Southern District of Mississippi
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Biloxi Man Sentenced for Explosive HoaxRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Biloxi man was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and a $1,000.00 fine for submitting a false tip to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to information presented to the Court, on September 20, 2022, Gregory Lee McKee, 24, submitted an anonymous tip to tips.fbi.gov, an FBI website, in which he claimed to have overheard a specific individual discussing plans to blow up a local police station. As a result of the tip, law enforcement officers searched the individual’s home, interviewed the individual, and interviewed the individual’s mother.
The individual denied making any statements about blowing up the Biloxi Police Station. The individual also explained that Gregory McKee may have set him up because they had previously had a falling out. Internet data indicated that the tip had come from an IP address associated with McKee’s mother. Ultimately, officers spoke with McKee who eventually admitted to submitting the tip because he was angry with the individual.
The FBI and Biloxi Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Brandishing a Firearm in Relation to a RobberyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - A Jackson man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Tyrese Antwon Linson, 23, brandished a pistol during a nighttime robbery of a motel in the Jackson metro area. Linson became angry with the motel clerks when his reservation did not appear in their computer. As a result, Linson pulled a pistol and demanded money from the clerks. Linson was taken into custody shortly after the robbery. Robbery is a crime of violence, and it is contrary to federal law to brandish a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
The Jackson Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Florida man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court records, On October 11, 2022, a DEA Task Force Officer (TFO) conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Silverado on Interstate 10 in Gulfport, Mississippi. The driver of the vehicle and sole occupant was identified as Vicente Valerio. A search of the vehicle revealed three bags containing 40 kilograms of cocaine.
Valerio will be sentenced on June 27, 2023, and faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a U.S. Postal Service EmployeeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to assaulting a federal employee, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, Rodrick Jeems, 37, punched a U.S. Postal Service employee after asking the employee for five dollars. At the time, the employee was collecting mail from bins located outside of the Medgar Wiley Evers U.S. Post Office in Jackson. Jeems was apprehended by a Capitol Police Officer as he attempted to flee on foot.
Jeems is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, 2023; he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and Adam Stuart prosecuted the case.
Camden Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Camden man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Arthur Jerome Eldridge, Jr., 25, conspired with others to print counterfeit U.S. Treasury Checks, deposit them at area banks, and withdraw funds from those accounts.
Eldridge is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office through its partnership with the United States Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Meridian Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 77 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Kurt H. Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
According to court documents, Billy Ray Craven, 55, was found in possession of a firearm in his vehicle by officers of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on August 6, 2019 during a traffic stop. Craven was stopped in connection with a narcotics investigation.
Craven was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 23, 2020 and he pled guilty on August 10, 2022 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations
According to court documents, Deonta Miller, 36, conspired with two other individuals to obtain automobile loans through fraudulent means. Miller used a false name, social security number, driver’s license, and utility bill, to obtain a loan for a car. It is contrary to federal law to use false information to obtain a bank loan.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Madison Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearms by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian, Mississippi man pleaded guilty today to possession of firearms by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Kurt H. Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
According to court documents, Waltravious Leeandre Watson, 31, was found in possession of nine firearms by officers of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on February 19, 2020, during a search of his home. Watson has a prior felony conviction for burglary of a dwelling. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Watson to possess any firearm.
Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Allen and Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Terry Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Terry man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
James Mickel Holman II, 34, was sentenced on March 16, 2023 in U.S. District Court in Jackson. In addition to his 10 year term of imprisonment, Holman must register as a sex offender.
In August of 2020, agents with the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office received information that a minor was being used in commercial sexual activities in the Jackson Metro area. On August 17, 2020, James Mickel Holman II was arrested at the Econo Lodge Motel in Jackson. Holman had previously transported the minor from Memphis, Tennessee to Jackson with the intent of the minor performing sexual acts for money.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Gulfport Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Deandre Alexander Oliver, 25, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, in July of 2021, as part of the investigation into the death of an airman at Keesler Air Force Base, a drug trafficking organization was identified as operating in the sale of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl in Harrison County, Mississippi. This drug organization had provided fentanyl to Emmett Bennett who then caused a traffic accident on the base, killing one airman and injuring three others.
As a result of this investigation, Deandre Oliver was identified as a person who also sold fentanyl in the same drug trafficking network. On August 24, 2021, 20 counterfeit Percocet tablets containing fentanyl were purchased from Oliver in a controlled drug buy.
Oliver was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 7, 2022. He pled guilty on December 16, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Bay St. Louis Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Bay St. Louis, Mississippi man was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Joseph Henry, III, 45, of Bay St. Louis, MS was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, On December 2, 2021, Hancock County Sheriff's Deputies went to a residence in Bay St Louis to locate a subject with active felony warrants. At the residence, deputies found Henry and over 1 pound of Marijuana, 848 dosage units of MDMA, and 312 dosage units of counterfeit Oxycodone containing 41.77grams of fentanyl.
Mr. Henry was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 26, 2022. He pled guilty on December 15, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Bellamy, Alabama man pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Willie Roger Starks, Jr., 30, was found in possession of a firearm by a Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Deputy on October 27, 2019, during a traffic stop. Starks had a .40 caliber pistol in his car. Starks has a prior felony conviction for Burglary of a Dwelling and was under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Corrections at the time. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Starks to possess any firearm.
Starks pleaded guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2) which criminalize the possession of firearms by convicted felons. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam T. Stuart and Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Mississippi Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – A McComb woman was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison and pay $58,668 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for preparing false tax returns for her clients, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office.
According to court documents and facts revealed at her plea hearing, Elizabeth Stephens, 41, worked at a tax return preparation business in McComb. Between 2014 and 2017, Stephens prepared tax returns for clients that included one or more false items, including false W-2 information and Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business Forms. These false expenses and altered W-2s reduced taxable income and maximized the Earned Income Credit, increasing the total refund amount. Stephens was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2022. She pled guilty on October 12, 2022.
“The sentence today is an example of the consequences people face when they prepare and file false returns,” said Lisa Fontanette, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “As a tax preparer, Elizabeth Stephens failed to follow the ethical responsibilities of her profession.”
The owner of the tax return preparation business, Shameka Wells, was sentenced on July 13, 2021 to 13 months in federal prison for filing a false tax return.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie prosecuted the case.
Former Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement on a Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A former Laurel, Mississippi, tax return preparer pled guilty to knowingly making a false statement on an income tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office.
Kakeia Latiece Williams, 38, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Williams owned and operated a tax return preparation business with activity in the Laurel and Stringer, Mississippi, area known as Massive Tax or Massive Tax Corporation. The business also had various other names that included KBG Enterprises or KBG Enterprises, LLC. Between at least 2014 and 2015, KBG Enterprises, doing business as Massive Tax, prepared and filed client tax returns.
Williams personally prepared client tax returns as well as her own personal tax returns. An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation review revealed that Williams knowingly and intentionally made false material statements in her own personal tax returns for 2014 and 2015, which were filed by Williams with the IRS under penalty of perjury. In her personal federal income tax returns, Williams willfully failed to report substantial income that she had earned as a tax return preparer for her business.
Williams will be sentenced on June 14, 2023 and faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison and a $250,000. Williams also could be ordered to pay restitution to the federal government for unpaid taxes. In her publicly filed plea agreement, Williams agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $98,000. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.
Ridgeland Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Making Threats Against CDC Director Rochelle WalenskyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Ridgeland man was sentenced to two years in prison for making threats in interstate commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2021, Robert Wiser Bates, 39, placed phone calls to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, and left voicemails for CDC Director Rochelle Walensky that were threatening in nature. Through the investigation it was determined that Bates made similar threats towards Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the National Institutes of Health. The root of his anger was due to the COVID-19 vaccination program.
Robert was indicted by a federal grand jury and he pled guilty on December 19, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
McComb Woman Found Guilty of Conspiracy and False Statements in Connection with Federal Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A federal jury convicted a McComb woman for one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiring to commit theft of public money, one count of theft of public money, and one count of making a false statement to a federal agent.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent in Charge for the Southeast Region of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Laketia Andrews Crossley, 51, conspired with Sedrick Pittman, Marcus Parker, Austin Bahm, and Calveshar Isaac to receive federal unemployment insurance benefits. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pittman, Parker, Bahm, and Isaac were inmates housed at the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Mississippi Department of Corrections custody. The inmates fraudulently applied for federal unemployment insurance benefits by stating on their applications that they were able and available to immediately accept employment.
Due to the overwhelming number of applications for unemployment insurance, these fraudulent applications were not immediately detected, and benefits were approved for the group of prison inmates. The unemployment insurance benefits were sent by mail on debit cards to Crossley. Crossley then converted the funds on the debit cards to funds that she transmitted to Pittman, with whom she had a long-term romantic relationship, via cell phone. When questioned about her actions by special agents of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Crossley made false statements. It is contrary to federal law to fraudulently apply for or receive federal unemployment insurance benefits. It is also contrary to federal law to make false statements to a federal agent.
While Pittman, Parker, Bahm, and Isaac all pled guilty to various charges, Crossley asserted her right to a jury trial. After a three-day trial at the federal courthouse in Natchez, a jury found Crossley guilty of all charges.
Crossley is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior United States District Judge David Bramlette III on June 1, 2023, at the federal courthouse in Natchez.
The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case.
Pascagoula Man Sentenced to 70 months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Pascagoula man was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Karlos Laton Brown, 41, was sentenced on February 27, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, On September 11, 2018, FBI and MBN agents utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Karlos Brown and his co-defendant in the parking lot of Walmart on Denny Avenue in Pascagoula.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 17, 2022. He pled guilty on February 17, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Meridian Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Delontay Preston Scott, 31, was found in possession of a firearm by East Mississippi Drug Task Force agents on December 30, 2021, during a traffic stop. Scott has prior felony convictions for Armed Robbery and Burglary of a Dwelling and was under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Corrections at the time. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Scott to possess any firearm
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam T. Stuart and Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. -- A Grand Bay, Alabama man pled guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Walton Stephen Vaughan, 67, was found to be in possession of hundreds of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct when FBI agents and local law enforcement executed a search warrant at his Lucedale residence on February 27, 2019.
Vaughan is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. If Vaughan is determined to have a qualifying prior conviction under federal sexual exploitation statues, military law, or state law, to include abusive sexual conduct involving a minor, he would then face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Durant Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail TheftRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Durant woman pled guilty to mail theft, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Scott Pierce, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Southern Area Field Office.
Cori T. Hopson, 22, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court records, Hopson was a Highway Contract Driver for the United States Postal Service and was responsible for picking up mail from remotely managed post offices for delivery to another post office. Special agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General investigated after receiving complaints of missing mail along Hopson’s route. On September 29, 2022, agents found Hopson to be in possession of mail she did not deliver.
Hopson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2023. She faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
Pike County Man Convicted of Making a False Statement to a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pike County man pled guilty to making a false material statement to a federal officer in connection with an investigation into pandemic relief fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
According to court documents, Austin Darnel Bahm, 25, made a false statement to a special agent from the DOL-OIG who was investigating COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud. Bahm made the statement while he was an inmate at South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Leakesville, Mississippi. Bahm later admitted that he had lied to the federal agent.
Bahm is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Standing Pine Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Standing Pine man pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, on March 26, 2021, Kendall Ben, 33, assaulted a female and fractured her arm in the Standing Pine community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
Ben is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Pascagoula Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement of Labor FundsRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. -- A Pascagoula woman pled guilty to embezzlement of labor organization funds, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.
According to court documents, from January 2016 through February 2020, Lisa Bennett, 51, an elected business agent and then self-appointed secretary and treasurer of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (“OPEIU) Local 204, in Pascagoula, embezzled and converted to her own use assets in the form of moneys and funds of the OPEIU Local 204 labor organization.
Bennett’s embezzlement included receipt of unauthorized checks from the union’s checking account to herself for lost time she was not entitled to receive, personal cell phone bills, the unapproved doubling of her salary and other unauthorized payments and expenses. The indictment charged Bennett embezzled labor assets in the approximate amount of $33,236.93.
Bennett is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., in Gulfport. She faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration, Office of Labor-Management Relations.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Meynardie and Andrea Jones.
Memphis Woman Pleads Guilty to Advertising a Minor for Commercial SexRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Memphis woman pled guilty to advertising a minor for commercial sex, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Autumn Brooke Julian, 22, pled guilty on February 13, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Julian used the internet to promote prostitution by posting advertisements depicting a minor on the website MegaPersonals. Julian’s co-defendant, Wayne Settles, previously pled guilty to sex trafficking of a minor and interstate sex trafficking. He was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release.
Julian will be sentenced on May 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and Richland Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Tremaine Gill, 40, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court records, on July 18, 2020, Gill was found with three firearms in his possession by the Jackson Police Department during the execution of a search warrant. Gill has multiple previous felony convictions, and it is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess any firearm.
Gill is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Jackson Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Deonta Miller, 36, was found in possession of a 9mm pistol by a Richland Police officer on March 3, 2020, during a traffic stop. Miller has prior felony convictions for carjacking and felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Miller to possess any firearm.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Richland Police Department and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam T. Stuart and Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former BOP Correctional Officer Sentenced for Committing COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Flora, Mississippi woman was sentenced to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay $15,086 in restitution for devising a scheme to defraud the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge James F. Boyersmith with the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Miami Field Office.
According to court documents, Tarshauna Thomas, 34, fraudulently applied for two PPP loans. Thomas claimed to be the sole proprietor of a dog breeding and sitting service. From those fraudulently obtained funds, Thomas received $12,586, which she spent on personal, non-business related expenses. Thomas was employed as a Correctional Officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Yazoo City when she applied for the loans.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Cuban Man Pleads Guilty to Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. -- A man of Cuban citizenship pled guilty to possession of fifteen or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices with the intent to defraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge David L. Denton of Homeland Security Investigations.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2019, Henry Herrera Garcia a/k/a Alex Rodriguez Perez, 31, was encountered by a Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy at a traffic stop on I-10 in Harrison County. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations also participated at the scene of the stop. Various items recovered from the vehicle included a credit card scanner, thumb drives, credit card skimmers, a computer, a hard drive, fraudulent credit cards, and gas pump skimming devices, as well as accessories used for downloading credit cards. Subsequent forensic evaluations recovered from the electronic devices hundreds of “TXT” files which contained compromised credit numbers with card holder information.
Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Brandon Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Brandon woman pled guilty to theft of unemployment insurance benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Aubrey D. Martinez, 36, assisted another individual, who was not entitled to receive unemployment insurance benefits, in applying for benefits with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. The unemployment insurance benefits were federally subsidized through the CARES Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF). In response to the unprecedented scope of Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud, the Department of Justice established the NUIFTF. The NUIFTF is a prosecutor-led multi-agency task force with representatives from FBI, DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DHS-OIG, USPIS, USSS, SSA-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and other agencies. Members of the NUIFTF are working with state workforce agencies, financial institutions, and other law enforcement partners across the country to fight UI fraud, and consumers should be vigilant in light of these threats and take the appropriate steps to safeguard themselves.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Philadelphia, Mississippi man was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2020, and continuing to October 19, 2020, Marice Keon Boler, 29, conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in and around the Neshoba County, Mississippi area. The Court determined that Boler was responsible for the distribution of nearly 9 pounds of methamphetamine.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Orlando Land,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Neshoba and Kemper County, Mississippi areas. “Orlando Land” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department and Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
According to court documents, Courtney Lamar Forbes, 33, was found in possession of a firearm by a Jackson Police Officer on March 18, 2022. Forbes has multiple prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Forbes to possess any firearm.
On July 6, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Forbes for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Forbes will be sentenced on May 12, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jackson Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal Prisoner in Yazoo City Pleads Guilty to Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A federal prisoner in the Federal Correctional Complex in Yazoo City pled guilty to assault on a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.
Michael Beasley, 49, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, Beasley assaulted a federal officer who was in the performance of his duties. Beasley was subsequently questioned and admitted to his illegal actions.
Beasley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2023, and faces a sentence of up to 8 years in prison that can be consecutive to the present federal sentence he is serving. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Bureau of Prisons investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael FiggsGanter prosecuted the case.
Conehatta Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Conehatta man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court records, Adrian Farmer, 37, possessed two shotguns in July of 2021. Farmer had been previously convicted of a felony in Neshoba County Circuit Court and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In March of 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Farmer for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Farmer subsequently pled guilty to the charge.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.
California Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine in the Natchez, MS AreaRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A California man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to traffic over a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of methamphetamine and marijuana into the Natchez area, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, Arthur Wilson, 57, of Moreno Valley, CA, conspired with Wesley Bell of Natchez, Jimmie Lee Swearengen, Jr., of Mesquite, TX, Thomas Jerome Mitchell and Justine Chambers of Victorville, CA, and Kevin Singleton, formerly of Natchez, to traffic kilograms of methamphetamine and marijuana into the Natchez area for distribution and sale. Wilson was also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in moving more than $345,000 in drug proceeds from Natchez to his drug suppliers in California.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This OCDETF case is the result of an extensive investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in Atlanta, GA, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, and Pearl Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carla J. Clark and Clay B. Baldwin.
Pearl River Woman Pleads Guilty in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River woman pled guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCall.
In June of 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Joyce Cauthen in a four-count indictment involving the possession and distribution of methamphetamine and hydrocodone on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Cauthen entered a plea of guilty to count four of the indictment, possession with the intent to distribute hydrocodone. As stated in Court, Cauthen admitted her role in the offense.
According to court documents, tribal and federal investigators executed a search warrant on Cauthen’s home following the introduction of methamphetamine into the Choctaw Detention Center by an inmate. During the search of her home, investigators recovered hydrocodone tablets and Cauthen’s cellular telephone which revealed numerous text messages between Cauthen and other persons regarding the price and quantity of hydrocodone sold by Cauthen.
Cauthen will be sentenced on May 19, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Four other co-defendants have all pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is dedicated to fighting drug trafficking in Tribal and non-tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney LaMarca.
U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the members of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration who investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.
Memphis Man Sentenced to over Eleven Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Memphis man was sentenced to 135 months in prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor and interstate sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wayne Edwards Settles, 31, trafficked a minor for commercial sex and transported another individual from Louisiana to Mississippi to engage in commercial sex. Settles posted advertisements online for the minor and branded her with a tattoo. The minor was trafficked in Jackson, Memphis, and New Orleans.
Settles was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 11, 2022. He pled guilty on October 25, 2022 to one count of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of interstate sex trafficking.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and Richland Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Biloxi woman was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for knowingly making a materially false statement on a tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office.
Gena Michelle Hall, 37, was sentenced on February 9, 2023 in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
In addition to her prison sentence, Hall was ordered to pay $231,636.67 in restitution to the United States.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Hall worked at a tax return preparation business in the Gulfport area, known as Tax Pros. Between 2015 and 2019, Hall prepared federal income tax returns for clients that contained one or more materially false entries. Hall knew that these tax returns were false at the time she prepared them. The materially false entries caused the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue inflated income tax refunds to her clients. Hall also knowingly filed false income tax returns for herself as a taxpayer. In 2017, she received about $49,000 in tax preparation fees by cashier's checks and transfers from Tax Pros' bank account, yet she reported none of those fees as income.
"Today's sentencing of Gena Michelle Hall emphasizes that IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s office will continue pursuing and prosecuting tax preparers who knowingly and willfully assist others in defrauding the U.S. Government by submitting fraudulent tax returns,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Tax professionals are in positions of trust and expected to follow the laws when preparing their own and clients tax returns.”
The case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.
Biloxi Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Biloxi man was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Dean Carlin Fender, 26, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, in July of 2021, as part of the investigation into the death of an airman at Keesler Air Force Base, a drug trafficking organization was identified as operating in the sale of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl in Harrison County, Mississippi. It was learned that this drug organization had provided fentanyl to Emmett Bennett who then caused a traffic accident on the base, killing one airman and injuring three others. As a result of this investigation, Dean Fender was identified as the person who sold fentanyl to Bennett. On September 2, 2021, 20 counterfeit Percocet tablets containing fentanyl were purchased from Fender in a controlled drug buy.
Fender was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 7, 2022. He pled guilty on November 9, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Assault on Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for assault on a law enforcement officer and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
De’Vadrick Markevin Booker, 24, was sentenced on February 8, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
Following a three-day trial in November 2022, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Booker. The evidence at trial showed that on September 8, 2020, an ATF agent responded to assist Jackson Police officers with an ongoing investigation of an exchange of gunfire in a residential area of the city. As the agent drove down a residential street in the area of the gunfire, Booker emerged and fired several shots at the agent hitting his car. The federal agent escaped injury.
“But by the grace of God, this federal agent did not become a statistic,” said United States Attorney Darren LaMarca. “For the next 12 years, the citizens of Jackson are safer from this defendant. The U. S. Attorney’s office will not waiver in its commitment to prosecute those violent criminals who have no respect for the law or human life.”
“The collaborative effort of federal, state, and local law enforcement has led to the lengthy sentencing of this offender and is another example of our commitment to reduce violent crime in the City of Jackson and surrounding areas,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities and hold accountable those who threaten our safety.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill, Kevin J. Payne, and Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
Meridian Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Attempted Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after having been convicted at trial of attempted witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Daniel Robert, 46, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
In June 2018, Daniel Robert was arrested on an outstanding warrant in a narcotics trafficking case that spanned multiple states from 2007 through 2009. Robert eluded capture from 2009 until June 2018. After his capture in 2018, Robert made numerous phone calls to several family members directing them, along with other unidentified individuals, to contact witnesses who were expected to testify against him and to tell the witnesses not to appear for trial by avoiding subpoenas or testify that they could not remember facts of the case, or to simply refuse to testify. Daniel Robert’s instructions included specific directions concerning the writing of a false affidavit he intended, and directed, to be signed by one of the witnesses.
In January 2020, Daniel Robert was convicted of narcotics trafficking charges following a three-day trial. Daniel Robert is currently serving a sentence of 330 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for those narcotics trafficking convictions. Nine years of the witness tampering sentence will run concurrent with the current sentence of 330 months and 5 years of the witness tampering sentence will run consecutive to the 330 month sentence. Robert’s witness tampering resulted in an additional 5 years to serve in prison.
The FBI investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
Canton Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sedric Armstrong a/k/a Black Sed, 48, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, on July 6, 2020, a confidential source made prior arrangements with Armstrong for the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine. Armstrong directed the confidential source to pick up the methamphetamine from co-defendant James Lee Simmons. The confidential source met with and provided Simmons with $3,000 in exchange for the methamphetamine.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson, Mississippi area. “Hailstorm” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department.
Gulfport Man and Woman Sentenced Regarding Harboring of Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, a $10,000 fine and $5,100 in special assessments for harboring illegal aliens within the United States. Additionally, a Chinese citizen, who is a Permanent Resident Alien of the U.S. and had been living in Gulfport, was sentenced to 5 years of federal probation and a $5,000 fine for misprision of a felony regarding the harboring of illegal aliens. Both of the defendants also were ordered to forfeit to the United States a house and land in D'Iberville, Mississippi, which had been used to harbor the aliens.
Hui Weng, 41, of Gulfport, and Yun Mei Weng, a Chinese national living in Gulfport, were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. The two were convicted after pleading guilty on November 16, 2022.
Beginning at least by August 2019, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information that the Panda Palace Buffet was illegally hiring and harboring as employees, aliens unlawfully present in the United States, at its Gulfport and D’Iberville locations. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, also joined in the investigation. HSI determined that Mr. Hui Weng had been working at or managing the Panda Palace Buffet in Gulfport. Although the facilities were rented, the owner of the equipment was Mrs. Yun Mei Weng. Mrs. Weng’s husband, the late Mr. Sheng Bin Weng, managed the Panda Palace Buffet in D’Iberville.
From their investigation, federal officials determined that the Wengs were hiring and harboring multiple illegal aliens from Central America who worked in the back of the restaurants washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc. The employees in the front, visible parts of the restaurants were lawful employees. In addition to hiring the illegal aliens, the Wengs provided housing for the aliens at two locations, including one rented house in Gulfport and another house in D’Iberville. The Wengs also provided transportation for the aliens back and forth between the harboring houses and the Panda Palace Buffet restaurant locations in D’Iberville and Gulfport.
On March 10, 2020, search warrants were served on both Panda Palace locations and the two houses being used as housing for illegal alien workers. Multiple illegal alien workers (including one 17 year-old minor at the Gulfport Panda Palace) were found, including four adult aliens who had unlawfully returned to the United States after being lawfully removed. These workers entered or remained in the U.S. in violation of law.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge David L. Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta, made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney LaMarca praised the investigative efforts and coordination of Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.
Pass Christian Man Sentenced to 14 years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Pass Christian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 169 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Michael Dedeaux, 46, was sentenced on January 26, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, on March 29, 2022, Dedeaux was stopped for a traffic violation in Pass Christian. The traffic stop led to the seizure of 442 grams of methamphetamine from Dedeaux’s vehicle.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Dedeaux for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Dedeaux pled guilty on October 25, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Pelahatchie Man Convicted of Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – On January 25, 2023, a federal jury convicted a Pelahatchie man for trafficking heroin in Rankin and Hinds counties during 2017 and 2018.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Director Steve Maxwell of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, John Moore, also known as “Mo Money,” age 55, conspired with and supplied heroin to Erica Rhodes, of Forest, Mississippi. Rhodes distributed and sold the heroin on multiple occasions in Pelahatchie and in the Jackson metropolitan area.
John Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erica Rhodes was convicted in Rankin County Circuit Court in 2019, receiving a 15-year jail sentence for her role in the drug trafficking operation.
This case is the result of an extensive joint federal and state investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Rankin County District Attorney’s Office, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Ridgeland Police Department, the Pearl Police Department, the Flowood Police Department, the National Guard Counter Drug Unit, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jackson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla J. Clark and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Jackson Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of Marijuana with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to serve 63 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Gregory L. Randle, 30, was found in possession of a firearm and several pounds of marijuana in a vehicle he was driving after he fled from a Mississippi Highway Patrol traffic safety checkpoint. Randle was under the supervision of the United States Probation Office at the time of these offenses, and so received an additional 12-month sentence that will run consecutively to the 51-month sentence received for the firearm and drug charges. This additional 12-month sentence was imposed due to Randle’s violation of the conditions of his supervised release. The total sentence imposed is 63 months of imprisonment.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clay B. Baldwin and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Two Members of the Aryan Circle Sentenced for Attempted MurderRead the Press Release
Two members of the Aryan Circle were each sentenced today to 10 years in prison for their role in the attempted murder of an inmate that occurred while they were incarcerated at U.S. Penitentiary Yazoo City in Mississippi.
On Oct. 3, 2022, William Glenn Chunn, aka Big Head, 40, of Humble, Texas, and Aaron Matthew Rentfrow, aka Mongo, 42, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, were convicted at trial in the Southern District of Mississippi of violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR) attempted murder. Chunn was previously convicted at trial in the Eastern District of Texas of racketeering conspiracy and sentenced to life imprisonment for separate crimes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Aryan Circle is a race-based and violent prison gang with members operating throughout the country, both inside and outside of prisons. The Aryan Circle enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, and acts of violence including, but not limited to, acts involving assault and murder. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members without question.
Evidence at trial demonstrated that on Aug. 17, 2017, Rentfrow beat and stabbed the victim to earn membership into the Aryan Circle. Chunn, one of the five-highest ranking Aryan Circle leaders in the nation, ordered the attack and targeted the victim because he believed the victim was homosexual. The victim sustained severe injuries from the attack, including rib fractures, a collapsed lung requiring a chest tube, multiple puncture wounds to the chest, and lacerations to the face and head.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Lakeita F. Rox-Love and Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael FiggsGanter for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Texas man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Miguel Mendoza, 33, of Elgin, Texas, pled guilty on January 17, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, on Monday, October 17, 2022, Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 10 East in Pass Christian, Mississippi. Mendoza was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. An extensive search of the vehicle revealed a pressure activated access panel for two improvised compartments on each side of the vehicle’s drive shaft. The driver side compartment contained (2) cellophane wrapped packages containing 2.5 kilograms of cocaine. The passenger side compartment contained (2) plastic and aluminum foil wrapped packages containing 1 kilogram of methamphetamine. Tools were located inside the vehicle that were readily available to raise the vehicle and gain access to the compartment.
Mendoza will be sentenced on April 13, 2023, and faces a minimum of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Shredewrick Davon Anderson, Jr., 25, was found in possession of a firearm by a Jackson Police Officer on March 24, 2022. Anderson has multiple prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Anderson to possess any firearm.
On September 7, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Anderson for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
Anderson will be sentenced on April 20, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Laurel Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Laurel man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Michael Anthony Brown, 50, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
According to court documents, in January of 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Brown’s Laurel residence. Inside the home, they recovered 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 8, 2022. He pled guilty on September 28, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Don Cornelius Ward, 38, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Jackson Police Department on February 3, 2020. An individual alerted JPD officers that Ward was asleep in his car which was parked in her carport, and that she wanted Ward to leave her property. Two JPD officers responded and found that Ward had marijuana and a stolen firearm in his car. Ward has five prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Ward to possess any firearm.
The Jackson Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.