Southern District of Mississippi
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Biloxi City Councilman Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy Involving Vape ShopsRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Mississippi – A Biloxi City Councilman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance.
Robert Leon Deming, III, 47, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, in 2019, Deming founded the Candy Shop, LLC to operate Candy Shop stores in Mississippi and North Carolina. The Candy Shop stores sold CBD and vape products.
In 2020, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the Candy Shop. The investigation revealed that some of the vape products sold by the Candy Shops in Mississippi contained Schedule I controlled substances and controlled substance analogues. In 2022, the DEA also received complaints that some of the products at the Candy Shops were making customers ill.
Agents obtained search warrants for the Candy Shops located in Mississippi and North Carolina. They also obtained a warrant for Deming’s residence. The warrants were contemporaneously executed on January 26, 2023. During the execution of the search warrants, law enforcement officers seized over $1.8 million in cash from Deming’s residence and additional cash and controlled substances from his stores.
As the investigation continued, agents learned that Deming was aware that his vape additives did not contain CBD; rather, they contained synthetic cannabinoids. This was evidenced by group chats in which Deming’s employees complained about how the additives were too strong and could hurt their customers. Despite this fact, Deming misbranded the additives as containing CBD.
In addition, through the course of the investigation, agents were able to determine that in May of 2022, Deming sent an uncharged coconspirator $2,200.00 to purchase 1 kilogram of 5F-AB-PINACA, a Schedule I controlled substance, for use in the Candy Shop’s vape additives and that, at the time Deming sent the money, he knew that 5F-AB-PINACA was a controlled substance.
The Government’s investigation also revealed that Deming’s gross sales of vape additive products containing either Schedule I controlled substances or their analogues totaled over $2 million.
Deming was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 19, 2023.
“A public official’s side job should not be running a business that distributes millions of dollars in illegal controlled substances and endangers the health and safety of its customers,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee. “We appreciate the hard work of investigators with the DEA, FDA, and MBN to put a stop to the distribution of these dangerous vape additives.”
"The DEA is committed to holding all individuals accountable for drug trafficking, regardless of position,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “Mr. Deming's guilty plea is a reminder that no one is above the law. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who violate the Controlled Substances Act."
“U.S. consumers are put at risk when labeling is false and misleading,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “Labeling is designed to provide information that can help consumers make informed choices about what they purchase and consume. The FDA is committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who unlawfully mask controlled substances as known consumer products to be sold to the American public.”
As part of the plea agreement in this case, Deming agreed to forfeit a yellow Monster Truck with oversized tires and a lift kit and over $1.9 million dollars. His sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Lee Smith.
Magnolia Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Magnolia man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Edward Dewayne Cockerham, 35, of Magnolia, Mississippi was found in possession of a firearm by Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents and a Pike County Sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop. Cockerham had a prior felony conviction for failing to support minor children and was on supervised probation at the time he possessed the firearm.
Cockerham was indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing the firearm as a convicted felon. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jones County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Assault on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jones County man was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for assault with intent to commit a kidnapping on the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, Tyreese Khalia Kejuan Smith, 23, assaulted an adult tribal female in the Bogue Homa Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023 and pled guilty to the assault on January 30, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Trails Task Force which is comprised of officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Choctaw Police Department, Jones County Sheriff’s Department, and various state and local law enforcement agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking and Related Offenses for Forcing Victim to Engage in Commercial Sex Across the CountryRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A California man was sentenced yesterday for sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.
Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, of Gardena, was sentenced to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after a jury found Fulcher guilty in January.
“This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse and exploitation of the victim,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant traumatized the victim, robbed her of her dignity and deprived her of the choice and control essential to her personal autonomy by forcing her to engage in prostitution for his own profit. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders accountable and to seek justice for survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“Human trafficking is not just a plot for Hollywood movies,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “It happens all over the country in a variety of ways, and even here in Mississippi as the tragic facts of this case show. The strength and resiliency of the victim in this case to escape the defendant and then report what happened will ensure that he never harms anyone else again. But this crime sadly still occurs all too often, and law enforcement needs your help to stop it. If you are a victim of human trafficking or believe that you may have witnessed it occurring, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.”
“This investigation exemplifies how human trafficking is not just a physical crime but is also conducted through emotional and psychological abuse,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Sex trafficking has devastating short term and long-term consequences, and the FBI will continue to investigate traffickers and pursue justice for the victims.”
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Fulcher used sexual assault, threats of violence, isolation, control, psychological manipulation and emotional abuse to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex between April and June 2020. Fulcher lured the physically injured victim into his car in Las Vegas by making false promises to help her, but then brought her to his home where he sexually assaulted her.
Shortly afterwards, Fulcher brought the victim to California, where he acted in concert with a co-defendant, Jonzie Hamilton, to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex acts over the course of several weeks. Fulcher required the victim to follow his strict rules, threatened the victim with physical harm, confiscated her money and Social Security debit card and even had an unlicensed dentist pull out her teeth.
Fulcher also sent the victim and Hamilton across the country for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex, stopping in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and eventually Mississippi where the victim ran away. While the victim was on the road, Fulcher required the victim to send him all of her earnings and continued his coercive scheme by threatening the victim with physical harm, controlling her access to her phone, isolating her from anyone she knew and refusing to allow her to receive much-needed medical treatment for an existing chronic illness.
Hamilton was previously sentenced on April 9 to 29 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to interstate transportation for prostitution.
The FBI Jackson Field Office, Gulfport Resident Agency investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
California Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking and Related Offenses for Forcing Victim to Engage in Commercial Sex Across the CountryRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced yesterday for sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.
Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, of Gardena, was sentenced to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after a jury found Fulcher guilty in January.
“This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse and exploitation of the victim,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant traumatized the victim, robbed her of her dignity and deprived her of the choice and control essential to her personal autonomy by forcing her to engage in prostitution for his own profit. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders accountable and to seek justice for survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“Human trafficking is not just a plot for Hollywood movies,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “It happens all over the country in a variety of ways, and even here in Mississippi as the tragic facts of this case show. The strength and resiliency of the victim in this case to escape the defendant and then report what happened will ensure that he never harms anyone else again. But this crime sadly still occurs all too often, and law enforcement needs your help to stop it. If you are a victim of human trafficking or believe that you may have witnessed it occurring, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.”
“This investigation exemplifies how human trafficking is not just a physical crime but is also conducted through emotional and psychological abuse,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Sex trafficking has devastating short term and long-term consequences, and the FBI will continue to investigate traffickers and pursue justice for the victims.”
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Fulcher used sexual assault, threats of violence, isolation, control, psychological manipulation and emotional abuse to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex between April and June 2020. Fulcher lured the physically injured victim into his car in Las Vegas by making false promises to help her, but then brought her to his home where he sexually assaulted her.
Shortly afterwards, Fulcher brought the victim to California, where he acted in concert with a co-defendant, Jonzie Hamilton, to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex acts over the course of several weeks. Fulcher required the victim to follow his strict rules, threatened the victim with physical harm, confiscated her money and Social Security debit card and even had an unlicensed dentist pull out her teeth.
Fulcher also sent the victim and Hamilton across the country for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex, stopping in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and eventually Mississippi where the victim ran away. While the victim was on the road, Fulcher required the victim to send him all of her earnings and continued his coercive scheme by threatening the victim with physical harm, controlling her access to her phone, isolating her from anyone she knew and refusing to allow her to receive much-needed medical treatment for an existing chronic illness.
Hamilton was previously sentenced on April 9 to 29 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to interstate transportation for prostitution.
The FBI Jackson Field Office, Gulfport Resident Agency investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Biloxi Man Sentenced to over 11 years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. -- A Biloxi, Mississippi, man was sentenced to 136 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for possession of child pornography.
Christopher Lee Parker, 36, was sentenced on April 12, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. In addition to Parker’s term of imprisonment, the Court ordered restitution for victims in the amount of $31,000, and imposed an assessment of $2,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
According to court documents, Parker was identified in Cyber Tipline Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as the user of social media accounts discussing the trading of child exploitation materials. These Cyber Tipline Reports were forwarded to law enforcement for investigation. A federal search warrant obtained for Parker’s Biloxi residence resulted in the recovery of Parker’s cell phones, in which Parker, at times using mobile applications, possessed over 5,000 visual depictions, in still and video formats, of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct with some images including minors who had not reached 12 years of age.
Parker was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pled guilty on December 18, 2023, to possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance from the Cyber Crime Division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Biloxi Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More Than $22 Million in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
Jackson, MS - U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee announced today that in Fiscal Year 2023 the Southern District of Mississippi collected more than $22 million in criminal and civil matters. Of that amount, approximately $10,157,069 was collected in civil and criminal asset forfeiture actions, approximately $4,176,826 was collected in criminal debts owed to the United States and victims, and approximately $8,089,178 was collected through Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE).
“The Department of Justice collected millions of dollars from criminals and civil litigants in Mississippi that will now be used to help victims get back on their feet, ensure law enforcement agencies have additional resources to fight crime, and restore to the government monies wrongfully procured through waste, fraud, abuse or failure to adhere to regulations,” said U.S. Attorney Gee.
Out of the funds recovered by financial litigation, $2,025,799 was returned directly to victims of criminal activity in the district through restitution imposed in criminal cases. Moreover, nearly $400,000 of additional money was recovered and returned directly to victims of email fraud in the district through civil asset forfeiture cases.
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 United States 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 collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The mission of the asset forfeiture program is to deprive criminals of the proceeds of their crimes, including the assets purchased with those proceeds, and to disrupt criminal activity. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
ACE cases allow recovery of tax payor dollars lost to fraud or other misconduct or to impose penalties for violations of Federal health, safety, civil rights, or environmental law. One of the primary tools used in ACE cases is the False Claims Act (FCA). The FCA allows recovery of up to three times the damages suffered by the United States, plus monetary penalties for each violation. Many of these cases result from whistleblower lawsuits, which allows individuals or entities who have inside information about fraudulent conduct to file qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the United States. Some of the areas where the office has successfully employed the FCA include fraud perpetrated on federal healthcare programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE, the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), the Department of Defense military programs and contracts, and federal grant programs.
In the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the asset forfeiture program and the financial litigation program are part of the office’s Asset Recovery Unit within the Criminal Division, which is coordinated by Assistant United States Attorney Clay B. Baldwin. Multiple Assistant United States Attorneys in the Civil Division handle ACE matters and cases.
Southaven Man Sentenced for Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Southaven man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, Jordan Dale Burgess, 33, was captured on surveillance video stealing a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer in Yazoo City, Mississippi, in March of 2023.
Burgess was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2023. He pled guilty on December 12, 2023, to possession of a stolen firearm.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Fremont, Ohio man was sentenced to 47 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Trayvion Joaquin Scott, 25, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, Scott previously pled guilty to his involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that began operating in Picayune, MS, as far back as 2015. Scott’s primary involvement in the conspiracy was making drug payments on behalf of the drug trafficking organization to their source of supply in California via money transfers.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
McComb Man Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A McComb man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Norkeithus Malik Reed, 24, was found in possession of a firearm by the Brookhaven Police Department when responding to a complaint of a disturbance caused by Reed at an area restaurant. Reed had previously been convicted in state court of drug-related felony charges. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Reed to possess any firearm.
Reed was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2023. He pled guilty on January 30, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Randy Rodriquez Jones, 49, sold a firearm to an individual on January 8, 2020. Jones had multiple prior drug-related felony convictions and a previous state court conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Jones to possess any firearm.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 11, 2023. He pled guilty on January 30, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Flowood Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Possession of Thousands of Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Flowood man was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for possession of abusive child pornography materials depicting minors, including some toddlers, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Timothy Daniel Steele a/k/a Timothy Daniel Gantenbein, 26, possessed thousands of images and videos of child pornography depicting adult men engaging in sex with minor children. Steele was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 13, 2021, and pled guilty on July 7, 2023, to possession of child pornography.
Steele was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $324,876.39 to his victims and pay $5000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Flowood Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Louisiana Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A New Orleans, Louisiana woman pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one ounce of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Angelle McLaughlin, 30, was caught in the parking garage of a Mississippi casino engaging in a drug transaction. McLaughlin traveled with two other individuals from Louisiana to the Mississippi casino to sell fentanyl. Officers encountered the trio and found that McLaughlin was in possession of one ounce of fentanyl that was intended for sale to a recipient at the casino.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
McLaughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Marcus Delars Branson, 27, was found in possession of a firearm by U. S. Probation Officers during a visit to his home. Branson had a prior felony conviction for bank robbery and was on supervised release.
On July 25, 2023, Branson was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jackson County Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Jackson County man was sentenced to 105 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 70 grams of methamphetamine.
James Richard Morgan, 42, of Jackson County, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on September 11, 2018, Morgan and co-defendant Karlos Brown sold 70 grams of 42% pure methamphetamine in the parking lot of a Walmart in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Morgan and Brown were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 17, 2022. Both defendants pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Brown was sentenced on February 27, 2023, to 70 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pascagoula Police Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pearl River Woman Pleads Guilty to Assault on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River woman pled guilty to assaulting a tribal member with a knife in the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, in 2023, Telinah Kowi Tek Farve, 25, stabbed the tribal member with a knife causing serious bodily injury. Farve was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury and she pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Farve is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Picayune Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 13 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Picayune man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 13 grams of fentanyl.
Brandon Lamont Myers, 41, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, on August 14, 2023, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for the residence of Brandon Lamont Myers in Pearl River County, Mississippi. Agents seized $61,276 and 13 grams of fentanyl. They also seized a box of clear plastic bags and several digital scales.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
Myers pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Picayune Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on April 16, 2021, Samual McCray, 26, was found in possession of a firearm when Jackson Police officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at an apartment. Upon arrival, officers located two firearms in the apartment that belonged to McCray. When taking McCray into custody, officers found an additional firearm in his front left pants pocket. McCray has a previous felony conviction for manslaughter and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
McCray pled guilty on July 26, 2023, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The FBI and Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Carthage Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 13 Grams of Methamphetamine and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Carthage man pled guilty to possession of 13 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in September 2023, Roby Lee Jackson, Jr., 31, possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Red Water Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Court documents revealed that Jackson also possessed two firearms at the time of his arrest. Jackson was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2024, and faces a penalty of not less than five years and a maximum of forty years in prison on the methamphetamine charge, and not less than five years and a maximum of life in prison on the firearms charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Whitney Woodruff, Regional Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Law Enforcement Partners Announce Carjacking Task Force in JacksonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – U.S. Attorney Todd Gee announced the establishment of a carjacking task force in the Jackson, Mississippi metro area to focus efforts and resources on this important public safety threat.
“The threat of being carjacked creates fear in people’s daily lives, whether in their driveway or when loading groceries at the store," said U.S. Attorney Gee. "The Department of Justice will work together with federal, state, and local law enforcement in the Jackson metro area to leverage all of our resources to investigate and prosecute carjackings.”
In keeping with the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, the task force represents a strategic enforcement priority for the department, focusing federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime.
“Our team of ATF special agents will work tirelessly with our partners in the Jackson carjacking task force to seek justice and prevent these dangerous crimes,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Carjacking is not only a deadly dangerous crime, it is a serious federal offense, carrying lengthy federal prison sentences, even for first-time offenders.”
“The Jackson Police Department will work together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners as a part of the carjacking task force in Jackson,” said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade. “We are witnessing on a regular basis the benefits of working collaboratively in order to combat crime.”
"I am proud of the collaborative effort among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and our ability to tackle crime and uphold public safety, demonstrating the power of unity and coordination in law enforcement,” said Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey. “We will utilize all branches of our law enforcement resources to ensure that every avenue of accountability is pursued, and these criminals are held accountable.”
Carjacking and other violent crime task forces have proven to be an effective part of successful violent crime reduction strategies by focusing on significant crime drivers and taking violent offenders off the streets of our communities.
The newly formed task force will be led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with state, local and other law enforcement partners, including the Jackson Police Department and the Capitol Police. Task force members will share and act promptly on information related to car thefts, carjackings and the recovery of stolen or suspect vehicles. The task forces will also collaborate on how to use federal sentencing enhancements for cases where adults use juveniles to commit carjackings, as well as working with state and local authorities to ensure the appropriate handling of juvenile suspects. The task forces will also assist state and local officials who wish to seek Justice Department grant funding for juvenile intervention and diversion resources.
Texas Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum After Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – An Edinburg, Texas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to possess with intent distribute cocaine.
Jose Humberto Gandara, 52, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to Court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2016, Jose Humberto Gandara was stopped in Gulfport while driving a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The Jetta contained almost $150,000 hidden in a concealed compartment located under the center console. Gandara initially denied any knowledge of the money. Officers then showed Gandara a pair of shoes, which they located in the hidden compartment. The officers previously cut the shoes to see if they contained a tracker. Gandara asked the officers why they cut his shoes, and when they confronted him with the fact that the shoes came from the hidden compartment, Gandara admitted to moving the money for a percentage. Gandara denied being involved with narcotics, but photographs from his phone appeared to depict bricks of cocaine.
In January of 2015, Gandara bought a different 2012 Volkswagen Jetta that was subsequently stopped at the border of Mexico/Texas. While Gandara was not driving that Jetta, the driver was an individual that Gandara had previously identified as his employee. Border Patrol agents found approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment, which matched the hidden compartment in the vehicle Gandara was driving in Gulfport.
Officers were also able to determine that in September of 2015, Gandara was stopped in Alabama with nearly $360,000. The money was divided into multiple bundles, each of which were wrapped in green plastic wrap and stuffed inside the front seats of the car Gandara was driving. Gandara again denied knowledge of the money, but the money found in the seats matched a bundle of money Gandara claimed from his duffle bag.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the $150,000 seized from Gandara in Gulfport was payment for cocaine that was interdicted in Louisiana, while bound for Moss Point, Mississippi. The evidence and testimony at trial showed that Gandara was acting on behalf of a source of supply, located in Texas, who was importing cocaine directly from Mexico and sending it on to Moss Point, Mississippi.
On January 11, 2024, after a trial, a federal jury convicted Jose Humberto Gandara of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Gandara faced a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The DEA, United States Border Patrol, Gulfport Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and Alabama’s 17th Judicial Task Force Team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts United Against Hate Program on the Gulf CoastRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – U.S. Attorney Todd Gee announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office hosted a United Against Hate community outreach program at the Morning Star Baptist Church in Gulfport.
The United Against Hate program was launched by the Justice Department to connect community groups with federal, state, and local law enforcement to increase community understanding and reporting of hate crimes; build trust between law enforcement and communities; and create and strengthen alliances between law enforcement and other government partners and community groups to combat unlawful acts of hate.
In May of 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced steps towards the Department of Justice’s enhanced efforts to combat and confront hate crimes. Attorney General Garland stated: “Hate crimes and other bias-related incidents instill fear across entire communities and undermine the principles upon which our democracy stands. All people in this country should be able to live without fear of being attacked or harassed because of where they are from, what they look like, whom they love, or how they worship.”
The United Against Hate program gives the U.S. Attorney’s Office an opportunity to connect with faith-based leaders to help effect positive change within the community. Faith-based leaders are usually the first persons contacted when individuals or families face hateful behavior. Often hate crimes and incidents go underreported, allowing offenders to continue to spread their hate, fear, and intimidation. This event assisted faith-based leaders in the Gulfport area in identifying hate crimes, understanding the importance of reporting these crimes and most importantly, discussing strategies to prevent acts of hate.
Today’s presentation, entitled “United Against Hate: Identifying, Reporting and Preventing Acts of Hate”, was led by U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mitzi Dease Paige, Glenda Haynes, Andrea Jones, Angela Givens Williams, Keesha Middleton, Shundral Cole, Jonathan Buckner, and Max Myers, along with law enforcement partners who investigate hate crimes, including agents from the FBI and a representative of the District Attorney’s office for Harrison, Hancock, and Stone Counties. At the conclusion of the program, members of the media were invited to gather outside of the church to ask any questions about the initiative. Today’s event was the second of its kind to be hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. The first program was held in Jackson in June 2023.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s United Against Hate Program can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/spotlight/united-against-hate
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s online complaint form to report allegations of civil rights violations is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/civil-division webpage. The form can be emailed [email protected] , or concerns can be shared by leaving a voice mail for our Civil Rights Division at (601) 973-2825.
Mexican National Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Unlawful Return to the United States after Removal and Unlawful Possession of a Means of IdentificationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Mexican National was sentenced to 24 months in prison for unlawful return of an alien removed after conviction for a felony and unlawful possession of a means of identification.
According to court documents, Juan Carlos Troncoso-Garrido, 53, was convicted in 1999 of possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. As a result, he was placed in removal proceedings, and subsequently removed from the United States and returned to Mexico.
At some point thereafter, Troncoso-Garrido reentered the United States without inspection and assumed the name and identity of a United States citizen. After assuming the identity, Troncoso-Garrido fraudulently applied for a Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC). This document can be used to gain access to critical infrastructure areas or sites. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Transportation Security Administration were able to intervene and apprehend Troncoso-Garrido before he received a TWIC card.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations, and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Whitmore of the Transportation Security Administration made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Transportation Security Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case.
Gulfport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute over 80 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 81.1 grams of fentanyl.
Ashton Craig Cuevas, 19, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on April 21, 2023, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search warrant on the residence of Ashton Craig Cuevas, 19, in Gulfport. The search took place the day after Harrison County conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl pills from Cuevas. The search of Cuevas’s home yielded 81.1 grams of fentanyl, as well as the pre-recorded buy money from the controlled purchase on April 20th.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
Cuevas pled guilty on August 22, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in June 2022, as part of an ongoing investigation, agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Charleston Porter, 34, in Jackson where they recovered a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Glock magazine, ammunition, and methamphetamine. Agents also found an extended handgun magazine containing ammunition.
Porter pled guilty on July 19, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Ridgeland Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hinds County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. The operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to IncestRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A man from the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians pleaded guilty in federal court to knowingly engaging in a sexual act with a member of his family.
According to court documents, in July 2021, Ronnie Reed, Sr., 52, had a sexual relationship with a family member in the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Reed was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023.
Reed is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Pascagoula Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Pascagoula man was sentenced in federal court today to 72 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Jerome Clifton Clegg, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Southern Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team received information that Jerome Clifton Clegg was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Pascagoula. In August 2023, agents began surveillance of Clegg’s residence and observed drug transactions taking place. A traffic stop conducted on one individual who purchased drugs from Clegg yielded 58 grams of methamphetamine, and a traffic stop with a second individual yielded an additional 3 grams. Based on this information, agents conducted a search of Clegg’s home which yielded additional narcotics and a handgun.
On December 4, 2023, Clegg pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Last Charged Collegiate Track Athlete Sentenced for Moving Money Overseas for Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Marietta, Georgia woman was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $74,847.52 fine and restitution in the amount of $123,116.50 for her role in an overseas fraud scheme.
Aniekeme Etim, 24, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, between 2018 and 2022, fraudsters based in Nigeria targeted men and women across the United States in romance scams, fraudulent goods scams, and military scams. The victims of the fraud schemes would be instructed to send money to individuals based in the United States, who would then transfer the money ultimately back overseas.
After investigating the money transfers, the FBI determined that Etim, Uyoyo Mercy Abire, Raymond Ekevwo, Toluwani Adebakin, Ngoni Chadyiwa, and Emmanuel Ineh, were all receiving and transferring the proceeds from the fraud schemes. At the time that they were engaged in this activity, each of the individuals were collegiate track and field athletes.
Etim and Adebakin, originally from Nigeria, were track and field athletes at William Carey University. Abire, originally from Nigeria, was a track and field athlete at Louisiana State University. Ekevwo, originally from Nigeria, was a track and field athlete at the University of Florida. Ngoni Chadyiwa, originally from Zimbabwe, was a track and field athlete at William Carey University. Finally, Emmanuel Ineh, originally from Nigeria, was a track and field athlete at William Carey University and the University of Alabama.
Ultimately, the investigation did not show that any of the athletes directly contacted any of the fraud victims. However, as a result of the fraud schemes, the athletes received funds from over 100 victims and transferred over $820,000.00 overseas.
Etim was sentenced today after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmission business. Abire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Ekevwo pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmission business and was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Adebakin pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Chadyiwa pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmission business and was sentenced to three years of probation. Ineh pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced to time served and 3 years of supervised release.
Additionally, as part of their sentence, all of the defendants were ordered to pay restitution to the victims from whom they personally received funds. Each of the defendants also remain subject to potential deportation and/or removal.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement..
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Buckner and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Eichner prosecuted the case.
DOJ Releases New “Overview of the Department of Justice Grant Process” to Aid Applicants of GrantsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released a new document entitled “An Overview of the Department of Justice Grant Process” that provides a short, useable summary of the DOJ grant opportunities for fiscal year (FY) 2024 to assist law enforcement agencies, local governments, and other organizations interested in applying for DOJ grants.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for law enforcement agencies, local governments, community organizations, and others to apply for Department of Justice grants that can be used to help fight crime and improve lives in Mississippi,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi.
The 5-page document is available on the public website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/grant-information.
Durant Man Sentenced to 44 Months in Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Durant man was sentenced to 44 months in federal prison for bank robbery. He was also ordered to pay $6,506.00 in restitution to the bank.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Curtis Lee Williams, 22, robbed a Durant bank on July 7, 2022. The same day, one of the $50 bait bills from the bank was used to purchase three firearms from a pawn shop in Kosciusko. An arrest was made in Durant later that day following a traffic stop.
Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2023, and pleaded guilty on December 21, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Durant Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
Waveland Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 167 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Waveland man was sentenced to 87 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 167 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Lance Ali Vaughn, 41, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, law enforcement officials received information that Vaughn was selling methamphetamine in Hancock County. Agents set up a controlled purchase and when Vaughn arrived at the predetermined location for the drug buy, agents conducted a K9 sniff of his vehicle. The K9 alerted to drugs in the vehicle and a subsequent search yielded 167 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.
Vaughn pled guilty on December 6, 2023, to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.
Fourteenth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Prison Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A fourteenth defendant pled guilty today in federal court for his role in a prison drug conspiracy.
Trae Short, 39, pled guilty to conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by conspiring to introduce contraband into a federal prison.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, in 2018, agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency received information from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that drug laced letters and greeting cards were being sent to inmates in BOP from the Southern District of Mississippi. The drug laced letters and cards were intercepted at prisons in Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
DEA and BOP officials were able to determine that inmates were ordering the drug laced letters and cards from Johnson Tran, 46, via prison email accounts and jail calls. The inmates would typically order the drugs using coded language. The letters or greeting cards were laced with FUB-AMB and 5F-MDMB-PICA, which are Schedule I controlled substances and synthetic cannabinoids. Many of the letters and greeting cards were sent through the postal service in Gulfport. Tran’s base of operation was located in Harrison County, Mississippi.
Agents were also able to determine that Tran would ultimately receive payment for the drugs that he sent into prison via U.S. Department of Treasury checks drawn from the inmate’s prison accounts and/or peer-to-peer money transfers from associates or family members of the inmates. When Tran’s associates would receive funds on Tran’s behalf, Tran would give them a portion of the funds they received as payment for their services.
On April 18, 2023, twenty defendants were initially charged as part of the prison drug and money laundering ring. Johnson Tran and fourteen of the defendants have now pleaded guilty. Tran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. William Hernandez and Chaze Lowery pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and they each face a maximum of 20 years in prison. Ryan Schmittaur pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Defendants Jorge Pena, Bobby Huneycutt, Clarence Plato, Ryan Douglas, Bryan Simmons, Salomon Alaya, Stanley Spriggs, Corderius Trammell, and Jonathan Estrada have all pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by conspiring to introduce contraband to a federal prison. They each face a maximum of five years in prison.
Four remaining defendants are scheduled for trial in June 2024. A fifth defendant has been arrested, and is scheduled to appear on April 9, 2024, in the Southern District of Mississippi; and a sixth defendant has indicated that he intends to plead guilty and is awaiting his change of plea hearing.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Prisons, is investigating the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Buckner.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Picayune Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Picayune man was sentenced to 159 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Corrie Montrell Hinton, 46, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, in 2015, an investigation began into a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Picayune, Mississippi. In 2019, DEA agents in Imperial County California along with DEA agents in Gulfport conducted an undercover purchase of five pounds of methamphetamine and arrested two drug traffickers in Riverside County California. One of those traffickers was identified as a source of supply for a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in Picayune. Cellphones belonging to one of the traffickers yielded communication between a trafficker and Corrie Montrell Hinton involving drug transactions, parcels, and account numbers for money transfers.
Hinton pled guilty on October 4, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Justice Department to Provide Technical Assistance Related to Next-of-Kin Death Notifications to the Jackson, Mississippi, Police Department and Hinds County Coroner’s OfficeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will provide technical assistance to the Jackson Police Department (JPD) in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office in Hinds County, Mississippi, concerning their policies and procedures related to next-of-kin death notifications.
The department is providing this technical assistance to JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance. The lack of timely next-of-kin death notifications resulted in deceased individuals receiving pauper’s burials in unmarked graves in Hinds County, and some reports have indicated that there may be a perception that race or other factors played a role in the process concerning next-of-kin death notifications.
“Families want and deserve transparency and the opportunity to make decisions about their loved ones’ burials,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through technical assistance, we aim to ensure that officials are able to deliver death notifications and make decisions regarding burials in a timely and trauma-informed way that complies with federal civil rights law.”
“The department looks forward to working with city and county officials to improve the death notification system in the Jackson area so that the families of missing and deceased persons can receive all the information available about their loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi.
The technical assistance, which will be provided by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, will examine JPD’s General Order on Missing Persons and new General Order on Death Notifications and provide recommendations on implementation and training. The technical assistance to the Hinds County Coroner’s Office will provide recommendations on policies and training related to locating next-of-kin.
The provision of technical assistance is not a finding of fault or wrongdoing by JPD, the Hinds County Coroner’s Office or any other individual or entity. JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office voluntarily agreed to receive technical assistance and support from the department.
Under Title VI, the department is working to make sure that law enforcement agencies and other recipients of federal funding take affirmative steps to comply with their civil rights obligations by offering technical assistance to facilitate Title VI compliance. Technical assistance helps agencies update and/or enhance their policies and practices, while strengthening the connection between law enforcement agencies and communities of color and other stakeholders. For example, the department has provided technical assistance through its Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative, a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in meeting their obligations to provide meaningful language assistance to limited English proficient individuals.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department to Provide Technical Assistance Related to Next-of-Kin Death Notifications to the Jackson, Mississippi, Police Department and Hinds County Coroner’s OfficeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will provide technical assistance to the Jackson Police Department (JPD) in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office in Hinds County, Mississippi, concerning their policies and procedures related to next-of-kin death notifications.
The department is providing this technical assistance to JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance. The lack of timely next-of-kin death notifications resulted in deceased individuals receiving pauper’s burials in unmarked graves in Hinds County, and some reports have indicated that there may be a perception that race or other factors played a role in the process concerning next-of-kin death notifications.
“Families want and deserve transparency and the opportunity to make decisions about their loved ones’ burials,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through technical assistance, we aim to ensure that officials are able to deliver death notifications and make decisions regarding burials in a timely and trauma-informed way that complies with federal civil rights law.”
“The department looks forward to working with city and county officials to improve the death notification system in the Jackson area so that the families of missing and deceased persons can receive all the information available about their loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi.
The technical assistance, which will be provided by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, will examine JPD’s General Order on Missing Persons and new General Order on Death Notifications and provide recommendations on implementation and training. The technical assistance to the Hinds County Coroner’s Office will provide recommendations on policies and training related to locating next-of-kin.
The provision of technical assistance is not a finding of fault or wrongdoing by JPD, the Hinds County Coroner’s Office or any other individual or entity. JPD and the Hinds County Coroner’s Office voluntarily agreed to receive technical assistance and support from the department.
Under Title VI, the department is working to make sure that law enforcement agencies and other recipients of federal funding take affirmative steps to comply with their civil rights obligations by offering technical assistance to facilitate Title VI compliance. Technical assistance helps agencies update and/or enhance their policies and practices, while strengthening the connection between law enforcement agencies and communities of color and other stakeholders. For example, the department has provided technical assistance through its Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative, a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in meeting their obligations to provide meaningful language assistance to limited English proficient individuals.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
El Departamento de Justicia proporcionará asistencia técnica relacionada con las notificaciones de muerte al pariente más cercano a la Policía de Jackson, Mississippi, y la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de HindsRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que proporcionará asistencia técnica a la Policía de Jackson (JPD, por sus siglas en inglés) en Jackson, Mississippi, y a la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds en el Condado de Hinds, Mississippi, con respecto a sus políticas y procedimientos relacionados con las notificaciones de muerte al pariente más cercano.
El Departamento está proporcionando esta asistencia técnica a la JPD y a la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds de conformidad con el Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI), que prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel u origen nacional en programas que reciben apoyo financiero federal. El resultado de la falta de notificaciones oportunas de muerte al pariente más cercano es que personas fallecidas han sido enterrados como indigentes en fosas no señaladas en el Condado de Hinds, y algunos informes han indicado que puede haber una percepción de que la raza u otros factores han desempeñado un papel en el proceso con respecto a las notificaciones de muerte al pariente más cercano.
«Las familias quieren y merecen transparencia y la oportunidad de tomar decisiones sobre los entierros de sus seres queridos», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «A través de la asistencia técnica, nuestro objetivo es garantizar que los funcionarios puedan entregar notificaciones de muerte y tomar decisiones sobre enterramientos de una manera oportuna y sensible al trauma que cumpla con las leyes federales de derechos civiles».
«El Departamento espera trabajar con los funcionarios municipales y del condado para mejorar el sistema de notificación de muertes en el área de Jackson para que las familias de personas desaparecidas y fallecidas puedan recibir toda la información disponible sobre sus seres queridos», comentó Todd Gee, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Sur de Mississippi.
La asistencia técnica, que será proporcionada por la División de Derechos Civiles y la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Mississippi, examinará la Orden General de la JPD sobre Personas Desaparecidas y la nueva Orden General sobre Notificaciones de Muerte y proporcionará recomendaciones sobre la implementación y capacitación. La asistencia técnica a la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds proporcionará recomendaciones sobre políticas y capacitación relacionadas con la localización de familiares más cercanos.
La prestación de asistencia técnica no es un hallazgo de culpa o conducta indebida por parte de la JPD, la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds o cualquier otra persona o entidad. La JPD y la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Hinds acordaron voluntariamente recibir asistencia técnica y apoyo del Departamento.
En virtud del Título VI, el Departamento está trabajando para asegurarse de que las agencias de aplicación de la ley y otros beneficiarios de fondos federales tomen medidas afirmativas para cumplir con sus obligaciones de derechos civiles al ofrecer asistencia técnica para facilitar el cumplimiento con el Título VI. La asistencia técnica ayuda a las agencias a actualizar o mejorar sus políticas y prácticas, a la vez que fortalece la conexión entre las agencias de aplicación de la ley y las comunidades de color y otras partes interesadas. Por ejemplo, el Departamento ha proporcionado asistencia técnica a través de su Iniciativa de Acceso Lingüístico de las Fuerzas del Orden Público, un esfuerzo a nivel nacional para ayudar a las agencias de aplicación de la ley a cumplir con sus obligaciones de proporcionar asistencia lingüística significativa a personas con un dominio limitado del inglés.
Hay más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt.
Pascagoula Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Pascagoula, Mississippi man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 55.3 grams of methamphetamine.
Timothy Harper, 42, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on October 24, 2023, a clear plastic bag containing suspected methamphetamine was purchased from Timothy Harper in Pascagoula. A subsequent laboratory test of the substance confirmed that Harper sold 55.3 grams of methamphetamine at 98% purity.
Harper pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith is prosecuting the case.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Teson Kuran Daniel, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Teson Kuran Daniel. Inside the residence, agents found methamphetamine, cocaine, and two scales. Prior to the execution of the search warrant, Daniel sold methamphetamine and cocaine to a confidential informant on two occasions.
Daniel pled guilty on December 14, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and the Byram Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
City of Jackson to Receive Additional Assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice to Improve Investigations of Violent Crimes Committed with FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The City of Jackson, Mississippi will receive additional federal assistance to investigate violent crimes committed with firearms.
Specifically, this month the DOJ’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans Field will be deploying a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) mobile unit to Jackson that will assist law enforcement agencies in Jackson and throughout the Southern District of Mississippi with investigating crimes committed with firearms. Members of the media were invited to observe a demonstration of the mobile unit in Jackson today.
Additionally, DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded a $675,000 grant to Jackson in 2022 as part of ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative. This grant, which will be spent over several years, is being used to improve Jackson’s access to NIBIN to investigate the use of firearms in multiple shootings and provide other tools to improve investigations of violent crimes committed with firearms.
NIBIN is a database of bullet casings recovered from crime scenes across the United States. Used casings have distinctive markings from the gun they were fired from, similar to a fingerprint. Investigators can check the database to see if the casings recovered from a crime scene were fired from a gun that may have been used in another crime. Through the database, one weapon could theoretically be linked to crimes across several cities and states. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. ATF maintains and operates NIBIN’s infrastructure at no charge to law enforcement partners.
More information about ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers can be found here: https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-crime-gun-intelligence-centers-cgic.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Special Agent in Charge Joshua E. Jackson of the ATF, Chief Joseph Wade of the Jackson Police Department, and Chief Bo Luckey of the Capitol Police made the announcement.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Compton, California man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to court documents, Booker Washington, 52, was identified as being a member of a drug-trafficking organization in California that was sending packages of narcotics to Mississippi dating back to 2019. The investigation yielded 5,766 grams of pure methamphetamine, 236 grams of fentanyl, 84.2 grams of cocaine, and 7.8 kilograms of marijuana that were shipped to the Gulf Coast.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
Washington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Surge of Resources to Fight Violent Crime in Three Additional CitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that the Justice Department is adding three new cities to its Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), building on the successful model launched in Houston, Texas, in September 2022, and expanded to Memphis, Tennessee, in November 2023. The VCI surges law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups that are threatening the safety and security of communities in cities across the nation.
As the Attorney General noted in his remarks this morning in Chicago, today’s announcement comes as the Justice Department is working to replicate the successes that communities across the country have seen in driving down the violent crime that spiked during the pandemic. That includes cities like Detroit, where 2023 marked the fewest homicides in 57 years; Baltimore, where there was a 20% reduction in homicides in 2023 and a 7% reduction in non-fatal shootings; New Orleans, where 2023 marked a 25% decline in homicides; Philadelphia, where there was a 20% reduction in homicides in 2023; and Chicago, where homicides decreased by 13% in 2023.
“The Justice Department will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community is safe from violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The FBI reports that last year we saw a significant decrease in overall violent crime across the country compared to the previous year—including an over 13% decline in homicides. That is the largest one-year decline in homicides in 50 years. The Justice Department is not easing up on our efforts to reduce violent crime. In fact, today, we are doubling down. In Houston and Memphis, we launched a Violent Crime Initiative that brought prosecutors from the Department’s Criminal Division to work closely with prosecutors already on the ground to target those responsible for the greatest violence. Today, we are launching the next phase of our Violent Crime Initiative in St. Louis, Missouri; Jackson, Mississippi; and Hartford, Connecticut.”
“No matter where violent crime occurs, it leaves a devastating impact on victims and communities,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, as part of the Violent Crime Initiative, is renewing our focus on violent crime in three additional cities and surging tools and resources to make our streets safer. Every day, our field offices work to tear down violent criminals and gangs and this initiative will only serve to magnify their successes.”
“Violent crime demands our urgent attention,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through our Violent Crime Initiative, the Criminal Division works in partnership with local U.S. Attorneys and federal and state law enforcement to use data to focus on the worst of the worst violent offenders, to engage with the communities in which we work, and to make our neighborhoods safer. As our work in Houston and Memphis has shown, together we can make a difference.”
To focus the Justice Department’s resources on communities most in need, the Criminal Division has identified St. Louis, Missouri; Jackson, Mississippi; and Hartford, Connecticut, as the next VCI cities. The VCI utilizes prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section—the nation’s foremost experts in racketeering prosecutions—to work alongside prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, as well as dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Through the VCI, the Criminal Division also works with community leaders in each city to best understand citizens’ concerns and to work to support them. Since the start of Houston VCI, Houston saw reductions of 9% in violent crime and 20% in homicides. In Memphis, when compared to 2023, official counts of murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults have decreased since the VCI has been operational.
“We have long had a focus in the Eastern District of Missouri on violent crime and complex criminal conspiracies, and the addition of two experienced prosecutors will allow us to expand that,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “We look forward to working with them to make the St. Louis region safer.”
“As a resident of Jackson, I know it is a great place to live and work, but it also suffers from violent crime that is largely driven by a small number of violent individuals and gangs,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “I am excited to have experts from the Justice Department join with federal, state, and local law enforcement here in Jackson to help us investigate and prosecute these sources of violent crime.”
“This office and our federal law enforcement partners have a long and successful history of working with the Hartford Police Department and our state counterparts to make our capital city safer,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “We welcome these additional Justice Department resources, which supplement our efforts to focus on the groups and individuals in Hartford that are chiefly responsible for Hartford’s gun violence and prosecute offenders to the full extent of federal law.”
“With crime rates down in so many places in 2023, now is not the time to back off. Now is the time to double and triple down on strategies that have been shown to work,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “ATF’s expertise in Crime Gun Intelligence allows our agents—and our law enforcement partners—to follow the crime gun. This leads to more impactful arrests both of those who are actually doing the shooting and those unlawfully supplying the shooters with their guns. By combining this intelligence and data with traditional techniques, ATF produces evidence-driven cases on the most dangerous offenders. We are proud to work with all our partners on this important initiative in cities around the country.”
“Drug-related crimes and violence continue to have a significant impact on our communities and demand a new approach,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Two years ago, DEA implemented Operation Overdrive, a data-driven, intelligence led approach to identifying and dismantling criminal drug networks doing the most harm in communities, including in St. Louis, Missouri; Hartford, Connecticut; and Jackson, Mississippi. This approach allows us to map the threats and shift our resources so that our drug enforcement efforts will have the greatest impact in our communities. Expanding the Violent Crime Initiative further extends our potential to successfully investigate and prosecute criminals by harnessing the full potential of state, local, and federal partnerships.”
Jackson Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon While Firing at Officers During a High-Speed PursuitRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon while firing at officers during a high-speed pursuit.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2021, Jerry Shannon McAlister, 47, failed to yield when officers with the Clinton Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle he was driving. This led to a high-speed pursuit into the city of Jackson with McAlister firing shots at an officer during the pursuit. McAlister has previous felony convictions, including a conviction for statutory rape. It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess any firearm.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The ATF and Clinton Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Pascagoula Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Pascagoula man pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Kiiyas Lett, 32, was pulled over in a traffic stop on September 5, 2023, in Jackson County, Mississippi. Agents obtained verbal consent to search the vehicle. They located and seized a Ruger LCP .380 handgun, found between the driver’s seat and the center console. Lett was previously convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Lott will be sentenced on July 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Pascagoula Police Department, and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.
Tucker Man Pleads Guilty to Enticement of a Minor on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - A Tucker man pleaded guilty in federal court today to enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, Antonio Deron Wallace, 35, used Facebook Messenger to entice a minor to meet him for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. Court records show that the offense occurred in the Tucker Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation in 2019.
In 2021, Wallace was indicted by a federal grand jury for enticement of a minor.
Wallace is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2024, and faces not less than ten years and up to life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Bay St. Louis Woman Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Bay St. Louis woman was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 pills containing fentanyl.
Emma Kate Stoute, 19, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on August 29, 2023, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration followed up on a written complaint alleging drug trafficking at the Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Agents surveilled the motel and narrowed down the suspected parties and rooms. Agents observed a red Toyota Camry arrive at the hotel to pick up two of the individuals suspected of selling drugs. Agents followed the vehicle across state lines and observed the occupants of the vehicle participate in what appeared to be a drug transaction in Louisiana. After the transaction, agents followed the Camry back into Mississippi and conducted a traffic stop. Stoute was one of the occupants of the vehicle and was in possession of 50 pills containing fentanyl. A subsequent search of Stoute’s cell phone confirmed that she was trafficking fentanyl pills.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.
On November 27, 2023, Stoute pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.
Six Former Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Sentenced for Torturing and Abusing Two Black MenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers were sentenced this week for torturing and abusing two Black men in Rankin County, Mississippi.
Senior District Judge Tom Lee sentenced the defendants to terms in prison ranging from 10 to 40 years.
- Christian Dedmon, 29, former Narcotics Investigator of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
- Brett McAlpin, 53, former RCSO Chief Investigator, was sentenced to 27.25 years in prison.
- Hunter Elward, 31, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- Jeffrey Middleton, 46, former RCSO Lieutenant, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Daniel Opdyke, 28, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Joshua Hartfield, 32, former Narcotics Investigator for the Richland Police Department, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
“The depravity of the crimes committed by these defendants cannot be overstated, and they will now spend between 10 and 40 years in prison for their heinous attack on citizens they had sworn to protect,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These defendants kicked in the door of a home where two Black men were residing, handcuffed and arrested them without probable cause, called them racial slurs, and punched, kicked, tased, and assaulted them. After one of the defendants fired his gun in the mouth of one of the victims, breaking his jaw, the defendants gathered outside to come up with a cover story as the victim lay bleeding on the floor. Officers who violate constitutional rights will be held accountable by the Justice Department for their crimes that harm individual victims and betray the trust of entire communities. I am grateful to the Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the FBI Jackson Field Office, and our state partners for their outstanding work bringing these defendants to justice.”
“It is hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by the defendants in this case,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “But it is also hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims. As the result of the bureau’s color-of-law investigation, which we worked in collaboration with our federal and state partners, all six pleaded guilty last August and will serve lengthy sentences for their crimes.”
“By holding these officers accountable, we are sending a clear message that law enforcement abuse of Black people, or any American, will not be tolerated in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These six white law enforcement officers sought to dehumanize two innocent Black men through cruel, violent, and lawless abuse. The defendants didn’t count on the victims’ courage to come forward and tell the truth or the justice system to hold them accountable. The court imposed severe sentences reflecting the defendants’ savagery, including the longest federal sentence in recent years for a civil rights police misconduct case. Justice demands accountability, especially when the defendants’ actions not only scarred the victims physically and emotionally, but also harmed the entire community, stripping away their sense of security, corroding trust and respect for the police.”
“We expect our law enforcement officers to take seriously their oath to be our protectors, but these defendants instead chose to be predators on a hate-fueled power trip,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Rather than serving Mississippi, the defendants treated it as a place where they could assault, intimidate, torture, and frame their victims at will. These violations of civil rights should serve as a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do in Mississippi and this nation to ensure that law enforcement officers are properly hired, trained, equipped, supervised, and held accountable for their actions.”
“We hold positions of trust and serve as stewards of authority for the community. Color of law violations are harmful to the victims, to the American people, and to the law enforcement community across the globe,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “These six individuals violated their oaths and disgraced other law enforcement officers that carry their duties with pride and honor. We will continue to execute our duties to the highest level of ethical and moral values. We will continue to work with our community partners to rebuild and strengthen the partnership and trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains steadfast in aggressively investigating and bringing those who misuse their authority to justice.”
“The six officers who committed these heinous acts caused more than physical harm to these two individual victims; they severed the vital trust between law enforcement and the people they pledge to protect,” said Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “This abuse of power will not be tolerated. I am proud of this joint effort and shared commitment across agencies to pursue truth and justice for these victims. It is my hope and prayer that we can help these victims on their healing journey, and we can restore confidence in our criminal justice system.”
“The sentencing of the six former officers who violated their oath of office proves the effectiveness of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. “As we move forward, we should all work together creating new policies and oversights to help prevent these types of incidents in the future. Thank you to all parties involved for their diligent work in ensuring that justice was served for the victims.”
Last year, the six defendants pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with a total of 13 felony offenses, including civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice.
According to court documents and the plea hearings, the defendants admitted that on Jan. 24, 2023, Dedmon sent a group message to Middleton, Elward, and Opdyke, three members of the “Goon Squad,” orchestrating a “mission” to forcibly enter a home in Braxton, Rankin County, Mississippi, where two Black men, M.J. and E.P., were residing. “The Goon Squad” is a group of RCSO officers who were known for using excessive force and not reporting it. Dedmon warned the officers that there might be surveillance cameras at the house, and told them “no bad mugshots”, meaning that the officers should use excessive force, but they should make sure not to leave any marks that would be captured in a mugshot.
Upon arrival at the home, the defendants kicked in the door and entered the home without a warrant or any exigent circumstances. The defendants handcuffed and arrested the men without probable cause to believe they had committed any crime, called them racial slurs, and warned them to stay out of Rankin County. Dedmon fired his gun twice to intimidate the men. Further, the defendants punched and kicked the men; tased them 17 times; held them down and poured liquids on their faces, forcing them to involuntarily ingest these liquids; threw eggs at them and assaulted them with a dildo. McAlpin, the senior officer on the scene, failed to intervene to stop the torture or abuse and stole property while the incident occurred.
At the conclusion of the incident, Elward surreptitiously removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun, forced the gun into M.J.’s mouth, and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire. Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.’s tongue, broke his jaw, and exited out of his neck.
As M.J. was bleeding on the floor, the defendants did not provide medical aid, but instead gathered outside the home to devise a false cover story and took steps to corroborate it by planting a BB gun on M.J.; destroying surveillance video, a spent shell casing, and taser cartridges; submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab; filing false reports; charging M.J. with crimes he did not commit; making false statements to investigators; and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story.
For several of the defendants, the incident with M.J. and E.P. was not their first-time abusing Rankin County residents. During a separate incident on Dec. 4, 2022, Dedmon beat and tased a white man and fired a gun near his head to coerce a confession, while Elward and Opdyke failed to intervene. Dedmon then sexually assaulted the man. In connection with that incident, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke each also pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with three additional federal felony offenses, including deprivation of rights under color of law and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the federal case. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the state case.
Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi for the federal matter, prosecuted the case.
Six Former Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Sentenced for Torturing and Abusing Two Black MenRead the Press Release
Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers were sentenced this week for torturing and abusing two Black men in Rankin County, Mississippi.
Senior District Judge Tom Lee sentenced the defendants to terms in prison ranging from 10 to 40 years.
- Christian Dedmon, 29, former Narcotics Investigator of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
- Brett McAlpin, 53, former RCSO Chief Investigator, was sentenced to 27.25 years in prison.
- Hunter Elward, 31, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- Jeffrey Middleton, 46, former RCSO Lieutenant, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Daniel Opdyke, 28, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
- Joshua Hartfield, 32, former Narcotics Investigator for the Richland Police Department, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
“The depravity of the crimes committed by these defendants cannot be overstated, and they will now spend between 10 and 40 years in prison for their heinous attack on citizens they had sworn to protect,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These defendants kicked in the door of a home where two Black men were residing, handcuffed and arrested them without probable cause, called them racial slurs, and punched, kicked, tased, and assaulted them. After one of the defendants fired his gun in the mouth of one of the victims, breaking his jaw, the defendants gathered outside to come up with a cover story as the victim lay bleeding on the floor. Officers who violate constitutional rights will be held accountable by the Justice Department for their crimes that harm individual victims and betray the trust of entire communities. I am grateful to the Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the FBI Jackson Field Office, and our state partners for their outstanding work bringing these defendants to justice.”
“It is hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by the defendants in this case,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “But it is also hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims. As the result of the bureau’s color-of-law investigation, which we worked in collaboration with our federal and state partners, all six pleaded guilty last August and will serve lengthy sentences for their crimes.”
“By holding these officers accountable, we are sending a clear message that law enforcement abuse of Black people, or any American, will not be tolerated in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These six white law enforcement officers sought to dehumanize two innocent Black men through cruel, violent, and lawless abuse. The defendants didn’t count on the victims’ courage to come forward and tell the truth or the justice system to hold them accountable. The court imposed severe sentences reflecting the defendants’ savagery, including the longest federal sentence in recent years for a civil rights police misconduct case. Justice demands accountability, especially when the defendants’ actions not only scarred the victims physically and emotionally, but also harmed the entire community, stripping away their sense of security, corroding trust and respect for the police.”
“We expect our law enforcement officers to take seriously their oath to be our protectors, but these defendants instead chose to be predators on a hate-fueled power trip,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Rather than serving Mississippi, the defendants treated it as a place where they could assault, intimidate, torture, and frame their victims at will. These violations of civil rights should serve as a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do in Mississippi and this nation to ensure that law enforcement officers are properly hired, trained, equipped, supervised, and held accountable for their actions.”
“We hold positions of trust and serve as stewards of authority for the community. Color of law violations are harmful to the victims, to the American people, and to the law enforcement community across the globe,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “These six individuals violated their oaths and disgraced other law enforcement officers that carry their duties with pride and honor. We will continue to execute our duties to the highest level of ethical and moral values. We will continue to work with our community partners to rebuild and strengthen the partnership and trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains steadfast in aggressively investigating and bringing those who misuse their authority to justice.”
“The six officers who committed these heinous acts caused more than physical harm to these two individual victims; they severed the vital trust between law enforcement and the people they pledge to protect,” said Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “This abuse of power will not be tolerated. I am proud of this joint effort and shared commitment across agencies to pursue truth and justice for these victims. It is my hope and prayer that we can help these victims on their healing journey, and we can restore confidence in our criminal justice system.”
“The sentencing of the six former officers who violated their oath of office proves the effectiveness of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. “As we move forward, we should all work together creating new policies and oversights to help prevent these types of incidents in the future. Thank you to all parties involved for their diligent work in ensuring that justice was served for the victims.”
Last year, the six defendants pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with a total of 13 felony offenses, including civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice.
According to court documents and the plea hearings, the defendants admitted that on Jan. 24, 2023, Dedmon sent a group message to Middleton, Elward, and Opdyke, three members of the “Goon Squad,” orchestrating a “mission” to forcibly enter a home in Braxton, Rankin County, Mississippi, where two Black men, M.J. and E.P., were residing. “The Goon Squad” is a group of RCSO officers who were known for using excessive force and not reporting it. Dedmon warned the officers that there might be surveillance cameras at the house, and told them “no bad mugshots”, meaning that the officers should use excessive force, but they should make sure not to leave any marks that would be captured in a mugshot.
Upon arrival at the home, the defendants kicked in the door and entered the home without a warrant or any exigent circumstances. The defendants handcuffed and arrested the men without probable cause to believe they had committed any crime, called them racial slurs, and warned them to stay out of Rankin County. Dedmon fired his gun twice to intimidate the men. Further, the defendants punched and kicked the men; tased them 17 times; held them down and poured liquids on their faces, forcing them to involuntarily ingest these liquids; threw eggs at them and assaulted them with a dildo. McAlpin, the senior officer on the scene, failed to intervene to stop the torture or abuse and stole property while the incident occurred.
At the conclusion of the incident, Elward surreptitiously removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun, forced the gun into M.J.’s mouth, and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire. Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.’s tongue, broke his jaw, and exited out of his neck.
As M.J. was bleeding on the floor, the defendants did not provide medical aid, but instead gathered outside the home to devise a false cover story and took steps to corroborate it by planting a BB gun on M.J.; destroying surveillance video, a spent shell casing, and taser cartridges; submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab; filing false reports; charging M.J. with crimes he did not commit; making false statements to investigators; and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story.
For several of the defendants, the incident with M.J. and E.P. was not their first-time abusing Rankin County residents. During a separate incident on Dec. 4, 2022, Dedmon beat and tased a white man and fired a gun near his head to coerce a confession, while Elward and Opdyke failed to intervene. Dedmon then sexually assaulted the man. In connection with that incident, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke each also pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with three additional federal felony offenses, including deprivation of rights under color of law and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the federal case. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the state case.
Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi for the federal matter, prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Cameron Antonious Lee, 27, was found in possession of a firearm by MBN Agents and Capitol Police Officers at a driver’s license checkpoint during a crime suppression operation in Jackson involving multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Lee was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Lee is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty today to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Marcus Allen Brown, 44, was found with a firearm after Jackson Police responded to a reported disturbance at an apartment complex. Brown has multiple previous felony convictions for burglaries of homes and businesses.
Brown will be sentenced on July 8, 2024. Because of Brown’s prior felony convictions, he may be subject to the Armed Career Criminal Act, in which case he will face a minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the ATF and the Jackson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mississippi Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison in False Tax Return ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Mississippi man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for conspiring to prepare and file false tax returns for clients in Jackson, Mississippi, and for preparing false returns.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Christopher Randell worked at Sunbelt Tax Services and conspired with others to claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false education credits, itemized deductions and business profits or losses on their clients’ tax returns. Over the years, Randell and his co-conspirators prepared thousands of fraudulent returns, causing over $3.5 million in tax loss to the IRS. A jury convicted Randell and his co-conspirators in November 2023.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III for the Southern District of Mississippi ordered Randell to serve three years of supervised release, and to pay restitution to the United States, in an amount to be determined later by the Court.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell, Zachary Cobb and Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.