Southern District of Mississippi
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Real Estate Developer Sentenced to Jail for Filling Protected Mississippi WetlandsRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss -- William R. “Rusty” Miller, a real estate developer from Fairhope, Alabama, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to a fifteen-month sentence, with nine months of incarceration and six months home confinement, for the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in violation of the Clean Water Act, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Robert G. Dreher of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of the Southern District of Mississippi. Miller was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine, $19,246 in victim restitution, and to serve a one-year term of supervised release upon completion of his sentence.
Miller pled guilty in December, 2013, and admitted to having caused the excavation and filling of wetlands on a 1,710 acre parcel of undeveloped property in Hancock County, west of the intersection of Route 603 and Interstate 10. The charging document to which Miller pled guilty identified him as a part-owner of corporations that purchased and intended to develop the land. According to the felony information, in 2001, when Miller and his companies acquired the property, he was informed by a wetland expert that as much as 80 percent of the land was federally protected wetland connected by streams and bayous to the Gulf of Mexico and as such could not be developed without a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Wetland permits typically require that developers protect and preserve other wetlands to compensate for those they are permitted to fill and destroy. In spite of additional notice he received of the prohibition against filling and draining wetland without authorization, Miller hired excavation contractors to trench, drain, and fill large portions of the property to lower the water table and thus to destroy the wetland that would otherwise be an impediment to commercial development.
In pleading guilty, defendant Miller acknowledged that he knowingly ditched, drained and filled wetlands at 10 locations on the Hancock County property without having obtained a permit from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Hancock County Land, LLC (“HCL”), the principal owner of the land, previously entered a guilty plea to related charges. HCL pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Walter J. Gex, III, who also imposed the sentence. The corporation agreed and was ordered to pay a total penalty of $1 million (or $500,000 for each of the two counts). The corporation also agreed and was ordered to perform community service by completing wetland restoration and preservation plans ordered by the Court. These require the defendant to replant with appropriate native vegetation the wetland area it excavated and filled, donate approximately 272 acres of the southwest quadrant to the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain to be preserved in perpetuity to fund its management and maintenance, to pay $100,000 toward the litigation costs of the Gulf Restoration Network, and to pay a civil penalty to the United States Treasury of $95,000.
"Mississippi's coastal wetlands are an essential state resource,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “They filter our water, provide us protection from storms, and they are the nurseries for fish and other wildlife. My office has demonstrated many times that we are committed to the protection of our environment. Individuals and companies who illegally develop our wetlands, who chose their own economic interest over the public's interest, will face prosecution and perhaps imprisonment, as the defendant has today."
"Wetlands play a critical role in maintaining a healthy environment," said Maureen O'Mara, Special Agent in Charge of EPA's criminal program in Mississippi. "Wetlands improve water quality, reduce flood damage and provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife. Once they are gone, it's rare to see them restored. Today's sentencing shows that those who illegally destroy these essential natural resources will be prosecuted and held accountable."
The case was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Jeremy K. Korzenik of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gaines Cleveland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. U.S. Attorney Davis praised the efforts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division for its diligent work in the investigation of this matter.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Former Construction Company Officer Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - H. Claiborne Frazier, of Jackson, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison and pay a $10,000 fine for his role in a conspiracy with his brother, Austin W. Frazier, and his father, C.E. Frazier, Jr., to commit bank fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen. Frazier pled guilty to the charges on September 16, 2013. Austin and C.E. Frazier, Jr., were each sentenced on March 10, 2014. Austin W. Frazier was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. C.E. Frazier, Jr., was sentenced to 31 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. All defendants will be ordered to pay restitution in amounts to be determined by the Court at a future date.
From January 2003 through at least June 2008, the Fraziers conspired to commit bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud through Frazier Construction Company, Inc., Frazier Development Company, LLC, Van Buren LLC, and Olde Colony, LLC. The Fraziers defrauded BancorpSouth Bank in connection with a $5.4 M construction loan and M&F Bank in connection with a $2.8M construction loan. They also defrauded their bonding company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, to get funding to pay Frazier Construction subcontractors and to obtain funding to continue the daily business operations of Frazier Construction to complete its outstanding construction projects.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla J. Clark is prosecuting the case for the government.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Hattiesburg Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss - Grantham Armstrong Mitchell, 20, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty in U.S. District Court today to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
Mitchell admitted producing a video of himself and a minor child engaging in sexually explicit conduct in Orange Beach, Alabama in 2012. Mitchell also possessed numerous images and videos of minor children, as young as twelve years old, engaging in sex with adults.
The investigation in this case began when a complaint was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding possible child pornography being uploaded to a Dropbox account via the Internet. An investigation was conducted by members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) which is comprised of special agents of the FBI and investigators from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant for a computer and other electronic devices owned by Mitchell. A forensic review of the computer determined that it contained images and videos of suspected child pornography and led to the identity of the minor child in the video produced by Mitchell.
“A top priority of the Justice Department is to vigorously prosecute those who choose to steal the innocence of young children,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to locate and bring charges against those who participate in the victimization of children.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen stated: “The CETF reflects the FBI’s commitment to advancing its approach to law enforcement to effectively combat evolving threats. By ensuring that investigators with complementary missions are working alongside one another—sharing intelligence, conducting meshed operations, combining physical resources—the FBI enhances its ability to protect children.” McMullen recognized the substantial and invaluable assistance provided by the other law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation which led to this arrest in this case. He thanked the Office of Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office for their dedication to the case and to the Child Exploitation Task Force.
“It is an honor and privilege to be a part of this federal task force, which strengthens our fight against child predators in our state,” said Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.
Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey stated: “We are proud to be a part of this Task Force to help protect children, not only in Rankin County, but throughout the state of Mississippi. We appreciate the good relationships we have developed with the State and with the FBI through Rankin County’s participation in the Child Exploitation Task Force.”
Grantham will be sentenced on July 21, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett. He faces a minimum of fifteen years and a maximum of thirty years in prison for production of child pornography, and a maximum of ten years in prison for possession of child pornography.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Jackson Businessman Indicted for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - William D. “Butch” Dickson, 58, of Jackson, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 8, 2014 on six counts of bankruptcy fraud, six counts of bank fraud and five counts of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
According to the indictment, Dickson’s company, Community Home Financial Services (CHFS), is in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the Southern District of Mississippi Bankruptcy Court. Dickson is alleged to have illegally transferred $9,095,000 out of various bankruptcy escrow accounts to an account he controlled at Banco Panemeno, in Panama City, Panama. The indictment alleges that Dickson relocated his businesses to Panama and Costa Rica, and began instructing CHFS customers to submit their monthly mortgage payments to addresses in Las Vegas, Nevada and Miami, Florida for the purpose of having those payments re-shipped to Costa Rica, in order to prevent the Bankruptcy Court from acquiring CHFS income.
As part of the Bankruptcy Proceeding, the indictment alleges that all of CHFS assets, both the $9,095,000 transferred to Panama as well as the incoming mortgage payments from CHFS customers, were under the control of the Bankruptcy Court and were to be retained for the benefit of CHFS creditors. Dickson was detained in Panama by Panamanian Immigration officers and was expelled to the United States on March 12, 2014. Dickson was arrested on a criminal complaint and appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Miami, Florida on March 19, 2014 where he was ordered to be detained by the U.S. Marshal without bond and returned to the Southern District of Mississippi. His next court date in Jackson, Mississippi has not been set.
If convicted, Dickson faces maximum penalties of five years in prison on each count of bankruptcy fraud, thirty years on each count of bank fraud, and twenty years on each count of wire fraud. He also faces maximum fines of $250,000 on each count.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen stated: “Bankruptcy protection is a privilege afforded to individuals who have suffered financial setbacks, appropriately allowing them to get a fresh start. It is not a means for debtors to fraudulently conceal their assets from legitimate creditors. When this privilege is abused, it threatens the integrity of the bankruptcy process. The FBI is committed to combating bankruptcy fraud and abuse, thereby ensuring the public’s continued trust in the bankruptcy process.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Prosecutions on the RiseRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Today U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Gabriel Grchan, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) announced the results of ongoing efforts in the Southern District of Mississippi to combat tax refund fraud involving identity theft. The U.S. Department of Justice has prioritized the investigation and prosecution of individuals who engage in stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF). IRS Criminal Investigation has increased its investigative efforts relating to SIRF and Questionable Refund/Return Preparer Fraud (QRP/RPP).
SIRF is the use of stolen or otherwise wrongfully acquired personal identification information to file a fraudulent claim with the IRS for a tax refund. These crimes occur when a social security number, or list of numbers, is stolen or bought; a false tax return showing a refund due is filed electronically, usually at the beginning of filing season before the legitimate taxpayer has filed for the year. The actual implementation of SIRF schemes is often complex to carry out. In an increasing number of cases, the identities are stolen or purchased from a single source, and the tax refunds obtained are directed to another location, with the connections being distant and difficult to trace.
Recent tax-related prosecutions originating in the Southern District of Mississippi are highlighted below:
Marietta Harris, 38, of Jackson, pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Harris and her co-conspirators used personal identifying information, including names and social security numbers, which had been stolen from the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Rankin County, the University of Mississippi Medical Center and other locations. The information was used to file false tax returns with the IRS. Refunds were electronically deposited into various bank accounts in Mississippi belonging to Harris and her co-conspirators. She will be sentenced on May 15, 2014 and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Christopher Johnson, 33, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Johnson and his co-conspirators obtained personal identification information from unwitting victims, had false income tax returns filed in their names and the refunds deposited into one of three bank accounts controlled by Johnson. During the course of the scheme, Johnson and his co-conspirators obtained $58,000 in stolen tax refunds from the IRS.
Kimberly Givens, 42, of Brandon, Nathaniel Cooper, 29, of Lena, and Latorra Gross, 29, of Morton, have been indicted for conspiracy and filing false tax returns with the IRS. They are scheduled for trial on June 2, 2014.
Flowers Curtis, 56, of Hermanville, has been indicted on 20 counts of filing false claims in connection with a false refund scheme executed in Claiborne and Franklin Counties. He is scheduled for trial during the term commencing June 2, 2014.
Pennie Frazier, 33, of Jackson, has been indicted for filing false claims, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The indictment alleges that Frazier executed a scheme to file false tax returns with the IRS using the identities of others. She is scheduled for trial on May 6, 2014.
Timothy Benjamin Taylor, Verneshia Cody, Niki Antoinette Rivers, Cheryl Dominque Warren and Stephen Graham have been indicted for conspiracy to file false income tax returns. The indictment alleges they used the names and identifying information of patients at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta. The indictment also alleges that Cody, owner and operator of TDK Accounting and Tax Services in Hinds County, conspired to create and file false income tax returns with the IRS which requested the payment of fraudulent tax refunds. The indictment further alleges that Taylor and the other defendants created false driver's licenses, earnings statements, and other documents in the names of the victims to further support the information contained on the fraudulent income tax returns. This case is set for trial on May 6, 2014.The punishment for an identity theft related offense can reach a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, in addition to fines, restitution, and/or forfeiture of the property used to commit the offense.
Refund fraud poses a significant threat to our nation’s tax system, and diminishes taxpayer confidence. IRS – Criminal Investigation initiated over 1,400 investigations and recommended prosecution of over 1,250 individuals who were involved in identity theft crimes during the 2013 fiscal year. Those numbers represent significant increases from the prior fiscal year. 1
U.S. Attorney Davis has pledged his commitment and resources to helping the IRS combat refund fraud in the Southern District of Mississippi.
“Often the victims of identity theft are the most vulnerable members of our communities. When combined with income tax fraud, all honest taxpayers are victims when wrongful claims are paid out,” said Gregory Davis, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This office is committed to constant vigilance along with our partners, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, in investigating and prosecuting those who cause harm to the U.S. taxpayers. ”
“Seeking out and prosecuting individuals who commit violations of the tax laws is the main focus of the work we do at IRS Criminal Investigation. We greatly appreciate the United States Attorney’s Office, and their commitment to the prosecution of these cases,” said Gabriel Grchan, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI, New Orleans Field Office. “It is my hope that these indictments, and other legal actions further assure the taxpaying citizens of our country that IRS – CI is fully engaged in the war against those who attempt to steal from the United States Treasury.”
Criminal cases related to Identity Theft are investigated by the Jackson ID Theft Task Force which includes IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They are handled by the Economic Crimes Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office.
If you believe that you or someone you know may have had a tax return filed under your name as the result of identity theft, please visit www.IRS.gov, call 1-800-829-1040 or visit your local IRS office for further information.
The public is reminded that the charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.1 Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Annual Business Report
http://www.irs.gov/pub/foia/ig/ci/REPORT-fy2013-ci-annual-report-02-14-2014.pdfIf you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Ridgeland Man Indicted for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – William Marshall Wolfe, 44, of Ridgeland, was arraigned in federal court today pursuant to an indictment charging him with two counts of bankruptcy fraud, announced U. S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis, Acting U. S. Trustee Henry G. Hobbs, Jr. of Region 5, FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan, and Inspector in Charge Robert B. Wemyss of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
According to the indictment, William Marshall Wolfe, owner of Steadivest, LLC, devised a fraudulent scheme in which he solicited money from investors under the guise of seeking investments for the rehabilitation of real estate. Wolfe continually solicited money from investors by providing misleading information about the financial stability of his company, Steadivest, LLC, and its related entities, and promising high returns on investments.
As a part of his scheme to defraud investors, Wolfe would seek new investors to meet his current obligations with existing entities. As part of his continuing scheme, Wolfe placed Steadivest, LLC, and its related entities in bankruptcy. On the eve of bankruptcy, Wolfe fraudulently transferred real property belonging to Steadivest, LLC, or its related entities, to another company through which he managed and solicited investors, in order to keep the properties from the bankruptcy estate.The U. S. Trustee referred the matter to the U. S. Attorney for prosecution. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the U.S. Trustee.
The case is scheduled for trial before U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves on June 2, 2014. If convicted, Wolfe faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.
The public is reminded that an indictment is a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison for Distributing Drugs in Scott County, MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Ana Laure Topete Ramirez, 33, an illegal immigrant living in Los Angeles, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to a term of 92 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Ramirez previously pled guilty to distributing methamphetamine into the Brusha Community of Scott County, Mississippi.
Ramirez was charged following an extensive investigation by state and federal authorities into the trafficking of drugs into Scott County by a large scale methamphetamine ring operating out of California, Texas and elsewhere. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Seventeen individuals were convicted and over five kilograms of methamphetamine was seized along with multiple firearms. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Chalk.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Mississippi Man Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Vester Ray Bassham, 46, of Gautier, Mississippi, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to serve five months in federal prison followed by five months home confinement with electronic monitoring and three years of supervised release for wire fraud in connection with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Bassham was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $26,000.
Bassham knowingly devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the Gulf Coast Claims Facility established by BP Exploration and Production, Inc. to administer, process, and settle certain claims of individuals and businesses that had been impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The investigation revealed that Bassham made false representations in his claim for damages by alleging that he lost earnings and profits and work hours as an electrician providing services for Torguson Contruction, LLC, in Jackson County, Mississippi, as a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. As a result of his scheme, Bassham caused $26,000.00 to be wired and deposited into his bank account in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
This case was also brought as part of this District’s partnership with the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), a nationwide initiative to protect available funds and assistance for those victims of both natural and man-made disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and the recent Gulf oil spill. If you have knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, you can contact the NCDF by either calling the hotline at (866) 720-5721, faxing (225) 334-4707, emailing at [email protected] or in writing to National Center for Disaster Fraud, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Biloxi Attorney Pleads Guilty to Creating A Scheme to Falsify, Conceal, and Cover up Material Facts in Defrauding Two Banks and the Bankruptcy CourtRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss - Stephen Richard Colson, 48, of Biloxi, pled guilty in federal court on March 19, 2014, to falsifying, concealing, and covering up material facts in connection with a scheme to defraud two banks and the Bankruptcy Court in violation of Title 18 Section 1001, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen. The government indicated at the guilty plea that it would seek restitution on behalf of the victims in the amount of $7,749,576.65.
Colson, a settlement agent and closing attorney, owned Prestige Title, Inc., and Advanced Title and Escrow, both headquartered in Biloxi, Mississippi, with 18 office locations in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. These offices handled loan closings for new mortgages and the refinancing of existing mortgages. In addition, Colson served as escrow agent for several condominium developments on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. As settlement agent on loan closings, Colson was required to establish trust accounts from which to disburse funds exclusively for activities related to each individual loan. These trust funds were not to be commingled with other personal or business accounts. However, a federal investigation into Colson’s activities revealed that Colson, through his business entities, willfully diverted funds from trust accounts for his own personal use, and concealed shortfalls in those accounts by co-mingling funds from other accounts when making payments to financial institutions.
The scheme began in the summer of 2004 when Colson obtained a mortgage loan from a federally (FDIC) insured financial institution (the Lender), using property he had titled in his name as collateral. Colson, as an agent for a title insurance company, issued a loan policy on the mortgage. Colson sold the property in September of 2005 for cash and should have paid off the mortgage. However, he concealed the sale of the property by continuing to make payments on the loan until he filed for bankruptcy protection in September of 2009. The Lender then learned that it did not have a valid lien or mortgage on the property. This delay in learning that the FDIC insured institution did not have a valid lien was as a direct consequence of Colson’s scheme to conceal the fact that he had already sold and pocketed the proceeds without paying off the mortgage. The title insurance company ultimately paid $133,600 to the FDIC insured institution to settle the claim.
The count to which he pleaded guilty was part of a larger scheme wherein Colson, through his title businesses, used funds generated in new real estate closings to pay off earlier closings. The larger scheme was discovered following the December 22, 2008, acquisition of a title insurance company for which Colson served as agent, by a successor company. On February 6, 2009, the successor title insurance company initiated an audit of Colson’s business records on and discovered that Colson’s title companies had a shortage in funds for settlement of real estate closings. The successor title insurance company was forced to pay 54 claims from lenders, borrowers, and sellers, and later prevailed in an adversary proceeding against Colson in Bankruptcy Court. Its claim of $4,904,627.37, plus attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation, were not discharged, and must be repaid by Colson. The Bankruptcy Court also found that
Colson’s use of his trust account “was akin to a Ponzi scheme in that Colson depended upon funds generated in new real estate closings to pay off earlier closings.”
In a separate adversary proceeding involving Colson, the Bankruptcy Court denied Colson’s attempt to discharge a private investor’s $2,000,000.00 claim.
In commenting on this case, SAC Daniel McMullen applauded the hard work and dedication of the FBI investigators, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Trustees, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office in unraveling this intricately woven scheme of fraud and deception. He also commended the title insurance company for bringing this matter to the attention of the FBI and assisting throughout the investigation.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Golden..If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Former Executive Director of Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss - William Walker, 68, of Ocean Springs, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit federal program fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
Walker admitted conspiring with his son, Scott Walker, to divert federal grant monies in a scheme that resulted in the federal grant monies being used to unlawfully purchase Scott Walker’s personal property in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
"Today's guilty plea holds accountable a former high ranking state official for his criminal acts of misappropriating federal grant funds" said U.S. Attorney Davis. "This guilty plea brings us one step closer to restoring the confidence of the citizens of south Mississippi in the Department of Marine Resources."
William Walker will be sentenced on June 5, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett in Hattiesburg. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office. Criminal Division Chief John Dowdy, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Rushing and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Golden are prosecuting the case..If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Jackson Woman Pleads Guilty to Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Marietta Harris, 38, of Jackson, pled guilty on March 5, 2014 to conspiring to defraud the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. She will be sentenced on May 15, 2014 by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Harris and her co-conspirators defrauded the government by using personal identifying information, including names and social security numbers, which had been stolen from the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility located in Rankin County, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and other locations. The information was then used to file false tax returns with the IRS which claimed the tax payers were owed a refund. The refunds were then electronically deposited into various bank accounts in Mississippi belonging to Harris and her co-conspirators.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Mississippi Department of Revenue. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Operation “Double Down Doc” Indictment Exposes Gulf Coast Prescription Drug RingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS - Four individuals indicted in the Southern District of Mississippi face various drug charges as the result of an extensive three-year drug investigation that targeted an illegal prescription drug ring, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Special Agent in Charge Keith Brown with the Drug Enforcement Administration - New Orleans Division.
Dr. Sanjay Sinha, 49, of Woodstock, Georgia, Joshua Locke, 36, of Biloxi, Robert Thornton II, 36, of Biloxi, and John Mattina, 44, of Ocean Springs were charged in a seven count federal indictment with Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. According to the indictment, Singh developed various relationships with his co-defendants and others. Those relationships led to the distribution of Hydrocodone and Oxycodone outside the scope of professional medical practice.
“Prescription drug abuse is a troubling problem in this country. This office along with our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and bring to justice those individuals who would illegally distribute highly addictive painkillers” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
Drug Enforcement Administration, Gulfport Resident Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux said, “The prescription drug epidemic in this country respects no boundaries. Today’s collaborative law enforcement effort by DEA, MBN, the Mississippi State Gaming Commission, Biloxi PD and our other state and local counterparts is a testament to the fact that we will use all resources at our disposal to target drug trafficking. You can no longer hide behind the comfort of a lab coat and a title in front of your name that say’s “doctor”. If you are involved in this sort of illegal activity, this is your warning. Please join us on April 26th as we kick-off our National Prescription Drug Take Back campaign. More information on the Take Back campaign will be available on our website soon.”
Concerning the arrests, Biloxi Police Chief John Miller said, “The Biloxi Police Department is proud to be a part of this three year investigation. The Biloxi Police Department, along with our other state and federal counterparts want the general public to know that we care and we want our city streets free of illegal drugs and illegally obtained prescription drugs. Today’s actions are a positive step in that direction.”
Dr. Sinha was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia and made his initial appearance there on Monday, March 3, 2014. The other defendants are scheduled to appear this afternoon for initial appearances before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge John Roper in Gulfport.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Oxycodone is 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The maximum penalty for possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone is 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Biloxi Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Meynardie.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Two Mississippi Department of Public Safety Employees Arrested on Federal Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss - Two employees of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety were arrested and arraigned today on a federal indictment for identity theft and conspiracy to commit identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Raymond Parmer, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations.
Yolanda Jean Perkins, 48, of Laurel and Deborah Payton Stewart, 55, of Waynesboro, have been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit identity theft and one count of identity theft. They each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. It is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, that charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in Court.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
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Inmate Sentenced for Rioting in A Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Adrian Romero-Carrera, 27, originally of Oaxaca, Mexico, was sentenced on February 25, 2014 by Senior U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III to 75 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for rioting at the Adams County Correctional facility, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Romero-Carrera was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,350,113.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
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(225) 334-4707
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El Ranchito Corporation Pleads Guilty to Serving Adulterated Pork to CustomersRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss - El Ranchito Corporation, of Tickfaw, LA, entered a guilty plea and was sentenced on February 25, 2014 before U.S. Senior District Court Judge David C. Bramlette III for transporting adulterated meat, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. El Ranchito Corporation was fined $6,000 dollars and placed on one year probation.
The investigation in this case revealed that Joel Cervantes, who was previously convicted of inhumanely slaughtering animals, was the President of El Ranchito Corporation. El Ranchito is a Mexican Restaurant located in Tickfaw, Louisiana and incorporated in the State of Louisiana. Cervantes owned land in Magnolia, Mississippi near Highway 51 where he kept swine for the purpose of supplying El Ranchito Corporation with pork. Cervantes routinely butchered swine in unsanitary conditions, and then transported the meat from Magnolia, Mississippi to El Ranchito restaurant in Tickfaw, LA. The meat was then sold to the customers of El Ranchito. In all approximately 6,771 pounds of adulterated pork was sold to customers of El Ranchito.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
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Carriere Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Alan Paul Blache, 63, of Carriere, Mississippi, was sentenced today in U. S. District Court to six months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release with five months of home confinement for theft of government funds, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced. Blache was also ordered to pay $114,855.90 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. Blache pled guilty to the charges on December 2, 2013.
From July 2005 through April 2011, in Pearl River County, Alan Paul Blache knowingly stole approximately $114,855.90 in Title II Social Security Disability Insurance benefit payments by concealing his full employment and earnings from the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) while working as a security guard at the Pearl River County Mississippi Welcome Center. Blache worked shifts during the time period alleged under his name and social security number, but he also worked additional shifts under his wife’s name and social security number and concealed his true earnings from the SSA. As a result of his repeated concealment and failure to disclose his true earnings, Blache caused the SSA to overpay him Title II Social Security Disability Insurance benefit payments in the amount of $114,855.90.
This case was investigated by agents of the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General Office of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Jackson Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Mark C. Hooten, 44, of Jackson, a local minister and a former subcontractor for DIRECTV, was sentenced on February 20, 2014, to serve a total of 54 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Hooten was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $384,651.26 to DIRECTV, the victim of his fraudulent activity. He pled guilty to the charges on November 13, 2014 before Senior U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee.
Hooten admitted unlawfully using the social security numbers of existing DIRECTV customers without their permission to fabricate additional DIRECTV customer accounts under the pretext of establishing additional satellite service. He fraudulently obtained commission payments for fictitious satellite TV installations from DIRECTV and Dixon Security, a Mississippi company with whom Hooten subcontracted as a satellite TV service installer.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carla J. Clark.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Jackson Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Mark C. Hooten, 44, of Jackson, a local minister and a former subcontractor for DIRECTV, was sentenced on February 20, 2014, to serve a total of 54 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Hooten was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $384,651.26 to DIRECTV, the victim of his fraudulent activity. He pled guilty to the charges on November 13, 2014 before Senior U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee.
Hooten admitted unlawfully using the social security numbers of existing DIRECTV customers without their permission to fabricate additional DIRECTV customer accounts under the pretext of establishing additional satellite service. He fraudulently obtained commission payments for fictitious satellite TV installations from DIRECTV and Dixon Security, a Mississippi company with whom Hooten subcontracted as a satellite TV service installer.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carla J. Clark.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Ocean Springs Businessman Pleads Guilty to Federal Program FraudRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss - Scott Walker, 34, of Ocean Springs, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of federal program fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit federal program fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
Walker admitted creating and submitting a false invoice in the amount of $180,000 to the City of D’Iberville for payment of consulting services that were never performed in connection with a $3 million grant issued to the City of D’Iberville by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
Additionally, Walker admitted conspiring with his father, William Walker, to divert federal grant monies in a scheme that resulted in the federal grant monies being used to unlawfully purchase Scott Walker’s personal property in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
"Today's guilty plea concludes a significant case of fraud committed against the City of D'Iberville," said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. "Today's guilty plea also takes us one step closer to holding accountable those who, through the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, fraudulently diverted and misused both federal grants and money belonging to the State of Mississippi."
Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi, stated: “I’d like to recognize and commend the investigators whose tenacious pursuit of the truth resulted in this guilty plea. Scott Walker has admitted to and is taking responsibility for conspiring with others, including other public officials, to defraud the United States government for personal gain, validating the case the investigators had built against him. Crimes of this nature do not affect just one person or one community. Public corruption is just that – a corruption that affects everyone, if only by undermining their trust.”
Walker will be sentenced on May 6, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett in Hattiesburg. The maximum penalty for theft of government funds is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office. Criminal Division Chief John Dowdy, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Rushing and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Golden are prosecuting the case.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Gulfport Woman Sentenced for Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Kimberly Marie Isabell, 33, of Gulfport, was sentenced today by U. S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to three years on probation and six months home confinement with electronic monitoring for mail fraud in connection with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced. Isabell was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17.000.00.
Isabell pled guilty on October 22, 2013 to knowingly devising and carrying out a scheme to defraud the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (the “GCCF”) which was established by BP Exploration and Production, Inc., to administer, process, and settle certain claims of individuals and businesses that had been impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Isabell made false representations in her claim for damages by alleging that she lost earnings, profits and work hours from her job at Isabell Janitorial Services in Gulfport due to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. As a result of her scheme, Isabell received a check from the Claims Facility totaling $12,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
This case was brought as part of this District’s partnership with the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), a nationwide initiative to protect available funds and assistance for those victims of both natural and man-made disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and the recent Gulf oil spill. If you have knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, you can contact the NCDF by either calling the hotline at (866) 720-5721, faxing (225) 334-4707, emailing at [email protected] or in writing to National Center for Disaster Fraud, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Alabama Woman Sentenced in Kidnapping CaseRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jessie Mae Brown Pollard, of Northport, Alabama, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to serve a total of 25 years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, and obstruction of justice, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,400. A jury found Pollard guilty of the charges after a November, 2013 trial before U.S. District Judge William Barbour, Jr. in Jackson.
The proof at trial showed that Pollard decided to kidnap Jashayla Hopson from East Kemper Elementary School so she contacted Wanda Faye Dancy, a secretary at East Kemper Elementary School, who agreed to assist with the kidnapping. On April 30, 2013, Pollard and co-defendant Shamarious Ruffin traveled to East Kemper Elementary School in a car rented by Pollard. Pollard called Wanda Faye Dancy to determine the location of Jashayla Hopson within the school building. Dancy said Jashayla was in the library and described the clothing she was wearing. Pollard told Ruffin to go into the library to get Hopson and to tell the librarian that “Miss Wanda said it was alright”. Ruffin went into the school library, gave the librarian Dancy’s message, and took Jashayla Hopson. Ruffin returned to the car with the child.
Thereafter, Jessie Mae Brown Pollard drove to Bessemer, Alabama, with Shamarious Ruffin and Jashayla Hopson where they checked into a hotel. Later, Pollard went to a store in Bessemer and purchased a cell phone. She activated the phone and sent the following text message to Jashayla’s mother: “don’t call the police I will call you later if you call the police u won’t see her again.”
Meanwhile, Jessie Mae Brown Pollard’s son, Devonta Pollard, drove to Boligee, Alabama, picked up Shaquayla Johnigan, and took her to meet Jessie Mae Brown Pollard. Jessie Mae Brown Pollard then gave the child, Jashayla Hopson, to Johnigan, who took the rental car and traveled to Laurel, Mississippi where she checked into a hotel room. Later, Jessie Mae Brown Pollard called Shaquayla Johnigan and told her to send a text message to Jashayla’s mother from the cell phone, which was still in the rental car, stating “since you called police, I want $50,000 by 3 p.m., I will tell you location later.”
Shaquayla Johnigan then met Joyce Johnigan in Vossburg, Mississippi. Together, they drove Jashayla Hopson to a remote location near Enterprise, Mississippi and dropped her off near an unknown residence telling her that “her mom was in the trailer and to run up to it”.
Jessie Mae Pollard called Shaquayla Johnigan and told her to take the rental car to the USM campus and leave it, but instead she and Joyce Johnigan drove it into a ditch and threw the keys into a pond. Shaquayla Johnigan gave the black gym back containing the broken cell phone and other evidence to James Shurman Johnigan and told him to “get rid of it”. She also threw the key to the Laurel hotel room in the garbage. James Shurman Johnigan burned the black gym bag containing the broken Samsung phone.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Cirminal Division John Dowdy and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Rushing.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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South Mississippi Physician Indicted on Income Tax ViolationsRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Timothy Dale Jackson, 49, of Pass Christian, Mississippi, an orthopedic physician, has been charged in a five count felony indictment alleging income tax evasion and obstruction of the due administration of the internal revenue laws, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan.
Jackson appeared on February 13, 2014 before Chief United States Magistrate Judge John M. Roper for his initial appearance and was released on a $700,000 bond. His arraignment is set for Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 11:00 before Judge Roper.
The indictment charges four counts of willful evasion of income tax, which each carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000; he is also charged in an additional count of obstructing and impeding the due administration of the internal revenue laws, which carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
“Tax evasion is not a victimless crime," said Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan of IRS Criminal Investigation. "We all pay when others swindle the government. The IRS and Department of Justice remain determined and vigilant in ferreting out such schemes to cheat the honest taxpayers."
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the prosecution will be handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Morgan.
The public is reminded that an indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
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Three Louisiana Residents Charged with Federal Lacey Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Ronald W. Reine, 67, Brian R. Reine, 44, Bruce A. Swilley Jr., 27, and Omni Pinnacle, LLC, all of Slidell, Louisiana, were charged in a 13-count federal indictment with various violations of the Lacey Act for importing live white-tailed deer into Mississippi, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Special Agent in Charge Luis Santiago of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Mississippi law makes it unlawful to import live white-tailed deer into the State of Mississippi and authorizes the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Commission with the responsibility of establishing regulations governing the importation of white-tailed deer with the emphasis on preventing the introduction of disease. The Commission established a regulation that mirrors the state statute, prohibiting the importation of live white-tailed deer into the State of Mississippi. The Lacey Act makes it unlawful for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire or purchase wildlife that were taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of any law or regulation of any state. The offense becomes a felony crime if the defendant knowingly engaged in conduct involving the purchase or sale, offer to purchase or sell or intent to purchase or sell, wildlife with a market value in excess of $350, knowing that the wildlife were taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of, or in a manner unlawful under, a law or regulation of any state.
According to the indictment, from January of 2011 through December of 2012, Ronald W. Reine, Brian R. Reine, Bruce A. Swilley, Jr. and Omni Pinnacle, LLC, a company owned by the Reines, conspired to ship white-tailed deer in interstate commerce in violation of state and federal laws. Brian R. Reine operated a wildlife enclosure in Lamar County, Mississippi known as Half Moon Ranch. Ronald W. Reine operated a wildlife enclosure in Pearl River County, Mississippi known as Oak Investments, LLC/“Hunter’s Bluff”. The indictment also alleges that it was part of the conspiracy that the defendants would unlawfully bring the live white-tailed deer into Mississippi for the purpose of breeding and killing trophy white-tailed buck deer. The defendants bought and illegally transported deer into Mississippi from Indiana and Pennsylvania.
“The illegal importation of white-tailed deer into Mississippi is a growing problem with the potential for a devastating impact on our native deer herd” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “This indictment is the beginning of our efforts to combat the illegal importation of white-tailed deer and we will continue to partner with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks to identify, investigate, and prosecute people who have chosen to violate the law on importing white-tail deer.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Charge Luis Santiago stated “We take our mission working with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and the citizens of Mississippi in conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats very seriously. We will continue working vigorously investigating those who choose to violate state and federal laws.”
The defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court today and each was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond. A trial is scheduled for March 17, 2014 before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden in Gulfport. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Omni Pinnacle, LLC faces a maximum fine of $500,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Former D’iberville City Manager Pleads Guilty to Federal Program FraudRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss - Michael Janus, 47, of Biloxi pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of federal program fraud in connection with a $3 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to the City of D’Iberville, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
Janus admitted that, while serving as City Manager for the City of D’Iberville, he fraudulently obtained a $180,000 “finder’s fee” in connection with the MDEQ grant.
Janus will be sentenced on May 6, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office. Criminal Division Chief John Dowdy, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Rushing and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Golden are prosecuting the case.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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California Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Salvador Gonzales Elias, 46, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 115 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Elias was charged following an extensive investigation, dubbed “Operation Brusha” targeting illegal narcotics distribution in Scott County, Mississippi. He entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate on August 29, 2013.
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to the elimination of criminal enterprises that peddle drugs in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. “The success of this investigation and prosecution makes clear that law enforcement agencies are united and determined to dismantle the networks that try to profit by selling methamphetamine, an extremely addictive drug that ruins lives.”
“Methamphetamine is a cancer on countless communities that drug traffickers exploit without any regard for the violence and damage they leave in their wake,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI New Orleans Raymond R. Parmer Jr. “This case highlights the added value that a solid partnership between state and federal law enforcement brings to bear in combating multi-jurisdictional criminal organizations. Working with the Miss. Bureau of Narcotics, ATF, and the other agencies involved with this investigation to identify and bring criminals like these to justice remains among HSI's top priorities.” Parmer oversees a five-state area of responsibility including Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee.
“Operation Brusha” was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. Assisting agencies included the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Forest Police Department, and Scott County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin O. Chalk.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Waveland Man Pleads Guilty to Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Luom Van Ngo, 44, of Waveland, Mississippi, pled guilty in U.S. District Court today to mail fraud related to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced.
Ngo admitted that he devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the Gulf Coast Claims Facility established by BP Exploration and Production, Inc. to administer, process, and settle certain claims of individuals and businesses impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Ngo made false representations in his claim for damages by alleging that, as a result of the oil spill, he lost earnings, profits and work hours as a commercial fisherman in Hancock County, Mississippi. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Ngo caused a check in the amount of $18,000.00 to be sent to him from the Gulf Coast Claims Facility through the United States mail.
Luom Van Ngo will be sentenced on April 30, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., by Chief U. S. District Judge Louis Guirola. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones. It was brought as part of this District’s partnership with the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), a nationwide initiative to protect available funds and assistance for those victims of both natural and man-made disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and the recent Gulf oil spill. If you have knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, you can contact the NCDF by either calling the hotline at (866) 720-5721, faxing (225) 334-4707, emailing at [email protected] or in writing to National Center for Disaster Fraud, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Jackson Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Aundra Mason, a/k/a Grey Head, 36, of Jackson, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen announced today. Fifteen months of the sentence will run consecutively to a 135 month sentence for narcotics violations previously imposed in Texas.
Mason was one of 13 defendants indicted and convicted following an extensive investigation dubbed “Operation Paperchase” targeting illegal narcotics distribution in the City of Jackson. The FBI led the investigation with assistance from DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Gulf Coast HIDTA, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Jackson Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Clinton Woman Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. -- Barbara Cummings, 60, of Clinton, Mississippi, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Bramlette to 23 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for bank fraud and tax evasion, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis, FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen, and Special Agent in Charge Gabriel Grchan with IRS Criminal Investigation - New Orleans Field Office. A restitution and forfeiture hearing in this case will be held on March 25, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.
From March 2007 through March 2009, Cummings was employed as the office manager at Mid-South Machinery in Jackson. During her employment, she systematically forged the signatures of the owners of Mid-South Machinery on numerous checks drawn on Mid-South Machinery’s accounts at First Commercial Bank, making such forged checks payable to herself and her husband and cashing and depositing such funds into her personal bank account. Cummings also altered the dollar amounts written on transaction tickets from Mid-South’s Regions Bank account that were made payable to “Petty Cash” or she would fraudulently create a transaction ticket, making it payable to “Barbara Cummings,” and keep some or all of the money. When interviewed by agents of the FBI and IRS, Cummings admitted to embezzling the funds from Mid-South by defrauding the banks. During 2008, she prepared her own income tax return, where she intentionally failed to report over $120,000 in income she had received that year through her fraudulent scheme in order to pay less tax on her income.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Two Sentenced for Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Erica Porter and Obadiah Herring, both of Jackson, were sentenced on January 23, 2014 by U.S. District Judge Dan Jordan in connection with a tax refund identity theft conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Gabriel Grchan, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenus Service Criminal Investigation.
Erica Porter was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 24 months for aggravated ID theft, for a total of 34 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $49,127 and forfeit a total of $49,127.
Obadiah Herring was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to defraud the United States. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $49,127, and forfeit a total of $49,127.
“Identity theft is a serious crime which exploits some of the most vulnerable members of our community. When combined with tax refund fraud, it threatens the financial security of our citizens,” said Gregory Davis, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This office will continue to work with the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service to prosecute those who cause harm to the U.S. taxpayers and those persons whose identities are is stolen.”
“As we approach tax filing season, those who might consider preparing false tax returns using stolen identities should be aware of the extremely negative consequences as evidenced today,” said Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans Field Office. “Today’s sentencing of Erica Porter and Obadiah Herring again emphasizes that IRS-CI, and our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue and hold identity thieves accountable for their attempts to defraud America’s tax system."
Stolen identity refund fraud occurs when a person, without permission, uses a legitimate
taxpayer’s identity to fraudulently file a tax return and claim a refund. This tax fraud tops the
Internal Revenue Service’s list Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2013.*
If you believe that you or someone you know may have had a tax return filed under your
name as the result of identity theft, please visit www.IRS.gov, call 1-800-829-1040 or visit your
local IRS office for further information.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service and
prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gilbert.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Five Sentenced in Kidnapping CaseRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Five defendants were sentenced in federal court today by U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour, Jr. for their involvement in the kidnapping of Jashayla Hopson from East Kemper Elementary School on April 30, 2013, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
Wanda Faye Dancy, of DeKalb, Shamarius S. Ruffin, of Porterville, and Shaquayla S. Johnigan, of Porterville, were each sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to kidnap. They were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1400 each.
Joyce M. Johnigan and James Shurman Johnigan both of Porterville, Mississippi, were sentenced to 8 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release with home confinement. They had previously pled guilty to a criminal information charging them with misprision of a felony. They were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1400 each.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Criminal Division Chief John M. Dowdy, Jr.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Pearl Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss –Jason Zebert, 44, of Pearl, pled guilty in federal court on January 15, 2014 to theft of government funds, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced today. Zebert, who worked as an attorney and fiduciary representing veterans, admitted stealing funds which had been entrusted to him by the Department of Veterans Affairs to spend solely on behalf of the veterans he represented.
The case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat Lemon.
Zebert will be sentenced on April 25, 2014 and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Mccomb Woman Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Latoya Renae Bonds, 30 of McComb, pled guilty on Wednesday, January 15, 2014, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. She will be sentenced on April 25, 2014 and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000.00 fine.
Bonds was indicted along with co-defendants Jermaine Henderson and Craig Lemark Kaho. Henderson and Kaho are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 280 grams of cocaine base and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. They are scheduled for trial on March 3, 2014 before U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves.
This case is the result of an investigation carried out by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and Mississippi Highway Patrol. The investigation, dubbed “Operation the Night the Lights went out in PG”, infiltrated an organization that was distributing cocaine base in Southwest Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Chalk is prosecuting the case.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
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Forest Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Arthur Wayne Townsend, 56, of Forest, Mississippi, pled guilty in federal court today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Townsend will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves on April 25, 2014 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
The indictment in this case was the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Operation Brusha” targeting illegal narcotics distribution in Scott County, Mississippi. The investigation was conducted by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. Assisting agencies included the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Forest Police Department, and Scott County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin O. Chalk.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Pickens Woman Found Guilty of Fema FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - On January 10, 2014, after a four day trial, a federal jury found Idella Jones, 47, of Pickens, guilty of theft of government funds, making a false statement, filing a false claim against the United States and disaster relief fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and James E. Ward, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.
Jones was indicted for claiming and receiving FEMA disaster relief benefits as a result of tornado damage to a mobile home located in Holmes County, Mississippi. According to the evidence at trial, Jones had moved away from the mobile home in early 1998 but when a tornado destroyed it in 2010, she claimed to have been living there with three of her children. As a result of her false claim, she was paid $29,900 by FEMA to cover rent and a replacement mobile home.
“Whenever a natural disaster strikes, there will always be people willing to take advantage of victim assistance and rebuilding efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. “Those who would try to illegally profit from disasters should know that the United States Attorney’s Office will continue its aggressive prosecution of disaster fraud.”
Homeland Security OIG Special Agent in Charge James E. Ward said: "We all suffer when federal programs are undermined by fraud. Today's conviction should send a clear message that we will continue to identify and prosecute these shameful individuals who attempt to abuse our federal resources and programs. The DHS OIG appreciates the assistance and partnership from USDA OIG and this United States Attorney's Office in pursing this case. In the future, this office will remain vigilant in seeking prosecutions in such cases to uphold the integrity of our Federal Emergency Programs, which are intended for law abiding citizens."
Jones will be sentenced on March 21, 2013 by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate. She faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for theft of government funds, ten years for filing a false claim, five years for making a false statement and thirty years for disaster relief fraud.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and USDA Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gilbert.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi Collects More Than $6.8 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions for Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2013.Read the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced today that the Southern District of Mississippi collected $6,820,790.70 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2013. Of this amount, $6,309,767.24 was collected in criminal actions and $511,023.46 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Southern District of Mississippi worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $184,502,999.40 in cases pursued jointly with these offices.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Thursday that the Justice Department collected approximately $8.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2013. The more than $8 billion in collections in FY 2013 represents nearly three times the appropriated $2.76 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorney’s offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period.
“The Department’s enforcement actions help to not only ensure justice is served, but also deliver a valuable return to the taxpayer,” said Attorney General Holder. “It is critical that Congress provide the resources necessary to match the Department’s mounting caseload. As these figures show, supporting our federal prosecutors is a sound investment.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and, in particular the Financial Litigation Unit, is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the federal treasury and for victims of federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis, “During this time of economic recovery and shrinking budgets, those collections are more important than ever.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the
United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines
imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or
environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies,
including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services,
Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of Mississippi, working
with partner agencies and divisions, collected $10,037,989.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY
2013. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used
to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Laundering Drug MoneyRead the Press Release
JJackson, Miss – Patrina Bester Hayes, 37, of Paulding, Mississippi, joined her co-defendant Lornell Von Moore, 48, also of Paulding, by pleading guilty today to conspiring with Moore to launder his drug money, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Special Agent in Charge Gabriel Grchan of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI). Moore pleaded guilty to the same offense on December 19, 2013 and is currently serving nine years in federal prison for narcotics distribution.
During his heyday, Moore garnered over 2 million dollars in drug profits in just a two year period from 2008 and 2009. During this time and before, Moore and Hayes operated LVM Trucking out of Louin, Mississippi, and washed millions of dollars of drug profits through the trucking company’s bank accounts as well as their private bank accounts.
As a result of the investigation into the narcotics trafficking of Moore and the money laundering activities of Moore and Hayes, investigators of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service through the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi seized property involved in the scheme. Property seized included:
2010 Chevrolet Camaro;
2005 Freightliner Century Tractor;
2001 Freightliner Columbia;
2006 Hyundai Trailer;
2008 Blue Chevrolet Corvette;
2009 Yamaha Rhino ATV;
2005 Freightliner Century tractor;
2007 Utility Van;
2009 black Chevrolet Silverado truck C1500;
2010 Gray Lexus;
2003 Freightliner Columbia Tractor;
Two residences in Jasper County; and
3 firearms
Moore and Hayes will be sentenced on March 27, 2014 by U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
“I commend the hard working agents with IRS Criminal Investigation and DEA who worked tirelessly on the money laundering aspect of this case, as well as the federal, state and local law enforcement agents who worked together to dismantle this drug distribution organization,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan stated: “The guilty plea entered by Patrina Hayes marks the end of the drug trafficking organization headed by Lornell Von Moore. Hayes was the last defendant to plead guilty, and will be sentenced for her role in Moore’s criminal operation. Likewise, the seizure of Moore’s operating assets has further served to completely dismantle a dangerous drug distribution network. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to continuing its work with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to put an end to narcotics trafficking in our communities.”
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the criminal investigation of the financial affairs leading to the current guilty plea. Officers from the Ridgeland Police Department, Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff=s Office, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, participated in the investigation of Moore’s drug trafficking organization.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
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Former Mendenhall Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Extortion, Bribery and TheftRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Bruce Barlow, 50, former Chief of Police for the Mendenhall Police Department, in Mendenhall, Mississippi, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit extortion, bribery and theft during this tenure as Mendenhall police chief, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Barlow on February 5, 2013, charging him with conspiracy, extortion, bribery and witness tampering. A subsequent superseding indictment was returned against Barlow on May 14, 2013 which included additional charges of bribery, theft, and obstruction of justice.
From January 2010 through July 2010, Barlow instructed Mendenhall police officers to pull people over and find ways to get access into and search people’s vehicles. He also instructed his officers to seize cash at every arrest, including money from people arrested for misdemeanor charges.
When Barlow was interviewed by FBI agents on March 7, 2013, he admitted to stealing money and property, and allowing others to take property, that had been taken from victims after an arrest or detention and seized by the Mendenhall Police Department.
As part of his plea agreement, Barlow agreed to make restitution to the victims of the crime and forfeit any money or property related to the crime. Barlow also agreed to never be employed by any governmental entity in the future.
Barlow will be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III on March 25, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. Conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Bribery and theft carry a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Extortion, obstruction of justice and witness tampering carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Hurst and Mary Helen Wall are prosecuting the case.If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
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Former Jpd Detective Sentenced on Bribery ChargeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. -- Robert Nikita Shegog, of Terry, Mississippi, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 22 months and 15 days imprisonment for bribery, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen. Shegog was also ordered to pay a $10,000.00 fine.
Shegog pled guilty to the bribery charge in July, 2012, admitting that, while employed as a Narcotics Detective with the Jackson Police Department in 2010, he advised a Hinds County criminal defendant that he would assist him in getting a sentence reduction on an outstanding drug charge if he would pay Shegog $45,000.00.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Rushing.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
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Clinton Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Christopher Allen Morace, 31, of Clinton, Mississippi, was sentenced in
U. S. District Court today to 120 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised
release for possession of child pornography, announced U. S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and
Raymond R. Parmer, Jr. Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”). Morace was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in North Carolina and sentenced to one year in prison.
“Child pornographers often go to great lengths in an attempt to conceal their criminal actions,” said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. "This case shows that despite those attempts to hide, HSI investigators are routinely able to identify and seek prosecution of these dangerous individuals to make our communities a safer place for law-abiding citizens everywhere.” Parmer oversees a five-state region including Mississippi , Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
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California Man Sentenced to Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Jerome Gordon Wellington, 38, of Palmdale, California, and Byram, Mississippi, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for laundering drug proceeds through the purchase of a house in Byram, Mississippi, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent in Charge, IRS - Criminal Investigation. Wellington was previously convicted of conspiring to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine from California into Mississippi.
IRS Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan stated: “The role of IRS - CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money, which enabled us to financially disrupt and dismantle Jerome Wellington’s drug trafficking organization. We were proud to have provided this financial expertise as we worked alongside our law enforcement partners to bring Wellington and his cartel of criminals to justice.”
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the criminal investigation of the financial affairs leading to the current indictment. The Drug Enforcement Administration, in conjunction with officers from the Ridgeland Police Department, Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff=s Office, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, initially investigated the drug trafficking organization of Jerome Gordon Wellington.
U.S. Attorney Davis praised the efforts of the IRS Criminal Investigation and DEA agents who worked tirelessly on the complex investigation into the financial affairs of this drug organization, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca who prosecuted the case for the government.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
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Atlanta Man Sentenced for Human Trafficking and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss - Marco Laquin Rogers, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to forty years in federal prison for human trafficking of a minor child, and thirty years for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis, Raymond R. Parmer, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Commissioner Robert C. Haas of the Cambridge, Massachusetts Police Department. Judge David Bramlette III ordered the two sentences to run concurrently for a total of 40 years to serve followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
On September 11, 2013, a jury found Rogers guilty of traveling to Mississippi for the purpose of engaging in sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10 years old. He was also found guilty of producing videos of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the child.
The investigation of this case began when the Cambridge, Massachusetts Police Department received information about a video tape of illegal sexual activities and the production of videos depicting the sexual assault of a child. The Cambridge Police Department contacted the Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”) in Atlanta and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation who worked with HSI in Jackson to conduct further investigation. The collaborative efforts of HSI agents and investigators in Cambridge, Atlanta, Memphis and Jackson ultimately led to the identification of the minor child in the videos, who is now safe with her family.
“Today’s sentence brings to a close a horrific chapter in the lives of the victim and her family,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “While nothing can ever undo the abuse the victim endured, we hope that today’s sentence requiring the defendant to spend forty years in prison restores them with some sense of confidence and trust, and satisfaction that justice has been served,” said U.S. Attorney Davis.
“The horrific abuse inflicted upon a defenseless child in this case is unspeakable, and yet this individual went even further by recording and sharing the evidence of his sexual crimes,” said HSI
New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. "Predators destroy lives, and HSI will continue to do everything it can to protect children by investigating and seeking prosecution wherever these criminals may be found." Parmer oversees a five-state region including Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee.
U.S. Attorney Davis praised the hard work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Cambridge Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glenda Haynes and Scott Gilbert who prosecuted the case for the government.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who 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.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Jefferson Davis County Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison on Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss - On Friday, December 6, 2013, Dennis Earl Smith, Jr. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to the maximum penalty of 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Phillip Durham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Smith was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Eight Individuals Charged in Illegal Gambling OperationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against eight individuals from the Meridian, Mississippi area in connection with illegal gambling operations, announced U. S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis, Gabriel Grchan, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Indictment charges WILLIAM WAYNE (BILL) GORDON, SR., age 79, MILDRED GORDON, age 76, WILLIAM WAYNE (WAYNE) GORDON, JR., age 55, NELLIE MILLER, age 50, CAMERON GORDON, age 24, DENNIS MICHAEL GORDON, age 54, RICHARD McKISSACK, age 50, and CHRISTOPHER CRAWFORD, age 38, in Count 1 with Conspiracy to Commit a Federal Offense under 18 U.S.C. §371. Count 2 of the Indictment charges WILLIAM WAYNE (BILL) GORDON, SR., MILDRED GORDON, WILLIAM WAYNE (WAYNE) GORDON, JR., NELLIE MILLER, CAMERON GORDON, RICHARD McKISSACK, and CHRISTOPHER CRAWFORD with violation of the prohibition of operating illegal gambling business under 18 U.S.C. §1955. The maximum penalty for each offense is five years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000.00. The Defendants are scheduled to appear for arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge F. Keith Ball on Tuesday, November 26, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Jackson, MS.
According to the Indictment, the charges are associated with the operation of illegal gambling businesses from November 2011 through at least May 14, 2013, at the following locations in Meridian, MS: The Snack Shack, located at 1479 Highway 11 & 80; The Sports Connection, which is commonly referred to as “the Log Cabin”, located at 501 46th Avenue; and The New Place, located at 401 23rd Avenue. It is alleged that at these locations the defendants would accept illegal wagers on the outcome of college and professional sporting events, then collect and remove the wagers from these locations and grade the bets based on the outcome of the wagered event to calculate winnings and losses for those persons placing the wagers. Thereafter, the defendants would pay persons with winning wagers and keep the remaining funds for their personal use and benefit. The Indictment in the case also alleges that the defendants would possess, own, control, display, operate, and expose for play illegal gambling and gaming devices, such as illegal video poker machines. It is alleged that the illegal gambling businesses were conducted in violation of Mississippi law and remained in substantially continuous operation for a period in excess of 30 days.
The Indictment also gives notice of the United States’ intent to seek criminal forfeiture of 8 pieces of real property in Meridian, MS, associated with the alleged criminal conduct, as well as approximately $125,905.15 in U.S. Currency seized from locations associated with the gambling operation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla J. Clark and J. Scott Gilbert. The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
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Richland Woman Sentenced to Prison for Threatening A Federal AgentRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Bridget Veronica Medlock, 19, was sentenced to six months in federal prison for threatening to kill a federal agent during the performance of his official duties, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Trey Lund, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - New Orleans Field Office. Medlock was also ordered to pay a partial fine of $1,500. She will report to the Bureau of Prisons on January 13, 2014.
Medlock pled guilty to threatening to kill a federal official on March 21, 2013. The federal agent was threatened by Medlock while making a lawful arrest. Medlock drove her car at a high rate of speed toward the officer’s government issued vehicle and further stated that she was going to kill the agent. Medlock’s offensive conduct continued as she drove away at a high rate of speed. She was finally arrested by Richland Police officers and ICE agents at a home in Richland.
“Federal officers performing their lawful duties deserve the respect and cooperation of the public. Threats made against federal officers will be taken seriously, investigated and prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Davis.
"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will continue to focus resources on violent criminals who pose the greatest threat to our communities," said New Orleans Field Office Director Trey Lund. "This case illustrates our close cooperation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to successfully prosecute dangerous individuals."###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
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Former Vickburg Mayor Sentenced to Prison for BriberyRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss – Paul Winfield, former mayor of Vicksburg, Mississippi, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 25 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for bribery in connection with a pre-event disaster contract for the city of Vicksburg, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen. Winfield was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and forfeit $7,000, the amount paid to him as a bribe.
In early 2012, while serving as the mayor of Vicksburg, Winfield met with a Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) source, where they discussed pre-event disaster contracts for the city of Vicksburg. On July 18, 2012, Winfield again met with the FBI source at a restaurant in Jackson. After dinner, Winfield and the FBI source met inside the source’s vehicle and the FBI source asked Winfield what would need to be done in order for the source’s company to get the pre-event disaster contract. Winfield responded “Ten” and held up ten fingers, signifying $10,000. The FBI source asked Winfield if the FBI source could pay $5,000 now and $5,000 once the contract was awarded. Winfield agreed and the FBI source paid Winfield $5,000 cash in the vehicle at that time.
On August 17, 2012, the FBI source met with Winfield in Natchez, Mississippi, where he paid Winfield an additional $2,000 in cash and asked if another $3,000 would be enough. The source then promised Winfield another $3,000 after the pre-event disaster contract was awarded.
As part of his plea agreement, Winfield agreed to forfeit the bribe money he accepted and he also agreed to neither run for elected public office nor apply for or be employed by any governmental entity in the future.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
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Gautier Man Pleads Guilty to Oil Spill FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Joseph Anthony Clements, 51, of Gautier, pled guilty to three counts of mail fraud in connection with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
Clements admitted that he carried out a scheme to defraud the BP Gulf Coast Claims Facility by making a false claim for damages as a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Clements claimed he lost earnings and profits from his commercial shrimp and fishing business and shrimping vessel when, in fact, Clements was not a commercial shrimper and suffered no lost earning or profits as a result of the oil spill.
As a result of his fraudulent claim, Clements received an emergency advance payment of $36,300.00 of the $273.000.00 claim he sought from the oil spill Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
Clements will be sentenced on Thursday, January 30, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. by U. S. District Judge Sul Ozerden. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of mail fraud. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
This case was brought as part of this District’s partnership with the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), a nationwide initiative to protect available funds and assistance for those victims of both natural and man-made disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and the recent Gulf oil spill. If you have knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, you can contact the NCDF by either calling the hotline at (866) 720-5721, faxing (225) 334-4707, emailing at [email protected] or in writing to National Center for Disaster Fraud, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
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Federal and State Charges Filed in Joint Investigation Involving Mississippi Department of Marine ResourcesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Federal and state grand juries returned indictments this week following a joint investigation into the activities of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (“DMR”) and a $3 million grant issued to the City of D’Iberville, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis, FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen, Mississippi State Auditor Stacey Pickering, Second Circuit District Attorney Joel Smith and Nineteenth Circuit District Attorney Tony Lawrence. The State Auditor’s Office also issued civil demands totaling more than $1 million.
William W. Walker, 68, of Ocean Springs, Scott J. Walker, 34, of Ocean Springs, Sheila Tina Shumate, 52, of Saucier, and Joseph C. Zeigler, Jr., 66, of Gulfport, have been named in a five-count federal indictment, returned on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, charging conspiracy to commit federal program fraud, federal program fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud involving DMR and the Mississippi Marine Resources Foundation.
Scott J. Walker is also named in a separate federal indictment along with Michael Janus, age 47, of Biloxi, charging conspiracy to commit program fraud, program fraud, bribery in connection with a federal program and money laundering. The indictment alleges that Walker and Janus caused a false invoice in the amount of $180,000 to be submitted to the City of D’Iberville for payment of consulting services.
A Harrison County grand jury returned indictments this week against Sheila Tina Shumate, Leslie Young Gollott, Susan Perkins, Jere Grant Larsen, Jr. and Kerwin Cuevas for multiple counts of fraud and embezzlement which allegedly occurred during their employment with the Department of Marine Resources.
In addition, the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office issued demands against ten individuals
as part of this investigation totaling $1,022,308.55. The individual demands are listed below:
William Walker $362,689.14
Joseph Ziegler $258,268.75
Sheila Shumate $127,608.57
Leslie Gollott $117,593.10
Susan Perkins $ 30,959.34
Grant Larson $ 1,342.08
Kerwin Cuevas $108,420.70
Walter Chataginer $ 1,279.85
Kerry Endris $ 13,020.66
Samantha Hebert $ 1,126.36
“The indictments and demands announced today are one step toward restoring the trust
of taxpayers, but they do not close the investigation,” State Auditor Stacey Pickering said. “As
alleged in the indictments, these men and women abused their positions, stole from the
taxpayers of Mississippi, and they will be held accountable for their actions. I appreciate the
hard work and cooperation from the local, state and federal agencies involved including our
Special Agents, District Attorneys Joel Smith and Tony Lawrence, Gregory Davis, U.S.
Attorney for the Southern District, and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge for the
Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is an allegation that a defendant has
committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Biloxi Woman Pleads Guilty to Oil Spill FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Brandy Ann Jarrell, 37, of Biloxi, pled guilty in U.S. District Court today to mail fraud in connection with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced.
Jarrell admitted carrying out a scheme to defraud the BP Gulf Coast Claims Facility by making false claims for damages. She claimed she lost earnings and profits from her employment as a deckhand on an oyster boat in a south Mississippi harbor as a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill when, in fact, she did not work on the oyster boat and did not lose earnings and profits. As a result of her false claim, Jarrell received an Emergency Advance Payment check in the amount of $28,800.00 in the mail from the BP Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
Jarrell will be sentenced on Thursday, January 30, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. by U. S. District Judge Sul Ozerden, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Forest Man Sentenced on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jerry Lynn Loper, 45, of Forest, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour, Jr. to serve 95 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Loper was also ordered to pay a $1500.00 fine and forfeit 9 firearms which were seized.
Loper was indicted following an extensive investigation, dubbed “Operation Brusha”, targeting illegal narcotics distribution in Scott County, Mississippi. The investigation was conducted by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assisting agencies included the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Forest Police Department, and Scott County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin O. Chalk.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.
Five Plead Guilty to Their Involvement in Kidnapping CaseRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Five defendants entered guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour Jr. in federal court today for their involvement in the kidnapping of Jashayla Hopson from East Kemper Elementary School on April 30, 2013, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
Wanda Faye Dancy, of DeKalb, Mississippi, Shamarius S. Ruffin, of Porterville, Mississippi, and Shaquayla S. Johnigan, also of Porterville, each pled guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. They each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Joyce M. Johnigan and James Shurman Johnigan both of Porterville, Mississippi, pled guilty to a criminal information charging them with misprision of a felony. They each face a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
All five defendants are scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour Jr. on January 22, 2013 at 9:00 a.m.
The two remaining defendants in this case, Jesse Pollard and Devonta Pollard, are scheduled for trial on November 18, 2013. Jesse Pollard is charged with kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap and obstruction of justice. She faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $750,000 fine. Devonta Pollard is charged with conspiracy to kidnap and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Criminal Division Chief John M. Dowdy, Jr.###
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America.