Middle District of Tennessee
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
“Operation Last Call” Effort Results in Arrests of 44 for Illegal Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Forty-four individuals were arrested on federal indictments over the weekend of August 19-23, 2026, as a part of a joint enforcement initiative combating the illegal sale of firearms and narcotics in Nashville, United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek announced today. Dubbed “Operation Last Call”, the Summer 2026 initiative combined the law enforcement efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
“This operation resulted in the indictments and arrests of dozens of individuals who have been illegally selling firearms and dangerous drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and crack on the streets of Nashville,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This large-scale, months long effort shows that the combined efforts of federal and local law enforcement can have positive effects in the fight against the illegal trafficking of firearms and drugs.”
As described in court filings, ATF, USMS, and MNPD utilized undercover federal agents to make controlled firearm and narcotics purchases from individuals in multiple areas of Nashville. The areas were determined after a three-year review of shots fired calls, shooting crimes, and analysis provided by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). Another law enforcement agency in another state then reviewed the collected data to determine focus areas without regard to population or socioeconomic factors. “This was a data driven operation,” U.S. Attorney Boucek said, “focused on real incidents of shootings and violent crime, many of which are drug related, that have victimized innocent civilians.”
The operation seized over 160 firearms off the street, many of them assault-style rifles equipped with high-capacity magazines. Law enforcement also seized multiple “switches” or machine gun conversion devices which are illegal add-ons that turn pistols into machine guns. Finally, agents and detectives removed over two kilograms of methamphetamine, over one kilogram of fentanyl, and over half-kilogram quantities of powder cocaine and crack from Nashville’s streets.
“Every illegal firearm removed from the hands of a violent offender or prohibited person and every illegal narcotic removed from our communities potentially saves lives,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet. “The ATF is committed to disrupting violent crime in our communities, but ‘Operation Last Call’ would not have been successful without the partnerships and collaborative efforts of the men and women from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service specializes in apprehending fugitives, and we are always ready to work with our local and federal partners to make sure that defendants are apprehended so they can be held accountable in a court of law,” said Denny King, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Tennessee. “This hard work we put in during this operation shows that when law enforcement works together, we can deliver positive results for the citizens of our community.”
“Operation Last Call is precision policing in the truest sense,” said Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. “The guns seized, totaling more than 150, will not be part of a future homicide, robbery or shooting incident. I am grateful to the front-line detectives in our Specialized Investigations Division, ATF agents, deputy U.S. Marshals and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for partnerships that are, indeed, making Nashville safer. That’s especially true in the vulnerable communities where data showed Operation Last Call should focus, including the Harding Place/I-24 corridor, Bell Road-Murfreesboro Pike area, Brick Church Pike-Trinity Lane corridor, and the Napier-Sudekum neighborhood. Residents in those communities deserve peaceful surroundings.”
Twenty-seven of the forty-four individuals arrested have previous felony convictions for crimes such as aggravated assault, attempted aggravated robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated burglary, and narcotics trafficking. Ten defendants arrested were already on probation, parole, supervised release, or bond at the time of the alleged offenses.
The individuals arrested on federal indictments during the operation include:
- KeDarious Bell, age 21, charged in two indictments with distribution of methamphetamine (two counts); possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; possession of a machine gun; unlawful transfer of firearms (six counts); dealing firearms without a license (five counts)
- Kenyon Blackman, age 21, unlawful transfer of firearms (two counts); dealing firearms without a license (three counts)
- Taurus Booker, age 51, distribution of cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm
- Corian Bowling, age 26, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- James Braden, age 47, distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm
- Gregory Brooks, age 30, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine; felon in possession of a firearm
- Imari Calloway, age 20, unlawful transfer of firearms (three counts); dealing firearms without a license (four counts)
- Aron Capps, age 27, distribution of fentanyl
- Waldorf Coleman, age 42, felon in possession of a firearm
- Alexi Contreras, age 39, distribution of fentanyl
- Cory Cotton, age 45, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of crack cocaine; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl
- Ulises Cruz, age 26, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Brandon Dardy, age 39, distribution of cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm with prior convictions
- Lewis Dawson, age 26, felon in possession of a firearm; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of crack cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Miguel De La Rosa, age 24, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; unlawful transfer of firearms
- Danny DeMoss, age 38, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl
- Terry Fields, age 42, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Latherio Fizer, age 42, distribution of cocaine, distribution of crack cocaine
- Brian Ging, age 28, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number
- William Givens, age 67, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Tiffany Givens, age 42, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine (two counts)
- Easan Harris, age 19, possession of a machine gun conversation device
- William Henderson, age 37, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine,
- Tyrone Hudson, age 41, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Jerron Huey, age 40, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Aiden Johnson, age 20, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of methamphetamine
- Peter McKinnie, age 46, distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Shomari Milliken, age 40, distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl with prior conviction
- Jeremy Mimms, age 38, felon in possession of a firearm (six counts); distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Jermaine Morgan, age 27, charged in two indictments with possession of a machine gun conversation device (two counts); distribution of cocaine (two counts); felon in possession of a firearm
- Frank Newsom, age 38, felon in possession of a firearm (two counts); distribution of fentanyl
- James Oliver, age 39, felon in possession of a firearm; attempted distribution of fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Lilburn Reynolds, age 56, distribution of crack cocaine (two counts); use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm
- Barry Robertson, age 40, felon in possession of a firearm
- Ladon Robertson, age 40, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Timothy Schields, age 35, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Joshua Selmon, age 36, unlawful possession of a firearm after a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction; dealing firearms without a license
- Courtney Skinner, age 41, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (two counts); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm
- Tyler Sloan, age 30, distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Cameron Thompson, age 26, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of methamphetamine
- Andre Vaughn, age 37, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Ronnie Wellington, age 47, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of fentanyl
- Corey Wilson, age 43, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (two counts); distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm
The indictments against all of the individuals arrested are allegations only. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The ATF’s Nashville Field Office, the USMS for Middle Tennessee, and the MNPD conducted the investigations for this operation. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Stephens, Dina Shabayek, Brian Enright, Alex Bergida, and Carlin Hess are prosecuting the cases charged.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Opening Brief for Appeal in United States v. Abrego GarciaRead the Press Release
Today, August 17, 2026, the United States filed its opening brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in United States v. Abrego Garcia asking the appellate court to reverse the district court’s order dismissing the indictment and to reinstate the case against Abrego Garcia.
As described in the United States’ brief, the decision to seek an indictment against Abrego Garcia for human smuggling was made by career prosecutors based on the evidence, the law, and their firm belief that there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Abrego Garcia had committed the offenses charged. The indictment and prosecution of Abrego Garcia in the Middle District of Tennessee was not vindictive and the evidence before the district court established that it was not. Instead, the evidence in the district court proved that charges were brought against Abrego Garcia because, in the view of career prosecutors, the evidence conclusively established that he had committed a serious crime, and not for any vindictive motive.
While the United States respects the district court, the United States argues in today’s appellate brief that the district court did not follow the relevant Supreme Court and Sixth Circuit precedent in making its decision to dismiss the indictment against Abrego Garcia. The ruling marks a dramatic expansion of the power of courts to dismiss serious criminal charges based on subjective assessments of a prosecutor’s motivations and is an unwarranted intrusion into the Executive’s powers and responsibility to protect the public. Therefore, an appeal is necessary to seek review of the district court’s decision and ensure that federal law is followed appropriately.
The link to the full brief can be found here:
26-5555_appellants_opening_br_filed_copy.pdfFormer Bridgestone Americas Assistant Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Nearly $15 Million Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Sajju Khatiwada, 45, of Franklin, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud for carrying out a scheme that caused his former employer, Bridgestone Americas, Inc., to pay nearly $15 million in fraudulent invoices submitted through a fictitious vendor he created, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
“This defendant abused a position of extraordinary trust to steal nearly $15 million from his employer and then used those stolen funds to generate millions more in investment gains,” said U.S. Attorney Boucek. “Corporate position and financial sophistication are not shields from accountability. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who use positions of trust to enrich themselves through fraud.”
According to court documents, Khatiwada worked at Bridgestone’s corporate headquarters in Nashville from April 2016 until April 2024, most recently as Assistant Treasurer, Capital Planning and Funding. As part of his work in Bridgestone’s Treasury Operations Department, Khatiwada managed the company’s relationships with banks that provided credit card processing services for Bridgestone retail locations across the United States.
In July 2020, Khatiwada created a fictitious vendor, named Paymt-Tech, LLC, registered the company in Nevada under the name of an acquaintance, and opened bank accounts in the fictitious vendor’s name. On a monthly basis spanning nearly four years from August 2020 to April 2024, Khatiwada sent fraudulent invoices via email to other Bridgestone employees, falsely representing that Bridgestone owed Paymt-Tech money for purported “service charges.” But Paymt-Tech performed no services for Bridgestone, and Khatiwada was not entitled to any of the money.
Relying on the fraudulent invoices, Bridgestone paid a total of $14,923,978.57 into Paymt-Tech accounts controlled by Khatiwada. Khatiwada transferred the fraud proceeds into financial and investment accounts under his control, where the money generated more than $6.1 million in interest, dividends, and other gains. In his plea agreement, Khatiwada admitted that the scheme generated approximately $21 million in total unlawful proceeds and agreed to forfeit that amount to the United States. He also owes restitution to Bridgestone totaling $14,923,978.57, plus interest, with the final amount to be determined by the court.
Khatiwada was arrested in November 2024 and indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger scheduled Khatiwada’s sentencing for December 22, 2026.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Nashville Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Suedekum is prosecuting the case.
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Celina Pharmacy Owner/Two Pharmacies Agree to Pay $450,000 & Receive Ban on Handling Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Thomas K. Weir, 65, of Celina, Tennessee, and two Celina pharmacies he majority-owned, Oakley Pharmacy, Inc. (doing business as Dale Hollow Pharmacy) and Xpress Pharmacy of Clay County LLC, have entered a consent judgment and permanent injunction resolving the United States’ civil claims under the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act, U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today.
“Pharmacies occupy a position of trust, and the controlled substances laws exist to keep dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This judgment takes these defendants out of the controlled substances business for years to come and directs every dollar recovered toward the restitution owed to Medicare. Our office will continue using every criminal and civil tool available to protect Tennessee communities and the federal health care programs taxpayer’s fund.”
U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger entered the order on Aug. 3, 2026, in United States v. Oakley Pharmacy, Inc., et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-00009 (M.D. Tenn.).
Under the judgment, Weir, Dale Hollow, and Xpress must pay the United States $450,000. The defendants’ initial payment of $70,000 is due today, seven days after entry of the order, and the remaining $380,000 is due within 45 days of the order’s entry. The payments will be credited in full toward the $1,419,974 in criminal restitution Weir was separately ordered to pay in his parallel criminal case, including $1,071,499 owed to the Medicare program and $348,475 owed to TennCare. The civil settlement amount was based on the defendants’ financial condition, as reflected in sworn financial disclosures.
The judgment also bars Weir, Dale Hollow, and Xpress from administering, dispensing, distributing, or possessing with the intent to distribute any controlled substance through March 1, 2040. It also prohibits the defendants from applying for or seeking renewal of a Drug Enforcement Administration registration, whether on their own behalf or on behalf of any other entity, until at least that date. In addition, the defendants agreed to cooperate fully with the United States’ investigation of individuals and entities not released by the agreement.
The United States filed the civil action on Feb. 7, 2019, alleging that the defendants knowingly dispensed controlled substances without valid prescriptions and knowingly and intentionally distributed and dispensed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional pharmacy practice. The complaint further alleged that the defendants routinely dispensed controlled substances despite warning signs of diversion and abuse, including unusually high dosages of oxycodone and other opioids, dangerous combinations of controlled substances, and patients traveling long distances to obtain and fill prescriptions. The United States also alleged that the pharmacies falsely billed Medicare for prescriptions that were not medically necessary or otherwise eligible for reimbursement.
Weir previously pleaded guilty in the related criminal case, United States v. Weir, Case No. 2:21-CR-00008 (M.D. Tenn.), to conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. On June 18, 2026, Judge Trauger sentenced Weir to 24 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $1,419,974 in restitution to Medicare and TennCare.
Upon receipt of the civil settlement payments, the parties will jointly dismiss the civil action.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre for the Middle District of Tennessee represented the United States.
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Former Clarksville Resident Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Brandon Wesley Rogers, formerly of Clarksville, Tennessee, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Chief U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. also ordered Rogers to serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison term, pay $14,000 in restitution, and forfeit the electronic devices used to commit the offenses.
“Every time child sexual abuse material is distributed, the children depicted are victimized again,” said U.S. Attorney Boucek. “Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue identifying those who traffic in this material and holding them accountable in federal court.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that anyone who distributes child sexual abuse material will be tracked down and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “I commend the FBI Clarksville Resident Agency and our law enforcement partners for their commitment to identifying this offender and bringing him to justice. Their work ensures he can no longer prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
Rogers pleaded guilty on December 9, 2024, to five counts of distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, the investigation began after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received a CyberTip reporting that a user of the Kik messaging platform had uploaded and shared files containing suspected child sexual abuse material. The FBI identified Rogers as the user of the account and determined that, on May 26 and 27, 2022, he distributed five videos to other Kik users. The videos included depictions of the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Rogers was living in Clarksville at the time of the offenses.
On August 3, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Rogers’ residence in Powell, Tennessee, and seized multiple electronic devices. During an interview with investigators, Rogers admitted that he had received and distributed child sexual abuse material, including images depicting children as young as four and five years old. He also admitted that additional material was stored in a password-protected folder on his cell phone.
Rogers will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
FBI Nashville investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.
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Repeat Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Exploitation ChargeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – James Baker, 37, of Dickson, Tennessee, pleaded guilty on July 27, 2026, to receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, in August 2024, the FBI received information that Baker was communicating through the social media application Kik with an undercover law enforcement employee who was posing as the father of an 11-year-old girl. During those communications, Baker claimed that he was sexually abusing his own teenage daughter and offered advice about abusing the purported 11-year-old. Baker also transmitted sexually explicit images that he falsely claimed depicted his daughter although Baker did not have a daughter. He later admitted that he had obtained the images online and did not know the individual depicted.
“After already being released from state prison for a child exploitation offense, this defendant was found to have child sexual abuse material on his cell phone,” said U.S. Attorney Boucek. “Those who target children will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable. Our office will continue using every available federal law-enforcement resource to protect children from exploitation.”
“This case serves as a reminder of the dangers sexual predators, especially repeat offenders, pose to the most vulnerable every day,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “I am proud of the diligent work of the FBI Clarksville Resident Agency and partners whose vigilance and thorough oversight were key to uncovering Baker’s latest offenses. The FBI is committed to finding predators like him and bringing them to justice while also ensuring those they’ve victimized are safe and well-supported.”
Emergency disclosure information obtained from Kik, and other service providers identified Baker as the person operating the account. In September 2024, FBI agents interviewed Baker and seized his cellphone. Baker admitted that he had communicated with the undercover employee and that his phone had contained child sexual abuse material.
A court-authorized forensic examination of the cellphone identified images and videos of child sexual abuse, including material involving prepubescent children, which led to Baker’s indictment for receipt of child pornography.
Baker was a registered sex offender at the time of the federal offenses. In March 2020, he pleaded guilty in Dickson County to sexual exploitation of a minor and was sentenced to six years in state prison. Baker was released from state custody in March 2024.
Baker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and forfeiture. A federal district court judge will determine Baker’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for November 9, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Eli J. Richardson. Baker was ordered to remain detained pending sentencing.
The FBI’s Clarksville Resident Agency investigated the case with assistance from the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison is prosecuting the case.
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Lebanon Woman Sentenced for Child Sex Trafficking and Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Alisha Danielle Scudder of Lebanon, Tennessee, was sentenced on July 27, 2026, in U.S. District Court to several a total sentence of 340 months followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiracy, four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, sex trafficking of children, distribution of child pornography, and sale of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Scudder exploited two vulnerable children, produced child abuse material involving them, and accepted money in exchange for that material,” said U.S. Attorney Boucek. “Her conduct represents a profound betrayal of the children who depended on her for protection. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue working together to identify those who exploit children, protect victims, and hold offenders accountable.”
“Those who strip children of their innocence commit one of the gravest betrayals imaginable,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that exploiting children carries serious consequences. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate, pursue, and bring child predators to justice, ensuring they are held fully accountable for the harm they inflict.”
“Protecting children is one of HIS’s most important missions,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting. “HSI will continue working with our partners to identify predators, protect victims and seek justice for exploited children.”
“The exploitation of children is among the most disturbing crimes we investigate,” said Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Director David Rausch. “Through strong partnerships and persistent investigative efforts, we remain committed to identifying those who exploit vulnerable victims and holding them accountable.”
According to court documents, beginning in approximately June 2019 and continuing through March 2022, Scudder produced child sexual abuse material involving two children who were under the age of 14. She transmitted the material over the internet to a co-conspirator in exchange for money.
The co-conspirator communicated with Scudder through social media and messaging applications, requested that she produce additional material, and paid her for images and videos she transmitted. On at least one occasion, the co-conspirator traveled from East Tennessee to the Middle District of Tennessee where additional child sexual abuse material was produced.
The investigation began in October 2022 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children referred two CyberTips concerning suspected child sexual abuse material uploaded through social media applications to law enforcement. Investigators traced the account activity to the co-conspirator and recovered child sexual abuse material from his electronic devices.
On December 9, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Scudder’s Lebanon residence and recovered several electronic devices, including a cell phone containing communications with the co-conspirator and child sexual abuse material. During an interview with investigators, Scudder admitted producing the material, transmitting it through internet-based applications, and receiving payments for some of it.
The case was investigated by FBI Nashville and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Lebanon Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.
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Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a 15-Year-OldRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Aaron Samson Riley, 38, of Madison, Alabama, was sentenced on July 31, 2026, to 25 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. also sentenced Riley to ten years of supervised release. Riley will be required to register as a sex offender.
Riley pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment on April 24, 2026. Under a binding plea agreement, Riley and the government agreed to the 25-year term of imprisonment.
“Aaron Riley repeatedly sexually exploited a 15-year-old child and continued his criminal conduct even after law enforcement intervened across multiple states,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This 25-year sentence holds him accountable and protects the public from a defendant who demonstrated that he would not stop on his own. We are grateful to the federal, state, and local law enforcement officers whose persistence brought this child to safety and Riley to justice.”
“Sexual exploitation of children is a heinous crime. This case demonstrates the importance of collaboration among law enforcement partners and the commitment to holding offenders accountable for these serious crimes,” said HSI Nashville acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Perez.
According to court documents, the child was reported missing from Alabama in April 2023. Alabama law enforcement determined that Riley had been in frequent telephone contact with the child around the time he ran away.
In May 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service located Riley and the child together in Georgia after a concerned citizen reported encountering the child at a library. Riley and the child returned to Alabama, but Riley later fled Alabama with the child again. They remained on the run until September 29, 2023, when Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers arrested Riley after responding to a burglary at an unoccupied residence in Nashville. The child was located near the residence.
Homeland Security Investigations seized a cellphone from Riley and additional electronic devices from his vehicle. After obtaining federal search warrants, investigators extracted the electronic devices and discovered child sexual abuse material, including sexually explicit images and videos of the child that Riley had produced in Tennessee and other states.
Riley has remained in custody since his arrest.
The government’s sentencing memorandum also stated that Riley was convicted of cyberstalking in 2021 for conduct involving the solicitation of sexually explicit images and videos from an 11-year-old relative and threats to distribute those images.
Restitution will be determined at a later date. The court also ordered Riley to forfeit two cellphones and two tablets used to commit or facilitate the offenses.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.
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Nine Criminal Aliens from Venezuela Plead Guilty for Roles in Sex Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Nine criminal aliens from Venezuela have pleaded guilty to human trafficking, alien smuggling, and money laundering charges related to a sex trafficking ring operated in several motels in Nashville, Tennessee.
According to court documents, the defendants orchestrated a human trafficking and smuggling scheme targeting vulnerable Venezuelan women, recruiting them to the U.S. with promises of employment. After arranging and facilitating their smuggling into the U.S., the defendants directed the women to Nashville. Once there, the women were told they owed an inflated smuggling debt, which they could only repay through commercial sex work. Those who resisted faced threats of physical harm against themselves and their families in Venezuela. The defendants profited by taking a cut of the women’s earnings in addition to collecting on the inflated smuggling debts.
“Human smuggling and trafficking operations represent a dangerous convergence of exploitation and lawlessness,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These perpetrators profited off human suffering while chipping away at the integrity of our border. These convictions show that protecting vulnerable individuals and securing our border are not competing goals.”
“This criminal organization exploited vulnerable women, enriched itself through coercion and violence, and showed complete disregard for human dignity and the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable, dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating in our communities, and ensure justice for victims."
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to the pursuit and dismantlement of transnational criminal organizations that exploit vulnerable people for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of HSI Nashville. “The outcome of this Homeland Security Task Force investigation is a testament to the positive impact law enforcement can have when working in collaboration towards the common goal of holding these criminals accountable.”
“This case demonstrates the Homeland Security Task Force’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from human trafficking and smuggling schemes that exploit vulnerable people for financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “FBI Nashville, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and dismantle criminal networks that threaten public safety.”
“This case is a stark reminder human trafficking and smuggling operations prey on our communities most vulnerable, using violence and intimidation to exploit innocent lives for profit,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Gaskins of IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. “By dismantling this network, we send a clear message to those who target victims with threats and coercion. We remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”
“We have said it before, and these guilty pleas reiterate: if you lure vulnerable people to this country with lies, force them into sexual exploitation, and profit from their suffering, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and hold you accountable,” said Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “This case is a powerful reminder that when our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners stand together, there is no haven for human traffickers.”
Yilibeth Carmen Rivero-de Caldera (“Rivero”) and her son, Kleiver Daniel Mota Rivero (“Mota”), led and managed the human trafficking and smuggling scheme. Rivero enlisted her adult children and their spouses, Mota’s girlfriend, and others to take on various roles in the scheme. Rivero, Mota, and defendant Ramon De Jesus Velasquez Martinez (“Velasquez”) used threats of violence, including wielding firearms, to intimidate and force compliance from the women trafficked by the organization. To further intimidate the women, Mota and other defendants engaged in conduct that made the victims believe Mota was affiliated with a Venezuelan prison gang and openly spoke about Mota’s prior prison term for homicide in Venezuela.
Rivero, Mota, Velasquez, and the six other defendants — Wilmarys Del Valle Manzano Solorzano (“Manzano”), Endrik Alexander Morales-Rivero (“Morales”), Ariannys Beatriz Gutierrez-Carrillo (“Gutierrez”), Frankyanna Del Valle Romero-Rivero (“Romero”), Jesus Enrique Castillo Rodriguez (“Castillo”), and Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca (“Gomez”) — arranged or otherwise aided the smuggling of the victims into the United States, posted online commercial sex advertisements for the victims, set up commercial sex appointments with men who responded to the postings, and collected the proceeds of the commercial sex acts.
Rivero, Mota, Romero, and Morales pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy, conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Castillo pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy. Manzano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The charges Rivero, Mota, Romero, Morales, Castillo, Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to carry a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. Manzano pleaded guilty to charges that carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced during the week of Nov. 16. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson, Jessica Arco, and Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Risinger for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole- of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The Nashville HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Secret Service (USSS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal agencies, working in collaboration with our state and local partners, with the prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The investigation and charges are further supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 419 U.S. convictions; more than 363 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Photo of the Somatel Hotel where Trafficking Occurred Additional Photo of the Somatel Hotel where Trafficking Occurred Photo of the Super8 Hotel where Trafficking Occurred Additional Photo of the Super8 Hotel where Trafficking OccurredNine Criminal Aliens from Venezuela Plead Guilty for Roles in Sex Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Nine criminal aliens from Venezuela have pleaded guilty to human trafficking, alien smuggling, and money laundering charges related to a sex trafficking ring operated in several motels in Nashville, Tennessee.
According to court documents, the defendants orchestrated a human trafficking and smuggling scheme targeting vulnerable Venezuelan women, recruiting them to the U.S. with promises of employment. After arranging and facilitating their smuggling into the U.S., the defendants directed the women to Nashville. Once there, the women were told they owed an inflated smuggling debt, which they could only repay through commercial sex work. Those who resisted faced threats of physical harm against themselves and their families in Venezuela. The defendants profited by taking a cut of the women’s earnings in addition to collecting on the inflated smuggling debts.
“Human smuggling and trafficking operations represent a dangerous convergence of exploitation and lawlessness,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These perpetrators profited off human suffering while chipping away at the integrity of our border. These convictions show that protecting vulnerable individuals and securing our border are not competing goals.”
“This criminal organization exploited vulnerable women, enriched itself through coercion and violence, and showed complete disregard for human dignity and the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable, dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating in our communities, and ensure justice for victims."
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to the pursuit and dismantlement of transnational criminal organizations that exploit vulnerable people for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of HSI Nashville. “The outcome of this Homeland Security Task Force investigation is a testament to the positive impact law enforcement can have when working in collaboration towards the common goal of holding these criminals accountable.”
“This case demonstrates the Homeland Security Task Force’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from human trafficking and smuggling schemes that exploit vulnerable people for financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “FBI Nashville, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and dismantle criminal networks that threaten public safety.”
“This case is a stark reminder human trafficking and smuggling operations prey on our communities most vulnerable, using violence and intimidation to exploit innocent lives for profit,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Gaskins of IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. “By dismantling this network, we send a clear message to those who target victims with threats and coercion. We remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”
“We have said it before, and these guilty pleas reiterate: if you lure vulnerable people to this country with lies, force them into sexual exploitation, and profit from their suffering, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and hold you accountable,” said Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “This case is a powerful reminder that when our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners stand together, there is no haven for human traffickers.”
Yilibeth Carmen Rivero-de Caldera (“Rivero”) and her son, Kleiver Daniel Mota Rivero (“Mota”), led and managed the human trafficking and smuggling scheme. Rivero enlisted her adult children and their spouses, Mota’s girlfriend, and others to take on various roles in the scheme. Rivero, Mota, and defendant Ramon De Jesus Velasquez Martinez (“Velasquez”) used threats of violence, including wielding firearms, to intimidate and force compliance from the women trafficked by the organization. To further intimidate the women, Mota and other defendants engaged in conduct that made the victims believe Mota was affiliated with a Venezuelan prison gang and openly spoke about Mota’s prior prison term for homicide in Venezuela.
Rivero, Mota, Velasquez, and the six other defendants — Wilmarys Del Valle Manzano Solorzano (“Manzano”), Endrik Alexander Morales-Rivero (“Morales”), Ariannys Beatriz Gutierrez-Carrillo (“Gutierrez”), Frankyanna Del Valle Romero-Rivero (“Romero”), Jesus Enrique Castillo Rodriguez (“Castillo”), and Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca (“Gomez”) — arranged or otherwise aided the smuggling of the victims into the United States, posted online commercial sex advertisements for the victims, set up commercial sex appointments with men who responded to the postings, and collected the proceeds of the commercial sex acts.
Rivero, Mota, Romero, and Morales pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy, conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Castillo pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy. Manzano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The charges Rivero, Mota, Romero, Morales, Castillo, Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to carry a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. Manzano pleaded guilty to charges that carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced during the week of Nov. 16. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson, Jessica Arco, and Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Risinger for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole- of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The Nashville HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Secret Service (USSS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal agencies, working in collaboration with our state and local partners, with the prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The investigation and charges are further supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 419 U.S. convictions; more than 363 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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Fort Campbell Soldier Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Robert Cecilio, [40], of Clarksville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to child sexual exploitation and child pornography offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Cecilio, a U.S. Army soldier stationed at Fort Campbell, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor.
"Cecilio hid behind a fake name and a screen to prey on young girls across the country. But anonymity on the internet is no shield from accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This office will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who exploit children to the full extent of the law. I commend the FBI and Army CID for their outstanding work in identifying these victims and bringing this offender to justice.”
“Robert Cecilio used fear and coercion to sexually exploit numerous minors,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "There is no safe haven for those who exploit children. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable any individual who sexually exploits minors for their own depraved gratification. Protecting children and pursuing those who prey upon them is a top priority."
“Mr. Cecilio's plea is a testament to the diligent work of our special agents, the FBI, and prosecutorial partners at the United States Attorney's Office, Middle District of Tennessee,” said Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Mid Central Field Office. “We stand firm in our commitment to protect children. To those who would exploit or harm their innocence: we will find you, we will hold you accountable, and justice will be served. Our children deserve nothing less.”
According to the plea agreement, from at least June 2024 until his arrest in August 2025, Cecilio used Snapchat accounts containing variations of the name "Gabe" to communicate with minor girls, typically claiming he was 19 or 20 years old. He persuaded the girls to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, which he received over the internet and, in some cases, saved. Investigators identified five victims, ranging in age from 13 to 18, who lived in Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Cecilio continued to communicate with one victim even after she turned 18.
The FBI identified one of the victims, a 16-year-old girl in Florida, in June 2025 and traced the Snapchat account she had been communicating with to Cecilio. On August 8, 2025, agents executed a search warrant at Cecilio's Clarksville residence and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents also seized Cecilio's cell phone after stopping him as he entered Fort Campbell. During the search, investigators recognized items inside the residence—including bedding, drapes, and bathroom tile—that matched the backgrounds of photographs and videos Cecilio had sent to his victims.
After waiving his Miranda rights, Cecilio admitted that he had engaged in sexually explicit communications with numerous minor girls over an extended period using multiple Snapchat accounts and cell phones. He further admitted receiving numerous sexually explicit images and videos of minors that he knew constituted child pornography. Four of Cecilio's cell phones contained child sexual abuse material, including a video depicting two prepubescent children.
U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger will sentence Cecilio on October 21, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Cecilio faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on each sexual exploitation count; a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years on each receipt count; and up to 20 years on the possession count. He also faces fines of up to $250,000 on each count and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. Cecilio will be required to register as a sex offender, has agreed to pay restitution to his victims, and has agreed to forfeit four cell phones used in the offenses. As part of the plea agreement, the government will move to dismiss the remaining count of the indictment, which charged transmission of interstate threats, at sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency, and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison is prosecuting the case.
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Eleven Charged in Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Allegedly Directed from Inside Tennessee PrisonRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury has returned a 17-count superseding indictment charging eleven defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Middle District of Tennessee, announced Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the superseding indictment and other court filings, Corey Byrd, who is currently serving a sentence in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction, allegedly directed much of the conspiracy from inside prison by using contraband cell phones to coordinate methamphetamine trafficking through a network of associates operating throughout southern Middle Tennessee.
The superseding indictment, returned on June 17, 2026, charges:
- Corey Byrd, 38, currently in custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction;
- Tiffany Byrd, 35, also known as "Tiffany Harris," of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee;
- Robert Miles, 52, also known as "Smiley," of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee;
- Demond Garrett, 42, also known as "Jerry," of Pulaski, Tennessee;
- Jason Bost, 45, of Pulaski, Tennessee;
- Haylee Groover, 26, of Pulaski, Tennessee;
- Chelsie Dickson, 31, of Pulaski, Tennessee;
- Alyssa Whitsett, 22, of Pulaski, Tennessee;
- Sherri Holder, 49, of Pulaski, Tennessee;
- Stacy Taylor, also known as "Stacy Ramsey," 45, of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; and
- Lila Chester, 28, of Pulaski, Tennessee.
"Serving a prison sentence is not a license to continue running a criminal enterprise. This indictment alleges that the lead defendant attempted to turn a prison cell into the command center for a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling drug trafficking organizations at every level and holding accountable those who profit from poisoning our communities, regardless of where they operate."
According to the superseding indictment, the conspiracy operated from at least 2023 through August 2025. Byrd, who is serving a 45-year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction, allegedly used contraband cell phones smuggled into the prison to coordinate the acquisition and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine. Court documents allege that Corey Byrd’s sister, Tiffany Byrd, served as one of the organization's primary outside coordinators, distributing methamphetamine to sub-distributors, directing runners, and maintaining money taken in by the organization.
"Drug trafficking, whether in or out of prison walls, will not be tolerated," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "This case should serve as a warning to every drug trafficker: justice will pursue those who threaten the safety of our communities. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate those who pollute our communities with dangerous drugs."
“When criminals build an empire on addiction, we don’t settle for cutting off a branch. We remove the roots,” said Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Director David Rausch. “This investigation dismantled the conspiracy from top to bottom, strengthened the safety of our communities, and proved that united law enforcement is stronger than organized crime.”
The superseding indictment alleges that members of the conspiracy distributed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. It also charges Robert Miles with multiple counts of distributing methamphetamine and with possessing, on August 28, 2025, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of fentanyl, and a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment further seeks the forfeiture of six firearms allegedly connected to those offenses.
If convicted, the defendants charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine face penalties of up to life in prison, depending on the quantity of controlled substances attributable to each defendant and other applicable sentencing factors. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Nashville Field Office – Columbia Resident Agency, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Pulaski Police Department, the Giles County Sheriff's Office, and the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fugitive Charged with Rape of a Child Returned from Guatemala to Face ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Federal agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation working with federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and in collaboration with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) recently returned Domingo Sunun to the United States to face state sexual assault charges including two counts of child rape and one count of aggravated rape, United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek announced today.
“Holding offenders accountable for offenses against children is among the highest priorities of this office and the Department of Justice,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “When federal law enforcement and local partners work together with one goal, there is nowhere a fugitive can run that will be beyond the reach of the law.”
“Let this be a message to those who seek to victimize our youth: no matter where you run or where you hide, law enforcement will hunt you down and hold you accountable for your crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “There is no place in our community for those who prey on children, and we will do everything we can to not only seek justice for the victims, but to prevent additional child exploitation crimes. I commend FBI Nashville’s Violent Crimes Squad and our partners for their steadfast commitment to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”
“Our Youth Services detectives are committed to seeking justice for innocent children against whom unthinkable acts have allegedly been committed,” said Metro Police Chief John Drake. “That can happen now that Domingo Sunun has been returned to Nashville from Guatemala. This is not the first time our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI have assisted in bringing a fugitive accused of serious crimes back to our city from another country. I am grateful to all for the years of work on this case.”
According to court documents, MNPD officers went to a residence on Gwynnwood Drive in Nashville in September 2021 to investigate allegations that Sunun had sexually assaulted his three nieces who were eight, ten, and twelve years old at the time. According to the victim statements, the sexual assaults occurred over a period of nearly three-and-a-half years. According to court documents, Sunun’s family members told investigators that Sunun abruptly packed all his belongings and left his Nashville residence after the initial police report was filed. State arrest warrants were obtained for Sunun charging him with aggravated rape and two counts of rape of a child. MNPD investigators then determined that Sunun had likely fled to Guatemala to avoid apprehension and prosecution.
In March 2022, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained an arrest warrant for the federal offense of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution and began working with international law enforcement partners to apprehend Sunun and return him to the United States. In December 2025, Sunun was apprehended in Guatemala and in March 2026, his extradition to the United States was granted by the government of Guatemala.
Upon his return to the United States, Sunun was transferred to state custody to face the child sexual abuse charges lodged against him in Davidson County General Sessions Court.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked to obtain cooperation from the government of Guatemala to enable Sunun’s return to the United States. The Davidson County District Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting Sunun on the sexual abuse indictment. Assistant District Attorney Jeff George is the lead prosecutor on the sexual assault case and Administrative Assistant Ashley Mondelli assisted in the extradition of Sunun from Guatemala to the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a 7-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Bobby Lequan Council, 39, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty yesterday to sexually exploiting a 7-year-old child, possessing child sexual abuse material depicting a prepubescent minor, failing to register as a sex offender, and committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Because Council has a prior federal conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 90 years.
"Protecting children from sexual predators remains one of our highest priorities," said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. "This defendant's repeated exploitation of children and disregard for sex offender registration requirements warrant the substantial penalties Congress has prescribed. We commend the Goodlettsville Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals, for their swift and thorough investigations."
According to court documents, on April 16, 2025, detectives with the Goodlettsville Police Department responded to a residence in Goodlettsville after a woman reported discovering sexually explicit videos of a 7-year-old minor on an iPhone Council was using.
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting children from those who seek to exploit them,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting. “This case highlights the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders, especially those who repeatedly disregard the law, are held accountable and that vulnerable victims receive justice.”
Detectives obtained a state search warrant for the phone. A forensic examination recovered three sexually explicit videos of the prepubescent minor, all created on January 16, 2025. After waiving his Miranda rights, Council admitted to detectives that he had sexually abused the minor and recorded the abuse using the phone.
At the time he created the videos, Council was a registered sex offender based on a 2012 federal conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor. As a Tier III sex offender, Council was required to report in person every three months for life and to update his registration whenever he established or changed a residence.
In February 2025, Council registered a Nashville motel as his primary address but checked out four days later. Investigators determined that Council had, in fact, been residing at a Goodlettsville residence since at least December 2024, but never updated his sex offender registration to reflect that address.
Council pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Eli J. Richardson to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, second offense; one count of possession of child sexual abuse material depicting a prepubescent minor, second offense; one count of failure to register as a sex offender; and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender.
The sexual exploitation offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 50 years. The child sexual abuse material possession offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years. The failure-to-register offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The offense of committing a felony involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender carries a mandatory 10-year sentence that must run consecutively to the sentence imposed for the sexual exploitation offense.
Council also faces a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, restitution, and mandatory special assessments.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 16. U.S. District Court Judge Eli J. Richardson will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Goodlettsville Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Carlin Hess are prosecuting the case.
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Franklin Soccer Coach Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation and Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Camilo Campos-Hurtado, 66, of Franklin, Tennessee, was sentenced today to a total term of 360 months (30 years) in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for sexually exploiting children, receiving child sexual abuse material, and possessing fraudulent immigration and identification documents, announced Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office requested a sentence of 50 years, citing the extraordinary seriousness of Campos-Hurtado’s offenses, the prolonged nature of his conduct and the need to protect the public from further crimes. The sentencing judge ordered a sentence of 30 years in prison.
Campos-Hurtado pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receiving child sexual abuse material, one count of using or possessing fraudulent immigration documents, and one count of possessing an identification document or authentication feature that was stolen or produced without lawful authority.
"Camilo Campos-Hurtado preyed on children, rendered his victims incapable of resisting, recorded his horrific crimes, and concealed his true identity through fraudulent immigration and identification documents while remaining unlawfully in the United States," said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. "Today's sentence delivers justice for his victims and ensures that this dangerous predator will spend decades in federal prison. The Department of Justice has no higher priority than protecting children from sexual exploitation. Those who abuse children, produce or collect child sexual abuse material, or exploit our immigration system to facilitate their crimes will be identified, prosecuted, and held fully accountable. I commend Homeland Security Investigations, the Franklin Police Department, and the vigilant citizen whose actions brought these crimes to light.”
The investigation began in June 2023 after a member of the public discovered explicit videos on a cell phone Campos-Hurtado left behind at a Franklin business and immediately alerted the Franklin Police Department. That report launched an investigation that ultimately uncovered years of child sexual exploitation.
Law enforcement officers executed multiple search warrants, including at Campos-Hurtado's residence and vehicle, recovering electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material, along with numerous counterfeit immigration and identification documents.
Investigators determined that Campos-Hurtado incapacitated child victims with drugs or alcohol before sexually abusing them and recording the assaults. Although the offenses underlying his convictions occurred between 2017 and 2021, forensic analysis of his electronic devices established that he had been producing child sexual abuse material since at least January 13, 2013.
Campos-Hurtado is unlawfully present in the United States. Following completion of his federal sentence and any remaining state sentence, he is expected to be removed to Mexico through immigration proceedings.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Franklin Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Kathryn D. Risinger prosecuted the case.
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Braden H. Boucek Formally Invested as United States Attorney for the Middle District of TennesseeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE — Braden H. Boucek was formally invested as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee during an investiture ceremony held June 26, 2026, at the Soli Deo Center on the campus of Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville. The investiture marked the formal ceremonial recognition of Boucek's appointment as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Chief Judge William L. Campbell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee administered the oath of office. Judge Whitney Hermandorfer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, who administered Boucek's initial oath of office in December 2025, presided over the ceremony.
United States Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty delivered remarks recognizing Boucek's unanimous Senate confirmation and his record of public service. Blackburn noted that Boucek "was unanimously confirmed by the Senate late last year," adding that such confirmations "don't happen a lot in Washington, D.C." She also highlighted the Senate's desire for nominees with significant prosecutorial experience, strong professional reputations, and a commitment to faithfully enforcing federal law. Hagerty described the office of United States Attorney as "an incredible responsibility at a very auspicious time" and encouraged Boucek to faithfully uphold the rule of law.
Boucek's public service includes serving as an Assistant United States Attorney in both Nashville and Memphis, an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Tennessee, and an Assistant District Attorney. Before his confirmation, he served as Vice President of Litigation at the Southeastern Legal Foundation.
In his remarks, Boucek reflected on the history of the Office of the United States Attorney, noting that it was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, predating the Department of Justice itself. He emphasized the enduring responsibility of identifying, defending, and faithfully enforcing federal law while safeguarding the constitutional rights guaranteed to every American.
"To take an oath to defend the Constitution is the honor of a lifetime, and one for which I will be unceasing in my gratitude," Boucek said.
Boucek pledged vigorous enforcement of federal law while exercising prosecutorial authority with restraint.
"The days of wholesale non-enforcement of categories of federal law are over," Boucek said. "Apart from enforcing the federal laws that protect your life, liberty, and property, we will stay out of your hair, your wallet, and your lives."
Boucek concluded by thanking his wife, Monica, and their children for their steadfast support and reaffirmed his commitment to the people of the Middle District of Tennessee.
"We will never stop fighting for you," Boucek said.
The ceremony was attended by members of the federal judiciary, former United States Attorneys for the Middle District of Tennessee, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, state and local officials, law enforcement leaders, members of the legal community, and Boucek's family and friends. The program included the presentation of the colors by the Music City Young Marines, an invocation by Pastor Tommy Vallejos, the Pledge of Allegiance led by Boucek's daughter, and a benediction by Pastor Todd Teller.
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Celina Pharmacy Owner Sentenced for Opioid Distribution/Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Thomas K. Weir, 65, of Celina, Tennessee, the majority owner of Oakley Pharmacy, doing business as Dale Hollow Pharmacy and Clay County Xpress Pharmacy, was sentenced June 18, 2026, to 24 months in federal prison, ordered to pay $1,419,974 in restitution to Medicare and TennCare, and required to forfeit the pharmacy building and warehouse used in the scheme for his role in a years-long conspiracy to unlawfully dispense controlled substances and defraud federal and state health care programs, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger imposed the sentence.
Weir's sentence concludes the criminal prosecution of all four defendants charged in the conspiracy.
"The defendants turned trusted community pharmacies into engines for opioid distribution and health care fraud," said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. "Rather than serving patients and protecting public health, they ignored clear warning signs, fueled the unlawful distribution of dangerous drugs, and billed taxpayer-funded health care programs for the privilege. Today's sentence, along with the forfeiture of the property used to facilitate these crimes, demonstrates that those who choose profit over patient safety will be held accountable."
Weir previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Co-defendants William L. Donaldson, 65, former owner and pharmacist of Dale Hollow Pharmacy; Pamela Spivey, 55, co-owner of Xpress Pharmacy; and Charles Robert "Bobby" Oakley, 74, of Manchester, Tennessee, a minority owner of Dale Hollow Pharmacy, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles in the scheme. Donaldson was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Oakley and Spivey were each sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay criminal restitution.
According to court records, the conspiracy operated for approximately five years and involved the unlawful dispensing of controlled substances and the submission of fraudulent claims to Medicare and TennCare.
Between 2014 and 2019, the conspirators operated Dale Hollow Pharmacy and Xpress Pharmacy in Celina, Tennessee, as sources of controlled substances for patients despite numerous red flags indicating abuse, diversion, and prescriptions issued outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. Patients routinely traveled long distances, often in groups, to obtain controlled substances from the pharmacies.
In May and June 2016, Drug Enforcement Administration diversion investigators inspected Dale Hollow Pharmacy. The following year, Weir and others entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA addressing violations of federal regulations governing the dispensing of controlled substances. Despite that agreement, dispensing practices continued, and the volume of controlled substances dispensed by both pharmacies increased, along with clear signs of abuse and diversion.
The conspirators also submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare Part D plans and TennCare for controlled substances dispensed to beneficiaries, including medically unnecessary combinations of highly abused drugs. To increase prescription volume, the conspirators engaged in a kickback scheme that included paying patient co-payments, distributing a fictitious currency known as "Monkey Bucks" that could be redeemed for cash, and paying patients cash to fill prescriptions that were subsequently billed to Medicare and TennCare.
“Today’s sentencing represents another important step in our ongoing efforts to combat health care fraud and opioid abuse,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Our collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners helps ensure that those responsible are held accountable, while safeguarding our communities and protecting the integrity of federal health care programs.”
"Pharmacy owners like Mr. Weir who exploit the most vulnerable and seek to profit from addiction must be held to account; we've lost too many Americans to opioid abuse," said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Field Division. “It’s vitally important that pharmacies operate within the laws designed to prevent diversion of medications that carry a high potential for abuse.”
“Cases like these reflect the nonstop, coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local partners to protect innocent patients and tax dollars,” said David Rausch, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director. “We will continue working around the clock to dismantle schemes that endanger public health, and we will not relent in ensuring that those who exploit vulnerable communities for profit are brought to justice.”
As part of his sentence, Weir was ordered to forfeit real property used to facilitate the offenses, including the pharmacy building and an associated warehouse, as well as a money judgment exceeding $700,000.
Two pharmacists-in-charge associated with the pharmacies, John Polston, 64, of Tompkinsville, Kentucky, and Michael Griffith, 41, of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, were charged separately, pleaded guilty, and cooperated with the government's investigation and prosecution. They are scheduled to be sentenced in July.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Clay County Sheriff's Office and the Celina Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah K. Bogni and Zachary T. Hinkle prosecuted the case. The forfeiture was secured through the substantial efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Toussaint and the Asset Forfeiture Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden-McIntyre is handling related civil litigation.
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Gordonsville Physician Indicted on Health Care Fraud and Controlled Substance ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Angela Moss, 55, of Gordonsville, Tennessee, has been charged in a federal indictment with seven counts of health care fraud and twelve counts of unauthorized distribution of controlled substances in connection with a multi-year scheme involving the prescribing of controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, announced Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. The indictment was unsealed following Moss's arrest.
According to the indictment, Moss owned and operated Gordonsville Clinic and prescribed medically unnecessary controlled substances to patients for more than eight years. During that period, Moss issued prescriptions totaling more than 5.6 million pills and doses of controlled substances. The indictment alleges that many of those prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice.
The indictment further alleges that Moss prescribed excessive and inappropriate quantities and combinations of controlled substances, resulting in medically unnecessary prescriptions being issued to patients and contributing to patient abuse, misuse, and addiction. Moss allegedly failed to adequately monitor her patients' use and abuse of prescribed controlled substances and continued to prescribe excessive and inappropriate amounts of those drugs even after receiving warnings regarding her prescribing practices, including warnings from the Tennessee Department of Health.
“Medical professionals occupy positions of extraordinary trust and responsibility,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “When that trust is abused through the unlawful prescribing of controlled substances, patients can suffer serious harm, addiction can flourish, and taxpayer-funded health care programs can be defrauded. Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who contribute to prescription drug abuse and health care fraud.”
This case is part of the Department of Justice's National Health Care Fraud Takedown, a coordinated nationwide law enforcement effort targeting health care fraud schemes that exploit patients, contribute to prescription drug abuse, and defraud federal health care programs.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Suedekum is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Clarksville Physician Charged with Health Care Fraud Related to Controlled Substance Prescribing SchemeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Ramon Aquino, 77, of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been charged by Information with one count of health care fraud in connection with a multi-year scheme involving the prescribing of controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, announced Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the Information, Aquino owned and operated North Clarksville Medical Center and prescribed medically unnecessary controlled substances to patients for more than five years. During that period, Aquino issued prescriptions totaling more than 1.08 million pills and doses of controlled substances. The Information alleges that many of those prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice.
The Information further alleges that Aquino prescribed excessive and inappropriate quantities and combinations of controlled substances, resulting in medically unnecessary prescriptions being issued to patients and contributing to patient abuse, misuse, and addiction. Aquino allegedly failed to adequately monitor his patients' use and abuse of prescribed controlled substances and continued to prescribe excessive and inappropriate amounts of those drugs even after receiving warnings regarding his prescribing practices.
According to the Information, Aquino's conduct caused losses of approximately $335,621.73 to health care benefit programs.
“Medical professionals occupy positions of extraordinary trust and responsibility,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “When that trust is abused through the unlawful prescribing of controlled substances, patients can suffer serious harm, addiction can flourish, and taxpayer-funded health care programs can be defrauded. Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who contribute to prescription drug abuse and health care fraud.”
This case is part of the Department of Justice's National Health Care Fraud Takedown, a coordinated nationwide law enforcement effort targeting health care fraud schemes that exploit patients, contribute to prescription drug abuse, and defraud federal health care programs.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Suedekum is prosecuting the case.
Information is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Club Miami Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling Methamphetamine and Cocaine Inside Nashville NightclubRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Rimon Salim, 38, owner and operator of Club Miami, an after-hours nightclub in Nashville, pleaded guilty today to distributing methamphetamine and cocaine from inside the club, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
"Ramon Salim’s nightclub became a marketplace for methamphetamine and cocaine," said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. "Business owners who illegally profit from the distribution of dangerous narcotics contribute to the serious problem that devastates families and communities across Tennessee. Today's guilty plea reflects our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable, regardless of where they operate."
According to court documents, Salim owned and operated Club Miami, a weekend after-hours nightclub that remained open from approximately 2 a.m. until 6 a.m. Between February and March 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation used confidential informants equipped with audio and video recording devices to document drug trafficking inside the club.
"This guilty plea is the result of collaborative local, state, and federal law enforcement efforts to rid our communities of highly addictive and extremely dangerous drugs," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "The FBI is committed to dismantling the drug networks that threaten our neighborhoods and will continue to target and bring to justice those who engage in these crimes."
On February 23, 2025, Salim sold approximately 27.69 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Laboratory testing later confirmed the methamphetamine was approximately 94 percent pure. On March 9, 2025, Salim sold approximately 55 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant, weighing the drugs on a scale inside the club's bathroom before completing the transaction. In both instances, the controlled substances were recovered by law enforcement and subsequently analyzed by the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory, which confirmed their identity and weight.
“The ATF works collaboratively with our law enforcement partners day and night to swiftly remove individuals who distribute narcotics in our streets, participate in organized crime, and show total disregard for human life in our communities,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Nashville Field Division SAC Jamey VanVliet. “The ATF’s primary mission is to combat violent crime, and we will work tirelessly with our partners to keep the communities that we serve safe.”
Salim pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one involving methamphetamine and one involving cocaine.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2026. Salim faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Tennessee Highway Patrol; the Tennessee Department of Revenue; and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
Criminal Chief Ahmed A. Safeeullah and Assistant United States Attorney Cooper R. Byers are prosecuting the case.
Charges against any co-defendant are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Seven MinorsRead the Press Release
Philip Taylor Sobash, 36, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for sexually exploiting minors.
“Philip Sobash enticed seven minors to produce and send him child sexual abuse material, and then distributed five of those minors’ sexually explicit images online,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant took advantage of teenage girls. His depravity caused them long-lasting psychological trauma. The Department will pursue cases just like this to protect children from sexual exploitation.”
“Protecting children from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Holding Sobash accountable for all of his offenses against all his victims is vitally important to the safety of children in our community and across the country.”
“The FBI’s commitment to protecting children from abuse knows no bounds,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We work relentlessly with our partners to hold perpetrators of the sexual exploitation of minors to account, and others engaging in criminal activity targeting the vulnerable should take today’s sentencing as a warning that they too will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.”
According to court documents, between October 2018 and May 2019, Sobash, then a practicing physician, engaged in an online sexually explicit relationship with Minor Victim 1, who resided in the Middle District of Tennessee. This online relationship began after they connected on a dating website that facilitates “sugar daddy” relationships. After their communications moved to text message, Minor Victim 1 informed Sobash that she was 17 years old and sent him a photo of her driver’s license, which confirmed her age.
Sobash requested that Minor Victim 1 produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself and provided her thousands of dollars in cash and gifts to entice her to do so. Over the course of more than seven months, Sobash received hundreds of sexually explicit photos and videos of Minor Victim 1, most of which constituted child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
In addition to sexually exploiting Minor Victim 1, Sobash admitted to sexually exploiting six other minors, aged 16 and 17, between 2017 and 2020. At Sobash’s direction, Minor Victims 2 through 7 created CSAM, which they sent to him. Sobash distributed CSAM depicting Minor Victims 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, resulting in those victims’ images being sold online under their names.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case with the assistance of FBI Nashville, Clarksville Resident Agency, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Texas Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of Seven MinorsRead the Press Release
Nashville — Philip Taylor Sobash, 36, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for sexually exploiting minors.
“Protecting children from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Holding Sobash accountable for all of his offenses against all his victims is vitally important to the safety of children in our community and across the country.”
“Philip Sobash enticed seven minors to produce and send him child sexual abuse material, and then distributed five of those minors’ sexually explicit images online,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant took advantage of teenage girls. His depravity caused them long-lasting psychological trauma. The Department will pursue cases just like this to protect children from sexual exploitation.”
“The FBI’s commitment to protecting children from abuse knows no bounds,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We work relentlessly with our partners to hold perpetrators of the sexual exploitation of minors to account, and others engaging in criminal activity targeting the vulnerable should take today’s sentencing as a warning that they too will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.”
According to court documents, between October 2018 and May 2019, Sobash, then a practicing physician, engaged in an online sexually explicit relationship with Minor Victim 1, who resided in the Middle District of Tennessee. This online relationship began after they connected on a dating website that facilitates “sugar daddy” relationships. After their communications moved to text message, Minor Victim 1 informed Sobash that she was 17 years old and sent him a photo of her driver’s license, which confirmed her age.
Sobash requested that Minor Victim 1 produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself and provided her thousands of dollars in cash and gifts to entice her to do so. Over the course of more than seven months, Sobash received hundreds of sexually explicit photos and videos of Minor Victim 1, most of which constituted child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
In addition to sexually exploiting Minor Victim 1, Sobash admitted to sexually exploiting six other minors, aged 16 and 17, between 2017 and 2020. At Sobash’s direction, Minor Victims 2 through 7 created CSAM, which they sent to him. Sobash distributed CSAM depicting Minor Victims 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, resulting in those victims’ images being sold online under their names.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case with the assistance of FBI Nashville, Clarksville Resident Agency, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Hohenwald Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Transporting Tennessee Teen Across State Lines for Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A Hohenwald, Tennessee, man was sentenced June 12, 2026, to 108 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for coercing and enticing a 16-year-old girl to travel with him from Tennessee to Kentucky and then to Texas so that he could continue an illegal sexual relationship with her.
Drew Roden, 25, pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025, to coercion and enticement to travel in interstate commerce to engage in illegal sexual activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(a).
According to court documents and admissions made in connection with the plea, Roden, then 22 years old, met the minor victim in December 2022. He was informed at the time that she was 16 years old but continued to pursue contact with her. Roden eventually purchased a cell phone for the minor victim and encouraged her to leave her family's home in Spring Hill, Tennessee, at night to meet him.
In late January 2023, Roden drove the victim from Tennessee to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and ultimately to Houston, Texas, so that he could continue the illegal sexual relationship.
While the minor victim was missing, Roden repeatedly lied to her family, his own family, and concerned acquaintances about her whereabouts, despite being urged by multiple people to bring her home safely. The minor victim's family contacted the Spring Hill Police Department, which referred the matter to the FBI. Agents with the FBI's Nashville Field Office traced Roden's location to Houston and coordinated with the FBI's Houston Field Office, where Roden was located and arrested on Feb. 2, 2023, approximately one week after the victim was last seen at her family's home.
“Adults who exploit children for their own sexual gratification are among the most serious offenders,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “By sexually victimizing a teenager sentence, the defendant’s conduct warranted a sentence that reflects our unwavering commitment to pursuing those who prey on children. Thanks to our valued law enforcement partners for their hard work.”
This case was investigated by the Spring Hill Police Department and the FBI's Nashville and Houston Field Offices.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison for the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
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Ukrainian National Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy in Connection with Conti RansomwareRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE — Following his extradition from Ireland, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 44, a Ukrainian national, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a conspiracy to deploy Conti, a ransomware variant that infected more than 1,000 computers and networks worldwide.
“Targeting transnational criminal organizations who victimize American citizens with these outrageous ransomware attacks are among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “These criminal enterprises are sophisticated, but our prosecutors are up to this challenge and are dedicated to rooting these thieves out and holding them accountable.”
“The defendant and his conspirators used the Conti ransomware to terrorize people and businesses in the United States and around the world, causing millions of dollars in damage,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ransomware continues to pose a threat to all business organizations, from critical infrastructure to small businesses. The Justice Department will continue to work with international partners to bring to justice anyone, anywhere who attacks the United States with ransomware.”
“Lytvynenko’s guilty plea is a significant step toward holding cyber criminals accountable for the damage they inflict on victims worldwide,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Lytvynenko profited from fear and coercion, conspiring to use Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. This case demonstrates that the FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue those responsible for cybercrimes, regardless of where they operate, and bring them to justice.”
“This guilty plea is a powerful reminder that cybercriminals — whether acting alone or as part of a larger group — cannot hide behind their keyboards or international borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “While this individual played a role in a group responsible for significant harm, this guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to tracking down every member of these criminal networks. The Secret Service will continue to work with our partners here and around the world to disrupt ransomware operations and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
According to court documents, Lytvynenko, of Cork, Ireland, conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. Court filings allege the conspirators hacked into victims’ computers and networks, encrypted data, and demanded a ransom to restore the victims’ access to their files and to avoid public disclosure of the stolen information. From 2020 until 2022, Conti was used to attack computers and networks in 47 states, 31 foreign countries, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The FBI estimates that, as of January 2022, Conti ransomware attacks resulted in at least $150 million in ransom payments.
Lytvynenko admitted to joining the Conti conspiracy no later than approximately September 2021. He admitted to possessing data from eight U.S. and four overseas victims which had been stolen by Conti conspirators. Lytvynenko further admitted to joining a team run by a Conti conspirator during which time Lytvynenko was directed to work on coding a “loader,” which is typically a type of malware, or malicious software, that is used to load programs necessary to execute other malicious attacks.
Lytvynenko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In September 2023, an indictment charging four other Conti conspirators was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The FBI’s San Diego, Nashville, and El Paso Field Offices and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips of the Middle District of Tennessee, and Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Irish Department of Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration, the Irish Office of the Attorney General and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau provided valuable assistance to secure the arrest and extradition of Lytvynenko.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI's sustained enforcement response to that threat.
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Ukrainian National Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy in Connection with Conti RansomwareRead the Press Release
Following his extradition from Ireland, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 44, a Ukrainian national, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a conspiracy to deploy Conti, a ransomware variant that infected more than 1,000 computers and networks worldwide.
“The defendant and his conspirators used the Conti ransomware to terrorize people and businesses in the United States and around the world, causing millions of dollars in damage,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ransomware continues to pose a threat to all business organizations, from critical infrastructure to small businesses. The Justice Department will continue to work with international partners to bring to justice anyone, anywhere who attacks the United States with ransomware.”
“Targeting transnational criminal organizations who victimize American citizens with these outrageous ransomware attacks are among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “These criminal enterprises are sophisticated, but our prosecutors are up to this challenge and are dedicated to rooting these thieves out and holding them accountable.”
“Lytvynenko’s guilty plea is a significant step toward holding cyber criminals accountable for the damage they inflict on victims worldwide,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Lytvynenko profited from fear and coercion, conspiring to use Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. This case demonstrates that the FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue those responsible for cybercrimes, regardless of where they operate, and bring them to justice.”
“This guilty plea is a powerful reminder that cybercriminals — whether acting alone or as part of a larger group — cannot hide behind their keyboards or international borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “While this individual played a role in a group responsible for significant harm, this guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to tracking down every member of these criminal networks. The Secret Service will continue to work with our partners here and around the world to disrupt ransomware operations and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
According to court documents, Lytvynenko, of Cork, Ireland, conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. Court filings allege the conspirators hacked into victims’ computers and networks, encrypted data, and demanded a ransom to restore the victims’ access to their files and to avoid public disclosure of the stolen information. From 2020 until 2022, Conti was used to attack computers and networks in 47 states, 31 foreign countries, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The FBI estimates that, as of January 2022, Conti ransomware attacks resulted in at least $150 million in ransom payments.
Lytvynenko admitted to joining the Conti conspiracy no later than approximately September 2021. He admitted to possessing data from eight U.S. and four overseas victims which had been stolen by Conti conspirators. Lytvynenko further admitted to joining a team run by a Conti conspirator during which time Lytvynenko was directed to work on coding a “loader,” which is typically a type of malware, or malicious software, that is used to load programs necessary to execute other malicious attacks.
Lytvynenko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In September 2023, an indictment charging four other Conti conspirators was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The FBI’s San Diego, Nashville, and El Paso Field Offices and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Irish Department of Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration, the Irish Office of the Attorney General and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau provided valuable assistance to secure the arrest and extradition of Lytvynenko.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI's sustained enforcement response to that threat.
Columbia Man Connected to Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) Group Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – An indictment was unsealed today charging Zachary Sweeney, 30, of Columbia, Tennessee, with multiple counts of child sexual exploitation, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. According to court documents, Sweeney has been connected to Nihilistic Violent Extremist (“NVE”) groups similar to “764”.
“Violent extremists who victimize vulnerable children online are among the worst predators in our community and across the country,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Our office and our law enforcement partners will do whatever it takes to stop these predators from harming more children and hold them accountable for the damage they have already caused.”
“This operation puts every child predator on notice: the FBI will hunt you down and bring you to justice," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Removing violent extremists from our streets protects our most innocent and vulnerable members of society. The FBI will continue to work with our partners across the state of Tennessee to aggressively investigate those who seek to exploit or harm them."
According to court documents, Sweeney has an extensive history of engaging in criminal conduct related to the exploitation of minors, including conduct related to NVEs. NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability.
According to court documents, investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation into Sweeney’s conduct revealed multiple allegations of victimization of minors by Sweeney from at least 2022 until 2025. Sweeney has on numerous occasions, groomed and coerced minors into producing Child Sexual Abuse Material (“CSAM”), distributed and in some cases sold this material, and traveled to meet with minor victims during which time he is alleged to have drugged, raped, and filmed sexual acts with the minors. Additionally, Sweeney has committed these acts for, and engaged in others consistent with, the group 764 and its affiliates. These include coercing minors to self-harm, sending them drugs to take and stream themselves committing sexual acts and acts of self-harm online, and making threats of swatting and doxxing.
One prior victim alleged that she began interacting with Sweeney around the age of 16 or 17. She reported to investigators that Sweeney requested sexual images and videos of her and convinced her to make fan signs, specifically directing her to cut or carve his nickname into herself or use her blood to write it on herself. The victim reported that Sweeney was part of a group of people she described as friends of his in “the Com.” In these servers, the victim participated in virtual self-harm group video calls with members of the server in which she would do a variety of degrading things to herself for the members of the server. Some of these things included cutting herself, drinking toilet water, and smearing blood all over herself while on live stream. She did these activities while she was naked and members of the group, including Sweeney, would record videos of her actions. The victim reported being aware of other underage females that Sweeney had victimized and of whom he possessed “collections” of nudes and blackmail material. The victim further reported that Sweeney occasionally shared his screen with her and showed her these “collections,” including files with folders that were identified by the username of the alleged underage female victim. This victim later died of an overdose. Another witness confirmed that Sweeney had live streamed a sexual assault of the victim online.
NVEs, both individually and as a network, systematically and methodically target vulnerable populations, which often include minors, across the United States and the globe, frequently using social media communication platforms. NVEs frequently conduct coordinated extortions of individuals by blackmailing them so they comply with the demands of the network. These demands vary and include, but are not limited to, 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.
NVEs networks have adopted various monikers to identify themselves. The networks have changed names over time, which has led to the creation of related networks. Although the networks change names and use a variety of different social media platforms, the core members and goals remain consistent and align with the overarching threat of NVE.
“764” and related groups (“764”) are NVEs who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and engage with other extremists abroad. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government. Members of 764 work in concert with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katy Risinger and Zachary T. Hinkle are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three Convicted Felons Charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition Stemming from Shooting Outside La Danse NightclubRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Traivon Bohannon, 27, of Smyrna; Tynerick Turner, 27, of Nashville; and Veretez McGill, 26, of Goodlettsville, with possession of ammunition by a previously convicted felon, for their role in the shooting outside of La Danse Nightclub on May 3, 2026, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
“Gun violence is unacceptable anywhere, but gunfire that took place in the shadow of the federal courthouse cannot be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “We will continue to work steadfastly with our local partners to hold felons with guns accountable for their unlawful and dangerous actions.”
On May 3, 2026, at approximately 2:43 a.m., the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) was dispatched to La Danse Nightclub, located at 142 Rosa L. Parks Avenue in Nashville. Officers located three victims with gunshot wounds. One of the Victims (Victim 1) died from his injuries. Officers also found extensive gunfire damage to nearby vehicles, businesses, and the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. MNPD Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) processed the scene. CSI collected multiple fired projectiles from vehicles, the streets, and the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. They also collected approximately 110 fired shell casings of multiple calibers.
Through the investigation, law enforcement learned that a physical altercation began outside of La Danse between two of the Victims and a group of males, three of whom were later identified as Bohannon, Turner, and McGill. Numerous witnesses advised that people at La Danse were celebrating “Five-Deuce” day inside the club. The night prior to the shooting (May 2 - the fifth month and second day of the month) is celebrated by the Five-Deuce Hoover Crips as a “founder’s day.” Witnesses stated that the physical altercation at La Danse began when Victim 1 walked up to a group of Five-Deuce Hoover Crips and stated, “Fuck the Crips.”
Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were identified as being involved in the physical altercation that severely injured one Victim (Victim 2). Victim 2 was repeatedly beaten and suffered a gunshot injury. Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were also identified as being involved in the shooting that ultimately killed Victim 1.
MNPD collected numerous surveillance videos from La Danse, the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse, and MNPD cameras in the area. Both the initial physical altercation and subsequent shootings are captured on video surveillance.
The investigation revealed that Bohannon, Turner, and McGill physically assaulted Victim 2 on Commerce Street outside La Danse. Victim 1 then ran towards Victim 2.
Video surveillance captured Bohannon lifting his right arm with what appears to be a gun. The cameras show a muzzle flash, and after, Victim 1 turned his back and fell to the ground. Bohannon continued walking towards Victim 1 while firing the gun. The same video surveillance video also shows that Turner fired in the direction of Victim 1. The video also captured McGill standing a short distance behind Turner and also firing a gun. McGill then ran towards the corner of Commerce Street and Rosa L. Parks Avenue, where he lifted his arm and fired multiple shots towards the parking lot to the rear of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. Spent cartridge casings were collected from each of the areas where Bohannon, Turner, and McGill fired their guns.
At the time they possessed the ammunition in this case, Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were all convicted felons. Bohannon has prior convictions in Sumner County, Tennessee for aggravated robbery, carjacking, and theft of property in an amount greater than $2,500; and in Rutherford County, Tennessee for possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver and attempted possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony with a prior conviction. Turner has two prior convictions from Rutherford County for aggravated assault. McGill has previous convictions in Davidson County, Tennessee for facilitation of second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
If convicted, Bohannon, Turner, and McGill each face up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel M. Stephens and Carlin C. Hess are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Managers of Waste Pre-Treatment Facility Plead Guilty to Illegally Discharging Waste into Nashville Sewer SystemRead the Press Release
A former plant manager and a supervisor of a Nashville, Tennessee, facility pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to conspiring to bypass waste pretreatment systems and discharge the waste into the Nashville sewer system, and to tampering with a monitoring device at the facility.
David Ray Stark, the former Plant Manager at Allwaste Onsite LLC, doing business as Onsite Environmental (Onsite Environmental) pleaded guilty yesterday. Caleb Warren Randall, a former plant supervisor at Onsite Environmental, pleaded guilty on April 22. According to court filings, both men admitted to bypassing treatment processes at the facility and discharging untreated wastes into the Nashville sewer system in late 2022 and early 2023. Stark and Randall also admitted that they directed plant employees to tamper with a sampling device that Nashville’s Department of Water and Sewerage Services placed at the facility to monitor discharges into the sewer system in January 2023.
“The defendants repeatedly and intentionally violated the Clean Water Act by discharging untreated wastes into the Nashville sewer system,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This prosecution sends the message that those who purposely undermine federal environmental laws and endanger public infrastructure will face felony prosecution for their illegal conduct.”
“Illegal discharges that endanger local sewer infrastructure will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I want to commend the collaborative efforts of the Metro Nashville government, EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, and EPA’s Office of Inspector General on the investigation of the illegal conduct at Onsite Environmental and for bringing these defendants to justice.”
“The defendant did more than simply violate the company’s CWA permit. Whenever his company took more industrial waste and landfill leachate than it could treat, the defendant had the waste dumped straight into Nashville’s sewer system and had employees tamper with the city’s monitoring equipment to avoid detection. The waste clogged and damaged the city’s water infrastructure, posing a health risk to the community,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA will pursue companies that completely abdicate their responsibility to protect municipal infrastructure and downstream waterways, and criminal penalties are particularly appropriate for schemes to actively conceal and misrepresent violations of federal law.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, the tampering by Stark, Randall, and Onsite Environmental involved removing the hose of the sampling device from the facility’s discharge flume and placing it into a bucket filled with cleaner water that was not representative of the actual waste discharged to the sewer. Stark and Randall face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Stark’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19 and Randall’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4.
Metro Nashville’s Sampling Device Placed at Onsite Environmental’ s Discharge Flume.Last year, Onsite Environmental was sentenced to pay a $512,000 fine after pleading guilty for discharging waste into the Nashville sewer system. Nashville incurred over $80,000 in additional sewer maintenance and repair activities traced to the illicit bypassing at Onsite Environmental. Nashville recouped these maintenance and repair costs, as well as an additional $299,576 in unpaid surcharges, from Onsite Environmental in a separate action.
The Clean Water Act established the federal pretreatment program — which is delegated to states and municipalities — to provide a permit system to protect sanitary sewer infrastructure from industrial discharges which may harm sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants. Under an approved Clean Water Act pretreatment program, municipalities can require the reduction of harmful pollutants in wastewater from industrial discharges prior to the wastewater being discharged to the sanitary sewer system. These pretreatment requirements protect the local sewer systems — which are generally designed to process domestic sanitary sewage — from industrial wastes which can harm sewer pipes and the treatment processes carried out at wastewater treatment plants.
EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General investigated the case, with assistance from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Senior Trial Attorney Matthew Morris and Trial Attorney Rachel Roberts of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Stephanie Toussaint for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Former Managers of Waste Pre-Treatment Facility Plead Guilty to Illegally Discharging Waste into Nashville Sewer SystemRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A former plant manager and a supervisor of a Nashville, Tennessee, facility pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to conspiring to bypass waste pretreatment systems and discharge the waste into the Nashville sewer system, and to tampering with a monitoring device at the facility.
David Ray Stark, the former Plant Manager at Allwaste Onsite LLC, doing business as Onsite Environmental (Onsite Environmental) pleaded guilty yesterday. Caleb Warren Randall, a former plant supervisor at Onsite Environmental, pleaded guilty on April 22. According to court filings, both men admitted to bypassing treatment processes at the facility and discharging untreated wastes into the Nashville sewer system in late 2022 and early 2023. Stark and Randall also admitted that they directed plant employees to tamper with a sampling device that Nashville’s Department of Water and Sewerage Services placed at the facility to monitor discharges into the sewer system in January 2023.
“Illegal discharges that endanger local sewer infrastructure will not be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I want to commend the collaborative efforts of the Metro Nashville government, EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, and EPA’s Office of Inspector General on the investigation of the illegal conduct at Onsite Environmental and for bringing these defendants to justice.”
“The defendants repeatedly and intentionally violated the Clean Water Act by discharging untreated wastes into the Nashville sewer system,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This prosecution sends the message that those who purposely undermine federal environmental laws and endanger public infrastructure will face felony prosecution for their illegal conduct.”
“The defendant did more than simply violate the company’s CWA permit. Whenever his company took more industrial waste and landfill leachate than it could treat, the defendant had the waste dumped straight into Nashville’s sewer system and had employees tamper with the city’s monitoring equipment to avoid detection. The waste clogged and damaged the city’s water infrastructure, posing a health risk to the community,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA will pursue companies that completely abdicate their responsibility to protect municipal infrastructure and downstream waterways, and criminal penalties are particularly appropriate for schemes to actively conceal and misrepresent violations of federal law.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, the tampering by Stark, Randall, and Onsite Environmental involved removing the hose of the sampling device from the facility’s discharge flume and placing it into a bucket filled with cleaner water that was not representative of the actual waste discharged to the sewer. Stark and Randall face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Randall’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 4, and Stark’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 19.
Metro Nashville’s Sampling Device Placed at Onsite Environmental’s Discharge Flume
Last year, Onsite Environmental was sentenced to pay a $512,000 fine after pleading guilty for discharging waste into the Nashville sewer system. Nashville incurred over $80,000 in additional sewer maintenance and repair activities traced to the illicit bypassing at Onsite Environmental. Nashville recouped these maintenance and repair costs, as well as an additional $299,576 in unpaid surcharges, from Onsite Environmental in a separate action.
The Clean Water Act established the federal pretreatment program — which is delegated to states and municipalities — to provide a permit system to protect sanitary sewer infrastructure from industrial discharges which may harm sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants. Under an approved Clean Water Act pretreatment program, municipalities can require the reduction of harmful pollutants in wastewater from industrial discharges prior to the wastewater being discharged to the sanitary sewer system. These pretreatment requirements protect the local sewer systems — which are generally designed to process domestic sanitary sewage — from industrial wastes which can harm sewer pipes and the treatment processes carried out at wastewater treatment plants.
EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General investigated the case, with assistance from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Toussaint and Criminal Chief Ahmed Safeeullah for the Middle District of Tennessee and Senior Trial Attorney Matthew Morris and Trial Attorney Rachel Roberts of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
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Georgia Woman Who Faked Identity of Pregnant Teen to Target Adoptive Parents Sentenced on Cyberstalking and Threat OffensesRead the Press Release
A Georgia woman was sentenced today to 20 months in prison and three years of supervised release for cyberstalking, transmitting threats to kidnap or injure in interstate commerce and identity theft.
“Gabryele Watson, an adult woman, stole a pregnant teenager’s identity and cruelly led on couples seeking to adopt a baby, only to later emotionally abuse them, including threatening to terminate the pregnancy and mocking adoptive mothers for not being able to conceive,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “She preyed on would-be parents desperately seeking to adopt a child to add to their family. Her sentence today accounts for the real-world devastation her unrelenting online harassment caused her victims.”
“This defendant, for her own selfish and evil reasons, preyed on the hopes and dreams of a young couple who simply wanted to be parents,” said U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “This kind of fraud is devastating to those it affects, it cannot be tolerated, and today’s punishment shows that we will hold those who commit it accountable for their actions.”
“Gabryele Watson’s deliberate actions instilled fear in caring people who longed to adopt a child,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Cyberstalking not only causes panic and anxiety but also leaves victims feeling constantly unsafe and vulnerable. The FBI prioritizes cases involving threats of violence and will always investigate and bring to justice those who use digital platforms to threaten others.”
According to court documents, from May to June 2023, Gabryele Watson, 30, of Athens, Georgia, cyberstalked a married couple living in the Middle District of Tennessee who had been trying to adopt a baby for eight years. To do so, she assumed the identity of a teenager in Pennsylvania who was pregnant (Minor Victim 1), obtaining accurate details about Minor Victim 1 and her pregnancy from Minor Victim 1’s social media posts. Over the next several months, as Minor Victim 1 posted new content on her social media accounts, Watson copied that new content for continued use in her scheme.
Posing as Minor Victim 1, Watson contacted the couple online, initially through her social media adoption page and then later using text spoofing services and other tools and techniques to hide her true identity. In their early conversations, the defendant claimed that she was a teenager facing an unplanned pregnancy and wanted to give her baby up for adoption. She shared detailed information about Minor Victim 1’s life and elicited similar personal information from the couple. Over time, Watson began to demand that the couple be available at all hours to respond to her frequent communications and that they purchase baby-related gear and maternity clothing. Watson also repeatedly threatened to cancel the adoption and claimed that her baby suffered from various life-threatening health emergencies. Watson further threatened to abort or injure the unborn baby, to commit suicide while pregnant, and to kill the couple.
According to court documents, Watson engaged in the same disturbing conduct with another married couple living in the Middle District of Tennessee when she pretended to be a pregnant 18-year-old living in Arkansas. This time, Watson pretended to be pregnant with high-risk twins. She also communicated on speakerphone with the couple’s two young sons and encouraged them to be excited about the adoption. She eventually threatened to kill the couple and their children.
On July 25, 2025, Watson pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, communicating threats to injure in interstate commerce, and unlawful use of a means of identification.
This case was investigated by the FBI Nashville Field Office.
The Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison are prosecuting the case. Former Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky provided substantial contributions to the prosecution.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Athens, Georgia, Woman Sentenced on Cyberstalking and Threat OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Gabryele “Gabby” Watson, 29, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison today on four counts of cyberstalking, two counts of interstate transmission of threats to kidnap or injure, and two counts of unlawful use of a means of identification, announced Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“This defendant, for her own selfish and evil reasons, preyed on the hopes and dreams of a young couple who simply wanted to be parents,” said U.S. Attorney Boucek. “This kind of fraud is devastating to those it affects, it cannot be tolerated, and today’s punishment shows that we will hold those who commit it accountable for their actions.”
“Gabryele Watson’s deliberate actions instilled fear in caring people who longed to adopt a child,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Cyberstalking not only causes panic and anxiety but also leaves victims feeling constantly unsafe and vulnerable. The FBI prioritizes cases involving threats of violence and will always investigate and bring to justice those who use digital platforms to threaten others.”
From May to June 2023, Watson cyberstalked a married couple living in the Middle District of Tennessee, who had been trying to adopt a baby for eight years. She assumed the identity of a real 16-year-old in Pennsylvania who was pregnant (Minor Victim 1), obtaining accurate details about Minor Victim 1 and her pregnancy from Minor Victim 1’s social media posts. These included Minor Victim 1’s full name and nickname, her date of birth, her home state, the full name and nickname of Minor Victim 1’s teenaged boyfriend, who was also the baby’s father (Individual A), and details about, and photographs and video recordings depicting, Minor Victim 1’s pregnancy. She obtained photographs and video recordings of Minor Victim 1 and Individual A, including a series of “baby bump” photographs and videos of Minor Victim 1 displaying her pregnant belly at various stages of development. She also obtained sonogram photographs and videos of Minor Victim 1 and Individual A’s unborn baby at various stages of development. Over the next several months, as Minor Victim 1 posted new content on her social media accounts, Watson copied that new content for continued use in her scheme.
Posing as Minor Victim 1 and using Minor Victim 1’s real nickname, Watson contacted Victim One online, initially through her social media adoption page and then later through spoofed text messages, spoofed voice phone calls, and e-mail messages using an account the defendant created in Minor Victim 1’s name. In their early conversations, the defendant claimed that she was 16 years old, was facing an unplanned pregnancy, and wanted to give her baby up for adoption. She shared detailed information about her (really, Minor Victim 1) life and elicited similar personal information from Victim One. Watson shared photographs of sonographs of Minor Victim 1’s unborn baby, and repeatedly assured Victim One and Victim Two (Victim One’s husband) that they were going to adopt her baby and encouraged them to share their good news with others. Over time, Watson began to demand that Victims One and Two be available at all hours to respond to her frequent communications and that they purchase baby-related gear and maternity clothing. Watson also repeatedly threatened to cancel the adoption, claimed that “her” baby suffered from various life-threatening health emergencies, and pretended to being stalked and to have disappeared from home. Watson also threatened to abort or injure the unborn baby or to commit suicide while pregnant. Finally, she threatened to kill Victims One and Two.
Watson engaged in the same disturbing conduct with Victims Three and Four, another married couple living in the Middle District of Tennessee, when she pretended to be a pregnant 18-year-old living in Arkansas (Victim Five). This time, Watson pretended to be pregnant with high-risk twins. She also communicated on speaker phone with Victim Three and Four’s two young sons and encouraged them to be excited about the adoption. She made similar claims about “her” unborn babies’ health, was verbally abusive to Victim Three, and threatened to kill Victims Three and Four and their children.
Following her term of incarceration, Watson will be on supervised release for three years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case with the assistance of the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).
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Five Defendants Charged Following Investigations by the Nashville Homeland Security Task ForceRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Five defendants – including suspected associates of Tren De Aragua (“TdA”) or “Anti-Tren,” a splinter faction of TdA comprised of current and former members of TdA – have been charged with multiple felonies, including drug trafficking conspiracy, firearms trafficking conspiracy, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Since approximately September 2025, Nashville HSTF agents have been investigating Maikel Jesus Albornoz-Jimenez (“ALBORNOZ”), Eduard Jesus Velasquez-Matute (“VELASQUEZ”), Faren Aldahir Marquez-Cruz (“MARQUEZ”), Jose Luis Baza-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Yonce” (“BAZA”), Luis Manuel Tovar-Virguz (“TOVAR”), and others for trafficking in firearms and narcotics throughout the Middle District of Tennessee (“MDTN”) and across the country. Over the course of the investigation, agents identified ALBORNOZ as a supplier of firearms and narcotics in the MDTN, as well as a facilitator of deals across the country, meaning that ALBORNOZ would often connect others with his co-conspirators located in other states that ALBORNOZ knew had firearms or narcotics available for sale. ALBORNOZ would often receive a kickback for facilitating the deal. VELASQUEZ and MARQUEZ were sources of supply for firearms sold by ALBORNOZ in the MDTN. Some of the firearms supplied by VELASQUEZ and MARQUEZ and sold by ALBORNOZ were previously reported stolen or associated with other acts of violence, including shootings. BAZA acted as a source of supply and facilitator of narcotics deals in Washington state, including on deals brokered by ALBORNOZ. And TOVAR engaged in trafficking methamphetamine with ALBORNOZ and supplied one firearm to ALBORNOZ for sale in the MDTN.
Charges against the Defendants
ALBORNOZ, BAZA, and TOVAR are charged with a drug trafficking conspiracy involving more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing cocaine, more than 50 grams or a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and other controlled substances; ALBORNOZ, VELASQUEZ, and MARQUEZ are charged with a firearms trafficking conspiracy; and the defendants also face individual charges relating to using and carrying a firearm during an in relation to a drug trafficking crime, drug trafficking offenses, firearms trafficking offenses, and being an alien in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, the drug conspiracy charged in the Middle District of Tennessee involved approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine, 340 grams of MDMA and Ketamine, and 870 grams of cocaine. The charged gun trafficking conspiracy resulted in the seizure of 25 firearms, with several more firearms being seized in other jurisdictions as a result of gun deals brokered by ALBORNOZ. Of the 25 firearms seized in MDTN, 8 firearms were previously reported as stolen, and 2 have been tied to other crimes of violence based upon NIBIN results. Specifically, a Glock .40 caliber pistol has been preliminarily associated with a shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, that occurred on November 30, 2023. And a Canik 9x19mm pistol has been preliminarily associated with a shooting involving multiple victims in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 17, 2024.
Gang affiliations
Evidence recovered during this investigation has revealed that some defendants may be associates of Tren De Aragua (“TdA”), a trans-national criminal organization from Venezuela that was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States on or about February 20, 2025, and/or associates of a TdA splinter faction known as “Anti-Tren” – comprised of current and former members of TdA who are operating without or against the authority of TdA leadership in Venezuela. Members of TdA and Anti-Tren have been identified and arrested across the United States in other cases, including in Colorado, Tennessee, New York, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Washington, Georgia, and elsewhere.
Members of TdA and Anti-Tren are known to engage in gun trafficking, drug trafficking – particularly in “Tusi,” a drug made from various controlled substances including Ketamine and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“MDMA”) – and to coordinate their criminal activities with each other across state lines, as was done in this case.
Additionally, in ALBORNOZ’s Apple iCloud return, Agents observed a picture of ALBORNOZ wearing what appears to be a Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales de la Policía Nacional Bolivariana (“FAES”) uniform. The FAES was a special action police force that acted in coordination with former Venezuelan President Maduro, the Colectivos, and TdA. The FAES conducted operations against the Venezuelan people who opposed the Venezuelan government and its illicit activities.
“The Homeland Security Task Force is the tip of the spear in law enforcement’s efforts to stop Transnational Criminal Organizations like TdA, ‘Anti-Tren,’ and others from further victimizing our community,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek, “and HSTF-Nashville is the sharpest point in the country. Illegal firearms and narcotics trafficking like the activity charged in this indictment is dangerous, enables other violence, and puts Tennesseans at risk. Thanks to the cooperation of our partner law enforcement agencies, we have all the tools we need to put these illegal gun traffickers and drug traffickers out of business for good.”
“The collaborative efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force are vital in disrupting dangerous criminal networks like Tren De Aragua and its factions,” said Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson. “By combining resources and expertise, we continue to target drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and other threats to our communities. This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting the public and holding those who endanger our neighborhoods accountable.”
“Gang members and violence, combined with firearms and drug trafficking, damage entire communities and pose a threat to public safety. The ATF along with our local, state, and federal partners will continue to dismantle these criminal networks through persistent investigation, collaboration, and enforcement in order to protect the safety and security of our citizens,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet.
“This case highlights the power of partnership, combining federal, state, and local resources to fight against violent gangs and transnational criminal organizations that illegally traffic firearms and dangerous drugs across our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to stop threats before more lives are put at risk and ensure criminal organizations are held accountable.”
“This investigation is about violent criminals who posed a real threat to Nashvillians and our city’s neighborhoods,” said Nashville Police Chief John Drake. “In fact, we know from ballistic testing that one of the guns seized was used in a September 17, 2024, shooting case on Mt. View Road in which two men were wounded. Our police department will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who choose to commit or promote violence in this city.”
“IRS‑CI special agents are proud to stand with our partners on the Nashville Homeland Security Task Force as we follow the financial trails that expose violent gangs, firearms traffickers, and narcotics networks operating across the country,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office. “By uncovering how these criminal organizations move and profit from illicit activity, we help dismantle the operations that threaten the safety of communities across the United States.”
“Drugs and violence often go hand-in-hand, tearing families apart and destroying our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Field Division. “This case shows how effective law enforcement can be when agencies at every level work together; I’m very proud of the work being done by DEA and our partners on the Homeland Security Task Force to shut down criminal organizations and bring the bad actors to justice.”
Defendants’ Status to be in the United States
ALBORNOZ is a citizen of Venezuela who unlawfully entered, and admitted to illegally entering, the United States near El Paso at a time and place other than as designated by the DHS Secretary.
VELASQUEZ is a citizen of Venezuela who entered, and admitted to entering, the United States illegally on or about August 8, 2022, after crossing the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, Texas.
MARQUEZ is a Legal Permanent Resident originally from Honduras. On or about October 29, 2025, MARQUEZ received an Order of Deferral (Judicial Diversion) after pleading guilty to Felony Reckless Endangerment with an offense date of on or about January 9, 2025. MARQUEZ received a sentence of 18 months, beginning on October 29, 2025, and ending on April 29, 2027. As a condition of his judicial diversion, Marquez could not receive, possess, ship, or transport any firearms, ammunition, or weapons. During a search of Marquez’s residence, law enforcement seized hundreds of rounds of ammunition, two loaded firearms, extended magazines, a drum magazine, and more than $7,000 cash.
BAZA was born in Venezuela and is presently a citizen of Colombia who has admitted to entering the United States illegally on or about July 31, 2023, near Tecate, California.
TOVAR is a citizen of Venezuela who arrived at the Brownsville, Texas, Port of Entry on or about September 27, 2023, without documents sufficient for lawful entry into the United States. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered approximately $1,000 and drug paraphernalia. TOVAR has admitted to being in the United States illegally and to knowing that he cannot possess firearms.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The Nashville HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Secret Service (USSS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal agencies, working in collaboration with our state and local partners, with the prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Risinger and DOJ Trial Attorney Katelan Doyle. AUSA Risinger is the Lead HSTF Attorney for the Nashville Homeland Security Task Force. Katelan Doyle is a trial attorney with Joint Task Force Vulcan.
A criminal 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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Brentwood Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE - David Gebhardt, 54, of Brentwood, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns that failed to report millions of dollars in income from cryptocurrency sales and from his consulting business.
According to court documents, Gebhardt, a Tennessee-licensed attorney, purchased cryptocurrency but used decentralized exchanges and nominees to conceal his income from those investments. In total, from March 2018 through December 2022, Gebhardt withdrew approximately $6.6 million in funds from his cryptocurrency sales. Despite being warned by his accountants to report all of his cryptocurrency income on his tax returns, he failed to do so. Further, on his 2020 through 2022 returns, he indicated that he did not engage in virtual currency transactions when, in fact, he did. Gebhardt also failed to report all the gross receipts earned by a consulting business he owned. In total, Gebhardt caused a tax loss of more than $550,000 by filing false tax returns for 2018 through 2022.
Gebhardt pleaded guilty to two counts of filing false individual tax returns. His sentencing is scheduled for November 6, 2026. He faces a maximum penalty of 6 years in federal prison, as well as restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support 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.
Trial Attorney Parker Tobin of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Criminal Chief Ahmed Safeeullah for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
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Brentwood Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Taxpayers Out of $6.9 MillionRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Helen Boerman, 48 of Brentwood, Tennessee, pleaded guilty earlier this week to her role in defrauding Medicare out of $6.9 million, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Eliminating fraud in federal programs and holding fraudsters accountable is among the highest priorities of the Department of Justice,” said United States Attorney Braden Boucek. “This case demonstrates our commitment to investigate fraud, find those responsible, and hold them accountable with jail sentences. We will not tolerate fraud against the taxpayers here in the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, over a period of three-and-a-half years, Boerman, an optometric physician, used her practice, Brentwood Eye Care, to submit false claims to Medicare. As an enrolled provider, she submitted false claims seeking reimbursements from Medicare for new wound care products she had not actually purchased or used because she split wound care products intended for single use.
For example, in May 2022, Boerman, through Brentwood Eye Care, submitted claims to Medicare on behalf of two patients who were Medicare beneficiaries for placement of wound care products on May 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, when the appointment data showed that the patients had appointments on May 20, 24 and 27 only. Boerman directed the staff at Brentwood Eye Care to create false records for the other dates to support the services fraudulently billed to Medicare.
In addition to her fraudulent Medicare claims, Boerman also made false claims between March 2020 and October 2024 to TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid agency, and Federal Employees Health Benefits Programs.
As part of her guilty plea, Boerman admitted that during the course of her criminal conduct she submitted false Medicare claims in the amount of approximately $11 million and received approximately $6.9 million.
Boerman will be sentenced by Chief Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. on September 10, 2026, and faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Bogni.
This case is being prosecuted in partnership with the National Fraud Enforcement Division which was created by the Acting Attorney General to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division partners with federal, state, and local law enforcement on fraud fighting efforts and works to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it.
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U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek Urges Tennessee Supreme Court to Abandon ABA's Exclusive Law School Accreditation PrivilegeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee, joined by the Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division G. Charles Beller, and Federal Trade Commission Acting Director of the Office of Policy Planning Clarke Edwards, urged the Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday to open law school accreditation for competition by reducing its exclusive reliance on the American Bar Association (ABA) in determining which law schools provide sufficient education for their graduates to take the Tennessee bar examination. This was a joint response to the Tennessee Supreme Court’s September 16, 2025, order seeking public comments on potential regulatory reforms to increase access to quality legal representation.
As the Supreme Court acknowledged in its order: “Over the years, the Court has come to rely heavily on accreditation by the American Bar Association (‘ABA’) in establishing minimum education requirements for applicants to the Bar.” The order recognized the “growing recognition” that there are currently not enough legal services to meet the needs of many Tennesseans. It asked for comments on how exclusive reliance on the ABA affects the cost of legal services.
United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, Braden H. Boucek, issued the following statement:
The ABA requirement meets Tennessee’s definition of a monopoly. It uses its cartel-like status to operate to the detriment of consumers and competitors. To consumers, the requirement increases the cost of already-too-expensive legal services by artificially constraining supply. To aspiring lawyers, instead of pushing for excellence alone, the ABA pushes conformity with narrow political ideologies including those that involve negative racial stereotyping. Discrimination based on race is illegal and wrong and may violate federal law. Tennesseans deserve the best lawyers. Dedication to the Constitution, commitment, and diligence are colorblind qualities and the only qualities anyone needs to succeed in America.
This public comment recognizes that competition is the lifeblood of the American economy. It explained that the ABA standards for law school accreditation impose an elitist model of legal education, driving up the cost of legal education and thereby limiting the supply of lawyers.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order last April that highlighted the need to “reform our dysfunctional accreditation system” in higher education to promote “high-quality, high-value academic programs focused on student outcomes.” Recently, the Florida and Texas Supreme Courts eliminated their express reliance on the ABA and encouraged potential new accreditors competitive entry into the field.
We encourage the Court to end its exclusive reliance on the ABA and collaborate with other states that are working towards opening up law school accreditation to competition.
A copy of this comment can be found at: DOJ FTC Letter: Potential Regulatory Reforms to Increase Access to Quality Legal Representation
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U.S. Attorney's Office Reaches $300,000 False Claims Act Settlement with Clarksville Clinic over Allegations of Improperly Coded TRICARE ClaimsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today that Pitts Therapies, LLC (Pitts Therapies), doing business as Cornerstone Pediatric Therapies (Cornerstone or the Clinic), has agreed to pay $300,000 to the United States to settle allegations that Cornerstone violated the False Claims Act by excessively billing TRICARE for certain billing codes. Cornerstone operates a clinic in Clarksville, Tennessee, that provides pediatric therapy, including speech therapy, to children who are autistic, non-verbal, or speech-delayed.
The United States alleged that Cornerstone improperly caused false claims to be submitted to TRICARE in two categories. First, the United States contended that the Clinic billed TRICARE for two units of a billing code per day, per beneficiary, when only one unit of that code per day, per beneficiary, was allowed, from 2020 through October 2022. Second, the United States alleged that Cornerstone billed TRICARE for two different billing codes for certain services, when only one such code was payable, from 2020 through mid-2025. That practice is commonly referred to as “unbundling.”
“Our office will always seek to protect taxpayer dollars from false claims,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This resolution means that the taxpayers will get their money back and sends a message that these kinds of false claims will not be tolerated in our community.”
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) supports the delivery of TRICARE, the program that provides integrated, affordable, high-quality healthcare services to more than 9.6 million uniformed service members, retirees, and their families. TRICARE is the government health program that was allegedly defrauded in this case.
“Holding fraudulent providers accountable is essential to safeguarding TRICARE, our military’s primary health care program,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “By aggressively combating health care fraud, we ensure critical resources remain dedicated to the care our service members, retirees, and their families have earned. This settlement reinforces a clear standard that those who seek to exploit our health systems and beneficiaries will be investigated and pursued.”
The civil claims settled by this Settlement Agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The resolution of this matter was the result of an investigation by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, assisted by the Army Criminal Investigative Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre represented the United States.
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Former Tennessee Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former Tennessee business owner pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay over employment taxes to the IRS on behalf of the company she owned and operated.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mari Alexander, 52, was the sole owner and president of a mental-health counseling center with multiple locations throughout Tennessee. Alexander controlled the counseling center’s financial affairs and was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from the wages of employees and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter, as well as filing quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS. From 2015 through 2020, however, Alexander willfully failed to pay over to the IRS the payroll taxes she collected from the counseling center’s employees, and willfully failed to file more than 20 quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS. In total, Alexander caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $1 million.
Alexander pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over employment taxes. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek of the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah K. Bogni for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
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Springfield Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm After Allegedly Firing a Gun from Back Porch at NeighborRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Christopher Paredes, 43, of Springfield, has been charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Middle Tennessee has some of the greatest neighborhoods in America and those neighborhoods should be safe from gunfire,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Keeping all of the communities of Middle Tennessee safe from armed and violent criminals is a high priority of our office and the Department of Justice.”
According to court documents, on March 30, 2026, the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls from concerned citizens that Paredes was discharging a gun from his back porch in Springfield. One caller told law enforcement that Paredes told her that he would kill her and then fired the gun at her.
After initially refusing to exit his residence, the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team, using flashbangs and chemical agents, successfully facilitated Paredes’ surrender. Deputies recovered a Sig Sauer .40 caliber pistol from Paredes’ back porch and eight .40 caliber casings from the back yard.
Paredes had previously been convicted of assault in the second degree and wanton endangerment in the first degree when he pleaded guilty to those felony offenses in 2011 in Warren County, Kentucky. He was sentenced to serve 15 years in state prison.
If convicted, Paredes faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlin C. Hess is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Convicted Felon on Probation Charged with Firearms Offense Resulting in the Death of His ChildRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Steven Lamont Phillips, 56, of Nashville, Tennessee, was charged yesterday with possession of a weapon by a previously convicted felon for his role in the death of his son, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“The death of a child is every parent’s nightmare,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “The possession of firearms by convicted felons is inherently dangerous. This tragic outcome could have been avoided by simply following the law. Our office will hold felons accountable when they possess firearms, especially if they’ve been convicted of a violent crime.”
On March 28, 2026, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to a shooting at a home in Nashville. Once there, the officers found Phillips’ six-year-old son, S.R., who was unresponsive, with a gunshot wound to the head. The Nashville Fire Department transported S.R. to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where he later succumbed to his wound and died.
After being advised on his Miranda rights, Phillips told the police officers that he found the gun outside on the morning of the shooting. After finding the gun, he put the gun inside of his pocket and went back inside the house. Once he was back inside, Phillips started playing with S.R., before falling asleep on the living room floor. He woke up to the sound of a gunshot and saw a muzzle flash.
At the time he possessed the weapon in this case, a Kel-Tec CNC Inc. model P3AT .380 auto caliber pistol, Phillips was a convicted felon. He has prior convictions in Davidson County Criminal Court for aggravated robbery, possession of a weapon of a previously convicted felon, and attempted theft over $10,000 but under $60,000. Phillips is currently on probation for attempted theft over $10,000 but under $60,000, a felony in the State of Tennessee
If convicted, Phillips faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Cooper R. Byers is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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American Health Companies, dba American Health Partners, Agrees to Pay over Two Million Dollars to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Involving a Tennessee Nursing HomeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today that American Health Companies, LLC (“AHC”), doing business as American Health Partners (“AHP”), has agreed to pay $2,090,309 to the United States and Tennessee to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to billing Medicare and TennCare for grossly substandard nursing home services from Lewis County Nursing and Rehabilitation, LLC, between 2019 and 2024. During those years, Lewis County Nursing and Rehabilitation did business as AHC Lewis County and operated as a subsidiary of AHP. AHP is a company headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, that provides senior health services and owned nursing homes, including AHP Lewis County, during the relevant years. AHC Lewis County was a 131-bed facility in Hohenwald, Tennessee.
“This settlement is essential to protecting the elderly and disabled residents of our community who depend on quality care,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “But it is equally essential to protect the taxpayers who fund these programs. When facilities inflate charges while cutting corners on care, they undermine both quality for the people they serve and the public trust. Strong enforcement sends a clear message that exploiting seniors and the American taxpayer will have real consequences.”
“We’re proud to team up with our federal partners to ensure there is no safe harbor for those who profit from neglect of Tennessee seniors,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “This settlement is proof that when we work together, providers who fail the vulnerable people they’re supposed to serve will be held accountable.”
“Ensuring that nursing home residents receive safe, appropriate, and dignified care is one of our top priorities,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Kentucky. “The substandard conditions identified at AHC Lewis County represent an unacceptable failure to meet the basic obligations required of facilities that participate in Medicare and TennCare. We will continue to work with our federal and state partners to hold providers accountable when they place residents’ health and safety at risk.”
The United States and Tennessee alleged that AHC Lewis County systematically provided grossly substandard and/or worthless nursing home services that failed to meet the required standards of care in various ways. For example, the United States and Tennessee alleged that AHC Lewis County failed to provide residents with proper wound care, appropriate infection control, and protection from falls. The United States and Tennessee similarly alleged that AHC Lewis County failed to prevent residents from weight loss and loss of their range of motion. The United States and Tennessee also alleged that AHC Lewis County overprescribed antipsychotic medications to residents.
In addition, in June 2023, the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission temporarily suspended admissions to AHC Lewis County due to a survey report that found conditions at the facility to be, or likely to be, detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of residents. Around the end of 2024, AHP sold its nursing homes, and AHC Lewis County now operates under new ownership.
Under the settlement agreement, AHP will pay a total of $2,090,309, plus interest. Of that amount, $1,196,074 goes to the United States, and $894,235 will go to Tennessee.
The civil claims settled by this Settlement Agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The resolution of this matter was the result of an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General and the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre represented the United States, and Tennessee Assistant Attorney Generals Leslie Williams Fisher and Haylie Robbins represented Tennessee.
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Nashville Man on Federal Supervision Charged with Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Jacquise Miller, age 27, of Nashville, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, in violation of federal law, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, a federal jury convicted Miller in 2019 of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking. He received over six years in prison for these convictions and was ordered to serve a term of supervised release upon his release from custody. He began his supervision in 2024. In October 2025, officers saw Miller engaging in hand-to-hand transactions and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. When they arrested him, they pried bags of cocaine from his grasp and found a loaded firearm in his pants.
If convicted of the drug offense, Miller faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted of one of the firearms offenses, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. If convicted of the other firearms offenses, he faces a maximum of life imprisonment.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ahmed A. Safeeullah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Convicted Felon Discharges Gun Inside Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Antonio Jones, age 46, of Nashville, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(1), announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, on November 16, 2024, Metro Nashville Police Department officers responded to a shooting inside an apartment building located at 331 Plus Park Boulevard. Following the shooting, officers located Jones in a specific apartment unit and a loaded Taurus, Model 85, .38 Special caliber revolver was recovered from inside that same apartment unit.
Jones has felony convictions, including Aggravated Assault and Possession of Cocaine for Resale.
If convicted, Jones faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Montminy is prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Convicted Felon Charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition Stemming from 2023 HomicideRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –LaGarrion Lamontez Blacksmith, age 36, of Nashville, was charged yesterday with possession of ammunition by a felon for his role in a 2023 homicide, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
On February 18, 2023, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) responded to a shooting at Club Trvth on the 2900 block of Dickerson Pike in Nashville, Tennessee. The shooting resulted in the death of victim C.E. When uniformed patrol officers arrived at the scene of the shooting, they located C.E. deceased from what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds.
A witness made a statement to the police that he and C.E. were together inside the nightclub, and they had a verbal altercation with other patrons. When they attempted to leave the club, security guards told them it was unsafe to leave. However, they disregarded the guards’ warnings. As they left the club, the altercation continued into the parking lot, ultimately culminating in a shooting. Through the course of the investigation, MNPD homicide detectives determined multiple individuals were shooting during the incident and at least two people were shot. Surveillance video captured Blacksmith in an area by himself firing a weapon near two vehicles.
The MNPD Crime Lab conducted analysis on shell casings recovered from the scene and determined 16 fired cartridge casings were fired from the same firearm. This analysis, along with the surveillance video and crime scene photographs, attributed a group of shell casings to an individual shooter, Blacksmith. MNPD homicide detectives also recovered an iPhone that they were able to connect to Blacksmith near these casings.
At the time that he possessed the ammunition in this case, Blacksmith was a convicted felon. He has prior convictions in Davidson County Criminal Court for Theft over $1,000; Attempted Possession More Than 0.5 Grams Cocaine for Resale, and Felon in Possession of a Weapon.
If convicted, Blacksmith faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Stephens is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison on Ammunition, Methamphetamine Trafficking, and Multiple Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Deanthony Moton, 26, of Nashville, was sentenced yesterday to ten years in federal prison on charges of possession of ammunition by a felon, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. Moton previously pled guilty to the charges.
“Violent offenses deserve swift and serious punishment,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This Office will continue to prioritize the public safety by prosecuting those who combine drugs and guns and flee at a high speed.”
On August 29, 2021, at 1:40 a.m., the House of Legends Club on Jefferson Street in Nashville was full of patrons, many of whom had come outside to the parking lot in front of the club. A club security guard saw someone firing shots in the direction of the club, hitting five people, then fleeing in a blue sedan. The security guard returned fire. None of the victims knew who shot them or saw the shooter. Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) officers arrived on the scene with members of their Crime Scene Unit which recovered 25 9mm shell casings, eight .40 caliber shell casings, and three projectiles.
The shooting was captured on security cameras in the area, and detectives were ultimately able to identify the defendant as the person who shot into the crowd based on still photos from the video footage of the shooting, video which depicted the defendant’s attire in the club prior to the shooting, his nickname, videos from his YouTube channel, and his criminal history records.
On September 24, 2021, a Mount Juliet Police Department (“MJPD”) officer stopped a car on I-40 after determining it was going 99 miles per hour in a 70-miles per hour speed zone. The defendant was the front seat passenger in the car. When the officer approached the car and asked the driver for the car’s registration, the driver opened the glove box. In plain view in the glove box was a black Glock Model 22 .40 caliber pistol. The officer immediately asked if there were any other firearms in the car besides the one on the glovebox. For officer safety, the officer told the driver and the defendant that he would temporarily remove the firearm during the traffic stop. They agreed, and the officer removed the firearm from the glove box to keep it away from them. Other MJPD officers arrived and, as they spoke with the driver and defendant, the defendant appeared nervous, was moving around excessively, and digging around under his seat. Officers repeatedly told the defendant not to reach around. The defendant failed to heed their instructions, and officers removed him from the car out of fear that there may be additional firearms in the car.
When the defendant was removed from the car, he began to walk past officers, which they perceived as an attempt to flee. He wore very baggy pants which fell down as he walked away from officers. One officer observed a plastic bag containing white material fall from the defendant’s boxers into one of his pant legs. The baggie contained 146.11 grams of methamphetamine, according to a subsequent Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (“TBI”) Crime Lab analysis. The defendant also had $4,833 in two separate bundles of different denominations of cash at the time.
As the defendant was being detained, an officer asked him, “Whose gun is that?” and he responded, “That’s my gun.” Direct comparison by the TBI confirmed that the firearm located in the glove box fired the .40 caliber shell casings from the House of Legends shooting.
Before these events, on May 20, 2016, the defendant was convicted in the State of Michigan of Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer, Receiving Stolen Property, and Lying to Police. He received sentences of 1-5 years on the first two offenses and 1-2 years on the last offense.
After his term of incarceration, the defendant will serve a term of four years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and Mount Juliet Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Stephens prosecuted the case.
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Nashville Man on State Parole for First Degree Murder Charged with Possessing a Firearm as a Felon During Violent ShootingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –James Lafayette Moore, age 51, of Nashville, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Our top priority is protecting our community from violent offenders who, despite records of serious violence, are back on the street committing more violence,” said U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek. “If you have a prior conviction for a violent felony and you use a gun to commit another violent crime then we will bring the full might of federal law enforcement to bear in holding you accountable.”
According to court documents, on August 24, 2025, Moore shot an unarmed man four times in the face, neck, and upper body at point blank range on the balcony of My Town Extended Stay on Antioch Pike in Nashville. The shooting was captured on video surveillance cameras. Following the shooting, innocent bystanders assisted law enforcement by pointing out Moore’s direction of flight. He was found and apprehended nearby at a Twice Daily gas station on Harding Place. A K9 unit assisted officers in locating the pistol Moore had used in the shooting nearby in a shrub adjacent to the Twice Daily.
On June 2, 1993, Moore was convicted of first-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Rutherford County, Tennessee, and was sentenced to life in prison. On March 14, 2024, he was granted parole and released.
If convicted, Moore faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlin C. Hess is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison on Immigration and Sex Offender Registration ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Teodoso Gonzalez-Guzman, 40, an illegal alien and a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced earlier today to 18 months in federal prison after having pled guilty to one count of illegal re-entry of an illegal alien and one count of failure to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
“This criminal alien who had been deported multiple times and failed to comply with sex offender registration requirements has now been held accountable, said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This significant sentence demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice to protecting our community by prosecuting those who disregard court orders and return to our communities even after being deported repeatedly.”
According to court records, before the events charged in the Indictment, the defendant had been convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon in domestic violence situations and of a penetrative sexual offense against a six-year-old girl. He received a 746-day sentence for his sexual crime, after which he was removed from the United States for the fourth time by immigration officials. In March 2025, law enforcement officers went to that family’s home in Lindenwood, New Jersey, and confirmed that the defendant had been living there for about a year in violation of a court order. The defendant then fled New Jersey and, on or about May 1, 2025, the Middle Tennessee Joint Fugitive Task Force (MTTF) arrested the defendant on the outstanding warrant from New Jersey in Antioch, Tennessee. After the arrest, the defendant agreed to an interview and signed a waiver of rights form in Spanish. During the interview, the defendant admitted to residing in the Antioch, Tennessee area for about a month before his arrest, and that he never registered as a sex offender in any jurisdiction. The law in Tennessee requires that a sex offender must register with the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry within 48 hours of residing, working, or attending school in Tennessee.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Gonzalez-Guzman was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert L. Bunton III prosecuted the case.
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Memphis Man Convicted of Making Threats to Murder Federal Prosecutors and a Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Justin Deshun Stiger, 33, of Memphis, Tennessee, was convicted this week of making threats to murder two Memphis federal prosecutors and a Memphis federal judge after a jury trial in Memphis, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee was recused from the case because two of that office’s prosecutors were victims and the matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Threats to law enforcement and the federal judiciary are not just attacks on those individuals. They are threats to the justice system itself. We take those extremely seriously, and we will hold those who make them accountable for their actions,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Federal courtrooms are no place for violent threats, and public servants who are dedicated to serving our communities need to be able to go to work without worrying about someone threating to kill them.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, Stiger was set to be sentenced in federal court in Memphis on April 16, 2025, for his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy when he began threatening the prosecutors. Witnesses testified that Stiger, who has a prior conviction for a crime of violence and ties to a criminal street gang, pointed at federal prosecutors and said they were “going to die” because of the sentence they intended to recommend. When U.S. District Judge Mark Norris began having Stiger removed from the courtroom after his threats to the prosecutors, Stiger then threatened the judge saying “You’re gonna die too, judge.” When Judge Norris asked if Stiger was threatening him, Stiger responded: “It ain’t no threat. It’s a promise.” According to the evidence at trial, Stiger then told a Deputy U.S. Marshal investigating the matter that “whoever gonna play with my life is gonna die.” Stiger went on to say, in a recorded statement, referring to the prosecutors and the judge: “I ain’t playing bro. Like they gonna die.”
Stiger is set to be sentenced on June 18, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Memphis. He faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for each of the three counts of conviction.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle prosecuted the case.
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Former Nashville Auto Dealer and Co-Defendants Sentenced on Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Mark Janbakhsh, 51, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 42 months in federal prison on multiple federal fraud charges, including Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Bank Fraud, Making False Statements to a Bank, Bankruptcy Fraud, and Making False Statements Under Oath, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. Mark Janbakhsh was found guilty after a jury trial in August 2025. Three other co-conspirators, each of whom had previously pled guilty, were also sentenced for their involvement in the fraud scheme. Ron Janbakhsh, 46, of Niceville, Florida, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, Steven L. Piper, 54, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, and Christian Quiroz, 46, of Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison.
“People who think they can commit fraud against businesses here in Tennessee need to know that our office will prosecute you and that you will go to federal prison,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Middle Tennessee is one of the best places in America to do business and our office is committed to making sure that those who try to ruin that with fraudulent activities are held accountable for their actions.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, Janbakhsh was the chief executive officer and majority owner of a car dealership company named Auto Masters. In addition to Auto Masters, Janbakhsh owned several other Nashville area businesses, including Plaza Mariachi. Between approximately 2013 and 2017, Auto Masters had a line of credit with Capital One and First Tennessee Bank (now First Horizon Bank). Janbakhsh conspired with his brother Ron Janbakhsh, and their co-conspirators, Steve Piper and Christian Quiroz, who also worked for Auto Masters, to submit false documentation to Capital One to artificially inflate the value of the company’s collateral which would allow Mark Janbakhsh to draw on lines of credit he was otherwise not entitled to take. During the course of the scheme, Auto Masters fraudulently obtained over $24 million dollars that it was not entitled to receive.
From at least 2013 until October 2017, Mark Janbakhsh conspired with Piper, Ron Janbakhsh, and Quiroz to submit false borrowing base certificates to Capital One—by inflating their collateral—so that Auto Masters could take draws on the line of credit that they were not entitled to take. The reason for committing this fraud scheme was simple: Mark Janbakhsh wanted access to additional money to pay for his lifestyle and his other business ventures (as did his brother Ron). Mark Janbakhsh lived a lavish lifestyle—he and his wife drove luxury cars (including a Bentley and Ferrari) and his family took expensive vacations, including to places like Dubai. But the biggest driver was Mark Janbakhsh’s need for money to support his other businesses and, in particular, the construction of Plaza Mariachi.
As investigators and bankruptcy proceedings loomed, the evidence showed that Mark Janbakhsh directed company employees to delete data, emails, and other company information that would have shown his fraudulent dealings. Auto Masters declared bankruptcy in 2017, and Mark Janbakhsh lied about the fraud while under oath during the bankruptcy proceedings. When Mark Janbakhsh learned that federal agents who were investigating the fraud were attempting to speak with co-conspirators, he offered Quiroz over $300,000 if he would leave the jurisdiction in order to thwart the investigation.
In addition to their terms of imprisonment, Mark Janbakhsh, Steven Piper, and Christian Quiroz were ordered to pay $11,272,521.20 in restitution and to serve one year of supervised release. Ron Janbakhsh was ordered by pay $4,185,478 in restitution and to serve one year of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christopher Suedekum prosecuted the case.
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Illegal Alien and Convicted Felon Charged with Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Juan Alvarado-Garcia, 29, of Madison, Tennessee, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and Samuel Hernandez, 32, of Madison, Tennessee, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
“Nothing is more important to this office than the safety of the public. Loaded guns in stolen vehicles are a dangerous mix. This community can always count on this office’s swift action to defend it,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek.
According to court documents, on January 4, 2026, a license plate reader system alerted the Goodlettsville Police Department (“GPD”) of a stolen vehicle in their jurisdiction. GPD officers responded to the area of 500 Windsor Green Boulevard and found the stolen vehicle parked. When the officers approached the vehicle, they encountered Alvarado in the driver’s seat and Hernandez in the passenger seat. Alvarado and Hernandez were arrested for the theft of the vehicle. During the arrest, Hernandez claimed his name was Saul Lopez.
After the arrest, GPD officers inventoried the stolen vehicle and found a backpack on the passenger’s seat that contained approximately 60 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, a drug smoking pipe, and a loaded Beretta 9mm pistol. A further search revealed a loaded Taurus .38 caliber pistol under the driver’s seat, a loaded Colt .357 pistol under the passenger’s seat, a digital scale under the radio area, another drug smoking pipe, and clear plastic baggies inside the cab. Alvarado told officers the items in the vehicle belonged to Hernandez and Hernandez told them that the items belonged to Alvarado.
Alvarado is a citizen of El Salvador without lawful status or permission to remain in the United States. Before these events, Hernandez was previously convicted of theft of property between $2,500 and $10,000 in Robertson County, Tennessee. He was on probation for this felony offense when he was arrested on January 4, 2026.
If convicted, Alvarado and Hernandez each face up to 15 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Goodlettsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert Bunton is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison on Multiple Weapons Charges Following High Speed Chase After Fleeing ArrestRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Bryan Odell Hunter, 36, of Nashville, was sentenced yesterday to ten years in federal prison on charges of possession of ammunition by a felon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a machinegun, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. Hunter previously pled guilty to the charges.
“Holding dangerous offenders like Hunter accountable for their actions is a high priority of our office,” said Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney. “We will continue to seek stiff sentences for felons who use guns and put both citizens and our law enforcement community at risk with their dangerous actions.”
On October 14, 2023, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers responded to a shots-fired call in the Nissan stadium parking lot, in Nashville. The shooter, later identified as Hunter, fired multiple shots close in proximity to two people in the parking lot. The victims reported that they were waiting for friends when a gray Altima driven by Hunter drove erratically into the parking lot, nearly hit a tree and the curb. When one of the victims asked if the defendant was alright, he stated, “no disrespect, motherfuckers,” and fired two shots into the air. The victims hid behind a car, while Hunter left the lot and drove onto Korean Veterans Bridge. About five to ten minutes later, Hunter drove back into the parking lot and toward the victims. The victims went to a nearby Exxon station and called the police. When MNPD officers arrived, they recovered two .45 caliber shell casings from the parking lot, where the victims said Hunter was when he fired.
When Hunter saw the officers, he fled. Officers pursued him through multiple counties at speeds up to 125 miles per hour. Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) deputies joined the pursuit and attempted to deploy spike strips. Hunter swerved around them, nearly striking a deputy. RCSO deputies terminated the pursuit at the Coffee County line, at which point Hunter drove into Coffee County, turned around, and headed back into Rutherford County. The RCSO deputies set up spike strips again, and this time they succeeded in spiking the Altima. Hunter then crashed the car near Exit 89 on I-24 West. When he got out of the car, he refused to comply with the commands given by police for him to get on the ground. As a result, an officer deployed his taser, after which Hunter was placed into custody.
When officers searched the stolen Altima, they found a Star model Firestar caliber .45 pistol, an Anderson Manufacturing model AM-15 caliber .223 rifle, three 20-round caliber 5.56x45 magazines, a full 50 round box of Winchester .45 caliber ammunition, a full 50 round box of Federal 9mm caliber ammunition, 10 rounds of .45 caliber hollow point ammunition, one round of 9mm caliber hollow point ammunition, and one rifle sight. Officers also found a pocketknife on the floor of the patrol car when they arrived at the jail in Nashville. Later while being booked, officers found a machinegun conversion switch, commonly referred to as a “Glock Switch,” in the defendant’s sock.
Before these events, Hunter had been convicted of four felonies in Davidson County, Tennessee, including Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled over .5 Grams of Schedule II Controlled Substance and Reckless Endangerment; Reckless Endangerment; Attempted Especially Aggravated Robbery; and Aggravated Assault and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Stephens prosecuted the case.
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