Southern District of Georgia

SAVANNAH, GA:  A former Richmond Hill police officer faces substantial prison time after his conviction in federal court for luring teen girls to meet him for sex.

A federal jury convicted Jeffrey Allen Allmond Jr., 25, of Richmond Hill, of one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Allmond faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison and must register as a sex offender after his release. There is no parole in federal prison.

Evidence presented at trial revealed that Allmond, then a police officer, met two girls, ages 15 and 16, via the Tinder dating app. Allmond then communicated with the girls through Snapchat and arranged to pick them up in the middle of the night outside the gate of Fort Stewart, where the two lived on post. Allmond then drove the teens back to his apartment and performed sexual acts on both of them. Later that night, Allmond returned the girls to the Fort Stewart gate. Allmond continued communicating with the girls through Snapchat and met up with them twice more at his apartment where he performed sexual acts on them. 

The Richmond Hill Police Department asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to investigate the case and terminated Allmond after initial charges were filed. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) provided assistance during the investigation. 

“This repugnant crime victimized the children of active-duty military personnel while disgracing the badge of a law enforcement officer,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Hard time in federal prison awaits those who would engage in such despicable behavior.”  

“We are glad that we were able to assist our fellow law enforcement agencies in bringing this individual to justice,” said Chris Grey, spokesman for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command. “We strive every single day to do everything possible to protect our soldiers, civilians and family members.”

“This law enforcement officer violated his oath of office by preying upon minors he swore to protect,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds. “No one is above the law. The protection of innocent victims is a priority in the state of Georgia.”

“This conviction validates our department’s actions in immediately suspending, and then terminating, Allmond when the allegations came to our attention,” said Richmond Hill Police Chief Mitch Shores. “We take such betrayals of the public trust very seriously, and gave full assistance to the agencies that investigated and prosecuted this case.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania Groover prosecuted the case for the United States.

AUGUSTA, Ga: Four members of a Texas family have admitted taking part in an elaborate scheme to fraudulently obtain multiple Masters Golf Tournament tickets. 

Stephen Michael Freeman, of Katy, Texas, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in proceedings held in U.S. District Court in Augusta, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. In addition, Freeman’s parents, Steven Lee Freeman and Diane Freeman, of Helotes, Texas, and sister, Christine Oliverson, of San Antonio, Texas, also entered guilty pleas to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

In pleading guilty to the charge, Stephen Michael Freeman agrees to a sentence of 36 months in federal prison and has paid community restitution of $157,493.70. At sentencing, the court may accept or reject the plea agreement. Steven Lee Freeman and Diane Freeman agreed to pay community restitution of $59,000 each, and with Christine Oliverson, are subject to sentencing by the court.

The payment of community restitution, negotiated through the Asset Recovery Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is unprecedented in the Southern District of Georgia, and recognizes that the defendants are returning the proceeds of their crime. The funds from community restitution are dispersed under federal guidelines to qualifying non-profit organizations.

“These profiteering con artists thought they had succeeded in hijacking the Augusta National’s generous ticket lottery system to satisfy their own greed,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “The vigilance of the Augusta National staff and the investigative acumen of the FBI ferreted out the fraud, ensuring justice is served to these cheats for the federal crimes they committed.”

The defendants admitted in court that they used names and addresses from a purchased bulk mailing list to create multiple fraudulent accounts in the Augusta National Golf Club’s online ticket application system. All this occurred without the knowledge or permission of the individuals whose identities were used.

When any applications received notice of ticket awards via the email addresses provided for them, Stephen Michael Freeman or others acting at his direction would create fake identification documents including driver’s licenses, utility bills and credit card statements to persuade the Augusta National to change the winner’s mailing address to one that was under control of the conspiracy. Once the defendants received the tickets at those addresses via U.S. Mail, they would then resell the tickets at a substantial profit. Also, in some cases in which the recipient’s address was unchanged, one or more of the defendants would visit the recipient’s home to persuade them, sometimes with modest payment, to turn over the tickets by claiming they had been sent to the wrong address by mistake.

“This scheme was designed to profit from the resale of tickets, but in the process, it also would have denied legitimate citizens a fair chance to obtain tickets to a prestigious golf tournament,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We hope that this case sends a message that the FBI will make it a priority to investigate these cases, and if you get caught, you will pay the price.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, and was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons and Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier A. Cunningham, Section Chief of the Asset Forfeiture Recovery Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

SAVANNAH, GA:  Two Georgia men are among nearly 1,700 arrested for child sex exploitation crimes as part of a nationwide Department of Justice initiative.

Steven Andrew Ross, 29, of Savannah, is charged with Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity for incidents in Camden and Chatham counties, and Benjamin Ray, 38, of Honea Path, S.C., is charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Felony Offense Involving a Minor Committed by a Registered Sex Offender for incidents in Chatham County, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The federal charges for which Ray is indicted carry a penalty of 20 years to life in prison, while the charges against Ross carry a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system, and if released, each defendant would be subject to serve supervised release for five years to life.

“As the perception of sexual exploitation of children continues to move from windowless vans in back alleys to Dark Web sites on the Internet, the investigation and prosecution of these vile crimes must continue to evolve,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We are determined, with our law enforcement partners, to find these criminals wherever they try to hide and protect the innocent from victimization.”

Operation Broken Heart, a nationwide operation conducted during April and May by the Internet Crimes Against Children task forces, led to the arrest of nearly 1,700 suspected online child sex offenders. The task forces identified 308 offenders who either produced child pornography or committed child sexual abuse, and identified 357 children who suffered recent, ongoing or historical sexual abuse or were exploited in the production of child pornography.

During the course of the operation, the task forces investigated more than 18,500 complaints of technology-facilitated crimes targeting children and delivered more than 2,150 presentations on internet safety to over 201,000 youth and adults.

“The sexual abuse of children is repugnant, and it victimizes the most innocent and vulnerable of all," Attorney General William P. Barr said. “We must bring the full force of the law against sexual predators, and with the help of our Internet Crimes Against Children program, we will. Over the span of just two months, our ICAC task forces investigated more than 18,000 complaints of internet-related abuse and helped arrest 1,700 alleged abusers. I would like to thank our Office of Justice Programs, all of the task force members, and especially the state and local partners who helped us achieve these important results. We are committed to bringing the defendants in these cases to justice and protecting every American child.”

“Sexual exploitation steals the innocence of children, and the criminals who engage in these acts often inflict life-long trauma on their victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan of the Atlanta field office of Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI is committed to investigating child exploitation cases as one of its highest priorities, and we deeply appreciate the efforts of our U.S. Attorney partners to protect children from these terrible crimes.”

The ICAC Program is funded through the Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). For more information, visit the ICAC Task Force webpage at www.icactaskforce.org.

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The cases in the Southern District of Georgia are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Savannah Police Department, in conjunction with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania Groover.

SAVANNAH, Ga: A physician with clinics in Pooler, Ga., and Braselton, Ga., was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison for illegally prescribing drugs to non-patients.

Dr. Johnny Di Blasi, 46, of Braselton, Ga., was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Unlawfully Dispense Controlled Substances (Oxycodone), said Bobby L. Christine, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Di Blasi had been in custody since Christmas Eve, when he was arrested at Miami International Airport by agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as he waited to board a flight to Medellin, Colombia, in an attempt to flee prosecution.

As described in court filings and in court proceedings, Di Blasi, known as “Dr. Johnny,” admitted writing prescriptions for narcotics, including opioids and amphetamines, to non-patients – many of whom he never met. Di Blasi wrote the prescriptions through clinics he operated in Pooler, Ga., and Braselton, Ga., to individuals traveling from at least 11 states. In addition, Di Blasi also provided and sold prescriptions for opioid pain medications and amphetamines to non-patients he met in restaurants and bars. One of those receiving prescriptions was an individual who was in prison at the time the prescription was written.

Di Blasi’s illegal practices took place for more than a year, with the DEA initiating a formal investigation in March 2018. 

“Unscrupulous, profiteering medical professionals not only abuse their trust as health care providers, but feed the illicit pipeline of drugs that fuel the opioid crisis in our communities,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “As the arrest and prosecution of Di Blasi demonstrates, we and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in removing dangerous drug distributors from our neighborhoods, whether they are street-corner dealers or professionals who disgrace their lab coats.”

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said, “It is sad commentary when medical professionals like Dr. Di Blasi use their position of trust to hide behind the veil of legitimacy to commit criminal acts. The reckless distribution of pharmaceuticals results in addiction and death, and this doctor can no longer do harm to drug-seeking customers. Many thanks to the hard-working law enforcement partners who made this case a success.” 

“Dr. Di Blasi flagrantly violated his oath to do no harm, opting instead to line his pockets by illegally prescribing drugs,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue fighting those seeking to defraud government health programs.”   

Said Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team Director Everett Ragan, “There are a lot of good doctors who take their medical oath seriously. Sadly, Dr. Di Blasi opted to go against his, which in turn continues furthering the opioid crisis. His arrest is a prime example that we will seek all drug dealers no matter if they wear a white coat or what their day job or title is.”    

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT), with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Josephson and J. Thomas Clarkson prosecuted the case for the United States.

SAVANNAH, GA: Renewed action to scrutinize shipments into the growing Port of Savannah have led to significant recent drug seizures, including two arrests and more than 20 kilos of cocaine seized in a weekend raid at an Augusta warehouse.

Jimmy Alexander Pujols, 35, and Fausto Mendez Ramos, 40, are charged in a federal complaint with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine and Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine after their arrests Friday, June 7, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented, “Drug distribution networks moving their loads by sea, often hide their drugs in cargo containers, as was the case in this investigation. This case is a perfect illustration of the battle DEA and its law enforcement counterparts face when trying to prevent dangerous drugs from entering our country and ultimately hitting the streets of our communities. As a result of DEA’s unwavering commitment to protect communities and through the strength of its law enforcement partnerships, this poison never reached its intended users.”

“Identifying and intercepting transnational drug traffickers is one of Homeland Security Investigations’ highest priorities to protect the public from the serious harm these criminals inflict without any regard for the violence and public health damage they cause,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta Nick S. Annan. ”While transnational criminal organizations continually seek vulnerabilities to U.S. border controls, this case illustrates the excellent interagency coordination that exists between federal, state and local law enforcement partners to identify and stop them at the Port of Savannah.”

“This case exemplifies the commitment of CBP’s partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement and other key stakeholders to protect the American public,” said Donald F. Yando, Director of Field Operations for the Atlanta Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree, who has two investigators assigned to the Augusta DEA Task Force, lauded the DEA/RCSO’s continued partnership. “This operation and associated seizures reinforce our commitment to remove dangerous drugs from the streets of Augusta and elsewhere,” Roundtree said.

A criminal complaint contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Marcela Mateo.

SAVANNAH, GA: A former professional baseball player has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking network dismantled in Operation Vanilla Gorilla.

Darren J. Driggers, also known as “DJ” and “eBay,” 26, of Bloomingdale, Ga., was sentenced to 57 months in prison by U.S. District Judge R. Stan Baker for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

At the completion of his incarceration, Driggers will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system. Because he was on probation when he committed his offense, his federal sentence will be served consecutively to his sentence for violating probation.

In November 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Driggers and 42 other defendants as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation into a drug trafficking organization associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent criminal street gang. Of the 43 defendants, 41 have been convicted of federal charges in this multi-district case.

According to information presented in court filings and testimony, Driggers and other conspirators, including associates of the Ghost Face Gangsters, distributed crystal methamphetamine throughout southern Georgia. Driggers, a convicted felon, also possessed and sold stolen firearms to conspirators to assist the drug trafficking organization by promoting a climate of fear. During the investigation, Driggers bragged to federal agents that he was nicknamed “eBay” because he sold stolen goods via social media platforms. 

Prior to his criminal activity, Driggers was selected in June 2012 in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers. The following year he received a 50-game suspension after failing a drug test, and in January 2014 he was released from the MLB after positive drug screens. Driggers explained to the United States Probation Office that “I decided I liked meth better than baseball.”

“DJ Driggers was a gifted athlete who did what thousands of hard-working athletes can only dream about: He was chosen to play professional sports,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Instead, he fouled out of his once-promising career by abusing illegal drugs, squandering a truly major-league opportunity and will now spend half a decade in prison for gun and drug charges.”

“This is yet another example of the law enforcement community working together to make our streets and communities a safer place to live, said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Dismantling these violent drug trafficking networks continues to be a priority for ATF and our law enforcement partners.”

 “Methamphetamine continues to dominate the country as the most abused illicit drug,” said Jamie Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the Savannah Office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). “Driggers is just one of many victims whose lives have been destroyed because of meth. However, Driggers made the decision to become a distributor of this poison, which in turn affected countless others. This was his downfall, as distributors become targets of law enforcement and go to prison or in some cases end up dead in the street. Fortunately for Driggers, he goes to prison and not the graveyard.”

Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. The case was investigated by the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the GBI, the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Frank Pennington.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Savannah man has been indicted for the murder last summer of the wife of a deployed U.S. Army soldier on post at Fort Stewart.

In an indictment unsealed today, Stafon Davis, 27, of Savannah, is charged with Premeditated Murder in the July 9, 2018 shooting death of Abree Boykin, 24, a resident of post housing at Fort Stewart Army Reservation, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Davis also is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

The indictment alleges that Davis, while on Fort Stewart, “willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation and malice aforethought, did unlawfully kill Abree Boykin, by shooting Abree Boykin with a 9mm firearm.” The body of Boykin, whose husband was a then-deployed soldier, was discovered by Military Police in her residence.

Davis is being held at the Palm Beach County Jail in West Palm Beach, Fla. He is scheduled to have an initial appearance Friday in the West Palm Beach Division of the Southern District of Florida, and will be required to appear in the Southern District of Georgia for further proceedings.

“Our service members already make a tremendous sacrifice for their country, including deployments, and they deserve to know their families will be kept safe here at home – especially at our own military facilities,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We owe it to Abree Boykin’s family to seek the full measure of justice for her killer.”

“Nothing will ever resolve the pain and suffering this murder has caused the husband, family and friends of Abree Boykin, but hopefully this indictment is the beginning step toward some sense of justice for them,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This result would not have been possible without the cooperation of our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Army and U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

FBI and CID continue to offer a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the recovery of Abree Boykin’s black 2018 Honda Accord, Georgia license plate RLQ1762.  Those with information are encouraged to call the FBI Atlanta Field Office at (770) 216-3000, email army.cid.crime.tips@mail.mil, or call 1-844-ARMY-CID. Individuals wishing to remain anonymous will be protected to the degree allowable under the law.

A criminal indictment contains only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Army Criminal Investigation Command, with assistance from the Savannah Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer G. Solari. 

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Savannah man will spend nearly four years in federal prison on a firearms possession charge that started with his attempt to outrun police.

Elisha Gadson, 26, of Savannah, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to statements made in court and in court filings, Port Wentworth Police Department officers attempted to stop Gadson for a minor traffic violation when he made an illegal U-turn and sped away, endangering others by racing up to 100 mph in a 35 mph zone. Once Gadson was apprehended, Port Wentworth officers recovered a Glock 19 9mm with a fully loaded magazine under the driver’s seat of Gadson’s vehicle and another loaded 9mm magazine in the trunk. Because of prior felony convictions, including a conviction involving violence, Gadson is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. 

“The joyride for this defendant is over, and his next stop will be federal prison,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We commend the Port Wentworth Police Department for their diligence and for successfully removing yet another firearm from the hands of a convicted felon.”

“This case involves an illegally possessed firearm in the hands of a criminal,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “It demonstrate the cooperation that exists between the Port Wentworth Police Department and ATF.”

This case was investigated by the Port Wentworth Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Bearden.

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SAVANNAH, GA: An associate of the Ghost Face Gangsters criminal street gang will serve nearly 10 years in prison for his role in distribution of methamphetamine.

Adam Cushman, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine by U. S. District Judge R. Stan Baker, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his sentence, Cushman will serve supervised release for three years and all federal benefits will be denied for five years. There is no parole in the federal system. 

In November 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Cushman and 42 other defendants as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation into a drug trafficking organization associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent criminal street gang. Of the 43 defendants, 41 have been convicted of federal charges in this multi-district case. Cushman pled guilty within two months of being indicted.

According to information presented in court filings and in court proceedings, Cushman and other conspirators, including other associates of the Ghost Face Gangsters, distributed crystal methamphetamine throughout southern Georgia. Although tattooed with a large “G” and a skull on his chest, Cushman denied being a member of the Ghost Face Gangsters but admitted associating with others in the conspiracy.

As noted in court, Cushman’s criminal history spans two decades, with his first conviction at age 17. He has state convictions for DUI, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Sale of Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, among others. He was on state probation for the fifth time when he participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, and his federal sentence will begin immediately after he completes his prison sentence for violating state probation.

At sentencing, Cushman told the court, “Me being in prison may be the best thing that has happened to me,” and U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine agrees. “Cushman is an example of why people who sell methamphetamine should be locked up for a long time,” Christine said. “Cushman, himself, admitted that he would not have committed his crimes but for his own addiction to methamphetamine. Meth destroys lives, families and communities, and drug addicts often commit crimes to feed their addiction – as Cushman’s crimes abundantly demonstrate.”

“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources to eradicate criminal gang activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. The case was investigated by the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. and Frank Pennington.

SAVANNAH, GA:  The lead defendant in a Statesboro drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Natividad Dias, a/k/a as “Nat,” “Nate,” “Amigo” or “Huevos,” 46, a Mexican national who lived in Sylvania, Ga., was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Dias also must pay a $10,000 fine and will serve an additional five years of supervised release after completion of his sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. 

“By operating a pipeline of illegal narcotics from Atlanta, California and Mexico, this conspiracy polluted these small communities of the Southern District as surely as if it had dumped toxic waste in the neighborhoods,” said Christine. “The law-abiding residents saw something and said something – so we did something by bringing these drug traffickers to justice.”

Evidence in the case showed that Dias was a leader, organizer and recruiter of the conspiracy that distributed multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and marijuana. During the operation, investigators seized kilograms of methamphetamine and multiple pounds of marijuana, along with multiple firearms.

Operation Icehawk, a joint federal, state and local investigation began in 2015, after citizens complained about drug trafficking and violent crime in Screven County, Ga., and soon uncovered a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana in Screven, Effingham, Jenkins, Bulloch and Evans counties.

In addition to Dias, other defendants in the operation include:

John Timothy Collins, 48, of Sylvania, Ga.;

John Kenneth Joyner, 47, of Sylvania, Ga.;

Palmer Alton Bazemore III, 51, of Sylvania, Ga.;

Cassie Jo Barbee, 36, of Sylvania, Ga.;

Jaime Elton Newsome, 39, of Statesboro, Ga.;

Megan Nicole Bazemore, 30, of Millen, Ga.;

Christina Elizabeth Davis, 32, of Sylvania, Ga.;

Derrick Riggs, 42, of Statesboro, Ga.;

Gary Paul Joyner, 51, of Sylvania, Ga.;

Monica Isabell Jimenez, 22, of Statesboro, Ga.;

Zackary Allen Durrence, 26, of Statesboro, Ga.;

John Dillon Joyner, 25, of Sylvania, Ga.;

Jonathan Travis Oliver, 36, of Sylvania, Ga.;

Michael Shane Bishop, 44, of Claxton, Ga.;

Jonathon Evan Oglesby, 27, of Millen, Ga.;

Alfred Anthony Woods, 28, of Sylvania, Ga.; and,

Noah Quinn Pope, 25, of Sylvania, Ga.

The 19th defendant named in the indictment currently is undergoing a medical evaluation.

“We are fortunate in the Southern District of Georgia to have such a hard-charging group of local, state and federal personnel pursuing the real bad guys,” said Jamie Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office. “Drug distributors poison and disrupt families across the state daily. This organization has been terminated, and hopefully some families will benefit from their demise.”

Robert J. Murphy, the Special agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency Atlanta Field Division stated, “This defendant infested a number of small communities with more than methamphetamine and marijuana. His drug trafficking activities also led to the spread of violent crime. Thanks to our federal, state and local law enforcement partners who responded to this small communities’ call for help. As a result, this poly-drug trafficker was removed from the streets and will spend well-deserved time in prison. This case is a shining example of how success can be achieved when local, state, federal law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office work together make our communities safer.”

“This case is collaborative effort to rid violent narcotics traffickers from Screven County,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  

“Methamphetamine and other drugs have devastated countless communities due to the dramatic health and public safety consequences that typically accompany its introduction into an area,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan. “This sentencing stems from an extensive collaborative effort between federal, state and local enforcement partners to disrupt a drug trafficking organization responsible for flooding southern Georgia with these dangerous substances. This operation is a testament to the seamless partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies serving the citizens and communities of Georgia.”

This case is being prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, the premier U.S. Department of Justice program utilized to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations.

The investigation was a joint operation of federal agencies including the DEA, HIS, ATF, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Participating state agencies included the GBI, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. Local law enforcement included the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, Sylvania Police Department, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office, Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, Evans County Sheriff’s Office; and the Claxton Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Marcela C. Mateo is prosecuted the case for the United States.

SAVANNAH, GA: Two sentencings in federal court represent the final defendants from a dismantled major cocaine trafficking conspiracy that spanned the country and transported significant amounts of drugs into the Savannah area.

Michael Dean Hubbard, 39, of Garden City, Ga., was sentenced to 115 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana, and Domminick Sentell Robbins, 39, of Guyton, Ga., was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The sentencing for these two criminals slams the door on a major conspiracy to peddle poison in our communities,” Christine said. “With our law enforcement partners, we are committed to tracking down and bringing to justice those who would pollute our neighborhoods with illegal drugs – and Operation Lazarus is a great example of our success.”

Operation Lazarus, a joint federal, state and local investigation, began in 2012 through 2017 in the Savannah area under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and initiated by the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The investigation uncovered a major conspiracy that transported significant amounts of cocaine and other narcotics to Savannah, Atlanta and Florida via tractor-trailer from Texas and California.

During the operation, investigators seized more than 10 kilograms of powder and crack cocaine, 16 pounds of marijuana and large amounts of heroin, Ecstasy and prescription pills, along with 50 firearms and more than $700,000 in cash. A total of 54 defendants – 21 prosecuted in federal court, and 33 prosecuted in state court – have been sentenced after convictions or guilty pleas. A full list of defendants is included below.

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented on the sentencings, “The mission of DEA is unwavering – we relentlessly pursue drug traffickers who distribute dangerous drugs in our communities. These drugs cause immeasurable damage, but DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U. S. Attorney’s Office are committed to protecting and serving the citizens of those communities. These defendants will spend well-deserved time in prison.”

 “This case recognizes how important it is for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to unite in order to dismantle this organization,” said CNT Director Everett Ragan. “It is a joint effort and we must hold those responsible for the illegal acts accountable for their actions.”

In addition to DEA and CNT, agencies cooperating for Operation Lazarus included the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Garden City Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The OCDETF program is the premier U.S. Department of Justice program utilized to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations.

The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr.

Defendants in Operation Lazarus include:

Federal defendants:

Christopher Shawn Crimley, 44, Port Wentworth, Ga.;

Nakiea Javon Hampton, 38, Savannah;

Sherone Kenya McBride, 41, Garden City, Ga.;

Shamone Moquis McBride, 39, Garden City, Ga.;

Traviel Lamar Perkins, 45, Savannah;

Kevin Lamar Speaks, 37, Savannah;

Michael Dean Hubbard, 39, Garden City, Ga.;

Cedric Jermaine Manior, 46, Rincon, Ga.;

Travis Terrell Godwin, 28, Garden City, Ga.;

Kendrick Carnell Doomes, 36, Ludowici, Ga.;

Steve Gordon, 40, Register, Ga.;

Ronnie Cope, 39, Guyton, Ga.;

Domminick Sentell Robbins, 39, Guyton, Ga.;

Anderson Holmes III, 51, Savannah;

Trevor Wendell Walker, 47, Savannah;

Eric Donnell Washington, 39, Savannah;

Jonathan Turner, 40, Savannah;

Latonya Maria Shannon, 32, Morrow, Ga.;

Omar Guevara, 39, Roswell, Ga.;

Jerrod Baugh, 41, Atlanta; and,

Jameel Lawton, 40, Savannah.

State court defendants:

Deandre Antonio Singleton, 38, Garden City, Ga.;

Donald Lee Oliver, 33, Garden City, Ga.;

Bobby Terrell Alexander, 50, Savannah;

David Renaldo Scarver, 35, Garden City, Ga.;

Christopher Delmont Jones, 45, Savannah;

Ellison Robert Burns Jr., 43, Garden City, Ga.;

Adam Gershon Palmer, 34, Savannah;

Ebony Jabriea Harley, 34, Garden City, Ga.;

Curtis Keith Knowles, 64, Savannah;

Robert Edward Singleton Jr., 52, Garden City, Ga.;

Willie James Grant, 27, Savannah;

Taurus Eugene Holloway, 43, Savannah;

Michael Bernard Jenks, 33, Savannah;

Ramone Williams, 50, Savannah;

Dennis Lee Morris 29, Garden City, Ga.;

Deatra Babaham 39, Garden City, Ga.;

Michael Andrea Wilson, 51, Hardeeville, S.C.;

Antonio Daywan Newton, 38, Savannah;

Edward Callahan, 48, Atlanta;

John Terrell Nelson, 41, Savannah;

Javonne Washington, 40, Savannah;

George Michael Muller, 41, Atlanta;

Steven Chad McCoy, 48, Savannah;

Richard Glen Valeiko, 43, Rincon, Ga.;

Sabrina Morell 42, Rincon, Ga.;

Bonnie Wayne Romine, 66, Garden City, Ga.;

George Bernard Lilly, 49, Rincon, Ga.;

Destiney Kawandra Clifton, 30, Lyons, Ga.;

Samuel Ashley Bartley, 43, Guyton, Ga.;

Melveric Jamelle Ford, 37, Garden City, Ga.;

Phillip Anthony Edwards, 34, Garden City, Ga.;

Edwin Gary Burroughs, 35, Garden City, Ga.; and,

Michael Anthony Green, 35, Savannah.

AUGUSTA, Ga: A Texas woman who helped steal nearly a quarter-million dollars from an Augusta attorney faces up to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in a jury trial.

Gloria Ifem Okolie, 39, of Dallas, Texas, was found guilty Wednesday, May 15, of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering as a federal jury in U.S. District Court in Augusta began a second day of deliberations, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. She was acquitted of a second charge in the case, Wire Fraud. A date for sentencing has not yet bet set.

According to court documents and testimony during the trial, Okolie, along with former co-defendant Paul Wilson Aisosa – who previously pled guilty to money laundering – participated in a scheme to steal $246,218.83 from an Augusta attorney who was deceived into rerouting the proceeds from the sale of a West Lake home.

The money was sent to an account Okolie opened at a Dallas bank, where she, Aisosa and a co-conspirator who is currently in Nigeria withdrew large portions of the money that they sent to other conspirators who also are believed to be in Nigeria.  

“Complex international cases involving cyber fraud and banking manipulation are still, in the end, just old-fashioned theft,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “And just like any other theft, our job is to work with our law enforcement partners to bring these thieves to justice and shut down the avenues by which they enrich themselves at the expense of honest people.”

“Okolie was part of an elaborate plan of deception to steal money from an unsuspecting victim through an email scam,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is committed to working with our international partners to crack down on these fraud schemes and reminds businesses to be diligently alert to potential email compromises.”

“Today’s conviction is a direct result of the excellent partnership IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s office has in combating violations of federal law,” said Thomas J. Holloman III, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “This conviction should serve as a deterrent to those who might contemplate similar fraudulent actions.” 

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Rhodes and Hank Syms.

SAVANNAH, GA: “It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss and honor the selfless service of Savannah Police Department Sgt. Kelvin Ansari,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “After serving 21 years in the U.S. Army, and 10 years as a police officer in Savannah, Sgt. Ansari exemplifies the type of leader who deserves the respect and appreciation of a grateful nation. On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our many law enforcement partners, we join in expressing our deepest sympathy to Sgt. Ansari’s wife and four children, and to his many brothers and sisters in blue. Our heartfelt prayers for their comfort are with them today.”  

SAVANNAH, GA:  Eleven men and seven women have been charged as part of an undercover investigation targeting a multi-county drug distribution network.

The 20-count indictment charges the defendants with a wide-ranging conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine and marijuana and with gun possession violations stemming from Operation Who’s Laughing Now, said Bobby L. Christine, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

“The scope of this operation and the number of defendants demonstrates why the Southern District of Georgia ranks No. 1 in the United States in the number of violent crime defendants charged per prosecutor,” Christine said. “Our office is committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners in targeting and eradicating these criminal drug and firearms operations.”

According to court documents, the defendants were arrested during the operation conducted by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with other local law enforcement agencies in a 20-county area of eastern Georgia. In addition to quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana, investigators also seized 14 firearms – including two unregistered sawed-off shotguns – and a large amount of ammunition and magazines.

All 18 defendants are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Marijuana. Additional charges in the indictment are:

• Tina Hatterer, 39, of Ludowici, Ga., charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; four counts of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Offense; and two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Deanna Parker, 35, of Ludowici, Ga., charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Offense;
• Robert Jennings, a/k/a “Tattoo,” 32, of Ludowici, Ga., charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; and selling firearms without a license;
• Bayleigh Laughing, 22, of Hinesville, charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute;
• Daniel Jeffers, a/k/a “Dirty,” 30, of Savannah, GA charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute;
• Michael Cronk, 28, and his brother Steven Cronk, 34, both of Savannah, charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Offense;
• Toni R. Lowery, 36, of Midway, charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Offense;
• Cassandra Ellis, 28, of Savannah, charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Offense;
• Jonathan Vollmer, a/k/a “Erik,” 43, of Hinesville, Ga., charged with selling firearms without a license; Possession of a Firearm by an Unlawful Drug User; and possession of a sawed-off shotgun;
• Ashley Vollmer, 43, of Hinesville, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by an Unlawful Drug User; and possession of a sawed-off shotgun;
• James Blue, a/k/a “Fat Boy,” 30, of Hinesville; Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Marijuana.
• Houstin Schlernitzauer, 23, of Richmond Hill, charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute;
• Zachary Carter, 34, of Hinesville, charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; and Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon;
• Christina Moore, 33, of Hinesville, charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute;
• Tyler Aceto, 27, of Hinesville, charged with charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana with Intent to Distribute;
• Steven Teft, 30, of Hinesville, charged with Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; and,
• Dejoun Thomas, a/k/a “Dae Dae,” 23 of Hinesville, charged with two counts of Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; and, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.

The charges carry penalties upon conviction of up to life in prison.

“As prosecutors, we appreciate the hard, dangerous work of the law enforcement professionals who conduct these undercover operations,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We will honor their heroism by doing our duty, and bring justice to those who would pollute our neighborhoods with drugs and illegal weapons.”

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “Today we have removed dangerous criminals from the streets of south Georgia. These poly-drug traffickers will no longer be able to deliver deadly doses of poison in the community. This investigation was a success because of the great working relationship that DEA has with its federal, state, local counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

“This is another example of our law enforcement partners working together to rid our streets and communities of drugs and firearm-related violence,” said Lenwood S. Reeves, Resident Agent in Charge of the Savannah Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Liberty County Sheriff Steve Sikes stated, “This operation is the result of many long hours of work by the men and women of several law enforcement agencies, but I want to especially recognize the members of the Narcotics Unit of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.  Because of their dedication to this operation, our citizens can rest assured that their neighborhoods are safer now. I also want to express my appreciation for the assistance of the ATF and DEA during this long investigation. This type of case would be very difficult to prosecute without the cooperation of our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katelyn Semales and Marcela Mateo. 

SAVANNAH, GA:  Three men have been charged with conspiring to steal trade secrets from aircraft companies as a shortcut to developing and selling their own aircraft product.

Gilbert Basaldua, Joseph Pascua, and Craig German have been indicted for Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, while Basaldua also has been indicted for Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The indictment alleged that all three men agreed to work on developing a product for a competitor company in return for a share of profits.  In order to obtain FAA certification for the product, however, an icing wind tunnel testing plan needed to be developed.  To shortcut the process of developing this plan, the indictment alleged that all three men agreed to steal trade secrets, including aircraft wing schematics and anti-ice testing documents, from aircraft companies in and outside of the Southern District of Georgia. 

“The theft of trade secrets is an emerging economic threat,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Together with our federal, state, local and private sector partners, we will lead the fight to protect technological innovation from criminal misappropriation.”

“The FBI is committed to identifying and prosecuting those who engage in illegal and deceptive practices to steal trade secrets and protected information from companies who spend millions of dollars to develop it,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “As the extent of these charges suggest, the FBI will not tolerate criminals that violate laws that protect companies and are in place to keep Americans safe.”

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Each of the charges, upon conviction, carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Steven H. Lee. 

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Savannah woman was charged with cashing out funds from other people’s retirement accounts that were diverted to her bank.

Karen Dickerson has been indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, Money Laundering, Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business and Structuring, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The charges, upon conviction, carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to the indictment, members of the conspiracy obtained unauthorized access to retirement savings accounts to make unauthorized wire transfers. Dickerson then coordinated with members of the conspiracy to have funds wired from those accounts into bank accounts that she controlled, and Dickerson would then withdraw the cash from her accounts.

“Retirees rightfully expect their hard-earned money to be available in their twilight years, and shouldn’t have to worry about thieves draining their accounts,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our office will vigorously prosecute those who would seek fraudulent financial gain from others’ labors.”

“Technology has forever changed the way we do business, making everyday financial transactions a prime target for fraud,” said Glen Kessler, Savannah Resident Office Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service. “The Secret Service has taken a lead role in mitigating the threat of account takeovers and Business Email Compromise (BEC) investigations and one of our top priorities continues to be combating computer-related crimes perpetrated by domestic and international criminals that target the U.S. financial infrastructure.”

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service in coordination with Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier Cunningham, Section Chief, and Gary Purvis, Litigation Financial Analyst, with the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorney Steven H. Lee. 

SAVANNAH, Ga:  A Savannah man with an extensive criminal history has been sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison for illegal gun possession.

Frenchy Gamil Hilliard, 32, was sentenced to 188 months in prison by United States District Judge R. Stan Baker after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his sentence, Hilliard also will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to information provided in court filings and in open court, a detective from the Savannah Police Department Special Investigations Unit saw Hilliard, a known convicted felon and convicted drug dealer, with a handgun with an extended magazine in June 2018. The detective saw Hilliard place the gun in his pocket, get into a vehicle and drive away when officers ordered him out of the car. After crashing the vehicle, Hilliard attempted to flee on foot and was captured.

Officers searching the area found the pistol, a black Glock 43 .40 caliber with an extended magazine and one of its serial numbers obliterated. The investigation determined the pistol had been stolen, and a photograph found on Hilliard’s phone showed him brandishing the weapon more than a year before the arrest. Tests also confirmed Hilliard’s DNA was on the stolen pistol and magazine.   

Hilliard, determined by the court to be an Armed Career Criminal, has an extensive criminal history dating back more than 15 years, including:

• Seven prior felony convictions;
• Eight prior misdemeanor convictions;
• Nearly 20 violations of court orders and state probation; and,
• Two previous state convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In addition, Hilliard was on probation for state charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm at the time of his arrest.

“The Armed Career Criminal Act, which carries a sentence of at least 15 years of incarceration, was designed specifically for unrepentant criminals like Hilliard,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “This sentence removes a menace from our community.”

“The defendant had no business carrying a firearm, given his previous criminal conduct,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case made the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood a safer place.”

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States as a Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative by Assistant United States Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr.

SAVANNAH, Ga:  A career criminal who pled guilty to robbing a convenience store was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.

Quinton Williams, 30, of Savannah, was sentenced to 180 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Williams, who pled guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, also was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his sentence, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to his victims. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

As noted during court proceedings, Williams was under the influence of cocaine when he entered the Garden City Convenience store at 4801 Augusta Road on Sept. 16, 2018, and pointed a gun at the store manager. With several customers in the store at the time, Williams pointed a gun at the manager’s face and forced him to lie on the floor before stealing cash. Williams was arrested two days later. Due to the seriousness of his criminal history, Williams was judged to be a career offender with numerous violent felony convictions and offenses involving firearms.

“As we’ve seen too often, violent, career criminals like Quentin Williams are among the relative handful of people who cause much of the crime in our communities,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Thanks to our diligent law enforcement agencies, this is now one fewer violent criminal for our citizens to fear.”

“Williams, with multiple prior felony convictions, once again put innocent civilians at risk during the commission of this robbery. He clearly has no regard for the law,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole.”

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southeast Georgia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Garden City Police Department. 

SAVANNAH, GA: The chief executive officer of a string of Savannah-based durable medical equipment companies was sentenced to more than three years in prison for a scheme that defrauded Medicare out of millions of dollars.

Roderic Bain, 57, of Savannah, who pled guilty to one count of False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Savannah to serve 40 months in prison and to pay more than $1.9 million in fines and restitution, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

According to court documents and as previously announced, Bain, who owned and operated a series of durable medical equipment companies, oversaw a multi-year scheme resulting in nearly $10 million in claims billed to Medicare. Working with a number of others, Bain operated a network that paid kickbacks to obtain patient information, specifically that of Medicare patients. Through a third-party biller, Bain would then bill Medicare Part B and Part C plans for medically unnecessary medical equipment and orthotics, including a variety of back and knee braces that were not ordered as medically necessary by a physician. During the course of the investigation, agents determined Bain and his affiliates were linked to a larger nationwide scheme, recently announced as “Operation Brace Yourself.” Bain is the first defendant sentenced under the ongoing investigation.

 “Schemes like this put greed before need – using the identities of those who are assumed to be medically fragile to exploit programs intended for the benefit of patients,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Ultimately, such fraud hurts all patients by further straining the limited funding available for healthcare in an already struggling system.”

“Roderic Bain is only one piece of the puzzle, who for just his part in a nationwide scheme was responsible for nearly $10 million in fraudulent Medicare claims. That is a snapshot of how prevalent the problem of healthcare fraud is,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Every tax-paying citizen is a victim when providers like Bain are driven by personal greed. We are proud of the work our agents and law enforcement partners are doing, and will continue to do, to stem this scourge on our federally-subsidized programs.”

“This sentence is a warning to those who enrich themselves through fraud scams at the expense of taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to crack down on such schemes, which waste taxpayer funds designed to care for vulnerable patients.”

“Cases of this magnitude can only be tackled using a strategy that recognizes that the most effective way to fight these large criminal networks is by combining the strengths, resources, and expertise of our federal agencies,” said Resident Agent in Charge Glen M. Kessler of the U.S. Secret Service. “For those companies, medical professionals and criminal organizers that exploit America’s healthcare system, we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who put greed before the welfare of our citizens.”

Nationwide, “Operation Brace Yourself” involved the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes by companies in exchange for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries by medical professionals working with fraudulent telemedicine companies for back, shoulder, wrist and knee braces that are medically unnecessary. Some of the defendants controlled an international telemarketing network that lured hundreds of thousands of elderly and/or disabled patients into a criminal scheme that crossed borders, involving call centers in the Philippines and throughout Latin America. The defendants paid doctors to prescribe medical equipment either without any patient interaction or with only a brief telephone conversation with patients they had never met or seen. As announced recently, “Operation Brace Yourself” led to the execution of more than 80 search warrants in 17 federal districts with charges against 24 defendants so far.

This investigation remains ongoing. Any doctors or medical professionals who have been involved with alleged fraudulent telemedicine and medical equipment marketing schemes should report this conduct to the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Any beneficiaries who believe their identity may have been used fraudulently also should contact the FBI hotline.

The operation was investigated in the Southern District of Georgia by the FBI, the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

STATESBORO, Ga:  Multiple victims defrauded by a former attorney will begin receiving a share of restitution now that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has won the case challenging ownership of part of those proceeds.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia that said funds from an investment settlement should go to restitution in the case against Wilson R. Smith, 67, of Lyons, Ga., rather than to his former wife, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Frances Smith had challenged ownership of $433,096 awarded to her former husband as part of a settlement with BlinkMind, a Texas company in which Wilson Smith had invested while they were married. The District Court ruled, and the 11th Circuit affirmed, that the settlement funds instead should be seized by the United States and applied to the restitution Wilson Smith owed after his sentence for Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.

According to court documents, Wilson Smith, a personal-injury attorney, admitted to settling the cases of multiple clients without their knowledge, consent, or approval, then collecting more than $1 million in proceeds for his own benefit while lying to the clients about the status of their cases. Some of those injured clients were forced into poverty in the absence of settlements that they never received, even as Smith and his wife enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle.

After pleading guilty, Smith was sentenced in October 2015 to 96 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.285 million in restitution. In January 2018, Frances Smith learned of the pending $433,096 settlement owed to her husband as a BlinkMind investor. A month later she filed for divorce; it was granted in March, and in April, Wilson Smith moved that the court transfer the BlinkMind funds into the divorce settlement even though, until that point, he had paid only $51,370 of the funds he owed in restitution.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its Asset Recovery Unit asserted the funds should instead go to satisfy Wilson Smith’s restitution; the courts agreed.

“Wilson Smith’s actions in defrauding his clients represent a particularly egregious example of legal malfeasance,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Being forced to drag out the claim to these funds only made it worse for the victims who were hurt once in a personal injury case, and then victimized again by their dishonest, greedy lawyer. We hope this resolution will give them at least a small measure of redemption.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Xavier Cunningham, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia and Section Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Patrick, with assistance from Litigation Support Specialist Dean Athanasopoulos. 

AUGUSTA, GA:  Five men and a woman have been indicted in federal court, charged with operating a wide-ranging drug conspiracy that included mass production of pills and possession with intent to distribute a powerful synthetic opioid.

As outlined in the six-count indictment in U.S. District Court and from testimony in court proceedings, six defendants are accused of participating in a drug conspiracy dating back to 2016 that imported large amounts of drugs purchased with cryptocurrency on the Dark Web, used industrial-grade machinery to manufacture pills, and sold the drugs on the Dark Web and throughout Georgia, said Bobby L. Christine, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Two of those charged in the indictment also are charged with felony murder in Walton County, Ga., in the beating and suffocation death of a suspected co-conspirator.

Charged in the indictment are:

• Walker Christian Forrester, 24, of Loganville, Ga., and Kolbie Hadden Watters, 22, of Augusta, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; Using or Maintaining a Drug Premises; Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of an Unregistered Firearm; and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. If convicted on all charges, the two face sentences of up to life in prison.
• Larry Overton, 46, of Harlem, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, and Using or Maintaining a Drug Premises. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
• Jonathan Britt Lester, 22, of Loganville, Ga.; Armand Sananda Saedi, 27, of Atlanta, Ga., and Morgan McKenzie Slaton, 22, of Hoschton, Ga., each are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, and if convicted each face sentences of up to five years in prison.

Each of the defendants, if convicted, also would be subject to substantial fines and terms of supervised release after completion of any prison sentences. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to the indictment, and from testimony delivered in court proceedings, Forrester first came to the attention of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration around Sept. 2017 after he purchased an industrial-grade pill press. Two months later, Forrester, Watters and a juvenile were arrested on state charges in Harlem, Ga., in November 2017 after a traffic stop in which Harlem police officers found more than 5,200 counterfeit Xanax pills, marijuana and a sawed-off shotgun in the vehicle.

In addition to pill presses, investigators allege Forrester also purchased punch dies used to create counterfeit Xanax pills, Alprazolam as the main ingredient, and binding agents to manufacture tens of thousands of pills per month. The illicit ingredients were purchased on the Dark Web using cryptocurrency, with the counterfeit Xanax likewise sold on the Dark Web or through conventional illegal drug distribution channels.

The conspirators moved the four pill presses to various locations in the Southern, Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia to avoid detection, and at one point began manufacturing and selling synthetic heroin using Fentanyl and the more-powerful Carfentanil. Overton, who is alleged to have housed one of the pill presses at his Harlem home in return for drugs, was briefly hospitalized during the investigation after overdosing on the synthetic opioids.   

In addition to charges in the drug conspiracy, Watters and Lester also face state charges in Walton County of felony murder and aggravated assault in the death of Chase David Loffler, 25, whose body was found buried in the backyard of Lester’s Loganville home in April 2018. The two are accused of beating and suffocating Loffler, a suspected co-conspirator, and burying his body in a shallow grave.  

“This case highlights the growing threat of drug trafficking and its associated violent crime fueled by cyber technology,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies will continue to overcome these challenges, however, and bring to justice anyone who would distribute poison in our communities.”

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Drug Enforcement Administration Office stated, “Synthetic opioids, Fentanyl and counterfeit pills continue to be a threat in our communities, and DEA is committed to working with all our law enforcement partners in targeting organizations and individuals that produce and distribute this poison.”  

“Opioid abuse is a crisis in our communities and we will continue to be committed to targeting those who compound the problem,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case is an example of what can be accomplished when federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and their resources are combined to fight this national trend.”

“Illegal opioid production and distribution, whether online or through conventional drug distribution methods, is contributing to the public health emergency of the opioid addiction crisis that has ripped apart families and communities,” said Melinda K. Plaisier, Food and Drug Administration Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “The FDA will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who threaten the health and safety of Americans consumers.”

“American communities are being ravaged by a steady influx of illegal and deadly narcotics smuggled into the U.S.; chief amongst them heroin and the synthetic opioid fentanyl,” said HSI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan. “HSI is firmly committed to targeting the illegal import and sale of opioids, following the money trails, and leveraging our transnational partnerships to stop criminal networks and prevent the opioid crisis from spreading.”

“This is just a small piece of the puzzle in a growing opioid and pill mill problem in the state of Georgia. This scheme involved cryptocurrency and the Dark Web. It also involved other alleged criminal activity touching all three judicial districts within Georgia as those involved showed the lengths they were willing to go to commit various crimes,” said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigations for the Atlanta Field Office. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in following the money in an effort to dismantle illegal pill mill operations in our state.”

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Harlem Department of Public Safety. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorney Patricia Rhodes. 

AUGUSTA, Ga: Four members of a Texas family have been charged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain multiple Masters Golf Tournament tickets.  

Stephen Michael Freeman, of Katy, Texas, is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in an information filed with U.S. District Court in Augusta, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Freeman’s parents, Steven Lee Freeman and Diane Freeman, of Helotes, Texas, and sister, Christine Oliverson, of San Antonio, Texas, each are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud.

The charges carry possible penalties of up to 20 years in prison along with substantial monetary fines. Any defendants charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

According to court documents, the four defendants used names and addresses from a purchased bulk mailing list to create multiple fraudulent accounts in the Augusta National Golf Club’s online ticket application system. All this occurred without the knowledge or permission of the individuals whose identities were used.

Then, if any of those names were chosen to receive Masters tickets and the defendants were notified via the email addresses provided for them, Stephen Michael Freeman would create fake identification documents to persuade the Augusta National to change the winner’s mailing address to one that was under control of the conspiracy. Once the defendants received the tickets at those addresses via U.S. Mail, they would then resell the tickets at a substantial profit.

“The Masters is one of the world’s great sporting events, and tickets to the tournament are cherished by their fortunate recipients,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Using fraud and deceit to circumvent the Augusta National’s generous lottery system is despicable, and those who follow the rules in hopes of winning tickets deserve better than to have their chances diminished by profiteering con artists.”

“Because of the defendants’ greed, they now face substantial prison time if convicted of the alleged crimes,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will always make it a priority to investigate anyone who tries to circumvent a fair process, whether it is the Masters or any other private or public entity.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons.

SAVANNAH, Ga:  A Savannah man who pled guilty to robbing a bank while he was on parole for a previous heist will spend more than 14 years in federal prison.

Ronnie Clayton, 56, of Savannah, was sentenced to 170 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr., said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Clayton, who pled guilty, also was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his sentence, and ordered to pay $67,485 in restitution to his victims.

As noted during court proceedings, Clayton has more than 20 prior felony convictions, including convictions for crimes of violence and drug trafficking. He admitted robbing the Wells Fargo bank at 3507 West Bay Street in Savannah on July 3, 2018. After receiving cash from the teller, Clayton drove away in a red Cadillac and attempted to flee when spotted by police. He crashed into a taxi while driving the wrong way down a one-way street, and the taxi driver sustained serious injuries. 

At the time of that robbery, Clayton was serving parole on state charges for the robbery of a Bank of America branch in Atlanta in 2008. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The most important work our law enforcement agencies and prosecutors perform is in removing violent, repeat felons like Ronnie Clayton from our communities,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “We are proud to work with agencies who likewise are committed to focusing on these career offenders and locking them away.”

“With a history of more than 20 prior felony convictions, Ronnie Clayton was a threat to the community every day he was on our streets,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Like many of his prior crimes, he put innocent civilians’ lives at risk during the commission of this bank robbery, even though he was on parole at the time. Hopefully this federal sentence, in which there is no opportunity for parole, will convince him his life of crime must end.”

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southeast Georgia Violent Crimes Task Force with assistance from the Savannah Police Department.  

WAYCROSS DIVISION, GA.: Two men have pled guilty to conspiring to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine from Atlanta and throughout the Southern District of Georgia.

Enio Camacho-Pineda, a/k/a “Tony,” a/k/a “Tony Montana,” 31, of Atlanta, and Ricardo Santana-Hernandez, a/k/a “Richard Hernandez, a/k/a “Armond,” a/k/a “Armani,” 31, a Mexican national illegally residing in Atlanta, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The charge carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison and potential fines of up to $10 million each. The defendants will be placed on at least five years of supervised release after completion of their prison sentences. There is no parole in the federal system.

In October 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Camacho-Pineda, Ricardo Santana-Hernandez, and nine other defendants with drug trafficking and firearms-related offenses for operating a drug trafficking organization that conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine Telfair, Dodge, Laurens, Bacon, Ware, and Coffee Counties, within the Southern District of Georgia, and elsewhere. 

Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies seized kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and a cache of firearms during the investigation as part of Operation Rat Trap. The investigation began when agents received information that Camacho-Pineda was connected to a Mexican cartel and was supplying other members of the conspiracy operating in Waycross, Ga., and elsewhere. In July 2018, Camacho-Pineda traveled to Ware County to collect drug-sale proceeds when agents attempted to arrest him. He fled in his vehicle for about 10 miles and travelled in excess of 130 miles per hour, ultimately wrecking the vehicle.

Agents arrested Santana-Hernandez after he traveled from Atlanta to Dublin, Ga., to collect drug proceeds for a previous drug deal involving two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. 

“Fighting drug traffickers is hard, dangerous work, and the law enforcement professionals in our federal, state and local agencies do a tremendous job of shutting these operations down,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Let the drug thugs hear me: Dedicated prosecutors will bring ironclad cases so those who push poison are locked away.”

“ATF is continuing our partnership with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in our efforts to eliminate these violent armed drug trafficking organizations,” said Lenwood S. Reeves, Resident Agent in Charge of the Savannah Field Office of the ATF. “We will continue these efforts to eliminate violence and drugs from our communities.”

The case is being investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Patrol, and the Sheriff’s Offices from Telfair, Ware, Coffee and Laurens counties.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Harper III and E. Greg Gilluly Jr.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A former member of the Ghost Face Gangsters has become the first defendant to be sentenced as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla.

Daniel Fleming, a/k/a “Baby Boy,” 32, of Ellabell, Ga., was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Stan Baker to 96 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. In addition, Fleming will serve three years on supervised release after completion of his sentence.

There is no parole in the federal system. 

A federal grand jury in November 2018 indicted Fleming and 42 other defendants as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation into a drug trafficking organization associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent, white supremacist street gang that originated in Georgia’s prisons. Of the 43 defendants, all but two have pled guilty to federal charges. Fleming was the first to be sentenced in this multi-district case. 

According to information presented in court filings and in court, on April 16, 2018, in Bryan County, Fleming threatened his girlfriend with a firearm. She told him that she wanted him to move out of her home in Ellabell, Ga., and Fleming fired a round from a .38 caliber revolver into her vehicle while she was driving. He then threatened to kill the victim’s grandchildren if she reported the incident to police, and threatened to kill officers who responded to the scene.  

As a convicted felon, Fleming was prohibited from possessing a firearm. He has a violent criminal history that spans more than a decade, including armed robbery of a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver, assaults on previous girlfriends and his own mother, and abuse of a dog that he left chained to a fence, gasping for air. 

Fleming admitted being a Ghost Face Gangster, but claims to have quit the gang. The court ordered the Federal Bureau of Prisons to ensure that Fleming be housed apart from other Ghost Face Gangsters while he serves his federal sentence.

“Operation Vanilla Gorilla was an aggressive, multi-agency takedown of violent criminal street gangs, and Fleming’s tough sentence demonstrates that the prosecution of these defendants will remove them from our communities,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “More importantly, this operation sends an unmistakable signal to other criminals who would prey on our communities: We will find you; we will arrest you; and we will shut you down.”

 “This is another example of how ATF and our law enforcement partners work together to remove violent criminals from our streets in an effort to make our communities a safer place to work and live,” said Lenwood S. Reeves, Resident Agent in Charge of the Savannah Field Office of the ATF.

“As we continue to work in partnership with the federal authorities, we are highly pleased with the outstanding efforts and results of the task force in the Daniel Fleming case, and the continued efforts of the prosecuting attorneys in Operation Vanilla Gorilla,” said Mitch Shores, Chief of the Richmond Hill Police Department. 

Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The case was investigated by the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. and Frank Pennington.

SAVANNAH, Ga:  A Savannah man has received the maximum federal prison sentence after his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Calvin James, 32, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. James, who was convicted after a jury trial in January, also was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his sentence, and there is no parole in the federal system.

James’ arrest occurred in March 2018 in Savannah’s Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood, an area that has received extensive focus from the Savannah Police Department’s Strategic Investigations Unit (SIU) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The case also was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

James was arrested by members of SIU after he fled on foot and discarded a stolen firearm and several bags of marijuana.

“James’ sentence represents another violent felon removed from the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “With our law enforcement partners, we will not stop until every violent criminal is removed from every one of our communities.”

“This inter-agency collaboration and the resulting arrest goes a long way toward addressing gun violence by removing from our streets firearms and those willing to obtain them illegally and potentially use them,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the ATF.

The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department’s Special Investigative Unit (SIU) and the ATF. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Joshua Bearden. 

Savannah, Ga – An El Salvador man previously deported after being caught illegally entering the United States is charged with attempting to re-enter by stowing away on a container ship.

Jaime Dagoberto Chavez-Guevara, 35, was taken into custody Wednesday, April 3, aboard the container ship Santa Linea in the Port of Savannah by agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and charged with illegal entry of the United States after prior deportation and stowing away on a vessel, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The charges carry a possible combined penalty of up to 15 years in federal prison.

According to court proceedings and documents in the case, CBP had been notified Tuesday, April 2, by ZIM Shipping Lines, operator of the Santa Linea, that crew members had detained Chavez-Guevara after discovering him on board the ship without permission. After CBP took Chavez-Guevara into custody, the subsequent investigation determined that he had been deported in May 2017 from San Antonio, Texas, and again in January 2018 from Phoenix, Az, after he was convicted of felony illegal entry after prior removal.

Chavez-Guevara told investigators that his girlfriend in Miami, Fla., had sent $6,000 to his family in El Salvador, and he used the money to arrange for a smuggler to get him on board the Santa Linea while the ship was anchored in Panama. Along with one of the smugglers who took him to the ship via a small boat, Chavez-Guevara climbed the anchor chain to board the vessel through the anchor hatch. The smuggler then showed Chavez-Guevara where he could hide on the ship until it docked in the United States. Santa Linea crew members discovered Chavez-Guevara during the trip to the Port of Savannah.

“Our office will ensure that those who repeatedly enter the United States illegally will be caught and prosecuted,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “There is zero tolerance for those who break the law to get here, and they don’t get extra points for persistence or creativity.”

“Identifying and stopping criminal networks that engage in cross-border human smuggling as well as individuals who seek to illegally enter the U.S. is a priority focus for Homeland Security Investigations,” said HSI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan. “These criminal organizations have no regard for the well-being of the people they attempt to smuggle, who are often put at great risk during an attempt to illegally enter the U.S., and HSI will continue to work collaboratively with our federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute such activity.”

Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.

This case is beings investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandro V. Pascual IV and Joe McCool on behalf of the United States.

AUGUSTA, GA:  An Appling man has been indicted on federal charges of possession of child pornography.

Ricardo Dale Alva, 64, was indicted on one count of Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury, said Bobby L. Christine, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Possession of Child Pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, followed by no less than five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Alva was arrested March 7 after Richmond County Sheriff’s Office deputies were alerted by an online tip that led to a search of Alva’s Appling home by the FBI. The search discovered images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

“It’s purely a coincidence that this indictment comes during Child Abuse Awareness Month,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “But this month, and every month, our prosecutors will work with law enforcement agencies to track down the sources and purveyors of material that exploits the most vulnerable members of our society.”

“Individuals who possess pornographic images of children for their own self-gratification support the exploitation of the most innocent victims,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We work every day to protect our children and will continue to use every law enforcement resource available to identify individuals who exploit them in such a manner.”

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tara Lyons. 

SAVANNAH, Ga:  A California man who supplied large amounts of marijuana for a drug trafficking operation across the country has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison.

Daniel Martin, a/k/a “Whiteboy,” 38, of Roseville, Calif., was sentenced by United States District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. to 96 months in prison and a $30,000 fine after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Kilograms or More of Marijuana, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his sentence, Martin will serve an additional three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Martin has two prior marijuana-related convictions in California and Ohio. He was one of 20 defendants indicted in August 2017 in Operation Five Hole, a multi-agency investigation targeting an extensive drug trafficking organization that used the sale of marijuana to finance cocaine purchases for further distribution. The traffickers shipped cash proceeds hidden in candy machines to hubs in Atlanta and California, with conspirators transporting large amounts of marijuana and cocaine to Savannah by U.S. Mail and in vehicles with hidden compartments.

During this investigation, agents seized eight firearms, more than 200 pounds of marijuana, multiple kilograms of cocaine, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

The ringleader of the drug trafficking organization was alleged to be Eugene “Poncho” Allen, who directed the distribution network using smuggled contraband phones despite currently serving a life sentence for murder in a Georgia state prison.

“From thousands of miles away in California, Daniel Martin took part in a scheme that distributed massive amounts of illegal narcotics here in our community,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “But distance isn’t a factor when investigators and prosecutors are determined to bring these merchants of misery to justice.”

“Despite prior felony convictions, Martin continued to plague our communities with drugs and the crimes that result from it,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “With eight years to spend in federal prison without the possibility of parole, hopefully he will come to the realization that his actions need to change. If not, rest assured the FBI and our law enforcement partners will go to every length to uphold the law.”

 “It’s time we put a stop to those in prison from enriching themselves and others through violence and drugs,” said Eastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Meg Heap. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney Bobby Christine and his staff for their role in this conviction.”

Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team Director Everett Ragan said, “CNT prides itself in operations like this. It shows we stand united with our local, state, and federal partners to enforce drug laws and we are not restricted by borders.”      

This investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Chatham County Narcotics Unit (CNT), the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham and Effingham County Sheriffs’ Offices, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Marshals Service as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which is the premier law enforcement unit whose task is to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. The cases are being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney/Assistant District Attorney Noah Abrams, and Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly and Frank Pennington. 

AUGUSTA, Ga: A former active-duty U.S. Army colonel has pled guilty to accepting bribes in return for helping steer military contracts to a business fraudulently claiming status as a small business.

Anthony R. Williams, 58, of Vienna, Va., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and felony conflict of interest in U.S. District Court, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Williams faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, and has agreed to forfeit more than $1.2 million in proceeds derived from the scheme.

According to court documents and evidence entered during court proceedings, Williams, while serving as a colonel in the U.S. Army, accepted bribes to steer federal procurement contracts to the CREC Group, a company owned by Calvin Devear Lawyer, 60, a retired U.S. Army colonel. The CREC Group had received Small Business Administration (SBA) status as a small, disadvantaged business based on false representations from Lawyer and from Dwayne Oswald Fulton, 58, then an employee of a defense contractor.

Lawyer previously pled guilty in the case and is serving a 60-month prison sentence, while co-conspirator, Anthony Roper, 57, a former active duty U.S. Army colonel at Fort Gordon, also pled guilty and is serving a 60-month sentence.   

The cases were investigated by the United States Army Criminal Investigations Division (CID), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General, and the United States Attorney’s Office.

“This investigation rooted out a significant conspiracy to defraud taxpayers by stealing money appropriated for the operation of our nation’s military services,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “It is particularly disappointing when members of the armed forces violate their oaths of office to line their own pockets, and our office will prosecute those crimes vigorously.”

“This guilty plea highlights the effectiveness of Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) investigations to ensure that Department of Defense programs and missions are protected from fraud and corruption,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, DCIS Southeast Field Office. “This defendant was part of an egregious conspiracy perpetrated by several former U.S. Army officers and contracting officials who deliberately corrupted the DoD procurement process to steal precious taxpayer dollars for their own personal gain. In concert with our law enforcement partners, DCIS aggressively pursues criminal prosecutions to bring violators to justice to face the consequences of their actions.”

“This guilty plea affirms that contract fraud directed at our government will not be tolerated,” said Frank Robey, director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “Stealing money through fraud violates federal law, corrodes the trust within the contracting community, and threatens the readiness of our soldiers. We will continue to vigorously investigate fraud that targets our government contracting system.”

“Those who conspire to commit fraud against SBA and its programs will be brought to justice,” said SBA OIG's Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kupperbusch. “The actions of the defendant and his fellow conspirators denied other small businesses the opportunity to gain access to federal contracting opportunities. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney's office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian T. Rafferty is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

AUGUSTA, GA: Three men charged with federal crimes as part of the multi-agency investigation of the Sex, Money, Murder criminal street gang in Richmond County have been sentenced to prison terms.

Christopher Cohen, 25, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Cohen’s sentence will run consecutively to more than two years of a probationary sentence for which he was deemed in violation.

Previously, Johnny Franklin, 26, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, while Rashad Smith, 22, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment. 

Federal charges against the three were announced in September 2018 along with state charges against the three and six other defendants for multiple felonies, including violation of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. The investigation by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force focused on Sex, Money, Murder (SMM), a subset of the Bloods criminal street gang. Much of the gang’s activities centered in an area south of Tobacco Road in Zone 7 of the Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Richard Roundtree reported a significant decrease in firearms-related crimes after the sweep of the gang members.

“The swift conclusion of these cases, from arrest to indictment to guilty plea and sentencing, is a testament to the diligent work of law enforcement and prosecutors in coordinating the details of the investigation,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our intentional, focused strategy of combining our forces to combat these violent street gangs will continue to take these criminals out of our neighborhoods and make our communities safer.”

“The arrest and convictions of these gang members had a direct and immediate positive impact on the neighborhoods they prowled,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force and its law enforcement members should be proud of those results and know that the citizens of those neighborhoods are safer today because of their hard work and determination.”

The cases in the operation were investigated by the FBI and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by the Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for the state of Georgia and by Assistant United States Attorney Tara Lyons for the United States. The operation is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which leverages law enforcement and community partnerships to combat violent crime.

AUGUSTA, GA: A Waynesboro pharmacist is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to illegally obtaining opioids for his own use.

Wilton Clinton “Clint” Meeks III, 55, of Waynesboro, Ga., pled guilty on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, to acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, deception, or subterfuge, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall accepted Meeks’ guilty plea.

According to information provided in court filings and during court proceedings, Meeks acquired Oxycodone from his pharmacy, Liberty Square Pharmacy, that was not prescribed to him. Meeks did so for his own personal use, and the unlawful acquisition of Oxycodone occurred for more than one year.

Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance. While the opioid is often prescribed to treat severe pain, Oxycodone carries a serious risk of addiction, abuse, and overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“An inherent tragedy of opioid addiction is that it often transitions from legitimate need to desperate compulsion,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “But that isn’t an excuse for medical professionals to break the law in pursuit of their own gratification.”

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said, “DEA, its law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office are committed to stopping medical professionals like Mr. Meeks from abusing their positions of trust.”

The Meeks guilty plea is the result of the U.S. Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to fight the prescription opioid crisis. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia is committed to using all available remedies under the Controlled Substances Act against doctors, pharmacists, and others who break the law.

U.S. Attorney Christine commended the hard work of the Savannah Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, which investigated Meeks, led by Group Supervisor George M. Taylor and Diversion Investigator Tierra Singleton.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Porter is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

SAVANNAH, Ga:  A man who has made a career of committing felony fraud will spend more than 12 years in federal prison for his role in attempting to defraud victims of nearly $2 million.

Uchechi Ohanaka, a/k/a “Mike,” 44, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 125 months in prison by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William T. Moore Jr. after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Judge Moore also sentenced Ohanaka to serve 24 additional months in prison for violating the terms of supervised release from a previous case.

After his release from the total of 149 months in prison, Ohanaka will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents and information presented in court proceedings, Ohanaka, a naturalized citizen, has engaged in decades of fraud since immigrating to the United States from Nigeria. He has two prior federal felony fraud-related convictions, including one for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft for which he was serving supervised release when the latest fraudulent activities occurred in 2017.

Ohanaka, working with others, gained access to victims’ bank account information and provided false identification to an individual who went into banks to impersonate wealthy customers. The scheme involved creating fictitious companies using the names of victims, setting up bank accounts linked to the victims’ accounts, and then withdrawing money from the unsuspecting victims’ accounts. A call in furtherance of the conspiracy took place in Savannah.

The U.S. Secret Service arrested Ohanaka on Dec. 5, 2017, after he provided fake identification and account information for an individual so that individual could use it to withdraw more than $200,000 from a victim’s bank account. At sentencing, the Court found Ohanaka responsible for more than $1.7 million in fraud.   

“To the victims of fraud, there is little difference between a mugging on the street or a theft using keystrokes on a computer,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Both cases rob the victim of their money, their dignity and their sense of security – and either type of theft will result, like this one, in the criminal facing real prison time.”

“Technology has forever changed the way we do business, making everyday financial transactions a prime target for fraud,” said Glen Kessler, Savannah Resident Office Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service. “The Secret Service, in conjunction with its many law enforcement partners, continues to successfully combat these crimes by adapting our investigative methodologies and educating the public.”

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Houston, Texas, Police Department, and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.

AUGUSTA, GA:  Twenty-six people, including associates of a violent criminal street gang, have been indicted on drugs and firearms charges after a series of investigations in Georgia and South Carolina.

The arrests in Operation Gunsmoke were announced Tuesday, March 12, in a joint press conference held at the Aiken Department of Public Safety J. Carrol Busbee Headquarters by the United States Attorneys for the Southern District of Georgia and the District of South Carolina.

The investigations were initiated by the Regional Anti-Gang Enforcement (RAGE) Task Force of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. It began in 2017 as an investigation of a member of the Bloods criminal street gang who is alleged to have coordinated continued criminal activity while being held in the Aiken County Detention Center awaiting retrial for murder in a 2008 drug-related home invasion.

From 2017 to the present, ATF agents in Georgia and South Carolina identified multiple targets in the investigation. Nine were named in 25 criminal charges listed in three separate indictments by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while 17 additional defendants have been indicted in the South Carolina District.

The defendants indicted in Georgia are:

George Edward Powell, 51, of Blythe, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, and multiple counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Distribution of Methamphetamine;

Keldrick Demonta Streetman, 36, of Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Distribution of Cocaine and Distribution of Methamphetamine;

Jermarce Antonio Smith, 32, of Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine;

Brandon Jermal Jenkins, 29, of Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine;

Carl Walker, 56, of Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, and multiple counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;

Gwendolyn Johnson-Hill, 53, of Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine;

John Willie Powell, 39, of Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and multiple counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine;

Ziquane Sandford, 21, of Hephzibah, charged with Conspiracy to Engage in the Business of Dealing in Firearms Without a License, False Statements in Acquisition of Firearms, Engaging in the Business of Dealing in Firearms Without a License, Possession of an Unregistered Short-Barreled Shotgun, and False Statements Concerning Information Kept by Firearms Dealer; and,

Jacquetta Yarbray, 23, of Hephzibah, charged with Conspiracy to Engage in the Business of Dealing in Firearms Without a License, False Statements in Acquisition of Firearms, and False Statements Concerning Information Kept by Firearms Dealer.

The 17 defendants charged in South Carolina are:

Ronald Gartrell, a/k/a “RJ,” 33, of Aiken, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, multiple counts of Distribution of Crack Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;

Heather Collins, 42, of Aiken, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, and multiple counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine and Crack Cocaine;  

Cornelious F. McKie, 42, of Aiken, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine;

Reihn Dracon Jennings, a/k/a “Red,” 28, of Aiken, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, multiple counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to and in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;

Christopher Johnson, a/k/a “Crip,”  32, of Aiken, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, and multiple counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;

Quinton De’Shaun White, a/k/a “Q,” 29, of North Augusta, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, Distribution of Methamphetamine, and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to and In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;

Kevin D. Sheppard, a/k/a “Bean O”, 35, of Jackson, charged with  Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, multiple counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to and In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Dealing in Firearms without a License;

Benjamin Roper, 42, of Aiken, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Dealing in Firearms without a License;

Jerome Morris Simmons, 38, of Aiken, charged with Distribution of Cocaine, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to and In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Dealing in Firearms without a License;

Antonio Maurice Scrivens, a/k/a “Bucko,” 34, of Aiken, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to and In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Dealing in Firearms without a License;

Keith Williams, 29, of Beech Island, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to and In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Dealing in Firearms without a License;

Larry Thomas, 20, of Aiken, charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to and In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Dealing in Firearms without a License;

Charlie Edward Carter, 31, of Beech Island, charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Dealing in Firearms without a License;

Rudolph Keith Scott, 27, of Beech Island, charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine;

Ray Hampton Baughman, 48, of New Ellenton, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;

Xavier Mathaney, 26, of Aiken, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and

Rashad Lundy, 27, of Aiken, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

“Our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors continue our relentless and unwavering effort to identify, arrest, and prosecute those who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “City limits, county lines, and state borders are no barrier to the professionals who fight tirelessly to eliminate drug-dealers and illegal firearms from our communities.”

“We will not stand by and let violent criminal enterprises continue victimizing our communities,” said South Carolina District U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina is locking arms with our law enforcement partners, and we will spare no resource to take back our neighborhoods from criminal actors who are mixing violence and illegal drug distribution. I am proud to stand with our federal, state, and local partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Georgia, and I applaud their excellent work in these cases.”

“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources in conjunction with those crucial law enforcement contributions of local agencies to the pursuit of eradicating and forestalling criminal gang activity in Augusta, Ga., and its surrounding areas,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the ATF. 

Agencies involved in the investigation in Georgia include the ATF; U.S. Marshals Service; Georgia State Patrol Aviation; Georgia Department of Community Supervision; Richmond County Sheriff’s Office; Burke County Sheriff’s Office; the Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. Additional agencies in South Carolina involved in the investigation include the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; the South Carolina Department of Probation, Pardon and Parole Services; the Aiken Department of Public Safety; the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office; the North Augusta Department of Public Safety; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The Wheeling, W.V., Police Department and Wheeling Satellite Office of the ATF also participated in the investigation.

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The cases in Georgia are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tara Lyons and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Marchman. 

SAVANNAH, GA:  A shrimp boat seized in a federal fraud investigation has a new home with a North Carolina seafood company.

Assistant United States Attorneys with the Southern District of Georgia’s Asset Recovery Unit recently completed the sale of the 80-foot trawler to Lee Bland Williams of Scranton, N.C.

Williams and his wife, Madge, own Hobo Seafood, a commercial fishing operation in Swanquarter, N.C. He purchased the boat for $15,000, and said despite significant repairs the craft needs to make it seaworthy, he plans to have it ready for this summer’s shrimping season.

The boat, dubbed the Emily & Anna-Marie by its previous owner, had been docked in Port Royal, S.C., since its seizure. It had been offered for sale by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office under court approval for disposal of seized property, and the boat’s condition increased the challenge of finding a buyer.

“This is just one example of the kind of innovative thinking and litigating our office’s Asset Recovery Unit conducts as they move forward rapidly to make victims whole,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Williams, who operates a small fleet of fishing vessels, said his crew also repairs and maintains the boats – and he expects to have the 50-year-old trawler back in working order in time for the July start of shrimping season.

The boat was seized in March 2018 after the conviction in federal court of its previous owner, Michael Brian Anderson of Tybee Island, Ga., on multiple counts of false statements, mail fraud and money laundering. Anderson is serving a 77-month sentence in federal prison and was ordered to pay $818,234 in restitution. Proceeds from the sale of the boat will go toward paying that debt.

Anderson, a shrimper and fisherman, was convicted of submitting multiple fraudulent claims seeking millions of dollars in subsidies under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000, a federal program that allowed American shrimp producers to apply funding to reimburse income they lost due to foreign competition. The investigation in the case showed that the program paid Anderson more than $800,000 to which he was not entitled.  

The Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) of the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier A. Cunningham, is conducting post-judgment enforcement in the case. In building a strategy for enforcing Anderson’s Restitution Order, Financial Litigation Unit Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Robichuax filed a first-of-its-kind motion on behalf of the government to seek an order from U.S. District Court to enable sale of Anderson’s boat. 

“We chose this unique path because the shrimp boat was rapidly depreciating,” Robichaux said. “The extra time and cost it would have taken to involve another agency or service to sell the boat would have resulted in a net loss from the vessel’s sale. It was also doubtful that another agency or broker would have touched the sale for this very reason, and it left us in a predicament over the optimal way to maximize profits to apply them to Anderson’s restitution balance. Requesting and obtaining authority to sell the boat ourselves was the best course of action given all of these headwinds.”

Cunningham said it’s just another day at the office.

“It took teamwork along with novel and creative thinking in order to complete this enforcement action,” he said. “Such tenacity is the hallmark of the USAO SDGA, where maximizing recovery for crime victims and completing the lifecycle of justice is paramount.” 

SAVANNAH, Ga: Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine today announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, surpassing last year’s nationwide sweep. The cases during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them elderly.

In the Southern District, a Liberty County woman has been federally charged with defrauding an elderly dementia patient in an effort to steal nearly half a million dollars.

Sailor Jones, 57, of Midway, Ga., is charged with wire fraud in United States District Court in Savannah, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

According to an information filed in the case, Jones, who is not a licensed nurse, owned a company purporting to provide at-home health services that was not licensed with the state of Georgia. From about December 2016 to June 2017, Jones provided cleaning and other minor tasks for a now-90-year-old woman who lived at a Savannah retirement community that provided the dementia patient with 24-hour skilled nursing services.

During this period, according to court documents, Jones fraudulently gained access to the woman’s checking and retirement accounts by posing as the victim, taking more than $300,000 and depositing the funds in Jones’ own personal accounts.

 “Sailor Jones exploited an elderly dementia patient to enrich herself,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Rather than serving this vulnerable woman’s needs, Jones instead fed her own greed. Our office and the Department of Justice will not tolerate fraud and abuse of our elder citizens, particularly those who have no choice but to trust others for their care.”

“The U.S. Secret Service has invested in identifying and investigating elder abuse and exploitation. Because eliminating this crime requires coordinated action, we work together with other federal, state and local agencies so that, together, we can build a more responsive network and give seniors the tools to avoid financial scams and elder abuse before it starts” stated Resident Agent in Charge Glen Kessler of the U.S. Secret Service Savannah Resident Office. “These senior citizens have earned the right to enjoy their retirement years with a sense of security.”

The charge is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office.

 “Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “But thanks to the hard work of our agents and prosecutors, as well as our state and local partners, the Department of Justice is protecting our seniors from fraud. The Trump administration has placed a renewed focus on prosecuting those who prey on the elderly, and the results of today’s sweep make that clear. Today we are announcing the largest single law enforcement action against elder fraud in American history. This year’s sweep involves 13 percent more criminal defendants, 28 percent more in losses, and twice the number of fraud victims as last year’s sweep. I want to thank the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which led this effort, together with the Department’s Criminal Division, the more than 50 U.S. Attorneys’ offices, and the state and local partners who helped to make these results possible. Together, we are bringing justice and peace of mind to America's seniors.”

The Department of Justice took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases or through consumer education efforts. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of millions of more dollars than last year, putting the total alleged losses at this year’s sweep at more than three fourths of one billion dollars.

Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Justice Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act. 

SAVANNAH, GA: A multi-agency operation in the Southern District of Georgia is receiving national recognition for dismantling a major drug trafficking organization whose methods included delivering contraband to prisons with drones and using funding from a lottery winner.

The Southern District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) received the national award for Overcoming Technology Obstacles for Operation Cellmate, an investigation and prosecution of a transnational, multi-district drug trafficking organization that used gangs to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Southeastern United States, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Ten investigators and prosecutors from the agencies who coordinated Operation Cellmate received the award from OCDETF Region Director Mike Smith at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in a ceremony at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 22 Barnard St., Savannah.

“We are honored that our Assistant United States Attorneys are among the recipients of this award, and even more honored at the recognition of the law enforcement officers and prosecutors who coordinate their efforts to drive criminals out of our communities,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Being chosen for this prestigious award from among the 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the country is truly evidence that the Southern District of Georgia is punching above its weight class.” 

Operation Cellmate began in 2014 when the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) learned that a violent drug trafficking organization was operating from within a Georgia Department of Corrections facility. The investigation identified Daniel Roger Alo, an associate of the Ghost Face Gangsters, as leading the criminal group from inside the prison where he was serving a life sentence for multiple violent felonies.

Alo developed a source of supply for methamphetamine from the Sinaloa Cartel, the Mexican crime syndicate previously operated by the notorious Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. In addition to other Ghost Face Gangsters, Alo recruited help from other violent street gangs, including the Bloods and Gangster Disciples.

The organization used drones and compromised prison guards to smuggle phones and contraband into the prison, where the conspirators used the devices to coordinate drug trafficking throughout the Southeast. In the largest seizure, agents in 2015 seized 10.9 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, multiple firearms and more than $600,000 in a Brunswick sting operation. The methamphetamine had been purchased with some of the $3 million won months earlier in the Georgia Lottery by Ronnie Music.

By September 2016, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia indicted 21 defendants on drug trafficking and firearms related charges. The strength of the legal case rested on the exhaustive, detailed work provided by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Tania Groover, and within a year, all of the defendants indicted in the operation pled guilty and were later sentenced to a combined 170 years in federal prison.

The OCDETF award recognizes the significant technical obstacles investigators encountered in investigating the drug organization that operated from inside a prison using drones, cell phones, Facebook and Green Dot cards.

Agencies and their members receiving the award are:

• U.S. Attorney’s Office: Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Tania Groover with the Southern District of Georgia, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg with the Northern District of Georgia;
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives: Special Agent Thomas J. Crawford III, Special Agent James C. Turner, Forensic Auditor Christa K. Morgan, and Forfeiture Investigator Richard Ruka;
• Georgia Bureau of Investigation: Special Agent Bobby Banks;
• Drug Enforcement Administration: Special Agent Robert L. Livingston and Special Agent Christopher J. Atkins, at the time of the investigation representing the Glynn County Police Department; and,
• Georgia Department of Corrections: U.S. Marshals Task Force Officer Keith Lank.

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “This investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program in encouraging cooperation between federal, state and local agencies. I am proud of the hard work that our men and women in law enforcement have put into this investigation along with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office. Cooperation is an essential component of efforts by law enforcement in disrupting drug organizations that seek to operate in our communities.” 

“As the facts of this investigation indicate, drug investigations have become more complex in the 21st century,” said Jamie Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the GBI’s Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office. “Though the challenges evolve and present more obstacles, a seasoned team of determined investigators can adapt and overcome. The teamwork demonstrated by these determined federal, state, and local agents took this challenge to task and successfully dismantled this sophisticated operation, which was pushing its poison into Southeast Georgia homes and neighborhoods.”

“Although this investigation occurred before my time as Police Chief for Glynn County, I am still proud of past employees who dedicated their lives to making Glynn County a safer community,” said Glynn County Police Chief John Powell. “Special Agent Christopher Atkins worked for the Glynn County Police Department for five years, a large part of which he spent investigating illegal narcotics. His involvement with ‘Operation Cellmate’ is just one testimony of his passion. Special Agent Atkins left the department in August of 2016 to continue his dedication to combating illegal narcotics with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. I am thankful for the cooperation which existed between the department and our federal counterparts back in 2015 and 2016, and we strive to continue and improve upon these partnerships.”  

In addition to the OCDETF award, Operation Cellmate also was named 2017 Case of the Year by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

OCDETF is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s national drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.

SAVANNAH, GA:  Seventeen additional defendants indicted on drug trafficking and firearms charges as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla have pled guilty in federal court, bringing to 33 the total number of guilty pleas only months after charges were filed.

Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), targeted the notorious Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent criminal street gang largely operated from inside Georgia’s prison system. The multi-agency federal, state and local operation netted 46 indictments on federal charges, primarily for drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Indictments were handed down in November and December 2018 in U.S. District Court in Savannah. Sixteen of the defendants pled guilty in February, and 17 more have since entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court. They include:

• Christopher Hendrix, a/k/a “Hot Boy” and “Irish,” 40, of Helena, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 grams or more of Methamphetamine and Heroin, and faces five to 40 years in prison. In court, Hendrix admitted that he was the “capo” for the Ghost Face Gangsters who was brought to this district to get gang members “on track.”  He has tattoos of horns on his head, the “G” tattooed on his neck and “Vanilla Gorilla” tattooed on his chest;
• Cody Penfield, 28, of Savannah, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. He faces 10 years to life in prison;
• Nick Penfield, a/k/a “Picnic,” 22, of Pooler, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and faces five to 40 years in prison;
• Waylon Jesse Hodges, 41, of Pembroke, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and faces up to 20 years in prison;
• Trevor Aines, a/k/a “Sticks,” 29, of Garden City, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess Five Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and faces up to life in prison;
• Marcos Logan-Greco, 28, of Richmond Hill, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and faces up to life in prison;
• Jennifer J. Grooms, 36, of Ellabell, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and faces up to 20 years in prison;
• Kimberlin Johnson, 24, of Rincon, Ga., pled guilty to Distribution of Alprazolam (Xanax) and Distribution of Hydrocodone and faces up to 20 years in prison;  
• Dillon Myrick, a/k/a “Country Crack,” 31, of Savannah, Ga pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and faces up to 20 years in prison;
• Robert Fuller, a/k/a “Robbie,” 39, of Richmond Hill, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and faces up to 20 years in prison;
• Baby Dwayne Garrison, 55, of Bloomingdale, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and faces up to 20 years in prison;
• Joseph Britt Carter, a/k/a “Crack,” 29, of Savannah, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Drug User, and faces up life in prison;
• Cody Tracy, a/k/a “Cojack,” 33, of Guyton, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and faces up to 20 years in prison;
• Andrew P. Campos, a/k/a “Chubs,” 28, of Richmond Hill, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and faces up to life in prison; and,
• Rodney Rose, 39, of Bloomingdale, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and faces up to 20 years in prison.

The guilty pleas of two additional defendants have been sealed by the court.

The indictments allege that the narcotics-trafficking conspiracy began as early as 2015, operating in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Emmanuel, Evans, and Tattnall Counties, in the Southern District of Georgia, and elsewhere. Members of the conspiracy associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters and with other criminal street gangs to aid in the distribution of controlled substances, for protection, and to promote a climate of fear.

Operation Vanilla Gorilla represents one of the largest-ever takedowns of Ghost Face Gangsters associates.

“The swift resolution of these cases with guilty pleas demonstrates the effectiveness of the investigation and the prosecution team,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “The investigators and our OCDETF prosecutors have done an outstanding job, and their work in dismantling violent criminal street gangs will continue to make our communities safer.”

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Field division stated, “DEA is committed to making our communities safer and these results demonstrate the agency’s resolve in confronting violent criminals locally, nationally and internationally.” 

“This case is a great example of how you leverage law enforcement resources to target the offenders driving crime in the region,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The case was investigated by the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Frank Pennington.

Brunswick, GA – Six federal inmates face having more time added to their prison sentences after lewdly exposing themselves to prison staff.

The inmates, serving federal prison sentences at Federal Correctional Institution Jesup in southeast Georgia, are charged with Public Indecency as filed in U.S. District Court in Brunswick, Ga., said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Many of the inmates have prior records of lewdly exposing themselves to staff members.

The charges are classified as misdemeanors, and can extend the inmates’ scheduled release date by up to 12 months, along with a year of supervised release and substantial fines. 

Those charged are:

• Lesly Richard, 28, of Los Angeles, serving a sentence for being a felon in possession of firearm, with a scheduled release date of Jan. 12, 2022;
• Doniel Porter, 30, of Brunswick, Ga.; serving a sentence for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, with a scheduled release date of Dec. 24, 2021;
• Henry Watson, 38, of Milton, Fla.; serving a sentence for possession and distribution of more than 38 grams of cocaine and illegal possession of a firearm, with a scheduled release date of Oct. 31, 2028;
• James Thornton, 50, of Rock Island, Ill., serving a sentence for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, with a scheduled release date of April 29, 2022;
• Patrick Turner, 34, of Margate, Fla., serving a sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, with a scheduled release date of Oct., 24, 2028; and,
• Tracy McCants, 35, of Jonesboro, Ga., serving a sentence for conspiracy to possess more than 280 grams of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, with a scheduled release date of July 10, 2023. .

“The staff members at our federal correctional institutions serve honorably and under often difficult conditions as they maintain safe environments for incarcerated felons,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “These prosecutions should send a message to all inmates that this reprehensible behavior will not be tolerated – and will result in more time behind bars.”

“The number of incidents of inmate abuse of female prison staff is unacceptable,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is committed to making sure those numbers decrease dramatically by setting an example with cases like this, that if you choose to act out in perverse ways you will extend your stay in prison.”

Federal inmate abuse of female staff members has increased in recent years, with more than 850 cases of exposure in 2016, more than 1,000 in 2017 and 1,269 in 2018.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Marcela C. Mateo and Special Assistant United States Attorney Katelyn Semales prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

SAVANNAH, GA: A former Brinks, Inc., driver has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his role in staging a pair of armored-car robberies in 2016.

Victor Natson, 28, of Savannah, was sentenced to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Natson also was ordered to pay restitution of $34,740 and to serve five years of supervised release after completion of his sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

Natson was convicted in May 2018 along with Savannah resident Joshua Scott, 23, of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbing armored trucks. In addition, Natson was convicted of aiding and abetting robbery, attempted robbery, and the discharge and brandishing of firearms during crimes of violence, while Scott was convicted of robbery and firearm brandishing charges.

Scott previously was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while a third defendant, Gregory Lamar Plair, 33, who pled guilty in the case, was sentenced to eight years in prison.

According to the evidence presented at trial, during the summer of 2016, Natson recruited Plair, a career criminal and gang member, to rob armored trucks operated by Brinks, Inc. After Natson encouraged Plair to commit the robberies, Plair sought the assistance of his cousin, Scott, who Plair knew had access to stolen firearms. Natson had worked for Brinks as a truck driver for nearly two years and provided Scott and Plair with information about Brinks’ routes, personnel, and procedures. On October 14, 2016, Natson drove the robbers to the intersection of White Bluff Road and Tibet Avenue so they could rob Brinks employees servicing a SunTrust ATM. The trio stole approximately $35,000 and fired one gunshot during the robbery. Natson received a share of the money and drove the getaway car. On January 30, 2017, at Natson’s direction, Scott and Plair attempted to rob a Brinks armored truck parked at a storage facility near Abercorn Street and Truman Parkway. When Scott and Plair accosted the driver, another Brinks employee shot and wounded both would-be robbers. Plair drove himself to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment; Scott was transported to Memorial Medical Center by ambulance. Both men were arrested shortly thereafter. 

“Natson’s two-decade sentence wraps up the prosecution of an ill-conceived, short-lived and violent crime spree in which, fortunately, only the criminals were injured,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Three predators are now locked away with a warning to other would-be criminals that no matter what kind of schemes they concoct, law enforcement and prosecutors will work that much harder to put them behind bars.”

“Natson felt his knowledge of the armored car company he worked for would lead him to illicit gains, but instead it opened the doors of a prison cell for a lengthy sentence behind bars,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are fortunate that no innocent victims were hurt as a result of his selfish desire for wealth.”

The investigation of Natson, Scott, and Plair’s crimes was led by FBI Southeast GA Violent Crimes Task Force, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia and the Savannah Police Department, with assistance from the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Southern University Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.

SAVANNAH, GA:  Two people are facing substantial prison sentences and fines after pleading guilty to federal heroin trafficking charges.

Gary Johnson, a/k/a “G,” 44, and Jamison Lanier, a/k/a “Monica Lewinsky,” 36, both of Savannah, have each pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin in U.S. District Court, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Each of the defendants face up to 20 years in prison, fines of up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release upon completion of their sentences. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to statements made in court and in court filings, Johnson and Lanier were involved in a conspiracy to distribute heroin from at least February through December of 2018. During the investigation, agents observed Lanier and Johnson distribute heroin at multiple parking lots in the Savannah area, including Walmart, Home Depot, Family Dollar, and Memorial Hospital. On Nov. 8, 2018, federal agents executed federal search warrants at three locations associated with Johnson, resulting in the seizure of more than $97,000 cash and more than 170 grams of heroin, with much of it laced with the synthetic opioid Fentanyl. 

“Like much of the United States, our communities are seeing a troubling increase in heroin and Fentanyl distribution as a consequence of the nation’s opioid crisis,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we are determined to find, prosecute, and remove those who would peddle this poison in our neighborhoods.”

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “Heroin and synthetic drugs have no boundaries. Once consumed, they destroy their victims like predators ravage their prey. Many thanks to the collaboration of law enforcement agencies and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who all made this investigation a success.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection service remains steadfast in our resolve to ensure that we seek justice to the end against criminals that pose a direct threat to the safety and stability of our communities,” said Antonio J. Gomez, Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division. “This goal is achieved through collaborative investigative efforts with other law enforcement agencies.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Bearden.

SAVANNAH, GA: U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine announced today that the Southern District of Georgia recovered more than $24.5 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2018. The total is nearly four times the $6.25 million appropriated for operation of the Southern District office for 2018.

Of this total amount, $5.2 million was recovered in criminal actions, $14.6 million was recovered in civil actions and $4.7 million was recovered from defendants through the asset forfeiture process.

Included within this total is $9.1 million that was recovered from cases jointly pursued by the Southern District of Georgia, other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and other components of the Department of Justice.

As a whole, the Justice Department collected nearly $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2018. The $14.8 billion in collections in FY 2018 is nearly seven times the appropriated $2.13 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices.  

“Our office’s Asset Recovery Unit, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier A. Cunningham, along with our Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson, have performed outstanding work in recovering restitution for crime victims and providing the legal legwork that substantiates the fines, penalties and forfeitures from criminal and civil defendants,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “This effort emphasizes the importance of holding people and entities financially accountable for their actions, and providing a measure of restorative justice to those harmed by illegal activity.”

Examples of significant collections during Fiscal Year 2018 include:

• In May 2018, in the nation’s largest settlement of its kind involving allegations of drug diversion at a hospital, Effingham Health System agreed to pay $4.1 million to resolve allegations that the company failed to guard against theft and loss of controlled substances; 
• In April 2018, the Southern District recovered $245,228 from defendant Brandon Sapp, the convicted leader of a WIC and Food Stamp fraud ring; and,
• In August 2018, the Southern District recovered $82,761 from defendant Michael Brian Anderson, a former Savannah shrimper who was convicted of money laundering and defrauding U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), by filing false claims under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000.

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Nationwide, the largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration and the Department of Education.

“The men and women of the U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country work diligently, day in and day out, to see that the citizens of our nation receive justice.  The money that we are able to recover for victims and this country as a whole is a direct result of their hard work,” Director James A. Crowell, IV, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.

SAVANNAH, GA: A Bryan County man who was part of the gang and drug trafficking conspiracy prosecuted under Operation Vanilla Gorilla has been sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison.

Jessie Ray Hurt, 40, of Ellabell, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr., to 188 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

Hurt, a convicted felon, was indicted in August 2018 by a federal grand jury as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an investigation targeting the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent, white supremacist street gang operated largely from inside Georgia’s prison system. Hurt pled guilty in October 2018 to Possession of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a convicted felon. 

According to facts presented in public records, court proceedings, and court filings, federal, state and local enforcement identified Hurt as a member of a drug trafficking organization through undercover purchases of methamphetamine and a search of Hurt’s home. During the search, investigators found a handgun, prescription narcotics, and a large quantity of methamphetamine hidden in a compartment in the floor of Hurt’s bedroom. Police also seized two shotguns, four rifles, a bucket of ammunition, and drug trafficking paraphernalia.

Hurt’s criminal history spans 21 years, with convictions on charges ranging from driving under the influence to multiple convictions for possession, manufacturing and trafficking methamphetamine, and illegal firearms possession. Most recently, he was released from state prison after serving three years of a total 16-year sentence for violating probation, manufacturing, and possessing methamphetamine, and illegal firearms possession. 

“Our communities deserve better than to be victimized repeatedly by career criminals who seem to serve only fractions of their sentences before returning to the streets and to their illegal activities,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “This sentence of nearly 16 years in federal prison means Jessie Ray Hurt will serve real time for his crimes, because there is no parole in the federal prison system.”

“This sentence will ensure the incarceration of a dangerous criminal and contribute to the restoration of order and peace,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Far too many criminals take advantage of the overburdened state penal system that provides them ample opportunity to avoid serious prison time by routinely being let out early after serving only a fraction of their court ordered sentence,” said Jamie Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the Southeastern Regional Drug Enforcement Office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “Hurt’s refusal to learn from his prior bad choices and own personal desire to continue his criminal lifestyle has finally caught up to him. Almost 16 years of confinement in the federal prison system will certainly provide him ample opportunity to ponder his decision to continue a life of crime.”

This case was prosecuted as an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) case by AUSAs Greg Gilluly and Tania Groover. The OCDETF program is the premier United States Department of Justice enforcement mechanism to identify and dismantle drug trafficking organizations.

SAVANNAH, Ga: Three people, including two medical professionals, are among defendants recently prosecuted in federal court as part of continued efforts to crack down on opioid abuse.

Lisa Marie Douthit, 42, a pharmacy technician at a Walgreen’s in Bryan County, was sentenced to three months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. for stealing opioid pills Oxycodone and Hydrocodone from her employer, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

In addition, Jamie Mays, 19, of Hinesville, Georgia, a former medical assistant at a Bryan County pain clinic, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to stealing prescriptions for the opioids Percocet and Oxycodone, and Reginald Eric Lee, 24, of Hinesville, Georgia, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to stealing prescriptions for the opioids Percocet and Oxycodone and to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Percocet and Oxycodone.

“Opioid abuse is a crisis in our country and our community, and we are committed to targeting those individuals who divert those highly addictive drugs from their proper use,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “It is especially troubling when these illegal activities are facilitated by people who exploit their access to the healthcare system, and we will not tolerate it.”

These cases were investigated by the Opioid Task Force, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS), the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. 

“The recklessness and greed exhibited by these individuals put citizens at significant risk of addiction and death,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We will use every tool we have to stop criminals from exploiting the vulnerable by taking advantage of their professional access to these drugs.” 

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “The abuse of prescription drugs continues to be a major concern in America. The abuse of a trusted medical profession will not be tolerated. As the nationwide trend toward non-medical use of prescription drugs swells, the need for an organized, immediate, and effective response increases correspondingly. This is a perfect example of the success that can be accomplished when federal, state and local resources and subsequent prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office are combined to present a united front.”   

Said Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team Director Everett Ragan, “We rely on the healthcare system and its professionals to aid us in fighting the war on the opioid crisis. I know the majority in the profession are doing that every day; however, we stand ready to arrest those who choose to further complicate this matter.”  

If you have any information regarding health care fraud or illegal opioid diversion, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.

Assistant United States Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Jonathan Porter prosecuted the cases for the United. States.

AUGUSTA, Ga: A Martinez man has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $1.5 million in restitution for defrauding government healthcare and disability programs.

Jonathan Duane Austin, 32, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,473,377.51 in restitution by U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

At the completion of Austin’s sentence, he will be subject to an additional term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents in the case, Austin admitted to defrauding Medicare and Tricare for nearly three years by submitting false claims for prescription reimbursements totaling $1,450,000, and to defrauding the Social Security Administration by providing forged documents to falsely claim disability status.

The Austin case represents one of the largest beneficiary-created fraud schemes ever prosecuted in the Southern District.

These Austin case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Social Security Administration.

The Health Care Fraud Task Force aggressively prosecutes health care fraud and abuse. The Task Force’s effort is reflected in other recent plea agreements and sentences, including:

Maryanne Hudson, 49, of Millen, Ga., was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court R. Stan Baker for fraudulently billing Medicare for durable medical equipment that a physician had not actually ordered as reasonable and necessary; and,

Paula Padgett, 49, of Brunswick, Ga., was sentenced to probation for submitting false requests for compensation to the United States Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, by U.S. District Court Lisa Godbey Wood.

These cases were investigated by HHS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“These types of fraud erode faith in the health care system, and we will not tolerate it,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Individuals who engage in schemes to steal from taxpayers hurt those with real health problems and the systems in place to address those needs.”

“The Austin sentencing demonstrates the commitment of DCIS to protect the integrity of the DoD health care program (TRICARE) from fraud and abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, DCIS Southeast Field Office.  “DCIS investigations ensure taxpayer money is properly used to support our warfighter, retirees and their family members.”

“The Social Security OIG will continue to maintain our strong partnerships with other federal, state, and local agencies as we combat fraud. Our responsibility in protecting taxpayers’ dollars doesn’t end with Social Security benefits only, “said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of the Social Security Administration. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to detect and prevent benefit fraud across the country.”

“This sentencing reaffirms our commitment to protecting patients from the dangers of prescription drug fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson, of the HHS Office of Inspector General. "Our watchdog agency will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to root out waste, fraud and abuse."

“When Hudson fraudulently billed Medicare she not only cheated taxpayers, she also hurt those who rely on the government program for their healthcare needs,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI makes it a top priority to protect government programs like Medicare to ensure that only those who need assistance get it.”

“Paula Padgett engaged in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Federal Employees’ Compensation Act program by submitting fraudulent claims to the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) for the reimbursement of nonexistent travel expenses for medical treatment. We will continue to work with OWCP and our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of DOL’s benefit programs,” said Rafiq Ahmad, Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

Assistant United States Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson prosecuted these cases for the United States.

SAVANNAH, GA: A high priority target of the Savannah Police Department has pled guilty to a federal firearms possession charge and now awaits sentencing.

Frenchy Gamil Hilliard, 32, of Savannah, Ga., pled guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal prison system.

According to information provided in court filings and in open court, a detective from the Savannah Police Department Special Investigations Unit saw Hilliard, a known convicted felon and convicted drug dealer, with a handgun with an extended magazine. The detective saw Hilliard place the gun in his pocket, get into a vehicle and drive away when officers ordered him out of the car. After crashing the vehicle, Hilliard attempted to flee on foot and was captured.

Officers searching the area found the pistol, a black Glock 43 .40 caliber with extended magazine with one of its serial numbers obliterated. The investigation determined the pistol had been stolen, and evidence found on Hilliard’s phone showed him photographed brandishing the weapon more than a year before the arrest. Tests also confirmed Hilliard’s DNA was on the stolen pistol and magazine.   

The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.

“Law-abiding residents of our communities understandably are frustrated when they see armed criminals repeatedly violating the law and returning to their neighborhoods,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Through diligent enforcement of federal statutes that can take these criminals off the street, we are determined to restore safety and security to our communities.”

“ATF considers Savannah Police Department a critical partner in its long-term mission of removing violent criminals from our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“Activity like this will not be tolerated in Savannah,” said Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter. “We are committed to removing illegal firearms and those in possession of these weapons from this city.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Frank Pennington.

WAYCROSS, GA – A correctional officer with the rank of captain has been indicted on federal charges for having sex with an inmate, and a nurse is charged with facilitating the illicit trysts.

A federal grand jury indicted Rebecca Fussell, 48, of Waycross, for Conspiracy and Sexual Abuse of a Ward, and Melissa Batten, 47, of Waycross, for Conspiracy and False Statement, announced Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, and Robert A. Bourbon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), Miami Field Division.

According to the indictment, Fussell was a correctional officer and Batten was a registered nurse employed by the GEO Group, a private contractor that operates the D. Ray James Correctional Institution, in Folkston, Ga., under contract with the federal Bureau of Prisons. An investigation began after another employee saw Fussell engaging in sex with a male inmate in a medical treatment room at the prison, leading to the discovery that Batten facilitated and helped cover up repeated sexual activity between Fussell and the prisoner.

Under federal law, any sexual activity between an inmate and prison employee constitutes sexual abuse of a person in custody, and carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

“Employees at prison facilities are expected to oversee safe and humane incarceration of the inmates, not prey upon them,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

“The DOJ-OIG takes allegations of sexual abuse by federal correctional officers and employees very seriously, and is committed to investigating such allegations,” stated Special Agent in Charge Bourbon.

The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Marcela C. Mateo is prosecuting the case for the United States. 

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

AUGUSTA, Ga: A former active-duty U.S. Army colonel and his wife have been sentenced to federal prison and fined more than $200,000 for their roles in steering government contracts to co-conspirators in return for cash.

Anthony Roper, 57, of Augusta, pled guilty to Procurement Integrity Fraud and was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $200,000 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen. He also will be subject to three years of supervised release after his sentence is completed, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal prison system. Roper’s wife, Audra Roper, 51, pled guilty to Accessory After the Fact and was sentenced to 28 days in prison, fined $10,000 and placed on five years of probation.

According to evidence presented during guilty pleas and sentencing hearings, Anthony Roper, then in active-duty status at Fort Gordon, accepted bribes from Calvin Devear Lawyer, 60, a retired U.S. Army colonel, to steer Army contracts worth more than $20 million to Lawyer’s company, the CREC group. Based on false representations from Lawyer and Dwayne Oswald Fulton, 58, then an employee of a defense contractor, CREC group had been awarded Small Business Administration (SBA) status as a small, disadvantaged business, and the company used that status to gain competitive advantage in contracting.

The conspiracy also included the creation of fraudulent documents in an attempt to cover up bribes to Anthony Roper after law enforcement agencies discovered the scheme. Lawyer previously pled guilty in the case and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. As part of his sentence, Lawyer also paid a $3 million personal money judgment and a $2 million civil penalty.

The cases were investigated by the United States Army Criminal Investigations Division (CID), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General, and the United States Attorney’s Office.

“Taxpayers deserve above-board behavior from those who do business with the federal government, especially with the military,’” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “It is particularly disappointing when members of the armed forces violate their oaths of office to steal from the public, and our office will prosecute those crimes vigorously.”

“These sentencings are the result of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s commitment to ensuring that Department of Defense programs and missions are protected from fraud throughout the procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, DCIS Southeast Field Office. “Through joint investigations with our law enforcement partners, DCIS aggressively pursues criminal prosecutions and all available remedies to hold violators accountable for their fraudulent schemes.”

“These sentencings are proof of the great work our agents, and our law enforcement partners, do on a daily basis,” said Frank Robey, director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “These defendants used their business to line their pockets, ripping off taxpayer dollars. The MPFU, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to identify, investigate those who choose to exploit federal contracts and the people these programs serve.”

SBA’s General Counsel Chris Pilkerton said, “The resolution of this matter clearly demonstrates the commitment of federal agencies to discover and prosecute procurement fraud undertaken by those seeking to obtain illicit financial benefit through abuse of small business contracting programs. SBA will continue to work closely with federal law enforcement agencies to ensure that the contracting opportunities offered by SBA programs are available solely to businesses entitled to participate in those programs.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian T. Rafferty prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

SAVANNAH, GA: Sixteen of the defendants indicted on drug trafficking and firearms charges as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla have pled guilty in federal court, including the lead defendant in the gang.

Operation Vanilla Gorilla targeted the notorious Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent criminal street gang largely operated from inside Georgia’s prison system. The multi-agency federal, state and local operation netted 46 indictments on federal charges, primarily for drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The indictments were handed down in November and December 2018 in U.S. District Court in Savannah.

Those who have entered guilty pleas in the case are:

David McCloskey, 47, of Augusta, Ga., the lead defendant in the case, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; and to Drug User in Possession of a Firearm. He faces not less than 10 years to life in federal prison.

Daniel Fleming, 32, of Savannah, Ga., pled guilty to Felon in Possession of Firearm. He faces up to 10 years in prison. However, if he is deemed by the court to be an Armed Career Criminal, he could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years up to life.

Christine Loggins, 43, of Rockledge, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. She faces up to 20 years.

Devon Aines, 32, of Garden City, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. He faces up to 20 years.

Miranda Burnsed, 32, of Pembroke, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.  She faces up to 20 years.

Avery Wiggins, 43, of Guyton, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine. She faces up to 20 years.

Maurice L. Graham, a/k/a “Moe,” 45, of Savannah, Ga., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine, Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, and Possession and Concealment of Counterfeit Obligations. He faces up to 20 years in prison. However, if he is deemed by the court to be an Armed Career Criminal, he could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years up to life.

Jessie Hurt, 40, of Ellabell, Ga, pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He faces at least 5 years up to life.

Raymond Warren, 47, of Ellabell, Ga, pled guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.

Ryan Smiley, 35, of Savannah, Ga, pled guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced to 27 months.

Darren Driggers, 26, of Bloomingdale, Ga, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He faces up to 20 years in prison. However, if he is deemed by the court to be an Armed Career Criminal, he could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years up to life.

Elizabeth Kitchens, 37, of Tybee Island, Ga, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. She faces up to 20 years in prison. However, if she is deemed by the court to be an Armed Career Criminal, she could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years up to life.

Crystal Wilson, 36, of Bloomingdale, Ga, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine. She faces up to 20 years.

The proceedings of three additional defendants have been sealed by the court because of safety concerns.  

The indictments allege that the narcotics-trafficking conspiracy began as early as 2015, operating in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Emmanuel, Evans, and Tattnall Counties, in the Southern District of Georgia, and elsewhere. Members of the conspiracy associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters and with other criminal street gangs to aid in the distribution of controlled substances, for protection, and to promote a climate of fear.

Operation Vanilla Gorilla represents one of the largest takedowns of Ghost Face Gangsters associates to date, and follows the March 2018 arrests of 23 gang members in the Northern District of Georgia on federal charges, and multiple arrests in October 2018 on state charges in Spalding County, Ga.

 “These guilty pleas are a credit to the hard work of law enforcement agents and prosecutors in bringing charges against this violent street gang,” U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “The strong coordination of federal, state and local law enforcement will continue to identify, target and dismantle these gangs as we work together to make our communities safer.”

“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources in conjunction with those crucial law enforcement contributions of local agencies to the pursuit of eradicating and forestalling criminal gang activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division said, “DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office eradicated a violent and notoriously dangerous street gang who trafficked drugs. This gang wreaked havoc by distributing methamphetamine while leaving a destructive path of violence along the way. Today, we are proud to have shut down this once-thriving criminal network. I want to thank our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts who aided in making these guilty pleas possible.” 

Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Frank Pennington.

05-19

SAVANNAH, GA – A series of indictments have charged 14 defendants with dealing crack cocaine in the historic Cuyler-Brownsville community.

The indictments, for charges ranging from conspiracy to possess crack cocaine to illegal firearms possession, were handed down in U.S. District Court shortly after final sentencings from a previous sweep of the neighborhood, announced Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Several of the defendants in Operation Third Time’s a Charm are alleged to have affiliation with the “Rollin’ 60s Crips,” a violent street gang associated with the national Crips criminal organization.

The investigation is a cooperative effort of the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Savannah Police Department Strategic Investigations Unit (SIU), the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They are part of continuing multi-agency investigations that began more than two years ago in response to complaints from neighborhood residents about frequent gunfire, violent crime and drug sales in CBV.  

The charges are contained in a series of seven federal indictments and include:

Isaac Young, a/k/a “Ike,” 37, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm;

Mario Wallace, 31, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm;

Jamarae Campbell, 28, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm;

Brooks Williams, 35, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm;

Charles Steplight, a/k/a “Beefy,” 27, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, and Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Eddie Robertson, 29, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, and Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Eric Davis, 27, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, and Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Luther Ruth, 29, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, and Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Emonde Polite, 27, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, and Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Jadontay Polite, 26, Charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, and Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Shawn Jivens, a/k/a “Puffy,” 39, charged with Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Arsenio Robinson, 29, charged with Distribution of Crack Cocaine;

Marvin Smith, 55, charged with Distribution of Crack Cocaine; and,

Corey Washington, a/k/a “Corey Outkast’d Mushin,” 31, charged with Distribution of Crack Cocaine.

“Our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors continue to target violent crime and drug distribution networks that threaten our communities,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “As these indictments demonstrate, last year’s announcement of major arrests in CBV wasn’t the end of those efforts; it was just the beginning – and we won’t stop until every law-abiding resident is free from fear.”

“ATF considers Savannah Police Department a critical partner in its long-term mission of removing violent criminals and narcotics traffickers from our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Pennington and Joe McCool are prosecuting the cases for the United States. 

This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.

An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.