Eastern District of Tennessee
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
‘764’ Extremist Group Member Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography and Distribution of Animal Crushing VideosRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 19, 2026, Kyle William Spitze, 27, of Friendsville, TN was sentenced today to 77 years in prison for production of child sexual exploitation material (CSAM), abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and possessing and accessing with the intent to view CSAM. Should he be released from prison, he will be subject to supervised release for life and required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
“The Department has pledged to take out online predator networks and today’s sentence is one step toward justice for the families and children harmed by 764,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These types of crimes are the worst of the worst: preying on vulnerable children in the name of a violent and twisted ideology. Federal law enforcement will not stop until nihilistic violent extremist groups and their depraved members are identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that this FBI and our Department of Justice partners will relentlessly hold accountable any individual who preys on children,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As we’ve made clear from the beginning: this FBI is laser focused on identifying, locating, and arresting any participants in Nihilistic Violent Extremist networks – and we have dedicated personnel across all 50 states working on these high priority investigations. We arrested 500% more NVE offenders with our partners last year for a reason – because we have a renewed mission to bring these predators to justice, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. I want to thank our FBI Nashville Field Office and the Knoxville Resident Agency who pursued this case and succeeded in bringing justice to the victims and their families.”
“Spitze is one of the original members of the nihilistic violent extremist groups ‘Harm Nation’ and ‘764,’ and was committed to bringing about the downfall of society through terrorism, specifically by targeting children and other vulnerable people and extorting them to engage in criminal sexual conduct, self-harm, and mass casualty events,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence of 77 years, the longest federal sentence ever imposed on a nihilistic violent extremist, sends a strong message that civil society will not tolerate such depravity. The National Security Division will work tirelessly with our law-enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these predators and keep our children safe from this new form of terrorism.”
“This sentence reflects the abhorrent nature of the defendant’s crimes, which targeted impressionable children and caused unimaginable harm,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “NVE members and leaders are a threat to our communities, and our office is committed to prosecuting those individuals to the fullest extent.”
“Employing and pressuring children, among the most vulnerable members of our society, to produce sexually explicit and harmful material is unconscionable,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, will relentlessly pursue those associated with Nihilistic Violent Extremism networks who target and exploit children. We will use every lawful tool available to disrupt and dismantle these networks, prevent the spread of their depraved ideology, and protect children from further harm.”
According to court-filed documents, Spitze, also known as “Crimhn,” “Criminal,” and “Criminaloli,” was a member of the Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group “764,” and an administrator of the 764 network “HarmNation.” NVE groups such as 764 and HarmNation use online social media platforms to produce and distribute extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material depicting vulnerable, juvenile populations; often conducting group, coordinated extortion of under-aged victims to comply with the groups’ depraved and perverse demands.
In December of 2023, the FBI started looking into tips that HarmNation members were distributing child sexual abuse material. Spitze was identified as one of those members and found to have hosted a social media channel where he uploaded images and videos of nude minor girls who had self-mutilated with cuts and gashes, with variations of Spitze’s “Crim” or “Criminal” monikers written in blood on themselves or carved into their bodies. The channel also hosted images of animal mutilation, with a variation of “Crim” written in the images.
In February of 2024, investigators obtained a search warrant for Spitze’s cellphone, which contained similar images and videos, particularly of two minor victims, one of which had written “crim” on her chest scrawled in her own blood. The minor victim later admitted to FBI that she was threatened by Spitze to produce the images for him to upload on a separate social media channel. Spitze admitted to investigators that he had a terrorist motive in committing his crimes.
Spitze pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child sexual exploitation material, one count of abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and one count of possessing and accessing with the intent to view child sexual exploitation material.
The FBI Knoxville Resident Agency investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman for the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided assistance.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks like 764 that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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764 Extremist Group Member Sentenced to 77 Years in Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Distribution of Animal Crushing VideosRead the Press Release
Kyle William Spitze, 27, of Friendsville, TN was sentenced today to 77 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and possessing and accessing with the intent to view CSAM. Following his imprisonment, he was also sentenced to lifetime supervised release and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
“The Department has pledged to take out online predator networks and today’s sentence is one step toward justice for the families and children harmed by 764,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These types of crimes are the worst of the worst: preying on vulnerable children in the name of a violent and twisted ideology. Federal law enforcement will not stop until nihilistic violent extremist groups and their depraved members are identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that this FBI and our Department of Justice partners will relentlessly hold accountable any individual who preys on children,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As we’ve made clear from the beginning: this FBI is laser focused on identifying, locating, and arresting any participants in Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks – and we have dedicated personnel across all 50 states working on these high priority investigations. We arrested 500% more NVE offenders with our partners last year for a reason – because we have a renewed mission to bring these predators to justice, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. I want to thank our FBI Nashville Field Office and the Knoxville Resident Agency who pursued this case and succeeded in bringing justice to the victims and their families.”
“Spitze is one of the original members of the nihilistic violent extremist groups ‘Harm Nation’ and ‘764,’ and was committed to bringing about the downfall of society through terrorism, specifically by targeting children and other vulnerable people and extorting them to engage in criminal sexual conduct, self-harm, and mass casualty events,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence of 77 years, the longest federal sentence ever imposed on a nihilistic violent extremist, sends a strong message that civil society will not tolerate such depravity. The National Security Division will work tirelessly with our law-enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these predators and keep our children safe from this new form of terrorism.”
“This sentence reflects the abhorrent nature of the defendant’s crimes, which targeted impressionable children and caused unimaginable harm,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “NVE members and leaders are a threat to our communities, and our office is committed to prosecuting those individuals to the fullest extent.”
“Employing and pressuring children, among the most vulnerable members of our society, to produce sexually explicit and harmful material is unconscionable,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, will relentlessly pursue those associated with Nihilistic Violent Extremism networks who target and exploit children. We will use every lawful tool available to disrupt and dismantle these networks, prevent the spread of their depraved ideology, and protect children from further harm.”
Spitze, also known as “Crimhn,” “Criminal,” and “Criminaloli,” was a member of the NVE group “764,” and an administrator of the 764 network “HarmNation.” NVE groups such as 764 and HarmNation use online social media platforms to produce and distribute extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material depicting vulnerable, juvenile populations; often conducting group, coordinated extortion of under-aged victims to comply with the groups’ depraved and perverse demands.
In December of 2023, the FBI started looking into tips that HarmNation members were distributing child sexual abuse material. Spitze was identified as one of those members and found to have hosted a social media channel where he uploaded images and videos of nude minor girls who had self-mutilated with cuts and gashes, with variations of Spitze’s “Crim” or “Criminal” monikers written in blood on themselves or carved into their bodies. The channel also hosted images of animal mutilation, with a variation of “Crim” written in the images.
In February of 2024, investigators obtained a search warrant for Spitze’s cellphone, which contained similar images and videos, particularly of two minor victims, one of which had written “crim” on her chest scrawled in her own blood. The minor victim later admitted to FBI that she was threatened by Spitze to produce the images for him to upload on a separate social media channel. Spitze admitted to investigators that he had a terrorist motive in committing his crimes.
Spitze pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child sexual exploitation material, one count of abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and one count of possessing and accessing with the intent to view child sexual exploitation material.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman for the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided assistance.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of NVE networks like 764 that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
Knoxville Resident Indicted for Laundering Fraudulently Obtained COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On July 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in Chattanooga returned a two-count indictment against Amy Denise Fields, 62, of Knoxville, for conspiracy to commit money laundering and a substantive money laundering offense. On August 3, 2026, Fields appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville. Fields pleaded not guilty and was released pending trial, which has been set for October 6, 2026, before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge in United States District Court, at Knoxville.
The indictment alleges that Fields and others not named in the indictment conspired to launder money Fields knew was fraudulently obtained from federal programs. Fields’s co-conspirators submitted fraudulent applications for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to several different states during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of those fraudulent UI applications listed Fields’s personal information, including her residential address and bank account information, which Fields knowingly provided to her co-conspirators. Fields’s co-conspirators caused the fraudulent UI benefits to be electronically deposited into Fields’s bank accounts, several of which she opened in furtherance of the conspiracy. Knowing that the funds deposited into her bank accounts were fraudulently obtained UI benefits intended for other individuals, Fields intentionally withdrew the funds from her bank accounts—often in cash—and then deposited the cash into Bitcoin ATM machines in the Eastern District of Tennessee, laundering the funds to promote the ongoing unlawful activity and to conceal the proceeds of the fraudulently obtained UI benefits.
If convicted, Fields faces up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to three years, a fine of up to $500,000, restitution, and forfeiture.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Acting Supervisory Agent in Charge Kelly Linemann of the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by the United States Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney William A. Roach, Jr., will represent the United States.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Knoxville Man Indicted on 22 Counts for Making Threats to Kill Public OfficalsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On July 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in Chattanooga returned a 22 count indictment against Garry Lee Williams, 44, of Knoxville, for posting public threats on TikTok to murder and maim national public officials, Knox County public officials, and members of Williams’s own family, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) (threats against the President), 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) (interstate threats), and 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B) and (b)(4) (threats to murder federal law enforcement officer). On August 4, 2026, Williams appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville. Williams pleaded not guilty and was detained in custody pending trial, which has been set for October 6, 2026, before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The indictment alleges that from January through April 2026, Williams used TikTok to make numerous public posts announcing his intent to murder and maim public officials, and exhorting others to do the same. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Williams made 11 separate threats to murder President Trump, one threat to murder a member of President Trump’s immediate family, seven separate threats to murder the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), two threats to murder the Knox County Sheriff and the Chief of the Knoxville Police Department, and one threat to murder numerous family members.
If convicted, Williams faces a total term of 145 years in prison. The maximum prison sentence for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) is five years; the maximum prison sentence for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) is five years; and the maximum prison sentence for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B) and (b)(4) is 10 years. Each violation also includes a maximum fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Terence G. Reilly, of the Nashville Field Office of the FBI, made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the Knoxville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. will represent the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Knoxville Man Arrested for Transmitting Threats to Kill Public OfficalsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Garry Lee Williams, 44, of Knoxville, was arrested on July 16, 2026, in Knoxville by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on a complaint involving the interstate transmission of threats to kill public officials.
An initial appearance was held today, Friday, July 17, 2026, in United States District Court in Knoxville, before the Honorable Debra C. Poplin, United States Magistrate Judge. The next scheduled hearing is a preliminary hearing set for August 25, 2026, at 1:30pm, before Judge Poplin. A trial will be scheduled at a later date.
The details of the complaint, which include numerous threats to kill public officials, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c), are outlined in the arrest warrant and supporting affidavit to the complaint, which are filed as public records in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. In summary, the affidavit alleges that Williams made repeated posts and videos on social media, including TikTok, in which Williams threatened to kill President Donald J. Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler, and Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge, Terence G. Reilly, of the Nashville Field Office of the FBI, made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. will represent the United States in this case.
Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Atlanta Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 25, 2026, Joshua Aaron Holmes, 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville after a federal jury convicted him of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1349, mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Following his imprisonment, Holmes will be on supervised release for three years and he was ordered to repay $936,215.00 in restitution to the victims.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Holmes and others worked to steal money from elderly victims who intended to invest their money. Holmes and others posed as federal agents who promised to help the victims recover money lost through investments; victims were induced to pay fake fees, taxes, and court costs, yet did not receive the return of any lost money—the victims only lost more.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Nashville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Securities and Exchange Commission Inspector General Kevin Muhlendorf made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael S. Deel, David P. Lewen, Jr., and William A. Roach, Jr. represented the United States in this case.
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Two High Ranking Members of the United Cartels Charged with Drug Trafficking, Providing Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Firearms Offenses as Part of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) InitiativeRead the Press Release
Note: Please see a copy of the indictment here.
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday against Juan Jose “Juanjo” Farias Mendoza, 31, and Israel “Papo” Vega Farias, 37, both of Tepalcatepec, Michoacan, Mexico, and high-ranking members of the United Cartels.
The Michoacan-based United Cartels is one of the world’s most significant methamphetamine producers, capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. The organization controls a distribution network that spans the United States, with hubs in Dallas; Houston; Atlanta; Kansas City, Missouri; Sacramento, California; Los Angeles; Denver; and Chicago; and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (also known as Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended. In August 2025, the Department of Justice announced criminal charges by the Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) against several command-and-control elements of the United Cartels, including Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, also known as “Abuelo,” the cartel’s top leader, as part of a multi-agency effort to dismantle the United Cartels.
“Juan Jose Farias Mendoza and Israel Vega Farias are charged with trafficking immense amounts of methamphetamine into the United States and supporting a foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The two defendants indicted yesterday are close relatives of the United Cartels’ top leader Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, who was charged by the Criminal Division in 2024. This indictment demonstrates the systematic and focused effort of the Criminal Division to dismantle Mexican cartels by targeting their command-and-control elements, including those within cartel leaders’ closest circles.”
“The investigation into the United Cartels began in the Eastern District of Tennessee, with a seizure of methamphetamine in a small town outside Knoxville, and a larger interdiction of over 950 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl outside of Atlanta,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “From Tennessee to Mexico, a whole-of-government investigation followed that partnered multiple federal law enforcement agencies with their critically important state and local counterparts, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 9th Judicial Task Force, and resulted in last August’s and today’s announcements of criminal charges against this Foreign Terrorist Organization’s leadership structure. With our Criminal Division partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee remains unwavering in its commitment to eliminate the cartels and prosecute their leaders, members, and supporters who endanger our communities with dangerous drugs and violence.”
“This indictment is a testament to the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to dismantle the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon of HSI. “The United Cartels have fueled violence, addiction, and instability both in the United States and abroad. Through the Homeland Security Task Force’s whole-of-government approach, HSI is committed to identifying and investigating cartel leadership and their networks, wherever they operate. We will continue to leverage every available tool to protect our communities, disrupt transnational criminal enterprises, and ensure those who threaten our nation’s safety and security are brought to justice.”
Farias Mendoza and Vega Farias are, respectively, Abuelo’s son and nephew. Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine for importation into the United States, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and using, carrying and possessing firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices, during and in relation to the alleged drug trafficking crime charged in their indictment. If convicted, both defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison.
HSI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Quencer for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
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 U.S. 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two High Ranking Members of the United Cartels Charged with Drug Trafficking, Providing Material Support to A Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Firearms Offenses as Part of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) InitiativeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday against Juan Jose “Juanjo” Farias Mendoza, 31, and Israel “Papo” Vega Farias, 37, both of Tepalcatepec, Michoacan, Mexico, and high-ranking members of the United Cartels.
The Michoacan-based United Cartels is one of the world’s most significant methamphetamine producers, capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. The organization controls a distribution network that spans the United States, with hubs in Dallas, Houston; Atlanta; Kansas City, Missouri; Sacramento, California; Los Angeles; Denver; and Chicago; and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (also known as Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended. In August 2025, the Department of Justice announced criminal charges by the Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) against several command-and-control elements of the United Cartels, including Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, also known as “Abuelo,” the cartel’s top leader, as part of a multi-agency effort to dismantle the United Cartels.
“Juan Jose Farias Mendoza and Israel Vega Farias are charged with trafficking immense amounts of methamphetamine into the United States and supporting a foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The two defendants indicted yesterday are close relatives of the United Cartels’ top leader Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, who was charged by the Criminal Division in 2024. This indictment demonstrates the systematic and focused effort of the Criminal Division to dismantle Mexican cartels by targeting their command-and-control elements, including those within cartel leaders’ closet circles.”
“The investigation into the United Cartels began in the Eastern District of Tennessee, with a seizure of methamphetamine in a small town outside Knoxville, and a larger interdiction of over 950 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl outside of Atlanta,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “From Tennessee to Mexico, a whole-of-government investigation followed that partnered multiple federal law enforcement agencies with their critically important state and local counterparts, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 9th Judicial Task Force, and resulted in last August’s and today’s announcements of criminal charges against this Foreign Terrorist Organization’s leadership structure. With our Criminal Division partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee remains unwavering in its commitment to eliminate the cartels and prosecute their leaders, members, and supporters who endanger our communities with dangerous drugs and violence.”
“This indictment is a testament to the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to dismantle the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon of HSI. “The United Cartels have fueled violence, addiction, and instability both in the United States and abroad. Through the Homeland Security Task Force’s whole-of-government approach, HSI is committed to identifying and investigating cartel leadership and their networks, wherever they operate. We will continue to leverage every available tool to protect our communities, disrupt transnational criminal enterprises, and ensure those who threaten our nation’s safety and security are brought to justice.”
Farias Mendoza and Vega Farias are, respectively, Abuelo’s son and nephew. Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine for importation into the United States, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and using, carrying and possessing firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices, during and in relation to the alleged drug trafficking crime charged in their indictment. If convicted, both defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison.
HSI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Quencer for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
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 U.S. 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Four Contractors Indicted for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Related to Parts Provided to the US MilitaryRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a 19 count indictment on June 17, 2026 against David Turner, 59, of Walkertown, North Carolina, Roger Wolfgram, 56, of Augusta, Georgia, Adam Boudet, 39, of Augusta, Georgia, and Alex Bath, 50, of Maryville, Tennessee, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and charging Turner and Wolfgram with money laundering. The defendants appeared in court on June 30, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. They were released pending trial, which has been set before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, on September 8, 2026, in the United States District Court in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The indictment alleges that Turner, Wolfgram, Boudet, and Bath conspired together to obtain contracts with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to provide to the military certain original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, such as fuel injectors, turbochargers, and generators, but instead provided unapproved aftermarket parts. The indictment alleges that the defendants fraudulently concealed the true source of certain parts by, among other things, creating fake labels, creating false documents, and altering documents to make it appear as though the parts were OEM parts when in fact, they were not. The indictment also alleges that Turner and Wolfgram entered into a kickback agreement whereby Turner would receive a portion of the profits that resulted from the sale of the aftermarket parts at OEM prices. The indictment also alleges that Turner and Wolfgram conspired to commit money laundering by concealing the proceeds of the fraud when Wolfgram paid Turner’s kickbacks to a company Turner created.
If convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, the defendants face a term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and supervised release of up to three years. If convicted of money laundering, Turner and Wolfgram face a term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and supervised release of up to three years.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Jason Sargenski of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by DCIS and IRS-CI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Dykes will represent the United States.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Antonio DeWayne Watkins Sentenced to 36 Years for Assaulting A Person Assisting Federal Official, Drug Trafficking, and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On June 24, 2026, Antonio DeWayne Watkins, a/k/a “Tony Bologna” and “Gator Mac,” 32 of Chattanooga, was sentenced to 432 months of imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Following a four day trial, Watkins was convicted of possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), distributing methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), and assaulting a person assisting a federal official resulting in bodily injury in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a) and (b).
The evidence presented at trial and sentencing showed that Watkins, a member of the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang, was found in possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a loaded firearm during an encounter with Chattanooga Police Officers in July 2024. Following his arrest and release on bond, Watkins twice sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Following federal indictment, United States Magistrate Judge Susan K. Lee ordered Watkins be detained pending trial. While in pretrial detention, Watkins punched a Hamilton County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Deputy in the face. The Court found Watkins to be a Career Offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines based on previous Tennessee convictions for possession of cocaine for resale and voluntary manslaughter.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office, Drug Enforcement Administration Chattanooga Resident Office, United States Marshal Service, Chattanooga Police Department, and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Assistant United States Attorneys Scott A. Winne and Kevin T. Brown, and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Raven D. Austin represented the United States.
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Rockwood Detective Sentenced to 12 Years for Attempted Enticement of A ChildRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 23, 2026, Charles Andrew Crothers, 39, of Oliver Springs, TN, was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Crothers will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Crothers agreed to plead guilty to one count in the indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a child, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).
Investigators with the Blount County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation targeting known chat websites. An undercover officer, posing as a 15-year-old girl, was contacted by Crothers. Crothers was given a phone number he believed to be for a cell phone for the 15-year-old. Crothers requested nude photographs of the girl and spoke to her about sexually explicit topics. On the final day of texting, Crothers sent the undercover officer pictures of his erect penis. In those pictures, and pictures sent earlier depicting his face, investigators with the Blount County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office was able to determine that Crothers was employed as a detective with the Rockwood, TN Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Blount County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office. This investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Jordan Foreman.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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Oak Ridge Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 23, 2026, Travis O’Neil Todd, 48, of Oak Ridge, TN was sentenced to 324 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Todd will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Todd agreed to plead guilty to two counts in the indictment charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(2) and (b)(1); and one count of possession and access with intent to view child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2).
Investigators with the Homeland Security Investigations-Internet Crimes Against Children (HSI-ICAC) in Detroit, MI were conducting an undercover operation into KiK groups related to child exploitation. An undercover agent with HSI was contacted by KiK user “Loudnhard” now known to be the defendant regarding exchanging child sexual abuse material. Todd sent the undercover agent two images of a nude, teenage female. HSI and Todd set up an interchange on the Wire application, where Todd sent the undercover agent more sexually explicit images: one of two nude, teenaged girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct; one of a nude, teenage girl in a sexually provocative position; and one of a nude, female toddler with sexually explicit writing on her stomach and legs. Investigation into the KiK user’s subscriber information identified Todd as the account holder residing in Oak Ridge, TN. HSI and Knoxville Police Department executed a search warrant of Todd’s home. Forensic examination of Todd’s phone identified 26 videos and 5 images containing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by HSI-ICAC and Knoxville Police Department–ICAC, assisted by Oak Ridge Police Department. This investigation was led by HSI-ICAC Task Force Officer Tom Evans.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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Former Oak Ridge National Laboratory Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Acting as A Foreign Agent and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 17, 2026, Portia Anyamba, 59, currently of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
As part of a plea agreement entered with the Court, Anyamba pleaded guilty to one count of acting as an agent of the Republic of South Africa in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 951, and one count of making false statements in her security clearance application in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1001.
An investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Nashville Field Office and the United States Department of Energy Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence revealed that Anyamba, a former Brigadier General in the South African Air Force, was acting in the United States under the direction and control of the Republic of South Africa and provided materially false statements in connection with her efforts to obtain a security clearance. Anyamba was sentenced to serve six months’ imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release. As a component of her sentence, she was also ordered to pay a $9,500 fine.
According to plea documents filed with the Court, in 2023 and 2024, Anyamba worked as a Program Management Operational Specialist in the National Security Program Office at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (“ORNL”). ORNL is a unique facility located in the Eastern District of Tennessee that was established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project and is currently a United States Department of Energy facility dedicated to energy, innovation, and national security, among other things.
During the course of the investigation, FBI agents learned that Anyamba regularly communicated with an intelligence officer – identified in Court documents as “IO-1” – working for the Republic of South Africa’s State Security Agency (“SSA”), i.e., the South African Government’s civilian intelligence agency. IO-1 was known to the FBI as the SSA’s then-Deputy Chief of Station and former Acting Chief of Station at the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C.
In February 2024, IO-1 communicated with Anyamba and arranged a meeting to occur in Knoxville, Tennessee. FBI agents surveilled the planned encounter and watched as Anyamba met with IO-1 and another individual known by the FBI to be affiliated with the Republic of South Africa. Although the group originally met at a restaurant in a Knoxville commercial district, they soon drove to a nearby hotel. After the meeting, Anyamba left the hotel and returned to her residence, where FBI agents watched her retrieve an item from her car and take it into her house.
Thereafter, Anyamba and IO-1 planned another encounter in Knoxville, Tennessee. Prior to the meeting, IO-1 instructed her: “Please remember to also bring the laptop with!” On November 7, 2024, in Knoxville’s Turkey Creek shoppoing district, FBI personnel intercepted Anyamba immediately prior to her planned meeting with IO-1 and retrieved a laptop computer from her custody.
While under the control of foreign agents, Anyamba was in the midst of her application process for a United States Government security clearance, which, if granted, would have provided her access to certain classified information. As part of that application process, she certified and submitted a form attesting to certain information. The form, known as an “SF-86” form, advises applicants that the provision of false information may result in criminal penalties.
Among other things, Anyamba certified that she had no continuing contact with a foreign national and that she had not had contact with representatives of a foreign government in the past seven years. Court documents state that, knowing her answers to be both material and false, Anyamba answered “no” to both questions. She also contacted individuals she listed as references and told them: “I have just gotten information that they have started with the interviews. They are sensitive about foreign connections. So please don’t mention anything about the embassy.”
“Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a uniquely important Department of Energy facility,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners will remain diligent in ensuring that its employees – and all government personnel entrusted with access to sensitive information – are trustworthy, candid, and pose no risk to national security. We are committed to protecting the Laboratory and supporting the important work it does for our nation.”
“Anyamba knowingly acted as an agent of a foreign country which placed national security at risk,” said Terence G. Reilly, Special Agent in Charge, Nashville Field Office. “All across the country, each and every day, the FBI and our strategic partners will continue to work together to review intelligence and investigate threats to our national security in order to protect our citizens from foreign and domestic attacks.”
“This successful joint investigation highlights the benefits of the strong relationship between DOE Counterintelligence and the FBI Agent in the Lab program,” said Joshua D. Martineau, Deputy Director Counterintelligence, Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle J. Wilson and Casey T. Arrowood of the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case with the assistance of Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
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Kingsport Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Multi Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On June 17, 2026, Aaron Tyshawn Jackson, 27 of Kingsport, TN and formerly of Chattanooga, TN was sentenced to 288 months by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his imprisonment, Jackson will be on supervised release for 10 years.
In February, a federal jury convicted Jackson of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine both in violation of 21 U.S.C. § § 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A); two other drug related offenses in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Additionally, the jury found that the enhanced penalties, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 851, were applied to Jackson.
The evidence offered at trial showed that for years Jackson was purchasing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Chattanooga and distributing the drugs in Kingsport. On October 22, 2024, following trip to Chattanooga to purchase drugs, Jackson, who was not driving, and three other people were traffic stopped near Greeneville, TN. When the police activated their lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop Jackson told the driver to “drive” and a pursuit ensued resulting in a crash. Jackson threw a duffel bag out of the window while fleeing. The duffel bag contained over 2.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and 11 ounces of fentanyl. Before the car crashed, it reached speeds in excess of 120 mph.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to the indictment and subsequent conviction of Jackson include Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Kingsport Police Department, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Chattanooga Police Department, and Etowah Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan L. Gomez and AnCharlene Davis represented the United States.
On December 15, 2025, the President issued an Executive Order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/designating-fentanyl-as-a-weapon-of-mass-destruction/
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.
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Multi-Million-Dollar Prescription Fraud Scheme Results in Prison Sentence for Three East TennesseansRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 11, 2026, Barbara A. Smith, 75, of Powell, Tennessee, was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release by the Honorable Katharine A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Smith was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,810,878.
Judge Crytzer previously sentenced Smith’s codefendants and coconspirators Jared Grant Riddle (“Grant Riddle”), 47, of Clinton, Tennessee, and Brian M. Woods, 48, of Dandridge, Tennessee.
Both Grant Riddle and Brian Woods were sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Grant Riddle was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,687,531.89, and Woods was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,365,897.89.
As part of the plea agreements filed with the court, Smith, Riddle, and Woods each pleaded guilty to an indictment charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349.
Riddle Formulary Fraud Case: Barbara Smith, Grant Riddle, Brian Woods
As set forth in plea agreements filed with the Court, from May 2018 to October 2020, United Apothecary, LLC, operated six retail pharmacies doing business as Riddle Drugs or Riddle Express Pharmacy. Grant Riddle, a licensed pharmacist, created a drug formulary that listed certain drugs, including pain creams and an oral muscle relaxer called chlorzoxazone 250 mg, based solely on their high reimbursement values. Riddle Drugs hired Woods to market the formulary to local pain clinics, including to a Knoxville-area pain clinic and primary care facility where Smith was the office manager. Woods provided stacks of blank paper formularies to Smith and the clinic’s providers. Riddle Drugs agreed to pay Woods off-the-books cash bonuses based on the volume of signed formularies he delivered to Riddle Drugs.
Woods agreed to pay Smith cash for formularies signed by the clinic’s providers. Woods and Smith then began to alter signed formularies, adding check boxes next to unprescribed medications and increasing the number of refills written on the formularies. The clinic’s patients began to complain about receiving medications in the mail that their provider had not prescribed and that they did not want, which led the clinic’s providers to suspect Smith of altering their formularies. As a result, the providers completed formularies to prevent alterations, including crossing out medications by drawing an “X” on them.
Woods and Smith then used blank formularies to create wholly forged formularies: they handwrote patient names on the formularies, marked boxes next to various medications, wrote in refills, and forged providers’ signatures—either by hand or by using a photocopy of the provider’s signature without the provider’s knowledge. Woods paid Smith in cash for Smith’s role in altering and forging the formularies.
Grant Riddle submitted, or caused United Apothecary to submit, the altered and forged formularies to drug plans and pharmacy benefits managers for reimbursement. As a result of those fraudulent claims, the drug plans and pharmacy benefits managers paid to United Apothecary approximately $7,365,897.89, including approximately $4.8 million paid by Medicare Part D. During portions of the scheme, Riddle Drugs’ Oliver Springs, Tennessee, pharmacy was the top pharmacy in the country for distribution of chlorzoxazone 250 mg.
Riddle Health Care Kickbacks Case: Ernest Riddle and Grant Riddle
In a separate case also involving Riddle Drugs, George Ernest Riddle (“Ernest Riddle”), 78, of Clinton, Tennessee, was sentenced by Judge Crytzer to 15 months’ imprisonment, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,321,634.00.
As indicated in plea documents filed with the Court, Ernest Riddle, who owned United Apothecary and its six retail pharmacies, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to solicit, pay, and receive health care kickbacks, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.
From July 2016 to January 2020, Ernest Riddle and his son Grant Riddle conspired with each other to pay kickbacks and bribes to out-of-state marketers in exchange for the marketers delivering signed prescriptions to Riddle Drugs. Riddle Drugs then submitted the prescriptions to Medicare Part D drug plans for reimbursement. Medicare paid approximately $1,321,634.00 to United Apothecary for the prescriptions United Apothecary acquired by paying kickbacks and bribes. As part of his plea agreement filed with the Court, Grant Riddle admitted to his involvement in the kickbacks scheme and agreed to pay restitution to Medicare Part D.
“Medicare fraud undermines the integrity of our nation’s most critical healthcare programs, which are relied upon by millions of patients, doctors, and honest healthcare professionals,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “Fraud of this kind wastes taxpayer dollars and increases the cost of healthcare for all Americans. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who steal from taxpayers and exploit our healthcare system for their own personal gain.”
“These sentencings underscore the serious consequences faced by individuals who exploit federal health care programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The Riddles’ scheme diverted valuable taxpayer funds from programs designed to support beneficiaries in need. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS OIG will continue to pursue those who compromise patient trust, inflate health care costs, and undermine the integrity of Medicare.”
“Healthcare fraud undermines trust in a system that millions of Americans rely upon and costs taxpayers and consumers billions of dollars each year,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who exploit our healthcare system for personal gain will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice. The FBI and our partners remain committed to protecting public healthcare resources and holding fraudsters accountable.”
The criminal indictments were the result of an investigation by HHS-OIG and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorneys William A. Roach, Jr., and Michael S. Deel represented the United States.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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George Herman Ruth Sentenced to 11 Years for Mail Fraud Scheme and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, TN – On June 10, 2026, George Herman Ruth, 70, of Morristown, was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment by the Honorable Clifton Corker, United States District Judge, in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
Today’s sentence followed Ruth’s prior entry of a guilty plea to twenty-five separate counts of mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud class action administrators throughout the country. Following Ruth’s imprisonment, he will be on federal supervised release for three years.
According to filed court documents and statements made in court, Ruth was previously sentenced to prison for 56-months for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States Social Security Administrator, and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, in the Southern District of Indiana. Upon his release from imprisonment, in October of 2023, Ruth began serving a term of federal supervised release in the Eastern District of Tennessee that required him to submit truthful monthly reports to his supervising probation officer.
From at least January 2023 and continuing through at least July of 2025, Ruth engaged in a large-scale scheme to deceive class action administrators and to enrich himself through fraud. Ruth identified class action lawsuit settlements and submitted hundreds of fraudulent claim forms to different class action administrators in which he purported to be entitled to relief under the terms of the relevant class action lawsuit. Ruth predominately used the names of former Major League Baseball players to submit false claims. To facilitate his fraud, Ruth opened post office boxes throughout northeast Tennessee to receive mail from class action administrators and opened a bank account in the name a sham business called “El Mundo Marketing” to deposit fraudulent received payments from class action administrators. Ruth used proceeds from the fraud scheme to travel, to gamble, and to continue the scam. Ruth admitted that he attempted to obtain more than $250,000 through his fraud scheme.
Ruth repeatedly submitted false monthly supervision reports to his probation officer to facilitate his mail fraud scheme. For example, Ruth falsely reported on numerous monthly supervision reports that he did not have access to a post office box when, in truth, Ruth had thirteen separate post office boxes that he used to advance his mail fraud scheme. Additionally, Ruth falsely reported on monthly supervision reports that he did not travel out-of-state when, in fact, Ruth regularly traveled out-of-state without permission.
“George Herman Ruth’s conviction exemplifies the unwavering commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The eleven-year prison sentence imposed today reflects the seriousness of Ruth’s actions and will hopefully deter others from running schemes to defraud in the Eastern District of Tennessee.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has been at the forefront of protecting consumers from fraud schemes for many years,” said Inspector in Rodney M. Hopkins of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Atlanta Division. “Anyone who engages in deceptive practices like this should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable, regardless of where they are.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the Morristown Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell, Christian Lampe, Mac Heavener, and Wayne Taylor represented the United States.
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Knoxville Man Indicted on Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Crack Cocaine, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 20, 2026, a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, returned an indictment charging Brandon Allen Foxx, 36, of Knoxville, TN, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, seven counts of distributing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack cocaine, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On June 8, 2026, Foxx appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jill E. McCook, in the Eastern District of Tennessee, and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He was detained pending trial, which has been set for July 28, 2026, before the Honorable Judge Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge.
According to court documents, between November 25, 2025, and May 7, 2026, Foxx sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on seven occasions. Court documents also allege Foxx possessed firearms while selling methamphetamine to the confidential informant. On May 12, 2026, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF) and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (“TBI”) executed a search warrant of Foxx’s residence. Inside the residence, agents found 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, 93 grams of fentanyl, 28.1 grams of crack cocaine, 1.4 kilograms of marijuana, 181 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, $2,405 in cash, and two firearms.
If convicted, Foxx faces a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.
Francis M. Hamilton III, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and ATF Resident Agent in Charge Nellie Waterman, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the TBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Gilmore of the Eastern District of Tennessee is prosecuting 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 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.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Maryville Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempting to Destroy an Interstate Gas Pipeline FacilityRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 28, 2026, Christopher Kyle Duke, 36, of Maryville, TN, was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Duke will be on federal supervised release for two years. As part of his sentence, Duke is required to make restitution in the amounts of $23,236.27 to Enbridge, Inc. and $15,456.12 to Atmos Energy.
Today’s sentencing hearing followed Duke’s prior entry of a guilty plea to an information charging him with one count of knowingly and willfully acting in a manner to damage and attempt to destroy an interstate gas pipeline facility used in interstate or foreign commerce, in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 60123(b).
Court documents showed that on May 9, 2025, Duke drove to the Enbridge and East Tennessee Natural Gas LLC Natural Gas Substation in Maryville, TN. Duke then scaled the chain-link and barbed wire fencing surrounding the substation. Once inside, Duke recklessly released numerous gas valves causing an immediate, high-pressure emergency release of large quantities of gas which caused the ground to shake. Duke also intentionally damaged equipment used to monitor, meter, and regulate the transmission of natural gas to commercial and residential consumers in Blount County.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Maryville Police Department and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. represented the United States.
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Knoxville Man Charged in Federal Court with Fentanyl and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 15, 2026, Seayon Weston, 39, of Knoxville, TN, was charged via criminal complaint with fentanyl and firearms offenses in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
The complaint charges Weston with possessing with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c), and being a felon in possession of firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The Honorable Jill E. McCook, United States Magistrate Judge, authorized the complaint.
According to the affidavit of DEA Special Agent Jason Klingler filed in support of the complaint, law enforcement’s investigation into Weston’s activities culminated in a search warrant execution at Weston’s Knoxville residence on May 14, 2026. The affidavit details certain aspects of the search warrant execution, including the seizure of approximately 471 grams of suspected fentanyl, drug processing and packaging materials, including dozens of used rubber gloves, cash, and three firearms. One of the firearms was a mini-Draco 7.62 semi-automatic pistol, according to the affidavit. The affidavit included photographs of some of the seized evidence.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by elements of the Knoxville Police Department, including KPD’s Special Operation Squad, Organized Crime Unit, and Drug Related Death Task Force. The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted with the investigation and search warrant execution and is the lead agency in this federal 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 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.
This case is part of “Operation Knoxville Thunder” in furtherance of DEA’s Fentanyl Free America initiative, which is a comprehensive enforcement initiative and public awareness campaign designed to combat the synthetic opioid crisis.
On December 15, 2025, the President issued an Executive Order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Quencer and Alan Kirk will represent the United States in this prosecution.
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Defendants Sentenced to Prison in COVID-19 Employment Tax Credit Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On May 14, 2026, Edward Zanes, 51, of Kingsport, Tennessee the last of three defendants charged in an extensive Covid-19 employment tax credit fraud scheme, was sentenced to 65 months in prison by the Honorable Judge Clifton Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Following his release, Zanes will be on supervised release for three years.
This sentence follows an 84-month term of prison imposed earlier this year on co-defendant, Ryan Glidewell, 53, of Kingsport, Tennessee and a 50-month prison term imposed last year on co-defendant, Alyssa Glidewell, 36, of Kingsport, Tennessee for their respective roles in the fraud scheme. Both co-defendants will be on supervised release for three years following their release from imprisonment. Judge Corker also ordered the three to pay $1,806,637 in restitution to the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ryan Glidewell, Alyssa Glidewell, Edward Zanes, and others, conspired to file false tax returns seeking refunds based on the Employee Retention Credit and paid Sick and Family Leave Credit, both of which were created by Congress to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The defendants, led by Ryan Glidewell, created at least eleven phony businesses, which lacked any employees or operations, for the sole purpose of falsely claiming the credits. Members of the conspiracy then filed numerous false tax returns for those businesses and directed the tax refunds to be mailed to addresses controlled by conspirators.
In total, the false returns filed from the eleven sham businesses claimed over $3.4 million in tax refunds, of which the IRS paid $1.8 million.
“The defendants in this case exploited governmental efforts to assist businesses during a time of unprecedented uncertainty,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously prosecute individuals that steal from the citizenry through tax fraud.”
“Edward Zanes and his co-conspirators created fake companies, filed fraudulent tax forms, and tried to steal from programs meant to help Americans during the pandemic,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office. “IRS CI special agents, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to uncover COVID-19 relief fraud and hold anyone who files false tax returns fully accountable.”
IRS Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Mac Heavener, and Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb formerly with the Justice Department’s Tax Division, represented the United States.
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Morristown Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in the Deaths of Multiple Fentanyl Overdose VictimsRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On May 13, 2026, Ashlyn Jade Henry, 25 of Morristown, Tennessee was sentenced to 20 years by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Court, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following her imprisonment, Henry will be on supervised release for five years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Henry agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging her with one count of conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
According to filed court documents, in January 2024, Henry purchased a quantity of cocaine base from her supplier in the Knoxville area for the purpose of reselling it to people in Morristown, Tennessee. This cocaine base was laced with fentanyl. Over the course of several days Henry then sold the laced drugs to numerous victims. At least three victims were found deceased in their homes after using the drugs. Two additional victims overdosed and survived after being resuscitated. Both surviving victims identified Henry as the person that sold them the fentanyl laced cocaine base.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to the indictment and subsequent conviction of Henry included the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Morristown Police Department, and the Hamblen County Sherriff’s Office.
Meghan L. Gomez, Assistant United States Attorney represented the United States.
On December 15, 2025, the President issued an Executive Order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.
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.
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Knoxville Man Sentenced to over Five Years for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 7, 2026, Timir X. Thomas, 20, currently of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 70 months in prison by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. After his imprisonment, he will be on supervised release for five years.
Thomas previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(D), and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(C).
According to court filed documents, in March 2025, law enforcement from multiple state and federal agencies began a joint investigation into Thomas and his co-conspirators for drug trafficking and the possession of firearms. The investigation revealed that Thomas and other members of the drug trafficking organization were utilizing social media platforms, such as Instagram, to sell marijuana and firearms. On Instagram, Thomas posted photographs and videos of himself and others possessing thousands of dollars of drug proceeds, firearms, and large quantities of marijuana. The investigation further revealed that, since October 2024, Thomas obtained large quantities marijuana from California and distributed those drugs in Knoxville.
On April 20, 2025, investigators conducted a traffic stop and arrested Thomas. Thomas was in possession of distribution quantities of marijuana, a Glock 19x, 9mm pistol, a Glock 23, 40 caliber pistols, and a Micro-Draco, AK-47 style, 7.62x39mm pistol. Following the arrest, KPD obtained search warrants for Thomas’s cell phones and found photographs, videos, and text messages showing that Thomas had distributed large quantities of marijuana and possessed numerous firearms while trafficking marijuana.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge, Jamey VanVliet, of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Knoxville Police Department Community Engagement Response Team (CERT), Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and ATF.
This investigation was led by ATF Special Agent James Makemson.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Gilmore represented the United States.
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 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.
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Florida Woman Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Interstate Travel to Engage in Sexual Conduct with A Minor and for Victim TamperingRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 30, 2026, Kasey Lynn Skaggs, 27, of Jacksonville, FL, was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following her imprisonment, Skaggs will be on supervised release for 15 years and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Skaggs agreed to plead guilty to two counts in the indictment charging her with one count of interstate travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b); and one count of tampering with a victim to destroy evidence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(2)(B).
According to court filed documents, investigators with the Homeland Security Investigations-Internet Crimes Against Children (HSI-ICAC) Task Force and local law enforcement investigated a report of child sexual abuse in 2024. Investigators found that from December 2023 to February 2024, Skaggs, along with co-defendant and husband, Jeffrey Lee Robertson, traveled across state lines on three different occasions into the Eastern District of Tennessee to have sex with a 14-year-old female. On the victim’s phone, investigators located text and social media messages between the two defendants, enticing and talking to the minor about illicit sexual acts they would do together. Further evidence was found of the two defendants instructing the victim to destroy evidence of their communication when they believed they had been caught.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by HSI-ICAC, 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General and Lenoir City Police Department.
This investigation was led by HSI-ICAC Task Force Officer Cortney Dugger.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
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Jury Finds Six-Time Felon Guilty of Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On April 22, 2026, following a two-day trial in United States District Court, a jury convicted Richard Allen, Sr., also known as “Hoss,” 55, of Chattanooga, TN, of possessing 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it; possessing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Sentencing is set for October 1, 2026, before United States District Judge Charles E. Atchley, in United States District Court at Chattanooga. Allen faces a mandatory minimum 10-years imprisonment up to a maximum of life imprisonment.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on August 15, 2024, Chattanooga Police Officers encountered Allen in the East Lake Courts Housing Complex and found him to be in possession of over 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and two loaded pistols. Allen is a multi-convicted felon, having sustained six previous felony convictions in state and federal courts. On September 6, 2024, officers again encountered Allen in East Lake Courts. He was found to be in possession of over 21 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The Chattanooga Police Department Neighborhood Policing Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Chattanooga Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office and Drug Enforcement Administration Chattanooga Resident Office provided valuable assistance during the investigation and trial.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Poole and Kevin Brown represented the United States at trial.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Echelon Fitness Multimedia, LLC Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for $2,100,000Read the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Echelon Fitness Multimedia, LLC (Echelon), a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based company that sells connected fitness equipment, such as smart bikes, treadmills, and rowers and provides digital memberships that offer live and on-demand classes, agreed to settle allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) that the Company deceptively undervalued fitness equipment imported into the United States to lessen tariff obligations and other import assessments owed to the United States. Under the terms of the settlement, Echelon will pay at least $2,100,000 to resolve the FCA claims.
According to filed documents, it was alleged that from September 2019 through January 2023, Echelon knowingly submitted inaccurate invoices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that underreported the cost of equipment purchased from a China-based manufacturer-assembler and repeatedly failed to include the cost of computer tablets incorporated into packaged equipment shipped from China to the United States when declaring the total values of the imported equipment to CBP, improperly reducing tariffs and other import assessments.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of a case filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by a relator, Mr. Greg Dahlstrom. Under the whistleblower provisions a private party, known as a “relator,” can file an action on behalf of the United States and may receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Greg Dahlstrom v. Echelon Fitness Multimedia, LLC et al., Case No. 1:22-CV-222 (E.D. Tenn.) The relator will receive $420,000 of the proceeds from the settlement and possibly additional sums as permitted under the FCA.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan G. McGonigal and Alexa Ortiz Hadley for the Eastern District of Tennessee represented the United States, with assistance from DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating waste, fraud, and abuse impacting the United States and its agencies. One of the most powerful tools in this work is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to DHS at https://hotline.oig.dhs.gov/#step-1 or 800-323-8603.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. On Saturday, April 25th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) will provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Location information is available from the DEA, along with items that cannot be accepted. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
This April’s event is DEA’s 29th nationwide event since its inception 16 years ago. Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 571,054 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 4,317 sites operated by the DEA and 4,263 from its state and local law enforcement partners.
The DEA will now accept vaping devices and cartridges at any of its drop-off locations during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It is important to note that DEA cannot accept devices containing lithium-ion batteries. If batteries cannot be removed prior to drop-off, DEA encourages individuals to consult with stores that recycle lithium-ion batteries. Concerns have been raised across the United States over illnesses and deaths caused by vaping and the high youth vaping initiation rates. To support a healthy lifestyle and energetic population, especially among America’s youth, DEA is committed to doing all it can to help safely dispose of vaping devices and substances.
The DEA’s “Take Back” day and “Get Smart About Drugs” initiatives address the vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses because of these drugs. Synthetic opioids, such as illicit fentanyl, are the primary driver of the increase in overdose deaths. For information on DEA’s “Take Back” in Spanish, click here, or for more information on the “Get Smart About Drugs” publication, click for English or Spanish.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are many other ways to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs every day, including the 11,000 authorized collectors that are available all year long. For more information, visit DEA’s year-round collection site locator. Participating in the next DEA Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25th, simply means cleaning out your medicine cabinet or anywhere you keep unused, unwanted, or expired medications and dropping them off at your nearest collection site.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 26th Take Back day event, go to DEA Drug Take Back eventor by calling 800-882-9539.
The FDA also provides information on how to properly dispose of prescription drugs.
More information is available here: English or Spanish.
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Takahata Precision Tennessee, Inc. Agrees to Pay $2.5M Following Improper Receipt of PPP LoanRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Takahata Precision Tennessee, Inc. (“Takahata TN”) has agreed to pay $2,582,576.10 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by applying for, receiving, and obtaining forgiveness of a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) for which it was not eligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, to provide relief to small businesses experiencing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 27, 2020, the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (“Economic Aid Act”), enacted on December 27, 2020, subsequently authorized the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to guarantee second-draw PPP loans. To be eligible for second-draw PPP loans, borrowers were required to have no more than 300 employees, among other requirements. On May 21, 2020, the SBA published an Interim Final Rule clarifying that affiliated foreign employees were to be included when a borrower calculated their total number of employees for purposes of determining PPP loan eligibility.
The United States contends that Takahata TN failed to include employees of its foreign affiliates through common ownership when it applied for a second-draw PPP loan and forgiveness thereof. Had Takahata TN included the employees of its foreign affiliates, as required, it would have exceeded the 300-employee size limitation applicable to second-draw PPP loans and would not have been eligible to receive the loan.
This Settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Takahata Precision Tennessee Inc., No. 3:24-cv-391 (E.D. Tenn.).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexa Ortiz Hadley and Ben Cunningham represented the United States, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
“This settlement is another example of our office’s commitment to holding accountable those who disregard program requirements and obtain federal funds they are not entitled to,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Our office remains proud to work with the SBA and other federal partners in this effort.”
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Lookout Mountain Man Sentenced to 28 Years Imprisonment for Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On April 16, 2026, Patrick Bryant Hawley, 44, of Lookout Mountain, TN, was sentenced to 340 months in prison by Chief Judge Travis R. McDonough in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following his imprisonment, he will be on supervised release for 20 years and he will be required to register with applicable sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release. Hawley was also ordered to pay $60,000 in restitution.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Hawley agreed to plead guilty to one count of exploitation of a child in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a).
According to filed court documents, Hawley knowingly exploited a minor victim, who was then fourteen years old, causing her to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Hawley met his minor victim online, and within minutes of the meeting, their conversation turned to sexual matters. Hawley indicated to his victim that no age was “too young” for his desires. After receiving sexually explicit images of his victim, Hawley told her: “I need to see your face, and I need to see your contours.”
Hawley continued communicating with his victim, acknowledging multiple times that she was a minor. Among other things, he sent his victim images and videos of himself masturbating and of other minors engaged in sexual acts and acts of bestiality.
Hawley’s correspondence with his victim included instructions for her to record and show him her use of a sex toy. When the victim balked, Hawley referred to her by a vulgar epithet and told her to “rape yourself with it.” The victim hesitated, but Hawley described another sexually explicit act he wanted to see her perform, and ultimately, she complied, sending him videos of her performing such acts.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge, Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Acting Special Agent in Charge, Colin Jackson, of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of a joint investigation by the HSI and FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney Jay Woods represented the United States.
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 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.
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Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Arson and Attempting to Provide Material Support to A Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 13, 2026, Regan Darby Prater, 28, currently of Tullahoma, TN, entered a guilty plea to one count of arson and one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prater pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sentencing has been set before United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan for September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in Knoxville.
Prater faces up to 20 years in federal prison, along with related fines, restitution, and a term of supervised release to be served after he is released from custody. As part of his agreement, Prater waived indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges.
Court documents establish that Prater used a so-called “sparkler bomb,” i.e., a napalm-based incendiary device ignited by a common sparkler, to destroy facilities maintained by the Highlander Center, a school for grassroots leaders and social movements in New Market, Tennessee. As part of his guilty plea, Prater admitted that he drove from his home in Tullahoma to the Highlander Center, ignited the sparkler bomb, and destroyed a building, ultimately causing over $1.2 million in damage.
Before he detonated the bomb, Prater spray-painted the symbol of the Iron Guard, a 1930s-era paramilitary arm of the Romanian Nazi Party, in the Highlander Center parking lot. This same symbol was engraved on the rifle used in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, just two weeks prior to the arson. Prater acknowledged that he committed the arson at the Highland Center due to his white-supremacist ideology and as a response to the Highlander Center’s faith-based educational priorities and its association with the Civil Rights Movement.
Separately, Prater also admitted that, in 2019, he attempted to provide material support to Hizballah, also known as “Hezbollah,” which the United States has recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. Specifically, Prater obtained a document purporting to contain personally identifiable information of over 35,000 individuals purportedly affiliated with the government of Israel. He then provided that document to an individual he believed to be associated with Hizballah, stating, among other things: “Start the hunt.”
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Katherine McCallister of the Civil Rights Division and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division.
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Powell Man Sentenced for Fraud, Money Laundering, and Supervised Released ViolationsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 9, 2026, Kenneth Francis Lee, 55, of Powell, TN, was sentenced to 99 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Lee will be on supervised release for 3 years. Judge Crytzer also ordered Lee to pay $7,022,140.12 in restitution to his victims.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Lee agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h).
According to filed court documents, from 2019 through 2024, Lee solicited money from victims to pay for litigation costs associated with the settlement of a purported legal case. There was, however, no such legal case or settlement, and Lee used the funds to support his own lifestyle and an online gambling habit. To conceal the source, control and ownership of the stolen funds, Lee conspired with others to transfer the money between multiple bank accounts.
Prior to committing the crimes leading to his sentencing on April 9, 2026, Lee had amassed earlier federal convictions. The first, in 2010, involved a mortgage fraud scheme that led to his conviction for wire fraud and money laundering. The second, in 2019, involved tax evasion and the failure to file tax returns. Lee committed his most recent offense while still on supervised release following his release from prison for the 2019 offenses.
The sentence imposed by Judge Crytzer consisted of an 87-month sentence for the wire fraud and money laundering convictions along with a 12-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release. The court ordered that Lee served the two sentences consecutively.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge, Donald “Trey” Eakins of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Division made the announcement.
Lee’s criminal conviction was the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr. represented the United States.
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Maryville Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted EnticementRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On March 18, 2026, Ryan Patrick Garrett, 41, of Maryville, TN, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Garrett will be on supervised release for 30 years and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Garrett agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of attempted enticement in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).
According to filed court documents, on March 13, 2025, detectives with the Knoxville Police Department (KPD) and agents of the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested 41-year-old Ryan Patrick Garrett on a federal complaint of Enticement of a minor for the purposes of an illegal sexual act. Garrett was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Tennessee Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force revealed that Garrett was making plans to meet at a location in Knoxville to engage in sexual activities with a nine-year-old and twelve-year-old. KPD Detectives and HSI Special Agents took Garrett into custody after he arrived to meet the children.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The arrest and criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by KPD, the lead agency of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force which is a partnership of 74 state and local law enforcement agencies. The TN ICAC Task Force operates under a grant from the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The investigation was led by HSI KPD ICAC Task Force Officer Tom Evans.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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Federal Jury Convicts Three Women for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Related to Rocky Hill PharmacyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On March 13, 2026, following a 15-day trial, a jury convicted Tiffany Haney, 43, Anne Warren, 45, and Tina Roper, 40, all of Knoxville, of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. The jury also convicted Haney and Warren of committing specific acts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, submitting false statements relating to health care matters in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1035, and aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. The defendants remain on pre-trial release until sentencing, which will be scheduled at a later date in front of the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
At trial, six healthcare providers testified that alterations made to their prescriptions were not authorized. Three other healthcare providers testified that prescriptions that were submitted by the pharmacy using their names were unauthorized. Witnesses also testified that Medicare, TennCare, and other health benefit payors would not have paid for the fabricated and altered prescriptions if they had been aware that the prescriptions were not authorized. The evidence presented at trial established that the defendants conspired to defraud various health benefit programs, including Medicare and TennCare, by altering healthcare provider prescriptions without authorization and then submitting claims for payment for the added medications. The evidence also established that defendants Haney and Warren submitted false statements and used the identity of a healthcare provider without authorization.
United States Attorney Francis M. (Trey) Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Nashville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon, of Health and Human Services OIG (HHS-OIG), made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy S. Dykes and Brian P. Samuelson prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
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Chattanooga Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Machinegun Used in ShootingRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On March 6, 2026, Jaquan Andre Smith, also known as “Lil Quanie,” 21 of Chattanooga, was sentenced to 120 months in prison by Chief Judge Travis R. McDonough in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following imprisonment, Smith will be on supervised release for three years.
Smith earlier pled guilty to possessing a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o). According to filed court documents and proof presented at the sentencing hearing, on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at approximately 5:11 p.m., Chattanooga Police Department (“CPD”) Officers responded to reports of multiple shots fired in the parking lot of Hamilton Place Mall. Officers observed several vehicles that had sustained damage from gunfire, and they recovered 26 spent 9-millimter cartridge cases in the parking lot. Investigators reviewed video footage, interviewed witnesses, and collected physical evidence, leading to the identification of Smith as the shooter. The investigation revealed the victims were specifically targeted due to an ongoing gang feud.
On May 9, 2023, with assistance from the United States Marshal Service Smoky Mountains Fugitive Task Force, investigators located and arrested Smith. Smith was in possession of a Glock, Model 17, 9-millimter pistol with an extended magazine and an installed and functioning machinegun conversion device (“MCD”), colloquially known as a “switch.” The MCD enabled the pistol to fire fully automatic, that is, fire multiple rounds by single pull of the trigger. Possession of a MCD is illegal under Federal law, as the National Firearms Act classifies the MCD itself as a machinegun.
An investigator test fired the machinegun. The spent cartridge cases, along with cartridge cases collected from Hamilton Place Mall parking lot, were submitted to the National Integrated Ballistic Intelligence Network (“NIBIN”). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) runs the NIBIN Program, which is an automated ballistic evaluation process. ATF’s NIBIN analysis resulted in ballistic evidence that the spent 9-millimter cartridge cases recovered from the Hamilton Place Mall parking lot were fired from the machinegun found in Smith’s possession.
“Gang violence is a scourge on our communities, and the United States Attorney’s Office will prosecute those who perpetuate violence, illegally possess firearms, or endanger the citizens of Chattanooga,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful for our law enforcement partners and their work towards our joint mission to keep Chattanooga safe for all.”
“MCDs pose a significant threat to public safety. Today’s sentencing underscores the importance of holding individuals accountable who recklessly discharge an illegally possessed firearm equipped with an MCD. The ATF, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to pursuing these individuals who endanger our communities and ensuring they are brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamey Van Vliet of the Nashville Division of the ATF.
“Our community deserves to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. This successful prosecution reflects the tireless efforts of CPD investigators, CPD task force officers, and our federal partners working side-by-side to dismantle violent criminal activity. We remain committed to a relentless, collaborative approach to reducing gun violence and ensuring that those who choose to harm others are held accountable at every level,” said Chattanooga Chief of Police Jon Chambers.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the ATF Chattanooga Field Office and the CPD Gun Team.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin T. Brown represented the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department 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).
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Jonathan D. Frost Pleads Guilty to Three Felony Charges Related to $70 Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. On February 11, 2026, Jonathan D. Frost, 42, of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, entered pleas of guilty to three felonies at the federal courthouse in downtown Chattanooga.
Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge Christopher H. Steger, Frost waived his right to indictment by a grand jury and entered guilty pleas to all counts in the charging document. The specific charges include Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States.
According to the facts laid out in the written plea agreement, Frost participated in a scheme in which investments were solicited for the purpose of building and operating a facility that would use solar power to extract hydrogen gas from water. However, the funds that were raised were never used for building a hydrogen plant but were instead converted to the personal use of Frost and his co-conspirators. In the plea agreement, Frost agreed to a monetary judgment being taken against him of not less than $70,000,000.
The plea agreement filed with the court indicates there is no agreement regarding the sentence to be imposed. It will be determined by the judge at the time of sentencing. A sentencing hearing before Chief United States District Judge Travis R. McDonough is currently set for August 7, 2026. Frost faces up to a combined 45 years in federal prison.
This case is prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Dale, Christopher Poole, and Frank Clark represent the United States.
The Eastern District of Tennessee Victim Witness Program has established the following website to provide victims of the scam with important notifications and updates concerning the case: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtn/victim-witness-assistance. The FBI encourages anyone who invested money as part of this scheme to contact [email protected].
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Knoxville Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On January 29, 2026, Nathan Lee Westbrook, 27, of Knoxville, TN, was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Westbrook will be on supervised release for 24 years and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Westbrook agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2).
According to filed court documents, on February 21, 2025, investigators with the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations – Internet Crimes Against Children (HSI-ICAC) Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user on Kik uploaded and distributed six video files containing child pornography. The IP address associated with the Kik user was investigated and found to be used by Nathan Lee Westbrook. After executing a search warrant for Westbrook’s computer equipment, HSI-ICAC investigators found 12 images containing child pornography and six videos depicting criminal sexual acts with a minor. The investigation revealed Westbrook distributed the six child pornography videos in a private chatroom over the internet.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by HSI-ICAC and Knoxville Police Department. This investigation was led by HSI-ICAC Task Force Officer Tom Evans.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
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U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Today the Eastern District of Tennessee observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks, protect vulnerable individuals, and ensure traffickers are brought to justice.
“This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.”
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us,” the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. “The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.”
“During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.
“Human trafficking violates the fundamental rights and dignity due to all people, while simultaneously fueling crime and violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “In collaboration with our Homeland Security Task Force and all our law enforcement partners, the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to stamping out human trafficking in the Eastern District of Tennessee and vindicating the rights of its victims by prosecuting traffickers to the fullest extent of the law.”
In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Section 6 of this order directed the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish HSTFs in every state nationwide. The HSTF objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States.
In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including:
- Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states.
- Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery.
- Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains.
- Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts by DOL-OIG.
- Organizing Human Trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking.
On August 25, 2025, HSTF officially launched its effort to protect the Homeland with a September Surge encompassing 400 operations nationwide. In just 43 days, HSTF nationwide operations resulted in 3,266 arrests and seizures including:
- 1,041 Sinaloa members,
- 856 Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (“CJNG”) members,
- 641 MS-13 members,
- 456 Tren de Aragua members,
- 1,067 weapons
- More than $3,250,000 in currency
- Approximately 91 metric tons of narcotics
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U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $21,776,549 in Criminal and Civil Actions, and $8,278,063 in Asset Forfeiture Actions in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee collected $21,776,549 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $7,570,426 was collected in criminal actions and $14,206,123 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee worked with other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $8,579,057 in matters pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $15,563 was collected in criminal actions and $8,563,494 was collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $8,278,063 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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Knoxville Contractors Charged with Conspiracy to Harbor Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain and to Forcibly Impede ICE Law Enforcement Actions at Hardin Valley Construction SiteRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A multi-count indictment was unsealed today charging that from January 5 through January 13, 2026, Tyler Shane Wells, 33, of Morristown, TN, and Alexander Bonilla-Servin, 18, of Smyrna, TN, conspired:
- to conceal and harbor illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain, in violation of 8 U.S.C § 1324;
- to forcibly impede federal agents while engaged in the performance of official duties, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 111; and
- to prevent, by force, intimidation, or threat, federal agents from discharging their official duties, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 372.
Bonilla-Servin is separately charged with forcibly impeding federal agents engaged in the performance of their official duties by utilizing a 2019 GMC Sierra motor vehicle to strike into the motor vehicle occupied by those agents in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(b).
Wells appeared in court today, January 23, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Jill E. McCook and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. A detention hearing is set for Monday, January 26, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge McCook. A trial date has been set for March 31, 2026, before United States District Judge Katherine A. Crytzer.
According to filed court documents, Wells and Bonilla-Servin agreed that Bonilla-Servin would drive his GMC Sierra quad cab pickup truck to a nearby location to conduct counter-surveillance against federal agents who were surveilling the construction site. After conducting this counter-surveillance, Bonilla-Servin drove his pickup truck back to the construction site’s entrance and positioned the truck in an offensive posture in order to maintain an active blockade and a display of physical aggression at the construction site’s entrance. Wells and Bonilla-Servin agreed, anticipated, and intended that federal agents would be forcibly impeded by the truck, which was continuously and actively operated by Bonilla-Servin at the construction site’s entrance. Filed court documents further allege that on January 13, 2026, Bonilla-Servin forcibly impeded two federal agents engaged in the performance of their official duties, by utilizing his GMC Sierra truck to strike into the agents’ vehicle as it attempted to enter the construction site.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson, Homeland Security Investigations, made the announcement.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. will represent the United States.
Members of the public are remined that an indictment contains only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Shown White Sentenced to over 24 Years for CarjackingRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On January 13, 2026, Shown White, 45, of Clinton, TN, was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, he will be on supervised release for five years and Judge Varlan ordered him to pay $442,636.13 in restitution to the victims.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, White agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119.
According to the filed plea agreement, White flagged down a waste collection truck for help after he crashed the vehicle he was driving in the vicinity of 549 Henley Street in Knoxville on August 7, 2023. The driver of the waste collection truck stopped in the roadway to assist. Almost immediately, White jumped into the passenger side of the vehicle, held a knife to the driver’s throat, and instructed the driver to head south on Chapman Highway. While the driver was attempting to comply with White’s demands, a struggle ensued which led the driver to jump from the moving vehicle. White took control of the vehicle and continued driving into Sevier County until ultimately crashing the garbage truck into a business located on Dolly Parton Parkway.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Nashville Field Office, made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI, Knoxville Police Department, Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, Sevierville Police Department, and Tennessee Highway Patrol. This investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Wesley Leatham.
Assistant United States Attorney Miriam Johnson represented the United States.
This case is part of the Take Back America Task Force, led by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
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Morristown Woman Pleads Guilty in the Deaths of Multiple Overdose VictimsRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On January 6, 2026, Ashlyn Jade Henry, 25 currently of Morristown, TN entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) before the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Sentencing has been set before Judge Corker on May 13, 2026, at 11:00a.m., in United States District Court at Greeneville.
Henry faces a minimum of 20 years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, a maximum $1,000,000 fine, minimum 3 years and up to life on supervised release, and a $100 assessment.
According to filed court documents, in January 2024, Henry purchased a quantity of cocaine base from her supplier in the Knoxville area for the purpose of reselling it to people in Morristown, Tennessee. This cocaine base was laced with fentanyl. Over the course of several days, Henry then sold the laced drugs to numerous victims. At least three victims were found deceased in their homes after using the drugs. Two victims overdosed and survived after being resuscitated. Both victims who survived positively identified Henry as the person that sold them the fentanyl laced cocaine base.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The prosecution was the result of a joint investigation in by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office and Morristown Police Department.
Meghan L. Gomez, Assistant United States Attorney represented the United States.
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.
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Chattanooga Pastor Sentenced to 30 Months for Wire Fraud and Tax Fraud Charges in $1.8 Million COVID-19 Employment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On January 8, 2026, Ricky Lee Taylor, Jr., 36, currently of Chattanooga, TN, was sentenced by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Taylor agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and one count of Tax Fraud in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7206(1). Taylor was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The Court ordered that Taylor pay a money judgment of $942,238.85 and $2,532,528.18 in restitution to the United States.
Taylor, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball player, now a preacher and entrepreneur, ran several businesses to include Potter’s Wheel Trucking, LLC; Ricky Taylor Basketball, LLC; Arena of Praise; Spirit Logistics, LLC; and Reap Real Estate and Property. Taylor applied for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans on behalf of these entities and in so doing provided fraudulent documentation in support of the loans. In total, Taylor submitted eight fraudulent applications and received approximately $1,800,000 in loans, which significantly exceeded any amount to which he would have been legally entitled. Taylor then filed fraudulent, personal tax returns that did not account for the income from the PPP loans.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Resident Agent in Charge, Adam Lander of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge, Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigations (“IRS CI”) made the announcement.
The criminal information was the result of a joint investigation in Chattanooga, TN by the United States Secret Service and the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Poole represented the United States.
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Florida Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Interstate Travel to Engage in Sexual Conduct with MinorRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On January 7, 2026, Jeffrey Lee Robertson, 35, of Jacksonville, Florida and Indianapolis, Indiana was sentenced to 360 months by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Robertson will be on supervised release for life and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Robertson agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of interstate travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b); one count of enticement of a minor under the age of 18 to engage in illegal sexual activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); and one count of tampering with a victim to destroy evidence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(2).
Investigators with the Homeland Security Investigations-Internet Crimes Against Children (HSI-ICAC) Task Force and local law enforcement investigated a report of child sexual abuse and determined that from December 2023 to February 2024, Robertson, along with co-defendant and wife, Kasey Lynn Skaggs, travelled across state lines on three different occasions into the EDTN to have sex with a 14-year-old female. On the victim’s phone, investigators located text and social media messages between the two defendants enticing and talking to the minor about illicit sexual acts they would together. Investigators also found additional evidence that the two defendants instructed the victim to destroy their communications to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Co-defendant Skaggs is set to be sentenced by District Judge Varlan on February 17, 2026, in the United States District Court at Knoxville.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by HSI-ICAC, 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and Lenoir City Police Department.
This investigation was led by HSI-ICAC Task Force Officer Cortney Dugger.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
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 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.
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Justice Department Sues to Revoke Naturalized Citizenship of Individual Facing a War Crimes Arrest Warrant in BosniaRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed a civil complaint to revoke the citizenship of Sead Miljkovic also known as Sead Dukic, who hid his true identity to come to the United States in 1996 and, ultimately, to naturalize as a U.S. citizen in 2007. Among other facts, Miljkovic failed to disclose to immigration authorities that he had used more than one name and had listed more than one date and place of birth, more than one name for his father, and more than one woman as his wife in his various applications.
Miljkovic is a former member of the security forces of the short-lived Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB), who was subject to an arrest warrant issued by a court in Bosnia for war crimes against civilians when the U.S. Government granted him naturalized citizenship.
“This Administration will not permit aliens to come to this country and hide their past to acquire the precious gift of U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Decades might pass, but when we find you, we will take action.”
The warrant, issued on Jan. 23, 2007, led to an INTERPOL Red Notice alleging that, on June 18, 1994, and while acting as a member of the APZB security forces, Miljkovic physically mistreated civilians who were opposed to the APZB government. According to the Red Notice, Miljkovic and accomplices beat twelve civilians with wooden bats and locked them in a morgue for five days without access to light or water. Miljkovic has not yet appeared before a Bosnian court on these charges.
This case is being civilly prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, after investigation by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Twice-Removed Illegal Alien Sentenced to over 24 Years for Role in Drug Conspiracy and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – On December 17, 2025, Courtney Sterling, 45, of Jamaica, was sentenced to 292 months by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his imprisonment, Sterling will be on supervised release for 10 years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Sterling agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(A), Possession of a Firearm as an Illegal Alien, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(5), and Aggravated Re-entry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), (b)(2).
According to filed court documents, in November of 2022, the Johnson City, Tennessee Police Department (JCPD) was notified about a shipment of marijuana that was scheduled to be delivered to an address in Johnson City. This led to a search warrant and investigation at Sterling’s residence and the discovery of 11 pounds of methamphetamine, 2.5 pounds of cocaine, and firearms. Sterling was arrested after this offense. Upon further investigation, officers later discovered additional firearms, cocaine, and large amounts of U.S. currency. Sterling, a Jamaican citizen, had previously been removed from the United States on two prior occasions. After making bond in Washington County, Tennessee, he failed to appear in court and became a fugitive.
In October of 2024, Homeland Security Investigators (HSI), along with the JCPD, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intercepted the shipment of 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.6 pounds of cocaine to another address in Johnson City. Sterling had coordinated the delivery with co-defendants MJ Adams and Heather Ward to their residence for distribution within the Eastern District of Tennessee. After the execution of a search warrant, agents also located an additional pound of methamphetamine in the residence and large amounts of U.S. currency.
Judge Corker also sentenced another member of the conspiracy on Wednesday, December 17th; Heather Ward, 37, of Johnson City, received a sentence of 120 months with a period of supervised release of five years following her imprisonment.
The third member of the conspiracy, MJ Adams, 41, of Johnson City, is set to be sentenced before Judge Corker on February 4, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by JCPD, HSI, TBI, and DEA. This investigation was led by JCPD Sergeant William Saulsbury, HSI Special Agent John Bulla, and TBI Special Agent Jason Roark.
Special Assistant United States Attorney AnCharlene Davis and Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Gomez represented the United States.
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.
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Chinese Nationals Plead Guilty to Harboring and Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On December 4, 2025, Xue Rong Wu, 44 and, Xiong Wei Yang, 44 currently of Elizabethton, Tennessee entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (v)(I), (a)(1)(B)(i) and one count of aiding and abetting the practice and pattern of hiring for employment aliens not authorized to be employed in the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(a)(1)(A) and (f)(1), 18 U.S.C. § 2, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Sentencing has been set before the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, on April 8, 2026, at 11:00am in United States District Court at Greeneville.
They each face a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years followed by a term of supervised release up to three years, and a fine up to $250,000.00, as to the first count and up to six months imprisonment or not more than $3000 fine for each unauthorized alien or both, a term of probation up to five years, and a fine up to $5,000.00 as to the latter count.
According to filed court documents, Wu and Yang, who are married, run the Red Ginger Buffet in Elizabethton. They converted a single-family residence in Elizabethton into numerous single person rooms where their employees lived. During a traffic stop on March 20, 2025, agents stopped Wu’s vehicle leaving the residence heading to the Red Ginger Buffet. Wu was driving the vehicle occupied by seven other passengers. The five male passengers each spoke Spanish, and only three were able to produce identification. The other two stated their identification was with their belongings at the residence. Four of the five male passengers confirmed they were from Mexico, and the other confirmed he was from Guatemala. The two female passengers were each confirmed to be from China, spoke very little English, and provided Tennessee identification cards. The five male passengers confirmed that they were employed at the Red Ginger Buffett, did not have to prove their citizenship or identity for employment and were allowed to live at the home for free. A records check confirmed that the five male passengers were in the country illegally.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Acting Special Agent in Charge, Colin Jackson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations.
Meghan L. Gomez, Assistant United States Attorney represented the United States.
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.
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Nigerian Men and Sudanese Woman Sentenced to over 20 Years in Romance Scam Resulting in Elderly Victim's DeathRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – On December 2, 2025, Salma Abdalkareem, 29 of Piscataway, New Jersey, Chinagorom Onwumere, 36, of Piscataway, New Jersey, and Stephen O. Anagor, 37, of Lakewood, Washington, were sentenced by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville for their roles in a romance scam that targeted victims around the country and resulted in the death of an elderly victim. Judge Corker sentenced Abdalkareem to 51 months, Onwumere to 84 months, and Anagor to 108 months. Following their imprisonment, Onwumere and Anagor will be on supervised release for five years, Abdalkareem will be on supervised release for three years, and all will be required to repay the victims $388,500 in restitution.
As part of written plea agreements filed with the court, Abdalkareem pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, one count of aiding and abetting money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), and one count of aiding and abetting money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957(a). Onwumere pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, one count of aiding and abetting aggravated stalking resulting in death in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B), one count of aiding and abetting money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), and one count of aiding and abetting money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957(a). Abdalkareem pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, one count of aiding and abetting money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), and one count of aiding and abetting money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957(a). Anagor pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, one count of aiding and abetting aggravated stalking resulting in death in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B), and one count of aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.
According to filed court documents, Anagor and Onwumere (both from Nigeria) met during military training in South Carolina in June 2023. Anagor recruited Onwumere and Onwumere’s wife, Abdalkareem (a citizen of Sudan), to assist a relative in Nigeria in carrying out romance scams perpetrated on victims around the United States. Under the scam, the relative in Nigeria would impersonate famous celebrities and con victims, usually elderly adults targeted online, into believing they were in a romantic relationship with famous celebrities. Members of the conspiracy would then engage in various devices to obtain money from the victims, such as the need for help with taxes on luxury vehicles, background investigation fees needed for employment, membership fees that would permit unique access to the celebrities, etc.
On multiple occasions, victims were told that the scammers were with federal law enforcement and had to pay fees and fines to halt investigations initiated by the celebrities or their management. As part of this law enforcement scam, the conspirators would impersonate high ranking officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice, including the former Director of the FBI and the former Attorney General of the United States.
Once a victim agreed to provide funds, members of the conspiracy in Nigeria would then direct them to provide money to other members of the conspiracy in the United States, such as Anagor, Abdalkareem, and Onwumere. They would deposit checks, keep a share of the proceeds, and then transfer funds to others in Nigeria or the United States.
One of the victims was a retired teacher from Jonesborough, Tennessee. He believed he was speaking with a well-known celebrity, and they had begun a romantic relationship. Eventually, members of the conspiracy posed as the former Director of the FBI and former Attorney General of the United States and advised the victim that the celebrity’s management had filed a complaint, and he was under investigation. Through a series of harassing emails, the scammers advised that he had to pay exorbitant fees and fines to make the investigation go away and seal it from the public. Following these instructions, the victim then sent five checks totaling $86,900 to Onwumere and Abdalkareem. These funds represented the victim’s entire life savings (and included the proceeds of a loan the victim took out on his truck to have enough for the final payment). After sending his life savings, the scammers then advised the victim that he was responsible for medical bills because the stress he had caused the actress had resulted in her hospitalization.
In his last know text messages, the victim—believing he was speaking with the celebrity—advised that he had no more money and was going to end his life. On October 23, 2023, the victim committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.
The same scheme targeted multiple victims around the United States and used the identities of at least four celebrities, the former Director of the FBI, and the former Attorney General of the United States.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee , Colin Jackson, HSI (Homeland Security Investigations), and, Special Agent in Charge Paul DelleDonne, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Cyber Field Office made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation led by HSI, Army CID, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener III represented the United States.
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Maryville Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging and Attempting to Destroy an Interstate Gas Pipeline FacilityRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On December 3, 2025, Christopher Kyle Duke, 36, of Maryville, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea before United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan to one count of damaging and attempting to destroy an interstate gas pipeline facility. Sentencing has been set for April 15, 2026, at 2pm, before Judge Varlan in the United States District Court in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Duke faces a term of up to 20 years in Federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release of up to three years.
As part of the written plea agreement, Duke waived an indictment by a federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charge. According to filed court documents, Enbridge is an international natural gas supplier that services approximately 25% of the natural gas consumed across the United States. East Tennessee Natural Gas LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge and operates a metering and regulating station in Maryville, TN. This station delivers natural gas to commercial and residential consumers in Blount County. On May 9, 2025, Duke scaled the chain-link and barbed-wire fence surrounding the station and recklessly damaged equipment used to monitor, meter, and regulate the transmission of natural gas, causing thousands of dollars in damage and loss.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Maryville Police Department and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. represented the United States.
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Kingsport Woman Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Employment Tax Credit SchemeRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – A Tennessee woman was sentenced today to 50 months in prison to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Aylissa Glidewell, 35, of Kingsport, Tennessee, conspired with others to file false tax returns seeking refunds based on the Employee Retention Credit and paid Sick and Family Leave Credit, both of which were created by Congress to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Glidewell and co-conspirators created phony businesses, which lacked any employees or operations, for the sole purpose of falsely claiming the credits. Glidewell filed numerous false tax returns for those businesses and directed the tax refunds to be mailed to addresses she and co-conspirators controlled.
In total, the false returns claimed over $3.4 million in tax refunds, of which the IRS paid $1.8 million.
In addition to her prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Clifton Corker for the Eastern District of Tennessee ordered Glidewell to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1,806,637 in restitution to the United States
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Larry J. Wszalek of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mac Heavener and Ryan Blackwell of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
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Koide Tennessee, Inc. Pays $2M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Second-Draw PPP LoanRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Koide Tennessee, Inc. (“Koide TN”) has paid $2,000,000.00 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by applying for, receiving, and obtaining forgiveness of a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) for which it was not eligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, to provide relief to small businesses experiencing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (“Economic Aid Act”), enacted on December 27, 2020, subsequently authorized the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to guarantee second-draw PPP loans. To be eligible for second-draw PPP loans, borrowers were required to have no more than 300 employees, among other requirements. On May 21, 2020, the SBA published an Interim Final Rule clarifying that affiliated foreign employees were to be included when a borrower calculated their total number of employees for purposes of determining PPP loan eligibility.
Koide TN applied for and received a second-draw PPP loan in March 2021 and later obtained forgiveness of that loan. The United States contends that Koide TN was ineligible for the second-draw PPP loan because it and its affiliates collectively employed more than 300 employees. The United States further contends that Koide TN made certain false statements in its applications for the loan and forgiveness thereof, including falsely certifying that it, together with its affiliates, employed no more than 300 employees.
This Settlement resolves a lawsuit under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Koide Tennessee Inc., No. 3:24-CV-336 (E.D. Tenn.).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexa Ortiz Hadley and Ben Cunningham represented the United States, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
“The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was designed to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Our office remains committed to working with SBA and other federal partners to recover from those who disregarded program requirements and obtained funds they were not entitled to.”
“SBA remains firmly committed to pursuing identified perpetrators of fraud on the Paycheck Protection Program,” said SBA's General Counsel Wendell Davis. “This settlement shows the excellent results from coordinated SBA and DOJ efforts to investigate and combat fraud in pandemic relief programs. SBA continues its enhanced efforts to recover funds on behalf of the American taxpayers.”
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Morristown Man Sentenced for Operating Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – On October 1, 2025, Michael D. Harris, 60, of Hamblen County, Tennessee, was sentenced to 33 months by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his release, Harris will be on supervised release for three years and will be required to repay over $1.5 million in restitution.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Harris agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
According to filed court documents, from 2015 to 2020, Harris operated an investment scheme, commonly referred to as a Ponzi scheme, in the Morristown, TN area. He would convince victims of the offense to invest money with him based on his self-proclaimed expertise as a stock trader. In exchange for giving Harris their money, victims either obtained guaranteed return promissory notes (usually calling for ten percent (10%) interest per month) that would frequently roll over into new notes or membership interests in purported investment group plans. As part of the scheme, Harris agreed to pledge non-existent life insurance and, for those in his investment group plans, he would provide weekly market updates and phony plan share values. In truth, Harris was spending money on himself, losing money in speculative investments, and using new investor’s money to repay previous investors. Harris ultimately confessed what he had done to a Tennessee Securities Division Fraud Investigator.
In total, Harris defrauded 52 victims and stole over $1.5 million. He has been ordered to make full restitution to all victims as part of the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation (“IRS CI”) made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation led by IRS CI with valuable assistance from the Morristown Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener III represented the United States.
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