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Tuesday 16 September 2025
Career Offender Sentenced to 151 Months for Possessing Cocaine with an Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Randy Oliver, 44, of Memphis was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of possessing a controlled substance with an intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Oliver sold cocaine to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) on June 1, 2023, and a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl to the undercover agent on July 6, 2023. He then possessed 53 grams of cocaine when he was arrested on July 20, 2023 during another attempted drug transaction. Oliver has a lengthy criminal history including 11 convictions for drug and or firearms-related offenses; one of the federal convictions was for distribution of heroin in 2010.
On May 6, 2025, Oliver entered a plea of guilty to two counts of possessing a controlled substance with an intent to distribute it in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) before District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr.
On September 9, 2025, Judge Fowlkes sentenced Oliver, a career offender, to 151 months' imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wendy Cornejo, William Bateman, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Raven Icaza prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
California Woman Guilty of Sex Trafficking of Minor ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JAZMIN MCKINNIE (“MCKINNIE”), age 32, of California, pled guilty on September 4, 2025 before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
According to court documents, in May 2024, two adult men brought a fifteen-year-old girl from Houston, Texas to New Orleans, for the purpose of having her engage in commercial sex. MCKINNIE posted advertisements for commercial sex with the Minor Victim on online classified ad service websites.
In pleading guilty, MCKINNIE, faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
Judge Fallon set sentencing in this matter for January 8, 2026.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Distributing Drugs While ArmedRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Carlton Shoemaker, 51, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, this career criminal has been removed from our streets and there will be one fewer drug trafficker flooding our community with deadly drugs. My office is committed to fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the criminals victimizing our communities, and this successful prosecution is yet another step toward that goal.”
Court documents reflect that Shoemaker sold methamphetamine and cocaine from a motel room in Pensacola, Florida. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Shoemaker’s motel room in May 2025, officers located cocaine, marijuana, two firearms, ammunition, and other items indicative of drug distribution. Shoemaker is a convicted felon and has multiple prior convictions, including Burglary, Grand Theft, Possession of Cocaine, and Grand Theft of a Firearm.
Shoemaker faces up to life imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Christopher Patterson.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Convicted Felon from Homestead Charged with Unlawful Firearm, MacHine Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Vinson Tavaris Brown, 33, of Homestead, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machinegun. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Brown appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his arraignment in federal court on September 12, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is set for October 27, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker.
If convicted, Brown faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and up to ten years’ imprisonment for illegal possession of a machinegun.
The Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Eagle Chambers, age 39, of Colbert, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Firearm & Ammunition by Prohibited Person, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on March 26, 2025, Chambers knowingly possessed a pistol and ammunition after a hearing in which he received actual notice of being subject to a court order restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury, and which by its terms explicitly prohibited the use, attempted use, or threatened used of physical force.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Achille Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Chambers will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Browning woman sentenced to over 2 years in prison for embezzling from Heart Butte School DistrictRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning woman who took over $30,000 from Heart Butte School District was sentenced today to 25 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jonnie Jo Fransis Spotted Eagle, 37, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that while working for the Heart Butte School District, Spotted Eagle embezzled funds by using school credit cards and purchase orders, presenting such orders to local grocery stores, and obtaining and using gift cards for her own personal benefit, none of which was authorized. While doing so, Spotted Eagle forged the name of school employees to cover up the fraudulent transactions.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Weldon and Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.
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Broken Bow Man Sentenced to 10 years in Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Reyes Ernesto Garcia-Urquizo, 38, of Broken Bow, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Garcia-Urquizo to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garcia-Urquizo’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. However, he is also subject to immigration proceedings and faces deportation, having previously been found to be illegally in the United States.
In late 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and investigators with the CODE Drug Task Force discovered information about a subject picking up methamphetamine “in the middle of nowhere” and that the source of this methamphetamine was a Hispanic male in his late 30s or early 40s located in Broken Bow. In early 2024, CODE investigators would receive an anonymous tip that two Dawson County residents were distributing large amounts of methamphetamine that they received from a source located in Broken Bow.
CODE investigators began investigating the Dawson County subjects and observed that they were frequently leaving town in their vehicles and then returning and going to residences in Lexington that belonged to known drug users or areas of reported drug activity.
CODE then began conducting controlled buys. During one buy, the target advised he did not have methamphetamine with him and would be traveling to Broken Bow to get more. Investigators were able to conduct surveillance and ultimately identified Garcia-Urquizo as the likely source in Broken Bow. Through law enforcement investigation, the CODE investigators learned that an associate of Garcia-Urquizo would contact him and then meet up with Garcia-Urquizo at a rural intersection before returning to their respective places.
Investigators learned Garcia-Urquizo’s source and found he traveled to a specific location in Colorado to pick up his methamphetamine at a known drop location for methamphetamine brought directly from Mexico.
These cases were investigated by the CODE Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes federal partners with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, and Army National Guard Counter Drug Unit.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Brockton Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing multiple kilograms of narcotics intended for distribution as well as a firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
Zairi Andrade, a/k/a “Z-Money,” 19, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy to eight years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In June 2025, Andrade pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On Dec. 3, 2024, Andrade’s residence was one of four locations searched pursuant to an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in Brockton. It was determined that Andrade’s bedroom was being used as a stash location for a drug trafficking organization. In Andrade’s bedroom, over two kilograms of fentanyl and nearly two kilograms of cocaine, as well as a 9-millimeter Glock 17 handgun equipped with an apparent machinegun conversion device, laser sight and an extended magazine were located. A 50-round drum-style magazine, a second extended magazine, numerous rounds of ammunition, and various items associated with the mixing and packaging of narcotics were also located.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Apopka Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Keith Oelerich (62, Apopka) has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Oelerich faces a minimum penalty of 2 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in December 2018, Oelerich, the owner of Empire Sheds and More, LLC (Empire Sheds), a portable storage shed company, entered into an agreement with a loan financing company. Under the agreement, Empire Sheds submitted to the loan financing company rent-to-own contracts between Empire Sheds and its customers for the rental and purchase of sheds. The loan financing company paid Empire Sheds the purchase price of the sheds, and Empire Sheds’ customers were required to pay the loan financing company regular monthly rental payments for the sheds under the terms of the rent-to-own agreements.
Between December 2018 and September 2023, Oelerich used other individuals’ personal identifiable information to create 1,043 false and fraudulent rent-to-own agreements and submitted those false and fraudulent agreements to the loan financing company. As a result, the loan financing company paid Oelerich a total of $17,964,680, the purchase prices of the sheds referenced in the agreements. Oelerich has agreed to forfeit $17,964,680, the proceeds he obtained as a result of his offenses.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chauncey Bratt and Diane Hu.
Aiken Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly Woman in Will SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Cody Lee Anderson, 38, of Aiken, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. His co-defendant, Thomas Allen Bateman, 51, also of Aiken, was also sentenced to two years in prison earlier this year.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that sometime during the pandemic, a will was executed by a woman in Aiken that purported to leave the entirety of her estate, which was worth approximately $20 million to co-conspirator Thomas Allen Bateman, Jr. Anderson was designated as the personal representative and stood to be paid a fee of 5%, or $1 million. Evidence developed during the investigation indicated the 88-year-old woman did not have the mental capacity to make an informed decision regarding the disposition of her assets.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. sentenced Anderson to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Bateman was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.
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5 Defendants Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging Bicoastal Drug Trafficking Organization that Shipped Cocaine and Cash via AirRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Five defendants were arrested today on a 10-count federal superseding indictment alleging their participation in a multimillion-dollar drug trafficking organization (DTO) that used luxury private shipping companies to ship via air more than 20,000 kilograms (22.1 tons) of cocaine and more than $100 million in drug proceeds between Los Angeles and New York City.
Three defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York:
- Jamel Donald Levy, 52, of Brooklyn, New York;
- Bruce Adams, 50, of Bronx, New York; and
- Cindy Rachel Imbert, 33, of Englewood, New Jersey.
Two other defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in Los Angeles federal court:
- Nohely Jimenez-Ruiz, 30, of downtown Los Angeles; and
- Lorna Martinez, 42, a.k.a. “Cookie,” also of downtown Los Angeles.
Among the defendants currently in federal custody are the alleged ringleaders, David Rodriguez, 45, a.k.a. “Gotti” and “Fat Boy,” of Dumont, New Jersey, and Raymond O’Connell, 39, a.k.a. “Sal” and “White Boy,” of the Manhattan borough of New York City. Rodriguez and O’Connell have been in federal custody since last year. Another defendant, Ronell Sweat, 47, of New York City, is serving a 15-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty last year to a federal firearms charge.
Rodriguez and O’Connell are charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of money laundering. Eight other members of the DTO are charged in a superseding indictment returned on September 3.
According to the superseding indictment, Rodriguez and O’Connell over several years directed the purchase and storage of bulk quantities of cocaine in Los Angeles, for distribution on the East Coast. From an office fronting as a jewelry store in the California Jewelry Mart in downtown Los Angeles, members of the DTO shipped locked plastic cases concealing cocaine to New York City’s Diamond District using high-value freight forwarding companies. These companies specialize in shipping jewelry, precious metals, and fine art.
The cocaine was then redistributed by co-conspirators along the East Coast. Rodriguez and O’Connell also directed the shipment of drug proceeds from New York to Los Angeles, where co-conspirators laundered the money and sent it to others inside the organization.
Throughout this investigation, at least 1,300 parcels were shipped between Los Angeles and New York by the defendants’ DTO. More than 800 parcels concealing cocaine were shipped from Los Angeles to New York, with a declared weight of more than 22 tons, which would have an estimated wholesale value in Los Angeles of approximately $315 million. Approximately 500 parcels were shipped from New York to Los Angeles, with a total declared value of more than $105 million.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than $2.8 million in cash drug proceeds and more than 725 kilograms (nearly 1,600 pounds) of cocaine, as well as high-end cars and jewelry that defendants purchased using drug proceeds.
Law enforcement is looking for Daniel Vega, 52, a.k.a. “Nice,” and Gregory Antonio Benitez, 40, a.k.a. “G.,” both of New York City.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Rodriguez and O’Connell would face mandatory sentences of life in federal prison. The cocaine distribution charges carry a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The money laundering-related counts are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this matter with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the United States Marshals Service, the California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol, and the Glendale Police Department as well the DEA New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, comprised of special agents from the New York Division, the New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police.
This investigation was led by the Southern California Drug Task Force (SCDTF), a DEA-led multi-agency task force within the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Larocque and Jenna Williams of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and Victor Rodgers of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.
46-Month Sentence for Smuggling Switchblade, Fentanyl, and Phones into DC Jail while Awaiting Trial for HomicideRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darius Robertson, 32, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 46-months in prison for orchestrating a scheme to smuggle weapons, fentanyl, and cell phones into the maximum-security Central Detention Facility (CDF) while he was awaiting trial for murder, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Robertson pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Previously, on June 6, 2025, Robertson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the October 2021 beating death of his cousin Andre Robertson. Sentencing on the voluntary manslaughter count is scheduled for November 7, 2025. The judge ruled that Robertson’s sentence in this case will run consecutive to the ultimate sentence on the voluntary manslaughter count.
Joining in the announcement were Director Tom Faust of the D.C. Department of Corrections, FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, between December 2021 and July 2024, Robertson was being held in the facility, also known as the D.C. Jail, when he conspired with at two other detainees from the Clay Terrace neighborhood, two correctional officers, and two members of the community who delivered contraband to the jail.
Among the items the conspiracy attempted to smuggle into the CDF in February 2024 were one switchblade knife; an Apple iPhone and USB iPhone charger; two pairs of eyeglasses; a bundle of marijuana; tobacco; rolling papers; gambling dice; three sheets of bonded paper that were damp and contained a synthetic cannabinoid, MDMB-4en-PINACA—a Schedule I Controlled Substance; two plastic-wrapped packages of marijuana; and five individually wrapped packages containing approximately 100 cigarettes.
Following a series of smuggling incidents in July 2024, the Department of Corrections conducted a search for contraband and seized 269 blue pills which tested positive for fentanyl; 60 cigarettes soaked in an unknown liquid, 255 suboxone strips seven pieces of paper soaked in an unknown liquid; three cell phones; and a number of cigarettes.
Co-defendants who have pleaded guilty include LaTara Brown, 31, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, Kiya Holland, 33, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, Marcel Vines, 28, of Washington, D.C., and Stefon Freshley, 28 of Washington, D.C.
Vines was sentenced on March 7 to life plus 60 years in prison for the kidnappings and murders of two innocent victims in retaliation for a slaying in which the victims were not involved. On August 13, Vines was sentenced to an additional 46 months for his role in the smuggling scheme..
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services, and the Metropolitan Police Department, with the assistance of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold and Sarah Santiago.
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Monday 15 September 2025
Wisconsin Felon Who Held Woman at Gunpoint Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A felon who held a woman at gunpoint and threatened to kill her was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Mickey Lee Miller, age 38, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received the prison term after an April 21, 2025 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information in a plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing showed that on October 16, 2024, in Dubuque, Iowa, Miller pointed a loaded gun at a woman and threatened to kill her and others. Miller was taken into custody that night. On numerous occasions since October, Miller assaulted jail staff. Miller has a prior felony conviction for robbery with threat of force.
Miller was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Miller was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Miller is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1008.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Waterbury Teen Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing 21 Guns from Salem Store, CarjackingsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYSSAN WOODS, also known as “Tigger,” 19, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for stealing firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer in Salem and committing two armed carjackings in Stamford.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning of March 15, 2024, Woods, Eduardo Cruz, and others drove a car into the entryway doors of Statewide Pawn Shop, a federal firearms licensee in Salem, and stole 21 firearms from the store. Later that day, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of three of the stolen firearms from Cruz and a juvenile in Waterbury. On March 18, 2024, investigators purchased another of the stolen firearms from Cruz, who arrived at the meeting location with two juveniles. Cruz was arrested at that time, and law enforcement recovered two additional stolen firearms, one that was carried by one of the juveniles, and one from Cruz’s vehicle.
On March 28, 2024, Woods committed two carjackings in Stamford. Later that day, Connecticut State Police found Woods seated in the driver’s seat in one of the stolen vehicles and took him into custody. Investigators recovered the other stolen vehicle in Waterbury, and a search of Woods’ residence revealed two of the stolen firearms.
Thirteen of the stolen firearms are still missing.
Woods has been detained since his arrest. On June 20, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a licensee, two counts of carjacking, and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Cruz pleaded guilty and, on June 9, 2025, was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police, and the Waterbury, Stamford, and Wolcott Police Departments.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney for the Judicial Districts of Waterbury, New London, and Stamford-Norwalk for their cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mahard through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
Vienna man convicted for travelling to Colombia for commercial sex with a minorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Vienna man on Sept. 12 on charges of sex trafficking of a child and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Nov. 1, 2024, Michael Jamie Inofuentes, 45, a U.S. citizen with residences in Virginia and Colombia, flew into Miami International Airport on a return flight from Colombia, where he was flagged for secondary inspection based on suspicious payments he made to an individual suspected of engaging in child sex trafficking in Colombia. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a border search of Inofuentes and his belongings. During inspection of his two cellphones, agents identified messages between Inofuentes and a 15-year-old Colombian girl that indicated commercial sex. The victim informed Inofuentes that she was a minor, and they discussed meeting at a hotel in Medellin for sex and negotiated a price. Several months later, the victim informed Inofuentes that she was pregnant and they discussed the possibility of Inofuentes’ paternity.
Inofuentes initially denied having sex with the victim but later admitted to a sexual relationship. Inofuentes also admitted that he has children in Colombia and the mother was a minor when he impregnated her. Inofuentes was allowed to return home after the interview. Three days later, on Nov. 4, 2024, Inofuentes attempted to board a flight at Dulles International Airport to travel to Colombia. He was stopped on the jet bridge and taken to secondary inspection. He admitted that he offered the victim money for sex at a hotel.
Inofuentes faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, when sentenced on Jan. 15, 2026. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the verdict.
The HSI Miami Field Office provided valuable and significant assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Laura D. Withers are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-5.
Uintah Basin Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Travis Davies, 47, of Vernal, Utah, was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release after he trafficked narcotics, including hundreds of blue fentanyl pills in the District of Utah.
On June 5, 2025, Davies pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
According to court documents and admissions made at Davies’ change of plea and sentencing hearings, on November 9, 2024, law enforcement seized 296 blue fentanyl pills (33 grams) during an executed search warrant at his residence in Vernal. Law enforcement also seized a digital scale, and several small plastic baggies.
Additionally, according to court documents, Davies is known to law enforcement as a distributor of fentanyl and was caught with pills while on pretrial release for multiple other drug trafficking cases. He has also obstructed justice while under investigation for drug trafficking cases.
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Settlement with Chicago Pharmacy for Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office today announced a civil settlement with a Chicago pharmacy to resolve alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
The alleged violations by Allcare Discount Pharmacy in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood enabled the diversion of opioids from the pharmacy over an extended period. An inspection and audit by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration found that Allcare failed to keep adequate records pertaining to the receipt and disposition of various controlled substances, including hydrocodone-acetaminophen and alprazolam. The DEA determined that Allcare also failed to provide effective controls and procedures to prevent theft and diversion of controlled substances.
From 2015 to 2017, two Allcare pharmacy techs conspired to steal more than 56,000 pills of hydrocodone and sell them outside the pharmacy. One of the techs concealed the theft by falsifying the pharmacy’s inventory to make it look like the pills had either not been received from the distributor or had been dispensed to patients. The techs pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and were sentenced in 2019 to prison terms of five years and one year.
Under the terms of the civil settlement, Allcare will pay a $250,000 penalty to the United States. Allcare also successfully fulfilled its obligations under a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA that required the pharmacy to maintain complete and accurate records pertaining to the receipt and sale of controlled substances. The settlement is not an admission of liability by Allcare, nor a concession by the United States that its potential claims were not well-founded.
The settlement was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Shane Catone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. The civil case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie R. Raedy and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Pharmacies must take their responsibilities under the Controlled Substances Act seriously and comply with security protocols and proper oversight to prevent diversion of controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to enforce full compliance with the Controlled Substances Act and protect our communities from the dangers of opioid diversion and abuse.”
allcare_discount_pharmacy_settlement_agreement_fully_executed.final_-_readable_copy.pdfTwo Men in Utah Facing Federal Drug Charges After Law Enforcement Seize Approximately 100,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging two Utah residents, one of which is a Honduran national who lacks legal status in the United States. The defendants are charged with a federal drug crime after approximately 100,000 individual field-tested fentanyl pills were seized by law enforcement during an executed search warrant.
Elvin Isaac Vega Zuniga, 19, an undocumented Honduran national, and Andrew Estefan Valle Acosta, 19, both living in West Valley City, Utah, were charged by complaint on September 4, 2025.
According to court documents, since May 2025, agents with the FBI and the Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force have been investigating a drug trafficking organization. During a controlled purchase of fentanyl, agents identified a residence in West Valley City that the organization was allegedly using to distribute fentanyl. On September 2, 2025, a search warrant was obtained and executed at the West Valley City residence and agents seized approximately 100,000 individual pills, which field-tested positive for fentanyl.
Additionally, Vega Zuniga is in the United States illegally and was found by ICE in 2023. He was notified at that time of his illegal status and given a “notice to appear” in his immigration case. Despite being aware of his pending removal proceedings, Vega Zuniga engaged in the trafficking of fentanyl.
Vega Zuniga and Valle Acosta are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for September 19, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Orange County Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ronald E. Hubbard, Jr. (38, Apopka) to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison and Douglas E. Arnett, Jr. (33, Orlando) to 9 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Bradley D. Burch (35, Apopka) was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in the drug conspiracy and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. All three pleaded guilty in May 2025.
According to the plea agreements and court documents, throughout 2023, undercover agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of powder fentanyl, counterfeit fentanyl pills, and methamphetamine from Burch. For at least some of those transactions, Hubbard, Arnett, or both supplied the drugs to Burch to sell to the undercover agents. Over the course of the conspiracy, the group distributed nearly 2 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 350 grams of fentanyl or fentanyl analog mixtures. Additionally, during some of these transactions, Burch had a firearm nearby or in his waistband.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Apopka Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Three Men Charged with Gunpoint Robbery of Apple Products Delivery Truck, Related OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that JOSE MIGUEL MERCADO, 32, JEAN GONZALEZ PAULINO, 31, and DAURY RODRIGUEZ CONTRERAS, 22, each a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, have been charged with federal offenses related to their alleged involvement in the gunpoint robbery of a delivery truck containing Apple products in Manchester.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 7:00 a.m. on March 25, 2025, Mercado, Gonzalez, and Rodriguez, committed a gunpoint robbery of the driver of a delivery truck after he stopped at a commuter lot in Manchester before a scheduled delivery of a shipment of Apple products to an Apple store in South Windsor. Mercado, Gonzalez, and Rodriguez stole approximately $316,753 in Apple phones, tablets, and other accessories during the robbery, and approximately $1,000 in cash from the driver. After the theft, Mercado, Gonzalez, and Rodriguez traveled to a location in Wethersfield where they discarded clothing, a license plate, and other items into a dumpster. They then traveled to the Bronx, New York, where they unloaded items stolen during the robbery. Many of the stolen items were subsequently registered by New York residents and activated.
It is further alleged that a vehicle used in the robbery had been rented by Gonzalez in Massachusetts through Turo, a peer-to-peer car sharing platform. After the vehicle was returned on March 26, 2025, and being cleaned, the vehicle’s owners found a box containing an Apple charging cable that appeared to be new.
Mercado, Gonzalez, and Rodriguez were arrested on federal criminal complaints on August 21, 2025.
On September 3, 2025, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging each defendant with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; Hobbs Act Robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least seven years; and interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Mercado, Gonzalez, and Rodriguez, who are lawful permanent residents of the U.S., have been detained since their arrests. Mercado is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Hartford federal court. Gonzalez and Rodriguez were arraigned and entered not guilty pleas on September 11, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being led by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Manchester Police Department, the Wethersfield Police Department, the New York Police Department, the Lawrence (Mass.) Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Westchester County (N.Y.) Department of Public Safety’s Real Time Crime Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Texas Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Enticing A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Receiving Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced James Anthony Davila (21, Texas) to 10 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity and receiving child sex abuse material. Davila will also be required to register as a sex offender. Davila pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025.
According to court documents, Davila met a 12-year-old girl online while playing a video game. The two continued to communicate and exchanged sexually explicit photos. Davila later drove from Texas to Florida to pick up the child and engage in sexual acts with her.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Midway (Florida) Police Department and Johnson County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Man Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Michael Antwohn Wilson (38, Tampa) with producing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted on all counts, Wilson faces a maximum penalty of 80 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Wilson that the United States intends to forfeit a camera, cellphone and SD cards, which are alleged to have been used in the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, on April 27 and February 23, 2023, Wilson produced and attempted to produce CSAM in the Middle District of Florida. From an unknown date until June 26, 2025, Wilson possessed CSAM, including material depicting minors under the age of 12.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Tampa Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Southwest Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia man, who volunteered with local youth and worked on a college campus, admitted in federal court to distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online and is facing up to 20 years in prison for his crime.
Andrew Brent Darbyshire, 45, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, also known as child sexual assault material (CSAM), before Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on September 10, 2025. Darbyshire faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment to be followed by a minimum of five years up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Darbyshire will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. His sentencing date is currently set for Jan. 8, 2026.
“It is deeply disturbing whenever adults who work or volunteer with young people are found to be possessing or distributing child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are dedicated to seeking justice for victims of child exploitation and holding predators accountable for their crimes.”
“This case highlights the relentless dedication of Homeland Security Investigations to protecting children from those who exploit their innocence. The actions of this individual are a betrayal of trust and a grave violation of the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue predators who engage in these horrific crimes and ensure they are held accountable. Let this serve as a stark reminder: no matter where you hide or how you operate, HSI will find you, and justice will prevail.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tacoma, Washington, discovered an online account which was controlled by a suspect in a separate child exploitation case in February 2024. The website contained various sub-channels based on categories of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). By May 2024, the website had about 658 members and approximately 5,700 files of child pornography being actively shared throughout the channel and sub-channels.
One of the active members had a username “@teen_lover21.” HSI Tacoma tracked down the IP address, internet provider and phone number for the username, which turned out to be Darbyshire. As a result, in November 2024, HSI Tacoma reached out to HSI Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) about Darbyshire. Investigators learned Darbyshire worked at Albany State University (ASU) in maintenance and was involved in local organizations, including volunteering at a local high school and Boy Scouts.
On Nov. 25, 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant of his residence, seizing two cell phones. One cell phone contained 112 images and 195 videos of CSAM depicting prepubescent females between the ages of three and ten years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adult males. The other phone had various social media links, including the website investigated by HSI. That phone also contained about 945 images and 22 videos of prepubescent females between the ages of three and ten years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adult males. Darbyshire received and shared CSAM on the website and, specifically to this case, he distributed a digital media file that depicted prepubescent females engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by HSI Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) with assistance from HSI Tacoma, Washington, and the Washington State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Lim is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 4 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 8, 2025.
Lamont Victor Garrett, 52, was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Garrett was indicted for Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He was found guilty by a jury on June 11, 2025.
Garrett possessed ammunition in his residence in Sioux Falls on August 21, 2024. The ammunition was discovered when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence. Garrett is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his previous felony convictions.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Garrett was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Self-proclaimed “Mayor of Bissonnet” sentenced to 10 years for sex crimesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 58-year-old registered sex offender has been ordered to federal prison for aiding and abetting the transportation of a woman across state lines to engage in prostitution and failing to comply with requirements of the Sex Offender Registration Act, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Paul Edwards Evans aka Blue Diamond pleaded guilty May 29.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now sentenced Evans to a total of 120 months in prison. In imposing the sentence, the court considered Evans had inducted two family members into the family business which involved the trafficking of women to engage in commercial sex acts.
The crimes took place in the Bissonnet street area of Houston and in various other cities between Texas and California including Las Vegas, Nevada.
The “blade” or “track” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.
As a registered sex offender, he was also required to notify authorities when traveling from state to state. However, as part of his plea, he admitted that he failed to do so.
Evans will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case.
The FBI and Houston Police Department (HPD) conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) with the assistance of the Santa Barbara, California, Police Department.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
San Diego Man Who Twice Illegally Landed Airplane on Navy Base, Stole Truck and Damaged Gates Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Diego man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges and admitted that he twice illegally landed a small airplane on a United States Navy airstrip on San Clemente Island, then stole a Navy truck and used it to damage gates on the island, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
Andrew Kyle White, 37, pleaded guilty to one felony count of theft of government property in excess of $1,000 and one misdemeanor count of illegal entry into a naval installation. White has been in federal custody after he violated the terms of his bond by cutting off his ankle bracelet earlier this year.
San Clemente Island is owned and operated by the U.S. Navy and is part of Naval Base Coronado. According to White’s plea agreement, White knew it was illegal to travel to or access San Clemente Island without first obtaining permission from the Navy or a government official with authority to grant such access.
On October 29, 2023, White flew a Glastar airplane to San Clemente Island and landed the plane on a U.S. Navy airstrip without the Navy’s permission. At the time, White received, acknowledged, and signed a letter that notified him that it was a federal crime to travel to San Clemente Island without the Navy’s permission and instructed him not to return to the island.
On April 6, 2025, White again flew the Glastar airplane to San Clemente Island and landed it on a naval airstrip without permission. While on the island, White stole a white Ford F-150 truck worth approximately $16,000 and which was the property of the U.S. Navy.
After stealing the truck, White drove it to various locations on San Clemente Island, including locations that were blocked by locked gates. To gain access to those locations, White used the truck to damage the gates, causing approximately $8,077 in damages and costs to tow the truck.
Navy officials estimate that White’s intrusion onto the base cost nearly 500 man-hours and resulted in a $500,000 loss to the American taxpayer.
“Whatever [White’s] intentions were, the military did not know them; they responded as one might expect the military to respond to an unknown threat: they assumed the worst,” prosecutors argued in court documents. “The island went on a complete lockdown. Personnel engaged in a highly dangerous mission to locate the unknown intruder(s) notwithstanding the dangers they were exposing themselves too, from the weather, the terrain, and the potential unexploded ordnances that could have been underfoot in that area.”
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled a September 29 sentencing hearing, at which time White will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for theft of government property and up to six months in federal prison for illegally entering a naval installation.
United States Attorney’s Office Investigators investigated this matter with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI, the U.S. Navy Security Forces, and the San Diego Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frances S. Lewis of the General Crimes Section and Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in Connection with Covid-Related Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Roosevelt Gulley III, 41, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, from July through September 2020, Gulley participated in a Covid-fraud scheme targeting the Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit program administered by the California Employment Development Department (EDD). He collected personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and electronically submitted fraudulent applications for UI benefits to the California EDD in those persons’ identities. He electronically submitted at least 79 of these fraudulent applications to California EDD, which resulted in UI benefits debit cards being mailed to addresses he listed in the fraudulent applications. Gulley then retrieved the debit cards and removed money from them at various ATMs. The government alleges that the actual loss attributed to this fraudulent scheme was more than $575,000, with an intended loss exceeding $1.5 million.
“Roosevelt Gulley collected the personally identifiable information of individuals without their knowledge to fraudulently collect unemployment insurance benefits intended for American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Quentin Heiden, Special-Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “I would like to thank the Eastern District of California and the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force for their continued efforts to hold accountable those who committed pandemic-related fraud.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and the California EDD’s Investigation Division, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
Gulley is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Gulley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud and a mandatory additional sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Robbery Spree on the Metropolitan Branch Trail Yields 27 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jalique Wiseman, 20, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today, in Superior Court, to 27 years in prison, for a spree of robberies along the Metropolitan Branch Trail, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Wiseman pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025, to three counts of armed robbery and three counts of robbery. The Honorable Judge Jennifer Di Toro, of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, sentenced Wiseman to five years for each armed robbery and four years for each robbery to be served consecutively, for a total sentence of 27 years’ incarceration. A three-year term of supervised release will follow his term of incarceration.
According to the government’s evidence, between October 2, 2023, and November 23, 2023, Wiseman robbed multiple people on six separate instances on or near the Metropolitan Branch Trail, using either physical violence or at gunpoint, taking the victims’ cell phones and other property. Wiseman demanded the victims’ passcodes and used that information to access the victims’ financial accounts to transfer money to accounts that Wiseman and his codefendant controlled.
Wiseman was arrested on November 29, 2023, and he has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kraig Ahalt., who prosecuted the case.
Repeat Felon Convicted at Trial for Illegal Gun and Drug SalesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —LaClarence Lamarcus Anderson, 42, of Columbia, has been convicted by a federal jury following two days of trial. Anderson was found guilty on 12 counts of gun and drug trafficking offenses.
Evidence introduced at trial showed that on four separate occasions over about three weeks in 2024, Anderson sold drugs and guns he was not legally allowed to possess. On the first occasion, he sold a pistol, methamphetamine, and cocaine. On the second, he sold two pistols, cocaine, and crack cocaine. On the third, he sold a pistol, a rifle, and cocaine. And on the fourth, he sold three pistols, an AR-style-rifle, methamphetamine, and cocaine. He also sold a pistol with a switch on it. Switches convert semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons. Evidence showed Anderson used the gun sales to further his drug trafficking.
Federal law prohibits Anderson from possessing firearms based on previous convictions for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, armed robbery, burglary, possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted person, resisting arrest, and an unlawful weapons sale.
Anderson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life on his four convictions for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years on four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and a maximum sentence of 20 years on four counts of drug distribution.
He also faces a fine of up to $1 million and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie presided over the trial and will sentence Anderson after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Kathleen Stoughton are prosecuting the case.
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Plant City Drug Dealer Who Imported Glock Switches from China Convicted of Drug Distribution, Possessing Machinegun, and Other Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Phillip Michael Valeriani (42, Plant City) guilty of possessing cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute it. Valeriani was also adjudicated guilty prior to trial for possessing a machinegun, a silencer, and a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty on all counts of 75 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 10, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Valeriani used a fictitious name to order 63 Glock Switch components from China concealed inside a toy car box, which were seized at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. A search of Valeriani’s Plant City residence revealed a machinegun, a silencer, a rifle, and dozens of firearms components. Also found inside the house were distribution quantities of marijuana and crack cocaine as well as FBI and DEA raid jackets.
Testimony at trial also revealed that Valeriani was a prolific marijuana and cocaine trafficker. In February 2024, at the same Plant City residence, drug traffickers robbed Valeriani and stole distribution quantities of marijuana, $4,000 in cash, and firearms. On May 12, 2024, Valeriani flew into the Tampa International Airport from Medford, Oregon with 64 pounds of marijuana inside three suitcases. Authorities also seized 112 grams of cocaine during a prior traffic stop for which Valeriani took responsibility.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Plant City Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tampa International Airport Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Old Town Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in Penobscot CountyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Old Town man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, methamphetamine and cocaine.
According to court records, between January and April 2021, Alan Dziob, 44, conspired with others to distribute the drugs in the Penobscot County area and elsewhere. As part of the conspiracy, Dziob regularly supplied drugs to a local dealer to sell for him.
Dziob faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. He also faces a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Somerset County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
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Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Joshua Kahanek, age 44, was sentenced today after entering a guilty plea to one count of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender. Kahanek entered his guilty plea on May 21, 2025.
According to court documents, Kahanek was convicted of Rape in the First Degree in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2008. Kahanek was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was released from prison on April 11, 2022. Kahanek’s conviction required him to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Kahanek executed multiple forms with his SORNA officer in Oklahoma throughout 2022-2024 in which he acknowledged his duties and responsibilities to register as a sex offender. Those forms included his duty to register in any jurisdiction in which he was employed. On June 7, 2024, the Foley PD and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office received a report about Kahanek being in the Southern District of Alabama. Mobile Police Department located Kahanek working on the premises of a Target store in Mobile. Kahanek was working with a company that would install fiber optic cables at Target stores. Kahanek had not registered as a sex offender in Alabama.
At sentencing, Chief United States District Judge Beaverstock imposed a time-served and a 5-year term of supervised release. Kahanek had been in custody since his arrest on March 6, 2025. During his term of supervised release, Kahanek will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment. Kahanek will be required to register as a sex offender. Kahanek was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
The United States Marshals Service, Foley Police Department, Mobile Police Department, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Oconto County Hunting Guide Banned from Hunting for Illegal Bear BaitingRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 15, 2025, United States District Judge Byron B. Conway ordered Timothy J. Collar (age: 64) to pay a $3,000 fine and banned him from hunting for 12 months after Collar was convicted of illegal bear baiting on federal property.
Collar is a bear hunting guide who commonly planned and guided hunts on federal property in the Chequamegon-Nicolet Forest in northern Oconto County, Wisconsin. Court records indicate that in preparation for the 2023 bear hunting season, Collar unlawfully placed numerous oversized plastic bait barrels in several locations in the Chequamegon-Nicolet Forest. The barrels were placed there for the purpose of baiting bear, and they were uncapped, close to public roads, and significantly oversized. Collar also damaged natural resources for the purpose of gaining access to the bait sites.
The hunting ban will prevent Collar from hunting on federal property during the 2025 Wisconsin bear hunting season that runs from September 3, 2025, to October 7, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the United States Forest Service.
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North Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty in Public Corruption SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Michelle Stent-Hilton, 56, of Goose Creek, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds and honest services wire fraud, bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Michelle Stent-Hilton conspired with former North Charleston City Councilmember Jerome Sydney Heyward and others to pay kickbacks to Heyward in exchange for his support of Stent-Hilton's application on behalf of her non-profit—DEEP SC—for grant money. At the time, Heyward was serving as a member of North Charleston’s City Council representing District 5.
In 2022, the City of North Charleston decided to award grants to non-profits with the expectation that the non-profits would work to reduce gun violence in the City. Stent-Hilton applied for a grant through her non-profit, DEEP SC, and agreed to pay Heyward 20% of any money DEEP SC received from the City in exchange for his support and influence as a councilmember. Heyward twice voted to award grant money to DEEP SC and at least one other non-profit without disclosing that he had an agreement with the non-profits to pay him a kickback. Soon after DEEP SC received $100,000 from the City, Stent-Hilton purchased a cashier’s check for $20,000. The cashier's check was made payable to Rose Lorenzo, a bookkeeper to whom Heyward directed Stent-Hilton to route the funds. Lorenzo wired the money from Stent-Hilton, as well as one other non-profit, to Heyward's bank account. Stent-Hilton admitted that the kickback was laundered through Lorenzo's account to disguise the nature of the transaction.
Stent-Hilton faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Stent-Hilton after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Sowards and Emily Limehouse are prosecuting the case.
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North Carolina Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Distribution CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Samy Zrida, age 43, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by a minimum of ten years in prison and a $10,000,000.00 fine, and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, punishable by a minimum of ten years in prison and a $10,000,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on January 28, 2025, Zrida knowingly and intentionally possessed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances, intending to distribute them.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Zrida will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for International Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Nigerian national was sentenced on September 11 to 97 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, 41, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Akhimie and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Akhimie and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Akhimie admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.
“Schemes like this steal not only money but dignity from our seniors,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL). “Our Office stands with victims, ensures their voices are heard, and will relentlessly pursue those who prey on them.”
“The Justice Department will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service of the United Kingdom, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American consumers from being defrauded by Transnational Criminal Organizations,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division. “We have long partnered with the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch to deliver justice and we will continue to do so.”
“Defrauding the elderly and other vulnerable populations is a betrayal of not just trust but of humanity,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede for HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this investigation.”
Akhimie is the eighth defendant sentenced to prison in connection with the scheme. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams previously sentenced six additional defendants in a related case. On April 25, District Court Judge Roy K. Altman sentenced Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, who was extradited from Portugal, to 97 months in prison for his role in the scheme, describing the defendant’s offense conduct as “an incredibly serious crime” and stating that it merited a substantial sentence because it was important “to stand up for the most vulnerable, for the least protected members of our society who have done absolutely nothing wrong.”
USPIS and HSI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20140.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft Charge Stemming from U.S. Postal Service Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, announced that EZEKIEL BAILEY, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to an identity theft offense stemming from a U.S. Postal Service fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the U.S Postal Inspection Service began an investigation after receiving reports that an individual had been passing, and attempting to pass, bad checks to purchase thousands of dollars in postage stamps from U.S. Post Offices in Connecticut and surrounding states. The investigation revealed that Bailey had used the identities of three separate victims, fake driver’s licenses, and checks linked to empty bank accounts that had been created in the victims’ names, to purchase $98,000 in stamps from U.S. Post Offices in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, and elsewhere.
On January 20, 2023, Bailey was arrested on related state charges after he attempted to purchase 25 books of postage stamps for $300 at post office in Stonington. He possessed two fake driver’s licenses in the names of identity theft victims at the time of his arrest. He was charged by federal criminal complaint on November 26, 2024.
Bailey pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of two years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9.
Bailey is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George.
Neshoba County Man Found Guilty of Second-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – On September 10, 2025, following a three-day jury trial, a Neshoba County man was found guilty of second degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of the murder. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Brian Keith Bell, 56, of the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation used a handgun to shoot and kill another tribal member.
In April of 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Bell on the charges of Murder in the Second Degree and the Use of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence.
Honorable Daniel P. Jordan, III., United States District Judge, presided over the trial and scheduled Bell’s sentencing for November 14, 2025. Bell faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. He is currently being held in federal custody.
Acting United States Attorney Lemon commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 260 Months in Prison for Recording His Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Monday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual activity with a 14-year-old to 260 months in prison.
Todd Kelly, now 37, of Washington, Missouri, will be on supervised release for life after he is released from prison. Kelly admitted making the recordings on his cell phone in June and July of 2023. The investigation began in August of 2023 when the victim’s father learned about the relationship and discovered Snapchat communications between Kelly and his daughter. Investigators seized Kelly’s four cellular phones and found videos that he recorded.
Kelly pleaded guilty in April to one count of producing child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory sentence of at least 15 years in prison.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianne Edwards prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Miami – A Farmington, Michigan man has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of children under the age of 13.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks imposed the sentence on Ahmed Sultan Faraz, 30, on September 10.
According to court records, between September and October 2021, Faraz and five co-conspirators participated in a private chat room on a social networking application. Entry into the chatroom required participants to distribute CSAM of children under the age of 13. Once admitted, Faraz distributed CSAM and engaged in discussions with more than 50 other individuals about the sexual abuse of children. The children in the images and videos were as young as 4 years old.
In a post-Miranda interview, Faraz admitted to communicating online with five or six minors. Forensic evidence obtained from his electronic devices revealed that Faraz produced CSAM with at least two of these children and attempted to produce CSAM with a third.
In 2024, Faraz had a pending application to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, which has since been denied.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
HSI West Palm Beach and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case as part of a joint effort of the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Chase prosecuted the case.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-80036.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremiah Telmon-Isaiah Hand, also known as “Joey,” 29, of Inkster, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 17, 2024, Hand sold approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $180 to a confidential informant near Ritter Park in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Hand admitted to conducting the transaction, to arranging it beforehand, and that co-defendant Madison Grant Sergent was with him during the transaction.
Hand also admitted to additional criminal conduct as part of his guilty plea. On July 22, 2024, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hand in Huntington. Hand admitted that he was driving the vehicle, that he possessed $1,465 in proceeds from distributing methamphetamine, and that co-defendant Rakai Travall Hawkins was a passenger in the vehicle.
Hand is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Hawkins, also known as “G,” 31, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty on July 29, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025. The indictment against Sergent, 26, of Huntington, remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-51.
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Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States for the Fourth TimeRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS - A Mexican national was sentenced to two years in federal prison today for illegally reentering the United States following multiple prior deportations.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Francisco Rios-Munoz was found illegally present in Rankin, County, Mississippi on February 2, 2025, after having been previously removed from the United States three times. Rios-Munoz was encountered after being arrested by Rankin County Sheriff’s Department for aggravated assault.
Rios-Munoz was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 22, 2025, and pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after removal of an alien on June 6, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana made the announcement.
The United States Department Homeland Security and the Rankin County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber S. Jones prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican National Indicted for Drug Crimes in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging an undocumented Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, with drug crimes after he allegedly possessed and intended to distribute methamphetamine in the District of Utah.
Manuel Santos-Ramirez, 32, who was living in Salt Lake City, was charged by complaint on August 28, 2025.
According to court documents, since July 2025, agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force have been investigating a drug trafficking organization (DTO). In August 2025, during a controlled purchase of methamphetamine, a male later identified as Santos-Ramirez, arrived in a silver Ford F-150 pick-up truck, which agents followed to a residence in Salt Lake City. A search warrant was obtained and executed at the residence in Salt Lake City and the silver Ford F-150 pick-up truck. Law enforcement seized 5,843 grams of methamphetamine, which field-tested positive for the narcotic. Half of the methamphetamine was found in the pick-up truck, and the other half was inside the residence. The substance purchased during the controlled buy also field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Santos-Ramirez was arrested and remains in federal custody.
Santos-Ramirez is charged possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment was September 11, 2025. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for November 14, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 7.2 before Senior U.S District Court Judge Clark Waddoups at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Meridian man pleaded guilty on Tuesday, September 2nd in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2023, Jimmy Hodges, 40, was identified by East Mississippi Drug Task Force members as a distributor of narcotics in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Officers determined that Jimmy Hodges sold methamphetamine on multiple occasions in the district. While executing a search warrant of his home, law enforcement discovered that the home was outfitted with an internal barricade, surveillance system, and delivery door for drug sales along with quantities of methamphetamine and other drugs.
Jimmy Hodges is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson made the announcement.
The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating the case with assistance from the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Maryland Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Murdering His Girlfriend’s HusbandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keyon Slaughter, 28, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the December 2022 murder of Dana Bailey, Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Slaughter pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed on June 20, 2025. Slaughter was sentenced on September 12, 2025, by the Honorable Danya Dayson. In addition to the prison term, Judge Dayson ordered Slaughter to serve five years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on December 5, 2022, at approximately 10:15 a.m., Slaughter entered, the victim, Dana Bailey, Jr.’s, residence in Southeast D.C. Once inside the apartment, Slaughter confronted Mr. Bailey and shot him once in the chest with a .40 caliber handgun, causing his death. Slaughter fled the apartment. At the time of the murder, Slaughter was in a relationship with the wife of Mr. Bailey, who was indicted with Slaughter and pleaded guilty to obstructing justice.
At the time of the offense, Slaughter was on supervised probation for a 2019 armed robbery conspiracy conviction in Charles County, Maryland. Slaughter was arrested in July 2023 and has been detained since.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from MPD’s Homicide Branch.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones, who prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Firearms and Cocaine ConvictionsRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – John Ryan Zajac, age 31, of Parkville, Maryland, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for firearms and cocaine offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Zajac attempted to trade controlled substances for firearms through social media. Investigators arrested Zajac at the attempted trade and recovered cocaine and a 9mm pistol. Zajac is prohibited from having firearms because of prior armed robbery and firearms convictions.
Zajac will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Marengo County Man Sentenced to Thirteen Years for Armed Robbery of Chevron in Dixon MillsRead the Press Release
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Yancy Xavier Dumas to 157 months’ imprisonment for armed robbery of a business and discharging a firearm during the crime.
Court documents show that on January 9, 2024, Dumas robbed the Chevron Gas Station located on Highway 43 in Dixon Mills, Alabama. During the robbery Dumas wore a mask, pointed a handgun at the cashier, and demanded money. Dumas kept the gun pointed at the cashier during the robbery and repeatedly stated “give me that bag,” and “I’m going to bust you up.” During the robbery Dumas also discharged a round from the handgun to get the victim to speed up the process in turning over the money. The victim placed approximately $5,000.00 on the counter and Dumas fled the store with the money using a car which belonged to his girlfriend.
The Marengo County Sheriff’s Office immediately investigated the case and that evening they arrested Dumas at another gas station owned by the same store owner. Approximately $3,700 of the stolen money was recovered from a shed at Dumas’ mother’s house and the handgun was recovered Dumas’ girlfriend’s trailer.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marengo County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brandon Christopher Heck, age 25, a resident of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., for production of child pornography.
According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between July 26, 2023, and July 27, 2023, Heck communicated with a 7-year-old child via the Likee application. Over a twenty-four-hour period, Heck, who posed as a 14-year-old boy, directed the child to take and remit sexually explicit images of herself. A subsequent forensic review of Heck’s cellular device confirmed that in addition to producing child pornography, Heck distributed child pornography via Telegram throughout 2024.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Philadelphia Division. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Love County Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dustin Scott Langley, age 32, of Overbrook, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, punishable by up to twenty years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on July 2, 2025, Langley knowingly possessed visual depictions of a minor who had not attained twelve years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which Langley accessed with the intent to view.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Langley will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Last Defendant of Johnson City Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 262 Months for Methamphetamine and Cocaine Conspiracy, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn – On September 15, 2025, Spencer Allen Bradley, 33, of Atlanta, GA, was sentenced to over 21 years by the Honorable Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his imprisonment, Bradley will be on supervised release for five years.
According to the filed plea agreement, Bradley agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)A), and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h).
According to court filed documents, in July of 2020, the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD), along with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), initiated an investigation into the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Spencer Bradley, along with his brother, Camara Antonio Bradley, 25, Shannon Sherrell Bryant, 43, Montdail Maurice Brown, 41, Rachel Hunter Bowers, 33, Timothy Robert Malone, 37, Gabrielle Z’hane Greenlee, 28, Rashad Lorenzo Harrington, 27, James Earl Williams, 61, Dustin Matthew Wells, and Thomas James Dennis, Jr., 45, all of Johnson City, Tennessee, were involved in the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. Rachel Bowers and Spencer Bradley, who lived together, were digitally transferring large amounts of money into and from shared financial accounts to pay for and receive money from the drug sales, with suspicious transactions totaling $403,455. Spencer Bradley and Hunter Bowers used a business to launder the illegal monies received in the distribution of narcotics.
During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Spencer Bradley and Shannon Bryant used the residence of James Williams as a base of operations for the drug trafficking organization. Spencer Bradley and Bryant would bring or have brought into the Johnson City area large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. Using cooperators and confidential informants, law enforcement made several controlled purchases of narcotics from Spencer Bradley, his brother Camara Bradley, and James Williams. The FBI, using wire intercepts on Spencer Bradley’s phone, identified Rashad Harrington, James Williams, and Gabrielle Greenlee as persons who worked for Spencer Bradley in the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. In September of 2023, Greenlee was stopped in Loudon County, TN, and found to be in possession of 4 pounds of methamphetamine intended for distribution.
Judge Greer previously sentenced the other members of the drug trafficking organization as follows:
- Montdail Brown received a sentence of 228 months imprisonment for his involvement in the drug conspiracy, as well as his possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A).
- Shannon Bryan received a sentence of 170 months imprisonment for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
- Gabrielle Greenlee received a sentence of 60 months for her involvement in the drug conspiracy.
- Camara Bradley received a sentence of 60 months imprisonment for her involvement in the drug conspiracy.
- Rachel Bowers received a sentence of 36 months imprisonment for her involvement in the drug conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
- Timothy Malone received a sentence of 168 months imprisonment for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
- Thomas Dennis, Jr., received a sentence of 167 months imprisonment for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
- Dustin Wells received a sentence of 66 months imprisonment for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
- James Williams received a sentence of 80 months imprisonment for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
- Rashad Harrington received a sentence of 78 months term of imprisonment for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by JCPD, TBI, DEA, FBI, and HSI. This investigation was led by DEA Special Agent Cullen Conerly and TBI Special Agent and FBI Task Force Officer, Thomas Garrison.
Assistant United States Attorney B. Todd Martin and Special Assistant United States Attorney AnCharlene Davis represented the United States.
This case is part of the Take Back America Task Force, led by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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