Western District of Tennessee
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Carroll County Man Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Federal Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Joshua "Josh" Lynn Hicks, 32 of Huntingdon, Tennessee appeared before Judge J. Daniel Breen and entered a guilty plea to filing false tax returns. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.
According to the indictment, in 2015, Hicks was the owner of J. Hicks Appliances in Huntingdon, Tennessee, and Appliances and More in Lexington, Tennessee. Responsible for the business record keeping, he willfully underreported the businesses’ gross receipts by $98,031 for the taxable year of 2015. Hicks also filed false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns by underreporting gross receipts on his Schedule C, profit or loss from business in 2012, 2013, and 2014, which resulted in an underreporting of income in the total amount of $335,000.00, which had a corresponding negative impact on the ability of the U.S. Treasury to accurately and completely collect income taxes due from the defendant for that 4 year period.
On November 13, 2018, a federal grand jury in Jackson, Tennessee returned a four-count indictment against Hicks for filing False and Fraudulent statements on Income Tax Returns for the years of 2012-2015. On March 27, 2019, Hicks pleaded guilty to one count of the indictment for calendar year 2015.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Protection of the United States Treasury is a core value and critical mission for this office and the Department of Justice. Income tax evasion and fraud strike at the very heart of our federal government’s financial ability to provide services and protection for our citizens, and will not be tolerated."
Hicks faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in federal prison, a period of supervised release, and monetary penalties. As part of the plea agreement, Hicks will pay restitution in the amount of $95,210 to the United States. Sentencing is set for June 27, 2019, before United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen.
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Wilson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Recognizing the WDTN’s First Female AUSA, Devon L. Gosnell, during Women’s History MonthRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN– As we recognize and celebrate Women’s History Month in March, the U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to share and highlight the accomplishments of Ms. Devon L. Gosnell, the first female Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) to serve in the Western District of Tennessee. Ms. Gosnell was first appointed to serve as an AUSA in 1975 by United States Attorney Thomas F. Turley, Jr. In 1987, she was promoted to the position of Criminal Chief AUSA by United States Attorney W. Hickman Ewing, which was also the first time a woman held this management position in the office. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ms. Gosnell handled both civil and criminal matters. She tried in excess of 100 jury cases, and handled over 40 appeals before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Gosnell served for nineteen years as an advocate for the people of the Western District of Tennessee, as a mentor, and as a leader. Because of her many firsts within the Department of Justice, Ms. Gosnell paved the way for so many women in our office. Today the U.S. Attorney’s office consists of 17 women Assistant United States Attorneys, including the current Criminal Chief and OCDETF Chief, thanks to Ms. Gosnell’s willingness to be the first.
Devon L. Gosnell graduated magna cum laude from West Virginia University in 1972 with a bachelor’s in political science. She earned her juris doctorate from West Virginia University in 1975 where she served on law review, the moot court board, and the moot court team. In 1982, she earned her MBA from the University of Memphis, and in 1995, she graduated from Harding University School of Theology with honors. Not only are Ms. Gosnell’s academic accomplishments worthy of recognition, but perhaps most notable are her achievements as a woman.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Continues Carjacking Initiative to Reduce Violent Crime with Multiple Recent IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Six local individuals have been indicted for multiple carjackings involving the use and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the indictments today.
In October, 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office along with federal and local law enforcement partners held a joint press conference to announce the district’s Carjacking Initiative, implemented to reduce violent carjacking crimes in Memphis and Shelby County. That press conference announced the federal indictments of five men for nine separate carjacking and armed robbery events.
Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to respond to the recent increase in these crimes by obtaining additional indictments against six individuals responsible for multiple violent carjacking incidents involving the possession and use of firearms within the past six months.
The six defendants listed are:
• Isaiah Miller,18, Memphis, TN
• Edward Brown, 25, Memphis, TN
• Eric Cole, 20, Memphis, TN
• Daterious Gipson,19, Memphis, TN
• Sir Millbrook, 20, Memphis, TN
• Vince Fuller, 19, Memphis, TNIsaiah Miller
The indictment charges that during the period of October 10-17, 2018, Isaiah Miller, being aided and abetted by others, including juvenile offenders, committed four (4) separate carjackings by brandishing a firearm during each of those crimes of violence at various locations in Memphis.
If convicted of all counts, the defendant faces a possible sentence of up to 15 years for each carjacking, and a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 28 years for the brandishing of the firearms.
Edward Brown, Eric Cole and Daterious Gipson
The indictment charges that on September 30, 2018, Edward Brown, Eric Cole and Daterious Gipson aided and abetted each other by discharging a firearm during a carjacking in Memphis.
If convicted of all counts, the defendants face a possible sentence of up to 15 years for the carjacking and a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 10 years for the discharge of the firearms.
Sir Millbrook and Vince Fuller
The indictment charges that on November 28, 2018, Sir Millbrook and Vince Fuller aided and abetted each other by brandishing a firearm during a carjacking in Memphis.
If convicted of all counts, the defendants face a possible sentence of up to 15 years for the carjacking and a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 7 years for the brandishing of the firearms.
Sentencing for each defendant is individual, and is based upon a number of statutory factors under the federal sentencing guidelines, including but not limited to prior conviction history, which may enhance or mitigate the ultimate sentence imposed by the Court.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "While recent reports indicate that violent crime rates in all major categories are declining, carjacking offenses in Memphis have spiked and increased at an alarming rate in the past year. This disturbing trend cannot continue, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is continuing to coordinate with our federal and local law enforcement partners to prioritize and target carjacking cases for aggressive federal prosecution. These cases demonstrate our resolve to incapacitate the most violent offenders, uphold the rule of law, deter criminal conduct with a strong message of significant consequences, and make us all safer."
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Firearms (ATF), and the Memphis Police Department Violent Crimes Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Rogers, Gregory Allen, and Neal Oldham are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two Men Found Guilty in International Cyber-Fraud Scheme Involving Online Dating and Business Email CompromisesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A citizen of Nigeria residing in Atlanta, and a citizen of Mexico residing in California, were convicted Wednesday after a seven-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee on charges related to the part each played in an international cyber fraud scheme.
Olufolajimi Abegunde, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Javier Luis Ramos-Alonso, 29, of Seaside, California, participated in a criminal organization in which members "spoofed" emails and created fake profiles on dating websites in order to fool victims into sending money to bogus bank accounts under the control of members of the conspiracy. The proceeds would be laundered and subsequently wired out of the United States to destinations including West Africa.
Abegunde, who received an MBA from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, engaged in black-market currency exchanges over the life of the conspiracy. Purporting to hold himself out as a legitimate businessman, the proof at trial showed that Abegunde claimed association with a business entity that was not yet operational in late 2017, so for his primary source of income he relied on his off-the-book currency exchanges. Through this network, Abegeunde played a key role, along with Ramos-Alonso, in laundering fraud funds from an Oct. 3, 2016, business email compromise (BEC) of a land title company located in Bellingham, Washington. The proceeds of another BEC perpetrated in July 2016 upon a real estate company in Memphis, Tennessee, also moved through parts of the same criminal organization.
Abegunde, who faced numerous account closures from banks in the United States, used a complicated network of third-party bank accounts to disguise his illicit activity. The proof at trial established that Abegunde told people that he could not receive payments into accounts that could be "tracked," and that he preferred to engage in cash transactions because they were easier to clean and "eliminated the risk."
In July 2014, Ramos-Alonso met Tammy Dolan through an online dating site. Ramos-Alonso engaged in a three-year romantic relationship with Dolan, who claimed to be an Australian American living in Africa, despite never meeting or speaking with Dolan. Shortly after meeting Dolan, Ramos-Alonso began sending money to her through an intricate network of strangers based in Africa and the United States, and he continued to do so despite receiving multiple warnings from businesses and individuals that he was facilitating criminal conduct. The evidence at trial established that Dolan was actually a front for individuals connected to the money-laundering scheme who were directing Ramos-Alonso to move funds. The evidence at trial established that, by the time of the first BEC in July 2016, Ramos-Alonso had "graduated" to a position of trust within the criminal organization, as he received and disbursed a large portion of a $154,000 wire transfer before the victim bank could freeze the funds. In October 2016, Ramos-Alonso received and dispersed approximately $60,000 associated with the Oct. 3, 2016 BEC in Washington, a portion of which he deposited (or attempted to deposit) into accounts controlled by Abegunde. Ramos-Alonso funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud funds on behalf of the criminal organization.
In addition to his financial activities, Abegunde also engaged in a conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Abegunde was married during his studies at Texas A&M, but divorced his wife in 2016 to marry a U.S. service member through whom he could obtain immigration and health care benefits and also open new bank accounts. He continued to live with his first wife in Atlanta while his U.S. service member wife was deployed to South Korea. While incarcerated and awaiting trial in the Western District of Tennessee, Abegunde continued his conspiratorial activities, trying to convince his fake spouse, who has since filed for divorce, to refuse to testify against him. Abegunde is contesting the divorce from his fake spouse. Abegunde also engaged in witness tampering by sending a self-written Motion to Dismiss bearing his former attorney’s name and professional attestation. The evidence at trial established that Abegunde drafted and sent the motion, which his attorney expressly did not authorize, to his faux spouse in an effort to deceive her into not testifying against him.
Five other individuals have pleaded guilty to being involved in the scheme. Additionally, three foreign nationals are awaiting extradition to the United States to face trial. Several others are still at large.
Sentencing for Abegunde and Ramos-Alonso is set for June 21, 2019, before the Honorable Judge Sheryl H. Lipman.
The FBI’s Memphis Field Office investigated the case with assistance from agents in Atlanta and San Jose, California. Senior Trial Attorney Timothy C. Flowers with the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra L. Ireland prosecuted the case.
For more information or to view a list of aliases used by members of the conspiracy on dating websites and social media, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/victim-witness-program.
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High Ranking Member of the Gangster Disciples in Tennessee Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Gangster Disciples gang member was sentenced today to 324 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for participating in both racketeering and drug conspiracies.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U. S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge M.A. “Mo” Myers of the FBI’s Memphis Division and Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Memphis Field Division, made the announcement.
Derrick Kennedy Crumpton, aka “38,” 35, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. of the Western District of Tennessee. Crumpton previously pleaded guilty to both racketeering and drug conspiracy charges.
According to the indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a highly organized national gang active in more than 35 states. The scope of the Gangster Disciples’ crimes is wide-ranging and consistent throughout its national operation. The gang protects its power through threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault and obstruction of justice. The Gangster Disciples promotes its enterprise through member-only activities and provides support to members charged with or incarcerated for gang-related offenses.
According to the indictment, Crumpton served as the “Assistant Governor” of the Gangster Disciples for the state of Tennessee, reporting directly to the Governor of the state for the enterprise. In that role, Crumpton directed other members and associates of the enterprise in carrying out criminal activity with other Gangster Disciples gang leaders, as well as participated directly in the criminal activities of the enterprise – including acts involving murder, kidnapping, assault, witness intimidation, narcotics distribution and weapons trafficking.
The FBI; ATF; the Memphis Multi-Agency Gang Unit; the Memphis Police Department; the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office; the Jackson Police Department Gang Enforcement Team; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Madison County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department; the 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force; the Tipton County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office; the 26th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the 25th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the Atascosa County, Tennessee District Attorney’s Office and the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office investigated this case. Trial Attorneys Francesca Liquori and Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Boswell of the Western District of Tennessee and Samuel Stringfellow of the Northern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
High Ranking Member of the Gangster Disciples Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Gangster Disciples gang member was sentenced today to 324 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for participating in both racketeering and drug conspiracies.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U. S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge M.A. "Mo" Myers of the FBI’s Memphis Division and Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Memphis Field Division, made the announcement.
Derrick Kennedy Crumpton, aka "38," 35, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. of the Western District of Tennessee. Crumpton previously pleaded guilty to both racketeering and drug conspiracy charges.
According to the indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a highly organized national gang active in more than 35 states. The scope of the Gangster Disciples’ crimes is wide-ranging and consistent throughout its national operation. The gang protects its power through threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault and obstruction of justice. The Gangster Disciples promotes its enterprise through member-only activities and provides support to members charged with or incarcerated for gang-related offenses.
According to the indictment, Crumpton served as the "Assistant Governor" of the Gangster Disciples for the state of Tennessee, reporting directly to the Governor of the state for the enterprise. In that role, Crumpton directed other members and associates of the enterprise in carrying out criminal activity with other Gangster Disciples gang leaders, as well as participated directly in the criminal activities of the enterprise – including acts involving murder, kidnapping, assault, witness intimidation, narcotics distribution and weapons trafficking.
The FBI; ATF; the Memphis Multi-Agency Gang Unit; the Memphis Police Department; the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office; the Jackson Police Department Gang Enforcement Team; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Madison County Sheriff’s Department; the 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force; the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office; the 26th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the 25th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the Atascosa County District Attorney’s Office and the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office investigated this case.
Trial Attorneys Francesca Liquori and Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Boswell of the Western District of Tennessee and Samuel Stringfellow of the Northern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
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Hardin County Man Indicted for the Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Savannah man has been indicted on charges of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the indictment today.
According to counts one through three of the indictment, in August 2017, Andrew Hilmar Sanchez, 30, coerced three minor females under the age of ten to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images and/or videos. Count four charges Sanchez with possession of child pornography and alleges that on February 22, 2019, Sanchez possessed a cellular telephone containing visual depictions of prepubescent minors under the age of twelve engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sanchez also has state charges pending in Hardin County for continuous sexual abuse of a child.
If convicted of counts one through three, Sanchez faces up to 30 years imprisonment. If convicted on count four, he faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The United States also seeks criminal forfeiture of any proceeds related to the crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI, TBI and the Savannah Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Anyone who believes they may have information about this case or related activities is asked to contact the Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force at 901-747-4300.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Lauderdale County Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Michael Cole Beasley, AKA "Trickle", of Lauderdale County has been sentenced to federal prison for 77 months for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 12, 2018, Michael Cole Beasley, 40, had an active violation of probation warrant out of the Lauderdale County Circuit Court. Investigators with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department received information on Beasley’s location. When law enforcement arrived to a vacant lot on Highland Street in Ripley, TN, Beasley was asleep in a black Chevy pickup truck. Upon searching the vehicle, investigators discovered several small bags of marijuana protruding from the top of a Crown Royal bag on top of the center console, which contained 13 bags of methamphetamine with a total net weight of 7.017 grams and 100% purity. Also located in the truck were digital scales, rolling papers, a torch, a hollow USB micro-pen, and two cell phones. At the time of his arrest, Beasley was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction in 2011 for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, for which he received a sentence of 63 months.
On September 18, 2018, United States District Court Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Beasley to 24 months imprisonment for the supervised release violation. On November 14, 2018, Beasley pled guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). On February 28, 2019, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Beasley to 77 months imprisonment followed by four (4) years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This defendant has a long criminal history of felony and misdemeanor convictions involving violence, drug possession, and property offenses, and was on federal supervised release status for a firearms offense and state probation for a felony drug offense. Mr. Beasley has devoted his adult life to a career of criminal conduct in Lauderdale County, and that prior history has finally caught up with him again for possession of meth with a dangerous purity level. This sentence removing him from the community for more than 6 years will make Lauderdale County and West Tennessee a safer place."
This case was investigated by the Lauderdale Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Former Henry County Bank Executive Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A former bank executive has been sentenced to twelve months and one day in federal prison for bank fraud. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, from May 16, 2005 through October 7, 2015, Robert Daniel Newcomb, Jr., was employed in Paris, Tennessee, as a vice president/branch manager at the FDIC-insured bank known as FirstBank, Bartlett, Tennessee. James Curtis Hobbs was a long-time bank customer of Newcomb’s. Hobbs was in the business of buying, refurbishing and selling tractors through "Southern Associates, Inc." Newcomb was conducting a similar business on his own in addition to his banking duties.
In 2012, Hobbs began selling tractors on behalf of Newcomb. Hobbs would recondition and sell the tractors, withhold his expenses and commissions from the sales and give Newcomb payment for the tractors.
In 2014, Hobbs purchased and sold a tractor on behalf of Newcomb. Before Hobbs could give Newcomb his $7,400 profit from the sale, Hobbs’ wife spent the money. Newcomb then fraudulently renewed and increased Hobbs’ FirstBank loan by $7,400 in the name "Southern Associates, Inc." Newcomb used the funds to pay off the loan on the tractor, which was then defaulted at a loss to FirstBank in the amount of $118,390.45.
On March 12, 2019, Chief United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Newcomb to twelve months and one day imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve two years supervised release and to pay restitution of $110,990.45.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The financial fraud committed by this defendant is disturbing. The abuse of his position of trust and authority as a bank vice president for his own personal gain had a significant negative impact on the shareholders, employees and customers of FirstBank. The U.S. Attorney’s Office places a high priority on protecting the security and integrity of transactions, deposits and assets of financial institutions, and this case demonstrates that commitment."
"The FDIC Office of Inspector General is pleased to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing Mr. Newcomb to justice. We are especially concerned when trusted insiders abuse their positions to harm the financial institutions that employ them. We will continue our efforts to investigate such abuses in FDIC-insured financial institutions throughout the country," said Laurie L. Younger, Special Agent-in-Charge, FDIC - Office of the Inspector General, Dallas Region.
This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Wilson prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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Five Members of a Robbery Crew Sentenced to a Total of 510 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Tavares Clayborn, 29, the last member of a five-man robbery crew, has been sentenced to 292 months in federal prison for robbery and for being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, between October 2016 and August 2017, these five individuals were responsible for at least seven robberies in Memphis and Germantown. To commit these robberies, the individuals learned the types of trucks that delivered cigarettes and studied their routes. During each robbery, one or more individual would enter the trailer of the truck, threaten and intimidate the drivers, and make a demand for cigarettes.
All five defendants pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy. Dantrel Pickett was sentenced to 35 months imprisonment for his role in a robbery that occurred on June 1, 2017. Ralph Conrad was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for his role in robberies that occurred on October 17, 2016, and May 23, 2017. Tarius Martin was sentenced to 64 months imprisonment for his role in robberies that occurred on October 20, 2016, and December 22, 2016. Actiavious Cobb was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment for his role in a robbery that occurred on June 1, 2016, and his possession of a firearm during that robbery. Tavares Clayborn was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment for his role in robberies that occurred on November 23, 2016, June 1, 2017, and August 16, 2017, and an additional ammunition conviction that stemmed from an unrelated shooting in November 2016.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Robbery crews that victimize delivery drivers with violence and intimidation not only interrupt interstate commerce, but also harm individuals, business owners, and the community. Thanks to the great work of ATF and local law enforcement, this crew has been dismantled and held accountable, and an armed career criminal has been removed from our streets for 24 years."
ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson remarked, "ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence focuses on reducing violent crime and disrupting the shooting cycle that negatively impact our neighborhoods. The priority of protecting the public is evident with the partnerships of the Memphis and Germantown Police Departments as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms Explosives and Tobacco, Memphis Police Department and Germantown Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. AttorneysMarques Young and Elizabeth Rogers prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government.
Western District of Tennessee Takes Part in Largest-Ever Nationwide Elder Fraud SweepRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant today announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, surpassing last year’s nationwide sweep. The cases during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them elderly.
As a result of investigative activities by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office, authorities in the Western District of Tennessee were able to effectuate a recovery of $100,000 for one elderly victim of an investment fraud scheme, and opened an investigation into another matter involving multiple victims and several million dollars.
In a separate case, following a four-day jury trial in federal court in August 2018, a Memphis man was convicted on two counts of wire fraud. Manzur Mazumder, 49, an insurance agent, started a hedge fund business, which defrauded several individuals of their retirement savings. Between 2014 and 2017, Mazumder obtained a total of $360,000. Mazumder is scheduled for sentencing on March 15, 2019, and faces 20 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three years supervised release.
"Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in our society," Attorney General William P. Barr said. "But thanks to the hard work of our agents and prosecutors, as well as our state and local partners, the Department of Justice is protecting our seniors from fraud. The Trump administration has placed a renewed focus on prosecuting those who prey on the elderly, and the results of today’s sweep make that clear. Today we are announcing the largest single law enforcement action against elder fraud in American history. This year’s sweep involves 13 percent more criminal defendants, 28 percent more in losses, and twice the number of fraud victims as last year’s sweep. I want to thank the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which led this effort, together with the Department’s Criminal Division, the more than 50 U.S. Attorneys’ offices, and the state and local partners who helped to make these results possible. Together, we are bringing justice and peace of mind to America's seniors."
"Criminals steal more than an estimated $3 billion from senior citizens every year. Those who target the elderly will receive the full attention of our office and law enforcement officials in West Tennessee. We will work with our senior citizens to empower them with knowledge and awareness so that they can defend themselves," said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant.
The Department took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases or through consumer education efforts. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of millions of more dollars than last year, putting the total alleged losses at this year’s sweep at over three fourths of one billion dollars.
The charges are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act
(EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Justice Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
A fact-sheet with technical-support fraud case information can be found here.
A fact-sheet with cases on mass mailing fraud can be found here.
A fact-sheet with examples of a few elder fraud cases involving extradition in which the Office of International Affairs played a substantial role can be found here.
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Five Tipton County Men Convicted After Jury Trial, Guilty Pleas, for 2017 Home Invasion Murder in CovingtonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal jury has convicted three Tipton County men for their roles in a 2017 home invasion murder in Covington, TN, and two others have pled guilty for their roles in the attempted robbery resulting in death. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the convictions today.
According to information presented in court, on January 19, 2017, Willie Somerville, 21, Armoni Hall, 21, Eddie Poindexter, 21, Christian Sherrill, 24, and Darrell Owens, 32, participated in the robbery of Timothy Edwards at his home located at 1229 Douglas Street in Covington, Tennessee. They planned to rob him of drugs and drug proceeds. Somerville was armed with a 9 mm pistol and Hall with a twelve-gauge shotgun. Somerville, Hall, and Poindexter went to Edwards’ residence and kicked in the door, while Sherrill and Owens waited nearby in a getaway car. As Hall entered Edwards' residence, Edwards grabbed him and they struggled over the shotgun. Somerville opened fire with the pistol killing Edwards and seriously injuring Hall. Edwards' wife was in the back of the house and called 911. By the time police arrived a few minutes later, Edwards was already dead. Hall was found lying in the street a block away with gunshot injuries.
On December 19, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted the five men for robbery affecting interstate commerce; possession, use and discharge of firearms during a crime of violence; and use of a firearm to cause the death of Timothy Edwards. On March 5, 2019, after a week-long trial, the jury convicted Somerville of all counts, and Poindexter and Sherrill were convicted of the robbery and use of the firearm during the robbery. Hall previously pled guilty to all counts, and is scheduled to have a sentencing hearing on March 15, 2019. Owens previously pled guilty to the robbery and firearms offenses, and is scheduled to have a sentencing hearing on April 4, 2019.
Sentencing for Somerville, Poindexter, and Sherrill is scheduled for June 26, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. All defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years and up to life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "The days of brazen violence, robbery crews, trigger-pullers, and lawlessness in Covington are quickly coming to an end. The violent nature of these offenders’ criminal acts underscores the serious threat that this group posed to the community as a whole. They had no regard for human life, and will now be removed from the Covington community for decades. This should send a clear message to those who continue to engage in senseless gun violence in our small towns and rural communities: We know who you are; You will be caught and held accountable; We will bring the full weight and measure of our federal resources to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pritchard and Elizabeth Rogers are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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32-Year-Old Memphis Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing a Lethal Dose of FentanylRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A local man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distributing a lethal dose of fentanyl resulting in a fatal overdose. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on October 10, 2016 the body of Zachary Rutherford, 21, was discovered outside the Valero gas station located on Shelby Drive. The cause of death was a fentanyl overdose. The source of this lethal dose of fentanyl was Cortez Armstrong, 32. On June 29, 2017, Armstrong was indicted and charged with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. He pleaded guilty on September 21, 2018.
What is fentanyl? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and a Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substance Act which is fifty times more potent than heroin and one hundred times more so than morphine. Fentanyl has undoubtedly contributed to the sharp increase in opioid deaths both nationally and locally. Because of the rise in deaths associated with the introduction of this narcotic into the drug market, the Department of Justice and this District have taken an aggressive approach in identifying distributors, especially those whose distribution results in death.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Our nation, state, and district are suffering from the opioid epidemic, causing increases in drug trafficking, violence, addiction, and overdose deaths that are tearing families and communities apart. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has developed a district-specific strategy to prioritize and aggressively prosecute cases involving fentanyl distribution causing overdose deaths, and this case demonstrates the significant penalty that we will use to hold dealers accountable and deter others from selling poison to our citizens. We commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and we hope this sentence will achieve some measure of justice for the Rutherford family."
On March 6, 2019, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Armstrong to the mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Griffith.
Marcus Danner Sentenced to 352 Months Imprisonment as Leader of an Armed Robbery Crew and Member of a Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Marcus Danner a/k/a "Poncho", 39, was sentenced to 352 months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, the possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and aiding and abetting an attempted robbery. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Danner was the leader of an armed robbery crew located in Memphis. On January 9, 2019, a federal grand jury returned an 11-count third superseding indictment against Danner and four others. This indictment followed a four-month investigation involving agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as well as other federal and local agencies, in which Danner and his co-defendants were alleged to have participated in a conspiracy to rob drug dealers in Memphis. During the investigation, agents seized multiple firearms; approximately $2,000 in U.S. currency; and approximately 28 grams of crack cocaine.
Following his guilty plea to the above charges, the proof presented at sentencing showed that Danner, organized three indicted co-defendants to participate in an attempted armed robbery of a drug trafficker in January, 2018, where the mother of the drug trafficker was beaten and shot in the chest for his role in the conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute between 5 and 15 kilograms of cocaine. Danner has an extensive history of multiple prior violent and drug felony convictions, including Solicitation of Aggravated Robbery, Robbery, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell, and Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
On March 1, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Danner to 352 months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Armed Robbery crews made up of violent felons will NOT continue to terrorize and endanger our communities in West Tennessee with impunity. We use all available law enforcement and prosecutorial resources to pursue, disrupt, and dismantle groups and conspiracies that are most responsible for violence and drug dealing, and to remove dangerous offenders with firearms from our streets. I commend the great investigative work of ATF and our local partners in neutralizing this violent recidivist and his crew of trigger-pullers and traffickers."
ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson stated, "ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement and community partners every day in our ongoing priority to reduce violent crime. ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence leverages technology that ultimately disrupts the shooting cycle that negatively impacts our neighborhoods."
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Memphis Police Department, Multi Agency Gang Unit (MGU), and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry Kitchen and Gregory Allen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Convicted Felon Found Guilty of Making False Statements on Federal Background Check Form and for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –A convicted felon has been found guilty by a federal jury for making false statements on federal background check form ATF 4473 and for illegally possessing firearms. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on April 8, 2008, Tyrone Todd was convicted of felony burglary of a dwelling in Tate County, MS. On July 11, 2016, Todd went to the AA pawnshop to buy a firearm. The AA pawnshop is a federal firearms licensee, which requires purchasers to complete a federal background check form prior to purchasing a firearm. In this case, Todd filled out the ATF Form 4473, indicating he was not a convicted felon and was therefore not prohibited from possessing a firearm. The firearm was later transferred to the defendant on July 30, 2016.
On June 8, 2018, Shelby County Sheriff Deputies responded to Todd’s home on an aggravated assault call after he violently assaulted his girlfriend. The defendant fled the scene when officers responded. Deputies searched the home and found his Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol under his bed.
The defendant was indicted for making a false statement on the ATF Form 4473 and with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 28, 2019, a federal jury convicted Todd on all three counts.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Prosecutions of violent crimes must be paired with proactive prevention efforts to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and other prohibited persons. Convicted felons who attempt to thwart the background check process by lying on the required ATF forms threaten to undermine this important crime prevention tool, and such conduct cannot be tolerated. As part of our violence reduction strategy, we want to take guns out of the hands of dangerous people, and take violent offenders off our streets. Let this serve as a warning: This office will vigorously prosecute any prohibited persons who illegally obtain a firearm in these "lie-and-try" cases.
Sentencing is set for May 30, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. At that time, the United States anticipates presenting additional evidence regarding the assault the defendant committed against his then girlfriend on June 8, 2018. Todd faces up to 10 years imprisonment; a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. William Crow and Karen Hartridge are prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and DrugsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A local man was sentenced as an armed career criminal for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and drugs. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on October 4, 2017, detectives with the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit (OCU) obtained narcotics search warrants for both 656 North Dunlap and 4771 Winchester to search for marijuana in the possession of Marlon Pruitt a/k/a "Big Putt."
On October 5, officers executed the search warrant at the Dunlap address, waited for the defendant’s arrival, and immediately surrounded him. The officers knocked and announced their presence, and Pruitt's aunt answered the doorbell and told the officers that Pruitt lived upstairs. Upon searching the residence officers found multiple bags of marijuana weighing 70.9 grams, extra baggies and two digital scales. Pruitt also had $795 in his pocket. Inside an armoire, officers found some of the defendant's clothing together with a box of 20 gauge shotgun shells and a 20-gauge shotgun. The defendant admitted that all of the items belonged to him.
Law enforcement then executed the search warrant at the Winchester address and discovered 159.6 grams of marijuana in 53 separate bags in a desk drawer. Officers also found a digital scale and 25 live .45 caliber rounds.
At the time of these events, the defendant had previously been convicted of numerous felonies, including:
• Two counts of aggravated robbery on July 15, 1991
• Criminal attempt, to wit: murder first degree amended to aggravated assault on June 27, 1994
• Three counts of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base on April 17, 1998, and
• Possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture/deliver/sell amended to solicitation: possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute -0.5 grams of cocaine on October 22, 2012.
He had also been convicted of numerous misdemeanor offenses.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to community, and in this case, "Big Putt" was an armed career criminal who continued to possess firearms and sell illegal narcotics despite his prior felony conviction history. There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this is one more armed drug dealer removed from our streets. Gun Crime is Max Time."
On February 28, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Pruitt to 188 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release. Because of Pruitt's criminal history, he was sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal and faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years (180 months) imprisonment.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. William Crow and Raney Irwin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
$24,000 Reward Offered in Hardeman County Cold CaseRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Representatives from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the 25th Judicial District Attorney General and the Hardeman County Sheriff today announced a $24,000 reward, in a renewed effort to gain additional information about a 1998 unsolved murder in Hardeman County.
Twenty-one-years ago, TBI Special Agents joined the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office in investigating the July 23, 1998 murder of Michael Bell, a clerk at McKee’s Stateline Convenience Store, located on Highway 125 S between Middleton, Tennessee, and Walnut, Mississippi. At that time, the investigation revealed that an unknown individual shot and killed the clerk, then left the store in a 1990’s General Motors model sedan, and drove toward Walnut, Mississippi. Information gathered during the investigation indicated that robbery did not appear to have been the motive of the shooting of Michael Bell, but he was instead the target of a coordinated murder.
The Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI), TBI, 25th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office and the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office continue to aggressively investigate this 1998 murder. The partnership has resulted in new leads being developed in this case.
Based upon the new information, U.S. Attorney Mike Dunavant, 25th Judicial District Attorney General Mark Davidson and FBI Special Agent in Charge M.A. Myers, will again announce today the availability of the $24,000 reward. Investigators are confident there are people in the community who can provide information that will assist in bringing this investigation to a conclusion. This reward is for information that directly assists law enforcement in the arrest and conviction of the person and/or persons responsible for the death of Michael Bell.
Anyone with information about the July 23, 1998 murder of Michael Bell at the McKee’s Stateline Convenience Store in Hardeman County should call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
Photos enhanced in the FBI’s lab in Quantico, Virginia, May 2018.
Michael Bell - Victim
Dyersburg Resident Sentenced to 20 Years Imprisonment for Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Patricia Wilson of Dyersburg was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, beginning in early 2017, the FBI and Dyersburg Police Department became aware of an ongoing drug trafficking organization in the West Tennessee area, specifically Dyer County, Tennessee. The investigation, which lasted approximately one year, revealed that the organization was trafficking crystal methamphetamine (ice) from multiple residential locations within the City of Dyersburg. As a result, law enforcement officers developed further information from numerous sources which led to the execution of search warrants at residences of targets, search warrants for a stash house and a storage unit, search warrants for Facebook information, and search warrants for text messages. In order to further the investigation, agents also conducted traffic stops, obtained information from confidential sources, and made controlled purchases from the targets. The majority of the crystal methamphetamine (ice) recovered was tested at Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratories and was determined to be 98% pure crystal methamphetamine. Wilson later admitted to investigators that she distributed the methamphetamine. The investigation further revealed that Wilson was responsible for the distribution of over 14 kilograms of ice during the time in question.
On February 20, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an 18-count superseding indictment against Wilson and the six other targets of the investigation for various counts of conspiracy to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute, aiding and abetting, and distribution of actual methamphetamine. Wilson was arrested on February 22, 2018, and detained pending trial. On November 7, 2018, Wilson pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine from November 2016 to January 2018.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Methamphetamine that is trafficked in and through West Tennessee continues to increase in purity, which increases its potential to cause addiction, injury, and death. Criminal enterprises that distribute these harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide. We are taking the fight to the drug trafficking organizations in order to dismantle them and remove them from our streets."
On February 20, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Wilson to 240 months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt and dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was investigated by the Jackson division of the FBI Memphis Field Office and the Dyersburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Lorenzo Castelo Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for His Role in Federal Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Lorenzo Castelo of Memphis was sentenced to 300 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Castelo was the head of a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Western District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Arkansas and the Northern District of Mississippi. Castelo was charged with nine others in a 15-count superseding indictment on January 18, 2019.
On January 25, 2019, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Castelo to 300 months imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve five years supervised release.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Distribution of illegal narcotics is not a victimless crime. In order to prevent needless addiction, injury, violence, and death in our communities, we must disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that deliver this deadly poison to citizens in West Tennessee. This significant sentencing of the leader of the organization will do just that, and I commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their impactful work in this important case.”
“The distribution of illegal narcotics continues to tear at the fabric of our families and communities,” said M.A. Myers, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the federal Bureau of Investigation. “This sentencing is the result of the strength of collaborative local, state, and federal law enforcement efforts to rid our neighborhoods of highly addictive and extremely dangerous drugs, and target and bring to justice those who engage in these crimes.”
MPD Director Michael Rallings said: “Distributing illegal drugs throughout our community will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our local and federal partners to identify and apprehend those who choose to victimize our citizens.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force; Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Memphis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.###
Federal Jury Convicts a Local Man for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –A local man has been found guilty by a jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm after he committed an armed robbery. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the conviction today.
According to information presented in court, on September 22, 2016, Alford Robinson robbed a victim at gunpoint and escaped in a blue Dodge Charger. The victim reported the robbery to police, who then put out a broadcast for the vehicle. Two MPD officers who heard the broadcast saw and stopped the car. The defendant immediately jumped out of the vehicle, over a 6-foot privacy fence and escaped from law enforcement. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement located two loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistols on the floorboards.
On February 23, 2017, Robinson was indicted in federal court for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and was detained by a magistrate judge pending trial. He attempted to escape from federal prison 25 days prior to his original trial date. On March 13, 2018, Robinson was indicted in federal court and charged with attempted escape.
On June 26, 2018, Robinson pleaded guilty to the attempted escape and asked for a trial on the firearm charges. On February 21, 2019, after approximately 30 minutes of deliberation, a federal jury found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will now be classified as an armed career criminal and will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Under our PSN initiative, we focus on removing firearms from the hands of prohibited persons, and removing dangerous felons from our streets. Clearly, this armed career criminal had no hesitation in committing a violent crime with a firearm, and he will now be removed from our community for at least 15 years. We are FED UP. Gun Crime is Max Time."
Sentencing is set for May 24, 2019, before U.S. Senior District Court Judge Samuel H. Mays.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Memphis Police Department Felony Response Unit, and the PSN Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. William Crow and Stephen Hall are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Business RobberiesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A local man has pled guilty to six counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.
On November 15, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a ten-count indictment against Brandon Albonetti, 23, for the robberies and attempted robberies of five CVS stores and one Burger King during the summer of 2018.
According to information presented in court, the robberies occurred in Memphis, between June 21, 2018 and August 14, 2018. In several of these robberies, Albonetti entered the respective stores armed with a pistol, taking cash and other items from the registers and safes. In two robberies, Albonetti displayed a knife as he demanded cash. The defendant robbed the CVS located at 786 North Germantown Parkway twice and the CVS at 5055 Stage Road three times during this time period.
On August 14, 2018, Memphis Police officers quickly responded and apprehended Albonetti as he tried to flee the scene of the CVS on Stage Road, which he had just robbed. The defendant used his vehicle to strike two patrol cars as authorities positioned their vehicles to keep the suspect from escaping.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Business owners have a fundamental right to be safe from armed robbers who terrorize our communities with their lawlessness. The senselessness of gun violence has a long lasting effect on victims of armed robbery, and we will no longer allow gun crime to rule our streets. This case sends a clear message that there will always be a reckoning, a real and significant consequence, for the commission of violent crimes."
The defendant pled guilty on February 15, 2019, before the Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman. He is scheduled for sentencing on May 23, 2019. Albonetti faces up to 20 years imprisonment on each robbery count. He faces a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 7 years and to life imprisonment on each firearm count.
This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force; Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryce Phillips is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf. SAUSA Phillips is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office collects almost $3 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2018Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced today that the Western District of Tennessee collected $2,984,442.66 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2018. Of this amount, $2,248,992.49 was collected in criminal actions and $735,450.17 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Western District worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $74,578.18 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $ 27,203.18 was collected in criminal actions and $47,375 was collected in civil actions.
As a whole, the Justice Department collected nearly $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2018. The $14,839,821,650 in collections in FY 2018 represents is nearly seven times the appropriated $2.13 billion ($2,136,750,000) budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices.
"The men and women of the U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country work diligently day in and day out, to see that citizens of our nation receive justice. The money that we are able to recover for victims and this country as a whole is a direct result of their hard work," said Director James A. Crowell, IV, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Protection of the United States Treasury and taxpayer resources is a core value and critical mission for this office and the Department of Justice. Equally as important is the priority of collecting restitution for victims of crime in order to punish offenders and provide justice to the victims. I commend the outstanding work of our Criminal Division, Civil Division, and Financial Litigation Unit in effectively pursuing and collecting this amount on behalf of victims of crime and the United States."
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration and the Department of Education.
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Student Pleads Guilty to Computer Fraud, Trying to Preserve ScholarshipRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –Michael Geddati, 20, of Memphis has pleaded guilty to computer fraud. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the plea today.
According to the information presented in court, during the 2017-18 academic year, Michael Geddati was a freshman pre-med major at Rhodes College in Memphis. He received a scholarship valued at approximately $30,000 per semester. Continued receipt of the scholarship depended, in large part, on maintaining a particular grade-point average.
Beginning in approximately December 2017 and continuing through the spring semester, Geddati obtained credentials and passwords for instructors whose courses he was taking and then unlawfully accessed those instructors' accounts to downloaded exams and exam keys and change his official recorded grades.
Near the end of the spring term, one of Geddati's professors noticed a discrepancy between her off-line and online records for Geddati. According to her offline grade book, the grade that Geddati had earned in class was different, and lower, than the grade reflected in online records kept by Rhodes. A subsequent review of the college’s servers indicated that a residential IP address had been used to access the professor's account, as well as the accounts of several other faculty members, all of whom had Geddati as a student. Rhodes' server logs also contained evidence that in the preceding months, a laptop with the identifier "Michaels-MBP," also associated with Geddati, used an internal Rhodes IP address to access both Geddati’s student account and the credentials of his instructors. A total of more than 100 unauthorized access events were recorded. The same IP had also been used to access Michael Geddati's student account.
Records obtained during the investigation showed the IP address in question was assigned to Geddati's residence in Memphis during the period of unauthorized access to the Rhodes accounts. Forensic examination of Geddati's laptop confirmed that the laptop’s MAC (media access control) address matched that found on Rhodes’ servers and used in the unauthorized access to the faculty accounts.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Protection of academic institutions and their computer systems infrastructure is a critical mission for us. Unfortunately, this defendant chose to use dishonest tactics to exploit the integrity of the Rhodes computer system for his own unjust benefit, and has now lost the opportunity for a quality higher education degree at a premier college. This case demonstrates the commitment and ability of the U.S. Attorney’s office, working with our federal law enforcement partners, to detect compromises of sensitive academic information, hold offenders accountable for such fraudulent schemes, and recover restitution for victimized institutions."
"This case is a great example of the cooperation between the target of a cyber-attack and law enforcement, and further illustrates that no one is immune from cyber intrusion," said M.A. Myers, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office. "With continued partnerships with the community, cyber-crimes will not go unanswered and those who have committed or are committing similar computer intrusions are on notice that the FBI can and will identify them, and we will make every effort to bring them to justice."
"We take academic integrity and the security of our computer systems very seriously. Each of our students pledges to uphold the Rhodes College Honor Code. Our community does not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing. We would like to thank the agents of the FBI’s Memphis Field Office who investigated this matter and the U.S. Attorney and assistant U.S. attorneys in the Western District of Tennessee who prosecuted it," Rhodes College Provost Dr. Milton Moreland said.
Rhodes convened an honor council; following a hearing, Mr. Geddati was expelled. Pursuant to the plea agreement presented in court, Geddati has agreed to make restitution to Rhodes College that will include the value of his unearned scholarship.
Geddati faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, $ 250,000 fine and supervised probation. Sentencing is set for May 24, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Ireland prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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Oregon Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison on Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – An Oregon couple, Michael and Tawni Boutin, have each been sentenced to 12-months and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on May 17, 2018, the Jackson Metro Narcotics Unit received information about manufacturing marijuana at a residence in Madison County. Law enforcement discovered an active marijuana indoor grow operation inside the residence. From the residence and a tour bus located on the property, law enforcement seized 20 pounds of marijuana and three pounds of butane hash oil, a marijuana concentrate.
On May 21, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendants with conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana with knowingly and intentionally manufacturing, attempting to manufacture, possessing with intent to distribute and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and marijuana concentrates.
The defendants, Mike Boutin and wife Tawni Boutin, have previously been featured as marijuana farmers on a television show called "Weed Country." Weed Country was an American reality television series on the Discovery Channel that premiered on February 20, 2013, during Discovery Channel’s programming block titled "Weed Wednesdays." The series followed dealers, growers and patients of the marijuana trade located within the Emerald Triangle, a remote fertile area on the border of Northern California and Oregon, along with the enforcers of the law at the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office. The series showed the battle between cops, dealers and the growers looking to engineer some of the most powerful marijuana on earth.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said; "In the Controlled Substances Act, Congress has generally prohibited the cultivation, distribution, and possession of marijuana. It has established significant penalties for these crimes, which reflect Congress’s determination that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that marijuana activity is a serious crime. Here in the Western District of Tennessee, we are not ‘weed country,’ and this office will enforce the rule of law by prosecuting marijuana cultivation, distribution, and possession aggressively, consistently, and unapologetically."
Madison County Sheriff John Mehr said: "I commend the Jackson Metro Narcotics Unit for their hard work in this case and appreciate U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee for prosecuting this case. Especially, since this was a seizure of high grade marijuana brought into our county from out of state."
On February 12, 2019, U.S. District Court Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced both Michael and Tawni Boutin to 12-months and one day in federal prison along with two years supervised release. A third co-defendant, William Brian Cisco, of Jackson is set for sentencing on March 1, 2019.
The Jackson-Madison County Metro Narcotics Unit investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Wilson prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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U.S. Attorney Dunavant Selected to the Tennessee Bar FoundationRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant was recently elected a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, an association of 868 attorneys across the state. Invitations to membership, which is a position of honor, were extended to 24 attorneys this year by the Board of Trustees. The introduction of new Fellows took place in January at the annual Fellows' Dinner in Nashville.
The Foundation functions with a two-fold purpose. First, it honors attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the profession. The Bar Fellows are limited to those outstanding lawyers, judges and teachers of law licensed to practice for a period of 15 years who have: a) demonstrated an uncompromised dedication to integrity and high personal and professional ethical standards; and b) made outstanding and recognized contributions to the legal profession and to the public good.
Since the program’s inception in 1986, the Foundation’s second purpose is to administer the "IOLTA" (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) program of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Through this program, grants have been awarded in excess of $22,000,000 to law-related public interest projects throughout Tennessee, including providers of legal services to the indigent, organizations that seek to improve the administration of justice, and to law students as scholarships. The 2019 IOLTA award recipients in the Western District of Tennessee include, West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc., in Jackson, the Community Legal Center, the Kindred Place (f/k/a Exchange Club Family Center) in Memphis, and Memphis Area Legal Services, Inc.
"I am honored to be selected as a Fellow along with so many distinguished lawyers and judges who have given distinguished service to the administration of justice in Tennessee," Dunavant said. "The Tennessee Bar Foundation is vital to promoting the highest standards of the legal profession, and I look forward to this unique opportunity to support and participate in its important mission."
D. Michael Dunavant is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and the University Of Mississippi School Of Law, and has been practicing law in West Tennessee for 24 years, including 11 years as the District Attorney General for the 25th Judicial District of Tennessee and 11 years in private practice. Dunavant currently serves as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney Western District TennesseeFormer Memphis Police Officer Sentenced to 96 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Former Memphis Police Officer, Terrion Bryson, 26, has been sentenced to 96 months imprisonment for narcotics and weapons possession offenses committed while on duty. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
In early 2018, the FBI and MPD began a joint investigation of officers Kevin Coleman and Terrion Bryson. In April of 2018, Coleman and Bryson agreed to escort approximately 2.5 kilograms of heroin to a storage facility in Memphis. Coleman was on duty, in his MPD squad car, at the time of the escort. Bryson, not on duty at the time, but armed with a handgun, accompanied the driver, an undercover MPD officer, in the car with the heroin. Both Coleman and Bryson were arrested shortly thereafter.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "A very low percentage of law enforcement officers engage in official misconduct and corruption, but when they do, it tarnishes the entire criminal justice system and damages the trust and confidence of citizens in proper police authority. When police officers use their badges to become drug dealers and highway robbers, it is our duty to expose their corruption, hold them accountable, and protect society from their dishonesty. This sentence will hopefully deter other corrupt police behavior, restore the public’s faith in honest officers, and send a message that nobody is above the law."
"No one is immune to consequences. If a law enforcement officer chooses to violate the law, swift action will be taken. It is our job to uphold the law, and that is what the officers of the Memphis Police Department will continue to do," said Michael Rallings, Director, Memphis Police Department.
"Law enforcement officers who use their position for private gain undermine the integrity of and erode the public’s trust in the very framework of our justice system," says M.A. Myers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Memphis Field Office. "The vast majority of law enforcement officers at the local, state and federal level are honest and dedicated professionals who strive every day to uphold the law and protect their communities. Unfortunately, there is a small percentage who violate the public trust, and the FBI will continue to target them as our top criminal investigative priority."
On February 7, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Bryson to 96 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release. Bryson entered a guilty plea on November 19, 2018. Co-defendant Kevin Coleman, also a former Memphis Police Officer, was previously sentenced to 120 months imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tarnished Badge Task Force and the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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Two Indicted in Connection with a Scheme to Defraud the Federal E-rate ProgramRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Charles A. "Chuck" Jones, the part owner of two now-dissolved technology companies, Technology Associates, Inc. and Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc., and Mark J. Whitaker of Murray, Kentucky, were indicted on federal criminal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the indictment today.
According to the indictment, under the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rate Program, the government provides funding to qualified schools to purchase internet access and other telecommunications services and equipment for their students. The E-rate Program pays up to 90% of the cost of these technology services and equipment. Two of the Program’s core eligibility requirements are that applicant schools conduct a fair and open competitive bidding process and that each applicant school pay some percentage of the cost of the internet access and other telecommunications services and equipment. The E-rate Program pays the balance of that cost, which ranges from 20% to as high as 90%. As described in the indictment, the reason the schools are required to pay a portion of the costs are: a) to ensure that schools have a financial incentive to negotiate for the most favorable prices so that E-rate Program funds are not wasted; and b) to ensure that schools purchase only those items and services they truly need.
The indictment further charges that Jones and Whitaker conspired with an individual identified as A.J., to whomJones gave money and other things of value in return for A.J.’s assistance. The co-conspirators used A.J. and A.J.’s position with schools in Crockett County, Tennessee and Missouri to violate Program rules. Additionally, the co-conspirators submitted and caused to be submitted fabricated documents and made false statements and representations to the E-rate Program administrator, which included assertions that Jones’ companies had invoiced schools for the proper co-payment amounts. These actions were taken to circumvent E-rate Program rules and review and to obtain payments from the E-rate Program administrator to Jones’ companies. Jones’ companies received approximately $8.5 million from the E-rate Program and Jones used funds from the companies’ bank accounts for his own benefit.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Protection of federal grant programs that provide needed services and equipment to our schools in West Tennessee is a top priority of this office. When dishonest offenders conspire to defraud these programs for their own selfish gain and unjust enrichment, they not only steal tax dollars, but also hurt local schools in the process. We will continue to work with our federal partners to root out and expose such fraud against the government, to hold offenders accountable, and to recover ill-gotten gains."
FCC Inspector General David Hunt stated: "Today’s charges allege that Mr. Jones and Mr. Whitaker knowingly and willfully violated the bedrock requirements of the FCC’s E-rate Program while hiding these violations from the Program’s administrator, all with the goal of enriching Mr. Jones with E-rate funds, thus depriving students of the benefits of this program – up-to-date telecommunications services. I thank U.S. Attorney Dunavant for prosecuting this case. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who seek to illegally take money from the FCC’s programs."
This case was investigated by the FCC Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tony Arvin and Murre Foster are prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
WellBound of Memphis will pay $3,246,000 to the United States and the State of Tennessee for services rendered to patients at its Memphis facility that were in violation of the Anti-Kickback statuteRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – WellBound of Memphis will pay $3,246,000 to the United States and the State of Tennessee to resolve allegations of false claims to Medicare, Tricare and Tenncare for services rendered to home dialysis patients at its Memphis facility. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced today.
The Complaint alleged that from 2016 to 2018,WellBound of Memphis presented claims to Medicare, Tricare and Tenncare that were false in part due to illegal inducements paid by WellBound to physicians associated with its clinic. Under federal and state law, Medicare, Tricare and Tenncare will not pay for services associated with physician referrals that are in violation of the Anti-Kickback statute.
The allegations resolved in this settlement were first raised in a lawsuit filed against WellBound and others under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permits parties to sue on behalf of the government for the submission of false claims and share in the recovery. The False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, provides the United States with a cause of action against any person or entity that knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval.
The case was captioned United States of America and the State of Tennessee ex rel. Dr. L. Darryl Quarles v. Satellite Healthcare, Inc., UT Medical Group, Inc., and WellBound of Memphis, LLC, No. 16-2733-JTF (W.D.Tenn.).
"Protecting the health and safety of Medicare patients is one of our primary concerns," When medical providers break the law by defrauding the government by providing illegal inducements in violation of the Anti-Kickback statute, wewill use our resources to combat this fraud and hold them accountable," said D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
"When physicians receive financial incentives in exchange for patient referrals, it distorts medical decision-making and freezes out competition," said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta. "This settlement sends a strong message that Medicare and Medicaid patients are not for sale."
This investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee State Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stuart J. Canale and Matt Waldrop and Philip Bangle, Counsel for the Tennessee Attorney General prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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McNairy County Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Drug Conspiracy, Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Joshua Tucker, 30, of Selmer, TN has been sentenced to a total of 300 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for conspiring to distribute and distributing actual methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, Joshua Tucker was a member of a drug conspiracy operating throughout West Tennessee from October 2016 to April 2017. The investigation led to the federal prosecution of Tucker, along with eleven other co-conspirators, who sold large amounts of methamphetamine at various locations throughout West Tennessee, including Bath Springs, Lexington, Parsons, Selmer, Reagan, Lutts, and Milledgeville and Iuka, MS.
Tucker’s conviction and 25 year sentence results from an extensive investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement officials into a drug trafficking organization involving co-defendant Kevin Smith and his associates, including Joshua Tucker. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), West Tennessee 24th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) conducted a yearlong investigation and utilized various investigation strategies to determine that Tucker had sold over two kilograms of actual methamphetamine (ICE) to co-conspirators who resold the ICE between December 2016 and April 2017.
The investigation further revealed that Tucker, a convicted felon, possessed firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. On April 27, 2017, investigators with McNairy County Counter-Drug Unit and Selmer Police Department executed a probation search at Tuckers home. During the search, officers located an AR-15 style rifle along with a 9 mm pistol in Tuckers bedroom. Officers located approximately 20 grams of ICE packaged for resale in a safe containing two digital scales and $5,677.75. In the same room, officers located drugparaphernalia including boxes of plastic baggies and pipes as well as .223 and 9mm ammunition. Investigators also seized five vehicles. After searching the vehicles, officers located over 400 grams of methamphetamine inside a container under the driver seat of one of the cars.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Armed Drug Trafficking Organizations will NOT continue to endanger our communities in West Tennessee with impunity. We use all available law enforcement and prosecutorial resources to pursue, disrupt and dismantle groups and conspiracies that are most responsible for the illegal sale of this poison to our citizens, and to remove dangerous offenders with firearms from our streets. This defendant and his co-conspirators have sowed addiction, pain, and destruction into our communities, and now they will reap a long prison sentence as a consequence."
"The DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to ridding our communities of those who wish to do harm through the trafficking of dangerous drugs," said D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent In Charge of DEA’s Louisville Field Division, which oversees the agency’s operations in Tennessee. "Mr. Tucker and those like him should expect to meet the full weight of the criminal justice system," Evans added.
Tucker was originally charged with several offenses, including:
• conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine;
• aiding and abetting each other to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine;
• knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine;
• being a felon in possession of an AR-15 style rifle;
• being a felon in possession of a 9 mm pistol;
• possessing the AR-15 style rifle in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and
• possessing the 9 mm pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
After a four-day jury trial in September, 2018, the defendant was found guilty as charged in each count.
On January 24, 2019, Chief U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Tucker to 240 months for the conspiracy to distribute and distributing actual methamphetamine; 120 months concurrent sentence for being a felon in possession of firearms; and 60 months mandatory consecutive sentence for possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses, for an overall total sentence of 300 months (25 years). Tucker was also sentenced to supervised release for a period of 5 years.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), West Tennessee 24th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), along with McNairy County Counter-Drug Unit and Selmer Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Parham prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Selling Heroin and Other DrugsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Antonio Rucker, 39, has been sentenced to 151 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams of heroin, 125 grams of cocaine, and over 100 oxycodone pills. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on March 15, 2018, the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in Memphis. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Antonio Rucker. Officers immediately smelled marijuana upon approaching the vehicle. A further search of the vehicle revealed a box in the floorboard containing 100 grams of heroin, 125 grams of cocaine, and over 100 30 milligram oxycodone pills. Rucker was arrested and indicted for the above federal drug offenses.
At his change of plea hearing in October, Rucker admitted to possessing the heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone with the intent to distribute. Rucker was determined to be a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines due to the fact that he had several prior felony drug convictions on his record. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., Rucker was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment
.U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Drug trafficking is an inherently dangerous business that is often conducted by recidivist offenders who have dedicated their lives to criminal activity, and who have no regard for the addiction, injury, and death caused by their sale of illegal drugs. This sentence demonstrates our commitment to remove career drug traffickers from our streets by seeking significant mandatory sentences for selling poison in our community."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case is part of the West Tennessee Heroin Initiative, a joint task force of attorneys and law enforcement from both federal and state agencies dedicated to reducing the supply of heroin and opioids in Memphis and Shelby County.
Federal Jury convicts Memphis man of Armed Pharmacy Robbery, firearm offense, and drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal jury has convicted Jesse Robert Coop, 41, for the Armed Business Robbery of a CVS Pharmacy, brandishing a firearm during of a crime of violence, and conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute various controlled prescription drugs. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty verdict today.
According to the information presented in court, on April 27, 2018, two individuals, one black and one white, entered CVS Pharmacy located at 6620 Winchester Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. The white individual walked around the store as the black individual pulled out a revolver and demanded drugs from the pharmacist. The pharmacist provided the individual with drugs from the safe, and then both individuals fled the business. Witnesses stated that they heard a motorcycle as the individuals left the area.
A tracking device had been placed in one of the pill bottles, and it led the Memphis Police to a residence located at 6070 Knightsbridge in Memphis. Officers surrounded the house and demanded everyone inside to exit. Keith Harrington and Jesse Coop exited the house and were later arrested without incident.
Officers later obtained a search warrant and found multiple pill bottles in the house containing various controlled substances. Coop admitted to participation in the robbery and that he was the driver of the motorcycle with Harrington as a passenger when they fled the pharmacy.
Based on the surveillance footage, defendant Harrington matched the description of one of the robbers, and the pharmacist also identified defendant Harrington in a photo line-up. The stolen prescription drugs had a total value of $44,250.
On August 21, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against defendant Jesse Coop and co-defendant Keith Harrington, 30, charging Robbery affecting interstate commerce (Hobbs Act) in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1951; use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c); and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances: Oxycodone, OxyContin, Morphine, Hydrocodone, and Nucynta.
On January 11, 2019, co-defendant Keith Harrington pled guilty to all of the indicted charges, and his sentencing is scheduled on April 12, 2019. On January 23, 2019, after a two-day trial, a jury found defendant Jesse Coop guilty as charged in the indictment. Sentencing for Coop is scheduled on May 3, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. Coop and Harrington each face possible sentences of up to 20 years for the Hobbs Act Business Robbery, up to 20 years for each drug conspiracy count, and a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 7 years for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Robberies of businesses with a firearm are especially dangerous and violent due to the high risk of death and serious bodily injury to innocent victims. Pharmacy robberies for controlled substances present the further dangerous risk of hundreds of prescription opioids being unlawfully distributed into the community, causing further potential addiction, injury, and death. As demonstrated in this case, we will not tolerate this senseless gun violence and will use all available resources to remove dangerous offenders from our communities for a very long time. Gun Crime is Max Time."
The case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Whitmore prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Cordova Woman has Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin Resulting in Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Glenda Aldape, 42, of Cordova has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in death and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court, on the evening of March 28, 2016, the victim, Sean Heywood agreed over the phone to buy half a gram of heroin from Aldape for $75. Aldape texted Sean that she was sending "Mitch" (later identified as 38-year-old David Mitchell Murray) to deliver the heroin. Sean lived with his father, mother and grandmother at the time.
At 10 p.m., Sean told his father he was going to a nearby Huey’s location to have a beer. Surveillance tape showed Sean entering the bar area of the restaurant a few minutes after 10 p.m. and having one beer. During this period, he spoke on the phone with Mitch at least twice. The tape then shows him leaving the restaurant. After a few minutes, he left the bar and got into a car with Mitch, who then sold the heroin to Sean. Mitch then drove Sean home.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., Sean’s father found Sean unresponsive on the bathroom floor. Memphis emergency personnel arrived at the house and pronounced Sean dead at 1:02 a.m. Law enforcement also responded and tagged all of the items as evidence – a plastic bag of heroin in his pocket, syringe, spoon and 0.19 grams of heroin, and Sean’s cell phone. The autopsy results concluded the cause of Sean’s death was a lethal dose of heroin.
The next day, on March 29, 2016, MPD officers conducted a forensic search of the victim’s cell phone. Detective Bogue with MPD took that information and discovered Sean had been buying drugs from Glenda Aldape. Bogue then used Sean’s phone and pretended to be Sean trying to set up another buy of heroin from Aldape at Huey’s. Officers set up surveillance and watched an individual arrive at Huey’s matching her description at approximately 10:15 PM. To confirm that this was her, Bogue texted her again while surveilling her, telling her to come to El Porton instead, which is next door. They witnessed her leave the Huey’s parking lot and drive to El Porton. Officers then closed in on her and arrested her. They searched her incident to arrest and found 0.47 grams of methamphetamine in her pocket, as well as 0.08 grams of heroin and various other pills in her purse. The 0.08 grams of heroin was packaged in exactly the same fashion as the heroin found in Sean’s pocket on the night of his death.
Aldape gave a statement to officers admitting to setting up the drug deal with Sean on the 28th, to sending Mitch to deliver the heroin to Sean that same night, and to being in possession of the heroin on the 29th in order to sell to Sean.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Under our district-specific opioid strategy, heroin distribution cases resulting in death receive top priority for investigation and federal prosecution, regardless of quantity of heroin involved or the prior criminal record of the offender. Our Heroin Initiative also provides time-sensitive case coordination between law enforcement agencies and medical examiners, to ensure that opioid overdose death cases are investigated quickly and thoroughly to identify the nature and source of the drug distribution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute and seek the maximum guidelines sentences in these cases in order to disrupt trafficking organizations, hold the distributor accountable for the death of the victim, and to deter others from selling poison to our citizens."
On August 20, 2018, Aldape's co-defendant, David Mitchell Murray, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in death, and will be sentenced on March 1, 2019. Sentencing for Aldape is set for April 26, 2019, before U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. Both Aldape and Mitchell face a minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit (OCU).
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. William Crow is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Man Sentenced to 102 months for Using Stolen Identities to Attempt to Defraud Various Financial Institutions of More Than $1.9 Million DollarsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – On Wednesday, January 16, 2019, Senior U.S. District Judge Samuel Hardy Mays sentenced Jeremy Jones, 39, of Memphis to a total of 102 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for conspiracy to commit identity theft and mail fraud, and separate counts of identity theft, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and obstruction of justice. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentencing today.
Jones was originally indicted for the above offenses on February 16, 2016, and on November 21, 2017, after a six-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court, Jones was found guilty as charged of using stolen identities to defraud over 100 individual victims and various financial institutions of more than $1.9 million dollars. In addition, he was found guilty on two counts of tampering with government witnesses.
According to information presented in court, Jones executed a scheme to steal the identities of personal acquaintances, car dealers and over 145 Memphis Neurology patients throughout 2011, 2012 and 2015. Jones used this identifying information to apply for loans and credit cards and open bank accounts in the individuals’ names without their knowledge. A co-conspirator who was employed at Memphis Neurology removed patient information from the company’s database and provided it to Jones upon his request. Jones agreed to compensate the co-conspirator for providing him with this information.
Jones sent and received loan applications, checks and other financial information from numerous lenders throughout the United States via the internet and mail carriers. The potential loss was $1.9 million.
"This is one of the most egregious acts of fraud that has been seen in the Western District of Tennessee. Identity theft and financial fraud of this magnitude and scale by the defendant has victimized hundreds of people by compromising their personal and private information for his own selfish and unjust enrichment, and I am pleased that we have been able to hold the defendant accountable and achieve justice for the victims." said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant.
David M. McGinnis, the Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, stated, "Identity theft has a huge financial and emotional impact on individual victims and the American public as a whole. It is especially egregious when the criminals intentionally target patients of a doctor’s office. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has aggressively investigated cases of identity theft for decades. This case is a prime example of our agency’s commitment to protect the public and hold those accountable that steal from innocent victims."
"Identity Theft is a heinous crime that attacks individuals’ credit worthiness, U.S. financial institutions and our trusted merchants," said Channing Irvin, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Memphis Field Office. "This case illustrates the significant community impact, whereby a doctor’s office and its patients were victimized. The Secret Service prides itself in protecting our communities and nation’s financial institutions. Identity Theft crimes serve as one of our core violations, which we vigorously investigate."
After multiple sentencing hearings throughout 2018 and 2019, Jones was ordered to pay criminal restitution to the victims in the total amount of $199,698.35. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Mays commented that this case involved "one of the most egregious acts of fraud I’ve seen since being on the bench."
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Damon K. Griffin and Murre Foster prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Former Crockett County 911 Director Sentenced to 57 Months for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – On Monday, January 14, 2019, U.S. District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Brian Black, 42, of Dyersburg, Tennessee to 57 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for embezzlement. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentencing today.
According to information presented in court, Black embezzled at least $178,000 from the trust account of the Oleen H. Fewell Estate. Black was the Chancery Court appointed trustee for the trust, which had been set up by the will of Oleen Fewell for benefit of her daughter, Sharon Connor of Alamo, Tennessee. Instead of using the trust’s money for the benefit only of Sharon Connor, Black spent a large part of the trust’s funds for his own personal benefit. Among other things, Black wrote over $70,000 in trust checks directly to himself, spent almost $6,000 of trust money to take a vacation trip to Florida to attend the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team fantasy camp, and used over $12,000 of trust money to buy items for his own home in Dyersburg.
By the time United States Postal Inspectors learned of the fraud and began an investigation, Black had spent all of the money in the trust account. Black was the former 911 director for Crockett County.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This office is committed to exposing and holding accountable any persons who use their position of trust and authority to prey upon innocent victims. Across the rural communities of the Western District of Tennessee, including Crockett County, we will always aggressively prosecute cases involving financial fraud and exploitation of the vulnerable or elderly. We believe that this sentence achieves justice for the victim’s estate in this case, and we commend the United States Postal Inspection Service for their outstanding investigation in this complex matter."
David M. McGinnis, the Inspector In Charge of the Charlotte Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, stated "Protecting vulnerable victims is a top priority for the Postal Inspection Service. Postal Inspectors are committed to protecting the sanctity of the United States Mail and will hold those accountable that steal from innocent victims."
Black was convicted on June 15, 2018, after a two-week jury trial in Jackson. The United States is seeking a judgment against Black for restitution, and a subsequent hearing will be conducted to determine the exact amount and extent of criminal restitution to be paid by Black to the victim’s estate.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tony Arvin prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Obion County Man Sentenced to 120 Months Imprisonment for Solicitation and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN –Michael Beamish, 27, of Obion County has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for solicitation and enticement of a minor for sexual activity. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, from January 30, 2017 through February 6, 2017, Beamish, used a cell phone and social media to coerce a fifteen year-old to engage in sexual activity. On February 4, 2017, the girl’s mother discovered the text messages and contacted law enforcement. Law enforcement began an investigation with the aid of the youth’s mother to communicate with Beamish. The defendant arranged to meet at a local park, believing he would meet the girl for sexual activity, and was arrested in Weakley County.
On August 27, 2018, Beamish pleaded guilty to using a facility and means of interstate commerce, a cell phone and the internet, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice and coerce a minor female to engage in criminal sexual activity.
On December 10, 2018, U.S. District Court Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Beamish to 120 months in federal prison followed by seven years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “With the proliferation of cell phones and social media, criminals are using more deceptive and disturbing ways to commit crimes against vulnerable victims, including the solicitation and enticement of children for sex. This office will always aggressively prosecute and seek significant and mandatory sentences for such predatory behavior in order to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Dresden Police Department, Martin Police Department and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Ireland, Kasey Weiland and Vic Ivy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Former Fayette County Horse Farm Manager Sentenced in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN - Zachary M. Baker, 32, was sentenced to serve 33 months in federal prison in connection with theft of over $800,000 from his former employer. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
Baker entered a guilty plea to a one-count information in August. According to the information, Baker was hired to manage Masterson Farms, a horse breeding farm located in Somerville, Tennessee. Beginning in January 2013, Baker began stealing from Masterson Farms by writing checks payable to himself; Zigadoo Moneyclips, a band he managed; and another individual identified as "E.L.M." According to the information, Baker also stole funds by making online payments on his personal credit card accounts with funds transferred from the Masterson Farms bank accounts. Between January 2013, and April 9, 2018, the information alleged that Baker stole over $810,000.
On Wednesday, December 19, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Baker to 33 months in federal prison. In addition, Baker was sentenced to two years supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to Masterson Farms, Capital One and Sedgwick in the total amount of $838,010.58.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Financial fraud can happen anywhere, and can be devastating to local businesses. The defendant used his position of trust and authority to steal proceeds for his own personal benefit and unjust enrichment, and his dishonesty has been exposed. Wherever fraud occurs in the Western District of Tennessee, this office will be prepared to hold offenders accountable."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III, prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms in the Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A local man has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon illegally possessing firearms in the furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on May 19, 2016, MPD officers responded to a shooting at 1082 Palmetto. When officers entered the residence they saw Tony King a/k/a Tony Suggs, 40, on a bed with the victim, Christina Allen, who was unresponsive. Officers also found approximately 8 grams of heroin in the defendant's possession. At approximately 8:50 p.m., paramedics with the Memphis Fire Department pronounced the victim dead on the scene.
The defendant admitted to shooting and killing Ms. Allen. According to testimony presented in court, he threatened to kill her approximately one week prior to shooting her.
A firearm was not recovered at the scene, but officers located a 9mm shell casing. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) ran the shell casing through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which identified the firearm used in the shooting as a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol which had already been tagged as evidence in another felony MPD investigation.
In September 2016, MPD received a Crime Stoppers tip that heroin was being sold at 3677 Gillie in Memphis. Officers collected information and performed surveillance on the home, which they used to obtain a search warrant. On September 30, 2016, officers executed the search warrant and found the defendant Tony King, a/k/a Tony Suggs on a mattress in a bedroom of the home with three loaded firearms, one of which was reported stolen. In another bedroom, officers found over 70 grams of heroin, 37 alprazolam pills, 43 oxycodone pills and over 10 grams of methamphetamine.
The defendant was a convicted felon during all times relevant to this investigation.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "We know that drugs and crime go hand-in-hand, and that drug trafficking is an inherently violent business. If you want to collect a drug debt, you can’t file a lawsuit in court; you collect it by the barrel of a gun. If you are a drug trafficker with a gun, we will not look the other way and be willfully blind to your conduct. To turn back the rising tide of violent crime and confront the opioid crisis in West Tennessee, this office will continue to aggressively pursue the guilty and protect the innocent. This significant sentence demonstrates that resolve, and we commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in removing a violent drug dealer from our streets."
Tony King a/k/a/ Tony Suggs pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. On December 12, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Tony King a/k/a/ Tony Suggs to 188 months imprisonment and 2 years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT) and the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit (OCU).
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. WilliamCrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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PSN Task Force indicts and arrests 19 Individuals for various Federal Drug and Firearms Offenses, including seven documented gang members, in “Operation Gun Done”Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN –19 individuals have been indicted and arrested on various federal drug and firearms violations, including seven documented gang members. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the indictments and arrests today.
On Thursday, November 29, 2018, Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force (PSN), which is comprised of agents and representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), assisted by the United States Marshals’ Service (USMS), conducted a PSN Outstanding Federal Fugitives End of the Year Round-up known as "Operation Gun Done."
During the months of October and November of this year, the PSN Task Force conducted the investigative operation which focused on convicted felons and other prohibited persons in possession or use of firearms in Memphis and Shelby County. Many of these targets also committed other state and federal violations.
During the two month investigation, 19 defendants were federally indicted and arrested during the recent fugitive roundup. Federal charges on these defendants include:
• Possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon
• Possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
• Carrying or use of a firearm during a crime of violence or a drug trafficking offense
• Unlawful manufacture, possession, or distribution of a controlled substance
• Unlawful shipment, transfer, or receipt of a firearm by a convicted felon
Of the 19 defendants indicted and arrested, 7 of them are identified gang members affiliated with the Gangster Disciples, the Grape Street Crips, and the Vice Lords.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a proven violent crime reduction strategy that works, and is now reinvigorated with additional resources and commitment from our law enforcement partners. Since October 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has increased the number of federal firearms cases filed by over 58 percent, and the number of defendants charged with firearms offenses has increased over 68 percent. These efforts provide targeted prosecution of the worst-of-the-worst offenders to enhance public safety in Memphis and West Tennessee by removing guns from the hands of dangerous people and removing violent offenders from our communities. Reported gun crimes in Memphis and Shelby County are down 17% over the first 3 quarters of 2018, including the categories of murder, business robberies, and aggravated assaults. Putting the right people in prison incapacitates the most violent offenders, upholds the rule of law, deters criminal conduct with a strong message of significant consequences, and makes us all safer."
For more than a decade, law enforcement agencies within the Memphis metropolitan area have, and continue to utilize a crime prevention initiative to target gun crimes in Shelby County. The Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative is the flagship violent crime reduction strategy of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), and was launched in 2001 to bolster the nation’s previously existing gun crime reduction efforts. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
If convicted on firearms charges, the defendants face possible sentences of up to 15 years in federal prison.
The charges and allegations in the indictments are merely accusations, and each of the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Hardin County Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing an Explosive DeviceRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury has returned a five-count indictment against Jonathan Edward White, 40, for manufacture, possession, and transfer of an explosive device in violation of the National Firearms Act. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the indictment today.
On August 24, 2018, TBI Special Agents began investigating a series of threats posted on social media by Jonathan Edward White, of Hardin County. During the course of the investigation, agents determined that White may be in possession of an explosive device. That same evening, White met with agents working in an undercover capacity and provided them with a pipe bomb. Special Operations personnel from the Tennessee Highway Patrol responded and rendered the explosive device safe. Jonathan White was arrested without incident and charged with one count of Possession of a Prohibited Weapon under state law. He was booked into the Hardin County Jail on a $500,000 bond. In the resulting federal investigation, the ATF Explosives Enforcement Branch examined the device and determined it to be an explosive bomb which qualifies as a prohibited destructive device, as defined by Title 26, USC, § 5845.
The federal indictment charges that White knowingly and unlawfully made, possessed, and transferred a prohibited destructive device, more commonly known as a pipe bomb, in violation of Title 26, USC, § 5861 and 5871.
If convicted, White faces up to 10 years imprisonment; 3 years supervised release; and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This office, along with our law enforcement partners, takes all bomb threats seriously, and we are vigilant to protect and prevent property damage, bodily injury, and death from any explosive device in West Tennessee. We commend the quick, thorough, and coordinated response of all of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation."
This case was investigated by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office; Savannah Police Department; Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; Tennessee Highway Patrol; Tennessee Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations in this indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Three-Count Indictment on Former Memphis Police Officer and co-conspirator for Criminal Civil Rights Violations, Including Robbery and KidnappingRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – On December 6, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted a formerMemphis Police Officer, Sam Blue, and co-conspirator, Anthony Davis, on federal criminal civil rights violations which include the violent crimes of robbery and kidnapping. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the indictment today.
As charged in Count 1 of the indictment, from January 2014 to July 13, 2018, officer Sam Blue and Anthony Davis conspired to deprive persons of civil rights under color of law by injuring, oppressing, threatening, and intimidating them. The civil rights violations included taking property from persons suspected to be in possession of narcotics or drug proceeds by using force, violence, and intimidation, thereby committing robbery and kidnapping.
Prior to the planned robberies, officer Blue would provide his civilian co-conspirators with targeting information of the victims, as well as police equipment, including an official MPD badge, and a car dashboard blue light to use during the planned robberies so that they could falsely appear to be law enforcement officers.
In Count 2, Blue and Davis are charged with knowingly conspiring with each other during the same time period to unlawfully obstruct, delay and affect commerce and the movement of articles and commodities by robbery and threatened physical violence to other persons, in furtherance of plan and purpose to commit robbery. Under federal law, it is illegal to interfere with interstate commerce by unlawfully taking property belonging to another by physical violence, under color of official right.
In Count 3, Blue and Davis are charged with depriving an individual of his civil rights by kidnapping. On July 13, 2018, Blue and Davis, along with other individuals posing as law enforcement kidnapped the victim, demanding to know the whereabouts of drugs or drug proceeds.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "A very low percentage of law enforcement officers engage in official misconduct and corruption, but when they do, it tarnishes the entire criminal justice system and damages the trust and confidence of citizens in proper police authority. When police officers use their badges to violate and oppress civil rights by robbery and kidnapping, it is our duty to expose their corruption, hold them accountable, and protect society from their violence and dishonesty. This indictment and significant potential sentences will hopefully deter other corrupt police behavior, restore the public’s faith in honest officers, and send a strong message that nobody is above the law."
"Law enforcement corruption undermines the public trust and can threaten the overall safety of our community," said M.A. Myers, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "These indictments show that we will target those who abuse their authority and through their actions tarnish the reputation of the vast number of law enforcement officers who execute their duties with integrity and in the best interests of the public on a daily basis."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tarnished Badge Task Force.
If convicted on count 1, the defendants each face up to life imprisonment, or may be sentenced to death and a $250,000 fine; on count 2, the defendants each face not more than 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; and on count 3, the defendants each face up to life imprisonment or may be sentenced to death and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition and a Firearm After National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) Links His Separate Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Joe Arnold, 21, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition and a firearm. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court, on February 8, 2018, Memphis Police responded to a shooting near the 6700 block of Summer Trace in Memphis, TN. Joe Arnold fired shots at his girlfriend after an argument. Officers recovered several .40 caliber cartridge casings on the scene.
On March 12, 2018, officers responded to an aggravated assault at the Woodchase Apartment Complex in Cordova, TN where Joe Arnold was responsible for shooting at an occupied vehicle multiple times. Arnold then led police on a brief vehicle pursuit before being apprehended and placed into custody. Officers were able to retrace the path of the pursuit and located a .40 caliber Glock handgun.
On March 19, 2018, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit (MGU) NIBIN Investigative Teamlinked both gun crimes through ballistic evidence.
Subsequently, a federal grand jury indicted Arnold and charged him with one-count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one-count of being felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "We are using all available resources and techniques to combat violent and gun crime. In this notable case, the use of NIBIN technology and the outstanding investigative work of the MGU NIT has allowed us to hold an offender accountable for two separate shooting incidents. The message is clear: we have the ability and resolve to remove the trigger-pullers from our streets and clear unsolved shootings with swiftness and certainty."
On November 27, 2018, Arnold pleaded guilty to both counts before U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. He is set to be sentenced on March 1, 2019. He faces up to 10 years on each count.
This case was investigated by the MGU NIBIN Investigative Team (NIT).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
Undocumented Romanian National Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The United States charged an undocumented alien with committing fraud at automated teller machines in the Germantown and Memphis area. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.
According to the charging instrument and plea hearing, in June 2018, Cristian Balazs-Andras, 24, was arrested at First Tennessee Bank in Germantown after he attempted to use gift cards with re-encoded stolen credit and debit card numbers at the ATM. He was in possession of 68 fraudulent gift cards. Balazs-Andras was also seen via video surveillance using electronic skimming devices and other machines to commit fraud for financial gain at Sun Trust Bank throughout the Memphis area.
On December 3, 2018, Balazs-Andras pleaded guilty to two-counts of access device fraud. The maximum penalty is 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2019 by U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Access device fraud, skimming scams, and debit/credit card theft victimizes innocent citizens and compromises the security of banks. Protecting the integrity of financial institutions and transactions is a top priority of this office, and this case demonstrates that such crimes of dishonesty for financial gain do not pay. We commend the U.S. Secret Service for solving this case and helping us bring this thief to justice."
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Damon Keith Griffin is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal Prison for Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for selling heroin. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on September 17, 2017, members of the Memphis Police Department's Organized Crime Unit received a tip that a Melvin Scott, 41, was selling heroin from a vehicle in North Memphis. As law enforcement approached the vehicle, Scott attempted to conceal a plastic bag on his person. He then sped through multiple yards in an attempt to escape, almost striking an officer. Officers apprehended Scott and recovered heroin in the vehicle.
On December 6, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Scott to 100 months imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Heroin dealers are directly responsible for the destruction of countless lives through addiction, injury, and overdose deaths. Under our Heroin Initiative, we prioritize these cases in order to remove dangerous drug dealers from the streets and save lives."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit. It was prosecuted as part of the West Tennessee Heroin Initiative, a joint effort between the Shelby County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Tennessee.
Cases prosecuted under this initiative seek to remove career drugs dealers and high-volume sellers of heroin and fentanyl from Shelby County in an effort to make our community safer.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Former Local Bank Teller Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A local woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy and embezzlement, while being employed as a teller at Tri-State Bank ("Tri-State") in Memphis. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.
According to the charging instrument, from calendar years 2015 to 2016, Tanya Williams, a Tri-State bank teller, participated in a scheme to activate many dormant accounts and withdraw funds from said accounts. Williams and her bank manager used their Tri-State computer and user I.D. to activate and enter the accounts to fraudulently withdraw funds. The manager gave Williams some of the proceeds due to her willingness to participate in the fraud. During the time of the conspiracy and embezzlement, Tri-State suffered a loss of over $214,000.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The long term financial fraud and embezzlement committed by this defendant is disturbing and far-reaching. The abuse of her position of trust and authority as a teller for her own personal gain had a significant negative impact on the employees and customers of Tri-State Bank. The U.S. Attorney’s Office places a high priority on protecting the security, deposits, and assets of financial institutions, and this conviction demonstrates that commitment."
Sentencing is set for April 5, 2018, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes. Williams pleaded guilty to one-count of conspiracy and another count of embezzlement. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine and for embezzlement 30 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. On August 30, 2018, the co-defendant, Michael B. Gaines, pled guilty to embezzlement. U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Gaines to 12 months and one-day in federal prison on December 6, 2018.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Damon Keith Griffin is prosecuting the case on the government’s behalf.
Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Consumer ProductsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A local man has pleaded guilty to one-count of tampering with consumer products. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.
On September 11, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Gregory Stanton, 49, for tainting consumer products with the intent to cause serious injury to the business of any person.
In 2014, Stanton worked at a food manufacturing plant in Memphis. Stanton made a video recording of himself tampering with the production line at the plant. The defendant then uploaded the video to the internet in 2016.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "American citizens and consumers rely upon food manufacturers engaged in interstate commerce to provide them with safe and consistent products. Unfortunately, this defendant betrayed that trust by tampering with and tainting food products. We commend the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for their investigation in this matter, and we are pleased that the defendant has been held accountable for his criminal conduct."
"Maintaining the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply is a critical priority for the FDA, and the agency will work with food producers to identify steps that can be taken to remediate incidents that may implicate food safety," said Robert M. Hiser, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Miami Field Office. "Today’s announcement should serve as a clear reminder that the FDA will not tolerate illicit tampering activity in our nation’s food supply."
On November 30, 2018, Stanton pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla.
Stanton is set to be sentenced on February 28, 2019. He faces up to three years imprisonment; three years supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognized by the Commercial Appeal as a Memphis Area Top Workplace for 2018Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN - On Sunday, December 2, 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee was named and recognized by The Commercial Appeal newspaper as a Memphis Area Top Workplace for 2018. For the sixth year, The Commercial Appeal partnered with Philadelphia-based Energage, an employee research and workplace culture consultant firm, to determine the Memphis area’s Top Workplaces based upon employee survey feedback.
This was the first year that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was nominated to participate in the Top Workplaces program for recognition as one of the "Best Places to Work" in Memphis, and was ranked 12th out of 28 companies, schools, government agencies and nonprofits selected as Top Small Workplaces in Memphis.
Energage measured performance along several factors, including: Alignment, Connection, Effectiveness, and Management. Survey data was compared to the average of similarly sized organizations in the region, and ranked based upon score. The employee engagement survey measured factors involving the foundation of an employee’s job, including pay and benefits, as well as factors involving the organization’s core fundamentals—its values, mission, and culture. To meet the Top Workplaces standard, employees must believe in where the organization is headed, how it will get there, and the feeling that everyone is united together in the mission.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "As the leader of our office, I believe that we are in fact one of the best places to work, and our selection and ranking as a Top Workplace reflects that in an outstanding way. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we take pride in employee engagement, job satisfaction, competitive pay and benefits, high performance and productivity, and a culture of excellence. The mission of the Department of Justice is one that our employees identify with and fully embrace, and we have some of the best and brightest of federal employees. Congratulations to the employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and thanks to The Commercial Appeal for this wonderful honor and recognition."
Photo below: First Assistant United States Attorney Joe Murphy, who accepted the 2018 Top Workplaces Award on behalf of the office at the Awards Ceremony on November 29, 2018.
Texas Source of Supply Sentenced to 174 Months for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Brownsville, Texas man has been sentenced to 174 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and distribution of 20 kilograms of cocaine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on September 25, 2017, an agent with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force stoppedMelvin Bullock and Tellerick Simon for a traffic violation on I-40. During that stop, the agent became suspicious of Bullock after he gave several false answers and provided a fake driver's license. The agent utilized his canine, who was alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search revealed 20 individually wrapped bundles of cocaine located in the back seat. The total weight of the cocaine was approximately 50 pounds.
DEA agents traced the drugs to Jose Manuel Escobedo in Brownsville, Texas. The agents discovered Escobedo received the cocaine in Brownsville after it was smuggled over the border from Mexico. Escobedo would then send the cocaine to Houston, Texas, where he coordinated the retrieval by Bullock and Simon. The drugs came through Memphis en route to East Tennessee.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Interstate 40 is a major drug trafficking corridor into and through West Tennessee. Disrupting drug trafficking organizations and interdicting the flow of poisonous drugs into our communities is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to remain vigilant in the fight against foreign and domestic drug suppliers. Drug trafficking is not a victimless crime, and this significant federal sentence sends a message that such criminal activity will not be tolerated."
On November 30, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Escobedo to 174 months in federal prison. Simon pleaded guilty to trafficking 20 kilograms on June 14, 2018. Bullock pleaded guilty to the same crime on July 27, 2018.
This case was investigated by the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, an extension of the Shelby County District Attorney General's Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Lieutenant of the Memphis Fire Department Sentenced in Scheme to Defraud the Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Phillip Tolbert, 47, of Bartlett, has been sentenced to two years’ probation, including six months of home confinement, for defrauding the Social Security Administration. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to the indictment and information presented in court, from August to December 2013, Tolbert, a lieutenant for the City of Memphis Fire Department, defrauded the Social Security Administration by applying for and receiving benefit payments on behalf of his daughters after the death of his wife, the girls' stepmother.
Tolbert falsely stated that his daughters lived with him and his wife, and that his wife provided for the girls' every need. Based on those fraudulent representations, Tolbert was ultimately paid $60,528 in benefits to which he was not entitled.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "One of the primary functions of this office is to protect the United States Treasury, and the ability of eligible beneficiaries to receive Social Security benefits. Fraudulent schemes and crimes of dishonesty do not pay, and will be exposed."
On November 28, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., sentenced Tolbert to two years’ probation, the first six months to be served in home confinement, followed by six months of community service and ordered Tolbert to pay restitution of $60,528.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Murrell Foster and Annie Christoff prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 180 Months Imprisonment for Possession of Firearms and DrugsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Mario Silas, 38, has been sentenced to 180 months imprisonment for being a convicted felon illegally in possession of firearms and drugs. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 23, 2017, Mario Silas was in a vehicle stopped by MPD officers. Officers searched the vehicle and located a stolen Springfield Armory .45 caliber pistol in the glove compartment, which Silas admitted to possessing. Law enforcement also found a brown purse in the car that contained 0.7 grams of cocaine, 1.2 grams of heroin, 4.8 grams of marijuana, and a Ruger .357 caliber revolver. Officers also found a Spikes Tactical multi-caliber pistol on the floorboard of the car.
At the time of this event, Silas was a convicted felon and legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
In September 2017, Mario Silas recruited an individual named Jared Weatherly to sell ecstasy pills for him. Weatherly found a buyer, who was actually an undercover MPD detective. On several phone calls with Weatherly, the detective could hear Mario Silas talking in the background. The detective set up a meeting for a controlled buy on September 4, 2017. Weatherly arrived in a Subaru. Silas was in the front passenger seat and an individual named Tiffany Tekle was in the back seat. Weatherly pulled out the clear plastic bag from his right shorts pocket containing ecstasy pills. The detective took possession of the bag and gave the takedown signal, at which point Silas threw a Ruger .38 caliber revolver into the backseat. Silas, Weatherly, and Tekle were taken into custody. As the officers approached the Subaru, officers saw Tekle reach behind her back to conceal the firearm. Officers recovered a Ruger .38 caliber revolver from her seat and a Clerke .32 caliber revolver in the backpack in the back of the Subaru. Silas had $595 cash on his person. The ecstasy weighed 20.636 grams. Officers also recovered 0.9 grams of marijuana from the Subaru. Silas and Tekle were both convicted felons at the time of this incident.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to the community, and in this case, Silas was a career drug offender who continued to possess firearms and sell illegal narcotics despite his prior felony conviction history. There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this is one more armed drug dealer removed from our streets. Gun Crime is Max Time."
On November 29, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Silas to 180 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release. Weatherly and Tekle have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;MPD OCU; and MPD Multi-Agency Gang Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. William Crow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Multiple Defendants Indicted in Transnational Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Multiple defendants have been indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the indictment today.
According to information presented in court, in August of 2018, during a routine traffic stop, officers in Decatur County recovered 11 pounds of methamphetamine from a driver who identified the supplier as a local Memphis man. On October 1, 2018, investigators intercepted 31 pounds of methamphetamine in possession of Jesus Vega, 33. Vega, along with the driver, Pedro Rosas-Gonzalez, 31, who transported the meth from the Chicago area were arrested.
Law enforcement identified more members of the drug trafficking organization and, on October 22, 2018, two individuals were arrested for narcotics trafficking in the Western District of Tennessee. On that morning, agents determined the location of a high-volume narcotics transaction and set up surveillance. Law enforcement observed Fatimadeniz Diaz, 36, and Steven Diaz, 26, arrive at the scene, take multiple large bags from their car, and place into another vehicle. Upon transferring the bags, the agents arrested both individuals. While searching the vehicle, DEA agents recovered 28.3 kilograms (63 pounds) of methamphetamine and 743 grams of heroin.
On October 17, 2018, Vega and Rosas-Gonzalez were indicted for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both Fatimadeniz Diaz and Steven Diaz were indicted on November 8, 2018, for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "West Tennessee is a major logistics hub for the country, and drug trafficking organizations transport large quantities into and through our communities. We must use every available resource to disrupt and dismantle these conspiracies, and hold them accountable for distributing poisonous illegal drugs that cause addiction, injury, and death. We commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal law enforcement partners in this important case involving significant seizures of dangerous narcotics."
Over the course of this ongoing investigation, the DEA has recovered over 400 pounds of methamphetamine and 5 kilograms of heroin, all either in Memphis or destined for the Memphis area.
If convicted, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life imprisonment.
This case is being investigated by the DEA; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. This case is part of the Heroin Initiative in collaboration with the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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