title: Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced to 90 Months for Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jamie Greer Spies, 24, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 90 months in prison in connection with distributing multiple videos of child sexual abuse material to an undercover FBI agent, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Spies pleaded guilty July 22, 2025, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Spies to serve ten years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, an undercover officer working with the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force was monitoring an online group where people meet to discuss and trade original images and videos of underage children. While in the group, an individual calling themselves “babygirl484” and later identified as Spies messaged the undercover officer indicating that she was interested in images that portrayed the sexual abuse of young children. Spies, who was the mother of a then 16-month-old son, subsequently distributed multiple images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including the abuse of infants and toddlers. Following her arrest on May 2, 2025, investigators discovered 43 videos and 51 images of child sexual abuse materials on her phone. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, Allentown Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 25cr197 Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Illinois Man Convicted in Burger King Armed Robbery that Sparked Multi-County Vehicle Chase

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has convicted Cameron Love, 28, of Rockford, Illinois, of interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Evidence presented at trial showed that on January 16, 2025, Love robbed the Burger King located at 7620 North Shadeland Avenue in Indianapolis. Armed with a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun, Love entered the restaurant and paced in front of the counter. When an employee approached to assist him, Love drew the firearm from his coat pocket, pointed it at her, and demanded she open the register. The employee fled to the kitchen. Love then vaulted over the counter, pointing the gun at additional employees and customers, threatening to kill anyone who resisted, and demanding money. He stole $459 and fled in a Chevy Cruze driven by Michael Scott. The employee immediately called 911. IMPD officers attempted a traffic stop on the Cruze near 86th Street and Keystone Avenue, but the vehicle fled, initiating a high‑speed pursuit across multiple counties. Dash‑camera footage captured Love throwing both the stolen cash and the handgun out of the vehicle during the chase. The pursuit ended in Carmel. Four days later, IMPD officers recovered the loaded firearm—frozen in ice and protruding from the snow—near a bike path on 106th Street. Love is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery and armed robbery in Illinois. U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon presided over the trial and will sentence Love at a later date. Love’s co-defendant, Michael Scott, was sentenced in October 2025 to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to acting as an accessory after the fact. The FBI and IMPD investigated this case. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Domash and Brendan J. Sullivan, who are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist, Shané Penney, Systems Manager Kathy Wells, Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Lloyd and Victim Witness Contractor, Maurine Bwambok. ###


title: Former DOJ Contractor Pleads to Mail Fraud in Theft of Cell Phones Valued at More Than $1.3 Million

component: Department of Justice

body_text: WASHINGTON – Javan King, 42, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in connection with stealing thousands of government cell phones when he worked for the Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. King pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Judge Jia M. Cobb accepted King’s plea and scheduled sentencing for May 26, 2026. According to court documents, between approximately 2021 and 2025 King worked as an information technology contractor for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ). During that period, he defrauded DOJ out of more than $1.3 million by successfully requesting that DOJ order thousands of mobile devices that the Department did not need. After the phones were shipped to King at DOJ, he sent them to phone reselling businesses. In total, the businesses paid him more than $1.3 million for the phones. King acknowledged that his scheme caused the Department of Justice to suffer an actual loss of more than $1.3 million because of fees that it paid AT&T for the unnecessary phone lines and phones. This case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman. 26cr15


title: Tampa Jury Convicts Leader of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – A federal jury has found Celso Navarro Diaz (65, Colombia) guilty of conspiring to traffic more than five kilograms of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Navarro Diaz faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison for each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 22, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Navarro Diaz was the head of an organization in Colombia that transported cocaine and marijuana from the Pacific coast of Colombia to Costa Rica. Over a two-year period, Panamanian, Colombian, and U.S. Coast Guard authorities interdicted four of his organization’s vessels. The investigation revealed that Navarro Diaz discussed the smuggling operations in heavily coded language and talked about the seizures in coded language after three of the events. The cocaine was intended to be smuggled from Costa Rica through Central America and Mexico prior to importation into the United States. Navarro Diaz was previously convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and pleaded guilty to that offense in 2010 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Colombian National Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and September 2024 extradition from Colombia of Navarro Diaz. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.


title: Clovis Mother Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Arming Her Son, a Felon and Gang Member

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Jawana Washington, 45, of Clovis, was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd for aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm as well as disposing of a firearm to a felon, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. On Sept. 3, 2025, Jawana Washington was convicted following a one-day trial. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Jawana Washington knowingly provided her son, Taylor Washington—a documented gang member and convicted felon—her firearm. On March 25, 2022, she agreed to lend him her firearm, cautioning him not to do anything “crazy,” to use his own ammunition, and not to get her sent to jail. Minutes later, agents observed Taylor Washington arrive at his mother’s apartment complex, meet with her, and leave in a vehicle. During a subsequent traffic stop, officers recovered a Springfield Armory XD-9 handgun, registered to Jawana Washington, from the car’s center console. After the stop, Jawana Washington exchanged messages with others in which she acknowledged that Taylor Washington had her firearm and urged deletion of incriminating text messages. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Fresno Police Department; the Fresno-area Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC); the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit; the California Department of Justice Human Trafficking / Sexual Predator Apprehension Team; the California Highway Patrol; the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office; the Kings County Sheriff’s Office; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Honduran national sentenced to six years in prison for repeated arrests for possession and distribution of fentanyl

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 37-year-old man who was living in a Des Moines, Washington, hotel, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six years in prison and three years of supervised release for drug and gun crimes, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Dennis Aguilar Huisa was arrested three times over 15 months for possession of fentanyl pills and/or powder, methamphetamine, cocaine, and a firearm. After the third arrest Huisa was federally indicted and has been in custody since November 1, 2024. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Chun said fentanyl “is so dangerous and has destroyed so many lives…. He must have known that he was putting himself and his family at risk.” According to records filed in the case, Puyallup Police first contacted Huisa on the side of the road in the early hours of August 15, 2023. Huisa said his car had overheated and he and a passenger were waiting for the engine to cool down. The police officer noticed that the license plate on the car did not match the type of vehicle listed in the registration. Huisa was removed from the car while law enforcement determined whether the car or the license plates were stolen. A second officer noticed blue pills in the car. Ultimately the car was impounded. A search revealed that there were about 1,000 fentanyl pills as well as some suspected fentanyl powder. There was also a scale with drug residue in the car. On September 7, 2024, Puyallup Police responded to a report of a nine-month-old infant who had stopped breathing. Huisa and a woman met the officers outside a box truck the infant in their arms. Law enforcement worked to get the child to respond and breathe, Central Pierce Fire and Rescue responded and continued to work on providing aid to the child. The law enforcement investigation found evidence that Huisa had given the infant two doses of Narcan suspecting that the child had been exposed to fentanyl or other drugs. Huisa gave permission to search the box truck. Law enforcement located approximately 115 blue fentanyl pills. On Huisa they found fentanyl powder and over $16,000 in cash. The infant was taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. The child was given additional doses of Narcan, and the child’s blood tested positive for fentanyl, amphetamine, and oxycodone. The child survived. Finally, on November 1, 2024, Auburn Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit served a search warrant on the Des Moines motel where Huisa had been living. In the hotel room they found small packages of fentanyl powder packaged for sale. Huisa had been attempting to flush it down the toilet when he heard law enforcement arrive. Officers found additional fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, and cocaine in other places around the room. Officers once again searched the box truck Huisa had been driving and found two kilograms of fentanyl powder and a Polymer 80 ‘ghost gun’ – a gun made without a serial number. Huisa was charged by criminal complaint on March 12, 2025. He was indicted by the grand jury on March 26, 2025. On November 12, 2025, Huisa pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and money laundering. The financial investigation revealed that between July 2022 and September 2024, Huisa had made about $370,000 in cash deposits to his bank account – the proceeds of drug dealing. Today, Huisa told the court he was “very ashamed and cannot forgive myself for what I have done to my daughter… I did not come here to deal drugs.” In asking for an eight-and-a-half-year sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Huisa was contacted by law enforcement on three different occasions and continued to engage in his drug trafficking activities, to the detriment of his infant daughter. Huisa appeared to be undeterred following the overdose of his child and continued to engage in the distribution of controlled substances.” Huisa will likely be deported to Honduras following his prison sentence. The case was investigated by the Puyallup Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation (CI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.


title: Executive Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Bid-Rigging Conspiracy

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The president of a metal fabrication and manufacturing company pleaded guilty on Feb. 5, to a conspiracy to rig bids for maintenance, repair, and operations contracts affecting United States military installations, earning his company more than $8.5 million dollars in rigged procurements. According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Thomas C. Rollins, of Wilmington, North Carolina, was the president of a company that provided goods and services to military bases through procurements administered by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Between at least 2015 and 2022, Rollins conspired with other individuals and companies to suppress and eliminate competition by rigging bids for the procurements administered by the DLA, which were awarded to subcontractors through a competitive bidding process. Rollins and his co-conspirators coordinated their submission of rigged bids by agreeing in advance which co-conspirator would submit the lowest pricing and instructing each other how to price “comp” or “cover” bids. In the plea agreement, Rollins admitted that the volume of commerce attributable to him and related to the conspiracy was approximately $8.47 million. “For seven years, this defendant deliberately chose to cheat instead of compete, harming the Department of War and the American people in the process,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its partners in the Procurement Collusion Strike Force are laser focused on detecting and prosecuting those who seek to tilt the scales in their favor at the expense of American taxpayers and warfighters.” “As the criminal investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Department’s acquisition process,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “When individuals conspire to rig bids and eliminate fair competition, they erode taxpayer trust and jeopardize the readiness of our armed forces. Today’s outcome makes clear that this conduct will not be tolerated. DoD contracts must be awarded based on merit, consistent with the best interests of national defense.” Rollins pleaded guilty to one felony count of restraining trade by conspiring to rig bids, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The maximum penalty for individuals is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled in this case. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DoD-OIG) is investigating this case. The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force . Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards .


title: Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted for Trafficking Fentanyl in Natchitoches Parish

body_text: SHREVEPORT– On December 3, 2025, a federal grand jury in Shreveport returned an indictment charging the following five individuals for their roles in trafficking fentanyl and in around Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana: Kedrick Donell Moses, a 49-year-old resident of Alexandria; Edward Paige, a.k.a. “Pooh,” a 43-year-old resident of Natchitoches; Donovan Solitaire, a.k.a. “NuFive,” “Five,” and “Nuda,” a 26-year-old resident of Natchez; Quenderrick Williams, a.k.a. “Bing,” a 27-year-old resident of Pineville; and Raven Gray, a 23-year-old resident of Natchez. “Fentanyl and the criminals who peddle it present an extreme danger to our communities, city and rural alike,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office will continue to work with our federal and state partners to eliminate the transnational criminal organizations that are spreading this poison across our communities and to ensure that the criminals working for these groups are off the street and facing justice.” According to court documents, beginning on or about January 1, 2025, and continuing through June 30, 2025, Solitaire obtained fentanyl from Moses, Williams, and Paige. Once Solitaire obtained the supply of fentanyl, he stored and distributed the drug from his and Gray’s home in Natchez. Moses, Paige, Solitaire, and Williams are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Solitaire is also charged along with Gray with Maintaining a Drug Premises. If convicted, Moses, Solitaire, and Williams face a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison. Paige, who has a prior serious felony drug conviction, faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Gray faces up to 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaDonte Murphy and Jessica Cassidy with assistance from Legal Assistants Emily Favrot and Christy Angelle and Legal Administrative Specialist Laura Bourque. This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in drug trafficking. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer , under Case Number 1:25-cr-00346. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: New York Resident Sentenced for Child Exploitation Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that SASHA MAY, formerly known as Owen May, 24, of Pelham, New York, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one day of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release, the first nine months of which May must serve in home detention with electronic monitoring, for a child exploitation offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2023 and May 2024, May engaged in online conversations with an undercover law enforcement officer on the messaging platforms Kik and Whisper. In those conversations, May detailed her sexual interest in children and distributed child pornography. May was arrested on August 26, 2024. On July 24, 2025, she pleaded guilty to possession and access with intent to view child pornography. This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, the Greenwich Police Department, and the Pelham (N.Y.) Police Department. The Task Force includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Civil Rights Division Secures $68M Settlement in Predatory Land Sales and Lending Lawsuit

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that Colony Ridge Land LLC and its affiliates (Colony Ridge), a land developer and lender near Houston, TX, have agreed to pay $68,000,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that Colony Ridge targeted Hispanic borrowers with a predatory land sales and lending scheme that led to a cycle of foreclosures and financial hardship in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). “Intentionally targeting vulnerable borrowers with the American dream of homeownership and then trapping them in a predatory scheme is not only wrong, it also violates our civil rights laws. This DOJ will go after all lenders, financiers, and land developers who participate in schemes which ultimately encourage illegal immigration,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The changes required by this settlement will promote public safety, and affordable and sustainable homeownership in America, key priorities of this Administration.” The Civil Rights Division’s investigation found that Colony Ridge intentionally targeted Hispanic consumers with a deceptive bait-and-switch, predatory scheme that used misleading advertisements and sales tactics, including misrepresentations about flooding risks. Colony Ridge also used seller-financed loans without verifying a borrower’s ability to repay, significantly increasing the possibility of default and resulting in high foreclosure rates. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the State of Texas’s Office of the Attorney General. The settlement resolves a December 2023 lawsuit filed by the Civil Rights Division and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and a March 2024 lawsuit filed by the State of Texas Office of the Attorney General. Under the settlement, defendants have agreed to: Invest $48 million in infrastructure improvements , with $18 million specifically invested in drainage infrastructure to address severe and costly flooding damage to homes, and $30 million towards other general infrastructure improvements; Increase housing affordability by adopting underwriting standards that assess borrowers’ ability to repay their Colony Ridge lot loans through consideration of borrowers’ income, assets, and debt; Preserve homeownership by developing a policy to meaningfully reduce the number and frequency of foreclosures and deeds in lieu of foreclosures; Protect homeowners by developing a default avoidance plan to help borrowers avoid defaulting on their Colony Ridge lot loans and to meaningfully reduce the overall default rate; Protect borrowers by developing a plan to address harms to borrowers’ credit because of reports made by Colony Ridge for all borrowers who have defaulted on a Colony Ridge lot loan; Address misrepresentations to consumers by ensuring honest and accurate advertisements that truthfully and accurately describe the properties for sale and applicable loan terms; Represent accurately the state of properties by providing pre-sale disclosures that accurately state whether a property is “move in ready” or currently has “all city services” such as immediate access to all utility services; Invest $20 million in increased law enforcement presence to ensure the safety of residents by coming into compliance with local, state, and federal agreements and to increase law enforcement presence and effectiveness in the Colony Ridge developments; Utilize ILSA’s intrastate land sales exemption and require purchasers to present an unexpired Texas-issued driver’s license, a Texas-issued identification card, a limited-term Texas-issued driver’s license issued after January 1, 2025 or an unexpired passport and valid visa issued or renewed after January 1, 2025 ; and Halt development of new residential plats for direct-to-consumer sales for three years. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt .


title: Eleven Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Linked to Gulf Cartel Indicted for Drug Trafficking in Central Louisiana

body_text: LAFAYETTE – On January 21, 2025, a federal grand jury in Lafayette, Louisiana returned a 12-count indictment charging eleven alleged members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine in the Western District of Louisiana. On January 29, 2026, all eleven defendants were taken into custody by federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. “Drug traffickers working with transnational criminal organizations like the Gulf Cartel endanger urban and rural communities alike, and this case shows that rural communities like Vernon Parish will not tolerate these groups peddling the poisons of fentanyl, meth, and other hard drugs in their community,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “This case shows our Office’s commitment alongside our federal and state partners to disrupt these groups attempting to gain a foothold in our District’s many rural communities, and we will remain vigilant in identifying and prosecuting the criminals who would push these drugs into the lives of our District’s citizens.” The investigation began when FBI New Orleans, Alexandria RA, opened an investigation into a neighborhood-based gang in early 2025. The local gang is alleged to import large amounts of illegal drugs from Gulf Cartel sources of supply in Mexico. During the first week of November, FBI seized approximately 25 pounds of methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine, 2,000 fentanyl pills, one pill press, $125,000 in U.S. currency, $28,000 in gold bars, and other contraband. According to the indictment, beginning at a time unknown but from at least on or about July 11, 2024, to November 2, 2025, the defendants intentionally conspired with each other to unlawfully possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, or 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The indictment also alleges seven of the defendants conspired with each other to unlawfully possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Six alleged DTO members face separated possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances charges including one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. The indictment also charges two individuals with the Illegal Use of a Communication Facility to further a Drug Transaction in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b). This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Louisiana State Police (LSP); Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office (SPSO); and Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office (VPSO). Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy and Legal Assistant Christy Angelle are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in drug trafficking. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer , under Case Number 24-CR-00249. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: Two Charged After Seizure of 44 Pounds of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two southwest Missouri residents were charged federally for possession with intent to distribute over 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Michael Wilson, 49, of Lamar, Mo., and Amber Beck, 34, of Eagle Rock, Mo., were charged by federal criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Wilson and Beck had their first appearances in court today, following their arrests on Feb. 9, 2026. According to court documents, on Feb. 7, 2026, following a traffic stop on I-44 in Jasper County, Mo., an officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) discovered Wilson and Beck were in possession of approximately 44 pounds of suspected methamphetamine. An affidavit filed with the complaint alleges that Wilson and Beck have regularly been making trips to the Pheonix, Ariz., area to purchase methamphetamine for distribution. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Lucas. It was investigated by the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, Missouri State Highway Patrol, the DEA, and the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office. Operation Take Back America 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.


title: Five Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Fraud Offenses and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an Indictment on February 4, 2026, charging five Louisville residents with fraud and money laundering offenses. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement. According to the Indictment, Donnita Wilson , 32; Aariel Matthews , 27; Raul Tellez Ojeda , 32; Lazaro Alejandro Castello Rojas , 37; and Robert Danger Correa , 41; were charged with Mail Fraud (14 counts), Mail Fraud Conspiracy (one count), Honest Services Mail Fraud (14 counts), Honest Services Mail Fraud Conspiracy (one count), Unlawful Production of Identification Documents (14 Counts), and Money Laundering Conspiracy (one count). The indictment alleges the defendants devised and executed a scheme that solicited illegal fees between $200 and $1,500 from legally present, non-U.S. citizens who were applying for driver’s licenses on the promise that they would be expedited through the process without undergoing testing requirements. In furtherance of the scheme, the indictment alleges that certain conspirators altered information in government databases to bypass important steps in the application process and, thereby, issue invalid licenses to the non-U.S. citizens. The indictment alleges the defendants perpetrated this scheme for their own financial gain, and betrayed the trust placed in them by Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet. United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “This indictment represents the culmination of an investigation into a scheme by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet employees and others to illegally circumvent Kentucky’s process for issuing driver’s licenses, thereby issuing invalid licenses to lawfully present, non-U.S. citizens who had not first demonstrated their qualifications to drive on our roads. Proper vetting of individuals seeking a driver’s license is a prerequisite to ensuring the safety of Kentucky’s roadways and ensuring the legitimacy of state-issued identification. As alleged in the indictment, this fraudulent scheme involved kickbacks and bribes leading to numerous legally present, non-U.S. citizens obtaining unlawfully issued drivers licenses.” Several defendants were arraigned on February 9, 2026, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years for each count of mail fraud, mail fraud conspiracy, honest services mail fraud, and money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the Kentucky State Police, the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Owensboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin McKenzie is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Indictment ###


title: Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice in Assault Investigation

body_text: Sandra Munagay, 44, of Atwater, a former Senior Correctional Officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater, pleaded guilty today to obstructing justice during the investigation of her alleged assault of an inmate, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in 2023, while working as a correctional officer, Munagay had a verbal dispute with an inmate housed at the prison. The inmate turned and tried to walk away from Munagay, but she pursued him. When the inmate stopped and turned back towards Munagay, she punched him in the face. The same day, Munagay falsified a report about the incident. In the report, Munagay stated that the inmate had walked towards her in an aggressive manner and that she had panicked due to his size and aggressive behavior. Munagay further stated that she tried to place her hand on the inmate’s shoulder to gain distance from him and that her hand inadvertently landed on his cheek. The video surveillance of the incident showed that the statements Munagay made in the report were false and that she was the aggressor. As part of Munagay’s plea agreement, she admitted to making the statements with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence an official investigation of the incident by the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case. Munagay is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Munagay faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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.


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine : A Connecticut man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for trafficking cocaine and fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Cyrus Griffin, 42, to 60 months in prison. Griffin pleaded guilty on April 1, 2025. According to court records, Maine State Police stopped Griffin on I-95 on October 25, 2024. Griffin was on parole for a homicide and was not supposed to leave Connecticut. A search of Griffin’s person recovered over two thousand dollars in cash and a quantity of suspected drugs. Inside the vehicle, Maine State Police found a handgun under the driver’s seat, drug processing paraphernalia, suspected cocaine, and suspected fentanyl. Subsequent testing confirmed almost a pound of cocaine from the seizure and approximately 135 grams of fentanyl, as well as a suspected cutting agent and processing paraphernalia. The DEA investigated the case, with the assistance of Maine State Police and the Maine Attorney General’s Office. Operation Take Back America: 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. ###


title: Fugitive Sex Offender Arrested in Mexico Sentenced for Failing to Register

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who spent two years on the run as a fugitive in Mexico before being arrested in March, was sentenced recently to 18 months in prison for failing to register as a convicted sex offender. Corey Richard Parton, 36, pled guilty in September 2025 to failing to register and update a registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and failing to provide information required by SORNA relating to intended travel in foreign commerce. According to court documents, in December 2018 Parton was convicted in Russell County, Virginia for proposing a sex act by a communications system and soliciting child pornography, both felonies. Based on these convictions, Parton was a sex offender who was required to register under SORNA. Records indicate that Parton completed his initial registration as a sex offender with the Commonwealth of Virginia on April 16, 2019. Parton was required to re-register every 90 days. On August 8, 2023, the Virginia State Police (“VSP”) began an investigation into Parton’s SORNA registration information. The VSP investigation determined that Parton had failed to update his home address, vehicle registration information, place of employment, and use of social media - which he was prohibited from using - and place of employment. As a result, re-registration forms were sent to Parton with instructions for Parton to update this information. However, these forms were never returned. As a result, Parton was charged with three SORNA violations in Bristol, Virginia General District Cour, arrested on August 16, 2023, and given a bond. Further investigation revealed that following his release, Parton had traveled to Galveston, Texas where he boarded a cruise ship that stopped in Cancun, Mexico. Parton got off the cruise ship in Cancun and never boarded the ship when it left port. Authorities located Parton living at the Ocean Dream Hotel in Coco Bongo Beach, Cancun, Mexico living under the name Dominque Garcia. He was arrested on May 25, 2025. “This office will vigorously prosecute those who fail to register as sex offenders in the Western District of Virginia. I commend the U.S. Marshal’s Service and Virginia State Police for their outstanding work on this case,” said Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. The United States Marshals Service and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone is prosecuting the case.


title: High-Speed Chase, Collisions with Two U.S. Marshal’s Vehicles, Yield an 8-Month Sentence

body_text: WASHINGTON – Joshua Rosser, 28, residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to eight months in prison in connection with purposely ramming a U.S. Marshal’s vehicle and then leading officers on a 10-minute high-speed chase, crashing into a second law enforcement vehicle, as he attempted to evade arrest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Rosser pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2025, before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to federal misdemeanor assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and to D.C. Code felony fleeing from law enforcement. In addition to the eight-month sentence, Judge AliKhan ordered Rosser to serve 12 months of supervised release on the federal count and three years of supervised release on the D.C. count as well as to pay $4,528.92 in restitution for damage to the law enforcement vehicles. According to court documents, on Sept. 2, 2025, law enforcement officers were in unmarked police cruisers when they spotted an SUV with heavily tinted windows and a counterfeit Texas Buyer’s Tag. After officers confirmed that the tag was counterfeit, they attempted to conduct a traffic stop. An unmarked U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) vehicle occupied by four Deputy U.S. Marshals (DUSMs) activated its emergency lights and pulled in front of the SUV. Simultaneously, an unmarked U.S. Park Police (USPP) vehicle occupied by two USPP officers located behind the SUV activated its emergency equipment. As a USPP officer got out of his vehicle, Rosser rapidly accelerated forward and fled from law enforcement, striking a USMS vehicle in the process. After colliding with the USMS vehicle, Rosser sped away in his SUV. Officers pursued Rosser in their vehicle with both their lights and sirens on. During the pursuit, Rosser reached speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour and drove the wrong way up one-way streets. During the chase, Rosser’s SUV collided with a second USMS vehicle occupied by three DUSMs. The impact caused injuries to one of the DUSMs. Rosser pulled away after the collision and continued to flee. After about 10 minutes of trying to evade law enforcement Rosser’s SUV came to a stop and he was arrested. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service, U.S. Park Police, FBI Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English. 25cr291 Rosser collided with this USMS vehicle in which three Deputy U.S. Marshals were riding.


title: Rensselaer Man Sentenced for Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mark Tremblay, 35, of Rensselaer, New York, was sentenced on February 6, 2026 to 10 years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Tremblay admitted that on or about November 13, 2024, he produced and sent two child pornography videos involving a child to another person with whom he was corresponding on the internet. First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Offenders who prey on children will face swift, aggressive prosecution and severe consequences. This office, alongside HSI and all our federal and state law enforcement partners , will use the full weight of federal law to protect every child in this District.” HSI Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan said: “The disturbing nature of these crimes underscores the urgent need to protect our most vulnerable community members. HSI Albany is unwavering in our commitment to uncovering these heinous acts and ensuring those responsible are held fully accountable. Together with our partners, we are leveraging every investigative resource and partnership available to shine a light on these crimes and pursue justice for victims.” United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Tremblay to serve a 15-year term of supervised release to begin after he is released from prison. Tremblay will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release. HSI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police (NYSP) and the NYSP Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Vickey prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Businessman Who Repeatedly Transferred Assets to Elude Creditors Waives Discharge After USTP Investigation

component: U.S. Trustee Program

body_text: A business owner who devised a corporate shell game to hide assets from creditors both before and after bankruptcy agreed to waive his bankruptcy discharge of more than $8.4 million in debts after an investigation by the Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP). On January 29, the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri approved a voluntary waiver of discharge by debtor Bradley James Carlson. As a result, Carlson remains liable for his debts, and creditors are free to pursue payment from him after the case is closed. Carlson was the owner and chief executive of a holding company and multiple subsidiaries operating several businesses, including real estate ventures and entities that manufactured and sold commercial food trucks. In November 2023, a state court appointed a receiver over the corporate assets after the businesses defaulted on payments to their primary lender — which also alleged that Carlson and other senior company executives had diverted business funds to buy luxury items, including sports cars and watches, and pay for personal projects such as the remodeling of Carlson’s multimillion-dollar residence. On the eve of the receiver’s appointment, Carlson transferred the business assets to new entities created by his girlfriend and another executive. Carlson continued to manage the businesses while he and his staff told customers and other employees that the old companies were being rebranded. In February 2024, Carlson filed an individual chapter 7 bankruptcy case to attempt to avoid liability on several personal financial guarantees related to his enterprises. As part of its investigation, the USTP’s Kansas City office subpoenaed bank and business records, which prompted Carlson to create more new entities and transfer business assets again. Ultimately, Carlson agreed to waive his discharge. “The USTP is committed to combating fraudulent and abusive conduct that threatens to undermine the integrity of the bankruptcy system,” said Acting U.S. Trustee Jerry Jensen of Region 13, which includes the Western District of Missouri. “The USTP will enforce the law against those who try to use the system to gain an unfair advantage.” The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 82 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust .


title: North Texas men receive lengthy federal prison sentences for trafficking fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PLANO, Texas –Two North Texas men have been sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentences for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Nathan Jesse Garcia, 24, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on February 9, 2026. Lino Hernandez, 25, of Arlington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on February 9, 2026. According to information presented in court, from at least 2022, Garcia and Hernandez conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Dallas Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Rattan. ###


title: Colonie Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Murder-for-Hire Plot

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeal Sutherland, age 58, of Colonie, New York, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for using an interstate commerce facility in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting a Capital Region man. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As detailed in Sutherland’s plea agreement and an earlier-filed criminal complaint, between November 2024 and January 2025, Sutherland used his cell phone to arrange the murder of a man who is the father of a child with Sutherland’s then-partner. As part of this plot, Sutherland agreed to forgive a debt of the person he hired to kill the victim. Sutherland also agreed to pay an undercover FBI agent – whom Sutherland believed to be a hog farmer – for use of a Pennsylvania farm to dispose of the victim by having pigs consume the body. Sutherland admitted that in late January 2025, he had another man put the carcass of a Canada goose on the doorstep of the victim’s mother. When the dead bird was discovered, it had a threatening note stuffed in its beak that had been written at Sutherland’s direction. The intended victim was not harmed, and the FBI arrested Sutherland on January 27, 2025. Sutherland has been in custody since his arrest. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a $15,000 fine and ordered a 3-year term of supervised release to follow Sutherland’s release from prison. First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “Jeal Sutherland thought he could order up the murder of his romantic rival right from his cell phone. Thanks to the hard work of FBI Albany and members of my office, Sutherland will now be dialing out from a federal prison for the foreseeable future.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “The details of Mr. Sutherland’s callous plans are deeply disturbing and prove he had every intention of ending a life. Instead, his vicious and intricate plot has landed him in federal prison. This case clearly illustrates the FBI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to swiftly investigate and interrupt any individual looking to carry out such egregious acts of violence in our communities.” The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case, with assistance from the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted this case. ###


title: Dallas man sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for trafficking heroin and methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: PLANO, Texas –A Dallas man has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison sentences for drug trafficking in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Adan Mendoza, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute heroin and methamphetamine and was sentenced to 324 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on February 9, 2026. According to information presented in court, from at least 2019, Mendoza conspired with others to distribute heroin and methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Rattan. ###


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Assault Ralph Thomas Jones, Jr. , 58, of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, was sentenced to four months in federal prison and one year of supervised release for assault by striking, wounding, or beating. According to court documents, on June 28, 2025, the defendant and the victim had a physical altercation at the Washburn Lodge, located in Canyon Village in Yellowstone National Park. The defendant reportedly hit the victim multiple times and choked her, causing injuries that needed medical attention. National Park Service Law Enforcement investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 5 in Cheyenne. Firearm Offenses Ricardo Ballard , 52 of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 27, 2024, in Yellowstone National Park, a Park Ranger stopped the defendant for speeding, traveling 75 mph in a 45-mph zone. During the stop, the ranger smelled burnt marijuana. The defendant initially denied having marijuana or weapons but later admitted there were rolled marijuana joints in the car. A search of the vehicle revealed an unsealed bag of marijuana, three boxes of fireworks, and a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol found in the back pocket of the passenger seat. The defendant has a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and was previously sentenced to 60 months in prison and prohibited from possessing firearms. National Park Service Law Enforcement investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 3 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00108 Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien Luis Lopez-Romero , 39, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the U.S. According to court documents, on Oct. 2, 2022, the defendant was arrested by the Jackson Hole Police Department for three charges of duty upon colliding with an unattended vehicle or property. On Feb. 6, 2024, ICE determined he had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in August 2013. The defendant was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond with pretrial supervision. The defendant willfully and purposefully failed to appear for his scheduled sentencing hearing on February 21, 2025. The defendant made no effort to appear, and he did not maintain contact with his attorney. He was subsequently arrested eight months later in the Middle District of Florida. ICE investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Feb. 6 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00143 About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Operation Take Back America Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Victim Witness Program The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime


title: Saratoga County Felon Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Drug Distribution and Firearm Charges

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jason Brundige, age 51, of Ballston Spa, was sentenced on February 5, 2026 to 84 months’ imprisonment for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and using a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Sheriff Jeffrey R. Brown of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) made the announcement. Brundige previously admitted to distributing cocaine on multiple occasions and, during one of those drug sales, displaying a loaded firearm to his drug customer. Brundige also admitted to possessing cocaine with intent to distribute it from a hotel in Malta, New York. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This sentence reflects the seriousness of combining drug trafficking with firearms. Individuals who distribute dangerous drugs while armed put entire communities at risk, and our Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold such offenders fully accountable.” Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo stated: “Firearms in the hands of drug traffickers escalate violence and endanger the public. This case demonstrates ATF’s continued commitment to working with our federal, state, and local partners to aggressively target armed drug traffickers and remove them from our communities.” Sheriff Jeffrey Brown stated: “This sentence sends a clear message that drug trafficking and gun violence will not be tolerated in Saratoga County. I commend the collaborative efforts of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing this case to a successful resolution.” United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Brundige to serve a 4-year term of supervised release to begin after Brundige is released from prison. The case was investigated by the ATF and SCSO and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn . ###


title: CEO of Digital Asset Company SafeMoon Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Crypto-Fraud Scheme

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Braden John Karony, the Chief Executive Officer of SafeMoon US LLC, a digital asset company registered in Utah (SafeMoon) was sentenced by United States District Judge Eric Komitee to 100 months in prison for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in a decentralized finance digital asset called “SafeMoon.” As part of the sentence, Karony was ordered to forfeit approximately $7.5 million. The amount of restitution to the victims will be determined at a later date. Karony was convicted by a federal jury following a three-week trial in May 2025. The jury also issued a verdict to forfeit two residential properties. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York); and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the sentence. “Karony lied to investors from all walks of life—including military veterans and hard working-Americans—and defrauded thousands of victims in order to buy mansions, sports cars, and custom trucks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that there are significant consequences for financial crimes. Our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute economic crimes that harm investors and weaken societal trust in the stability and security of digital asset markets.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its work on the case. “Not only did Braden John Karony abuse his position as CEO, but he also betrayed his investors’ trust by stealing more than nine million dollars in digital assets from his company to fund his lavish lifestyle,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “The FBI is committed to addressing fraud in the digital asset marketplace to level the playing field for Americans.” “Braden Karony exploited his access to SafeMoon’s liquidity pool to divert and misappropriate millions in cryptocurrency. He deceived investors, using their funds to lavishly expand his portfolio with million-dollar homes and luxury cars. By employing complex transactions to obscure the movement of these illicit proceeds, Karony acquired over $9 million in crypto assets. However, the expertise of IRS-CI special agents in tracing financial transactions outmatched Karony’s intricate schemes. His game of hide-and-seek failed, and now he must face justice and serve time in prison for his crimes,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “Braden John Karony’s sentencing exposes the deep betrayal at the heart of a scheme that preyed on the hopes and trust of SafeMoon investors. He and his co-conspirators orchestrated a scheme fueled by greed, and exploited the faith of over a million victims,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “HSI New York, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work tirelessly to ensure those who exploit the trust of investors—whether through fiat or cryptocurrency—will face justice.” Background on SafeMoon SafeMoon tokens were digital assets first issued in March 2021 by SafeMoon LLC on a public blockchain. Through the operation of SafeMoon’s smart contract, every transaction in SafeMoon was automatically subject to a 10% tax, meaning that if a holder of SafeMoon transferred 10 SafeMoon to another user, 1 SafeMoon would automatically be retained from the transfer as a tax and the remaining 9 SafeMoon would be received by the other party. As marketed to SafeMoon investors, the proceeds of SafeMoon’s 10% tax were split into two 5% tranches, the proceeds of which were supposed to benefit holders of SafeMoon in specific ways. The first 5% tranche of the tax proceeds was supposed to be “reflected” back to, and distributed among, all SafeMoon holders in proportion to their current SafeMoon holdings and thereby increase the total quantity of SafeMoon held by every SafeMoon investor automatically. The remaining 5% tranche of SafeMoon tax proceeds was supposed to be deposited into designated SafeMoon “liquidity pools.” The larger the SafeMoon liquidity pool, the greater the liquidity in the market for SafeMoon. In the months after its launch in March 2021, SafeMoon grew to have millions of holders and a market capitalization of more than $8 billion. The Defendants’ Fraudulent Scheme Karony and his co-conspirators misrepresented various material aspects of the SafeMoon offering to investors. Such misrepresentations included that SafeMoon relied on “locked” liquidity pools that would automatically increase in size due to the 10% tax imposed on every SafeMoon transaction; that the “locked” SafeMoon liquidity pool prevented the defendants and other insiders at SafeMoon from being able to “rug pull” (a type of crypto fraud) SafeMoon investors by removing liquidity from the SafeMoon liquidity pool; that tokens in the liquidity pool would only be used for limited pre-defined business purposes, not personal enrichment; that the defendants would manually add token pairs to the SafeMoon liquidity pool when transactions of SafeMoon occurred on specific centralized exchanges; and that the developers were not and had not been holding and trading SafeMoon for their benefit. In reality, Karony and his co-conspirators retained access to the SafeMoon liquidity pools and used that access to intentionally divert and misappropriate millions of dollars’ worth of tokens for their personal benefit. In addition, although they publicly denied that they personally held or traded SafeMoon, they repeatedly bought and sold SafeMoon, sometimes at the height of the SafeMoon market price, which generated millions of dollars in profits. Karony and his co-conspirators masked their movement of the fraudulent proceeds via numerous private un-hosted crypto wallet addresses, complex transaction routing, and pseudonymous centralized exchange accounts. Karony acquired over $9 million in crypto assets from the scheme and used some of the proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate, including a $2.2 million home in Utah, additional homes in Utah and Kansas, a $277,000 Audi R8 sports car, another Audi R8, a Tesla, and custom Ford F-550 and Jeep Gladiator pickup trucks. Co-conspirator Thomas Smith pleaded guilty in February 2025 to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing. Co-conspirator Kyle Nagy remains at large. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Dana Rehnquist, Sara K. Winik, and Jessica K. Weigel are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Melina Piatti-Chayan. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Mantell of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section is handling forfeiture matters and Assistant United States Attorneys Madeline O’Connor and Daniel Saavedra are handing restitution matters. The Defendant : BRADEN JOHN KARONY Age: 29 Provo, Utah E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-433 (EK)


title: Ten Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Columbus, Georgia

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Ten men have now been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale armed drug trafficking organization based in Columbus, Georgia. The prosecution stemmed from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking in the Columbus area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement recovered firearms, multiple pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, 232 pounds of marijuana, and $29,000 in cash. Collectively, the sentencings imposed by the court between Aug. 6, 2025, and Jan. 14, 2026, equated to more than 108 years in prison. “These defendants operated an armed drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of highly addictive drugs in Columbus, Georgia,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Methamphetamine and cocaine destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities. The Justice Department will continue holding those who engage in the armed drug trade to account and ensure safety for our law abiding citizens and families.” “This case represents the comprehensive efforts being deployed to target and dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations and hold their members accountable in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Prosecutors and law enforcement at every level are working together to combat armed trafficking organizations that threaten our community.” “These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “The sentences imposed reflect the severe consequences for those who choose to fuel this deadly trade. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in these violent criminal activities and ensuring the safety of our communities.” “Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs — they bring guns, violence, and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentence imposed today reflects the serious danger these defendants posed and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit drugs.” According to public documents and statements in court, the drug organization was led by defendant Tommie Mullins, Jr., who was part of the violent Zohannon criminal street gang. Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. The court sentenced the defendants to the following penalties in prison: Tommie Mullins Jr. , also known as “TJ,” “Bo,” and “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 10, 2026; Trenton Clemons , 48, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Anthony Champion , 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; Corey Turner , also known as “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Adrian Palmer , also known as “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Trenton Thomas , also known as “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Javonta Paden , 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; Christopher Hill , 36, was sentenced to two years in prison on Dec. 17, 2025; Adrian Pleasants , 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; and Darius Jenkins , 24, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025. The federal investigation into the Zohannon gang included court authorized wiretaps on Tommie Mullins’ and other defendants’ phones. Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullin’s Cove Circle residence. On March 18, 2023, FBI intercepted wiretap calls in which Turner arranged for the sale of a “30 sack,” which law enforcement understood meant narcotics. Surveillance captured Turner briefly stopping by the Cove Circle residence before heading to the location where the drugs were sold. The defendants persistently repeated this pattern of briefly going to the Cove Circle house before heading to a drug sale, sometimes with Turner and Mullins directing other defendants to conduct drug deals on their behalf. In intercepted calls made between March 6 and March 7, 2023, Mullins and Turner directed Hill to conduct a half-kilogram drug sale to Champion. In another deal, law enforcement saw Turner leave the Cove Circle house, enter Champion’s vehicle sitting outside the house, and almost immediately exit the vehicle. Champion then drove off. A short time later, a wiretap call captured Champion calling Turner to complain “this ain’t even a whole it’s a half. I’m fixing to bring it back to you and show you.” Wiretapped calls and physical surveillance also captured defendants Thomas, Paden, Pleasants, and Palmer arranging to fly to Seattle, Washington to purchase and transport 300 pounds of marijuana back to Columbus. Before leaving for Seattle, surveillance showed Thomas meeting with leader Mullins and phone records showed that Mullins spoke to the drug supplier in Seattle only hours after this meeting. Knowing about the planned drug purchase from the wiretap, law enforcement arranged for a law enforcement K9 to be waiting at the airport when Thomas, Palmer, Peasants and Paden flew back from Seattle. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics on the luggage belonging to these defendants, law enforcement seized 232 pounds of marijuana. Later, intercepted calls showed Thomas and Palmer setting up deals for 10 pounds of methamphetamine at a time in hopes of recouping some of the money they lost after the marijuana seizure. A separate airport search netted over $29,000 in cash, which was seized from Mullins as suspected drug proceeds. The investigation further revealed that both Thomas and Palmer used Jenkins to distribute narcotics in street-level quantities. In one call, Jenkins told Palmer “I passed the sample around the hood” and asked whether this was “your price per pound?” A police search of Palmer’s vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine packaged in 33 separate baggies. Clemons also sold drugs for and with Mullins. On April 15, 2024, Mullins and Clemons traveled in Mullins’ vehicle from Columbus, Georgia to a music studio in Atlanta. There, Mullins and Clemons met with a co-conspirator who gave them a bag, the contents of which Clemons emptied into a blue suitcase. Later that day, a traffic stop revealed over 4-pounds of almost pure methamphetamine. 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). The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office. Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia prosecuted the case.


title: Green Cove Springs Man Sentenced to Nearly 17 Years in Federal Prison For Transporting a Child From North Carolina To Florida to Engage in Sexual Activity

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Christopher Allen Hawkins (40, Green Cove Springs) was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for transporting a 15-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. He pleaded guilty on August 18, 2025. Hawkins was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Hawkins was arrested on May 30, 2025. According to court documents, during the early morning hours of May 30, 2025, GCSPD officers encountered a 15-year-old child skateboarding alone down a street in Green Cove Springs after the town curfew. Concerned for her safety, the officers approached the child and spoke with her. The child stated that she was visiting from North Carolina and had been staying with “Chris,” who was subsequently identified as Hawkins, in a tent behind a house in Green Cove Springs. The GCSPD officers made contact with Hawkins a short time later. During an interview, Hawkins advised that he had met the child on the Snapchat app and had been in a relationship with her for several months. He also knew that the child was 15 years old. Hawkins said that he had originally traveled to North Carolina to do handyman work for the child’s parent. While staying at the child’s home in North Carolina, Hawkins engaged in sexual activity with her on several occasions. Approximately two weeks later, Hawkins returned to Florida. In May 2025, Hawkins purchased bus tickets from North Carolina to Jacksonville for him and the child, with the intent to engage in sexual activity with the child after they arrived in Florida. Hawkins and the child boarded a bus and travelled to Jacksonville together on May 25, 2025. From Jacksonville, Hawkins and the child traveled to Green Cove Springs to stay together in Hawkins’s tent. Thereafter, Hawkins engaged in sexual activity with the child until he was arrested on May 30, 2025. “This investigation started because of the great proactive work conducted by our Patrol Officers. This enabled our Detectives to conduct a rigorous investigation and quickly make an arrest,” stated Chief Shawn Hines of the Green Cove Springs Police Department. “Due to the unwavering dedication from our Officers and Detectives, the Green Cove Springs Police Department was able to arrest Christopher Hawkins for the crimes he had committed within our City. We were able to rescue a child from ongoing sexual exploitation. The safety of our children and our community remains our highest priority. As Chief of Police for the City of Green Cove Springs, I want our residents to know that we take our responsibility to protect this community seriously. We will continue to work diligently and collaboratively to investigate crimes thoroughly, hold offenders accountable, and ensure that victims and their families receive justice and support.” This case was investigated by the Green Cove Springs Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another case 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Man Who Drove from Columbus to Toledo to Sexually Exploit a Child Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – A 27-year-old man who drove from Columbus to Toledo to engage in the sexual exploitation of a child has been sentenced to federal prison. Jermaine Taylor, Jr., of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been sentenced to 168 months (14 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp after pleading guilty in October to Coercion and Enticement. He was also ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay a $3,000 fine. According to court documents, from about May 19 to June 6, 2025, Taylor communicated with an individual, namely, an undercover agent with a purported 9-year-old daughter, through a social media application. Throughout his communications, he expressed his interest in committing sexual acts with children and provided explicit examples of his desires. Taylor arranged to meet with the purported 9-year-old in Toledo and proceeded to drive there from Columbus where he was located at the time. Upon arrival at the pre-arranged location to sexually exploit the girl, he was promptly arrested by FBI agents and taken into custody. This case was investigated by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency’s Violent Crimes Against Children Taskforce. The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Alissa M. Sterling for the Northern District of Ohio. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC . To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org , or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: Ten Op Sweet Silence Defendants Sentenced in Armed Drug Trafficking Case

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – Ten defendants have now been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale armed drug trafficking organization resulting from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation resulting in the removal of firearms, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana from the streets of Columbus. “This case represents the comprehensive efforts being deployed to target and dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations and hold their members accountable in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Prosecutors and law enforcement at every level are working together to combat armed trafficking organizations that threaten our community.” “These defendants operated an armed drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of highly addictive drugs in Columbus, Georgia,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Methamphetamine and cocaine destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities. The Justice Department will continue holding those who engage in the armed drug trade to account and ensure safety for our law-abiding citizens and families.” “These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia. “The sentences imposed reflect the severe consequences for those who choose to fuel this deadly trade. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in these violent criminal activities and ensuring the safety of our communities.” “Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs—they bring guns, violence and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentences imposed today reflect the serious danger these defendants posed and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit drugs.” "We won't stop until the criminal activity stops. We will continue to place pressure on criminal enterprises to put them out of business,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “By working together through our law enforcement partnerships and the federal justice system, we have ensured that Tommy Mullins will be out of business for a long time." According to court documents and statements in court, the drug organization was led by defendant Tommie Mullins, Jr., who was part of the violent Zohannon criminal street gang. Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. The court sentenced the defendants, all of Columbus, to the following terms of imprisonment: Tommie Mullins, Jr. , aka “TJ,” aka “Bo,” aka “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 10, 2026; Trenton Clemons , 48, was sentenced to 25 years on Oct. 7, 2025; Anthony Champion , 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months on Aug. 6, 2025; Corey Turner , aka “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years on Oct. 7, 2025; Adrian Palmer , aka “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years on Oct. 7, 2025; Trenton Thomas , aka “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months on Oct. 7, 2025; Javonta Paden , 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months on Aug. 6, 2025; Christopher Hill , 36, was sentenced to two years on Dec. 17, 2025; Adrian Pleasants , 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months on Aug. 6, 2025; and Darius Jenkins , 24, was sentenced to one year and six months on Oct. 7, 2025. The federal investigation into the Zohannon gang included court authorized wiretaps on Tommie Mullins’ and other defendants’ phones. Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullin’s Cove Circle residence. On March 18, 2023, FBI intercepted wiretap calls in which Turner arranged for the sale of a “30 sack,” which law enforcement understood meant narcotics. Surveillance captured Turner briefly stopping by the Cove Circle residence before heading to the location where the drugs were sold. The defendants persistently repeated this pattern of briefly going to the Cove Circle house before heading to a drug sale, sometimes with Turner and Mullins directing other defendants to conduct drug deals on their behalf. In intercepted calls made between March 6 and March 7, 2023, Mullins and Turner directed Hill to conduct a half-kilogram drug sale to Champion. In another deal, law enforcement saw Turner leave the Cove Circle house, enter Champion’s vehicle sitting outside the house, and almost immediately exit the vehicle. Champion then drove off. A short time later, a wiretap call captured Champion calling Turner to complain “this ain’t even a whole it’s a half. I’m fixing to bring it back to you and show you.” Wiretapped calls and physical surveillance also captured defendants Thomas, Paden, Pleasants and Palmer arranging to fly to Seattle, Washington to purchase and transport 300 pounds of marijuana back to Columbus. Before leaving for Seattle, surveillance showed Thomas meeting with leader Mullins and phone records showed that Mullins spoke to the drug supplier in Seattle only hours after this meeting. Knowing about the planned drug purchase from the wiretap, law enforcement arranged for a law enforcement K9 to be waiting at the airport when Thomas, Palmer, Peasants and Paden flew back from Seattle. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics on the luggage belonging to these defendants, law enforcement seized 232 pounds of marijuana from the luggage. Later, intercepted calls showed Thomas and Palmer setting up deals for ten pounds of methamphetamine at a time in hopes of recouping some of the money they lost after the marijuana seizure. A separate airport search netted over $29,000 in cash, which was seized from Mullins as suspected drug proceeds. The investigation further revealed that both Thomas and Palmer used Jenkins to distribute narcotics in street-level quantities. In one call, Jenkins told Palmer “I passed the sample around the hood” and asked whether this was “your price per pound?” A police search of Palmer’s vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine packaged in 33 separate baggies. Clemons also sold drugs for and with Mullins. On April 15, 2024, Mullins and Clemons traveled in Mullins’ vehicle from Columbus to a music studio in Atlanta. There, Mullins and Clemons met with a co-conspirator who gave them a bag, the contents of which Clemons emptied into a blue suitcase. Later that day, a traffic stop revealed four pounds of almost pure methamphetamine. 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). The case was investigated by the FBI; the DEA; and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office; with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office. Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.