Western District of North Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Results of Three-Month Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Surge: 56 Defendants Charged, 254+ Kilograms of Drugs Seized, 110 Illegal Firearms Recovered, and 157 Fugitives ApprehendedRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, a coordinated three-month multi-jurisdictional enforcement surge that resulted in 56 defendants charged federally, over 254 kilograms of drugs seized including more than 22 kilograms of fentanyl, 110 illegal firearms recovered, and 157 fugitives apprehended on state and federal charges throughout the region.
The operation targeted violent offenders, drug traffickers, armed felons, and fugitives responsible for spreading deadly drugs, driving gun violence, and increasing crime across district and state lines.
“We usually see increased violent crime and drug crimes during the summer – this operation was meant to get ahead of that and get the worst offenders off the streets before they can recruit others to their life of street crime this summer,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We all know criminals don’t respect district or state lines, and that is why this coordinated effort involved multiple agencies in North and South Carolina. We wanted to make clear you cannot commit a crime in North Carolina and escape across the state line to avoid getting caught.”
Federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (USMS CRFTF) worked in coordination with state and local law enforcement in North Carolina and South Carolina to identify, investigate, and apprehend individuals trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous drugs, illegally possessing firearms, and committing violent crimes impacting communities throughout the region. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also coordinated closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina, which participated in the surge and brought additional federal cases in South Carolina.
“Partnerships are force multipliers,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division which overseas North and South Carolina. “Results from these investigations underscore the importance of intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement efforts in combating violent crime and drug trafficking. Today’s outcome is a testament to what can be achieved when agencies unite toward a common goal. Together, we removed dangerous narcotics and illegal firearms from the streets while bringing wanted fugitives into custody.”
“It takes a multi-faceted, multi-agency approach to successfully fight violent crime,” said Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF in North and South Carolina. “Through resource and intelligence sharing, investigative capabilities, and an unwavering commitment to uphold the law, ATF and our law enforcement partners are identifying dangerous offenders, disrupting criminal organizations, and making our communities safer.”
“People willing to commit violent crimes don’t care about city and county lines. These partnerships allow us to extend our reach, share intelligence in real time, and target threats at every level. There is no revolving door or parole in the federal justice system, instead there are real consequences for violent repeat offenders. The FBI will do everything we can to support our federal, state, and local partners to hold violent criminals accountable,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge.
“HSI will use every tool and resource at our disposal to dismantle criminal networks and protect the people we serve. Whether it’s drug traffickers, violent offenders, or fugitives, crime has no safe haven in North or South Carolina. If you bring crime to our communities, we will bring the full strength of our partnerships to your door,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North and South Carolina. “We are grateful for the dedication and teamwork of our federal, state, and local partners—together, we are making our communities safer and stronger.”
“The success of this unique operation is a direct result of outstanding interagency cooperation,” stated Jamaal Thompson, Commander of the United States Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force. “By working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, we were able to arrest some of the most dangerous individuals in our community safely and effectively. Through collaborative efforts such as Operation Spring Cleaning, and with a shared commitment to public safety, our communities are safer.”
“Operation Spring Cleaning highlights the power of collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement partners,” said CMPD Chief Estella D. Patterson. “Many of the cases announced today began with CMPD officers making contacts at the street level and identifying criminal activity in our neighborhoods. I am proud of our officers, who continue to be the boots on the ground and are often the first link in investigations that lead to the removal of illegal firearms, drug traffickers, and violent offenders from our community. Together, we are making Charlotte safer.”
Operation Spring Cleaning led to significant enforcement results:
Federal defendants charged in connection with the enforcement surge face charges for drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, armed robbery, and other violent offenses.
Operation Spring Cleaning is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office ongoing violent crime reduction strategy focused on partnering with law enforcement agencies at all levels to dismantle drug networks, reduce the number of illegal guns and gun trafficking in the region, combat gun-induced violence, and identify and prosecute violent offenders who drive criminal activity across district and state lines through intelligence sharing and coordination among law enforcement agencies.
The operation also supports the Justice Department’s broader efforts of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the federal, state, and local agencies that participated in the operation, including: South Carolina U.S. Attorney Brian Stirling, the DEA, ATF, FBI, HSI, USMS CRFTF, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Anson County Sheriff’s Office, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the York County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, the Asheville Police Department, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Hickory Police Department, and the Rock Hill Police Department in South Carolina.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina is in charge of the federal prosecutions in North Carolina.
Convicted Felon Who Illegally Possessed 15 Firearms, over 1,600 Fentanyl Pills and Other Drugs Sentenced to 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon who illegally possessed 15 firearms and more than 1,600 fentanyl pills, over 800 grams of methamphetamine, and cocaine was sentenced to 22 years in prison today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. John Anthony Barreiro, 44, of Murphy, North Carolina, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
“Drug trafficking and illegal firearms and violence go hand-in-hand—and this case is proof,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “It is vitally important that we remove lethal drugs and illegal firearms from our community, and in this case we did both by securing a 22-year sentence.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, on December 4, 2023, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Barreiro’s vehicle in Murphy. Rather than heed the officer’s blue lights, Barreiro fled, and a vehicle pursuit ensued. Court documents show that while fleeing from officers, Barreiro threw a Glock 9mm pistol out of the passenger side window of the car. Later, Barreiro also threw a bag containing over 300 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl tablets, fentanyl powder, and cocaine out of the passenger side window. Both the firearm and drugs were later recovered by law enforcement.
After tossing the firearm and the drugs out of the vehicle, Barreiro pulled over and was arrested. In the vehicle and on his person, Barreiro had additional clear baggies with suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Barreiro also had $7,840 in cash, marijuana, a loaded Glock 30-round capacity magazine, and a bag containing multiple loose rounds of 9mm ammunition in the vehicle.
Later the same day, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home in Murphy where Barreiro was known to reside. Law enforcement seized 14 firearms, 1,450 fentanyl tablets, fentanyl powder, cocaine, and almost 500 grams of methamphetamine. Barreiro has prior convictions that prohibited him from possessing firearms.
On September 26, 2024, Barreiro pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He remains in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in to practice in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position reflects the partnership between the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
Five Charged Following Six-Month Drug Trafficking Investigation; U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Civil Forfeiture Action Against Hotel Allegedly Used to Facilitate Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Five individuals are facing federal drug trafficking and firearms charges following a joint investigation by the FBI and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department into alleged narcotics activity at The Garden Inn & Suites (Garden Inn) in Charlotte’s Sugar Creek corridor, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Four of the federally charged defendants were arrested during an early morning law enforcement operation, along with five additional individuals facing related state drug and firearms charges, bringing the total number of arrests to nine. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action seeking the forfeiture of the Garden Inn, alleging the property was a site of – and facilitated – significant illegal drug trafficking.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Let this be a message to hotel and business owners who knowingly put profits above the safety of the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “My office will not hesitate to seize properties that serve as hubs of crime.”
“The FBI is reducing violent crime and making our communities safer across the country, including at home in Charlotte,” said Special Agent in Charge Davis. “This federal investigation and arrest operation is a direct result of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, a force multiplier putting federal, state, and local agencies side by side, sharing intelligence in real time, and combining resources to target drug traffickers and gangs. Criminals can no longer hide behind jurisdictional lines to escape justice.”
“This hotel property has functioned as a stronghold for illicit activity, operating as a distribution hub for illegal firearms and narcotics,” said Chief Patterson. “The data tells a stark, undeniable story: in 2025, CMPD officers responded to over 240 calls for service at this single location—a staggering, nearly 20% increase compared to the year prior. I am incredibly proud of the investigative work performed by CMPD detectives and officers, as well as our federal partners. When local, state, and federal agencies align their power, we do not just disrupt criminal enterprises—we dismantle them.”
This morning, multiple law enforcement teams led by FBI agents and CMPD officers executed arrest warrants and search warrants at The Garden Inn located at 4904 Reagan Drive in Charlotte, following a six-month investigation into the distribution of fentanyl and other controlled substances in and around the hotel. Through surveillance, undercover work, controlled drug buys, and other investigative techniques, investigators charged five individuals with federal drug and gun offenses. During the investigation, law enforcement also seized fentanyl, cocaine base, and other narcotics as well as illegal firearms.
Firearms and Narcotics Seized During the Investigation
Criminal indictments against the five individuals were filed last week and unsealed today. Four of those charged were arrested this morning. They are:
- Justin Lamont Day, 29, is charged with distribution of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
- Michael Boatwright, 37, of Charlotte, is charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
- Marcus Logan, 39, of Gastonia, N.C., is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
- Naquan Smith, 43, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
A fifth individual charged via a federal criminal indictment with fentanyl distribution, cocaine base distribution, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person has not been arrested yet.
According to allegations contained in the indictments and the civil forfeiture complaint, the hotel operated as a hub for drug trafficking activity. Boatwright, Day, and others were allegedly renting rooms on the property and using the rooms and other areas in and around the hotel to store and distribute drugs. It is further alleged that other individuals, including Smith, facilitated drug trafficking and other criminal activity at the hotel.
Court documents further allege that law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of narcotics and firearms from four members of the hotel’s security team, including Logan, the head of security. The forfeiture complaint further alleges the hotel security team often had extensive criminal records and/or were previously documented gang members, who used their security jobs at the Garden Inn as cover for dealing drugs there—with some even wearing the security uniform during the drug deals.
Court documents further allege the hotel’s owner was warned about the drug use and drug trafficking on the property, yet failed to take meaningful action to stop the criminal activity despite repeated law enforcement interventions and hundreds of calls for service. Additionally, the hotel’s owner was allegedly warned of law enforcement concerns that employing security known to sell narcotics would increase the likelihood of drug use and sales on the property.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Probation Office, the North Carolina Adult Department of Corrections, the Gastonia Police Department, and the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, for their assistance with the arrests.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges and allegations contained in the filed documents are allegations only. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A registered sex offender was sentenced to 25 years in prison today for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Justin Trey Yeats, 41, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $6,000 in restitution.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court records, in April 2023, CMPD received information that an individual later identified as Yeats had distributed CSAM online. CMPD officers conducted an interview of Yeats who admitted to producing CSAM of a prepubescent female victim. Yeats also admitted to sharing the CSAM with people he met in sex-related chatrooms online, such as Reddit. Court documents further show that Yeats molested second minor victim and distributed images of that second minor victim wrapped in a towel just after exiting the shower. At the time of the offense, Yeats was a registered sex offender for a 2010 conviction of Indecency with a Child by Contact in Texas.
Yeats is in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and CMPD their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Owner of Multinational Investment Company Sentenced in $2B Fraud, Money Laundering, and Bribery SchemesRead the Press Release
Greg Lindberg, 56, of Tampa, Florida, and the founder and chairman of Eli Global LLC and owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group (GBIG) was sentenced today to a combined 12 years in prison for his role in a bribery conspiracy and multibillion-dollar fraud conspiracy that bankrupted multiple insurance companies with thousands of unpaid policyholder victims.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from at least 2016 through at least 2019, Lindberg conspired with others to defraud various insurance companies, other third parties and hundreds of thousands of insurance policyholders. Lindberg and others conspired to deceive the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) and other regulators, evaded regulatory requirements meant to protect policyholders, concealed the true financial condition of his companies and improperly used insurance company funds for his personal benefit. Lindberg and his co-conspirators caused companies he controlled in North Carolina, Bermuda, Malta, and elsewhere to invest more than $2 billion in loans and other securities with his own affiliated companies and laundered the proceeds of the scheme. Lindberg directed the scheme and personally benefitted from the fraud in part by “forgiving” more than $125 million in loans to himself from the insurance companies that he controlled. Lindberg used his ill-gotten gains to fund a lavish lifestyle, buying private jets, mansions and a 200-foot luxury yacht.
To carry out these conspiracies, Lindberg and others engaged in circular transactions among Lindberg’s web of entities using insurance company funds and misled or omitted material information from regulators, various ratings agencies, insurance companies and ultimately policyholders, regarding these transactions.
As Lindberg’s fraud and money laundering conspiracies were beginning to unravel, from April 2017 to August 2018, Lindberg and others engaged in a bribery scheme for the purpose of causing the Commissioner of Insurance of the NCDOI to take official action favorable to Lindberg’s company, GBIG. Lindberg and others gave the Commissioner millions of dollars in campaign contributions and other things of value in exchange for the removal of NCDOI’s Senior Deputy Commissioner, who was responsible for overseeing the regulation and the periodic examination of GBIG.
As a result of Lindberg’s conduct, his insurance companies, third-party entities and policyholders suffered substantial financial hardship, and multiple of his insurance companies have been placed in rehabilitation and liquidation. To date, thousands of individual policyholders and other victims are collectively still owed more than $1 billion. A special master was appointed by the court in the fraud case to assist with the restitution process and distribution of funds to victims. A separate restitution hearing will be set at a later date.
In November 2024, Lindberg pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In May 2024, Lindberg was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated both cases.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina prosecuted the fraud case. Trial Attorney William Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington for the Western District of North Carolina prosecuted the bribery case.
Traffic Stop Leads to Federal Drug and Gun Charges Against Illegal Alien from Mexico Following Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An illegal alien from Mexico is facing federal drug and gun charges following an investigation by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bryan Hernandez-Rendon, 30, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to allegations in the indictment and the criminal complaint, on December 16, 2023, officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hernandez-Rendon for a traffic violation. During the stop, Hernandez-Rendon told the officers that he did not have a driver’s license and that there was a firearm in the vehicle. The officers searched the vehicle and recovered a KAHR Arms CW40 pistol and a clear bag containing 427.1 grams of methamphetamine from the passenger side floorboard.
Hernandez-Rendon appeared in court today and he will remain in federal custody. If convicted, Hernandez-Rendon faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the drug charge and a mandatory minimum term of five years consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a maximum of life in prison on the gun offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
The charges against the defendant are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP), United States ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the North Carolina Insurance Bureau, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the Nash Count Sheriff’s Office, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick Count Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Kannapolis Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Huntersville Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Pineville Police Department, the Stallings Police Department, the Kings Mountain Police Department, the Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Anderson City Police Department, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Airport Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Summerville Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s office, the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Eden Police Department, the Piedmont Triad Internal Airport Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of North and South Carolina.
Woman Sentenced to 21+ Years in Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte woman was sentenced yesterday to 262 months in prison for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Aisha Khan, 40, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Pakistan, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release.
“It is unfathomable to me how someone can do things like this to a child,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “I am proud of my office for standing up for defenseless children who cannot stand up for themselves.”
According to court records, in 2023, HSI began an investigation into Khan after discovering evidence the defendant had produced CSAM of a minor female. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that, between October and December 2021, Khan had produced multiple images and videos depicting a prepubescent minor victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. After producing the CSAM, Khan distributed it to another individual.
On February 25, 2025, Khan pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. She is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited Homeland Security Investigations in Charlotte and Wilmington for their investigation of the case, and thanked the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Agency in Wilmington, and the Jacksonville Police Department for their assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nick J. Miller and Sara Kinlaw of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Receipt and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A recidivist sex offender previously convicted of taking indecent liberties with a child has been sentenced to seventeen-and-a-half years in prison for receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Registered sex offender James Patrick McGraw, 62, of Wadesboro, N.C., a was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release.
“We have a duty to the community to protect children from child predators, and it is one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “I have no patience for repeat child predators who have had a chance at rehabilitation and instead return to child exploitation. We will seek significant sentences in those cases.”
According to information in filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, the Wadesboro Police Department (WPD) received information that an individual, later identified as McGraw, was accessing and uploading material to his cloud storage that contained CSAM. In May 2022, McGraw was interviewed by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation regarding using the TOR network on the dark web and his phone to access CSAM. McGraw admitted to accessing CSAM and being sexually interested in girls as young as 8 years old. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at McGraw’s apartment, where they seized a laptop and an external hard drive. A forensic examination of the seized items revealed a number of CSAM files, some of which depicted infants and toddlers and children under the age of 12 being sexually abused, as well as bestiality and S&M content.
On July 2, 2025, McGraw pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and possession and access with intent to view child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained age 12. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Homeland Security Investigations, NC SBI, and the Wadesboro Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Vsoft Corporation Agrees to Pay Nearly $2.3 Million to Resolve Allegations It Improperly Obtained A PPP LoanRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that VSoft Corporation (VSoft), a banking and payment solutions provider located in Atlanta, Georgia, has agreed to pay $2,291,927.07 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by providing false information to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible.
This settlement resolves allegations that VSoft misrepresented that it was a small business with less than 300 employees on its application for a second round PPP loan of $1,259,732.00—when instead, VSoft was part of an international corporation with multiple locations worldwide, totaling well over the 300-employee limit for second round PPP loans.
This matter arose from a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. GHGH2, Inc. v. Vsoft Technologies Corporation; Case No. 3:24-cv-999 (W.D.N.C.).
The government’s investigation was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Johnson.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a Firearm Fitted with a Glock SwitchRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm fitted with a machinegun conversion device commonly known as a “Glock switch,” announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Shyheem Jaqun DuPont, 24, was ordered to serve 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
“Glock switches turn a regular gun into a machine gun. They can turn a violent act into a catastrophic act in mere seconds,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We save lives by aggressively prosecuting individuals who possess and use these illegal conversion devices.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, on February 21, 2024, CMPD officers initiated a traffic stop of DuPont’s vehicle as it parked in a parking lot. DuPont, who was in the driver’s seat, was the registered owner of the vehicle and had multiple outstanding felony arrest warrants. Court records show that DuPont reversed his car into the marked police vehicle, striking it. DuPont then drove forward before reversing again and striking the marked police vehicle a second time. As CMPD officers approached DuPont’s vehicle, they observed a firearm on the defendant’s lap. One of the officers removed the firearm, a black Glock, Model 19, 9mm semiautomatic firearm, with a 31-round capacity magazine, and a Glock switch. Elsewhere in the vehicle, the officers found a black Glock, Model 20, 10mm semiautomatic firearm, a black Springfield, Model XD-M, 10mm semi-automatic firearm, a 9mm 50-round capacity drum magazine, a Del-Ton Model DTI 15, 5.56mm semiautomatic pistol, marijuana, and a digital scale.
On April 11, 2025, DuPont pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Wiseman with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Man Pleads Guilty to “Doxxing” Home Address of United States Supreme Court JusticeRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kyle Andrew Edwards, 59, of Alexander, N.C., appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to a “doxxing” charge for posting online the home address of a United States Supreme Court Justice with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite a crime of violence against the Justice, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Doxxing” is the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the internet personal identifying information (PII), such as a home address, and other sensitive information of an individual without the person’s knowledge and consent.
Edwards pleaded guilty to knowingly making public restricted personal information, that being the home address of a Supreme Court Justice, with the intent to threaten, intimidate, and incite violence against the person or a member of the person’s family, and knowing that the restricted personal information would be used to threaten, intimidate, and facilitate the commission of a crime of violence against the Supreme Court Justice or a family member.
“Doxxing is dangerous. It exposes officials to all sorts of people that may cause harm, and that harm may be even worse than the doxxer expected or intended,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “That is why we take it seriously. Threatening or harming federal officials is not the way to change policy. If you want to change policy, get involved and go vote.”
According to information contained in documents filed as part of Edwards’ plea and the plea hearing, from April through June 2026, Edwards frequently used an online social media account that was publicly accessible to post comments critical of certain United States Supreme Court Justices. Many of the posts were threatening in nature or were responses to threatening comments made by other users. For example, on June 27, 2025, Edwards posted that the Supreme Court “must be destroyed.” Two days later, on June 29, Edwards posted that a certain Supreme Court Justice should “buy Kevlar robes.”
According to court documents, on April 8, 2025, Edwards used his social media account to post the correct home address of a United States Supreme Court Justice. On the same day, Edwards posted partial or historical information about the neighborhoods or former home addresses of two other United States Supreme Court Justices. On the day Edwards publicly disclosed the Justice’s home address, he made several threatening posts toward other Justices. For example, Edwards posted that a different Justice’s home address was unavailable online “to prevent people from assassinating him.” Edwards also posted that Justices should “think again” if they thought that “their families are safe.” Edwards also encouraged others to “start dragging the SC out by their robes,” and to turn the Justices “into charcoal.” Court documents show that Edwards posted these comments publicly on his own social media account and within conversations in which some other posters were also making similar threats.
Edwards was released on bond following the guilty plea. The statutory maximum penalty for the doxxing charge is five years in prison. Edwards’ sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case was investigated by the Supreme Court of the United States Police - Protective Intelligence Unit.
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In a separate case, on April 23, 2026, Wyatt Austin Salus, 26, of Cullowhee, N.C., was sentenced to three years of probation, after pleading guilty to making interstate threats to kill and injure United States Senator Thom Tillis. According to court records, on March 17, 2025, Salus called Senator Tillis’s office and left a message threatening to injure and kill Senator Tillis.
The FBI investigated Salus’s case with assistance from the United States Capitol Police.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is in charge of the prosecutions.
Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Having Gun in Car While Meeting with Probation OfficerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon on federal supervised release was sentenced to prison again yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. William Sedrick Rollerson, 58, of Charlotte, was sentenced to a total of 108 months in prison; 60 months in prison for violating supervised release conditions, followed by an additional and consecutive term of 48 months in prison for the new illegal possession of a firearm offense, which will all be followed by two years of supervised release.
“Supervised release exists to rehabilitate those who have served time in prison, help them reintegrate into society, and to keep a close eye on them to ensure they do not return to their life of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “It appears Mr. Rollerson very quickly returned to his life of crime, and he will therefore serve a sentence for his crime and an additional sentence for violating the conditions of his supervised release.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, Rollerson was on federal supervised release following completion of a lengthy prison term for a prior conviction in the Western District of North Carolina. Among the conditions of his supervised release, Rollerson had regular appointments at the federal probation office and was subject to drug testing. On April 24, 2025, Rollerson drove to the federal courthouse in Charlotte to meet with a federal probation officer. During the meeting, Rollerson was told he had tested positive for cocaine use. Rollerson denied using cocaine and offered various explanations about the positive drug test. Court records show that probation officers searched Rollerson’s vehicle, where they found a Taurus .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. A set of digital scales, baggies, an unknown gray powdery substance, and an additional .40 caliber magazine were also found in Rollerson’s vehicle.
On September 18, 2025, Rollerson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The U.S. Probation Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Romanian National Appears in Federal Court Following Extradition from Romania on Bank Fraud Charges Stemming from “Vishing” SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Romanian national appeared in court today to face bank fraud charges for his role in a “vishing” scheme, following his extradition from Romania, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
On November 14, 2017, a federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal indictment charging Gavril Sandu, 53, with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud. Sandu was arrested in Romania on January 9, 2026. He was extradited to the United States on April 30, 2026.
“Greed crosses borders, but so does our relentless pursuit of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Scams originating outside of our country are out of control. Wherever scammers operate – here or abroad – we will use every tool available to bring them to justice.”
“Today’s digital age provides greater opportunity to steal your identity and your money. That unfortunate reality has allowed cyber criminals to use and exploit stolen information for their own profit. The FBI remains committed to holding international cyber fraudsters accountable and ensuring there is no place they can hide, and justice has no timeline,” said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
According to allegations in the indictment, Sandu was part of a conspiracy that carried out an extensive “vishing” bank fraud scheme. “Vishing” or “voice phishing,” is a form of criminal cyber fraud that uses seemingly legitimate phone calls or voicemails to trick victims into revealing sensitive personal, financial, or login information. Cyber criminals then use this information to gain unauthorized access to victims’ financial accounts to steal funds and carry out fraudulent transactions.
According to the indictment, from May 2009 to October 2010, Sandu and his co-conspirators executed the scheme by hacking into small businesses’ Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) systems and then deploying a script to contact financial institution customers and to defraud them in providing their personal debit card and PIN numbers.
The indictment alleges that Sandu assisted in the conspiracy by obtaining victims’ debit card numbers and PINs from his co-conspirators, which he then used to make magnetic stripe cards with the victims’ fraudulently obtained debit card numbers. Sandu also allegedly operated as a money mule, traveling to ATMs to withdraw money and funds from the banks and credit union accounts of the victims of the scheme. Sandu then allegedly provided his co-conspirators with a percentage of the fraudulently obtained victims’ money and kept a portion for himself.
Sandu was placed in federal custody after the hearing. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI in Charlotte led the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI's Bucharest Law Enforcement Attaché Office, and Romanian authorities provided significant assistance in securing Sandu’s arrest and extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charlotte Company Agrees to Pay Nearly $1.2 Million to Resolve Allegations It Improperly Obtained a PPP LoanRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Okaya Shinnichi Corporation of America (Okaya), a steel tubing manufacturer located in Charlotte, has agreed to pay $1,196,421.68 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by providing false information to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today.
This settlement resolves allegations that Okaya misrepresented that it was a small business with less than 300 employees among all affiliates on its application for a second round PPP loan of $478,568.67. Instead, the lawsuit alleged, Okaya was the jointly held U.S. subsidiary of two Japanese corporations, and had multiple affiliates worldwide, totaling well over the 300-employee limit for second round PPP loans.
This matter arose from a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Okaya Shinnichi Corporation of America; W.D.N.C. Case No. 3:25-cv-232.
The government’s investigation was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Johnson.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability
Salisbury Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Salisbury, N.C., man was sentenced yesterday for distributing methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Kenta Montrice Wright, 44, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court records, law enforcement began an investigation into Wright for distributing methamphetamine in the Charlotte area. Between March and July 2025, Wright sold methamphetamine to an individual working with law enforcement twice. On July 21, 2025, Wright was arrested at his home in Salisbury. Following his arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home and vehicle, where they found more methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, two firearms, one of which was stolen, various calibers of ammunition, and other firearms accessories. During the conspiracy, Wright was responsible for the distributing more than 640 grams of methamphetamine.
Wright is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gastonia Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte was in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Lengthy Prison Sentences for Two Mexican Nationals Convicted of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation has resulted in lengthy prison sentences for two Mexican nationals for trafficking illicit drugs into Charlotte and elsewhere. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that the defendants were members of a drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Leonardo Sandoval-Ocampo, 26, of Mexico, who is illegally present in the United States, was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and distribution of methamphetamine. Gerardo Agustin Salinas-Isais, 43, who was a non-citizen legally residing in the United States, was sentenced to 135 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Both defendants will also be removed from the United States after they complete their respective prison sentences.
“We talk about cartels all the time – this case is an example of how real the threat is,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This case shows that cartels like Sinaloa are in our communities. The Homeland Security Task Force is dedicated to the complete elimination of cartels like Sinaloa, and this case is an important step in achieving that goal. These defendants will now spend more than a decade in federal prison and then be removed from the country.”
According to filed documents and court proceedings, from November 2022 through May 2023, Sandoval-Ocampo and Salinas-Isais were members of Mexico-based drug trafficking organization. During that time, Sandoval-Ocampo was a drug distributor for the organization, responsible for delivering multi-kilogram quantities of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, for further distribution locally. Over the course of the investigation, Sandoval-Ocampo made or coordinated multiple drug deliveries to investigators working in an undercover capacity. Upon his arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sandoval-Ocampo’s residence in Lexington, N.C., where they seized methamphetamine, marijuana, and firearms, including a rifle and two semi-automatic pistols. The residence of an individual Sandoval-Ocampo directed to make deliveries was also searched, resulting in the seizure of 1.8 kilograms of pills pressed with fentanyl. Based on his part in the conspiracy, Sandoval-Ocampo was held accountable for more than four kilograms of methamphetamine.
Salinas-Isais worked for the organization as a local distributor. In April 2023, Salinas-Isais distributed approximately 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. In May 2023, law enforcement stopped Salinas-Isais’s vehicle while he was traveling from Atlanta into Western North Carolina. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found a bag containing nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine and 355 grams of cocaine that Salinas-Isais possessed with the intent to distribute to others.
Sandoval-Ocampo and Salinas-Isais will remain in federal custody until they are transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
This was an investigation led by the HSTF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP), United States ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the North Carolina Insurance Bureau, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the Nash Count Sheriff’s Office, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick Count Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Kannapolis Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Huntersville Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Pineville Police Department, the Stallings Police Department, the Kings Mountain Police Department, the Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Anderson City Police Department, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Airport Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Summerville Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s office, the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Eden Police Department, the Piedmont Triad Internal Airport Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of North and South Carolina.
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Smuggling and Selling Counterfeit Native American JewelryRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A husband and wife from New Mexico appeared in federal court in Asheville today and pleaded guilty to smuggling counterfeit Native American jewelry made in Vietnam and selling it to customers in the United States as authentic, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Kiem Thanh Huynh, 60, and My Ngoc Truong, 61, pleaded guilty to misrepresentation of Indian goods in an amount greater than $1,000, in violation of the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act, and smuggling.
Meridith Stanton, Director of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the U.S. Department of the Interior, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Those who profit by passing off counterfeit goods as authentic Native American items are not just deceiving buyers, they are exploiting culture and taking income from Native American artists and their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Protecting the integrity of Native American art and heritage is vital to persevering Indian cultural traditions and economic opportunity. My office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement counterparts to investigate these cases and hold accountable anyone who seeks to profit from counterfeit Indian items.”
“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board administers and enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, a truth-in-marketing law,” said Director Stanton. “The Act is intended to rid the American Indian and Alaska Native (Indian) art and crafts marketplace of counterfeits in order to protect the economic livelihoods and cultural heritage of Indian artists and artisans and their Tribes, as well as consumers. Authentic Indian art and craftwork is a critically important tool for the passage of cultural traditions, traditional knowledge, and artistic skills from one generation to the next. Huynh and Truong’s importation in bulk of counterfeit Indian jewelry from Vietnam and subsequent wholesale of the jewelry as Navajo made is an affront to Indian cultures, economies, artists, and artisans of the Indian Tribes resident in North Carolina, and Indians nationwide. Due to the outstanding work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Indian Arts and Crafts Act Investigative Unit, the perpetrators are being held accountable, and the message is clear. For those selling counterfeit Indian art it is important to know that wherever you are we will diligently work to find you and hold you accountable.”
“By smuggling and falsely marketing imported goods as authentic Native American handicrafts, Hyunh and Truong undermined the livelihoods and cultural traditions of Native American artists and took advantage of customers,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “The Indian Arts and Crafts Act exists to protect Native artists, their work, and the generations of tradition behind it. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proud to work with the Department of Justice and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board to investigate these violations, and today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to protecting consumers, standing with tribal communities, and holding accountable those who exploit Native artists and this market for profit.”
According to filed documents and the plea hearing, Huynh and Truong co-owned MT Jewelry MFG., Inc. (MT Jewelry) located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The business, marketed to wholesale customers, claimed on its website that it specialized “in creating unique and handmade southwestern jewelry.” Huynh and Truong traveled to trade shows throughout the United States, including in Western North Carolina, where they sold their merchandise as authentic Native American jewelry.
According to plea documents, much of the jewelry sold by the defendants was not Indian produced or the product of an Indian tribe. Between December 2023 and July 2024, law enforcement intercepted six shipments from Vietnam that were destined for MT Jewelry. The shipments contained jewelry, including pendants, bracelets and rings, made in Vietnam to resemble Native American-style jewelry. The jewelry was adorned with unique stones and/or fish or wildlife products and were marked with inscriptions and other hallmarks commonly used by artists to authenticate their handicrafts. As importers of jewelry, Huynh and Truong failed to mark the items with country-of-origin or other commercially feasible markers to indicate they were imported before selling them.
In pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that, on two occasions, Huynh and Truong attended GLW Shows in Western North Carolina where they sold counterfeit jewelry contained in shipments intercepted by investigators. Huynh and Truong falsely claimed that the jewelry was made by Native American artists at their shop in Albuquerque and that their workers were Navajo. As Huynh and Truong admitted in court, the defendants knew the jewelry they were selling was made in Vietnam by non-Indians and that they falsely sold these items as authentic Native American handicraft.
Huynh and Truong will remain out of custody pending sentencing. At sentencing they face a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison for the Indian Arts and Crafts Act violation and up to 20 years for the smuggling charge. They have agreed to forfeit $341,967.98, constituting the proceeds of their crimes.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Indian Arts and Crafts Act Investigative Unit for the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Organizes Symposium to Kick Off National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Each April, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). This year, NCVRW will be observed April 19-25, 2026.
To commemorate NCVRW, the U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the Western District of North Carolina hosted a symposium in Charlotte this week, focused on promoting resilience for service providers and victim advocates, and on strengthening collaboration, sharing resources, and building partnerships among professionals who serve crime victims.
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor crime victims, promote victims’ rights, and recognize those who work with and advocate on behalf of crime victims. The observance also highlights policies, programs, and partnerships that support victims on their path to healing and recovery. This year’s NCVRW theme is “Listen, Act, Advocate.”
“Our victims and their families motivate everything we do,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “While our cases often make the news, a lot of what we do is connecting victims to services. No one expects to be the victim of a crime; no one plans for it – victims often don’t know where to turn. In gratitude to the service providers we so often rely upon, this year we focused on them – people who spend so much time caring for others, they forget to care for themselves.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Unit Personnel with U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson
Victim Service Providers and Advocates with Area Organizations
More than 50 victim advocates, health care professionals, legal services providers, mental health practitioners, non-profit organizations, and members of the faith community attended the symposium. Participants engaged in discussions on trauma-informed care and ways to enhance coordinated responses to better serve victims of crime.
“When we invest in those who serve crime victims, we strengthen the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “A coordinated, victim-centered response, not only helps us restore justice for victims of crime but also builds trust and improves a holistic response to crime.”
Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program can be found here.
Repeat Federal Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 18 Years for Distributing Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A previously convicted federal drug trafficker was sentenced to 18 years in prison today for trafficking kilogram quantities of methamphetamine throughout Burke and Caldwell Counties, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jeremy Donovan Dula, 38, of Hampton, Georgia, who previously lived in Caldwell County, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
On October 22, 2025, Dula pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“Dula introduced an incredible amount of drugs into our community. Drug traffickers who bring dangerous drugs into the Western District should know this: you will be identified and prosecuted. We will not allow our communities to be turned into drug markets for poison peddlers,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, investigators received information that Dula was trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and was using an apartment in Lenoir, North Carolina, as a stash house and to conduct drug sales. During the investigation, Dula sold methamphetamine multiple times to individuals cooperating with law enforcement.
Court records also show that, on November 6, 2023, an undercover agent posing as a drug courier for Dula transported four kilograms of methamphetamine from Georgia to Burke County in a box placed by Dula in the trunk of the undercover agent’s vehicle, while Dula followed closely in a separate car. When Dula and the undercover arrived in Burke County, investigators conducted a traffic stop on Dula. Investigators then met with the undercover agent and took possession of the methamphetamine. Inside the box, investigators found four plastic bags containing 3.821 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and one plastic bag containing 28.55 grams of fentanyl.
Investigators also executed a search warrant at Dula’s apartment in Lenoir, where they seized a digital scale, multiple plastic bags containing 766.8 grams of pure methamphetamine, and $4,260 in U.S. currency. Over the course of the investigation, Dula was held responsible for trafficking at least 12 kilograms of methamphetamine.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lenoir Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville was in charge of the prosecution.Convicted Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that a convicted felon on supervised release was sentenced to prison yesterday for illegal gun possession.
Dequan Keontez Chambers, 32, was sentenced to a total of 47 months in prison – 35 months for the firearm offense and a consecutive 12 months for violating his supervised release. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
On August 28, 2025, Chambers pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
“This was Chambers’ third criminal conviction involving firearms – and he committed this one while still on supervised release for the last one,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Everyone deserves a second chance, but not a third – we will seek lengthy prison sentences for repeat offenders like Chambers.”
According to court documents, on July 4, 2026, at approximately 12:50 a.m., law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Chambers’ vehicle. During the traffic stop, the officers determined that Chambers was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction and had multiple outstanding state and federal arrest warrants. The officers ordered Chambers to exit the vehicle, but Chambers refused to comply. One of the officers observed that Chambers was armed. While one officer was holding onto Chambers’ arm, another officer removed a loaded .40 caliber pistol from the defendant’s waistband. The firearm was loaded with nine rounds of ammunition with one live round in the chamber. Chambers also had eight rounds of ammunition in his front pocket.
After a tussle with one of the officers, Chambers was placed under arrest. While Chambers was in custody he slipped his handcuffs to the front twice, before shattering the window of the police vehicle transporting him to jail.
Chambers is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. In 2016, Chambers was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, and theft of a firearm. Chambers also has a 2013 state conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon, among several other state convictions.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Biscoe Police Department for their investigation of the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Two Asheville Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Two Asheville methamphetamine traffickers were sentenced to prison today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jennifer Fox, 45, of Asheville, was ordered to serve 139 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Isaac Robinson, 47, also of Asheville, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents and evidence presented at Fox’s trial, beginning in July 2022, law enforcement began investigating Fox and Robinson’s drug trafficking activities in and around Asheville. Investigators learned that the defendants supplied methamphetamine to a network of local distributors. The investigation revealed that Fox and Robinson were selling methamphetamine out of Fox’s Asheville residence and elsewhere. According to trial evidence and witness testimony, the defendants trafficked kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, selling at least one pound of methamphetamine every couple of weeks, and maintained a premise for the purpose of trafficking and storing controlled substances.
Evidence further established that Fox and Robinson possessed 412 grams of actual methamphetamine and approximately 180 grams of marijuana stored in a hidden compartment in Fox’s house. During the investigation, law enforcement also found $26,211 in U.S. currency inside a safe in Fox’s residence.
On April 9, 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On August 5, 2025, a federal jury found Fox guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their investigation of the case, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in to practice in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position reflects the partnership between the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Mexican nationals, one of whom was in the United States illegally, were sentenced to prison today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. During the investigation, law enforcement found evidence of a connection between the leader of the drug conspiracy with Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as CJNG.
Jesus Miguel Angel Gutierrez-Lopez, 53, who was illegally present in the United States, was ordered to serve 70 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Lorenzo Lemus-Orozco, 42, who was legally residing in the United States, was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Both Gutierrez-Lopez and Lemus-Orozco will also be removed from the United States after they complete their respective prison sentences.
“Prosecuting drug traffickers – particularly those that are illegally in the United States and connected to foreign cartels – is a key priority of my office,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This is one of many such cases in this focused effort.”
According to court records, from February 2024 to February 2025, Lemus-Orozco and Gutierrez-Lopez conspired to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in Catawba, Caldwell, and Watauga Counties and elsewhere. Lemus-Orozco was the leader of the local drug trafficking organization. Investigators conducted at least five controlled purchases of methamphetamine from the defendants.
As a part of law enforcement’s ongoing effort to interdict drug distributors, on December 5, 2024, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol conducted a stop of Gutierrez-Lopez’s truck in Caldwell County. Law enforcement seized almost half a kilogram of methamphetamine from inside Gutierrez-Lopez’s truck and arrested Gutierrez-Lopez.
After Gutierrez-Lopez’s arrest, Lemus-Orozco left the United States, traveling to Michoacan, Mexico. Michoacan, Mexico is an area that is often associated with Mexican drug cartel activity.
Lemus-Orozco returned to the United States in January 2025. Shortly after his return, law enforcement arrested Lemus-Orozco and searched his trailer in Hickory, North Carolina. In the trailer, law enforcement found approximately 99 grams of methamphetamine, approximately $2,000 in cash, and three firearms. Law enforcement also seized another $1,373 from the defendant’s person. In addition to the drugs, guns, and money found inside Lemus-Orozco’s trailer, police found clothing bearing CJNG branding.
Lemus-Orozco and Gutierrez-Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Gutierrez-Lopez also pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. Additionally, Lemus-Orozco pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine.
Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charlotte Man Who Boasted About Having “the Keys to the Streets” Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison today for his role in a scheme involving stolen checks, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Tyrell DeShaun Pace, 32, was sentenced to 35 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. On August 29, Pace pleaded guilty to three counts of financial institution fraud.
Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees North Carolina, joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
“Too many checks are getting stolen from the mail,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We continue to aggressively prosecute these cases and appreciate the work our law enforcement partners are doing to put an end to this crime.”
According to filed court documents, beginning in April 2022, Pace engaged in a financial fraud scheme by obtaining stolen checks, including checks stolen from the U.S. Postal Service. After he obtained the stolen checks, Pace used text messages, phone calls, and social media platforms to advertise the stolen checks, and to lure people to buy the stolen checks. For example, on September 2, 2022, Pace wrote on social media “I got the keys to the streets,” and with that post displayed a photograph showing ATM cards and stolen checks.
Pace also used the stolen checks to engage in fraudulent conduct that would generate large amounts of money. Court records show that Pace altered, forged, and counterfeited checks by, among other means, changing the payable amounts and the names of payees. Pace then deposited the altered checks at various banks and quickly withdrew the funds before the financial institutions could detect the fraud. The total face value of checks associated with the conspiracy was more than $646,600.
Pace will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked USPIS for their investigation and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenny Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Armed Felon Who Fired into A Charlotte Apartment Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A convicted felon who fired a gun into an occupied apartment was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert Dale Emerson Jr., 37, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 105 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 20, 2025, Emerson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Firing a gun into an apartment complex where families and children live shows a complete disregard for life and the law,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “This thoughtless act could have killed someone going about their life at home. Those who terrorize innocent people in their homes will face federal charges, and the Court’s sentence today demonstrates they will pay the price.”
“Today’s sentence is yet another example of the outstanding partnerships that keep our community safe,” said Chief Patterson. “Working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF, CMPD remains committed to ensuring that individuals who endanger our residents with violent and reckless actions are held fully accountable. We will continue to pursue every available resource and every collaborative effort to protect our neighborhoods and uphold justice.”
According to court documents, on the evening of June 22, 2023, Emerson fired between five and six rounds into an occupied apartment complex from his vehicle. At the time of the shooting, a family, including a child as young as a year old, lived at the apartment. No one was physically harmed as a result of the shooting. Once on the scene, CMPD officers retrieved a shell casing from the road outside of the home.
Months later, in the early morning of November 5, 2023, CMPD officers found Emerson asleep in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Emerson’s vehicle matched the description of the vehicle driven by the perpetrator of the June shooting. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and recovered a loaded Canik TP9SF semi-automatic pistol affixed to the defendant’s right hip, loaded with an 18-round magazine and a round in the chamber. Officers also located a dual magazine pouch with two loaded magazines, each containing 18 rounds of 9mm ammunition, on the defendant’s left hip. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a loaded handgun magazine, additional rounds of ammunition, and body armor.
CMPD’s Crime Laboratory compared the shell casing collected during the June shooting against the firearm seized from Emerson. A firearm examiner determined Emerson’s pistol fired the shell casing.
Emerson has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Federal Indictment Charges Man with Defrauding Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Aftermath of Tropical Storm HeleneRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Asheville has indicted Christian Michael Hall, 49, of Drexel, N.C., on charges of defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by falsely claiming his property was damaged by Tropical Storm Helene when in fact he did not have an interest in the affected property, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Every dollar of federal assistance is needed to repair my district after the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Helene,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Those committing fraud and wasting those valuable dollars will not be tolerated.”
On September 27, 2024, Tropical Storm Helene struck the Western District of North Carolina, causing massive devastation, including extensive property damage and loss of life. On September 28, 2025, a major disaster declaration was issued for areas impacted by Tropical Storm Helene, and federal agencies were able to provide relief to affected individuals and entities through financial assistance for property repairs and other disaster-related needs. FEMA made financial assistance and benefits available to individuals and families affected by the storm. Eligible individuals, including renters and property owners, who lost the use of their residences could qualify for FEMA benefits. Specifically, impacted individuals could receive assistance for relief for home repair, personal property damage, transportation, medical expenses, and housing assistance, among other benefits.
The indictment alleges that, on or about September 30, 2024, Hall filed an application for disaster assistance with FEMA seeking benefits for a residence in Valdese, North Carolina, that had sustained damage from Tropical Storm Helene. According to allegations in the indictment, Hall falsely asserted that the impacted property was his primary residence, even though he did not own, rent, reside, or work in that residence. As a result of his fraudulent application, Hall obtained approximately $20,932.14 in FEMA benefits to which he was not entitled.
Hall is charged with fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefits, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges against Hall are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General and FEMA’s Fraud Investigations and Inspections Division for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina is committed to protecting federal disaster relief programs from waste, fraud and abuse. To report suspected disaster-related fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) at 1-866-720-5721, or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.
Repeat Felon Sentenced to Almost 22 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that a repeat felon was sentenced to prison for almost 22 years for illegal gun possession and using a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activities.
Terence Gerod McBride, 39, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 20, 2025, McBride pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“McBride is in his thirties now, but he will be in his sixties when he is released from federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Armed, repeat offenders are being held accountable and serving real time in the federal system. Taking these crimes seriously and removing dangerous people and their weapons from our streets will save countless lives.”
According to court documents, on June 15, 2023, around 6:30 p.m., CMPD officers attempted to stop an SUV being driven by McBride, but the defendant refused to stop. As officers followed McBride, the defendant discarded a backpack onto a residential street containing a Glock, model 33, .357 caliber semi-automatic pistol, 17.31 grams of cocaine, and over $20,000 in cash. Six days after the attempted traffic stop, CMPD officers arrested McBride in the driveway of a residence near where the defendant had discarded the backpack containing the firearm. When McBride was arrested, he had a South Carolina ID bearing McBride’s picture but another name. He also had $13,994 in cash on his person. McBride was released on state bond following his arrest.
According to court records, McBride later became a suspect in a homicide stemming from a March 17, 2024, shooting in Charlotte. Warrants were issued for McBride’s arrest. McBride was located in New York on August 16, 2024. The defendant was in the front seat passenger of a car that ran a red light. During the subsequent traffic stop, law enforcement recovered two firearms and an amount of cocaine base. McBride was again in possession of fraudulent identification.
McBride is in federal custody. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Charlotte Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft in Stolen Check SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison today for his role in a scheme involving stolen checks, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Desmond Aldo McKelvey, 44, was sentenced to 54 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 13, 2025, McKelvey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, and Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees North Carolina, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
“Mr. McKelvey had plenty of opportunities to realize what he was doing was wrong – he stole checks, created false identification documents, and opened bank accounts in someone else’s name,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This crime is heavy burden on both its victims and our financial system, and we will work hard to prosecute and prevent it.”
“The defendant schemed to steal checks, used phony identification, and then redirected the money for personal use,” said Special Agent in Charge Eakins. “IRS-CI will continue its investigative efforts working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of our nation’s tax administration system and the American taxpayers.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina who helped bring this investigation to a successful conclusion,” Inspector in Charge Hopkins. “The events of today serve as yet another example of the unending dedication of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners to halt the devastating effects of identity theft.”
According to court filings, from June to September 2023, McKelvey and his co-conspirators defrauded financial institutions through a scheme involving stolen checks, including U.S. Treasury checks. McKelvey and others obtained the stolen checks online or through other means, and then used fictitious identification in the names of the victims to whom the checks were payable to open bank accounts. McKelvey then deposited the stolen checks and withdrew the funds before the financial institutions could detect the fraud. The total face value of checks associated with the conspiracy exceeded $900,000.
McKelvey will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended IRS-CI and USPIS for their investigation and thanked the Huntersville Police Department for its substantial assistance.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Candler Man Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material Using Peer-To-Peer NetworkRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A Candler, N.C., man was sentenced to prison yesterday for distributing thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via a peer-to-peer network, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jake Ben Paul Lohr, 48, was sentenced to 126 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Upon release from custody, Lohr will be required to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any state or jurisdiction where he works or resides.
“Each time an image depicting the sexual abuse of a child is shared, that child is revictimized all over again,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “For those who continue to distribute thousands of files like Lohr, we have no choice but to remove them from the community to stop them from causing further harm to victims who have already suffered too much.”
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, detectives were conducting an online investigation on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network for offenders sharing CSAM. Peer-to-peer, or P2P, is a type of decentralized network where computers can connect directly and share files. Between December 2023 and January 2024, law enforcement successfully completed three downloads of files containing thousands of images and videos containing CSAM, that Lohr was making available for others to download.
On February 28, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence. Multiple electronic devices were seized and forensically analyzed. The forensic analysis revealed that Lohr possessed the equivalent of 571,950 images depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as infants. Some of the CSAM material maintained and distributed also portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
Lohr remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI, the Waynesville Police Department, and the Boone Police Department for their investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Benjamin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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 Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Dominican National Extradited to the United States to Face Child Sexual Exploitation Charges After Fleeing ProsecutionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Dominican national extradited from the Dominican Republic to face child sexual exploitation charges appeared in federal court today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
“Hinojosa is accused of exploiting children and then fleeing the United States to evade prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We will not give up on those that flee; we will track down and prosecute those who prey on our children, wherever they go.”
“Roberto Severino Hinojosa was indicted in the Western District of North Carolina, nearly a decade ago and fled the U.S., likely believing he had escaped the reach of the FBI and the Department of Justice. He was proven wrong when he was apprehended and handcuffed in the Dominican Republic. By leveraging the strength of our law enforcement partners in this country and around the world, there is no place to hide for those who prey on children,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge.
On February 22, 2017, a federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a five-count indictment charging Roberto Severino Hinojosa, 29, a Dominican national who was a lawful permanent resident at the time of his offense, with one count of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of transportation of CSAM, and three counts of receipt of CSAM.
After being interviewed by the FBI, Hinojosa fled the United States. With the assistance of the FBI Law Enforcement Attaché in the Dominican Republic and Dominican Law Enforcement, Hinojosa was located in the Dominican Republic and subsequently arrested on Jan. 30 by Dominican authorities at the request of the United States. On March 25, 2026, Dominican authorities extradited Hinojosa from the Dominican Republic. On March 26, 2026, Hinojosa appeared in federal court in Charlotte for his initial appearance. Today, Hinojosa had his arraignment and detention hearing and was ordered detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to allegations in the indictment, between May and June 2015, Hinojosa engaged in the sexual exploitation of children by possessing, transporting, and receiving child sexual abuse material, some of which involved prepubescent minors that had not yet attained 12 years of age.
If convicted, Hinojosa faces a statutory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of receipt and transportation of CSAM, and up to 20 years in prison for possession of CSAM. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation was led by the FBI in Charlotte with assistance from the Union County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI LEGAT, and Dominican authorities provided significant assistance in securing Hinojosa’s arrest and extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Two Sentenced in Connection with Luxury Vehicle Theft Ring Involving Millions and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Charlotte men were sentenced to prison today for their involvement in a multi-state stolen vehicle conspiracy involving millions of dollars in high-end vehicles and trafficking large quantities of marijuana, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Andre Lamar Sumner, 43, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Erren Woodson, 40, was ordered to serve 51 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Sumner and Woodson previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, possession of a stolen vehicle, and possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of marijuana.
“Sumner and Woodson were criminals from head to toe – driving around in expensive stolen vehicles, engaging in fraud, and dealing drugs with piles of guns and ammunition,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Thanks to the work of law enforcement, all of this crime is over, and Sumner and Woodson will be in federal prison.”
“These defendants boldly participated in this luxury car theft ring across at least 10 states and took extra steps to conceal their crimes. Despite their efforts, they could not deter the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the FBI and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department who meticulously traced and tracked their crime spree and brought them to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Reid.
“Today’s sentencings continue to underscore the power of strong partnerships and our shared commitment to protecting this community,” said Chief Patterson. “The specialized work of our SCARLET Detectives was instrumental in dismantling this network and holding these individuals accountable. This case is a clear example of how coordinated work between local and federal agencies disrupts organized criminal networks, prevents violence and ensures that those who endanger our neighborhoods are held fully accountable. CMPD will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to stop violent crime before it occurs and safeguard the people of our great city!”
According to filed documents and statements made in court, the FBI and CMPD’s Stolen Car And Recovery Law Enforcement Team (SCARLET) determined that Sumner and Woodson were involved in a high-end stolen vehicle ring involving luxury cars and trucks from car dealerships, rental car companies, and private individuals across the United States, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Missouri.
Sumner operated as a “fence” in the conspiracy who sold stolen vehicles to Woodson and others. A fence is someone who acts as the middleman and finds or deals with buyers for stolen property. Sumner sought to fence high-end stolen vehicles such as luxury models made by BMW, Land Rover, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolls-Royce, as well as trucks and other expensive models from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, and RAM.
According to court records, Sumner sold the stolen cars to buyers at prices significantly below their fair market value. To avoid detection and maximize resale value, Sumner conspired with others to alter the stolen vehicles’ original Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and fraudulently register them with various state motor vehicle agencies. As court documents show, during the conspiracy, Sumner possessed or had personal knowledge of at least 31 stolen vehicles estimated to be worth more than $2 million.
Sumner also kept some of the vehicles for personal use. On or about September 13, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sumner’s residence in Charlotte, where they located four stolen vehicles outside his residence: a 2020 Ford Explorer that was stolen in New Jersey in December 2022; a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk stolen in New Jersey in January 2023; a 2021 GMC Yukon Denali stolen in South Carolina in January 2023; and a 2021 RAM TRX that was stolen in Pennsylvania in January 2023. All four vehicles displayed fraudulent VINs.
U.S. v. Sumner et al. – Stolen 2021 GMC Yukon Denali recovered from Sumner’s residence on September 13, 2023
During the car theft conspiracy, Sumner was also involved in drug trafficking, which helped fund the purchase of stolen vehicles. During the execution of the search warrant at Sumner’s residence, law enforcement located approximately 71 pounds of marijuana. Officers located additional evidence of narcotics trafficking at Sumner’s residence, including: approximately two pounds of psilocybin/psilocin mushrooms; three firearms (a Palmetto State AR-15, a Cobra .380 pistol, and a Ruger P-series handgun, each with loaded magazines); approximately $118,619 in U.S. currency; as well as narcotics packaging, money counters, a vacuum sealer, and digital scales.
U.S. v. Sumner et al. - AR-15 firearm recovered from Sumner’s residence on September 13, 2023
According to court documents, Woodson was also an armed drug trafficker who possessed expensive stolen cars. On multiple occasions, Woodson received or purchased stolen vehicles from Sumner, knowing they were stolen. Woodson regularly communicated with Sumner to discuss the available inventory of stolen vehicles and prices for the stolen cars.
During the conspiracy, Woodson received or was otherwise aware of at least eight stolen vehicles, including: a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette; a 2021 Dodge Durango; a 2018 Ford F150; a 2022 GMC Yukon; a 2023; GMC Yukon; a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Wagoneer; a 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300; and a 2022 RAM TRX. Six of these vehicles were located by investigators, displaying altered VINs, and were in Woodson’s possession or in the possession of other individuals affiliated with Woodson.
On December 20, 2023, law enforcement recovered a stolen 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from the residence of an individual associated with Woodson.
U.S. v. Sumner et al - 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray seized on December 20, 2023
As with Sumner, Woodson was also involved in narcotics trafficking during the conspiracy, which helped fund the purchase of stolen vehicles. On December 20, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Woodson’s residence in Charlotte, where they seized approximately 86 pounds of packaged marijuana and approximately 7.6 pounds of packaged psilocybin/psilocin mushrooms, intended for distribution. Law enforcement also seized nine firearms, including: rifles, shotguns, pistols, and a revolver, $586,000 in U.S. currency and two stolen vehicles: a 2018 Ford F150 and a 2021 Dodge Durango.
U.S. v. Sumner et al. - Various firearms seized from Woodson’s residence on December 20, 2023
U.S. v. Sumner et al. – Stacks of cash seized from Woodson’s residence on December 20, 2023
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and CMPD’s SCARLET unit for their investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are in charge of the prosecutions.
Massachusetts Man Arrested at Charlotte Airport Sentenced to 15 Years for Transportation of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Massachusetts man arrested at Charlotte Douglas International Airport was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Jossue Ovidio Tejada, 31, of Nantucket, was ordered to serve 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Tejada was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison and to pay $79,300 in restitution.
“If you possess child sexual abuse material, you will be caught,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “My office is dedicated to protecting children, and we seek long sentences for those who harm and exploit them.”
According to court records, on March 1, 2024, Tejada flew into Charlotte on an international flight from the Dominican Republic. During an inspection at Passport Control, a Customs and Border Patrol Officer conducted a border search of Tejada’s phone. Upon opening one of the messaging apps on the phone, the officer discovered message threads related to CSAM. Court records show that Tejada’s phone was submitted for a forensic examination. The analysis of the phone revealed it contained 4,162 files of CSAM, 7,500 identified as child erotica, 52 files depicting S&M of minors, 418 files depicting sexual abuse of infants or toddlers, 24 files depicting bestiality with minors, and 1,550 files depicting CSAM of children under the age of 12. In addition, court records indicate that Tejada actively chatted with others to solicit, pay for, and distribute CSAM.
In sentencing Tejada, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell said, “This is about as serious an offense as it gets. . . . What is depicted in those videos actually happened.”
Tejada remains in custody pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Five Repeat Felons Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession as Part of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that five previously convicted felons were sentenced to prison today for illegal possession of firearms. The cases are part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office ongoing efforts under Operation Take Back America to identify and prosecute repeat offenders that violate federal firearms laws.
“Those who continually engage in crime using firearms are going to find themselves in the federal system,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “It is illegal for felons to possess a firearm, and my office uses that statute to remove repeat offenders from the streets and reduce violence in our community.”
“ATF collaborates with our law enforcement partners to identify those that blatantly ignore our laws and threaten our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “We are proud to be part of a focused effort on stopping gun violence and removing these dangerous individuals from our streets.”
“Addressing violent crime requires every partner at the table, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is committed to working side‑by‑side with our federal counterparts to keep our communities safe,” said Chief of Police Estella D. Patterson. “When repeat offenders continue to carry guns and endanger the public, we will act decisively. These cases show what strong collaboration can accomplish, identifying the drivers of violence, removing illegal firearms from our streets and holding those who break the law fully accountable.”
The five defendants previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and today were sentenced as follows:
Timothy Demetrius Williams, 35, of Mooresville, N.C., was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On August 15, 2024, officers with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) observed Williams in possession of a firearm. The officers found a Glock, Model 43X, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Williams’ jacket pocket, loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a round in the chamber. During the investigation, it was determined that the firearm had been reported stolen. Williams, who has a prior felony conviction in Florida, also pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm.
Luther Joseph Weathers, 28, was ordered to serve 57 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. On June 12, 2024, CMPD officers were dispatched to a residence after reports of an individual in a parked vehicle in the driveway. Upon arrival, the officers observed Weathers seated in the front passenger seat, asleep in the vehicle. The officers opened the door of the vehicle and placed Weathers under arrest. During the arrest, Weathers told the officers he had a firearm in his front right jacket pocket. Officers removed a loaded Taurus Magnum .357, firearm and ammunition. Weathers has multiple prior convictions including robbery with a dangerous weapon. During the investigation, it was determined that the firearm had been reported stolen.
Damiyus Diamonte Fowler, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 52 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On February 9, 2025, CMPD officers found a Glock with an extended magazine holding up to 30 rounds during a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Fowler was a passenger. Fowler tried to run after the officers located the firearm in a backpack. The officers caught up with Fowler, and he was taken into custody. At the time, Fowler was on supervised release for a prior federal conviction for illegal possession of a firearm, and the judge sentenced him to an additional 12 months in prison.
Jamil Omire Ali, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 45 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On February 22, 2025, CMPD officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Charlotte. Ali was seated in the passenger seat. Upon exiting the vehicle, officers observed that Ali was carrying a firearm in his waistband. The officers attempted to place Ali under arrest, but Ali resisted. He was ultimately detained. Ali had several outstanding arrest warrants for assault and weapons-related charges at the time of his arrest. The firearm Ali possessed was a Smith & Wesson, M&P Shield, .40 caliber, pistol, loaded with a live round in the chamber and four additional rounds in the magazine. Ali has prior felony drug and firearm convictions.
Dwayne Furlow Chaney, 40, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On January 31, 2025, CMPD officers responded to the Transit Center in Charlotte in reference to an individual observed selling narcotics. The responding officers searched Chaney and found several grams of narcotics on his person, as well as a Smith & Wesson MP40 .40 caliber pistol containing six rounds of ammunition. Chaney was taken into custody. During the investigation, it was determined that the firearm was stolen. Chaney has a prior conviction for felony possession of a firearm and other offenses.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of these cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecutions.
These sentencings are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Federal Investigation Leads to Prison Time for Illegal Alien Who Sold FentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Mexican national illegally present in the United States was sentenced to prison today for trafficking kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Luis Fernando Huerta Ayon, 27, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Ayon will also be removed from the United States after he completes his prison sentence.
“Eliminating fentanyl is a top priority of my office,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Fentanyl is a poison that has taken too many lives, and we are working hard to put a stop to it.”
According to filed documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in early December 2024, law enforcement began an investigation into Huerta for suspected fentanyl trafficking. Investigators conducted at least two controlled purchases of fentanyl from Huerta, tracked his vehicle, and surveilled the defendant. After building their investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Huerta’s residence in Charlotte.
Investigators’ extensive efforts led to the seizure of over a kilogram of fentanyl, over a hundred grams of deadly fentanyl analogue, and nearly a kilogram of heroin. Additionally, inside Huerta’s residence, agents found a drug ledger, a digital scale, bulk cash, a vacuum sealing machine, and multiple cellular phones. Some of the fentanyl recovered was already packaged for street-level sales.
On November 20, 2025, Huerta pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Former U.S. Postal Employee Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud Scheme Involving Stolen MailRead the Press Release
cHARLOTTE, N.C. – A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced yesterday for his role in a bank fraud scheme involving stolen mail, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Andre Whitehurst, 34, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Whitehurst agreed to pay a forfeiture money judgment for $74,000, and he remains liable to pay restitution to fraud victims.
“Checks stolen from the mail is a huge problem,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Where checks are stolen by postal insiders it’s even worse, and we will be sure to hold them accountable.”
According to court records, from April 2022 to September 2024, Whitehurst conspired with Rashad Lowery, Aaron Grice, and others to execute a bank fraud scheme involving stolen mail. Whitehurst used his position as a U.S. Postal Service clerk to steal incoming and outgoing checks from the mail. Whitehurst then sold the stolen checks to Grice, Lowery, and others, who deposited the stolen checks into bank accounts in the names of fictitious identities and moved the stolen funds before the banks could determine that the checks were stolen. This fraudulent scheme led to attempted losses of over $364,000 to banks and bank account holders.
On June 17, 2025, Whitehurst pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and theft of mail by a postal employee. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Grice and Lowery have each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and are awaiting sentencing.
When sentencing the defendant, U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso stated the sentence imposed should “deter others from committing this type of crime.”
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General for its investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Charlotte Man for Cyber Extortion Scheme That Targeted International Technology CompanyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against a Charlotte man for carrying out an extensive cyber extortion scheme against a D.C.-based international technology company, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cameron Curry, 27, was convicted of six counts of transmitting or willfully causing interstate communications with the intent to extort a victim company. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell presided over the three-day trial.
According to filed documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Curry was contracted to work as a data analyst for approximately six months with the victim company. In that capacity, Curry had access to the victim company’s data files and other personnel and corporate information. Trial evidence established that Curry misused his position to access the victim company’s personnel and other sensitive corporate records, which he then used to carry out the cyber extortion scheme. Curry hatched his extortion scheme after he learned that his contract was not going to be renewed and that he would no longer be employed by the company.
According to evidence presented at trial, from December 11, 2023, to January 24, 2024, Curry, identifying himself online as “Loot,” sent over 60 email messages to company employees and executives, threatening to disclose sensitive information unless he was paid $2.5 million dollars in cryptocurrency. Trial evidence further established that the email messages contained threats to disclose sensitive corporate information and employee data, including employees’ personally identifiable information (PII), as well as threats to harm the reputation of the victim company by reporting a breach of its information and publishing the information publicly if the victim company failed to pay him via cryptocurrency.
According to trial evidence, on January 24, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Curry’s residence, seizing various electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the evidence revealed that Curry was committing the extortion scheme under the “Loot” alias.
At sentencing, Curry faces up to two years in prison for each of the six charges. A sentencing date has not been set.
South Carolina Couple Sentenced for Cyberstalking Scheme That Targeted Vulnerable Victim and His FamilyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A man and woman from South Carolina were sentenced today for carrying out a cyberstalking scheme targeting a vulnerable victim and his immediate family members using extortive and threatening text messages, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Trysten Anthony Cullon, 27, and Jade Ashlynn Stone, 27, both of South Carolina, were sentenced to 41 months and 27 months in prison, respectively. They were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after they are released from prison, and to pay restitution in the amount of $26,699.65. Cullon and Stone previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking.
“This case is heartbreaking,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson, “there was not a dry eye in the courtroom at sentencing. To fuel their drug addiction, Cullon and Stone turned to preying on the most vulnerable among us. Christopher had a developmental disability and lent his phone to a stranger out of kindness – only to have that stranger, Cullon, use the phone to steal Christopher’s money using financial apps. Even that wasn’t enough – Cullon and Stone then stole the phone and threatened to spread lies about Christopher, which drove him to suicide,” Ferguson added.
“This couple intentionally tormented a young man with intellectual disabilities for personal enrichment. While Christopher’s life is priceless and his family is forever changed, we hope a federal prison sentence will bring some form of justice and comfort for his loved ones,” said Special Agent in Charge Davis.
According to court records, from September 5 to September 8, 2024, the defendants engaged in a cyberstalking scheme against Christopher Tsoulos, a 27-year-old with an intellectual disability who was classified as “Educable Mentally Disabled.” Because of his disability, Christopher relied heavily on the support of his immediate family and did not live on his own. Christopher was also employed at a fast-food restaurant in Charlotte.
Court documents show that, on September 5, 2024, Cullon visited the fast-food restaurant where he encountered Christopher while he was at work. Cullon obtained Christopher’s phone, and because the phone was unlocked, Cullon and Stone had unfettered access to the financial applications on the phone, including mobile payment apps and Christopher’s bank account. Between September 5 and September 7, Cullon and Stone made repeated unsuccessful attempts to obtain funds from Christopher’s accounts.
Court documents show that Cullon and Stone then began to send Christopher’s family members multiple harassing and intimidating text messages demanding money and threatening to provide derogatory and embarrassing information to Christopher’s employer unless they were paid. Their salacious claims included false allegations that Christopher was a pervert, that he harassed girls, and that he paid girls for sexual pictures.
As a result of the substantial emotional distress caused by the extortive and threatening text messages sent by Cullon and Stone and fearing he would lose his job or go to jail, Christopher died by suicide.
In handing down Cullon and Stone’s sentences, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. said, “this is a particularly egregious version of this crime, resulting in a victim killing themselves.”
Cullon and Stone remain in federal custody. They will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI for their investigation of the case, along with substantial assistance from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to 10+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced today for distributing methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Tony Lamar Carthran, 31, was sentenced to 126 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According court records, law enforcement began an investigation into Carthran for distributing methamphetamine in the Charlotte area. Between June and August 2023, Carthran sold methamphetamine to an individual working with law enforcement on five occasions. While selling drugs to an individual, Carthran also sold that individual a Ruger LC9s 9mm handgun with one live hollow point round chambered, and an empty magazine inserted, as well as 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Carthran is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte was in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Illegally in the United States Sentenced to over Eight Years for Trafficking Firearms, Including A Machinegun, and DrugsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Honduran man illegally present in the United States was sentenced to prison yesterday for trafficking guns, including a firearm fitted with a machinegun conversion device known as a “switch,” and drugs, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Michael Naun Antunez Vasquez, 22, was sentenced to 101 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to trafficking in firearms, possession of a machinegun, transfer of a machinegun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. After serving his prison sentence, Vasquez will be removed from the country and is forbidden from returning to the United States.
“Vasquez was in the country illegally and profited by putting dangerous guns on our streets—including a firearm converted into a machinegun,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “When someone traffics guns and drugs and utterly disregards our nation’s laws and public safety, federal prison is the appropriate punishment.”
“Firearms trafficking makes our communities less safe by putting guns in the hands of prohibited and possibly dangerous individuals,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “ATF, along with all of our law enforcement partners, is committed to stopping the illegal exchange of firearms and making sure that those who threaten our communities are held accountable.”
According to court documents, Vasquez was a Honduran national who was in the United States illegally. On July 9, 2024, Vasquez sold a Romarm/Cugir pistol with a 30-round magazine to an individual working with the ATF. Vasquez also told the individual that he was able to sell additional firearms, machinegun conversion devices, and controlled substances. On July 18, 2024, Vasquez met with an undercover ATF agent, who told Vasquez he was purchasing guns to resell in another state for profit. Vasquez sold the agent two firearms: a Glock Model 30, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol with a 25-round magazine, and a Glock, Model 19, 9mm semiautomatic pistol. The Model 19 was assembled from different parts that were stolen.
Court documents show that on August 1, 2024, the ATF agent bought two more firearms from Vasquez. The first firearm was a Glock, Model 19, 9mm pistol that had been converted to a machinegun. The second firearm was a Glock, Model 48. During that meeting, Vasquez told the agent that he could also obtain pounds of methamphetamine. Vasquez agreed to sell the agent a machinegun, a Romarm/Cugir pistol, and a pound of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Vasquez was riding in the front passenger seat of a car on the way to meet with the undercover agent when the vehicle was stopped by Union County Sherriff’s deputies. The deputies seized from the vehicle a machinegun conversion device, a Romarm/Cugir pistol, a Glock pistol, a Beretta pistol, a Palmetto State Armory pistol, several high-capacity magazines, ammunition, and approximately 28.7 grams of methamphetamine.
Vasquez will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Darius DeShawn Countee, 48, of Browns Summit, N.C. was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Curtis Cheeks, III, of the High Point Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, Countee was previously convicted in North Carolina of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and Second Degree Murder. As a result, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
“Countee is the type of repeat violent offender federal firearms laws are designed to stop,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Despite prior convictions for serious violent crimes, Countee got hold of illegal guns and used them, putting lives at risk. Time and again Countee has shown reckless disregard for the law and now he will face federal consequences.”
“Repeat offenders have a detrimental effect on the public safety of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “ATF is proud to join our law enforcement partners in all efforts to identify and hold accountable those who disregard our laws and threaten our safety.”
Court documents show that on July 8, 2023, law enforcement responded to an altercation at a QuickTrip convenience store in Charlotte. A review of the store’s surveillance video showed Countee entering the convenience store where an individual was arguing with one of Countee’s associates. Countee then ran to a vehicle parked at a gas pump and retrieved a rifle. He then confronted the individual outside the store and stole his firearm.
The individual returned to his vehicle and attempted to flee but was pursued by Countee and his associates in two vehicles. Over the course of the pursuit, numerous shots were fired at the victim’s vehicle. Countee later returned to the convenience store and was detained by law enforcement. Law enforcement found inside the vehicle an American Tactical 5.56 caliber AR-type weapon with a high-capacity magazine, a black Taurus .40 caliber handgun, and a black Springfield .45 caliber handgun, which was stolen from the individual involved in the altercation.
Court documents show that Countee was later charged in the Middle District of North Carolina for illegal firearm possession in connection with a separate investigation. Countee pleaded guilty to that charge, and the case was transferred to the Western District of North Carolina. The 70-month sentence resolves both federal cases pending against Countee.
Countee is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF and the High Point Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Four-Time Deported Alien Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison as Part of the Homeland Security Task Force for Trafficking 33 Kilograms of Cocaine and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An armed Mexican national with multiple illegal reentry convictions was sentenced to prison yesterday as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) for trafficking more than 33 kilograms of cocaine and illegally reentering the United States after deportation, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), and Sheriff Van W. Shaw of the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Raul Bello Rojas, 44, was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of a mixture of cocaine, and illegal reentry of a deported convicted felon.
“Rojas repeatedly violated our nation’s immigration laws and returned to the United States to traffic large quantities of cocaine. Armed with guns, he posed a serious threat to our community. This sentence ensures he’ll spend more than a decade in federal prison before being promptly deported,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson.
“Every time a dangerous criminal like Rojas returns to our streets and brings drugs and weapons into our neighborhoods, families and communities are put at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Zito. “This outcome shows that HSI and our partners are determined to stand between traffickers and the people they threaten. We’re committed to making Charlotte—and every community we serve—a safer place by taking action against those who repeatedly break our laws and endanger lives.”
“This investigation shows what is possible when local and federal agencies work side-by-side to keep our great city safe. Rojas’s actions posed a serious threat to our community, and through strong partnerships we were able to hold him accountable,” said Chief Patterson. “CMPD will continue to work closely with our federal partners to protect our residents and ensure that those who conduct criminal acts in Charlotte are held responsible.”
“This investigation shows the importance of law enforcement agencies working together in our areas to arrest and convict violent repeat offenders. Through these partnerships, we ensure that our limited resources are utilized to the fullest extent,” said Sheriff Shaw.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, Rojas was involved in high-level cocaine trafficking in the greater Charlotte area. Court records show that between December 2024 and January 2025, Rojas sold cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer on at least three occasions. Following the controlled purchases, on February 28, 2025, HSI agents and CMPD officers executed a search warrant at Rojas’s residence in Charlotte. During the search, investigators located a total of 34 bricks of cocaine weighing approximately 33 kilograms, including: 26 individual bricks of cocaine located in the attic and eight additional bricks located in the closet of the primary bedroom.
Investigators also located several additional items during the search including two firearms, an SCCY CPX-1 9mm handgun located in the primary bedroom nightstand, and a Bryco Arms .380 handgun located in a bag with a brick of cocaine. Investigators also located approximately $64,489 in U.S. currency, as well as digital scales and a drug ledger.
According to court records, Rojas has previously been deported from the United States on at least four occasions, frequently following criminal convictions. He was first deported on October 1, 2010, after an Assault on Family Member conviction in Virginia. Rojas was later deported from Texas in 2013 following an illegal entry conviction. In the ensuing years, Rojas was deported after felony illegal reentry convictions in Utah (2015) and Virginia (2019), before reentering the country again and trafficking cocaine.
Rojas is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended HSI, CMPD, and the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson Convenes Summit with Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement on Public Safety in Mecklenburg CountyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson convened a summit focused on public safety and reducing violent crime in Mecklenburg County, bringing together leaders and representatives from federal and state law enforcement agencies, local police departments, prosecutors, and other stakeholders across the county.
“Violent crime in Mecklenburg County is getting more serious by the day, and we must do something to stop it,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “No one should go to sleep at night worried bullets are going to come through their window. But solving the problem is going to take all of us, and that is the point of this summit: to work together to keep our citizens safe.”
Participants discussed law enforcement initiatives, including past successes and future plans, and how to better coordinate to reduce violent crime. The group discussed all facets that play a role in reducing crime, including bond in state court cases, recidivism, juvenile crime, and crime prevention.
The summit also focused on safety on public transportation—the veins and arteries of our community.
And leaders at the summit addressed root causes of crime, such as the mental health crisis in our community that plays a long-term role in a large number of violent crime cases.
Federal representatives reiterated their commitment to local crime reduction efforts and explored ways the federal government can support partnerships to enhance public safety.
“The public is safest when we work together,” Ferguson said. “By sharing ideas and coordinating our efforts, we can better respond to crime and address its root causes and collateral effects, such as mental health issues.”
Man Sentenced for Threatening to Murder Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Johnathan Trent Thomas, 27, of Linwood, N.C., was sentenced today to 15 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for making threats to murder federal officers to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the performance of their official duties, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Mark Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Threatening the lives of law enforcement officers is a serious federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We take every threat against law enforcement seriously. Today’s case sends a clear message: those who threaten violence against law enforcement will be held accountable in federal court.”
“Ensuring the safety of our law enforcement officers is paramount,” said Special Agent in Charge Zito. “Threats of violence against federal agents and our local partners undermine the rule of law and jeopardize the security of our communities. HSI remains committed to working with our partners to investigate and bring to justice those who seek to intimidate or harm officers in the performance of their duties.”
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., a caller, later identified as Thomas, contacted the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and threatened to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and CMPD officers if immigration enforcement actions did not stop. During a second telephone call with a CMPD officer, Thomas warned that he was coming to Charlotte with armor piercing ammunition, night vision devices, and body armor to kill law enforcement officers and threatened to “shoot them all” if he observed anyone making arrests. Thomas was referencing arrests made previously by ICE federal agents on Albemarle Road in Charlotte.
Court documents show that Thomas stated that if a police officer pointed a gun at him, he was just going to open fire. He also said that he would “Swiss cheese” the officers if they were doing the same thing they did before, meaning making arrests.
Thomas additionally threatened that if law enforcement came to arrest him, he had Tannerite (an explosive) all around his house. He threatened that he “could do a whole lot better than” April 29, 2024, the day four law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in Charlotte.
Thomas’s threats did not deter law enforcement, who not only arrested him, but executed a search warrant at Thomas’s residence, seizing three rifles, a handgun, and a variety of ammunition.
According to court records, Thomas has an extensive history of threatening law enforcement, to include the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and CMPD, and had previously followed CMPD officers in marked patrol cars while they were performing their official duties.
Thomas is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended HSI for the investigation of the case and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of North Carolina, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Kelly and Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Former Gastonia Police Officer Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchasing A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A former Gastonia police officer was sentenced to prison today for straw purchasing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Xana Dayanae Dove, 28, was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“No one is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We stand behind our law enforcement officers and support them as they work hard to reduce violent crime in our community. But when they become criminals that instead contribute to that crime, they get no special treatment.”
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with significant authority and very few choose to violate that trust, but those instances will not be tolerated. The FBI, and our law enforcement partners, remain committed to accountability and protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system. We thank the officers who proudly protect and serve their communities every day,” said Special Agent in Charge Davis.
According to filed documents and the court hearing, on May 25, 2023, Dove purchased a Springfield Hellcat Pro, 9mm pistol from Shooters Express, a licensed firearms dealer located in Belmont, North Carolina. As Dove previously admitted in court, in completing the purchase, she made a false and fictitious written statement when she falsely stated on ATF’s Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm when the defendant knew this statement was false and fictitious.
At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court also ordered the forfeiture of a Springfield Hellcat Pro 9mm pistol. Dove will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and ATF for their work on the investigation, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Community Supervision, and the Gastonia Police Department for their assistance with Dove’s apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Leader of Violent Jewelry Theft Ring Pleads Guilty Mid-TrialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The leader of an organized and violent theft ring that carried out armed robberies of jewelry stores in multiple states has pleaded guilty mid-trial, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
The federal trial of Deuntria Lamar Lyons, 45, of Valdosta, Georgia, began on Monday, March 2, 2026. After two days of testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell, Lyons pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea deal on Wednesday to the counts charged in the indictment, including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery.
Lyons’ co-conspirators, Brandane Smith and Alzaah Wade, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and are awaiting sentencing.
“Robberies at gunpoint like Lyons and his crew carried out are terrifying,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Armed with guns and sledgehammers, they stormed jewelry stores, threatened employees, and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise. We will do all that is necessary to put an end to these actions, and I am glad Mr. Lyons pled guilty before wasting more of the jury’s time.”
“After only a few days of trial, Mr. Lyons dramatically changed his tune and admitted his part in a multi-state violent jewelry theft ring. Despite the group’s use of heavy disguises and smash and grab tactics, the FBI and multiple field offices, local, state partners, and prosecutors identified them, uncovered their elaborate theft ring, and stopped them as they attempted to rob another store. While the criminals used hammers to break the jewelry displays, it is clearly the FBI who crushed violent crime in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Davis.
According to filed documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, on July 11, 2023, at approximately 11:50 a.m., three hooded and masked individuals entered FINK’s Jewelry in Huntersville. All three robbers were brandishing handguns. The robbers corralled the employees to one side of the store at gunpoint. Two robbers then began to break display cases with sledgehammers while the third robber stood guard on the business entrance. In total, the robbers stole approximately $500K in diamonds and watches before they fled the scene.
U.S. v. Lyons et al. – Robbery in Huntersville, North Carolina
During the investigation, investigators determined that the group was responsible for a string of armed robberies of jewelry stores in South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Lyons was the leader who orchestrated the robberies with Wade, Smith, and others.
U.S. v. Lyons et al. – Robbery in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
Ultimately, the FBI learned that Lyons was planning a robbery for the morning of December 1, 2023. in Dunwoody, Georgia. FBI agents in Atlanta and local law enforcement were waiting for the would-be robbers when they arrived at the location for the planned robbery. The crew had gloves, masks, firearms and sledgehammers.
U.S. v. Lyons et al. – Seized Evidence from Robbery Prevented in Dunwoody/Atlanta, Georgia
Lyons was remanded into federal custody following the guilty plea. At sentencing, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge. A sentencing date has not been set.
The investigation was led by FBI Charlotte, assisted by the Columbia, Atlanta, Nashville, and Richmond Field Offices. In addition, several local law enforcement partners assisted both in investigative capacities as well as preventing further robberies including, the Huntersville Police Department; the Raleigh Police Department; the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office (SC); the Mount Pleasant Police Department (SC); the Brentwood Police Department (TN); the Mt. Juliet Police Department (TN); the Georgia State Patrol; the Georgia Department of Corrections; and the Atlanta Police Department; the Dunwoody Police Department (GA); the Gwinnet County Police Department (GA); and the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office (GA).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine Supplied by Mexico-Based Drug SourceRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A South Carolina man was sentenced to prison today for distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine supplied by a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) with ties to the Sinaloa cartel, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Nicolas Yarcil Uribe-Tamayo, 26, of Easley, S.C., was ordered to serve 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Previously, on November 7, 2024, Uribe-Tamayo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in 2023, law enforcement learned that a Mexico-based DTO with ties to the Sinaloa cartel was shipping kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into North Carolina. During the investigation, Uribe-Tamayo was identified as a local distributor for the DTO. While being surveilled by law enforcement, another member of the DTO met with Uribe-Tamayo and provided him with a kilogram of methamphetamine. After the drug delivery was completed, law enforcement observed Uribe-Tamayo’s vehicle as he traveled to Charlotte. Uribe-Tamayo drove recklessly and at a high rate of speed until stopping at a local restaurant on West Sugar Creek Road. Law enforcement approached Uribe-Tamayo to inquire about his driving and detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and found a kilogram of methamphetamine on the floorboard of the rear seat area. Law enforcement also found an AR-15 style rifle, a loaded hi-capacity magazine loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition, and digital scales.
“Cartels like Sinaloa are infiltrating our communities with drugs, not to mention guns and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We are committed to their total elimination.”
According to court records, during the investigation, law enforcement learned that Uribe-Tamayo had been involved with the DTO for nearly two years. On multiple occasions while working with the DTO, Uribe-Tamayo was provided with large quantities of narcotics that he would deliver to customers.
Uribe-Tamayo will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the Department of Homeland Security (HSI), the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Lexington Police Department, and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, for their investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Tennessee Man of Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Sean Christopher Williams, 54, of Johnson City, Tennessee, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to filed documents, evidence presented at trial, and witness testimony, on April 29, 2023, at 2:12 a.m., an officer with the Western Carolina University campus police observed a vehicle parked in a Tuckasegee River Access parking lot near campus. The officer further observed an individual, later identified as Williams, in the driver seat who appeared to be passed out. The officer approached the vehicle and noticed an opened silver case in the passenger seat with various drug paraphernalia. Evidence established that the officer woke up Williams and asked him to step out of the vehicle. After a short conversation, Williams was detained, and officers searched his vehicle. In a blue duffle bag in the passenger floorboard under a television, officers uncovered over 15 ounces of pure methamphetamine in five separate containers, over eight ounces of cocaine in two separate containers, and two digital scales. Four months later, Williams made two calls from the Laurel County Correctional Center in Kentucky where he admitted possessing the methamphetamine for distribution.
Williams remains in federal custody. At sentencing, he faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. Williams is facing additional charges in the Western District of North Carolina for alleged possession and transportation of child sexual abuse material.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Western Carolina University Police Department for their investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are prosecuting the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
Charlotte Man Who Drove Minor to Commit Bank Robbery Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to seven years in prison today for the armed robbery of a Wells Fargo bank, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Michael Malik Pringle, Jr., 32, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison term. On June 4, 2025, Pringle pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and aiding and abetting.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, and Chief Michael Hudgins of the Pineville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court documents and today’s court hearing, on May 2, 2024, Pringle picked up a 16-year-old minor in a rented vehicle. Pringle and the minor had previously discussed robbing a bank and had agreed to rob a bank on that date. After unsuccessfully trying to rob one bank, Pringle and the minor travelled to a Wells Fargo bank located at 9420 Pineville-Matthews Road and parked in a parking lot near the bank. Pringle gave the minor a firearm and a black bag and told the minor to demand $20,000 from the bank employees. Court records show the minor entered the bank wearing a hoodie and a face mask while Pringle waited in the car. Once inside the bank, the minor told a bank employee that he needed to make a withdrawal. Then the minor pulled out the gun and the bag and told the employee to “put $20,000 in this bag right now.” One of the tellers filled the bag with approximately $18,333. The minor fled the bank and ran to the getaway vehicle where Pringle was waiting, and the pair drove off.
Following the robbery, law enforcement located Pringle’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Pringle and the minor were placed under arrest. Officers located a loaded Glock 43 handgun with an extended magazine in a pocket on the driver’s door. Officers also recovered cash from the robbery that had been scattered throughout the back passenger area of the vehicle.
Pringle is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI, CMPD, and the Pineville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Leaders of MS-13 Clique Sentenced to Prison as Part of the Homeland Security Task Force for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two leaders of the La Mara Salvatrucha gang (known as MS-13) were sentenced in federal court today as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) for engaging in violent criminal conduct in support of the criminal organization, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Kyle Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Fredy Mauricio Buruca, a/k/a “Piranha,” “Machete,” and “Insoportable,” 27, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender. Buruca pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and kidnapping a minor. Santos Guillermo Ramirez Mancia, a/k/a “Azazel,” “Timido,” and “Johnny,” 34, also of El Salvador, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Mancia pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy.
“MS-13 is one of the most dangerous and ruthless gangs in the country,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We are working to eliminate this gang from existence, and I am proud to say this prosecution has completely dismantled an entire MS-13 clique known as the Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha Clique that operated up and down the eastern seaboard.”
“MS-13 gang members feed on brutality, violence, and intimidation. No matter how committed they are to creating chaos in our communities, the FBI and our law enforcement partners remain laser focused to stop the threat. Today's sentences demonstrate our dedication to eradicate MS-13 from the top down,” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Davis.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Buruca and Mancia were leaders and members of the MS-13 sub-unit, or clique, known as the Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha Clique (the HLS clique), which operated in and around the Western District of North Carolina and other areas in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. From at least December 2018 and continuing through November 2022, as leaders and members of the HLS clique, the defendants engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise.
The investigation into the gang’s criminal activity revealed that these criminal acts were committed to promote a climate of fear and intimidation within the gang; to maintain the gang’s control and to expand its territory; to enforce discipline within the gang and punish any acts of disrespect; to intimidate witnesses and discourage cooperation with law enforcement; and to retaliate against rivals.
According to court documents, Buruca was “First Word,” or the leader of the HLS clique in Charlotte. As First Word, Buruca participated in and sanctioned a pattern of racketeering activity in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise, that consisted of multiple violent acts including extortion, robbery, and kidnapping. For example, on or about December 12, 2021, Buruca, in the presence of Mancia and other MS-13 members, threatened and demanded money from an individual identified as D.G.L. at a nightclub in Woodbridge, Virginia, in exchange for MS-13’s protection. When D.G.L. refused to pay the “protection money” and attempted to leave the nightclub, Buruca fired several shots at D.G.L., hitting bystanders. Then on February 19, 2022, Buruca, along with other MS-13 members, used firearms to rob A.Z.C. of his vehicle and other belongings in Monroe, N.C. On the same day, Buruca and other MS-13 members used firearms to rob three other victims in Charlotte. Buruca also kidnapped one of those victims, who was a minor, by forcing her into a vehicle at gunpoint. Buruca then made ransom demands for the kidnapped minor victim and instructed another individual on how to deliver the payment.
According to court documents, Mancia also engaged in criminal activity in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise, including committing acts of violence against rival gang members. Court records show that, on December 2, 2018, Mancia shot and seriously injured an individual identified as J.G.J. because he was a rival, or “chavala,” with “Mara 18,” one of MS-13’s rival gangs. In late 2021, Mancia was promoted to “Frist Word” of the HLS clique, following Buruca’s arrest for the nightclub shooting incident in Woodbridge.
According to court records, on November 6, 2022, Mancia along with two co-defendants, Christian Alejandro Garcia Santa Cruz, a/k/a “Crimen,” and Aderly Jose Veliz-Ronquillo, a/k/a “Chanchin,” were at a nightclub in Charlotte. Over the course of the evening, Mancia, Santa Cruz, and Veliz-Ronquillo got into an argument with several men, including W.G.M., at the parking lot of the nightclub. During the argument, Mancia identified himself as MS-13 to the other men. At some point, W.G.M. and Mancia shoved each other. Ronquillo then shot W.G.M. once and Santa-Cruz shot the victim three times, causing the victim to sustain fatal gunshot wounds. Mancia was later arrested in Annapolis, Maryland, for his involvement in the shooting incident.
On April 16, 2025, Santa-Cruz and Veliz-Ronquillo were each sentenced to 35 years in prison for using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in W.G.M.’s death.
A fifth co-defendant and MS-13 member, Luis Fernando Guardardo Moreno, a/k/a “Fantasma” and “Scrappy,” was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison followe =d by three years of supervised release for RICO conspiracy. A sixth MS-13 member charged in this case, Juan Francisco Sanchez Estrada, a/k/a “Nene” and “Turbo,” was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the Middle District of North Carolina, after pleading guilty to RICO conspiracy, following a consolidation of federal cases against him in each district.
The defendants will remain in federal custody until they are transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI, HSI, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case, and thanked the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Kannapolis Police Department, the Monroe Police Department, the Prince William County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office, and the Annapolis (Maryland) Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik Lindahl and David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Twice-Convicted Accountant Is Sentenced for Embezzling More Than $1.1 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A twice-convicted accountant was sentenced to prison today for embezzling more than $1.1 million from her employer, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Mandy Deann Urban, 49, formerly of Charlotte, was ordered to serve 41 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, and to pay more than $1 million in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson is joined in making today’s announcement by Kyle Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
According to court records, from January 2019 to June 2022, Urban was employed as a senior staff accountant for a Charlotte-based company. In that capacity, Urban was responsible for maintaining the company’s general ledger, preparing financial statements, and reconciling the company’s accounts payable and receivable and bank statements. Court records show that Urban executed a scheme to defraud her employer by misusing her access to make multiple transfers from the company’s bank accounts to accounts under Urban’s control. Urban then falsified the company’s books and records to conceal the scheme. Urban made more than 245 fraudulent transfers from the accounts of the company totaling $1,115,344.73.
Urban was previously convicted of Grand Theft in Florida for stealing approximately $135,000 and was sentenced to five years of supervised probation in 2015. Urban was convicted again in Florida for a different scheme to defraud and sentenced to two years in prison in June 2022 and was ordered to pay approximately $283,000 in restitution.
On March 26, 2024, Urban pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended HSI and CMPD’s Financial Crimes Unit for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Traveling to North Carolina to Engage in Sexual Activity with A ChildRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Texas man was sentenced to 30 years in prison today for traveling to North Carolina to engage in sexual activity, enticement, and production of child pornography with a child, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Rusty Joseph Whittaker, 44, of Austin, was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. A federal jury convicted Whittaker in September 2025, following a four-day trial.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Predators like Rusty Whittaker are a parent’s worst nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “This defendant traveled across state lines to exploit a child, used technology to conceal his crimes, and inflicted long-lasting trauma on a vulnerable victim. A lengthy sentence ensures that Whittaker will never have the opportunity to harm another child.”
“Whittaker intentionally targeted, groomed, and violated a child for his own sexual gratification. While it is difficult to understand how anyone could do something like this, it is the stark reality of the danger lurking online every day. We must talk to our children to prevent them from being victimized by disgusting predators like Whittaker,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid.
According to filed court documents, evidence presented at trial, and witness testimony, Whittaker met the minor in an online platform called Antiland, which provides its users anonymity and automatically deletes messages and content shared by its users. Whittaker then moved the conversation to Snapchat, which also automatically deletes messages and content. Using these online messaging platforms, online payment platforms, and other means, Whittaker solicited and viewed sexually explicit images and videos of the victim while continuing to pressure the victim to meet him in person for illicit sexual activity. On May 20, 2023, Whittaker traveled from Nashville, where he was attending a conference, to Charlotte for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual activity with the minor. Trial evidence showed that Whittaker waited for the minor’s father to fall asleep, picked her up from her home, drove her to a hotel, and engaged in sexual activity with the minor. Whittaker provided the minor things of value before driving her back home and dropping her off a distance away from her home, leaving her to walk barefoot.
In sentencing Whittaker, Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr., said, “This is a case that is very serious. It involves planning and manipulation of a child. The word needs to go out that we won’t put up with this.”
Whittaker remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The FBI investigated the case assisted by CMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.