Northern District of Georgia

ATLANTA - Brady Lum, the former chief operating officer of the High Museum of Art who pilfered more than $600,000 from the museum by doctoring invoices and approving transactions for personal purchases, has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.

“Over several years, Lum deceptively plundered the southeast’s premier museum of visual art, embezzling more than half a million dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Criminals like Lum who steal from institutions that receive taxpayer money to serve the public will face prison time for their thievery and be compelled to repay their ill-gotten gains.”

“As he admitted in court, Brady Lum breached the trust of his organization and undermined the integrity of the museum,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains unwavering in its pursuit to hold accountable those who exploit their positions for selfish purposes.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Lum served as the High Museum of Art’s chief operating officer from January 2, 2019, until his resignation on December 9, 2025. As COO, he was responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling the High Museum’s operational and financial activities.

During his tenure as COO, Lum repeatedly purchased non-business items and services for himself, including luxury guitars and other music equipment, personal music lessons, and woodworking equipment, through direct supplier invoicing and through the High Museum’s corporate credit card reimbursement process. Lum concealed the nature of his transactions in several ways, including by submitting altered invoices, using his position to exercise delegated expense approval authority, and using accounting adjustments to spread his expenses across different cost centers so that they would not be readily identified. 

For example, in one instance, on or about November 29, 2024, Lum submitted an altered invoice for reimbursement through the High Museum’s online expense processing platform. While the submitted invoice showed a $9,147.87 purchase of equipment that appeared to be for the museum’s benefit, the original version of the invoice was for a high-end guitar and accessories that Lum kept for himself. Over the course of his scheme, Lum received more than 700 reimbursements, most of which were for less than $1,000, and stole more than $600,000 from the High Museum. 

Brady Lum, 59, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 2, 2026 at 10 a.m. As part of his plea agreement, Lum will pay full restitution to the High Museum.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas N. Joy is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Daryl Hubbard and Carl Todd, who were previously convicted of felony drug distribution, were sentenced to federal prison after their drug dealing resulted in a high-speed chase ending in death and serious injury. 

“This case is a prime example of the consequences that could result from trafficking illegal drugs – one man dead, another paralyzed, and a police officer injured,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Due to the hard work and sacrifices of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and the Homeland Security Task Force, Hubbard and Todd were held accountable for their crimes and will serve lengthy prison sentences without parole.”

“These sentences reflect the tragic consequences of illegal drug distribution,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The defendant’s actions resulted in devastating loss of life and serious injury, an outcome that serves as a stark reminder that drug trafficking destroys lives and families. Through the unwavering commitment of our Homeland Security Task Force and our local law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who profit from distributing deadly drugs. Together, we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities.”

“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who illegally traffic drugs and unlawfully possess or use firearms will be held accountable,” stated Ryan Todd, ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “ATF will continue working with our law enforcement partners to enforce our nation’s firearms laws and protect our communities from the violence these crimes create.” 

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From about 2022 until their arrests in 2024, Hubbard and Todd maintained commercial and residential properties throughout DeKalb County, Georgia, for the purpose of distributing large quantities of cocaine and marijuana. 

On March 20, 2023, Hubbard provided two drug dealers with duffle bags of narcotics from a warehouse he leased in Lithonia, Georgia. When law enforcement attempted to stop the drug dealers’ SUV in Lamar County, the duo led police on a high-speed chase while tossing drugs out of the vehicle’s window. The SUV reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour, forced a state patrol cruiser off the road, and caused the cruiser to flip multiple times, injuring a trooper. The chase ended after the drug dealers crashed into a tree, killing the passenger and paralyzing the driver.

After this incident, Hubbard emptied the warehouse and set up another stash house in Stonecrest, Georgia. On July 23, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants on the Stonecrest stash house and Hubbard’s home in Conyers, Georgia. During the searches, law enforcement recovered cocaine, marijuana, and five guns, including a stolen handgun. Two of the firearms—a high-powered rifle with a 30-round magazine and a pistol loaded with ammunition capable of piercing body armor—were recovered within arm’s reach of Todd when law enforcement searched the Stonecrest stash house. Hubbard’s and Todd’s criminal association spanned over a decade as they were arrested together in 2013 and later convicted in a DeKalb County felony drug distribution case.

On July 10, 2026, Daryl Hubbard, a/k/a “Dirt,” 46, of Conyers, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 years and 4 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $5,000. Hubbard was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, after he pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026.

On December 1, 2025, Carl Todd, 49, of Snellville, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Todd was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, after he pleaded guilty on August 15, 2025.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office. The Georgia State Patrol provided substantial assistance to the investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney John T. DeGenova and Special Assistant United States Attorney Steve A. Hsieh prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Today, as part of the Justice Department’s ongoing and concerted effort to crack down on rising antisemitism, United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg announced federal charges against a Texas man who threatened to kill Jews at a Georgia company. Jordan Nicholas Hadley is the fourth defendant in 12 months to face federal prosecution in the Northern District of Georgia for allegedly making antisemitic threats online or by phone. Each defendant faces up to five years in prison for transmitting threatening communications through means of interstate or foreign commerce.

“These men allegedly spewed vile hate and threatened violent attacks against Jews,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Threats against any person based on his or her religious beliefs will not be tolerated, and these charges reflect my office’s commitment to working with law enforcement partners to combat the pernicious evil of antisemitism and hold accountable anyone who threatens members of our community.”

“Antisemitic hate has no place in Georgia or anywhere,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI's work to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution includes the assurance to every single American that they are allowed to practice their religion without fear of threats or harm.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court:  On April 24, 2026, Jordan Nicholas Hadley, 31, of Houston, Texas, allegedly left a message in the voicemail inbox of Flock Safety, a company based in Atlanta, Georgia. The message stated, “You’re a bunch of Jewish fa--ots who are breaking the Constitution. Film me and see what f--king happens. I’ll find you and I’ll f--king kill you.” Hadley was arrested on a criminal complaint on July 9, 2026, and will make an initial appearance in Atlanta at a later date.

Since August 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged three additional individuals with communicating interstate antisemitic threats. One of those defendants has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later this week. 

Aaron John Sasser

On or around April 3, 2026, Aaron John Sasser, 36, of Finksburg, Maryland, allegedly sent numerous threatening messages to employees of PrizePicks, a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, via the company’s online customer service chat. Directing his messages to multiple specific PrizePicks employees, Sasser allegedly wrote, among other messages, “You better leave town because I’m driving down to Atlanta to blow up the PrizePicks headquarters and then I’ll head to your house, tie you up and rape your wife in front of you. Then, I’ll dismember the both of you before heading off to [Jewish PrizePicks employee’s] place. I’m gonna have fun tying up [his] Zionist wife. Before that though, I’m gonna cut [his] eyelids off. So he’s forced to watch. Then I’m gonna blow his f--king body up in the name of Palestine because he’s a Zionist piece of s--t and every last one of them are going to die.”

Sasser was arrested on a criminal complaint on April 6, 2026, and his charges are currently pending.

Christopher Robertson

On July 30, 2025, staff members at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta notified security staff that they observed a man, later identified as Christopher Robertson, 43, of Fairburn, Georgia, allegedly wandering around the parking lot inside the secure area of its Midtown Atlanta facility. Security staff met Robertson in the parking lot, who allegedly stated that he was “the official spokesperson for the white race” and that he wanted to speak with a high-ranking Jewish official. 

After being asked to leave, Robertson allegedly drove to The Temple, a Jewish synagogue, also located in Midtown Atlanta. At The Temple, Robertson encountered two staff members and asked to speak to a rabbi. Robertson allegedly made derogatory remarks about Jewish people and ranted about the decline of the white race. An Atlanta Police Department officer was present inside The Temple, and Robertson left. 

On July 31, 2025, Robertson allegedly entered a Jewish Chabad building in Peachtree City, Georgia. The Chabad rabbi called 911 while members of the staff barricaded themselves in an office. Robertson allegedly recorded the encounter and posted it on Facebook. In the post, Robertson identified himself as the “official delegate of the white race” and told the rabbi that Jewish people were on the “verge of extermination.” After police arrived at the Chabad, Robertson left.

Robertson allegedly used several social media accounts to post antisemitic and threatening video posts before and immediately after these incidents. On July 24, 2025, Robertson allegedly posted a video to Facebook in which he chanted, “This is not Israel. Jews don’t have no protection. F--k the Jews, and f--k you if you Jewish, b--ch. Hey, f--k the Jews, f--k you if you Jewish. Hey, one shot, two shot, three shot, leave you in the sewage.” On July 28, 2025, Robertson allegedly posted on Facebook a photo of himself holding a black pistol while speaking about the “cultural genocide” of the white race. A caption on the video read, “I will not tolerate cultural genocide get that understood -- I will fight for it, I will die for it, I will kill for it.” 

Robertson was arrested on a criminal complaint on August 1, 2025, and a federal grand jury later indicted him on two counts of communicating interstate threats. Robertson has been detained since his initial arrest, and his charges are currently pending.

Matthew Alan Souza

On or about July 15, 2025, Matthew Alan Souza, 25, of Acworth, Georgia, posted on X: “I just want more Jews dead / The more Jew lives I take / The better a place the world can be / Death to the Jewish people.”  One week later, Souza posted, “Death to every Jew breathing / I can’t wait for the war of America against Israel / The day I snipe a Jew will put a huge smile on my face.” 

On June 11, 2026, Souza pled guilty to two counts of communicating interstate threats. He has been detained since May 8, 2026, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2026. 

Each case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Grill is prosecuting the case against Hadley, Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wylly is prosecuting the case against Sasser, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Bret R. Hobson are prosecuting the case against Robertson, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chloe Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor Woods are prosecuting the case against Souza. 

Members of the public are reminded that the defendants who have not yet pled guilty are presumed innocent of the charges, and the government bears the burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Orfael Macedo Bustos, a high-level drug trafficker who was extradited to the United States from Mexico late last year, has pleaded guilty to federal drug charges in connection with the importation of large quantities of cocaine from Mexico to metro Atlanta.  

“Macedo Bustos introduced massive amounts of cocaine into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of strong agency partnerships through the Homeland Security Task Force and valuable international coordination, Macedo Bustos now faces a significant sentence in federal prison and millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine have been taken off the street.”  

“International drug traffickers often believe they can operate beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Today’s guilty plea proves otherwise. By working alongside our law enforcement partners, DEA will continue targeting the organizations responsible for transporting massive quantities of cocaine into our communities and ensuring those who profit from this criminal activity are held accountable.”

“The guilty plea of Macedo Bustos is a direct result of the collaborative efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force. By leveraging the unique authorities and capabilities of our federal, state, and local partners, HSI remains committed to dismantling the transnational criminal organizations that attempt to flood our streets with illicit drugs,” said HSI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge, Ellen Johnson. “We will continue to utilize every tool at our disposal to investigate and bring these offenders to justice, ensuring the safety of our communities in metro Atlanta and across the nation.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Beginning in 2017, federal law enforcement identified a drug trafficking organization that was importing large quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Macedo Bustos, one of the organization’s leaders and primary drug suppliers, coordinated with others to transport cocaine, usually via tractor trailers, to the metro Atlanta area for distribution.  

During the investigation, federal authorities seized at least five large shipments of cocaine from tractor trailers, including: 

• 44 pounds of cocaine in October 2017 in Fulton County, Georgia; 
• 30 pounds of cocaine in November 2017 in Fulton County, Georgia;
• 44 pounds of cocaine in February 2018 in Fulton County, Georgia;
• 33 pounds of cocaine in April 2018 in Cobb County, Georgia; and
• 22 pounds of cocaine in November 2018 in Fulton County, Georgia.

Today, Orfael Macedo Bustos, 52, of Guerrero, Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine after a federal grand jury indicted him in December 2018. In November 2025, Macedo Bustos was extradited from Mexico to the Northern District of Georgia, and he has been in federal custody since that time. 

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2026, at 1:30 pm before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II. Macedo Bustos faces at least ten years of imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service. 

Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne A. Brown Jr. and former Assistant United States Attorney Tyler A. Mann prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.

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. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Quintavious Bailey, a multi-convicted felon, was arraigned today on multiple federal charges after he allegedly robbed a pawn shop in Atlanta. 

“Bailey allegedly jeopardized the lives of ordinary people by discharging a firearm during a robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.  “In this district, we will not tolerate violent crime that endangers members of our community. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will hold perpetrators accountable.”

“According to the charges, innocent employees and customers were simply going about their day when they were forced to fear for their lives,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains committed to partnering with local law enforcement to investigate violent offenders and protect the people who live and work in our communities.”

“Armed robberies that place innocent employees, customers, and local businesses in harm’s way have no place in our city and will not be tolerated,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “We appreciate the strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI in helping hold dangerous offenders accountable. The Atlanta Police Department remains committed to protecting our community and working alongside our law enforcement partners to keep every neighborhood safe.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court:  On October 24, 2024, Quintavious Bailey allegedly used a firearm to rob an Atlanta pawn shop while employees and customers were present. Upon entering the store, Bailey immediately discharged a firearm into the ceiling. Bailey allegedly then pointed his gun at customers and forced a store employee to open a jewelry case and a cash register. Allegedly, Bailey grabbed cash from the register and jewelry from the case before fleeing. 

Earlier today, Quintavious Bailey, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, appeared in federal court after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 3, 2026, charging him with Hobbs Act robbery, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Bailey is currently being held without bail by the U.S. Marshals Service. 

Previously, Bailey was convicted of Burglary and Armed Robbery in Fulton County. Because of his criminal history, Bailey will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years of imprisonment if he is convicted of the firearm- and ammunition-related offenses in the indictment.

Members of the public are reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Atlanta Police Department are investigating the case.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Hall is prosecuting the case. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Alexander Wood, a multi-convicted felon, faces a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm after he allegedly shot at a homeless encampment in downtown Atlanta and was prosecuted by local authorities for related offenses.

“After more than 20 years of racking up felony convictions in state court, Wood allegedly armed himself and shot at a homeless encampment, jeopardizing innocent lives with an unlawfully possessed firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Unrepentant and undeterred violent criminals who possess firearms despite repeated state-court convictions will be held accountable in federal court, where there is no opportunity for parole.”

“Multiple convictions at the state level have not deterred Alexander Wood from continuing his alleged life of crime,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to find and arrest dangerous criminals who repeatedly are a danger to society.” 

“The Atlanta Police Department remains committed to protecting all members of our community from acts of violence and gun crime,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “Our officers responded quickly and worked closely with our federal partners to ensure this incident was thoroughly investigated. We remain committed to protecting all who call Atlanta home and to strengthening the trust and collaboration we share with the communities we serve.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On October 10, 2025, Alexander Wood allegedly drove to a homeless encampment in downtown Atlanta and discharged a firearm at the encampment. After an Atlanta Police Department officer responded to the scene, Wood fled in a high-speed chase and allegedly tried to run into the police car pursuing him. 

Officers arrested Wood at an apartment shortly thereafter. Under bushes near the apartment entrance, officers located a Smith & Wesson handgun. Surveillance footage allegedly showed that, moments before officers arrived, Wood ran through the area where the police found the gun. 

On June 25, 2026, Alexander Wood, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, appeared in federal court and pled not guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, after a grand jury returned an indictment charging him with that crime on April 14, 2026. Wood has multiple prior felony convictions for violent crimes and drug trafficking, such as burglary, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and armed robbery. Based on that criminal history, Wood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment and could be sentenced to imprisonment for life. 

In April 2026, Wood pled guilty in the Superior Court of Fulton County to fleeing from the police and several misdemeanors arising from the October 2025 shooting and was sentenced to just one year of imprisonment with credit for time served. As a result of the federal indictment, Wood is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and is being held without bail.

Members of the public are reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges contained in the federal indictment, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Atlanta Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Sara Lim is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Today, United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg announced criminal charges against two defendants for health care fraud schemes that exploited Medicare, Medicaid, and health care providers. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from services not rendered and services misrepresented that were billed to health care programs, including Medicare and the Georgia Medicaid program. In total, the defendants in the two cases are alleged to have obtained $2.7 million through fraud.

“These defendants exploited our health care system to enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Not only did they steal from taxpayers, but they also harmed Medicare and Medicaid’s ability to provide critical health care benefits to patients in need. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice criminals who prey on government health care programs.”

“We’re prosecuting fraud in all its forms, and we’re fighting to protect taxpayer dollars,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Let me be clear – if you steal from our Medicaid program, you will be held accountable and forced to pay back all the money you stole. This is a nationwide effort, and we’re proud to work with all of our state and federal partners to ensure the integrity of our publicly funded healthcare programs.”

“Medicare and Medicaid funds are intended to provide essential services to some of our most vulnerable populations. When individuals exploit these programs for personal gain, they not only steal taxpayer dollars but also compromise the integrity of these programs,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our federal and state partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”

The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. This Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: charges in 56 federal districts and involving 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a $1.2 billion telemedicine scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; seize over $182 million in cash, houses, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and provide full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.

This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:

• Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
• 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
• Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
• 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.

The two individuals charged in the Northern District of Georgia in connection with the nationwide Takedown are Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr. and Lonnie Releford.

Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr.

On June 17, 2026, the United States moved to unseal a federal indictment charging Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr., 52, of Atlanta, Georgia, with 40 counts of health care fraud. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rutledge established Rutledge Medical Associates, a medical practice located in East Point, Georgia, in May 2014. Beginning in or about January 2017 and continuing for at least six years, Rutledge billed Georgia Medicaid for thousands of wound care, cyst removal, psychotherapy, and allergy testing services that were never performed:

• Between in or about February 2019 and in or about June 2022, Rutledgesubmitted and caused to be submitted nearly 900 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly excising and removing complex pilonidal cysts.
• Between in or about January 2018 and in or about June 2022, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted nearly 1,500 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly completing the incision and drainage of deep abscesses or hematomas.
• Between in or about July 2017 and in or about March 2023, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted nearly 7,900 false and fraudulent claims for extended, face-to-face psychotherapy sessions.
• Between in or about January 2017 and in or about June 2022, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted over 1,000 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly completing medically unnecessary percutaneous allergy tests. 

These false and fraudulent claims sought $4.3 million from Georgia Medicaid, with approximately $2.6 million actually being paid out.

Lonnie Releford

On June 11, 2026, Lonnie Releford, 57, of Atlanta, Georgia, was charged in a federal criminal information with one count of concealment of material facts related to health care matters. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From August 2021 to April 2025, Releford allegedly applied for and obtained nursing jobs at hospitals and nursing homes around metro Atlanta by lying about his educational and professional qualifications, submitting fraudulent documents, and stealing the identity of a real licensed practical nurse. Releford did not have a nursing degree, nor was he qualified to practice as a licensed practical nurse in Georgia. When asked about his criminal history, Releford allegedly falsely stated he had none, despite his prior convictions for identity theft and fraud. Based on these alleged misrepresentations, numerous health care providers paid Releford’s salary and billed Medicare and Medicaid for services Releford could not legally perform. 

The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.

Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathelynn Tio and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Mooney are prosecuting the case against Rutledge, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Robinson Jr. is prosecuting the case against Releford. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia worked with the Georgia Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment against Rutledge and information against Releford only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt or admit guilt in a court of law.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Ernest Vera, a former Cub Scout leader and baseball and football coach, was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing child sex abuse videos on the Kik messaging application. 

“No matter their age, child sex predators like Ernest Vera must be prosecuted and punished,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners, this sex offender should remain in federal prison until he is nearly 80 years old, helping to achieve justice for his victims, prevent him from exploiting others, and deter others from similar misconduct.” 

“Every image of child sexual abuse material represents the exploitation and victimization of a real child,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Vera actively sought out and traded these horrific images online, fueling the demand for child exploitation. The FBI remains committed to identifying those who prey on children and bringing them to justice, regardless of their age or where they operate.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In September 2021, FBI agents searched Ernest Vera’s home after learning he used social media to send and receive depictions of child sex abuse. During an interview at his home, Vera admitted that he used the Kik messaging application to view and trade sexually explicit images of children as young as thirteen years old. Vera also told investigators that he used Kik to encourage users whom he believed to be female teenagers living in India, Thailand, and South Africa to send sexual images of themselves, which they did. The FBI later searched Vera’s digital devices and his cellphone, where they found approximately 90 images and a dozen videos of child sex abuse. 

On June 22, 2026, Ernest Vera, 73, of Powder Springs, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown to serve six years in prison without the possibility of parole. Vera was taken into custody immediately following the sentencing hearing. After he completes his prison sentence, Vera will be on supervised release for 10 years. Vera was convicted of distribution of child sexual abuse material after he pleaded guilty on January 7, 2026. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric Boylan prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Anthony Belford was arraigned last week on federal charges of cyberstalking after allegedly using social media accounts to post more than a dozen messages with nude images generated by artificial intelligence and racist comments during a three-month online harassment scheme.  

“Belford allegedly waged a lengthy online campaign, hiding behind spoofed social media and email accounts to harass, intimidate, and cause substantial distress to his victim with racist messages and AI-generated nude images,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Cyberstalking and other forms of online abuse, just like physical violence, can ruin lives and disrupt communities. Victims of such crimes should not suffer in silence, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable using all available tools.” 

“The alleged use of AI-generated images and fake online accounts to harass and intimidate a victim shows that digital abuse can have very real consequences,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify offenders and hold them accountable for using digital platforms to harass, threaten, and cause emotional distress.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between January and March 2025, Anthony Belford allegedly devised and carried out a scheme to create fake social media and email accounts to harass, intimidate, and cause substantial emotional distress to a college student in Georgia. Belford allegedly created and used fake social media accounts to spread lies in the victim’s community that the victim was racist and to send racist and derogatory messages, posing as the victim, to student groups at the victim’s college. He also repeatedly posted AI-generated nude images of the victim online, created fake social media accounts that appeared to belong to the victim, and used those accounts to distribute the AI-generated images. To amplify the impact of his campaign to cause the victim substantial emotional distress, Belford allegedly used spoofed accounts on an online forum to direct community members to the fake information he disseminated through other social media platforms. 

On June 10, 2026, Anthony Belford, 21, of New York, appeared in federal court after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 3, 2026, charging him with one count of cyberstalking. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

It is a federal crime for someone to share, or threaten to share, intimate photos or videos of someone without their consent, including AI-generated images. Victims should report the conduct to local law enforcement and the FBI. Online platforms are required to remove nonconsensual intimate photos or videos and any duplicates upon request, and victims are urged to report online platforms that do not comply with a request to remove the content to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) within 48 hours. More information about steps you can take to protect yourself and hold perpetrators and online platforms accountable is available here: Take it Down Act: What Else You Can Do. 

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Maira Porras Corras, an illegal alien from Mexico, is facing federal drug charges related to the recent seizure of roughly 200 pounds of methamphetamine from a residence in Forest Park, Georgia.

“Porras Corras allegedly stashed nearly 200 pounds of dangerous methamphetamine near her bed and in trash bags in her detached garage,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will continue to prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, illegal aliens and others who traffic deadly narcotics in our community.” 

“The seizure of approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine prevented a devastating amount of methamphetamine from reaching neighborhoods and families,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “We will continue pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of our communities through drug trafficking activity.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: on March 24, 2026, Porras Corras allegedly sold approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to another individual in a church parking lot. On June 11, 2026, federal agents arrested Porras Corras at her residence in Forest Park, Georgia.  Agents searched the home and located about four pounds of suspected methamphetamine next to her bed. In a detached garage, agents located and seized just under 200 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in large trash bags. Agents also located drug paraphernalia and other items used to distribute the drugs, including a digital scale and wrapping material, and seized nearly $56,000 in cash.  

Yesterday, Maira Porras Corras, 36, of Hidalgo, Mexico, appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging her with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez, an illegal alien from Mexico with a prior cocaine distribution conviction, faces federal charges for flying a drone over Centennial Olympic Park during the FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta and for illegally reentering the United States after two prior deportations.

“Unauthorized drone operations in restricted airspace present a serious risk to public safety, particularly during major international events such as the FIFA World Cup,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This enforcement action reflects the coordinated efforts of our federal and local partners to detect, disrupt, and deter unlawful activity that could endanger spectators, athletes, and first responders.”

“FBI Atlanta's Counter UAV Task Force has seized 21 drones, including Rojas-Martinez's,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “As these operators are putting the community at risk, our Ground Intercept Teams will continue to locate operators, seize drones, and pursue prosecution of those who violate the restricted airspace in place around FIFA World Cup activities.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the criminal complaint: on June 12, 2026, federal agents allegedly observed Lorenzo Rojas‑Martinez operating a drone in restricted airspace near Centennial Olympic Park during the 2026 FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta while standing in a nearby parking area and recording video of the event. After requesting his identification and reviewing his driver’s license, agents allegedly confirmed that he was unlawfully present in the United States following two prior removals. Rojas-Martinez has a prior conviction for cocaine distribution among other charges.

Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez, 37, of Mexico was charged in a federal complaint on June 15, 2026, with operating a drone in a temporary flight restricted zone and illegal reentry by a removed alien. Members of the public are reminded that the complaint contains only charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution 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.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Amjad Ibrahim will serve more than a year in federal prison following his conviction for evading nearly $1.5 million in federal income taxes over a four-year span.

“Ibrahim was a licensed attorney fully aware of his legal duty to file returns and pay federal taxes. Rather than meeting his obligations and paying the taxes he owed to the government, he intentionally and deceptively concealed his income,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This prison sentence should send a clear message that my office will pursue, prosecute, and punish tax cheats.”

“This case sends an unmistakable message that if you try to hide income and cheat the tax system, IRS Criminal Investigation will find you,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Our special agents are highly skilled at following the money, uncovering complex schemes, and ensuring that those who try to cheat the tax system are held fully accountable.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Amjad Ibrahim, an attorney since 1994, willfully evaded paying federal income taxes for tax years 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, resulting in nearly $1.5 million in unpaid personal taxes. During those years, Ibrahim managed and earned substantial income from at least seven businesses. He sought to hide his earnings from these companies by issuing at least 70 checks to himself, totaling approximately $700,000.

On June 12, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May sentenced Amjad Ibrahim, 60, of Johns Creek, Georgia, to one year and three months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Additionally, the Court ordered Ibrahim to pay $1,934,115 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and a fine of $35,000. Ibrahim was convicted of three counts of tax evasion on December 16, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. As part of his plea agreement, Ibrahim was required to file back tax returns covering tax years 2016 through 2023.

This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Connors and former Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Krepp prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – A federal grand jury has indicted Katie Marie Kloth and Tyler John Norman for allegedly using fire and explosives to damage and attempt to damage the property of Brasfield & Gorrie, a general contractor for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, and to intimidate the company’s employees. 

“The law does not protect, and the Department of Justice will not tolerate, organized acts of violence or targeted intimidation,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Criminal agitators who travel to this district to engage in such conduct will be prosecuted and held accountable, even years after the fact.”

“This indictment underscores our commitment to ensuring that acts of violence and intimidation will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Atlanta Field Division.

“This indictment represents our continued commitment to work alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia and our local, state, and federal partners to protect the citizens of Georgia,” said Chris Hosey, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “The criminal acts of these individuals have repeatedly placed members of the community, construction personnel, and public safety officials in danger. Acts of violence and intimidation will not be tolerated in our state.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information released previously: On May 12, 2022, Katie Marie Kloth and Tyler John Norman allegedly gathered during a riot and civil disorder outside the Cobb County, Georgia offices of Brasfield & Gorrie. At the time, Brasfield & Gorrie was the general contractor for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a police and fire department training center often referred to as “Cop City” by its opponents. As the crowd approached the office building, Kloth and Norman allegedly launched explosives at the building and started fires to intimidate Brasfield & Gorrie employees. Those explosives and fires allegedly damaged Brasfield & Gorrie’s property.

On June 9, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Katie Marie Kloth, 39, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Tyler John Norman, 42, of Blue Mountain, Wisconsin, with maliciously damaging or attempting to damage property used in interstate commerce by means of fire and an explosive. The grand jury also charged Kloth and Norman with using fire and explosives to intimidate and interfere with Brasfield & Gorrie employees during and incident to a civil disorder. On June 8, 2026, the Acting Attorney General of the United States certified that prosecution of Kloth and Norman for the intimidation offense is in the public interest and is necessary to secure substantial justice.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The Office of the Attorney General of Georgia and the Cobb County Police Department provided substantial assistance to the investigation.

This case is part of the nationwide National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative, which is a White House directed, interagency effort to integrate federal, state, and local partners in protecting First Amendment rights while targeting individuals and organizations engaged in political violence and is led by the investigative and prosecutorial Joint Task Force Vanguard.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Five members of the GoodFellas criminal street gang, four of whom were convicted felons, have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking, armed robbery, and firearms offenses. 

“These gang members maimed children in a drive-by shooting, beat and robbed a man, introduced poisonous drugs into a state prison, trafficked cocaine, and unlawfully possessed firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We will continue to partner with federal and local law enforcement to dismantle the GoodFellas gang and prosecute its members who engage in violence or traffic drugs in our community.”

 “Violent gangs like the Goodfellas terrorize local communities and threaten everyone’s safety,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and its local, state, and federal partners will remain relentless in the fight to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent criminal organizations.”

“Violent gangs that engage in shootings, armed robberies, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses have no place in our communities,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “These sentences send a clear message that individuals who use violence and intimidation to further criminal enterprises will be brought to justice. We are proud of the collaborative work with our federal and local partners that helped secure these outcomes and make Atlanta safer for our residents.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: The GoodFellas is an Atlanta-based gang that primarily recruits members in Atlanta neighborhoods as well as jails and prisons within Georgia. The gang generates money through, among other criminal activities, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, fraud, and firearms trafficking. The gang protects its operation, turf, and reputation through violence and threats of violence. 

This week, three GoodFellas gang members were sentenced after pleading guilty to federal crimes tied to their gang activity. Additionally, two other gang members were sentenced previously, and a sixth gang member is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

De’Andre Jackson

On January 17, 2021, Jackson and other armed members of the GoodFellas gang drove to an Atlanta apartment complex, where they intended to shoot a woman who they believed was not loyal to their gang. Jackson and the others discharged multiple firearms—striking the intended target, her 6-year-old son, and a 14-year-old child—after the mother and son walked to a mailbox to retrieve their mail. The intended target was shot more than six times; her son was shot three times, including in the abdomen and knee; and the 14-year-old victim was shot in the ear. Approximately 50 shell casings were recovered from the scene. Each victim survived. 

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty sentenced De’Andre Jackson, also known as “Gen,” “Glock,” and “Glizzy,” 23, of Clarkston, Georgia, to 15 years and six months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Jackson was convicted of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence after he pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026. 

Trayvon Hawkins

On April 17, 2024, Hawkins went to a relative’s home in Atlanta, Georgia and struck a man there in the head with a firearm. During the attack, two additional males arrived, kicked down the front door, and joined in attacking the victim. Before leaving, Hawkins stole a backpack from the victim that contained narcotics. During a later search of Hawkins’s residence in Atlanta, law enforcement agents found four firearms that Hawkins was prohibited from possessing due to his violent criminal history.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen sentenced Trayvon Hawkins, a/k/a “Baby Cold World” and “Freeze,” 27, of Atlanta, Georgia, to nine years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Hawkins was convicted of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence after he pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026.

Daquan Cosby, Jerrell Rucker, Bentorrey Moore, and Tavarus Beard

On August 3, 2023, Cosby and a co-conspirator, Jerrell Rucker, used a drone to drop contraband into Telfair State Prison from a nearby car. After law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle, Cosby and Rucker sped off, and a chase ensued. When the vehicle hit a ditch, Cosby and Rucker fled on foot. Rucker was apprehended but Cosby escaped. A search of the vehicle revealed a drone and more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. During a subsequent search of Cosby’s residence in Decatur, Georgia, law enforcement agents arrested Cosby and recovered a dozen firearms and a kilogram of cocaine that belonged to co-defendants Bentorrey Moore and Tavarus Beard, who were both convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms.

On June 8, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May sentenced Daquan Cosby, 28, of Decatur, Georgia, to nine years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. Cosby was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after pleading guilty on November 7, 2024. Chief Judge May previously sentenced Rucker to 10 years in prison and Moore to 5 years in prison. On February 17, 2026, Beard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and felon in possession of a firearm. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 13, 2026.

All of these cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Renaud. Additionally, Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted the Jackson case, and the Atlanta Police Department investigated the Hawkins case.

These cases are 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.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

A Georgia man was sentenced today to 186 months in prison and five years of supervised release for using a firearm during a drive-by shooting at an apartment complex, resulting in multiple victims, including a 6-year-old child. 

According to court documents, De’Andre Jackson, also known as “Gen,” also known as “Glock,” also known as “Glizzy,” 23, of Clarkston, and other armed GoodFellas gang members drove in two vehicles to an apartment complex, where they intended to shoot the intended victim whom they believed was a “snitch” and not loyal to the gang. Jackson and others discharged multiple firearms and shot the intended victim, her 6-year-old-son, and another victim who was 14 years old. The intended target was shot 6 to 9 times, her son was shot 3 times, and the 14-year-old victim was shot in the ear. Approximately 50 shell casings were recovered from the scene. Each victim survived. 

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Renaud of the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to 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).

ATLANTA - Shevoy Brown, a former officer with the Hapeville, Georgia Police Department, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for using unreasonable force by repeatedly tasing a handcuffed detainee and then writing a false report to cover up his crime. 

“Brown willfully violated our Constitution by abusing his power to violently and unnecessarily assault a man in his custody. He then made matters worse by writing a false report in a failed effort to obstruct any investigation of the matter,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Brown’s misconduct was a violation of his oath and is an affront to our district’s many honorable law enforcement officers who serve with great integrity.”

“This sentence demonstrates that no one is above the law, including those entrusted to enforce it,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When a law enforcement officer abuses their authority and violates an individual’s civil rights, the FBI will work to ensure they are held accountable.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other evidence presented during Brown’s trial:  On the evening of June 3, 2024, Hapeville Police Department officers arrested a man for trespassing at an apartment complex and transported him to police headquarters. The man was placed alone in a small holding cell and handcuffed to a stationary bench. Although the detainee posed no threat, Brown entered the cell twice and tased him at least six times, including in the genitals, without any legal justification. Brown stopped tasing the victim only after another officer intervened. 

Brown’s repeated tasing caused injury that required medical attention. After the victim was transported from police headquarters by ambulance, Brown wrote a false use of force report in an attempt to justify and minimize his actions. In the report, Brown stated that he tased the victim twice to gain compliance after the victim supposedly kicked the door and window to the holding cell. But the victim had stopped hitting the window before Brown entered the cell and had never kicked anything. Moreover, Brown omitted that he handcuffed the victim to a bench and then tased the victim four additional times.

Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Shevoy Brown, 31, of Hampton, Georgia, to three years and one month in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.  Brown was convicted on February 26, 2026, following a jury trial. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Anthony Gresham, a multi-convicted felon, has been charged with three federal crimes after he allegedly shot a 17-year-old boy aboard a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) train last Friday.

“My office and federal law enforcement will continue to lean in and partner with local agencies to hold criminals accountable for violent attacks on MARTA, a critical component of Atlanta’s transportation infrastructure that is subsidized by federal funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Gresham was allegedly undeterred by decades of prosecution for robberies, drug trafficking, and other crimes, which compounds the need for federal intervention in this case.”

“Violence will not be tolerated on Marta,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The citizens of Metro Atlanta and our visitors deserve a safe and secure transportation system. This is a great example of the collaborative work of law enforcement to protect everyone’s right to safety.”

“The riders who depend on MARTA, and the officers who work to protect them, deserve to see violent offenders held accountable,” said Chief M. Scott Kreher of the MARTA Police Department. “I support and appreciate U.S. Attorney Hertzberg for his leadership in this area and for the continued partnership with the FBI AMMO task force as we work together to keep our communities safe.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information released previously: On June 5, 2026, a 17-year-old boy boarded a MARTA train stopped at the Midtown station in Atlanta. Anthony Gresham allegedly walked into the train car where the boy was seated, produced a handgun from his bag, and fired three times in the boy’s direction. The boy sustained gunshot wounds to his left hand and left leg and was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital. Later, law enforcement recovered spent shell casings from the scene of the shooting. Gresham allegedly fled from the train station but was apprehended two days later by FBI agents and local law enforcement officers in Douglas County.

Gresham allegedly has a lengthy criminal history that disqualifies him from being able to legally possess firearms or ammunition. That criminal history includes felony convictions in at least three different counties for armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, burglary, theft, and robbery by force. 

On June 8, 2026, Anthony Gresham, 42, of Lithia Springs, Ga., was charged by criminal complaint with committing an act of violence with intent to cause serious bodily injury on a mass transportation system, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Gresham will appear in federal court to answer those charges at a later date. 

Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and MARTA Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglasville Police Department, Haralson County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia Department of Public Safety assisted with the defendant’s apprehension.

Gresham is the second defendant charged within the past week with a federal crime related to violent attacks on MARTA trains. On June 2, 2026, John Elijah Matthews, 25, of Decatur, Ga., was named in a federal complaint charging him with committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon with the intent to cause death on a mass transportation system. If convicted, Matthews faces the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty.

These cases are 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.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ROME, Ga. – Sincere M. Billingslea, a three-time convicted felon and armed fentanyl dealer who operated in northwest Georgia, was sentenced to nine years in prison after his conviction on federal drug and weapons charges. 

“The successful prosecution of this serial offender is a prime example of law enforcement working together to rid the streets of dangerous recidivist felons who continue to peddle poison for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “With nearly a decade of imprisonment ahead of him, Billingslea will no longer cause trouble for the citizens of northwest Georgia.” 

“Billingslea is a repeat offender who continued to pollute our community with his drugs, all while having guns he wasn’t supposed to be carrying,” said Mitchell Jackson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent in FBI Atlanta’s Cartersville office. “The FBI will continue to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to keep dangerous criminals off our streets.”

“Cases like this highlight the importance of strong partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The successful removal of a repeat offender involved in trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms makes our community safer and sends a clear message that these crimes will not be tolerated,” said Major Mark Mayton, Special Operations Commander of the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office. “Sheriff Clark Millsap is proud of the work performed by the men and women of the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office and our law enforcement partners. Their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to public safety continue to make a difference in the lives of the citizens we serve.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On December 30, 2024, law enforcement attempted to arrest Billingslea on an outstanding warrant as he left a Cartersville, Georgia motel in the backseat of a taxicab. As officers approached the taxicab, Billingslea yelled to the driver, “Go, go, go!” When the cab driver did not comply with Billingslea’s demand to drive off, Billingslea threw items into the front seat, including a recently stolen Glock pistol, another handgun, approximately two ounces of purple-colored fentanyl, over six ounces of methamphetamine, a black digital scale with suspected drug residue, a Gucci bag, and $3,450 in cash. Law enforcement promptly seized the contraband and took Billingslea into custody. 

When law enforcement later searched Billingslea’s cellphone, they found several pictures and videos of Billingslea pointing a Glock handgun at the camera and flaunting drugs and stacks of cash. Billingslea was already a three-time convicted felon whose criminal history included aggravated assault, armed robbery, and obstruction of law enforcement. Accordingly, Billingslea was prohibited from possessing firearms.

The investigation further revealed that Billingslea had bought thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Atlanta the night before his arrest and was selling it out of his Cartersville motel room.

On June 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II, sentenced Sincere M. Billingslea, a/k/a “Trouble,” 27, of Rockmart, Ga., to nine years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Billingslea was convicted on February 25, 2026, after he pleaded guilty possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bartow County Sheriff's Office, and Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Thomas M. Forsyth, III prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – After a one-week trial, a federal jury convicted Festus Anyiam of stealing government funds and laundering the proceeds of fraudulent tax refunds obtained through identity theft.

“This defendant attempted to conceal his brazen theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent tax refund payments by converting the stolen refunds into money orders and then transferring the cashed money orders into accounts he controlled,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will always pursue wrongdoers who steal from the tax system and attempt to conceal their wrongdoing.”

“This verdict is a victory for the U.S. tax system. It should send a message to would-be thieves that IRS-Criminal Investigation and its law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves on the backs of U.S. taxpayers,” said Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, St. Louis Field Office, Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “No matter how many steps a thief takes to hide their ill-gotten gains, our special agents will track them down and bring them to justice.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2015, the IRS received fraudulent tax returns claiming refunds that used the personally identifiable information (PII) of taxpayers in Illinois and Missouri. The returns directed the IRS to send the refund payments to a third-party tax preparation software company, which deposited the tax refunds into prepaid debit cards that had been activated using taxpayers’ stolen PII. After the debit cards were loaded with refund payments, the debit cards were used to purchase money orders from various retail stores in the Atlanta area.

During a three-week period in June and July 2015, Anyiam used ATMs throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area to deposit hundreds of those money orders into his personal bank account. To conceal the true source of the funds, Anyiam later sought to clear the tax refund proceeds from his bank account by buying a cashier’s check for $406,000 and depositing it at another bank.

On June 5, 2026, a federal jury found Festus Anyiam, 41, of Norcross, Georgia, guilty of four counts of theft of government funds and one count of money laundering.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen. The Court may sentence the defendant to not more than 10 years of imprisonment on each of the theft counts and not more than 20 years of imprisonment on the money laundering count. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys Sekret T. Sneed and Daniel Grill are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Five Atlanta men, including a U.S./Jamaican dual citizen, have been charged with numerous offenses involving the alleged trafficking of hundreds of stolen firearms to the Caribbean. 

“These defendants allegedly perpetrated a multi-year crime spree in the city of Atlanta—breaking into vehicles and stealing guns—to source firearms to be smuggled out of our country, fueling violence overseas,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.  “Thanks to the collaboration between a wide range of federal law enforcement agencies through our Homeland Security Task Force and the Atlanta Police Department, the trafficking ring allegedly responsible for these crimes has been dismantled.”

 “This multi-agency operation underscores HSI’s commitment to combat the illegal trafficking of firearms and protect our communities both domestically and abroad,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. We will continue to pursue transnational criminal networks who threaten public safety and violate U.S. laws, wherever they operate.”

“Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearm traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice. This investigation is an excellent example of multiple partner agencies working collaboratively to achieve outstanding results,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Atlanta Field Division.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is devoted to defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use.  We remain steadfast in our resolve to seek justice to the end and to keep communities safe,” stated Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division. “This goal is achieved through collaborative investigative efforts with fellow law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court:  On April 2, 2025, HSI and CBP agents at Miami International Airport interdicted a package destined for Georgetown, St. Vincent. The package contained three 9mm pistols, which had not been declared as required by law, hidden in a package containing a queen air mattress. One of the three handguns was reported stolen on March 1, 2025, in Atlanta.

A multi-agency investigation conducted by HSI, ATF, and U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security special agents, USPIS inspectors, and Atlanta Police Department officers revealed that the stolen handgun seized at the Miami airport was one of dozens of guns taken during a rash of car break-ins and burglaries allegedly perpetrated by Lorenzo Harris-Brown, D’Anthony Varner, and Albert Brown in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Harris-Brown, Varner, and Brown allegedly broke into scores of vehicles, stole the vehicles’ contents, including firearms, and provided the stolen firearms to Sanchaz Turner. After receiving the guns, Turner allegedly contacted Andre Lalor to sell the firearms. A court-authorized search of Turner’s cell phone allegedly led to the discovery of text messages between Turner and Lalor in which Turner sent Lalor photographs or descriptions of more than 350 firearms. After acquiring firearms from Turner, Lalor allegedly tried to send those guns to contacts in the Caribbean and Canada, but several of Lalor’s alleged shipments were intercepted, resulting in the seizure of dozens of stolen weapons. 

On May 27, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Andre Lalor, a/k/a “Plug Dre,” 48, of Conyers, Georgia, and Sanchaz Turner, a/k/a “Chezz,” 20; D’Anthony Varner, 23; Lorenzo Harris-Brown, 21; and Albert Brown, 21, all of Atlanta, Georgia, with conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking, trafficking in firearms, possession of stolen firearms, and dealing in firearms without a license. The indictment also charged Lalor with attempted smuggling goods from the United States, failure to notify a common carrier, and failure to file electronic export information. Andre Lalor, Sanchaz Turner, and Lorenzo Harris-Brown appeared in federal court last week following their arrests, and Albert Brown was arraigned yesterday. D’Anthony Varner will be arraigned at a later date.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Atlanta Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Smith and Jamil Favors are prosecuting the case.

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. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Marcus Lydell Molden, Jr, who was recently listed on the Atlanta Police Department’s top five fugitives list, has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the federal charges, Molden also faces charges in Fulton County for various violent crimes and gang-related offenses. 

“A convicted felon several times over, Marcus Molden was strictly prohibited from possessing any firearm, let alone an illegally converted machinegun with an extended magazine,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thankfully, shortly after Molden secured a position on the Atlanta Police Department’s ignoble ‘most wanted’ list, federal and local law enforcement captured him, seized his ultra-dangerous weapon, and made our community safer.”

“Violent offenders must understand there are serious consequences for the illegal possession of firearms. ATF and our law enforcement partners will dedicate all necessary time and resources to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd.

“Getting Marcus Molden off the streets was a priority for the Atlanta Police Department because of the danger he posed to our community,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “I am proud of the officers and investigators whose relentless work led to his arrest, and I am grateful for the strong partnership with our federal law enforcement partners that helped bring this case to a successful outcome. This guilty plea reflects the impact of coordinated enforcement efforts and our shared commitment to holding violent offenders accountable. Most importantly, it means a dangerous offender has been removed from our streets, making Atlanta safer for the residents, businesses, and visitors we serve every day.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In the summer of 2025, the Atlanta Police Department (APD) classified Molden, a convicted felon, as one of APD’s most wanted fugitives. In July 2025, officers and detectives with APD’s gangs and automobile crimes units, along with federal law enforcement partners, observed Molden enter the passenger seat of a vehicle with a firearm tucked in his waistband.

After stopping the vehicle, officers found a black Glock pistol under the passenger seat. The magazine was designed to hold up to 22 rounds of ammunition, and a machinegun conversion device, which allowed the gun to function as a fully automatic firearm, was attached to the pistol.

Sentencing for Marcus Lydell Molden, Jr, a/k/a Meat, 25, is scheduled for September 15, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Members of the public are reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent of the pending Fulton County charges, and it will be the State’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The federal case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Atlanta Police Department.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve A. Hsieh is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – John Elijah Matthews faces a federal charge of committing an act of violence causing death on a mass transportation system, after he allegedly murdered a 66-year-old woman aboard a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) train last weekend. 

“Margaret Swan was a beloved great-grandmother who was brutally killed in an unprovoked act of senseless violence. Her loss deeply affects her family, friends, and our entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Atlantans and the many people who will soon visit for the FIFA World Cup deserve to travel free from fear of a violent attack. We will not tolerate murder and mayhem on MARTA, and anyone who uses a dangerous weapon to seriously injure or kill on public transportation may face swift and unrelenting federal prosecution.”

“Margaret Swan was an innocent woman simply trying to get to her destination. My hope is these charges will bring justice for her and her family.” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This crime also impacts everyone who relies on mass transportation to move about their daily lives. Using Atlanta’s train system should be safe and free of violence.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On May 30, 2026, Margaret Swan, a 66-year-old resident of Atlanta, was a passenger on a MARTA train traveling northbound from the Lakewood station to the Oakland City station. Video surveillance inside the MARTA train allegedly showed Matthews standing next to Swan, who was sitting near the train’s door and looking at her phone. At approximately 11:25 a.m., surveillance footage allegedly shows Matthews reach into his pocket, pull out a folding knife, and stab Swan approximately 20 times in the chest and neck area as she attempted to defend herself. Other passengers on the train fled for safety and called for help, and at least one passenger confirmed that Swan had no interaction with Matthews before the fatal attack.

After the MARTA train stopped at the Oakland City station, MARTA police officers immediately arrested Matthews, who was allegedly in possession of a bloody folding knife consistent with the knife seen in the surveillance footage and had blood on his clothes. First responders attempted to render emergency medical aid to Swan, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

John Elijah Matthews, 25, of Decatur, Georgia, was named in a federal criminal complaint filed today charging him with committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon with the intent to cause death on a mass transportation system. If convicted, Matthews faces the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General of the United States will determine whether the government will seek the death penalty. Matthews is currently in local custody but will appear in federal court at a later date. 

Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Police Department.

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.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Tracy Jones, a former Senior Vice President at the Atlanta Housing Authority, has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for a scheme to fraudulently collect Section 8 housing assistance payments for her own rental property and family members, making fraudulent applications to collect pandemic relief funds, and committing mortgage fraud when refinancing her rental property. 

“Jones violated the trust of the community, the taxpayers, and the needy families she was supposed to assist, using her senior position at one of the largest housing authorities to steal limited public funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Her theft of that money meant other members of the community went without much-needed relief. Our office will continue to vigorously act to hold people like Jones, who violate the public trust and pilfer from the treasury, accountable.”

“Tracy Jones abused a position of trust by diverting funds from multiple federal programs, undermining assistance intended for vulnerable communities and struggling businesses during the pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who exploit HUD-funded programs for personal gain.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From April 2017 to the time of her guilty plea in this case, Jones served as Senior Vice President over the Housing Choice Voucher Program at the Atlanta Housing Authority, overseeing one of the largest Section 8 programs in the country. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds Section 8 programs, including rental assistance payments to landlords on behalf of low-income families and individuals. Section 8 funds are limited, and there is often a long waiting list of low-income families seeking acceptance into the program. Housing authority staff are generally prohibited from receiving Section 8 payments for their own properties, and Section 8 landlords are typically prohibited from leasing to their own family members. 

Instead of upholding the integrity of the housing assistance program, Jones defrauded the program by using a series of falsified forms to have her family members admitted to the Section 8 program and then to receive Section 8 payments for them to live in her own rental house. To conceal her identity, Jones used a fake name and a shell business entity to execute housing authority documents. As a result, she improperly obtained more than $36,000 of Section 8 funds. Jones then obstructed subsequent investigations by submitting a false affidavit and convincing friends to lie and present false documents on her behalf.

At the same time, Jones used her shell business and another business to collect more than $27,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 pandemic relief programs, falsely claiming that the businesses were functioning, had multiple employees, and received over $56,000 of gross revenues in 2019. When the SBA denied one of Jones’s applications, she appealed the denial, falsely stating: 

• “I am truly a[n] honest business owner[.]” 
• “I hear the stories how people abused the PPP loans to establish a lavish lif[e] style. That is not me. My business is small and is growing, but I [am] one of the legitimate and honest business that can use all the help I can.”
• “I also serve a community of low income families in my business, renting one of my three homes to a low income family as well as serve other owners of low income rental properties.”

Jones also committed mortgage fraud when she refinanced her Section 8 rental property, falsely claiming on her application for a $219,780 loan that the property was her primary residence, that the residence was not a rental property, and that she did not own any other property.

On May 20, 2026, Tracy Denise Jones, 61, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 9 months in prison to be followed by 9 months of home detention and 15 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $65,598.80 and a fine of $63,546. She pled guilty on February 2, 2026, to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, wire fraud, and credit application fraud.

This case was investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Gwendolyn Brandon, a former supervisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds in connection with fake invoices she submitted to the CDC.

“This defendant embezzled taxpayer money and brazenly exploited her position of public trust by fabricating invoices,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “When she is sentenced later this year, she will pay the price for her greed and deception.” 

“This federal employee-turn-fraudster exploited her government position to steal taxpayer money to enrich herself,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “HHS-OIG is committed to protecting the integrity of the federal workforce and to help ensure that HHS funding is spent appropriately to serve the American public.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From approximately August 2023 to February 2025, while employed as a CDC administrative professional, Brandon created fraudulent invoices that appeared to be from vendors requesting payment for goods or services provided to the CDC. The invoices triggered payments to an account she controlled. She used her role as a supervisor and her knowledge of CDC’s invoice and credit card processing system to perpetuate the fraud by causing employees under her supervision, who were unaware of the fraud, to make the payments. Through her scheme, she caused the CDC to pay at least 46 fraudulent invoices in amounts ranging from $2,230 to $9,970, resulting in the theft of $190,461.50 in government funds. 

Gwendolyn Brandon, 43, of Cumming, Georgia, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds yesterday. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. As part of her plea agreement, Brandon agreed to resign from the CDC and never apply for employment with the federal government again, nor will she seek to do business with the federal government as a contractor or vendor. 

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Morris is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Orville Andrew Pernell, an illegal alien from Jamaica charged with murder in Saint Lucia, has been sentenced to federal prison for possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States.

“After he was charged with murder, Pernell escaped custody twice in the Caribbean, entered the United States under a different identity, and then repeatedly endangered our community through his possession of stolen and high-powered firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “All of our communities are safer with Pernell behind bars and subject to extradition to Saint Lucia to face murder charges.”

“Individuals who attempt to hide behind false identities, cross international borders unlawfully, and traffic stolen firearms should understand that ATF and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who threaten public safety,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd, ATF Atlanta.  “This case highlights ATF’s critical role in tracing illegal firearms, disrupting trafficking networks, and ensuring dangerous offenders are removed from our communities.”

“No one who flees justice abroad and threatens public safety in the United States will escape accountability,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Through the coordinated efforts of HSI and our partners, Pernell has been apprehended, convicted, and when his sentence concludes will be returned to face murder charges in Saint Lucia.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Pernell was charged with murder in Saint Lucia on October 8, 2020. While awaiting trial, he escaped custody in Saint Lucia and was arrested in Jamaica on July 21, 2021. He then escaped Jamaican custody while awaiting his extradition to Saint Lucia.

Nearly 18 months later, American immigration authorities encountered Pernell attempting to illegally enter the United States at an unmanned area near the San Ysidro point of entry at the California border with Mexico. Pernell identified himself as “Oneil Christopher Reid,” and was allowed to enter the United States pending further immigration proceedings.

On July 21, 2023, sheriff’s deputies in Clayton County, Georgia stopped Pernell for driving 115 miles per hour on a motorcycle. Deputies searched Pernell and found a stolen firearm in his jacket pocket. Although deputies arrested him for speeding, fleeing, driving without a license, and receiving stolen property, Pernell posted bail and was released from custody within less than two months. 

In 2025, federal law enforcement determined Pernell was in the United States using the Reid alias. He was arrested on April 4, 2025, while agents simultaneously executed a search warrant at his home in Hinesville, Georgia. At the home, agents found another stolen handgun and an assault rifle with a loaded high-capacity magazine.

On February 11, 2026, Pernell pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. While in federal custody, Pernell repeatedly damaged the cell walls at his pretrial detention facility in apparent escape attempts.

Orville Andrew Pernell, a/k/a Oneil Christopher Reid, 33, of Saint Mary, Jamaica, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson to 33 months of imprisonment. After he serves his sentence in the United States, he will be subject to removal and extradition proceedings.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wylly prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Kristin Draper has been arraigned on federal charges of money laundering conspiracy for allegedly conspiring with her boyfriend, Antwaun Brown, to funnel proceeds of Brown’s fentanyl dealing through a Dayton, Ohio group home for at-risk youth. Brown, a felon with state and federal convictions for trafficking crack cocaine and heroin, is facing federal drug charges related to the seizure of a massive amount of fentanyl in Sandy Springs, Georgia last year.

“Draper was entrusted with protecting at-risk children, but instead allegedly used her position to launder money from fentanyl sales – a lethal drug that is killing our young people,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will continue to work tirelessly to aggressively prosecute the drug dealers who poison our communities, as well as the money launderers who facilitate crime by concealing the proceeds of illicit activity.”

“Money laundering enables criminal organizations to profit and operate in the shadows,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Through coordinated investigative efforts and strong partnerships, law enforcement remains committed to following the money, uncovering criminal networks, and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Draper owns Reflections Group Home, LLC, which operates three group homes in Dayton, Ohio, with space for 15 children. In 2024, Draper reported personally earning nearly $1 million in wages and distributions from Reflections Group Home’s 15 beds. A financial investigation allegedly showed that Brown and Draper conspired to commingle the profits of Brown’s Atlanta-area drug dealing with legitimate income from Reflections Group Home to obscure the source of the drug proceeds.

The investigation revealed that Draper used the commingled funds to purchase a $3 million dollar home in Forsyth County, Georgia, and a Lamborghini SUV worth over $200,000. On March 21, 2025, Brown was arrested driving that Lamborghini SUV with nearly ten pounds of fentanyl inside. The vehicle was registered to Reflections Group Home.

Kristin Draper, 37, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas on charges of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

Antwaun Brown, 40, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was previously indicted on April 22, 2025, on charges of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. He will be arraigned on a superseding indictment, charging both drug and money laundering violations, at a later date. Brown has been in custody since his arrest.

A grand jury returned the superseding indictment against Brown and Draper on May 12, 2026.

Members of the public are reminded that the superseding indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance from the Sandy Springs Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. LaGrone is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Louis Brown, III, a former sergeant with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, has been arraigned on federal charges of using excessive force against a pretrial detainee at the Fulton County Courthouse. 

“Brown allegedly betrayed his badge by punching a handcuffed detainee without justification and by directing his subordinates to turn off their body-worn cameras to try to get away with his crime,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “To maintain the public’s faith in our justice system, sworn officers who abuse their positions of trust must be held accountable.”

“The overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers serve their communities with integrity and professionalism every day,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “But when an officer allegedly violates the constitutional rights of a person in their custody, it undermines public trust and the oath they swore to uphold. The FBI remains committed to working to ensure anyone who abuses a position of authority is held accountable under the law.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, information provided in court, and other publicly available information: The use-of-force policy implemented by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) directs officers to use force that is objectively reasonable. To determine whether force is objectively reasonable, officers are required to consider the immediate threat posed by the subject and whether the subject is actively resisting. Consistent with the U.S. Constitution, the FCSO’s policy forbids force when an individual is compliant and not resisting arrest.

On June 4, 2025, while employed at the Fulton County Courthouse as a sergeant with the FCSO, Brown allegedly punched and slapped a handcuffed detainee, repeatedly, without legal justification. Immediately before the alleged attack, Brown commanded other deputies to deactivate their body-worn cameras. One deputy’s camera nevertheless captured the attack, and the video captured by that camera allegedly shows the detainee was compliant and non-threatening as Brown allegedly assaulted him.

On May 15, 2026, Louis Brown, III, 41, of Smyrna, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas. Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 12, 2026, of depriving a person of civil rights under color of law.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendant is presumed innocent, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Dwayne A. Brown Jr. are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Two illegal aliens and two convicted felons have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a large international drug trafficking and money laundering organization stretching from Mexico to Atlanta.  

“These defendants forfeited their freedom by choosing to poison our community and enrich narco-terrorists abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office, our Homeland Security Task Force, and our state and local partners are deeply committed to stemming the tide of drugs flowing into north Georgia and punishing the criminals who enable and abet foreign cartels.”

“Fentanyl continues to devastate communities across our country,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Through strong partnerships and coordinated enforcement efforts, we were able to stop a dangerous operation and disrupt the flow of illegal profits. This case underscores our shared mission to save lives and keep our communities safe.”

“Sandra Hernandez Chilel’s sentencing demonstrates that individuals involved in trafficking dangerous drugs such as fentanyl and laundering crime proceeds, which contribute to violence and instability within our communities, will be held responsible,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents, together with our federal partners, conducted thorough investigations to dismantle this network and intercept narcotics and illicit funds, thereby ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2024, federal law enforcement uncovered a scheme in which David Miranda Vinalay and multi-convicted drug dealers, such as Jerome Lewis and Irving Joel Hernandez, funneled bulk cash drug proceeds to a middleman in Norcross, Georgia. At the direction of Mexico-based drug traffickers, the middleman delivered the money to Sandra Beatriz Hernandez Chilel, who laundered the funds to Mexico through her Norcross, Georgia money service business, “Pulga La Esperanza.” Hernandez Chilel attempted to conceal the laundered funds by wiring the money to different individuals in Mexico in small transactions. Between September and November 2024, the organization laundered over $1 million in drug proceeds to Mexico.   

Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Sandra Beatriz Hernandez Chilel, 50, an illegal alien from San Marcos, Guatemala, to five years and five months in prison and she will be deported to Guatemala upon completion of her sentence.  On December 17, 2025, Hernandez Chilel pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business.

Three additional defendants were sentenced in this case:

• Jerome Lewis, 48, of Lilburn, Georgia, was sentenced to fifteen years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to money laundering conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Lewis was separately convicted in federal court in 2015 of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
• David Miranda Vinalay, 40, an illegal alien from Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to seven years and eleven months months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to money laundering conspiracy.
• Irving Joel Hernandez, 35, of Lilburn, Georgia, was sentenced to seven years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to money laundering conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Hernandez was convicted in state court in 2015 of trafficking methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Valuable assistance was also provided by Georgia State Patrol, DeKalb County Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, and Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert, Dwayne A. Brown, Jr., and Nicholas Evert prosecuted the case.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

NEWNAN, Ga. – An illegal alien who unlawfully possessed a firearm at a Fayette County gun range and her husband, who lied to an immigration judge in an effort to secure his wife’s release from custody and who paid another woman to fraudulently purchase firearms that others attempted to smuggle into Mexico, have pleaded guilty to multiple felony offenses and now face years in prison.

“Illegal aliens are strictly prohibited from possessing weapons in our country, and federal law prudently prohibits lawful residents from telling lies to facilitate illicit gun trafficking,” said U.S Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Through their deceitful conduct, this husband-and-wife duo demonstrated contempt for the law, but they could not escape its reach. My office’s partnership with Atlanta’s highly productive Homeland Security Task Force will ensure that these criminals and those who assisted them are held accountable.”

“Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd.  “This investigation is an excellent example of what can be accomplished through strong collaboration among multiple partner agencies, resulting in outstanding outcomes.”

“The Bureau of Industry and Security is committed to preventing unlawful exports,” stated Bureau of Industry and Security Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Shein. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt, dismantle and deter the illicit procurement networks that seek to violate U.S. export laws and inflict harm.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On August 8, 2025, Steven Estrada Feregrino gave a woman $4,600 to purchase firearms on his behalf from a gun store in Fayetteville, Georgia. The woman bought seven firearms with Estrada’s money and falsely represented that she was the actual buyer of the firearms.  Afterwards, the woman gave the firearms to Estrada and Miguel Angela Varela-Posas, a previously deported illegal alien. Within less than a week, the firearms that Estrada and Varela-Posas received were recovered at the Del Rio, Texas port of entry inside a van bound for Mexico. 

Two months later, Estrada and his wife, Brenda Rojano-Gonzalez, 26, an illegal alien from Temimilco, Mexico, went to a gun range where CCTV cameras recorded Rojano-Gonzalez handling and discharging a firearm. Subsequently, immigration authorities arrested Rojano-Gonzalez. At a November 5, 2025 hearing in immigration court, Estrada falsely testified under oath that Rojano-Gonzalez never shot a firearm at a gun range. Although the immigration court released her on a bond, Rojano-Gonzalez was charged in federal court with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Rojano-Gonzalez pled guilty to that charge on March 11, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May.

On May 11, 2026, Steven Estrada Feregrino, 29, of Fayetteville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to perjury and false statements to a federal firearms licensee. Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2026, before Chief Judge May. 

In indictments returned on February 3, 2026, and May 5, 2026, Varela-Posas, 30, of Puebla, Mexico, was charged with illegal reentry to the United States, false statements to a federal firearms licensee, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and possession of counterfeit documents.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. Varela-Posas is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Owe Martin Andresen, the suspected main administrator of Dream Market, one of the largest illicit darknet marketplaces before its 2019 shutdown, has been indicted for an alleged scheme to launder funds from Dream Market’s administrator accounts. Andresen was arrested last week in Germany on parallel charges brought by the German government.

“Andresen allegedly channeled commissions earned from selling illegal drugs, stolen personally identifiable information, counterfeit identification documents, and other items through cryptocurrency wallets and even converted his ill-gotten gains into gold bars,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to the close coordination between federal and German law enforcement, Andresen and his co-conspirators will no longer profit from the online sales of narcotics and fraud services, and Andresen will be prosecuted in both Germany and the United States as a result of his actions.”

“This action highlights the unwavering commitment of IRS Criminal Investigation and our global law enforcement partners to dismantle the financial engines that sustain transnational criminal enterprises,” said Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington D.C. Field Office. “The reintegration of long dormant proceeds demonstrates a hard truth: illicit actors may hide in the shadows, but their financial footprints remain. IRS CI is dedicated to following the money, and our Cyber Crimes Unit special agents are dedicated to exposing those who attempt to exploit technology to evade accountability.”

“Technology has provided drug traffickers with more and more options to peddle their poisons into our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley. “It’s up to us to slam the door on those options and bring these cyber criminals to justice.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Dream Market launched in 2013 and became one of the largest criminal marketplaces on the darknet, with close to 100,000 listings at a given time. Between 2013 and 2019, Dream Market facilitated the sale of more than 90 kilograms of heroin, 450 kilograms of cocaine, 25 kilograms of crack cocaine, 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, 13 kilograms of oxycodone, and 36 kilograms of fentanyl. Buyers and sellers accessed Dream Market and interacted with each other through the use of Tor (an internet traffic anonymizing service), and they relied on cryptocurrency to mask the origin and destination of their payments—a model that allowed the marketplace to grow at a staggering pace.

Coordinated law enforcement efforts led to the dismantling of the Dream Market infrastructure by identifying, arresting, and prosecuting the high-level vendors, moderators, and administrators who sustained the transnational criminal enterprise. High-ranking administrators who used the monikers “Oxymonster” and “KITT3N” were previously convicted in prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern District of Florida and the U.S. Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. A mid-level administrator responsible for customer service issues on the website and who used the moniker “GOWRON” was convicted in a prosecution by the United Kingdom Crown Prosecution Service. However, the main administrator of the Dream Market, who used the moniker “Speedstepper,” was not identified.

In 2019, facing increasing law enforcement pressure, Dream Market’s administrators announced that they were voluntarily shutting down the marketplace. After Dream Market’s closure, the marketplace’s cryptocurrency infrastructure remained largely untouched, including Dream Market wallets that held millions of dollars in commission payments to the administrators (the “Dream Wallets”).

Three years later, in November and December 2022, Andresen allegedly accessed the Dream Wallets and transferred funds into new, consolidated cryptocurrency wallets (the “Consolidated Wallets”)—activity that could only have been initiated by someone with access to Dream Market’s original private keys, believed to be “Speedstepper.”

Months later, in August 2023, Andresen allegedly used a cryptocurrency service provider based in Atlanta, Georgia to purchase gold bars from international companies using funds in the Consolidated Wallets and directed those companies to ship the gold bars to his home address in Germany. German law enforcement identified additional money laundering transactions committed by Andresen in Germany. In total, Andresen is alleged to have laundered over $2 million between August 2023 and April 2025.

On May 7, 2026, in a coordinated effort by both German and U.S. law enforcement, Andresen was arrested on German charges, and his residence and two other locations were searched. During the searches, law enforcement located approximately $1.7 million of gold bars allegedly purchased with Dream Market funds, as well as over $23,000 in cash. Law enforcement also located information identifying several bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets containing approximately $1.2 million of funds believed to be proceeds of the Dream Market.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment on January 13, 2026, charging Owe Martin Andresen, 49, of Germany, with six counts of international concealment money laundering and six counts of concealment money laundering. Each federal charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Germany also has charged Andresen with several counts of concealment money laundering. Each German charge is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation – Cyber Crimes Unit and DEA Miami Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, with substantial assistance from foreign law enforcement partners, including the Bundeskriminalamt Cybercrime Unit and Zentrale Kriminalinspektion Oldenburg.

A multi-agency task force, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, initially investigated Dream Market’s criminal activities between 2016 and 2022.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bethany L. Rupert is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance during the investigation. The original Dream Market investigation was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Poul Thorsen, a Danish researcher who was one of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s top ten most wanted fugitives, was arraigned today on federal wire fraud and money laundering charges after his extradition from Germany.                                                                                                                 

“Poul Thorsen allegedly stole more than $1 million in federal grant money by submitting fabricated invoices and diverting funds to his personal bank accounts,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “International fugitives who think they can avoid responsibility for serious federal crimes by living overseas are wrong. Due to the unwavering persistence of my office and our law enforcement partners, Thorsen has been extradited to the United States and will face justice in federal court.”

“Thorsen is alleged to have diverted more than a million dollars designated for critical public health and autism research. These funds were entrusted to advance scientific understanding and support children and families; instead, these tax dollars were exploited for personal gain, a serious breach of law and profound betrayal of public trust,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “Thorsen’s extradition reinforces a core principle: individuals who are accused in an indictment of defrauding the American people and misusing federally funded research will be pursued wherever they flee. HHS-OIG, alongside our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the integrity of federal programs and ensuring that those who steal from the public are held accountable.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From 2000 to 2009, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, awarded over $11 million to two governmental agencies in Denmark to study the relationship between autism and exposure to vaccines, between cerebral palsy and infection during pregnancy, and between childhood development and fetal alcohol exposure. In 2002, Thorsen, who had worked as a visiting scientist at the CDC when it was soliciting the grant applications, became responsible for administering the research money awarded by the CDC.

Thorsen allegedly stole more than $1 million of the CDC grant money by submitting fraudulent documents to the Danish government, Aarhus University, and a Danish hospital where scientists performed research under the grant. From February 2004 through June 2008, Thorsen allegedly submitted over a dozen fraudulent invoices, containing the forged signature of a CDC laboratory section chief, that falsely claimed a CDC laboratory had performed work and was owed grant money. Based on these invoices, Aarhus University transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to CDC Federal Credit Union accounts the university believed belonged to the CDC. In truth, the credit union accounts were personal accounts held by Thorsen. After the money was transferred, Thorsen allegedly withdrew the fraudulent proceeds for his own use, obtaining cashier’s checks and buying a home in Atlanta, a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and Audi and Honda vehicles.

A federal magistrate judge issued an arrest warrant after a grand jury in Atlanta indicted Thorsen on April 13, 2011, but Thorsen evaded apprehension for nearly 14 years by remaining in Denmark. On June 4, 2025, Thorsen, 65, was arrested in Passau, Germany, pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice based on the April 2011 arrest warrant.

Earlier this year, Germany agreed to extradite Thorsen to face trial on two counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering. On May 7, 2026, Thorsen was flown to the United States in federal custody. He was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Elizabeth McBath and will be held without bail pending further proceedings.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured the arrest and extradition of Thorsen from Germany.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen H. McClain is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Shamarri Tache Brooks has pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in connection with a scheme arising from the widespread theft of checks from the mail. 

“Brooks used his music and social media accounts to promote fraud as a lifestyle rather than a scourge,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Those who treat fraud like a game ​gamble with their freedom because my office will vigorously prosecute the perpetrators of financial crimes that undermine our postal and financial systems, erode trust, and disrupt the lives of everyday people.”

“For those who think they can take the easy road to financial gains by stealing money people have worked hard for, the FBI will hold you accountable for the pain and losses you cause,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham.

“The FDIC Office of Inspector General is pleased to join our law enforcement partners in this impactful prosecution,” said Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Atlanta Region. “This investigation reflects the FDIC OIG’s unwavering commitment to investigate all allegations of fraud that threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation’s financial system.”

“The brazenness of the defendant is almost unfathomable,” said Robert Donovan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. “He openly recruited participants in his criminal enterprise on social media while teaching others how to victimize members of the public by selling financial fraud tutorials. We are grateful to our federal partners for their teamwork in the investigation and the successful prosecution of this defendant.”

“Today’s guilty plea serves as a clear reminder that individuals who believe they can conceal their fraud schemes behind encrypted messaging services are mistaken,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “Our special agents, in collaboration with our federal and local law enforcement partners, remain unwavering in their commitment to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail and maintain the public’s trust.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: From at least January 2022 through November 2025, Brooks committed bank fraud by negotiating checks stolen from the mail. As part of the scheme, Brooks used social media to recruit individuals with existing bank accounts to use as depository accounts for stolen checks. Brooks altered the stolen checks to list the cooperating accountholders as the intended recipients or payees of the checks. Brooks deposited altered checks at ATMs throughout the Atlanta area, often wearing balaclava-style masks with a logo stating “No Free Sauce.”

Brooks also promoted and sold tutorials for committing various forms of financial fraud, including check fraud. He sold a collection of these tutorials under the name “Sauce Book” or “SB.” Brooks also sold images of stolen checks, referred to as “slips,” as a part of his fraud business.

When law enforcement arrested Brooks earlier this year, they recovered over 600 stolen checks from his residence.  

Shamarri Tache Brooks, a/k/a Juney Knotzz, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.  In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.  The sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The Dunwoody Police Department and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration also provided valuable assistance in the investigation.

To protect yourself from becoming the victim of mail theft and check fraud, the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service recommend the following steps:

• Pick up your mail promptly after delivery. Do not leave mail in your mailbox overnight or for long periods of time.
• If you are heading out of town, submit a USPS Hold Mail™ request asking your local Post Office to hold your mail until you return.
• Sign up for Informed Delivery® at USPS.com to receive daily email notifications of incoming mail and packages.
• Contact the sender if you do not receive a check, credit card or other valuable mail you are expecting.
• Consider buying and using security envelopes to conceal the contents of your mail.
• Use the letter slots inside your local Post Office to send mail. If using a blue USPS collection box, be sure to drop your mail as close to the posted pickup time as possible and before the last collection of the day
• When using checks, educate yourself about the steps you can take to prevent fraudsters from exploiting stolen checks, such as setting up positive pay with your financial institution.  

If you think you were targeted by fraudsters, file a report with your bank and request copies of all fraudulent checks. Report the incident to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), www.ic3.gov. If you believe you are the victim of mail theft-related check fraud, report to your local police and the United States Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report or 1-877-876-2455.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Morris is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Usoro E. McWhorter, who has eight prior felony convictions, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. His accomplice, Omari Nicks, was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison last year on the same charges.   

“This serial convicted felon sold deadly quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs from an Atlanta apartment and dumped heroin out of a window in a failed attempt to evade seizure by law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “McWhorter’s and Nicks’s lengthy sentences are the result of close collaboration between federal and local law enforcement officers committed to aggressive prosecutions of drug traffickers in north Georgia.”

“An individual with eight prior convictions who continues to traffic drugs demonstrates a clear disregard for the law and for human life,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Through strong collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we were able to bring this case forward and ensure accountability. Together, we remain committed to removing repeat offenders who threaten the safety and well-being of our communities.”

“The recent federal conviction and 10-year sentence of a fentanyl distributor underscore the devastating impact this drug continues to have on our communities. Fentanyl trafficking fuels addiction, overdoses, and loss of life at an alarming rate,” said Major Mark Mayton of the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and the commitment of law enforcement and the judicial system to hold those responsible accountable. We remain dedicated to working with our partners to combat the spread of fentanyl and protect the safety and well-being of our citizens.”

“The Cartersville Police Department has always taken an aggressive approach to drug enforcement, and this case was no different. It really is a shining example of what happens when local and federal law enforcement work together to achieve a common goal. This collaborative effort created a true local impact by dismantling an illicit pipeline of drugs and firearms into not only our community, but all of the communities that these defendants sought to exploit,” said Chief Kevin Cloninger of the Cartersville Police Department.

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In January 2025, Omari Nicks was selling methamphetamine and fentanyl from his Atlanta apartment. Some of Nicks’s customers traveled into the city from as far as Bartow County, Georgia. On February 6, 2025, DEA agents searched Nicks’s apartment after seeing Nicks sell drugs while Usoro McWhorter acted as a lookout. When agents entered the apartment, Nicks attempted to flee by climbing out a third-story window, but he fell off the side of the building and was quickly apprehended. Agents arrested McWhorter while he was dumping heroin out of another apartment window.

Inside the apartment, agents found approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine, 50 grams of fentanyl, a hydraulic press to form powdered drugs into bricks, approximately $5,400 in cash, and an AR-15 style rifle loaded with a 30-round magazine. Law enforcement also recovered approximately 100 grams of the heroin McWhorter dumped out of the apartment window. 

Before this incident, McWhorter had been convicted of eight felony offenses. Most of those convictions involved drug sales.

On May 6, 2026, Usoro E. McWhorter, 48, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. McWhorter was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, after he pleaded guilty. 

On August 27, 2025, Omari A. Nicks, 47, of Smyrna, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Nicks was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, after he pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, and the Cartersville Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Thomas M. Forsyth, III prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Antonio Pierre Ashmeade, the last of 13 defendants prosecuted for their roles in a drug trafficking operation dismantled by Atlanta’s multi-agency Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”), has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. 

“This HSTF investigation and federal prosecution disrupted an extensive drug distribution ring run by metro-Atlanta gang members,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The defendants’ lengthy sentences, which must be served without the possibility of parole, demonstrate that the potential financial gains from trafficking dangerous street drugs are not worth the consequences.”

“This case is a testament to the strength of our partnerships,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Federal, state, and local law enforcement worked side by side to dismantle this organization piece by piece. Today’s sentencing underscores what we can accomplish when we stand united against drug trafficking.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2019, a DEA investigation revealed that individuals associated with the Paper Gang Family (“PGF”), an ostensible rap music label, were distributing large quantities of narcotics in the Atlanta area. 

During the investigation, agents observed PGF members openly conduct drug deals on the same streets where school buses dropped off children. In April 2023, agents observed Ashmeade provide a plastic shopping bag with suspected narcotics to a drug customer in a southeast Atlanta parking lot. When a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop his vehicle, the drug customer fled and tossed a plastic bag with methamphetamine onto a sidewalk on Memorial Drive. On that occasion, law enforcement recovered half a kilogram of methamphetamine. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills, 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, 20 kilograms of cocaine, and 30 firearms connected with the PGF organization. 

Earlier today, Ashmeade, 42 of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Ashmeade was convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine following a jury trial on December 17, 2025. 

The following defendants were previously sentenced in this case:

• Demarco Harper, 48, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Cyguifredo Hernandez, 34, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on December 18, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Rodrigus Dartez Williams, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine following a trial by jury on December 17, 2025.
• Christian Tevaris Wash, 45, of Stockbridge, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Arthur Lee Hempen, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on May 22, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and wire fraud.
• Alexavier Negron, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on September 5, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Mario Bernard Peek, 39, of Ellenwood, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Terez Montavious Pippins, 39, of Forest Park, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on June 11, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Dresten Toron Daniels, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on August 25, 2025, to possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Kory Keon Solomon, 40, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, after he was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine following a trial by jury on January 8, 2026.
• Philip Michael Ricks, 40, of Leighton, Alabama, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on March 26, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Daronta Arne Lee, 43, of Snow Hill, North Carolina, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on May 6, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Georgia State Patrol, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Henry County Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County Police Department, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer, C. Brock Brockington, Teresa M. Stolze, and Elizabeth M. Hathaway prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sekret Sneed substantially assisted with the judicial forfeiture of the seized firearms, drug proceeds, and vehicles.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Nahjel Malik Williams has been charged with first-degree murder of Dequavious Graves, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, as well as the use of a firearm during that crime of violence.

“The murder of Dequavious Graves, a letter carrier dedicated to his public duty, friends, and family, was a senseless crime and a horrible tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Letter carriers play an important role in our community, and anyone who harms them as they perform their work will be brought to justice in federal court.”

“A core mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the protection of our employees, and if anyone causes them harm, they will be pursued and brought to justice for their crimes. The arrest of this defendant is a testament to the dedication of work conducted by Postal Inspectors along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “With these charges we hope to bring forth a sense of justice for Mr. Graves and his family as they continue to move forward in the wake of this senseless tragedy.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Dequavious Graves was a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier beloved by his colleagues and members of the community, as well as his family and friends. On February 12, 2026, as Graves delivered mail on his route in Decatur, Georgia, Nahjel Mailk Williams allegedly shot Graves and killed him in a premeditated act. At the time, Williams was wanted on a warrant for a prior, unrelated murder he allegedly committed in Atlanta in August 2024.

On May 5, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Nahjel Malik Williams, 24, of Decatur, Georgia, with first-degree murder of a federal employee and discharging a firearm in relation to that offense. Both charges subject Williams to the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General of the United States will determine whether the government will seek the death penalty. Williams is currently in local custody but will be arraigned in federal court at a later date.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with valuable assistance provided by the Atlanta Police Department, DeKalb County Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Teresa M. Stolze and Matthew R. LaGrone are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Tahj Rankine, a member of the GoodFellas criminal street gang, was sentenced to ten years in prison for his participation in a February 2021 drive-by shooting that injured an innocent bystander. 

“Tahj Rankine drove a vehicle while fellow gang members shot out of it, maiming an innocent bystander,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our Homeland Security Task Force will continue to target gangsters who disregard public safety and drive violence in our community.”

“Gang shootings in public places are all too common,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant and his gang terrorized customers at a gas station, unleashing more than 30 rounds, endangering innocent victims and even hitting a car containing children. Violent gang activity that imperils innocent lives has no place in our communities. It must be rooted out entirely.”

“Drive-by shootings endanger entire communities, not just intended targets,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Rankine’s actions—driving armed gang members into a public space and enabling gunfire—show a blatant disregard for human life that left an innocent bystander injured. The FBI, alongside our partners on the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue to prioritize dismantling violent gangs like GoodFellas and holding those who fuel this kind of reckless violence accountable.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: The GoodFellas is an Atlanta-based gang that primarily recruits members in Atlanta neighborhoods as well as jails and prisons within Georgia. The gang generates money through, among other criminal activities, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, fraud, and firearms trafficking. The gang protects its operation, turf, and reputation through violence and threats of violence. 

On February 2, 2021, Rankine drove himself and other armed GoodFellas gang members to a gas station in southwest Atlanta. A second vehicle filled with armed GoodFellas members accompanied Rankine’s vehicle. After Rankine drove through the gas station parking lot, occupants of the two vehicles discharged dozens of rounds towards the gas station’s storefront in an attempt to target members of another gang. An innocent bystander was hit by gunfire and suffered an injury to his foot.

On April 29, 2026, Tahj Rankine, a/k/a Biggz, 27, of Tucker, Georgia, was sentenced to ten years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.  Rankine was convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence on January 12, 2026, after he pled guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections; Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office; and the Atlanta Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Renaud and Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam prosecuted the case.

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. HSTF Atlanta comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga

Tahj Rankine, also known as Biggz, 27, of Tucker, Georgia, a member of the GoodFellas criminal street gang, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release for his participation in a drive-by shooting at a crowded gas station that injured an innocent bystander and others. Rankine pleaded guilty in January 2026 to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence — specifically, attempted murder committed in the aid of the GoodFellas’ racketeering enterprise.

“Gang shootings in public places are all too common,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant and his gang terrorized customers at a gas station, unleashing more than 30 rounds, endangering innocent victims, and even hitting a car containing children. Violent gang activity that imperils innocent lives has no place in our communities. It must be rooted out entirely.”

“Tahj Rankine drove a vehicle while fellow gang members shot out of it, maiming an innocent bystander,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “Our Homeland Security Task Force will continue to target gangsters who disregard public safety and drive violence in our community.”

“Drive-by shootings endanger entire communities, not just intended targets,” said Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Rankine’s actions — driving armed gang members into a public space and enabling gunfire — show a blatant disregard for human life that left an innocent bystander injured. The FBI, alongside our partners on the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue to prioritize dismantling violent gangs like GoodFellas and holding those who fuel this kind of reckless violence accountable.”

According to court documents, GoodFellas is an Atlanta-based gang that primarily recruits members in Atlanta neighborhoods and in jails and prisons within Georgia. The GoodFellas gang generates money for the gang through, among other criminal activities, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, fraud, and firearms trafficking. The gang uses violence and threats of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and obstruction of justice to protect its territory and reputation.

In February 2021, on the day of the shooting, Rankine drove fellow gang members to an open Quickmart gas station, where they believed members of a rival gang were present. A second car, also filled with armed GoodFellas members, accompanied Rankine’s vehicle.

Rankine drove through the Quickmart parking lot, turned around, and then drove through the parking lot again. As Rankine drove through the second time, gang members in Rankine’s vehicle and the other vehicle shot from the vehicles toward the gas station’s storefront. Several people were injured, including an innocent bystander whose children were traumatized when bullets hit the car they were sitting in. A Quickmart employee estimated that the shooters fired 30 to 40 times.

The FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Renaud for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.

These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department. 

ATLANTA – Two former U.S. Postal Service mail carriers, a former Alpharetta assistant bank manager, and a convicted felon face federal charges after participating in a scheme to steal valuable items from the mail, including a $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check.

“Francina Sutton worked with two corrupt U.S. Postal Service mail carriers to steal dozens of checks, credit cards, and gift cards from the mail and separately conspired with an assistant bank manager to launder a stolen $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office places a special emphasis on prosecuting employees who abuse their positions inside trusted institutions to steal from and defraud the public.”

“Today’s arrests send a strong message to anyone who thinks mail theft and check fraud will go unpunished,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “Protecting the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service is our mission, and our special agents, along with our federal and local law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate these federal crimes to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail and maintain the public’s trust.”

“It is the mission of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to protect the integrity of the IRS and promote the fair administration of our federal tax system,” said TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Joel Weaver. “TIGTA continues to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners to hold individuals responsible for their attempts to interfere with our nation’s tax system for personal gain.”

“Stealing mail, misusing personal information, and trying to wash a $4.9 million Treasury check are serious attacks on our financial system,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS-CI Atlanta Field Office. “IRS‑CI will continue to follow the money, expose these schemes, and shut down anyone who seeks to profit from fraud against the American public.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service relentlessly pursues criminals who exploit the U.S. Mail for unlawful purposes,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division. “The indictments of these co-conspirators who allegedly stole Treasury Checks and other financial instruments and defrauded the American taxpayer serve as a resounding message to anyone who wants to steal U.S. Mail. We will unwaveringly work with our partners in law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold criminals accountable for their actions.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Beginning in or about March 2020 and continuing through September 2025, Shanda Goode and Carnisha Hamilton, who were then employed as U.S. Postal Service City Carriers assigned to the Ralph McGill Post Office in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Marietta Main Post Office in Marietta, Georgia, respectively, allegedly stole mail containing checks, credit cards, gift cards, and other items of value in order to sell them to Francina Juantez Sutton and other individuals. On at least one occasion in December 2023, Hamilton stole three dozen pieces of mail containing checks and credit cards on a single delivery run. After obtaining the stolen mail, Sutton used the credit cards and cashed the checks for her own personal use.

Sutton also allegedly conspired with Tonya Bailey, who was an Assistant Financial Center Manager at a bank in Alpharetta, Georgia, to open bank accounts in the names of unsuspecting persons in order to deposit a $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check that had been stolen from the mail. In February 2023, Sutton entered Bailey’s bank branch wearing a dark-colored mask and opened a bank account, with Bailey’s assistance, in the name of an entity that resembled the name of the payee listed on the stolen check. Sutton and Bailey then deposited the stolen check into the new bank account. Two weeks later, Sutton returned to Bailey’s bank branch wearing a surgical mask; drew two cashier’s checks for $150,000 each from the account; and opened two new bank accounts, with Bailey’s assistance, using stolen personally identifiable information. Sutton and Bailey then deposited $300,000 into the new accounts. The U.S. Secret Service seized over $4.7 million from the fraudulently opened bank accounts, and the United States will seek to forfeit the seized funds in the criminal case.

Francina Juantez Sutton, 46, of Smyrna, Ga., Shanda Goode, 57, of Douglasville, Ga., Carnisha Hamilton, 42, of Marietta, Ga., and Tonya Bailey, 58, of Ellenwood, Ga., will be arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Sommerfeld after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 24, 2026. Goode, Hamilton, and Sutton face federal charges for conspiracy and theft of mail by a postal employee. Sutton and Bailey were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. Sutton also was charged with possession of stolen mail, access device fraud, and felon in possession of a firearm. Sutton has multiple prior felony convictions for theft, forgery, and identity fraud.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service also provided valuable assistance.

Assistant United States Attorney Sekret T. Sneed is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Servando Corona Penaloza, who is a Mexican illegal alien and Georgia state prison inmate, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for orchestrating the sale of more than 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl and the purchase of over 200 military-style firearms that were transported to Mexico for use by Mexican cartels. Fourteen other members of Corona Penaloza’s organization have been convicted and sentenced, with two defendants awaiting sentencing in the coming months.    

“These defendants flooded our community with deadly drugs and used the proceeds of their drug deals to arm narco-terrorist Mexican cartels with high-powered weapons of war,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of the exceptional and dedicated work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners under the auspices of Atlanta’s Homeland Security Task Force, there are no more drugs coming in—or firearms going out—at Corona Penaloza’s direction.”

“This investigation reflects strong coordination among agencies at every level. Through that collaboration, we disrupted a dangerous operation and enhanced the safety of our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd.

“This operation not only prevented a massive quantity of methamphetamine from reaching our streets but also took firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a serious threat to public safety,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Every kilogram seized, and every weapon recovered, is a step toward safer communities.”

“This case demonstrates Homeland Security Investigations’ determination to root out violent gangs and criminal cartels from our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “By working side-by-side with our federal, state, and local partners, we have stopped the flow of deadly drugs and weapons and delivered a clear message: We will relentlessly pursue those who threaten the safety of American families.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In March 2024, federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) identified numerous cash purchases of M249S firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in the Atlanta area. M249S firearms are belt-fed, single shot, civilian versions of the U.S. Army’s Squad Automatic Weapon, with a retail cost of $10,000 to $12,000 per unit. Throughout its investigation, the ATF determined that numerous individuals were purchasing, or coordinating the purchase of, M249S firearms and other military-style weapons in the Atlanta area on behalf of Corona Penaloza, who organized the smuggling of those firearms to Mexico for use by Mexican narcoterrorists. 

In March 2024, while ATF investigated Corona Penaloza for firearms trafficking, the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) began investigating him for large-scale drug trafficking. During its investigation, the DEA learned that Corona Penaloza had brokered several large-scale cocaine and methamphetamine transactions and coordinated the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine on behalf of a large Mexican drug cartel. For instance, on October 23, 2024, the DEA identified and seized a shipment of over 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine delivered to an auto mechanic shop in DeKalb County, Georgia. 

The investigation revealed that Corona Penaloza coordinated the drug and firearm sales by using a contraband cell phone while serving a 30-year state prison sentence. To source firearms, he worked with certain individuals who acted as firearms purchase coordinators. Those coordinators then instructed numerous other individuals to buy the firearms at various FFLs in the Atlanta area and deliver them to the coordinators. Some of the purchasers facilitated smuggling the firearms to Mexico by wrapping them in plastic bags and hiding them in trap compartments in vehicles, including in the gas tanks of a recreational vehicle. 

During the investigation, the ATF determined that Corona Penaloza and his conspirators organized the purchase and trafficking of at least 223 firearms to Mexico. The value of these firearms was over $700,000, and the vast majority of the firearms were purchased with cash obtained through the sale of narcotics. In the United States, agents seized 105 firearms purchased by members of the conspiracy. Mexican authorities recovered an additional 20 firearms in Mexico that were connected to this investigation. An M2 belt-fed .50 caliber rifle, a M240 7.62mm belt-fed rifle, eleven M249S belt-fed rifles, and a Barrett .50 caliber rifle were among the firearms recovered in the United States. An additional Barrett .50 caliber rifle and seven more M249S belt-fed rifles were recovered by Mexican authorities. 

Two illegal aliens, Teresa Gonzalez Hoopo and Berenice Macias Montes, laundered Corona Penaloza’s drug proceeds for him, exchanging money through CashApp and other applications, so they could provide funds to the firearms purchase coordinators and straw purchasers. 

Today, U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen sentenced Servando Corona Penaloza, a/k/a Armani, 38, of Mexico, to 25 years in prison—at least 15 years of which will be served consecutively to his state sentence—to be followed by ten years of supervised release. On November 13, 2025, Corona Penaloza pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and conspiracy to engage in concealment money laundering. 

In addition to Corona Penaloza, the following defendants were previously sentenced in this case:

• Ulises Hernandez-Pineda, 38, of Suffolk, Virginia, was sentenced to 10 years, and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
• Jared Thompson, 41, of Snellville, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Carlos Sambrano, 29, of Rex, Georgia, was sentenced to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
• Kevin Delrio-Oliva, 23, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced to seven years, and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and money laundering.
• Marlon Geovanie Chen, 33, of Belize, was sentenced to five years, and three months in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Jairo Najera, 26, of Conyers, Georgia, was sentenced to four years, and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms.
• Teresa Gonzalez-Hoopo, 57, of Mexico, was sentenced to three years, and ten months in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in concealment money laundering and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
• Berenice Macias Montes, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced to three years, and ten months in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in concealment money laundering and making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
• Torres Simmons, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years, and ten months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
• Timothy Dennis, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years, and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
• Cameron Vick, 23, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was sentenced to three years, and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
• Adalberto Alexander Avila Antuuez, 23, of Honduras, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
• Jason Castillo, 22, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced to one year, and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
• Jessica Smith, 41, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to one year, and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.

Additionally, two defendants are awaiting sentencing:

• Victor Mendoza-Ortiz, 25, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer, and will be sentenced on May 19, 2026.
• Salvio Garcia, 25, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, and money laundering, and will be sentenced on June 11, 2026.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections, DeKalb County Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, South Fulton Police Department, Lilburn Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Police Department, Lake Charles (LA) Police Department, and the Refugio County (TX) Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold III, Dwayne A. Brown Jr., and Bethany L. Rupert prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Evert substantially assisted with the judicial forfeiture of the seized firearms and drug proceeds.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – A former Atlanta Hawks accounting executive, Lester T. Jones, Jr., has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison for embezzling approximately $3.7 million from the NBA team through fraudulent expense reimbursement requests and misuse of corporate credit cards. 

“Jones turned his dream job as a high-ranking executive for the Atlanta Hawks into an opportunity to steal the team’s funds, purchasing luxury apparel, jewelry, watches, and trips for himself,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “But, for Jones and others who abuse their employers’ trust to embezzle substantial funds, the gravy train’s final destination is federal prison.”

“This case underscores the significant damage that can be caused by insider threats within an organization,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Jones abused his authority and access to embezzle millions, but schemes like this are not immune from detection. The FBI remains committed to investigating and disrupting financial crimes at every level.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Jones joined the Accounting and Finance Department of ATL Hawks, LLC (“the Hawks”) in 2016. Following his promotion to Senior Vice President of Finance in August 2021, Jones became the most senior accounting executive for the Hawks after the Chief Financial Officer.

Beginning in early 2021, Jones became the sole administrator of the Hawks’ corporate credit card account with American Express. In this role, Jones supervised the Hawks’ corporate American Express credit card program; served as American Express’s sole contact with the Hawks in the event of payment issues, delays, and card suspensions; and determined when and to which employees corporate credit cards should be issued. Jones was the only Hawks employee with full visibility into the number of corporate credit cards, the identities of the cardholders, account balances, and other program details. Jones also began serving as administrator of the Hawks’ electronic reimbursement platform, supervising employees who handled expense reimbursements.

From a date unknown and continuing through in or about June 2025, Jones used his position to defraud the Hawks out of approximately $3.7 million dollars. Jones accomplished his scheme in two ways: (1) by submitting or directing the submission of dozens of fraudulent expense reimbursement requests to cause the Hawks to reimburse him for fictitious business expenses; and (2) by charging personal expenses to corporate credit cards and covering it up through false representations to other Hawks employees, including to his subordinates in the Accounting and Finance Department. Those personal expenses included approximately $80,000 in overseas travel to the Bahamas and Thailand, $99,800 in apparel at Saks Fifth Avenue, a $115,795.01 diamond ring, $21,888.90 in Omega watches, and over $160,000 in tickets to concerts and other events.

Lester Jones, Jr., 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to three years, five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,898,486.99. Jones pleaded guilty to wire fraud on December 16, 2025.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bernita Malloy prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Luther Davis and CJ Evins pleaded guilty today to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges after they tricked lenders into providing nearly $20 million in loans by pretending to represent professional athletes. As part of their scheme, the pair posed as managers of the athletes and wore disguises to impersonate the athletes.

“Using fake documents, bogus corporations, wigs, and makeup, Davis and Evins convinced lenders they were NFL players, obtained millions of dollars in fraudulent loans, and used the proceeds of their crimes to purchase real estate and luxury items,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This scheme highlights that anyone can be a target of identity theft, and my office will vigorously investigate and prosecute swindlers who steal identities to defraud others.”

“Davis and Evins built an elaborate scheme on deception—impersonating professional athletes, fabricating credentials, and even disguising themselves to close the deal,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting victims from complex financial fraud and identity theft. Those who exploit others’ reputations for personal gain will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between at least May 26, 2023, and October 25, 2024, Davis and Evins secured millions of dollars in loans, purportedly on behalf of professional athletes who they falsely claimed to represent. To create the appearance that they represented the athletes, Davis and Evins registered companies with names closely related to the impersonated athletes’ names or initials, opened bank accounts for these fictitious companies, provided fabricated personal financial statements, created fraudulent email accounts, and obtained fake driver’s licenses and identification cards in the athletes’ names. 

The defendants obtained multiple loans on behalf of unsuspecting professional athletes, using loan proceeds to pay off previous loan balances and to fund their own lifestyles, including purchasing and/or refinancing real estate, jewelry, and watches. As the defendants sought higher value loans, lenders required that the borrowers—who the lenders believed to be professional football players—appear on camera at loan closings. During these loan closings, the defendants posed as the borrowers by impersonating several professional athletes, including wearing wigs and makeup and signing loan paperwork in the athletes’ names. The victim lenders then deposited loan proceeds into bank accounts controlled by the defendants.

The scheme was uncovered when a union that represents professional athletes learned that the player contracts that the defendants used as collateral for the loans were fraudulent. During the scheme, the defendants obtained a dozen fraudulent loans (with one loan refinanced) worth a total of $19,845,000.

Today, Luther Davis, 37, of Roswell, Georgia, and CJ Evins, 29, of Johns Creek, Georgia, pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Both defendants were charged by criminal information on March 19, 2026, and March 20, 2026. Sentencing for CJ Evins is scheduled for August 4, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg.  Sentencing for Luther Davis is scheduled for October 8, 2026, also before Judge Grimberg.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brock Brockington is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Maximo Fitzhugh has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in federal prison for a pair of violent crimes, one of which resulted in a gun battle in the Buckhead district of Atlanta. 

“After threatening to shoot up a women’s clinic, Fitzhugh held a postal worker at gunpoint and endangered the lives of other citizens when he brazenly robbed a mail carrier and instigated a lunch-hour shootout in one of Atlanta’s most active business districts,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to cooperation between our office, federal agents, and our state and local partners, a dangerous, violent criminal is off the street and behind bars, where he belongs.”

“Threatening mass violence and then carrying out an armed robbery that escalated into a public shootout is the kind of dangerous conduct that puts entire communities at risk,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes and the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners to hold violent offenders accountable.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to keeping the U.S. mail, its employees, and customers safe,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division. “This sentencing is the culmination of exceptional teamwork between our local and federal law enforcement partners along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The swift response by responding officers and their ongoing support were instrumental in making this a successful investigation. Ensuring the safety of our employees is a top priority, Postal Inspectors will continue to thoroughly investigate any robberies of our employees.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: on April 9, 2024, Fitzhugh called an Atlanta women’s clinic and told the employees to evacuate because he was planning to “shoot the whole place up.” The clinic locked its doors until FBI agents and Atlanta Police Department officers responded and secured the area.

Approximately four months later, just after noon on August 1, 2024, Fitzhugh robbed a mail carrier who was delivering mail near the high-end Buckhead Village shopping center. During the robbery, which was captured on surveillance video, Fitzhugh pointed a handgun at the carrier and threatened to kill her. 

A passerby who witnessed the robbery unfolding drew his own handgun, yelled at Fitzhugh to stop, and fired at him. As a result, Fitzhugh hid behind a parked car, fired his handgun in the air, and fled the area. Fortunately, no one was injured. 

Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together to identify Fitzhugh as the robber, and the FBI took him into custody on August 19, 2024. 

On April 24, 2026, Maximo Fitzhugh, 25, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. to serve 10 years, six months in prison to be followed by five years on supervised release. On October 25, 2025, Fitzhugh pled guilty to one count of communicating interstate threats and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.         

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise K. Peters prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Jorge Martinez-Arellano, a/k/a Jorge DeLeon Garcia, an illegal alien from Mexico with a lengthy criminal history, faces federal charges after Rabun County deputies found a firearm and approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle during a traffic stop.                                                                                                                 

“Despite having been deported numerous times, Martinez-Arellano allegedly returned to our country illegally and resumed trafficking drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “His alleged conduct posed grave danger to the public and demonstrated utter contempt for our laws. Thankfully, strong partnerships between federal and local law enforcement led to the apprehension of a career criminal and confiscation of his poison.”

“Removing dangerous criminals from our communities is at the heart of Homeland Security Investigations’ mission. The arrest of Martinez-Arellano, an illegal alien with a history of violent crime and drug trafficking, demonstrates our commitment to protecting our community from the threat of drugs and gun violence,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama.  “Working alongside our local and federal partners, HSI will continue to pursue those who endanger our communities and ensure they are held accountable under the law.”

“This traffic stop identified a repeat offender and an illegal alien in possession of drugs and a firearm, posing a clear danger to our community,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will remain focused on stopping those who endanger our communities and keeping them safe.”

“I’m proud of the way our deputies handled this stop and stayed alert. What started as a traffic stop turned into taking drugs, a gun, and a repeat offender off our streets. I also want to thank our federal partners for their support and teamwork on this case. This is the kind of work we’re doing every day to keep Rabun County safe,” said Rabun County Sheriff Mark Gerrells.

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: On November 30, 2025, the Rabun County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office stopped a truck for speeding. Deputies quickly discovered that the driver, Jorge Martinez-Arellano, was an illegal alien from Mexico. A search of the truck revealed a semiautomatic pistol and approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine.

Martinez-Arellano has a criminal history that includes convictions for drug trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon, and reentering the United States unlawfully. His alleged possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking expose him a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and the possibility of life imprisonment. Martinez-Arellano is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and, for at least the fourth time, illegal reentry.

Jorge Martinez-Arellano, a/k/a Jorge DeLeon Garcia, 53, of Jalisco, Mexico, was indicted on March 24, 2026. He appeared in federal court on April 22, 2026, and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service without bail.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Monica Dominguez Torres has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading a transnational criminal organization that operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds to Mexico.

“Dominguez Torres once operated a prolific criminal operation and lived a lavish lifestyle paid for by drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Now, thanks to the diligent work of our Homeland Security Task Force, Dominguez Torres’s operation has been demolished, and she will spend the next two decades in prison paying for her crimes.”

“This case highlights the evolving nature of drug trafficking organizations which is combining large-scale methamphetamine conversion with complex asset accumulation,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Our agents followed the drugs and the money, leading to the seizure of millions in assets tied directly to criminal activity.”

“We followed the money, and it led us straight to the heart of this criminal operation. HSI doesn’t just chase shadows—we dismantle cartels and protect the homeland, one takedown at a time,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Our success is built on strong partnerships and combining our unique capabilities with those of our federal, state, and local allies. Together, we deliver results that keep our communities safe.”

“Methamphetamine conversion laboratories present an immediate and significant threat to communities across the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “These clandestine operations endanger the public through toxic chemicals, fire hazards, and their ties to transnational criminal networks. The sentencing of Monica Dominguez Torres underscores that individuals who engage in this level of criminal activity will be held fully accountable. IRS Criminal Investigation, in coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, remains committed to conducting rigorous, collaborative investigations to dismantle these organizations.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Monica Dominguez Torres’s organization operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories where liquid methamphetamine, obtained from sources in Mexico, was converted into hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to be sold in the Atlanta area and elsewhere. Dominguez Torres and her associates used residences in the Atlanta area to collect and count millions of dollars in cash from these drug sales. The proceeds were laundered and sent to coconspirators in Mexico.

As part of the criminal operation, Dominguez Torres and her associates purchased millions of dollars’ worth of real estate, vehicles, and luxury goods – all designed to conceal the illicit source of their wealth. The investigation revealed that Dominguez Torres purchased five separate residences, including a seven-bedroom waterfront home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Three of these residences were purchased with bulk cash brought directly to the transaction. Dominguez Torres and others also purchased nine luxury vehicles worth approximately $780,000. Dominguez Torres also spent lavishly on high-end goods, including nearly $400,000 at Louis Vuitton and more than $425,000 at Burberry over roughly four and a half years.

During the investigation, agents seized nearly $3.6 million in cash from Dominguez Torres’s residences, stash locations, and associates. When agents arrested Dominguez Torres at her Conyers, Georgia home in February 2024, they seized more than $1.7 million in cash, five firearms, and three vehicles.

On April 22, 2026, Monica Dominguez Torres, 37, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. As part of her sentence, Dominguez Torres was ordered to forfeit $1,750.961.00, four houses, a Cadillac Escalade, and a firearm. Nine other members of Dominguez Torres’s criminal organization including several members of her immediate family were charged as a result of the multi-year investigation. Federal agents with the DEA, HSI, and IRS partnered to conduct a thorough investigation of Dominguez Torres’s operation that resulted in these federal charges and seizures.

In addition to Dominguez Torres’s sentence, the following co-defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the money laundering conspiracy:

• Juan Contreras Pavon, 32, of Jonesboro, Georgia, a bulk-cash money launderer, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
• Dominguez Torres’s husband, Bladimir Hernandez, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by a year of supervised release.
• Dominguez Torres’s son, Luis Contreras Dominguez, 23, of Riverdale, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, followed by a year of supervised release.
• Dominguez Torres’s nephew, Louis Joshua Dominguez, 24, of Stockbridge, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.

Five other defendants are awaiting trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, with valuable assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Nicholas L. Evert are prosecuting the case.       

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. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Edwin Brant Frost IV, former president of the now-defunct, Newnan, Georgia-based First Liberty Building & Loan LLC (“First Liberty”), was arraigned today on a federal charge of wire fraud for orchestrating a massive, multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme.                                                                                                               

“Frost abused the trust of his clients, family, and friends by allegedly soliciting investors with promises of sizable returns, while knowing the money raised would instead be used for his personal expenses and to pay early investors to maintain the illusion of profits,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “With assistance from our law enforcement partners, we will pursue, prosecute, and punish greedy schemers who defraud victims out of their hard-earned savings and retirement accounts.”

“Frost allegedly operated a classic Ponzi scheme—using new investor funds to pay earlier investors while concealing significant financial losses,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.  “Schemes like this exploit trust and can devastate victims’ savings and retirement security. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in financial fraud and to protecting the investing public.”

“The defendant in this case was charged today for allegedly orchestrating a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of investors,” said Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Atlanta Region. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud and other financial crimes, as we seek to protect consumers and preserve the integrity of our Nation’s banking sector.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From at least 2021 until in or about July 2025, Frost solicited individuals to invest in what was marketed as short-term small business loans (“Bridge Loans”) that would be provided to businesses in need of immediate funding. Frost told investors that their money would be used solely to fund these Bridge Loans. He also promised investors that they would receive rates of return between 8 and 18 percent and that their monthly interest payments would be funded by the repayment of the Bridge Loans. Frost represented that First Liberty would, in turn, be compensated either from loan fees borrowers would pay to obtain the Bridge Loans or through the difference between the interest borrowers paid to First Liberty and the interest First Liberty paid to the investors.

Contrary to these representations, the money First Liberty received from investors was not used solely to fund Bridge Loans. Instead, Frost used new investors’ money to pay returns to previous investors and to fund more than $5 million of personal and sometimes extravagant expenditures, including:

• Over $230,000 to rent a vacation home in Maine
• Over $140,000 to purchase jewelry
• $20,800 for a Patek Philippe watch
• Over $2 million on credit card bills and
• Over $570,000 on political contributions

Frost failed to disclose to investors that several loan borrowers had defaulted on the repayment of their loans, and that, despite having defaulted, Frost had continued to provide Bridge Loan financing to at least one of the defaulted companies. During the scheme, Frost raised at least $140 million from at least 300 investors.

Edwin Brant Frost IV, 68, of Newnan, Georgia, was arraigned today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. He was released on bail pending further proceedings.

Members of the public are reminded that the information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges until he is proven guilty or admits guilt in a court of law.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General with substantial assistance from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Adams is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga

ATLANTA - Jarvis Matthews has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for his role in leading a multi-million-dollar drug trafficking and money laundering operation from the confines of Calhoun State Prison. After a trial in October 2025, a federal jury found Matthews guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, five counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and money laundering conspiracy. When he committed his federal crimes, Matthews was already serving sentences of life with possible parole for murder and felony murder convictions, following fatal shootings in 2001 and 2002 in Atlanta. The murders occurred during robberies at apartments where Matthews had lured victims expecting to buy tire rims and marijuana.

“This convicted murderer brazenly used contraband cell phones behind prison bars to distribute millions of dollars of illegal drugs in our community and launder drug money for criminal cartels,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The dogged work by our Homeland Security Task Force team of federal investigators, state officers, and local partners dismantled Matthews’s network and helped ensure the safety of our community.”

“Georgia and the rest of the country is safer now that Jarvis Matthews will be locked away in federal prison, unable to run his vast drug and money laundering operation,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham. “FBI Atlanta will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that career criminals like Matthews and those who conspire with them are brought to justice.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court:  Jarvis Matthews, while imprisoned at Georgia Department of Corrections facilities, used contraband cellphones to coordinate the distribution of illegal drugs at houses in the Cleveland Avenue neighborhood of Atlanta. Matthews directed his fiancée, girlfriends, nephew, and two adult sons to distribute drugs and collect and launder money on his behalf.

In early 2022, FBI agents identified a social media account that Matthews used to facilitate dozens of drug deals. In April of 2022, FBI agents made a controlled purchase of two kilograms of methamphetamine from Matthews through his son Charvis Harris, who previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced in this case. Ultimately, the FBI obtained a wiretap on Matthews’s phone and conducted surveillance at one of Matthews’s drug trap houses, which was operated by codefendant Alvin Edwards. With these tools, the FBI was able to apprehend Matthews’s drug customers after they met with Matthews’s sons, Harris and Javaris Mathews, to obtain drugs. Matthews conspired with others, such as codefendant Shabreya Brown, to transport drugs, and codefendant Miriam Modesti, to launder money. 

The evidence presented at trial showed that Matthews distributed hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs in the Atlanta area and laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds, including for drug suppliers in Colombia and California. 

On April 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty sentenced Jarvis Matthews, 47, of Atlanta, Georgia, to 35 years in federal prison for his role in leading a multi-million-dollar drug trafficking and money laundering operation from the confines of Calhoun State Prison. Judge Geraghty ordered that the federal sentence run consecutively to Matthews’s state sentences of life imprisonment.

The following defendants were previously sentenced in this case:

• Charvis Harris, 22, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
• Javaris Dasan Mathews, 24, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to six years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Alvin Edwards, 53, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
• Miriam Modesti, 53, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
• Shabreya Brown, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, the Dooly County Sheriff’s Office, the Fayetteville Police Department, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer and John DeGenova prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Multi-convicted fraudster Jonathan Dupiton has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for using stolen identities to obtain millions of dollars in unemployment insurance benefits.

“During the pandemic, while citizens were struggling with job loss and trying to make ends meet, Dupiton stole unemployment benefits by submitting false applications using hundreds of stolen identities,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “His sentence underscores that anyone who seeks to exploit taxpayer-funded programs will be aggressively prosecuted and face substantial prison time.”

“Jonathan Dupiton orchestrated a brazen scheme to steal millions in unemployment benefits using the stolen identities of innocent victims, all while already serving a sentence for fraud,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.  “At a time when Americans were facing unprecedented financial hardship, he chose to exploit a critical safety net for personal gain. The FBI remains committed to identifying and holding accountable those who abuse public assistance programs and undermine trust in systems designed to help those in need.”

“Jonathan Dupiton stole identities and filed hundreds of fraudulent claims to steal nearly $3 million in unemployment benefits meant for struggling Americans, said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor.  His sentencing sends a strong message: if you exploit federal programs and steal from taxpayers, my office will relentlessly pursue you. We work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners and have zero tolerance for fraud. We will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”

“Dupiton’s fraud stole critical unemployment benefits from Americans who needed them most,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Maisha Horton, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS CI special agents remain vigilant in protecting taxpayer dollars and will continue to hold accountable those who exploit public programs for personal gain.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2020, while completing a federal sentence at a halfway house for a previous fraud conviction that targeted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Jonathan Dupiton, a podcaster, organized a multi-million dollar fraud scheme that targeted California’s Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) benefits program. The scheme began at least by July 2020 and continued into early 2021.

The UI program was a joint state and federal program that provided temporary financial assistance to lawful workers who were unemployed through no fault of their own. Beginning in or about March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and increased UI benefits, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, and the Lost Wages Assistance Program. In California, the Employment Development Department (“CA-EDD”), based in Sacramento, California, administered the UI program. 

Dupiton, whose motto was “F.R.A.U.D. is Dope” (acronym for “Finally Rich After Unstoppable Determination”), obtained stolen identities of hundreds of unwitting individuals. He and his conspirators used this information to electronically submit false and fraudulent UI applications to the CA-EDD via the internet, using a virtual private network (“VPN”). The VPN helped encrypt data and masked the actual originating Internet Protocol address, thereby concealing the computer used to submit the fraudulent UI applications and delaying detection by law enforcement. 

After UI claims were approved, Dupiton and his conspirators updated the claimants’ information to add mailing addresses in the Northern District of Georgia, including Dupiton’s own address, for the delivery of debit cards containing the UI benefits. After the debit cards were received, Dupiton and others went to ATMs, mostly located in the metro-Atlanta area, and withdrew the fraudulently obtained funds. In total, the CA-EDD was duped into electronically transferring approximately $3,800,000 in UI benefits. Dupiton and his conspirators subsequently withdrew or otherwise spent more than $2 million of the fraudulently obtained funds. 

On April 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert sentenced Jonathan Dupiton, 36, of Atlanta, Georgia, to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Dupiton will be ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a future hearing. Dupiton pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft on January 13, 2026.      

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracia M. King prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Edgar Zamarron-Cobos, an illegal alien from Mexico, faces federal charges after law enforcement seized over 130 pounds of methamphetamine from his vehicle. Zamarron-Cobos was arrested after he fled from troopers and crashed into innocent motorists at a DeKalb County intersection.

“This defendant, who is illegally in our country, allegedly sought to traffic over 130 pounds of deadly methamphetamine and purportedly injured innocent bystanders as he tried to flee from law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold drug traffickers accountable in federal court – where there is no opportunity for parole – in order to keep our communities safe.”

“Fleeing from law enforcement with a large quantity of methamphetamine is a blatant disregard for public safety,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The actions in this case endangered motorists and bystanders alike. We remain committed to holding individuals accountable and protecting the communities we serve.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On April 15, 2026, as part of an ongoing investigation, DEA agents observed an individual allegedly place three large black trash bags into the rear cargo area of a Jeep at a fast-food restaurant in Decatur, Georgia. Zamarron-Cobos exited the restaurant and drove away in the Jeep.  Shortly thereafter, the Georgia State Patrol attempted to stop the Jeep. 

However, Zamarron-Cobos fled from law enforcement, drove in opposing lanes of traffic, and ultimately wrecked the Jeep at the intersection of Covington Highway and I-285, after striking several occupied vehicles and causing injuries to the occupants.  During a search of the Jeep, law enforcement located approximately 130 pounds of methamphetamine in the three large black trash bags.  The investigation further revealed that Zamarron-Cobos is a citizen of Mexico who is illegally present in the United States.

On April 17, 2026, Edgar Zamarron-Cobos, 30, from Mexico, was named in a criminal complaint charging him with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.  Zamarron-Cobos is currently in the custody of the DeKalb County Jail but is expected to appear in federal court before the end of this week.

Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonell L. Lucca is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA – Robert Lyles, a violent repeat offender with a lengthy criminal history, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after he fired a gun at a fellow passenger on the platform of a downtown Atlanta MARTA station.   As a multi-convicted felon, Lyles was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

“Completely indifferent to the safety of innocent people, Lyles shot at a complete stranger inside Atlanta’s busiest MARTA station,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Lyles was initially charged locally, but he was released on bail and later re-arrested for another gun-possession offense and family violence battery. Thankfully, federal agents who learned of Lyles’s case presented it for federal prosecution, ensuring appropriate punishment for a violent and dangerous predator.”

“The cooperation between agencies such as ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and local law enforcement is critical to addressing the ongoing threat of gun violence. Through strong partnerships and coordinated efforts, we can take proactive measures to protect our communities and prevent future tragedies,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd.

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On August 4, 2022, Lyles got into an argument with a stranger at the Five Points MARTA station in downtown Atlanta. After a couple of minutes, Lyles drew a stolen pistol from his waistband, fired a shot in the direction of the other man, and fled the scene. Approximately five days later, when officers found Lyles standing by the entrance to the same MARTA station, Lyles was carrying the stolen firearm he had used in the shooting.

In March 2024, more than a year and a half later, a Fulton County grand jury indicted Lyles for crimes related to the shooting. However, by that point, Lyles had been released from local custody. Federal agents then sought intervention by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which initiated a federal prosecution in December 2024. In March 2025, Lyles appeared in federal court and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service without bail.

Lyles has a long and violent criminal history. In 2002, 2006, and 2014, Lyles was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. In 2006, he was convicted of simple battery after cutting another person with a knife. In 2013, he was convicted of family violence battery and child cruelty. In 2014, he was convicted of felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer after kicking an officer in the groin and striking him in the chest while attempting to swallow cocaine he had just been arrested for possessing.  In 2015, he was convicted of family violence aggravated assault after pointing a handgun at the mother of his child. Most of Lyles’s state-court sentences were probated, suspended, or commuted.

Robert Lyles, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced today to fifteen years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.  He pleaded guilty on January 13, 2026, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the MARTA Police Department. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Evert and Jonell L. Lucca prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

ATLANTA - Masi Lenard Fears has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl, which resulted in the death of one customer and serious injury to another, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

“This case is a powerful reminder that fentanyl can be mixed into any substance and even a small amount can kill you,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Fears’ hand-to-hand drug transaction took a life, and the hefty sentence in this case should serve as a warning that even street-level deals can have deadly consequences that result in prison time.”

“Selling lethal drugs disguised as something less dangerous is not just criminal, it’s deadly,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This repeat offender knowingly distributed a toxic combination of fentanyl and xylazine, resulting in one death and another life forever changed. This sentence reflects the devastating impact of that deception and our unwavering commitment to justice.”

“We commend our federal partners for taking decisive action in prosecuting Fears and removing him from our community. This case sends a strong message to criminals who engage in drug trafficking and illegally possess firearms: we will not stand by while you commit crimes in our city. With unwavering support from the federal government, we are fully committed to eradicating this criminal behavior,” said Chief R. Scott Freeman, Conyers Police Department. 

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In March 2021, Masi Fears sold two men a powdery substance for $20 at a gas station in Conyers, Georgia. The men believed they were buying cocaine or heroin, but the powder was actually a deadly combination of fentanyl and xylazine (commonly referred to as “tranq”). The men used some of Fears’ fentanyl/xylazine powder, which quickly killed one of them and caused serious injury to the other. 

The Conyers Police Department (CPD) investigated the incident and identified Fears as the dealer of the narcotics. Several months later, CPD officers located and arrested Fears, a three-time convicted felon, who was in possession of a loaded handgun and a small amount of drugs.

Masi Lenard Fears, 39, of Conyers, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to 14 years, one month, and 15 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Restitution in this case will be determined on a later date.  Fears pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on January 6, 2026.        

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Conyers Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Forsyth, III 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.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.