to reimburse victims and survivors for medical expenses, mental health counseling, loss of income or support, funeral expenses, and crime scene sanitation. This compensation is often a lifeline to state and federal victims who face enormous financial setbacks on top of the emotional strife they experience.
In addition, $104,998,424 is being awarded to the State of Georgia under the VOCA Victim Assistance Formula grant to support providers of services to crime victims. These funds will be dispersed to local governments and community organizations that provide direct services to victims.
The awards are distributed through two grant programs administered by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, and are supported by the Crime Victims Fund, a repository of federal criminal fines, fees, and special assessments, which includes no tax dollars.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Missouri Man Sentenced to Two Years for Hate CrimesRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Preston Q. Howard, 50, of Wright City, Missouri, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge J. Randal Hall, to 24 months in prison for obstructing persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 247(a)(2). His sentence included an enhancement because he chose his victims based on their religion, thereby committing a hate crime. When imposing the sentence, Chief Judge Hall noted Howard’s “disturbing pattern of intolerance of many groups of people,” and the Court’s intent to afford a deterrent to similar criminal conduct by Howard and others who may believe and act as he did.
“Threats of violence based on religious beliefs have no place in our country,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute hate crime offenders.”
“Threats made against houses of worship are abhorrent and this Office will work tirelessly to ensure that members of all faiths may worship in peace and without intimidation,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “The United States Attorney’s Office, in concert with our law enforcement partners, will work tirelessly to protect our houses of worship.”
According to information presented at Howard’s guilty-plea and sentencing hearings, between June 22, 2017 and Aug 8, 2017, Howard made numerous telephone calls to the Islamic Society of Augusta (ISA), during which he threatened to “kill,” “bomb,” “shoot,” “behead,” “slaughter,” “execute,” “light on fire,” and “murder” members of the mosque, to “hunt down” and “zone in” on Muslims, and to “blow up the mosque.” Howard admitted committing these acts and obstructing or attempting to obstruct the mosque members’ free exercise of their religious beliefs.
“The FBI will not tolerate threats and intimidation against anyone because of their religion or their beliefs,” said Murang Pak, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “No one should feel they have the right to instill fear in our citizens and rob them of their sense of safety in their communities and particularly where they choose to practice their faith.”
In response to Howard’s threats, the ISA upgraded their security system, and hired off-duty officers to provide added security during services and community events. Howard was ordered to pay almost $30,000 in restitution to cover those costs.
The FBI Atlanta Field Division investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Greenwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States, in consultation with the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Felon with over 50 Prior Convictions Sentenced to 225 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine announces the conviction and sentence of John Jordan, Jr. (52), of Bloomingdale, Georgia. Today, United States District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood sentenced John Jordan, Jr. to 225 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Earlier this year, a jury deliberated less than an hour before finding him guilty of the charge. When he is released from prison, he will be on Court supervision for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
As outlined at the sentencing hearing and trial, on April 28, 2016, Savannah Chatham Police Officers responded to the scene of a one vehicle crash in Savannah, Georgia. Upon arrival, they found John Jordan, Jr., trapped in the vehicle. After first responders cut him loose from the vehicle, paramedics transported him to the hospital. During transport, one of the paramedics observed a firearm tucked into Jordan’s waistband. A paramedic secured it; and police later collected it as evidence. Jordan was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was a convicted felon.
At sentencing, federal prosecutors argued for a significant sentence based on the serious nature of the offense and the defendant’s criminal history that included over fifty prior convictions, including over 20 felony state convictions, over 33 misdemeanor state convictions, and multiple violations of parole and probation. Among Mr. Jordan’s many crimes, he previously fought a female police officer and bent her finger back breaking the bone and tendons, rendering it useless.
In sentencing Mr. Jordan, Judge Wood emphasized that in her eleven years on the bench, Mr. Jordan had the second most extensive criminal history she had ever encountered.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine states: “For decades Mr. Jordan has been a menace. He has burglarized a home, stole vehicles, drove while intoxicated, threatened citizens and police officers, escaped from custody, beat people, obstructed justice, committed arson, and possessed a firearm in violation of the law. Today, his decades of criminal activity have caught up with him; and now he has almost two decades of prison time to reflect on the life he has lived. Let this sentence serve as a message to other menaces in our community: Gun Crime Equals Jail Time.”
ATF Resident Agent in Charge Tim Graden states: “John Jordan Jr. has made a career out of breaking the law. The sentence that Jordan received represents the seriousness of his crimes. ATF’s mission is to bring criminals like Jordan to justice. We will continue to collaborate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Savannah Police Department in order to reduce violent crime in our community.”
This case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department (previously Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Josephson and Greg Gilluly. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Court Orders Largest Diversion Civil Penalty against a Physician in Southern District of Georgia HistoryRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia entered a default judgment against Dr. Firoz Patka, of Martinez, Georgia, totaling $1.2 million. In May 2017, the United States filed a complaint against Dr. Patka for violations of the Controlled Substances Act based on his pre-signing of prescriptions involving opioids and other controlled substances. After being served with the complaint, Dr. Patka failed to answer or otherwise appear in the case. After an evidentiary hearing related to Dr. Patka’s liability and damages, the Court ordered that Dr. Patka be held civilly liable to the United States for $1.2 million in penalties.
DEA initiated an investigation into Dr. Patka’s practices in 2015 after receiving reports of his illegal prescription practices. Dr. Patka practiced medicine in Louisville, Georgia; Hephzibah, Georgia; and Thomas, Georgia. Based on its investigation, DEA determined that on no fewer than 299 occasions, Dr. Patka pre-signed a prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of a physician’s responsibilities under the Controlled Substances Act. The entry of the $1.2 million judgment against Dr. Patka serves as the largest diversion penalty assessed against an individual physician for Controlled Substance Act violations in the history of the Southern District of Georgia and, based on information collected by DEA, the second largest penalty against a physician across the country for this type of conduct.
“Medical professionals—and particularly physicians—must serve as a bulwark against prescription drug abuse. When physicians fail to meet their obligations, this Office, working together with our partners at DEA, will step in and use every tool we have available to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented on the case, “The sharp increase in consumption of opiates being distributed for non-medical reasons continues to be a major concern. Consequently, DEA Diversion Investigators will continue to pursue physicians and other medical practitioners who engage in egregious prescribing practices. This record-setting civil penalty in the state of Georgia shows that DEA, the entire law enforcement community, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to making sure, that physicians and other medical practitioners are abiding by proper prescribing guidelines.”
U.S. Attorney Christine commended the hard work and dedication of the DEA Savannah Resident Office, which investigated the case. Group Supervisor George M. Taylor and Diversion Investigator George Zuban led the investigation with assistance from Diversion Investigators Dwayne Jeffcoat and Michael Jones and Diversion Program Manager David M. Hargroder.
The United States previously reached civil settlements with multiple physician assistants involved in the alleged scheme. Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon H. Statkus (Civil Chief) and J. Thomas Clarkson (Deputy Chief) represented the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorneys Bradford Patrick and Jonathan Porter.
If you have any information regarding to potential illegal diversion of controlled substances, please contact Assistant United States Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson at (912) 652-4422 or DEA Group Supervisor George M. Taylor (912) 447-4430. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Across the Country and in Southern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Secretary Alex M. Azar III, announced today the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. Thirty state Medicaid Fraud Control Units also participated in today’s arrests. In addition, HHS announced today that from July 2017 to the present, it has excluded 2,700 individuals from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other Federal health care programs, which includes 587 providers excluded for conduct related to opioid diversion and abuse. In the past fiscal year, the Department of Justice, including the Civil Division, has collectively won or negotiated over $2 billion in judgments and settlements related to matters alleging health care fraud.
Today’s enforcement actions were led and coordinated by the Criminal Division, Fraud Section’s Health Care Fraud Unit in conjunction with its Medicare Fraud Strike Force (MFSF) partners, a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI and HHS-OIG. In addition, the operation includes the participation of the DEA, DCIS, IRS-CI, Department of Labor, other various federal law enforcement agencies, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
The charges announced today aggressively target schemes billing Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE (a health insurance program for members and veterans of the armed forces and their families), and private insurance companies for medically unnecessary prescription drugs and compounded medications that often were never even purchased and/or distributed to beneficiaries. The charges also involve individuals contributing to the opioid epidemic, with a particular focus on medical professionals involved in the unlawful distribution of opioids and other prescription narcotics, a particular focus for the Department. According to the CDC, approximately 115 Americans die every day of an opioid-related overdose.
As part of this national enforcement action, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia announced the district’s largest takedown in history, including following public enforcement actions:
- A federal grand jury in Savannah indicted Dr. Frank H. Bynes, Jr on thirty-nine counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances, including opioids, and nine counts of health care fraud. The indictment alleges that Bynes knowingly and intentionally distributed and dispensed, and caused to be distributed and dispensed, controlled substances that were not prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose and were not distributed and dispensed in the usual course of professional practice in a number of ways, including by prescribing inappropriate combinations of opioids and other controlled substances and engaging in unprofessional conduct with female patients. The indictment also alleges that health care programs paid for a number of substances improperly prescribed by Bynes during his “pill mill” operation.
- In Savannah, the United States charged Roderic Bain by criminal information with one count of making false statements relating to federal health care matters. According to the information, Bain fraudulently schemed from 2008 to 2018 to claim at least $1.5 million in reimbursements from Medicare for durable medical equipment that a physician never actually ordered.
- In Augusta, the United States charged Jonathan Austin by criminal information with one count of health care fraud and one count of making a false statement for use in determining Social Security Administration disability benefits. Austin allegedly created false and fraudulent documentation from 2015 to 2017 to make it appear as if he had been prescribed certain medications by a physician and as if he had filled and paid for those prescriptions at several local pharmacies. Austin claimed and received over $1.4 million in reimbursements from Tricare and Medicare for the purchase of these medications. However, as Austin knew, the prescriptions were never filled, and he had not incurred any of the claimed expenses. Additionally, the information alleges that Austin also submitted false documentation to the Social Security Administration in support of his application for disability insurance benefits.
- In Statesboro, the United States charged Evelyn Gay by criminal information with two counts of theft from a program receiving federal funds. According to the information, Gay fraudulently obtained and misapplied over $79,000 belonging to the Georgia Legal Services Program and Aging & Disability Advocacy Group, Inc., both of which receive federal funds through grant programs offered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
- In Statesboro, the United States charged Christopher Dubois by criminal information with one count of making false statements relating to federal health care matters. Allegedly, Dubois created false prescriptions in 2013 in connection with claims submitted to the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan.
- In Brunswick, the United States charged Paula Padgett by criminal information with one count of false statement for use in determining a federal health care benefit. From 2013 to 2017, Padgett allegedly prepared and submitted certain “Medical Travel Refund Request” forms to the Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act when Padgett knew that certain expenses claimed on the forms had not been incurred.
- In Savannah, the United States charged Kristian Hall by criminal information with one count of identity theft. Hall allegedly used the name and Drug Enforcement Agency Registration Number of another individual without lawful authority to obtain controlled substances.
- Recently in Augusta, Dr. John Glenn pled guilty to conspiring to falsify documents pertaining to Department of Transportation mandated medical examinations of holders of commercial driver’s licenses in exchange for cash.
- Earlier this month in Augusta, a federal jury convicted Eastman resident Dr. Mark Griffis following a three-day trial of conspiring to falsify documents pertaining to Department of Transportation mandated medical examinations of holders of commercial driver’s licenses.
- The United States and the State of Georgia reached a $739,711.15 civil settlement with Antioch Medical Associates, which does business as Antioch Foot & Ankle Group, based out of Savannah, Georgia. Based on its investigation, the United States and State of Georgia contended that Antioch Medical Associates improperly billed Medicare and Medicaid for nail debridement, evaluation, management, and therapy services for which Antioch was not entitled to reimbursement.
- The United States also reached either civil settlements or consent judgments with Austin, Gay, Dubois, and Padgett.
- In Brunswick, the United States and the State of Georgia filed a civil lawsuit against Miracle Home Care, Inc., Miracle Adult Day Care, Inc., Miracle Transportation, Shashicka Tyre-Hill, and Darlene Jackson. As alleged in the complaint, the Defendants submitted thousands of false or fraudulent claims to Medicaid for non-emergency transportation and adult day health services that did not occur, and falsified thousands of records that Miracle submitted to the United States to cover up their false claims, resulting in more than $1 million in improper payments being made by Medicaid to the Defendants.
- The United States recently announced a civil settlement totaling $4.1 million with Effingham Health System, based out of Effingham County, Georgia, to resolve allegations of opioid diversion.
“Health care fraud is a betrayal of vulnerable patients, and often it is theft from the taxpayer,” said Attorney General Sessions. “In many cases, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists take advantage of people suffering from drug addiction in order to line their pockets. These are despicable crimes. That’s why this Department of Justice has taken historic new steps to go after fraudsters, including hiring more prosecutors and leveraging the power of data analytics. Today the Department of Justice is announcing the largest health care fraud enforcement action in American history. This is the most fraud, the most defendants, and the most doctors ever charged in a single operation—and we have evidence that our ongoing work has stopped or prevented billions of dollars’ worth of fraud. I want to thank our fabulous partners with the FBI, DEA, our Health Care Fraud task forces, HHS, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, Medicare, and especially the more than 1,000 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers from across America who made this possible. By every measure we are more effective at finding and prosecuting medical fraud than ever.”
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine said, “By working together with our professional and dedicated partners in law enforcement, this Office just executed the largest health care fraud takedown in the history of the Southern District of Georgia. Make no mistake: if you are a physician who thinks they are above the law, a provider who thinks they can take advantage of federally-funded health care programs, a beneficiary who defrauds the very programs focused on providing assistance to millions, or anyone who thinks they can divert dangerous narcotics, you can expect to be hearing from us.”
“Fraud perpetrated against the Medicaid program harms every citizen of Georgia,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “We are committed to eliminating activity that drives up the costs of providing healthcare, and through the actions of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, we will continue to pursue both criminal and civil enforcement to further this objective. Combining our resources with those of our valuable federal partners is a powerful tool in the ongoing fight to protect our government funded programs.”
“Health care fraud costs taxpayers billions of dollars and places our most vulnerable citizens at risk for harm and neglect,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we are dedicated to protecting patients and the federal health care programs intended to serve them.”
“Every tax paying citizen, especially those who use federally subsidized programs like Medicare, is a victim when providers are driven by personal greed,” said J.C. Hacker, Acting Special Agent in Charge (A/SAC) of the FBI Atlanta field office. “Improper billing inflates costs and causes unnecessary waste, and the FBI and its law enforcement partners are dedicated to weed out such abuse and hold those responsible accountable.”
“The 2018 National Health Care Fraud Takedown effort demonstrates that the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our investigative partners are committed to protecting TRICARE, the U.S. military health care program from fraud and abuse,” said John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service-Southeast Field Office (DCIS). “As part of this nationwide joint operation, the DCIS Southeast Field Office contributed significant resources and efforts to achieve a successful resolution, while taking effective steps to combat widespread health care fraud and preserve the integrity of this vital Department of Defense (DoD) program.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division stated, “The dispensing of addictive prescription pain medication under the guise of a licensed medical professional’s care is not about the good of the community or an individual’s specific health needs; it is about the greed of those involved in fraudulent schemes and illegal overprescribing. DEA and its law enforcement partners will continue to expend its time, energy, and resources in an effort to stem the tide against the growing opioid epidemic. The spirited level of law enforcement cooperation and the prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office made this investigation a success.”
“The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, aggressively investigates fraud against the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act program and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat fraud against all Department of Labor’s benefits programs,” said Labor Inspector General Scott S. Dahl.
“We often find that people who try to defraud Social Security are also taking advantage of other government benefit programs,” said Social Security Acting Inspector General Gale Stallworth Stone. “That’s why we maintain strong partnerships with other Federal, State, and local agencies, because our responsibility to taxpayers doesn’t end at Social Security. SSA OIG will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to detect and prevent benefit fraud across the country.”
“Working with the Department and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to prevent and detect fraudulent activities by medical professionals in the motor carrier industry is a top priority for our office and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the safety of the traveling public on our Nation’s roadways,” stated the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.
“We hope the prosecution of Evelyn Gay offers a strong deterrent to others contemplating stealing funds from the Legal Services Corporation (“LSC”) that are intended to provide much needed legal services to an underprivileged population,” said Jeffrey E. Schanz, Inspector General of the LSC, Office of Inspector General. “We appreciate the leadership offered by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia in prosecuting individuals who steal funds meant to serve the civil legal needs of the poor in our country.”
“Today’s fine work by the Department of Justice, OPM OIG criminal investigators, and our other law enforcement partners demonstrates our office’s commitment to combatting fraud and abuse in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program,” said Norbert E. Vint, Acting Office of Personnel Management Inspector General (OPM-OIG). “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute all individuals who seek to steal taxpayer dollars and drive up health care costs for federal employees and their families.”
“Much like law enforcement, medical personnel should be held to a higher standard,” said Everett Ragan, director, Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT). “Doctor Frank Bynes and Medical Assistant Kristian Hall chose to dishonor their medical oaths and in doing so, committed criminal acts. Their job is to be here to help our community; not hurt it.”
The cases announced today were investigated by special agents, task force officers, and diversion investigations from HHS-OIG, FBI, DCIS, DEA, DOL-OIG, DHS-OIG, DOT-OIG, LSC-OIG, and OPM-OIG; Investigator Kimberly Reinken-Creamer of the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Georgia; and; Investigative Auditor Denise Colson and Investigator Kevin White, Georgia Attorney General’s Office.
The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson, Nancy Greenwood, Matthew A. Josephson, Karl Knoche, Bradford Patrick, and Jonathan Porter. The State of Georgia was represented by Assistant Attorney General James Mooney. For additional information, please call the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652- 4422.
A complaint, information or indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The claims resolved by civil settlements are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability. Investigations remain ongoing as to others arising out of these announced actions.
Additional documents related to this announcement will shortly be available here:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/documents-and-resources-june-28-2018.
Several of these investigations remain ongoing. If you have any information regarding any of the prosecutions announced today or any other information regarding possible health care fraud, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
7 Dublin Residents Charged with Federal Firearms, Drug Distribution and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: Federal indictments were unsealed today against 7 Dublin residents charged with federal firearms, drug distribution, and related offenses. The charges are the result of joint federal, state, and local efforts to reduce violent crime and drug activities in the Dublin area.
Increases in violence and drug activity in Dublin has become of serious concern to law enforcement and local residents alike.
To address the apparent increase in violent crime and drug activities, the Dublin Police Department (DPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), began a joint investigation to identify and arrest the criminals operating in and around Dublin. Law enforcement used a number of investigative techniques to identify the targets, including undercover purchases of drugs and firearms and extensive surveillance.
In early June 2018, the federal grand jury for the Southern District of Georgia indicted 7 defendants identified as a result of this investigation. Those indictments initially were returned under seal.
On June 27, 2018, local, state, and federal law enforcement officers executed arrests warrants. Today, the indictments and federal warrants were unsealed, and all of the charged defendants made their initial appearance in federal court.
The federal charges and maximum penalties include:
- Felon in Possession of Firearm, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), which typically carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. However, if a defendant has three prior convictions for violent crimes or serious drug offenses, then the minimum sentence is 15 years’ imprisonment and the maximum sentence is life imprisonment.
- Distribution of Controlled Substances, and Possession of Controlled Substances with Intent to Distribute, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), which typically carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, but may carry increased minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment based on the quantity of controlled substances involved and the prior drug convictions of the defendant.
- Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation To a Crime of Violence or Drug Trafficking Crime, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), which carries a potential sentence of not less than 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
During the investigation, law enforcement investigators seized firearms and ammunition. Some of the firearms seized during this investigation had previously been stolen. Additionally, investigators seized quantities of numerous controlled substances, including cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana.
The Dublin residents charged with federal crimes include:
Lamar Cook, age 34,
Trevolis Coney, age 29,
Shanetra Coney, age 26,
Alexander Johnson, age 31,
Aldrickus T. Cuyler, age 23,
Michael D. Stephens, age 40,
Octavia M. Stephens, age 42.
At least one of the defendants was in possession of gang related literature when arrested on the charges that are alleged in the pending federal indictment.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine said, “In concert with the FBI, state and local law enforcement partners including the Dublin Police Department and District Attorney Craig Fraser of the Dublin Judicial Circuit, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia has today struck a blow at the heart of violent street level criminal activity on behalf of the law abiding citizens of the greater Dublin community. This will not be the last action taken on this front as we together make this district safer!”
“We believe these arrests will have an immediate impact on the safety of the law abiding citizens of the Dublin community,” said J.C. Hacker, Acting Special Agent in Charge (A/SAC) of FBI Atlanta. “Let this also be a warning to anyone else who believes they are above the law that the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Dublin Police Department will continue working together to bring violent offenders to justice, and hold them accountable to stiff federal laws.”
DPD Chief Tim Chatman, said, “This is only the beginning. We will continue to collaborate with the FBI and federal prosecutors to rid our streets of this kind of behavior, gangs, drugs, etc. We thank the FBI and federal prosecutors for assisting us in this matter. We owe it to our citizens to look for better ways to make our streets safer.”
United States Attorney Christine emphasized that an indictment or criminal complaint is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions previously announced a recommitment of the United States Department of Justice to Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program dedicated to bringing together federal, state, and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. The United States Attorney’s Office incorporated key components of the PSN strategy into the Dublin operation, including strong federal involvement, the cultivation of partnerships with local law enforcement and community stakeholders, targeted enforcement in those areas most affected by violent crime, and outreach efforts designed to prevent violent crime before it occurs.
Today's indictments arose out of a joint investigation led by the FBI and the Dublin Police Department, with assistance from the Laurens County Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney's Office for the Dublin Judicial Circuit, and the Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes, Henry W. Syms, and Tara M. Lyons are prosecuting these cases for the United States.
For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Two Brunswick Men Sentenced to Serve More Than a Decade in Prison for Distributing Kilogram Quantities of CocaineRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: Rafeal Lateef Baker, also known as “Channel 4,” age 43, of Brunswick, Georgia, was sentenced to more than 16 years’ imprisonment, and Kenneth Anthony Moore, also known as “Smooth,” age 48, of Freeport, Texas, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The prosecution of Baker and Moore was part of “Operation Bloody Prince,” an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation targeting gang activity and drug trafficking in and around Brunswick. Baker and Moore were among over twenty defendants in the Brunswick area convicted in this operation. The OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General's drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations.
The evidence at their sentencing hearings established that beginning in or about 2014, Baker purchased kilogram quantities of cocaine from Moore, who was residing at the time in Freeport, Texas, and that Baker then distributed that cocaine in and around Brunswick, Georgia. Baker and Moore took various steps to arrange the shipment of approximately 2 kilograms of cocaine per trip, from Texas to Georgia, and engaged in a variety of activities to evade detection by law enforcement. In all, the amount kilograms totaled a conservative 40 kilos of cocaine.
“Criminal street gangs and illegal drug distribution networks take note: you will be given no quarter in the Southern District of Georgia!” states Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Side by side with the FBI and our law enforcement partners in coastal Georgia, we will pursue you until you are brought to justice.”
“The fact that Baker and Moore will no longer be on the streets bringing drugs into our community and threatening our citizens is a direct result of the collaborative efforts of the FBI and its partners who are part of the FBI’s Coastal Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force,” said J. C. Hacker, Acting Special Agent in Charge (A/SAC) of the FBI Atlanta field office. “This is an example of our commitment to invest significant resources toward dismantling these types of criminal enterprises that do so much harm to our communities.”
The investigation of Baker and Moore and Atkinson was led by the FBI’s Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, and the Brunswick Police Department, with assistance from the FBI in Houston, as well as the Houston Police Department. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Medical Doctor Found Guilty of ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DUBLIN DIVISION, GA: On Wednesday, June 6, 2018, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Dudley H. Bowen, a federal jury convicted Eastman resident Dr. Mark Griffis, age 61, of conspiring to falsify documents pertaining to Department of Transportation mandated medical examinations of holders of commercial driver’s licenses.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Griffis agreed with Jo Carol White to falsely certify medical examination forms without actually examining the driver. (On March 21, 2018, White was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment for her role in the scheme.) Griffis received $50 from White for every false certification. Between February 27, 2012 and September 13, 2013, Griffis falsely certified 271 bogus medical examinations. This allowed these drivers to renew their commercial driver licenses without undergoing the appropriate medical exams to assure their fitness to drive.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “Our nation’s highways are essential to our way of life and standard of living. Like it or not, we share these highways with large and sometimes intimidating commercial vehicles that deliver goods that are essential to our economy. There is a risk inherent in the operation of these very large vehicles and the potential for personal injury and property damage is real. No one wants this risk compounded by undetected medical issues affecting the drivers of these vehicles. The defendant’s actions in this case seriously undermined regulations designed to promote highway safety and placed the public at risk.”
Marlies T. Gonzalez, Regional Special Agent-In-Charge, United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) added, “The successful prosecution of Dr. Mark Griffis demonstrates our commitment to ensuring safety on our nation’s roadways. Working with our federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will continue our vigorous efforts to prevent and root out fraud schemes which adversely affect the public trust and safety throughout the State of Georgia and elsewhere.”
DOT-OIG Special Agent Sara Oliver led the investigation of Griffis. She was assisted by investigators of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Georgia Department of Driver Services also provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Karl Knoche prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
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Former Teacher and Police Officer Pled Guilty to Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Brunswick, GA: Tracy Wayne Crosby, 42 of Waycross, entered a guilty plea on Friday, before the Honorable Lisa Godbey Wood to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
Evidence presented at the guilty plea revealed that up until his arrest in this case, Crosby was the criminal justice teacher at Ware County High School and a part-time police officer with Pierce County. Evidence further revealed that Crosby used his cell phone to communicate with a sixteen-year-old boy online. Crosby agreed to meet with the boy to have sex in exchange for $10.00. Camden County law enforcement immediately responded and arrested Crosby when he was with the boy. Crosby admitted to federal agents that he had sex with the boy more than once and that he arranged to have sex with the boy online.
Crosby plead guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor, a federal crime and now faces not less than ten years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment. If released from federal custody, Crosby will be required to register as a sex offender and will be under the Court’s supervised release for not less than five years up to life. There is no parole in the federal system. Crosby is incarcerated awaiting a sentencing hearing.
The indictment of Crosby arises out of an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) in connection with the Camden County Sheriff Office and the Ware County Sheriff’s Office.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine said, “Anyone who pays to have sex with children will be brought to justice and will face substantial time in federal prison. The United States continues its relentless work to protect our most precious and vulnerable citizens. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to rescue children and put traffickers and customers behind bars.”
“The breach of trust committed by a former teacher and law enforcement officer in this case is beyond troubling and shows that HSI will investigate and hold accountable all persons who violate our nation’s laws,” said Nick S. Annan, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta. “Sparing children the unspeakable harm of sexual exploitation continues to be one of HSI’s highest priorities and we will continue to aggressively investigate leads to identity and arrest anyone seeking to harm children in violation of federal law.”
Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor said, “It is justice well served. These individuals that prey upon the young and innocent should pay for their deeds. It is always a great privilege for the Camden County Sheriff’s Office to join forces with the Federal agencies to decrease human trafficking.”
Anyone who suspects instances of child sexual exploitation is encouraged to call 1-800-843-5678, which is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with HSI, the FBI, and other law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorney Tania D. Groover is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Uvalda Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, Betty Mclain, 66, pled guilty to aiding and assisting the preparation of a false tax return before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen, Jr.
According to the evidence presented at the plea hearing, Mclain operated Betty’s Tax Service next to her home in Uvalda, Georgia. To increase her business and attract more clients, Mclain prepared tax returns that falsely claimed the taxpayer and dependents attended and spent money on colleges at which they were never enrolled. The vast majority of the 2,000 returns filed by Mclain since 2011 claimed these education tax credits. Following an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division into the accuracy of the returns, a grand jury in Savannah charged Mclain in February 2018 with twenty-four counts of preparing false tax returns for others and three counts of filing her own false tax returns. In each count, Mclain was alleged to have prepared a tax return that claimed education credits to which the taxpayer was not entitled.
As a result of the fraudulent tax returns she prepared, Mclain defrauded the IRS out of nearly $1,000,000. Mclain pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the preparation of a tax return for a client whom she falsely claimed was entitled to education credits totaling $5,119. In pleading guilty, Mclain agreed to never again prepare tax returns for anyone else.
Mclain faces a statutory maximum sentence of 3 years in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and a $100,000 fine. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “Teamed with our dedicated partners at IRS, our Office will work to ensure that corrupt tax return preparers are put out of business and behind bars. Tax cheats have no place in the Southern District of Georgia.”
"Mclain's plea is a victory for the United States Taxpayer. Not only did Mclain admit to the allegations against her, but she also agreed to never prepare tax returns again," said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. "IRS, Criminal Investigation will continue to utilize its resources and stop these fraudulent return preparers in their tracks".
Return preparer fraud, identity theft, and inflated refund schemes are three of the Internal Revenue Service’s Dirty Dozen List of Tax Scams for 2018. The IRS has some information on its website about selecting a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. Also, the IRS has a list of steps on its website that you can take in anticipation of filing your federal income tax return and ten tips for choosing a tax preparer.
The investigation was led by IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Savannah. For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Retired Army Colonel and Former Government Contractor Sentenced to Prison for Role in Bribery Scheme at Fort GordonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Calvin Devear Lawyer, 60, a retired Colonel in the United States Army, and Dwayne Oswald Fulton, 58, a former employee of a defense contracting firm, were sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen, Jr., to 60 months’ imprisonment each for their roles in a bribery and kickback scheme. Both of the Defendants reside in Augusta, Georgia.
According to the evidence presented during their guilty plea and sentencing hearings, Fulton and Lawyer also made false representations to the United States Army and the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), which resulted in Lawyer’s company, known as CREC group, to be awarded 8(a) status under the SBA’s business development program. After fraudulently obtaining that status, beginning in 2008 and lasting almost a decade, Lawyer, Fulton and others conspired to pay cash bribes to coconspirator Anthony Roper, who was then an active duty Colonel in the United States Army, in in exchange for Roper steering the award of over $20 million in U. S. Army contracts to Lawyer and others. Further, when law enforcement caught on to their scheme, Fulton, Lawyer and others conspired to obstruct justice by creating false and fraudulent documents as part of an effort to cover up Lawyer’s bribe payments to Roper.
In addition to a sentencing of 60 months’ imprisonment, Lawyer and Fulton were also sentenced to serve a term of 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Lawyer was also sentenced to pay a $100,000 fine, and Fulton was sentenced to pay a $50,000 fine. Lawyer has already returned over $5 million to American taxpayers. The Court orally approved an order of forfeiture against Fulton totaling $1,273,440.00.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “As a result of dramatic efforts by law enforcement and superb leadership at Fort Gordon, Lawyer and Fulton are now held accountable. To all would be fraudsters who think bribery in government contracting a get rich scheme, let these prison sentences be a lamp unto their feet.”
“These sentencings send a powerful message that fraud has no place in government contracting,” said Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command's Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “As evidenced in this case, fraud victimizes not only the government but the individuals involved as well. I hope that today's sentence sends a strong message that we will bring all of our resources to bear in order to protect the U.S. government.”
“These sentencings should serve as a stern warning to public officials and contractors doing business with the Department of Defense - the Defense Criminal Investigative Service will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice those who engage in bribery, corruption, and other illegal acts. These defendants deliberately manipulated the DOD procurement process to divert and steal precious taxpayer dollars for their own personal gain, and will now face the consequences. DCIS will continue to work with our investigative partners to protect the integrity of DOD programs that provide critical products and services for our Warfighters,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office.
“Corruption and willful misrepresentation of business relationships are egregious actions and bear significant consequence,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent-in Charge Kevin Kupperbusch. “The conspiracy engaged in by the defendants, deprived legitimate disadvantaged companies of federal contracting opportunities. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their leadership and dedication throughout this investigation.”
The joint strike force that led to these convictions and Lawyer’s settlement involved agents, investigators, and auditors from the Department of Justice, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Army Criminal Investigation Command (Major Procurement Fraud Unit), and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. The case was investigated by Special Agent Preston T. Johnson of the U. S. Army, Criminal Investigations Division; Special Agent Randall J. Temples of the U. S. Department of Defense, Criminal Investigative Service; and, Special Agent Bryan M. Cofer of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Hinesville Career Criminal Sentenced to 151 Months for Dealing Heroin, Opioids and Other NarcoticsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Juan Carlos Negron, 34, of Hinesville, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr., to 151 months in prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute quantities of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, Xanax, marijuana, and opioids such as OxyContin and oxycodone. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented during Negron’s guilty plea and sentencing hearings revealed that Negron began dealing drugs in 2001 and is a career criminal, having been convicted twice before for dealing narcotics in Liberty County. Negron’s drug trafficking history began with Negron dealing marijuana, graduated to Negron dealing prescription pain medications, and culminated in the current case with Negron dealing heroin and other drugs out of his residence in Hinesville, Georgia. Through its investigation, law enforcement identified Negron as the most prolific heroin dealer in the Liberty and Chatham County areas, between 2015 and 2016. Negron, unemployed since 2012, supplied other local dealers and served individual customers from his home. Negron occasionally sent his young son outside while users injected heroin in the kitchen; the child waited in a rocking chair as a stream of addicts passed him by.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine said, “To all those who seek to profit illegally from the addiction of others, let the prosecution of Juan Carlos Negron serve as a stark reminder that the office of the United States Attorney will labor tirelessly to see that you are held accountable.”
"The GBI-SRDEO and its partners are committed to investigating and holding those persons involved in the illegal distribution of narcotics accountable,” Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lindsey Smith, of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, stated. “Today's sentencing of Negron was the culmination of hard work and dedication by law enforcement officers who seek to improve the communities they serve.”
Negron’s case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer G. Solari prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact (912) 652-4422.
Former Brinks Employee Convicted of Armed Robbery and Conspiracy to Rob Armored TrucksRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: On Thursday, May 17, 2018, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, a federal jury convicted Savannah residents Joshua Scott, 22, and Victor Natson, 27, of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbing armored trucks. Natson was also convicted of aiding and abetting robbery, attempted robbery, and the discharge and brandishing of firearms during crimes of violence. Scott was convicted of robbery and firearm brandishing charges.
According to the evidence presented at trial, during the summer of 2016, Natson recruited a multi-convicted felon and gang member, Gregory Lamar Plair, 33, to rob armored trucks operated by Brinks, Inc. in Savannah. After Natson encouraged Plair to commit the robberies with a firearm, Plair sought the assistance of his first cousin, Scott, who Plair knew had access to stolen firearms. At the time that the defendants hatched their plan, Natson had worked for Brinks as a truck driver for nearly two years. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Natson provided Scott and Plair with information about Brinks’ routes, personnel, and procedures. On October 14, 2016, Natson drove the robbers to the intersection of White Bluff Road and Tibet Avenue so that they could rob Brinks employees servicing a SunTrust ATM near that location. During the robbery, approximately $35,000 was stolen, and a semiautomatic pistol was discharged. Natson received a share of the money and drove the getaway car. On January 30, 2017, Scott and Plair attempted to rob a Brinks armored truck parked at a storage facility near the intersection of Abercorn Street and the Truman Parkway. Minutes before Scott and Plair approached the truck with two loaded guns drawn, Natson sent a text message to Plair instructing him to “look for the truck with old white guy in it,” referring to the 71-year-old Brinks driver who Natson had set up to be robbed. When Scott and Plair accosted the driver, another Brinks employee shot at and wounded both of the would-be robbers. Plair drove himself to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment; Scott was transported to Memorial Medical Center by ambulance. Both men were arrested shortly thereafter. A federal grand jury indicted Natson in June 2017 for his role in conspiring with and aiding and abetting Scott and Plair.
In August 2017, Plair pled guilty to federal robbery, attempted robbery, and firearm brandishing charges. Only Natson and Scott proceeded to trial. All three defendants are awaiting sentencing.
On the conspiracy, robbery, attempted robbery, and aiding-and-abetting charges, the defendants face terms of imprisonment of up to 20 years, fines of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Scott and Plair also face at least seven years in prison for brandishing firearms during the January 2017 attempted robbery. For aiding and abetting the discharge and brandishing of firearms, Natson will be sentenced to not less than 35 years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence. Under federal law, each of the firearms offenses can be punished by life imprisonment, and parole has been abolished in the federal system.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “With inside information from Victor Natson, Joshua Scott and Gregory Plair thought armored cars easy targets. Because of their criminal acts Scott and Plair were both shot, and now will serve lengthy prison sentences. Victor Natson will go to prison for decades. The prosecution of these three predators should put all criminals on notice that the United States Attorney’s Office will ensure those who perpetrate violence will serve hard time.”
“The brazen nature of these armed robberies created extraordinarily dangerous situations, putting the lives of the victims, innocent bystanders, and the robbers own lives at risk,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Because of the hard work of the FBI and its law enforcement partners, each of these suspects will serve lengthy prison sentences and will no longer be a threat to our hard working and innocent citizens.”
Mark Revenew, Interim Chief of the Savannah Police Department, said, “This prosecution and conviction portray the importance of our partnership with our federal law enforcement counterparts in eradicating dangerous individuals from our community.”
The investigation of Natson, Scott, and Plair’s crimes was led by FBI Southeast GA Violent Crimes Task Force and the former Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department. Various law enforcement agencies, including the Georgia Southern University Police Department Cyber Forensics Division, FBI Southeast Georgia Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Cellular Analysis and Survey Team, U.S. Marshals Service, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Division of Forensic Sciences, provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly, Jr., and Theodore S. Hertzberg prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Southern District of Georgia Announces Largest Hospital Drug Diversion Civil Penalty Settlement in U.S. HistoryRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: In the nation’s largest settlement of its kind involving allegations of drug diversion at a hospital, Effingham Health System has agreed to pay the United States $4.1 million to resolve allegations that Effingham Health System failed to provide effective controls and procedures to guard against theft and loss of controlled substances, leading to a significant diversion of opioids, and failing to timely report the suspected diversion to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
DEA launched an investigation in 2017 after receiving reports of diversion at Effingham Health System. DEA determined that tens of thousands of oxycodone 30mg tablets were unaccounted for, and were believed to have been diverted over more than a four-year period, in violation of the hospital’s responsibilities under the Controlled Substances Act. DEA also determined that Effingham Health System failed to notify DEA of the suspected diversion within the time required by federal law.
“At a time when our country’s opioid crisis is ravaging communities across the country, hospitals like Effingham Health System have a critical responsibility to ensure that controlled substances are tracked and safeguarded from theft or loss and are not diverted for illegal uses,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Hospitals must adopt and maintain effective safeguards as a bulwark against diversion—the risk to the public is simply too great to accept anything less than what the law demands.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented, “Hospitals put lives at risk when they fail to maintain accurate recordkeeping of their inventory. Such careless behavior allows for substances to be diverted and sold on the black market with no true measure of accountability. This record-setting civil penalty is a proactive step that DEA Diversion and our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office can take to discourage other healthcare providers from engaging in such reckless behavior.”
Effingham Health System cooperated with the DEA’s investigation and, prior to this investigation, overhauled its pharmacy operations to help ensure that it will avoid diversions in the future. Since the investigation began, Effingham Health System has worked cooperatively with the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to finalize a plan to address the identified deficiencies in Effingham Health System’s handling of controlled substances, and entered into an agreement with the DEA to memorialize the plan. Components of the plan include quarterly internal accountability audits and requirements to keep detailed records that track all controlled substances within the hospital.
On February 27, 2018, Attorney General Sessions announced the creation of the Department of Justice Prescription Interdiction & Litigation (“PIL”) Task Force, to fight the prescription opioid crisis. As Attorney General Sessions noted in his announcement, the Department of Justice will use all available remedies under the Controlled Substances Act against doctors, pharmacies, and others that break the law. If you have information about any individual or entity that you believe may be unlawfully diverting or dispensing opioids for illegitimate purposes or committing health care fraud related to the opioid epidemic, please contact Assistant United States Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson (912-652-4422).
U.S. Attorney Christine commended the hard work and dedication of the DEA Savannah Resident Office, which investigated the case. Group Supervisor George M. Taylor and Diversion Investigator Matthew G. Reddish led the investigation with assistance from Diversion Investigators George Zuban and Tierra Singleton.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan A. Porter and Bradford C. Patrick led the investigation on behalf of the United States, with assistance from Civil Chief Shannon H. Statkus and Civil Deputy Chief J. Thomas Clarkson. The claims resolved by the settlement agreement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. This investigation remains ongoing.
For any questions about this release, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Southern District of Georgia Announces Results of Recent Criminal and Civil Procurement Fraud ProsecutionsRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA and SAVANNAH, GA: As part of a new emphasis on procurement fraud enforcement within the Southern District of Georgia, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia announced the results of a series of recent procurement fraud prosecutions. Over the past several months, the strike force’s efforts resulted in five guilty pleas and twelve civil settlements, including the following publically available actions:
- United States of America v. Dwayne Fulton (1:17-CR-35)
- United States of America v. Calvin Lawyer (1:17-CR-35)
- United States of America v. Anthony Roper (1:17-CR-35)
- United States of America v. Audra Roper (1:17-CR-35)
- United States ex rel. Major Contracting Services, Inc. v. Military Training Solutions, LLC and ADCO Holdings, Inc., et al. (4:16-cv-115)
- United States of America v. Robert Obradovich (4:18-CR-47)
These prosecutions and civil settlements with the named individuals and entities, as well as others, stemmed from a wide variety of fraudulent conduct, including bribery of public officials, illegal kickbacks, illegal arrangements between large contracting companies and certified small or 8(a) businesses acting as “front” companies, and billing for services not rendered. Each of the individuals who has pled guilty awaits sentencing. The total financial recovery for the United States thus far has exceeded $7.4 million. Several of these investigations remain ongoing.“The Southern District of Georgia is the proud home of several major military installations that serve a vital role both in our national defense and the district’s local economy,” said United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Those who do business with these installations should be on notice – ripping off the United States will not be tolerated! This office will bring to bear the full weight of our resources to hold fraudsters accountable.”
The joint strike force that led to these convictions and settlements involved agents, investigators, and auditors from the Department of Justice, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Army Criminal Investigation Command (Major Procurement Fraud Unit), Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Significant and critical assistance was also provided by civilian and military personnel from the Army, Navy, and Air Force stationed at affected military installations.
“The American public expects the Department of Defense (DoD) to spend limited taxpayer funds efficiently and economically. Bribery and other corrupt behavior by public officials and defense contractors diverts and wastes precious dollars intended to provide critical products and services for our Warfighters. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of investigative efforts by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service to protect the integrity of all DoD programs,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office.
“These settlements stand as proof of the tenacity of our special agents,” said Frank Robey, director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “It is important for those who conspired to profit from illegal payments take responsibility for their actions. The settlements hold the defendants accountable and send a message to others that these violations will be taken seriously.”
“Our partnership with the joint procurement fraud strike force ensures fair and open competition for U.S. Government contracts which support the training and readiness of Marine Corps personnel,” said H. Andrew Goodridge, Special Agent in Charge, NCIS Carolinas Field Office.
“SBA OIG will aggressively investigate allegations of fraud involving SBA’s preferential contracting programs, to include false statements made to gain access to contracting opportunities set aside for small businesses,” said SBA OIG Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kupperbusch. “SBA’s preferential contracting programs are intended to promote the economy and grow and develop small businesses across the nation. I want to thank the U.S Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and hard work throughout these investigations.”
SBA’s General Counsel, Christopher Pilkerton said, “These successful prosecutions demonstrate the tremendous results achieved through the combined efforts of federal agencies to uncover and forcefully respond to procurement fraud. SBA is strongly committed to identifying and aggressively pursuing instances of fraud perpetrated by those participating in SBA's procurement programs.”
The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian T. Rafferty, Shannon H. Statkus, J. Thomas Clarkson, Matthew A. Josephson, and Jonathan A. Porter. Any claims resolved by the civil settlement agreements are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Each of the civil settlements resolved potential liability under the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers can be entitled to a portion of the amount recovered by the United States. The United States Attorney’s Office also reminds contractors that businesses and individuals that self-disclose potential violations can be eligible for significantly reduced penalties. If you have any information regarding potential procurement fraud, please contact Assistant United States Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson at (912) 201-2601.
For additional information about this press release, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney David Estes at (912) 652-4422.
Justice Department Announces Nationwide Initiative to Combat Sexual Harassment in HousingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Today, as the Department of Justice recognizes the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the nationwide rollout of an initiative aimed at increasing awareness and reporting of sexual harassment in housing. The announcement includes an interagency task force between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Justice Department to combat sexual harassment in housing, an outreach toolkit, and a public awareness campaign. This three-pronged approach will strengthen the Department’s efforts to combat sexual harassment in housing.
“Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, immoral, and unacceptable," said Attorney General Sessions. “It is all too common today, as too many landlords, managers, and their employees attempt to prey on vulnerable women. We will not hesitate to pursue these predators and enforce the law. In October, I ordered a new initiative to bring more of these cases, and we have already won relief for 15 victims. Today we announce three new steps to make the initiative more effective and to win more cases. I want to thank the dedicated and committed professionals in our Civil Rights Division and our partners in the Department of Housing and Urban Development for their hard work in this effort. We will continue to aggressively pursue harassers, because everyone has a right to be safe in their home.”
“All discrimination stains the very fabric of our nation, but HUD is especially focused on protecting the right of everyone to feel safe and secure in their homes, free from unwanted sexual harassment,” said Secretary Ben Carson. “No person should have to tolerate unwanted sexual advances in order to keep a roof over his or her head. Part of our mission at HUD is to provide safe housing and we will remain diligent in this mission to protect those we serve. I look forward to working with Attorney General Sessions and the Department of Justice as part of this task force to bring an end to this type of discrimination.”
U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine said, “Illegal discrimination of any type is not to be tolerated, and we will vigorously combat sexual harassment in housing – wherever it may be found in the Southern District of Georgia – using all available federal tools.”
In October 2017, the Justice Department announced an initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing and launched pilot programs in D.C. and the Western District of Virginia. The initiative sought to increase the Department’s efforts to protect women from harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, security guards, and other employees and representatives of rental property owners. During the pilots, the Department developed and tested ways to better connect both with victims of sexual harassment in housing and with those organizations that victims may turn to first for help – including law enforcement, legal services providers, public housing authorities, sexual assault services providers, and shelters. The Department also tested certain aspects of the initiative in other jurisdictions, including New Jersey, the Central District of California, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Michigan.
The two pilot programs generated an upswing in harassment reporting to the Department from both D.C. and the Western District of Virginia. In D.C., the Department generated six leads since the October 2017 launch. In Virginia, the Department generated three leads. While the Justice Department recognizes that leads and investigations do not always lead to enforcement actions, the pilot program’s results—when extrapolated across all the U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country—could lead to hundreds of new reports of sexual harassment in housing across the country.
Because of these promising results, the Department is rolling out three major components to the Initiative.
First, the new HUD-DOJ Task Force to Combat Sexual Harassment in Housing will drive a shared strategy between the Department and HUD for combatting sexual harassment in housing across the country. It will focus on five key areas: continued data sharing and analysis, joint development of training, evaluation of public housing complaint mechanisms, coordination of public outreach and press strategy, and review of federal policies.
Second, the outreach toolkit is designed to leverage the Justice Department’s nationwide network of U.S. Attorney’s Offices. The toolkit provides templates, guidance, and checklists based on pilot program feedback. It ultimately will amplify available enforcement resources and help victims of sexual harassment connect with the Department.
Third, the public awareness campaign has three major components: a partnership package with relevant stakeholders, launch of a social media campaign, and Public Service Announcements (PSAs) run by individual U.S. Attorney’s offices. The campaign is specifically designed to raise awareness, and make it easier for victims all over the country to find resources and report harassment.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the civil rights laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment in housing should call the Department at 1-844-380-6178, send an e-mail to [email protected], or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777. If you have information or questions about any other housing discrimination, you can contact the Department at 1-800-896-7743 or contact the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Georgia at (912) 652-4422.
Tybee Island Shrimper Convicted of Falsifying Documents, Mail Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: On March 22, 2018, Michael Brian Anderson, a local Tybee Island shrimper and fisherman, was convicted by a federal jury on three counts of false statements, four counts of mail fraud, and two counts of money laundering. United States District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr. presided over Anderson’s three-day trial.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Brian Anderson submitted multiple false claims to Customs & Border Protection (CBP) seeking millions of dollars in subsidies under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (CDSOA). The CDSOA protected American shrimp producers by imposing anti-dumping taxes on foreign producers and permitting domestic shrimpers to apply for the money they would have made but for unfair foreign competition. Brian Anderson, an eligible domestic shrimper, completed and mailed multiple false certifications to CBP, stating that his shrimping business expenses for the years 2005 to 2007 were more than $24 million. Anderson claimed that he spent almost all of this money on the purchase of 3.9 million pounds of raw shrimp from R&R Seafood, a small seafood store on Tybee Island. However, the evidence showed that R&R Seafood never sold anywhere near that amount of shrimp in the entire time it was in business. Anderson’s bank records and tax returns further debunked his claimed expenses. Based on Anderson’s fraud, the U.S. government paid Anderson over $800,000 to which he was not entitled. Anderson used those proceeds of his fraud to purchase boats, stocks and property.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “Brian Anderson submitted millions of dollars in inflated invoices, for one simple reason: greed. The CDSOA was established to help protect our local American shrimpers from unfair foreign competition. Little did we know that the biggest threat to our honest shrimpers would come, not from across the seas, but from our own nearby creek. By overinflating the amount he was entitled to receive under the CDSOA, Brian Anderson diverted money from the pockets of hard working shrimpers into his own pocket. Our office is devoted to aggressively prosecuting anyone who seeks to steal public money by fraud.”
U.S. Attorney Christine commended the hard work and dedication of the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection, who jointly investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Tania Groover prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Local Minister Sentenced to Ten Years for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine announces the sentence of local minister Cedric Manior (44) of Rincon, Georgia, who was sentenced today to 10 years of incarceration by United States District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood. Manior was convicted last August of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine and to being a Felon in Possession of Firearms.
Evidence presented in court filings and at sentencing revealed that Cedric Manior, also known as “Preacher Man,” a minister of New Beginnings International Outreach Ministry, was involved in a major drug trafficking organization that sold cocaine and crack cocaine in the Southern District of Georgia and elsewhere. Manior stored and sold drugs from his home located in Rincon, Georgia. Manior also directed his adult son, Cameron Edwards, to sell illegal drugs on his behalf.
In January 2017, Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT) agents, along with the Savannah Chatham SWAT team executed a search warrant at Manior’s residence in Rincon, Georgia. Agents seized marijuana, methamphetamine, prescription medication, drug scales, drug manufacturing and distribution tools, heat-sealing machine, baggies, beakers, body armor, cash, twenty (20) firearms, AR-style magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. On his bed, next to his bible, agents found a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Near his church robe, agents found a Tec 9, assault semi-automatic style pistol with an extended magazine that is capable of holding over 15 rounds of ammunition. Drug trafficking supplies and firearms were located throughout the residence. Many of the weapons were stolen. Manior was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he was previously convicted of six (6) prior felony convictions for felonies committed on six separated dates.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine states: “Cedric Manior received a message from the United States government that nobody is above the law. Our office is committed to working with local and federal law enforcement to dismantle criminal organizations and to sentence drug dealers to real time in prison.”
Upon release from federal prison, Manior will be on court supervision for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
Manior is one of over twenty (20) defendants who have been convicted in this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation. In this investigation, agents have seized kilograms of cocaine, pounds of marijuana, dozens of firearms, and hundreds of thousands of dollars. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Counter Narcotics Team (CNT), the Savannah Police Department, Garden City Police Department, Effingham Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Federal Agents Seize 63 Dogs from Suspected Dogfighting RingRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: On March 23, 2018, the United States filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking the possession of 63 pit bull-type dogs that were allegedly involved in a dog fighting venture in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Pursuant to a federal warrant, the animals were seized on March 19, 2018, in Eastman, Georgia, by United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) special agents working with the United States Marshals Service, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol (GSP), Oconee Drug Task Force, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
According to the complaint filed last week in federal court, the animals were seized after GSP troopers conducted a traffic stop involving a vehicle inside of which an injured dog was found. The operator of the vehicle admitted to having been present at a dog fight in Eastman, Georgia, and provided law enforcement with the location of the fight. At the reported location, agents discovered a disassembled dog fighting “pit” and more than 60 pit bull-type dogs staked to the ground by heavy chains. The condition of a majority of the dogs, including scarring and aggression towards other dogs, was consistent with dog fighting and related training.
After obtaining a search warrant, agents found numerous indications of dog fighting at the Eastman property, including a treadmill with a rope attached to the front part of the machine, antibiotics and other injectable veterinary medications, and a jenny mill, which is used to develop a dog’s endurance and musculature by enticing the animal to run on a circular track. From four grave areas, agents unearthed the remains of seven dogs, five of which had scarring consistent with dog fighting and one of which had a broken leg. During the search, agents noted that none of the live animals had access to food, and most did not have access to water.
Following the seizure, the United States Marshals Service took custody of the animals. K2 Solutions, Inc. and the Humane Society of the United States are assisting with the care of the dogs, at least some of which are pregnant.
“Dog fighting is a barbaric spectacle that has no place in any civilized society, and it will enjoy no quarter in the Southern District of Georgia,” United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine said. “We know that animal fighting ventures often entail other forms of illegal activity involving drugs, firearms, and gambling, and this Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners at all levels to investigate and successfully prosecute those who contribute to the proliferation of crime and seek to profit off the abuse and suffering of helpless animals.”
USDA-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Karen Citizen-Wilcox stated, “The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General-Investigations, actively investigates allegations of animal abuse. This agency has made animal fighting a high priority in order to demonstrate that these blatant acts of cruelty to animals will no longer be tolerated. We would like to thank United States Attorney’s Office for aggressively prosecuting perpetrators of animal fighting.”
“The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division is pleased to have partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and federal and state law enforcement in this joint effort to remove these animals from harm’s way, pursuant to federal law, as quickly as possible,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We applaud the agents and attorneys who worked tirelessly and acted on very little notice to achieve this successful outcome.”
Dog fighting is a violent contest in which two dogs that are bred and conditioned for fighting are released by their owners or handlers in a controlled environment to attack each other and fight for purposes of entertainment or gambling. Fights usually end when one dog withdraws, when a handler “picks up” his dog and forfeits the match, or when one or both dogs die. Persons engaged in dog fighting typically use “pit bull”-type dogs, which dog fighters prefer for their compact muscular build, short coat, and the aggression that some display toward other dogs.
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to fight dogs or to possess, train, sell, buy, deliver, receive, or transport them for that purpose. The statute further authorizes the seizure and forfeiture of animals involved in dog fighting. Once the dogs are forfeited or surrendered to federal authorities, they can be evaluated and placed for adoption. Although federal funds will be used to pay for the care of the dogs while they remain in law enforcement custody, the Animal Welfare Act empowers the government to recover those costs from the dogs’ owners.
Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Xavier A. Cunningham are pursuing the forfeiture of the dogs on behalf of the United States. USDA-OIG is leading the related federal investigation. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Federal Agents Seize 63 Dogs from Suspected Dog Fighting RingRead the Press Release
On March 23, 2018, the United States filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking the possession of 63 pit bull-type dogs that were allegedly involved in a dog fighting venture in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Pursuant to a federal warrant, the animals were seized on March 19, 2018, in Eastman, Georgia, by United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) special agents working with the United States Marshals Service, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol (GSP), Oconee Drug Task Force, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
According to the complaint filed last week in federal court, the animals were seized after GSP troopers conducted a traffic stop involving a vehicle inside of which an injured dog was found. The operator of the vehicle admitted to having been present at a dog fight in Eastman, Georgia, and provided law enforcement with the location of the fight. At the reported location, agents discovered a disassembled dog fighting “pit” and more than 60 pit bull-type dogs staked to the ground by heavy chains. The condition of a majority of the dogs, including scarring and aggression towards other dogs, was consistent with dog fighting and related training.
After obtaining a search warrant, agents found numerous indications of dog fighting at the Eastman property, including a treadmill with a rope attached to the front part of the machine, antibiotics and other injectable veterinary medications, and a jenny mill, which is used to develop a dog’s endurance and musculature by enticing the animal to run on a circular track. From four grave areas, agents unearthed the remains of seven dogs, five of which had scarring consistent with dog fighting and one of which had a broken leg. During the search, agents noted that none of the live animals had access to food, and most did not have access to water.
Following the seizure, the United States Marshals Service took custody of the animals. K2 Solutions, Inc. and the Humane Society of the United States are assisting with the care of the dogs, at least some of which are pregnant.
“The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division is pleased to have partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and federal and state law enforcement in this joint effort to remove these animals from harm’s way, pursuant to federal law, as quickly as possible,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We applaud the agents and attorneys who worked tirelessly and acted on very little notice to achieve this successful outcome.”
“Dog fighting is a barbaric spectacle that has no place in any civilized society, and it will enjoy no quarter in the Southern District of Georgia,” said United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “We know that animal fighting ventures often entail other forms of illegal activity involving drugs, firearms, and gambling, and this Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners at all levels to investigate and successfully prosecute those who contribute to the proliferation of crime and seek to profit off the abuse and suffering of helpless animals.”
“The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General-Investigations, actively investigates allegations of animal abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Citizen-Wilcox for USDA-OIG. “This agency has made animal fighting a high priority in order to demonstrate that these blatant acts of cruelty to animals will no longer be tolerated. We would like to thank United States Attorney’s Office for aggressively prosecuting perpetrators of animal fighting.”
Dog fighting is a violent contest in which two dogs that are bred and conditioned for fighting are released by their owners or handlers in a controlled environment to attack each other and fight for purposes of entertainment or gambling. Fights usually end when one dog withdraws, when a handler “picks up” his dog and forfeits the match, or when one or both dogs die. Persons engaged in dog fighting typically use “pit bull”-type dogs, which dog fighters prefer for their compact muscular build, short coat, and the aggression that some display toward other dogs.
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to fight dogs or to possess, train, sell, buy, deliver, receive, or transport them for that purpose. The statute further authorizes the seizure and forfeiture of animals involved in dog fighting. Once the dogs are forfeited or surrendered to federal authorities, they can be evaluated and placed for adoption. Although federal funds will be used to pay for the care of the dogs while they remain in law enforcement custody, the Animal Welfare Act empowers the government to recover those costs from the dogs’ owners.
Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Xavier A. Cunningham are pursuing the forfeiture of the dogs on behalf of the United States. USDA-OIG is leading the related federal investigation. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Physician Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: On March 21, 2018, gynecologist George “Mack” Bird, III, 59, entered a guilty plea before Senior United States District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen, Jr. to charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, both federal felonies carrying up to five years of imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Bird also conceded that approximately $2.7 million of seized assets and five parcels of land were traceable to proceeds of his crimes, and he agreed to forfeit the same to the United States.
According to information presented at the March 21 hearing, Dr. Bird was the owner and operator of medical practices in Eastman and Dublin, Georgia, from which prescription drugs were sold to patients for cash and prescribed without a legitimate medical purpose. Those drugs included but were not limited to opioids (such as hydrocodone combination products), alprazolam (Xanax), carisoprodol (Soma), phentermine (Adipex), and phendimetrazine (Plegine). In the years leading to his arrest in 2015, Dr. Bird delegated many of his patient care responsibilities to employees who could not legally distribute or dispense controlled substances without a physician’s oversight. To facilitate the distribution and dispensation of controlled substances, Dr. Bird directed his staff to use pre-signed prescription forms and pre-printed medical notes that were placed in patients’ files to give the appearance that the patients had been examined by Dr. Bird when, in fact, they had not been.
Dr. Bird’s criminal conduct netted him millions of dollars. Although he kept a significant portion of that money, Dr. Bird used some of his proceeds to pay his co-conspirators and purchase drugs for eventual distribution.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “Blinded by greed, Mack Bird broke the law, sold out his patients’ welfare, and violated his solemn oath to do no harm. This Office takes seriously the opioid crisis in the United States and will continue to prosecute drug dealers who fuel addiction and poison the community, whether from the street or inside an exam room.”
U.S. Attorney Christine commended the hard work and dedication of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the Oconee Drug Task Force, both of which investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes and Theodore S. Hertzberg prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422